My Two Cents
We’re starting the new week with more new disc reviews, as always, plus we have some great release news to share with you today as well! Reviews first...
Tim has taken a look a Bob Clark’s Deathdream (1974, aka Dead of Night) in 4K Ultra HD from our friends at Blue Underground.
Dennis has offered his thoughts on Alan J. Pakula’s Starting Over (1979) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
And Stuart has weighed in with a review of Luigi Comencini’s The Sunday Woman (1975) on Blu-ray from Radiance Films. He’s also revisited his 2012 review of Sony’s The Three Stooges: The Ultimate Collection (1934-1958) on DVD in anticipation of the studio’s forthcoming The Three Stooges Blu-ray Collection.
More reviews are forthcoming, so be sure keep checking back for them!
The big announcement news today is that Sony has officially set Gil Kenan’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire for release on Blu-ray, DVD, 4K Ultra HD, and 4K Steelbook on 6/25. There will also be a Walmart-exclusive Blu-ray Steelbook, as well as a Limited Edition 2-Movie 4K Giftset that includes this film plus Ghostbusters: Afterlife. [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...]
Our second news update of the day starts with a little bit of breaking news: Paramount has just made David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker’s Top Secret! (1984) and David Fincher’s Zodiac (2007) available in 4K Digital on Apple TV, Vudu, Kaleidescape, and more. Given the amount of effort Fincher puts into his remasters, we believe it’s safe to assume that Zodiac will be coming to physical 4K Ultra HD from Paramount sooner than later as well.
Zodiac, it should be remembered, was shot mostly in 10-bit RAW in 1080p HD (4:4:4) using the Thomson Viper FilmStream camera, along with some footage in 35 mm photochemical film (Super 35 format). But anyone who doubts that it could look great upscaled and remastered in 4K would do well to take a look at HBO’s Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season in 4K UHD (which we’ve reviewed here). The advantages of high data rate and low compression, combined with an HDR grade, could really make a difference. Zodiac in particular was very well lit and photographed. Personally, I’m eager to get a look at it.
Also today, Arrow Video has announced their August slate, which includes a UK-only 4K Ultra HD release of Michael Lehmann’s Heathers (1988) on 8/5, followed by a slew of titles on 8/26. Among them are Robert Rodriguez’s Desperado (1995) in 4K Ultra HD and The Mexico Trilogy box set (both in the UK, US, and Canada), which includes El Mariachi (1992) and Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) in Blu-ray, as well as the Desperado 4K. [Read on here...]
Sorry for the lack of a news update yesterday, but I spent the entire day on the phone with studio and industry sources digging into upcoming 4K catalog titles. Rest assured, I’ll share more on all of that in the days and weeks to come.
In the meantime, we have some great release news for you—which we’ll share in a couple of news posts today—as well as more new disc reviews. Those include...
Stuart’s look at Jerry Hopper’s Alaska Seas (1954) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, as well as Carlotta Films’ Region B Blu-ray release of Roger Corman’s The Intruder (1962), which is one of his best films and also features one of William Shatner’s early film roles.
Dennis’ thoughts on John Farrow’s Submarine Command (1951) and Charles Vidor’s Thunder in the East (1952) both on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
Tim’s look at the complete Hanna-Barbera’s Superstars 10 (1987-1988) Blu-ray box set from the Warner Archive Collection.
And finally Stephen’s take on Wellson Chin’s The Inspector Wears Skirts 2 (1989) on Blu-ray from 88 Films, as well as Michael Benveniste and Howard Ziehm’s Flesh Gordon: 50th Anniversary Edition (1974) on region-free Blu-ray from Turbine Medien.
Now then... let’s get to the announcement news, because we’ve got a bunch of it. [Read on here...]
Heads-up Digital Bits readers!
Paramount Home Entertainment has been made aware of an error on their 4K Ultra HD of James Cameron’s Titanic (1997) (specifically, instances of missing off-screen dialogue) and is going to correct it with a disc replacement program.
If you have this title, visit the online form linked below:
https://phe-physical-consumer-support.imoxiemedia.com/
Select issue type “Other,” format “UHD,” put “Titanic 4K Ultra HD” in the title field, and in the brief description box add “Replacement Disc.”
You’ll be asked for your shipping info and a proof of purchase.
Discs will be shipped out soon and we’ll let you all know—both here on The Bits and on our social media—when they’ve begun to go out.
Stay tuned...
[Editor’s Note: For those asking: Three lines of off-screen dialogue are missing from all the tracks on the US Titanic 4K. Around 2:11:10, Leo should say “Ok! Let’s go!” and moments later “Let’s go, Rose.” Then at around 2:37:27 Leo should say again, “This way.” as the minister is praying.]
(You can follow Bill on social media at these links: Twitter and Facebook)