My Two Cents
Wednesday, 21 February 2024 18:49

Newly-announced for 4K Ultra HD: The Crow, Once Upon a Time in the West, Steel Magnolias, plus new Warner Archive Blu-rays, True Detective: Night Country & more!

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Well, yesterday was kind of a big day in terms of industry news, but as it happens, there have been quite a lot of interesting 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray announcements in the last 24 hours too!

But before we get to those, we have a few more new disc reviews for you...

I’ve just taken a look at John Sturges’ Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) in 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, as well as Ron Maxwell’s cult classic Little Darlings (1980) in 4K UHD from Vinegar Syndrome’s new Cinématographe Films label.

Stephen has turned in his thoughts on Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels (2023) in 4K Ultra HD from Marvel and Disney, along with Yoshimitsu Banno’s Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) on 4K UHD (sans English subs) from Toho Studios in Japan.

Dennis has given Ted Kotcheff’s Split Image (1982) a look on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, along with Vincente Minnelli’s Madame Bovary (1949) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

And Stuart has reviewed Andrew V. McLaglen’s The Devil’s Brigade (1968) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics and Steve Zaillian’s Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films.

Many more reviews are forthcoming, including Footloose, Conan the Destroyer, and Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One in 4K, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for them.

Now then... in terns of title announcements, Paramount’s just dropped a couple of big ones starting with confirmation of a title we’ve mentioned here at The Bits recently: Alex Proyas’ The Crow (1994) officially streets on 4K Ultra HD and 4K Steelbook on 5/7. The 4K disc will include Dolby Vision and HDR10 high dynamic range. [Read on here...]

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Extras on the disc will include the all-new 3-part documentary Shadows & Pain: Designing The Crow with production designer Alex McDowell, the new-to-disc Sideshow Collectibles: An Interview with Edward R. Pressman, and legacy extras that include audio commentary with Alex Proyas, audio commentary with producer Jeff Most and screenwriter John Shirley, a behind-the-scenes featurette, A Profile on James O’Barr, 3 extended scenes, a deleted footage montage, and the theatrical trailer. You can see the cover artwork above left and also below. And here’s what the open Steelbook packaging will look like...

The Crow (4K Ultra HD Steelbook)

Also newly-announced by Paramount is another title we’ve mentioned here before that also happens to be one of our all-time favorite films: Sergio Leone’s classic western Once Upon a Time in the West (1968). This is being released on 5/14 as a Paramount Presents 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray title in honor of the film’s 55th anniversary. From the studio’s press release, the film “has been restored from the original 35mm Techniscope camera negative by Paramount’s archive team, L’Immagine Ritrovata and The Film Foundation. This restoration honors the 2007 Film Foundation photochemical restoration overseen by legendary director Martin Scorsese by matching its build and color palette. The result is the definitive home release of the film, which features the 165-minute extended cut restored to its glory.” The new master includes both Dolby Vision and HDR10, along with the previous English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix and English restored mono in Dolby Digital.

Extras will include two new features: An audio commentary by the hosts of the Spaghetti Western Podcast and A Look Back with Leonard Maltin. Legacy extras will include audio commentary with contributions by John Carpenter, John Milius, Alex Cox, Sir Christopher Frayling, Dr. Sheldon Hall, and members of the cast and crew, 4 documentary featurettes (An Opera of Violence, The Wages of Sin, Something to Do with Death, and Railroad: Revolutionizing the West), 2 video galleries (Locations Then & Now and Production), and the film’s theatrical trailer. Here’s what the open packaging looks like...

Once Upon a Time in the West (4K Ultra HD)

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has just set Herbert Ross’ Steel Magnolias (1989) for release on 4K Ultra HD on 4/23, in honor of the film’s 35th anniversary. The film has been newly-mastered from the original camera negative and will feature Dolby Vision HDR. You’ll also get an all new Dolby Atmos mix, plus the previous 5.1 and stereo mixes. A new extra in the package is the 1990 pilot for the Steel Magnolias TV series. You’ll also get the previous director’s commentary, 10 deleted scenes, the In Full Bloom: Remembering Steel Magnolias featurette, and the theatrical trailer. You can see the cover art below.

Not done yet: Universal and Illumination have just made the CG-animated Migration official for Blu-ray, DVD, 4K Ultra HD, and Digital release on 2/27. Extras will include 3 mini movies (Fly Hard, Mooned, and Midnight Mission), 7 Meet the Cast featurettes, several more production featurettes, and How To segments for kids. Look for Dolby Atmos audio on both the 4K and Blu-ray.

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment and DC have just set their animated Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Two for release on 4K Ultra HD Steelbook, Blu-ray, and Digital on 4/23. Note that Part One is already available and Part Three will arrive later in 2024.

Warner and HBO will release True Detective: Night Country on Blu-ray and DVD on 7/9. The Digital and streaming versions are available now. Extras will include 6 behind-the-scenes featurettes (Meet the True Detectives, New Chapter, Exploring Indigenous Themes, Max Inkblots, Setting, and Atmospheric Teases).

Here’s something awesome: The Warner Archive Collection has just announced six more new classic catalog Blu-ray titles for release on 3/26, including John Ford’s 3 Godfathers (1948), Raoul Walsh’s They Drive by Night (1940), Ramón Menéndez’s Stand and Deliver (1988), George Roy Hill’s The Little Drummer Girl (1984), Brett Ratner’s Money Talks (1997)—a New Line title—and a silent film double-feature Blu-ray of William A. Wellman’s The Boob (1926) and William A. Seiter’s Why Be Good? (1929).

And finally today, our friends at Kino Lorber Studio Classics have revealed that Alexander Mackendrick’s The Ladykillers (1955) is coming soon to 4K Ultra HD. So too to Blu-ray are George Seaton’s The Proud and the Profane (1956) and Raoul Walsh’s Pursued (1947). The company has also set Monk: The Complete Sixth Season (2007-08) for Blu-ray release on 4/23.

We’ll leave you with a look at the cover artwork for several of the titles mentioned above, with Amazon.com pre-order links if available. As always, whenever you order literally anything from Amazon after clicking to them through one of our links, you’re helping to support our work here at The Bits and we appreciate it!

The Crow (4K Ultra HD) The Crow (4K Ultra HD Steelbook) Once Upon a Time in the West (4K Ultra HD)

Steel Magnolias (4K Ultra HD) The Guyver (4K Ultra HD) Columbia Noir #6 (Blu-ray Disc)

Stay tuned...

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