Displaying items by tag: The Criterion Collection

Today’s new disc reviews here at The Digital Bits include...

Stephen’s review of Michael Ritchie’s Prime Cut (1972) in 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Dennis’ review of Budd Boetticher’s The Killer is Loose (1956) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Tim’s reviews of Fred Walton’s April Fool’s Day (1986) in 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics and Arch Oboler’s Domo Arigato (1973) on Blu-ray 3D from BayView Entertainment with the help of the 3-D Film Archive.

And Stuart’s look at William A. Fraker’s Monte Walsh (1970) on Blu-ray, also from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Here at The Bits today, we’re also sharing new updates of our Release Dates & Artwork section (with all the latest cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links) as well as our 4K Ultra HD Release List. So be sure to watch for those shortly.

In terms of announcement news, we expect Disney to release their CG-animated Moana 2 (2024) on Blu-ray, DVD, 4K Ultra HD, and 4K Steelbook formats on 3/18. [Read on here...]

Afternoon, friends! We have three new disc reviews for you today, including...

Stephen’s look at Ramón Menéndez’s Stand and Deliver (1988) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

An update of our old friend Todd Doogan’s 2010 Blu-ray review of Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo (1961) and Sanjuro (1962) by Tim Salmons, to cover the Criterion Collection’s new 4K Ultra HD release.

And finally today, Dennis’ look at Anand Tucker’s The Critic (2023) on good old fashioned DVD from Greenwich Entertainment and Kino Lorber.

In terms of announcement news this afternoon, the big news is that HBO has made its planned 4K Ultra HD Steelbook Limited Edition re-release of The Last of Us: The Complete First Season official for 3/18, in anticipation of the debut of Season Two on Max in April.

Also, the A24 shop is releasing an exclusive Blu-ray version of Greg Kwedar’s Sing Sing (2023) with an expected street date TBA for March. You can pre-order it here. The disc will include audio commentary with the director, producer, editor, and cinematographer, 2 featurettes (Trust the Process and Sing Sing Correctional Facility Premiere), deleted scenes, and a gallery of behind-the-scenes photography by Greg Kwedar, Dominic León, Daniel Order, and Pat Scola. [Read on here...]

Cheers, Bits readers! Here’s our latest batch of new disc reviews for today…

Stephen has taken a look at Michael Mann’s The Keep (1983) in 4K Ultra HD from Vinegar Syndrome.

Dennis has reviewed Robert Florey’s The Beast with Five Fingers (1946) and Anthony Mann’s The Tall Target (1951), both on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

Stuart has offered his thoughts on Zoltán Korda’s Sahara (1943) on Blu-ray from Indicator and George Seaton’s The Proud and Profane (1956) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And not to be outdone, Tim has shared his look at Russ Meyer’s Beneath the Valley of the Ultravixens (1979) on Blu-ray from Severn Films.

More reviews are forthcoming, as always, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for them!

Now then, the big release news today is that Universal has officially set Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu (2024) for release on Blu-ray, DVD, 4K Ultra HD, and 4K Steelbook on 2/18. The Digital version is now available. You can see the cover artwork at left and also below. [Read on here...]

We’ve got a couple of good things to share with you today, starting with new discs reviews. Among them are…

My look at John Ford’s legendary Western classic The Searchers (1956) in 4K Ultra HD from the Warner Archive, an absolutely stunning title that I think deserves to be considered the 4K Disc of the Year.

Stephen’s review of Sydney Pollack’s Tootsie (1982) in 4K Ultra HD from Sony via their excellent Columbia Classics: Volume 5 box set, as well as David Chung’s Royal Warriors (1986) on Blu-ray from 88 Films.

And Dennis’ review of Buster Keaton’s Seven Chances (1925) and Sherlock Jr. (1924) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics.

All three are well worth a look, and we’re going to have more new disc reviews here on Wednesday.

Also today, our own Michael Coate has just shared a new History, Legacy & Showmanship column today featuring film historian and author Nat Segaloff as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of John Guillermin’s The Towering Inferno (1974). It’s a short read, but still well worth your time. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got two new long-form disc reviews to share with you today...

The first is my look at Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing: The Complete Series (1999-2006), which is finally available in a new 28-disc Blu-ray box set from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment. The package is far from perfect, but for fans it’s still mostly be worth a look.

Also today, Stephen is celebrating yesterday’s 70th anniversary of Ishirō Honda’s original Godzilla (1954) by reviewing the new 4K Ultra HD release from Toho Studios via the Criterion Collection here in the US, a title that officially streets tomorrow.

In announcement news today, Kino Lorber Studio Classics has just revealed that John Frankenheimer’s Reindeer Games (2000) is coming soon to 4K Ultra HD. In addition, Melville Shavelson’s Houseboat (1958) is coming soon to Blu-ray Disc. [Read on here...]

We have three new disc reviews for you this afternoon, including...

Sam’s take on Glenn Ficarra and John Requa’s Focus (2015) in 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros.

Tim’s review of the new Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost (1999) and Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders (2000) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

And Stuart’s thoughts on Sidney Lanfield’s You’ll Never Get Rich (1941) on Region B only Blu-ray from Powerhouse Films’ Indicator label in the UK.

As for release news, there’s not a ton of it to report today, however we do have a couple of fun items for you...

First, Paramount has officially set the animated Transformers One for release on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD on 12/17, with the Digital release expected tomorrow on 10/22. Extras will include 5 behind-the-scenes featurettes (including In the Beginning, World Building on Cybertron, Together As One, The Iacon 5000, and The Battle for Cybertron). You can see the cover artwork below the break.

Speaking of Paramount, they along with CBS have set Blue Bloods: The Final Season and Blue Bloods: The Complete Series for DVD only release on 12/17 as well. Extras on the final season will include deleted scenes, 2 featurettes (The Story of the Reagans and May the Road Rise Up to Greet You), and a gag reel. [Read on here...]

We’ve got three more new disc reviews for you to enjoy today as we close out the week, including...

Stephen’s look at the new I Walked with a Zombie/The Seventh Victim: Produced by Val Lewton 4K Ultra HD release from Criterion.

Dennis’ take on John Farrow’s Botany Bay (1953) on Blu-ray from our friends at Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And Stuart’s thoughts on William Dieterle’s Red Mountain (1951) on Blu-ray also from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

In announcement news today, Imprint Films has just revealed a new trio of Imprint Asia Blu-ray releases for release in January (street date 1/8/25) that includes Jia Ling’s Yolo (2024), Sun Zhou’s Zhou Yu’s Train (2002), and the Erotic Ghost Story Trilogy (1990–1992) box set, which offers Lam Ngai Kai’s Erotic Ghost Story (1990), Peter Ngor’s Erotic Ghost Story II (1991), and Kai-Ming Lai’s Erotic Ghost Story III (1992). Those first two are available here in their very first appearances on Blu-ray anywhere.

Not to be outdone, Umbrella Entertainment’s February slate will include Jon S. Baird’s Filth (2013), Neil Jordan’s The Crying Game (1992), Kim Ki-duk’s Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring (2003), and E.L. Katz’s Azrael (2024) on Blu-ray, along with Lynne Ramsay’s You Were Never Really Here (2017) in 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray, all on 2/5. [Read on here...]

Greetings, Bits-ers! We’ve got some great announcement news for you this afternoon, but first...

Tim has taken a look at a couple of new releases on disc for you all, including Sergio Martino’s Torso (1973), an Italian giallo title from Arrow Video in 4K Ultra HD, and also Antonio Margheriti’s Cannibal Apocalypse (1980) in 4K Ultra HD from Kino Cult. So that should take care of your schlock horror cravings for today.

Morning reviews are on the way, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled.

Now then, the big announcement news today is that 20th Century Studios has just officially set Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus (2024) for 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD release on 12/3, with the Digital release expected in a couple of weeks on 10/15. The title will come in Steelbook packaging only. Look for HDR10 high dynamic range and Dolby Atmos audio on a 66GB disc. The aspect ratio (per the press release) is 2.39:1.

[Editor’s Note: The studio press release indicates HDR10 only, but the open packaging shot—when zoomed in—reveals that the disc has the Dolby Vision logo on it. We’ve asked the studio to confirm and will post an update here when we hear back.]

[Editor’s Update – 10/1/24: Just a quick heads up to clarify... I’ve confirmed with studio sources that the Alien: Romulus 4K will indeed have Dolby Vision HDR, despite the fact that their press release suggested otherwise. However: No, Disney and 20th Century aren’t necessarily adding DV to all future Ultra HD titles. Instead, they’re making the decision to include it on a case by case basis going forward.]

Extras will include the Return to Horror: Crafting Alien: Romulus documentary, which includes 4 parts (The Director’s Vision, Creating the Story, Casting the Faces, and Constructing the World). You’ll also get 2 additional featurettes (Inside the Xenomorph Showdown and Alien: A Conversation which features Alvarez talking with original Alien director Ridley Scott). And a selection of Alternate/Extended Scenes will also be included. You can see the packaging at left and also below. [Read on here...]

The big news today is that Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has just announced the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 (2024) on 9/10. The Digital release is expected on 8/20.

Extras will include a pair of behind-the-scenes featurettes (including New Emotions and Unlocking the Vault) along with 5 deleted scenes (among them Cold Open, Broken Joy, Pool Party, Puberty Prank, and Shame Spiral).

The 4K will be released as a Limited Edition 4K + Blu-ray Steelbook. There will also be Blu-ray + DVD package, and a standalone DVD. An Inside Out 2-Movie Collection will also be available on Digital.

Audio on the 4K disc will be Dolby Atmos, with 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio included on the Blu-ray. We presume the HDR will be HDR10 only. The 4K disc is confirmed to be limited to 66 GB. You can see the cover artwork at left and also below the break. [Read on here...]

We start today with more new disc reviews, including...

Stephen’s look at John Flynn’s Rolling Thunder (1977) and Kimberly Peirce’s Carrie (2013) in 4K Ultra HD, as well as Jonathan Kaplan’s Over the Edge (1979) on Blu-ray, all from Shout! Factory.

Stuart’s take on Ken Loach’s documentary The Spirit of ‘45 (2013) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome and Alain Cavalier’s Le Combat dans l’île (1962) on Blu-ray from Radiance Films.

And Dennis’ thoughts on Kino Classics’ Vitagraph Comedies Blu-ray, featuring 40 classic shorts on three discs.

Now then, in terms of actual announcement news, we’ve got a couple of items for you and they’re pretty great. But there’s even more unofficial news, that’s no less exciting! Let’s get to the actual announcement news first...

It starts today with word that Janus Films will be debuting a brand new 4K restoration of Akira Kurosawa’s legendary epic Seven Samurai (1954) next month in New York and Los Angeles! You’ll be able to see it on 7/5 at the Film Forum in NYC and on 7/7 at the American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. This is only my favorite film of all time. I will absolutely be at that Egyptian Theatre screening, and the fact that this restoration is now complete surely means that a physical 4K Ultra HD is coming later this year from Criterion as well. You can see the poster for this release at left, and the trailer is available for reviewing below the break. [Read on here...]