My Two Cents
Today’s is a quick update here at The Bits, but a good one to be sure!
First up, I’ve posted my thoughts on CBS’ forthcoming Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Three on Blu-ray, which hits stores on 4/30. It’s everything fans of the show could hope for – a great Blu-ray release of TNG’s best season, with more than three hours of all-new documentary material alone! You’ll definitely want to get your pre-orders in. I’ll check back with a review of the Best of Both Worlds stand-alone disc in the next couple of days as well.
Also today, our friends over at the Warner Archive are holding a fire sale featuring 25% off select DVD-R releases – over 1500 titles in all! Be sure to check it out and take advantage if there are titles you’ve been looking for. The sale runs until 4/29.
And in announcement news, Warner Home Video has just set The Incredible Burt Wonderstone for release on Blu-ray Combo and DVD on 6/24 (SRP $35.99 and $28.98). Extras will include the Making Movie Magic with David Copperfield featurette, a gag reel, deleted scenes and alternate takes.
Here’s a look at the cover artwork for Disney’s Oz: The Great and Powerful and Warner’s Jack the Giant Slayer on Blu-ray 3D, along with CBS’ TNG: Season 3…
Stay tuned…
- Bill Hunt
Okay… this one has me excited: Shout! Factory has just set Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids: The Complete Series for release on DVD on 6/15 (SRP $119.99). The 15-disc DVD box set will include all 110 episodes of the series along with a 16-page book. Extras will include audio commentary with Bill Cosby and the all-new Hey, Hey, Hey… It’s The Story of Fat Albert documentary (featuring a new interview with Cosby). The booklet will also feature an essay by Dr. Gordon Berry, who was the show’s educational advisor. I really dug that show when I was a kid, so this should be a treat.
“Hey Albert, that’s N.C.”
“N.C.?”
“No Class!”
You can see the cover artwork below.
Also today, Lionsgate has set Spring Breakers for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 7/9.
Anchor Bay will release The Amazing Adventures of the Living Corpse on Blu-ray and DVD on 6/18.
Arrow Video has delayed the worldwide Blu-ray and DVD release of Mario Bava’s Black Sabbath until 5/13. Adjust your plans accordingly. The disc will include the “original Italian version of the film and the re-edited, re-dubbed and re-scored American version, together and fully restored for the first time anywhere in the world, along with a host of special features, bonus material and exclusive artwork.” You can watch a clip of one of the special features from the disc here. Meanwhile, Bava’s Baron Blood is still set for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 4/29.
Well Go USA Entertainment has also switched the date for the BD and DVD release of New World to 7/23.
Impulse Pictures has set the Nikkatsu erotic film titles She Cat and Female Teacher Hunting for release on DVD on 5/7.
Monarch has set Love Sick Love for DVD only release on 5/21.
And Lionsgate will release a Robotech: 2-Movie Collection on DVD on 7/23, set to include Love Live Alive and The Shadow Chronicles.
Finally, Image Entertainment has set The Wicked for release on DVD only on 4/30.
Here’s a look at the cover art for Shout!’s Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids on DVD, as well as Criterion’s Babette’s Feast (due 7/23) and Warner Archive’s Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan (6/25) on Blu-ray...
Stay tuned…
- Bill Hunt
All right, as predicted Trek Into Darkness spoilers are starting to trickle out in the wake of today’s premiere screening in Australia, so if you’re hoping to stay spoiler free, be advised you’d better be on your guard pretty much everywhere online.
Here at the site today, our own Russell Hammond has posted the weekly update of the Release Dates & Artwork section with all the latest Blu-ray, DVD and video game cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, a portion of anything you purchase from the online retailer after clicking through to them from our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits and we sure do appreciate it!
In announcement news today, Warner Home Video is diving into more Paramount catalog titles on 8/13, including some that haven’t been released on Blu-ray before. Look for Presidio, Shaft (2000) and Flashdance.
Warner has also set Action Jackson and Passenger 57 for Blu-ray release on 8/6.
Meanwhile, Funimation will release Lupin the Third: Woman Called Fukiko on Blu-ray on 7/30.
Indomina will release Filly Brown on BD and DVD on 7/30.
Fox’s Hell on Wheels: The Complete Second Season has been set for BD and DVD on 7/16.
Here’s something cool on the classic film front: Flicker Alley has set Cinerama Holiday and Cinerama: South Seas Adventure for release on Blu-ray/DVD Combo on 10/22 (SRP $39.95 each but you can pre-order them for just $29.96 on the Flicker Alley website). Thanks to Bits reader Anders O. for the heads-up!
And for you music fans, Eagle Rock Entertainment has set Paul McCartney and Wings: Rockshow for release on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on 7/11 (SRP $34.98 and $29.98). The 1980 concert film has been one of Dr. Jahnke’s Most Wanted titles, so it’s nice to finally see it on disc, restored, remastered and with a new 5.1 sound mix to boot!
Here’s a look at the BD cover art for Rockshow, as well as the two Cinerama titles…
Stay tuned…
- Bill Hunt
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Star Trek Into Darkness spoiler week. Not that we’ll post spoilers here – no sir, that’s not how we roll at The Bits. However… the first public screenings of the film begin this week (starting today at the Australian premiere), so spoilers are inevitably going to be leaking everywhere. If you wish to remain spoiler free, I highly recommend shutting down your Internet for the next three weeks. (Good luck with that, I know.) Or at least staying off Facebook!
Anyway, here at the site today, our own Tim Salmons has turned in a great new Dailies column in which he takes a look at the difference between classic Euro horror and the modern day Hollywood variety. He’s also posted new reviews of Kino’s Zombie Lake and Oasis of the Zombies, as well as Shout!/Scream Factory’s The Vampire Lovers on Blu-ray. Enjoy!
Speaking of Shout!, the company has just announced a new Blu-ray double-feature of Dirty Mary Crazy Larry and Race with the Devil set for release on 6/4. Both films were released on DVD by the company previously.
Also today, Well Go USA Entertainment has set Park Hoon-Jeong’s mob thriller New World for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 7/9 (SRP $29.98 and $24.98).
And for you fans of ABC’s cancelled nuclear sub TV series Last Resort, know that Sony is planning to release Last Resort: The Complete First Season as a 3-disc DVD set. Street date and SRP is still TBA, but extras will include 13 Last Resort Declassified featurettes (including Making the Pilot, Profiles in Courage, Conn Artists, Anatomy of an Episode: Voluntold, Grace Under Fire, Ties That Bind, Subvirtual, The Buzzard’s Nest, Turning Point, The Mole, Serrat’s Lair, I, Kylie and Epilogue).
Finally today, I’ve finally got the replacement lamp for my HD projector here, so getting it installed (and recalibrating my projector) is how I’m spending my evening. First thing I’m diving into when that’s all done are my reviews of CBS’ new Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Three and Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Best of Both Worlds Blu-rays. So watch for those reviews over the next couple days. Meanwhile, I’m mentioning all this because Amazon has Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season One, Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Two and Star Trek: Enterprise – Season One on Blu-ray discounted to 60% off all week! Just click on the cover artwork below to take advantage…
Stay tuned!
- Bill Hunt
So how do you like that: The day CBS’ Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Three and The Best of Both Worlds Blu-rays show up for review, my HD projector bulb dies! Talk about bad timing. Ah… the “serious problems” of modern 21st Century life. Some days you just have to laugh. And remind yourself that it’s actually good having problems this mundane. So anyway, rest assured I’ll have reviews of both titles up by probably mid-next week.
Meanwhile, we have a few new announcements for you today…
Disney has officially revealed the Blu-ray and DVD release of The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition on 10/1. There will be FOUR SKUs, 3-disc Blu-ray 3D, 2-disc Blu-ray in BD packaging, 2-disc Blu-ray in DVD packaging and 2-disc BD with Digital Copy (SRP $49.99, $39.99, $39.99 and $44.99). All will include DVD. Note that if you buy the 3-disc Blu-ray 3D edition, Amazon.com currently has a $5 off discount coupon available on pre-orders (this is a limited time offer, so act fast).
Warner Home Video has unveiled the Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD release of Jack the Giant Slayer on 6/18 (SRP $44.95, $35.99 and $28.98). Extras on the Blu-rays will include the Become a Giant Slayer “interactive experience”, deleted scenes and a gag reel.
Warner has also set Tom and Jerry: No Mice Allowed! for release on DVD only on 7/16 (SRP $19.97).
And DC and Warner Animation will release Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox on Blu-ray and DVD on 7/30 (SRP $24.98 and $19.98).
Meanwhile, Cinemax will release Banshee: The Complete First Season on Blu-ray and DVD on 7/30, followed by Strike Back: Season 2 on both formats on 8/6.
Shout! Factory has set Cohen & Tate for release on Blu-ray on 7/9, starring Roy Scheider and Adam Baldwin. The company has also set Transformers: Rescue Bots – Energize for DVD only release on 6/11, via its Shout! Factory Kids label.
Anchor Bay Entertainment has set Charlie Zone for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 6/4 (SRP $24.99 and $19.98).
The Disinformation Company has set a documentary on exorcism in the Catholic church, The Exorcist in the 21st Century, for DVD only release on 5/7.
And Image Entertainment has announced that it has acquired the release rights to Ruthless Pictures’ thriller Mischief Night, which has just begin filming. Details of the eventual videodisc release will be announced at a later date.
Here’s a look at the Blu-ray cover art for two versions of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, two versions of Warner’s Jack the Giant Slayer, Cinemax’s Strike Back: Season Two and Shout! Factory’s The Producers (due 7/2)…
Have a great weekend!
- Bill Hunt