My Two Cents
All right, we’ve got some exciting (and as yet unofficial) Disney Blu-ray news. Retail sources have informed us that not only are they preparing to announce the Blu-ray and DVD release of Frankenweenie, they’re also gearing up to release Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. 3D in Blu-ray 3D Combo format. Street date and details on features are still TBA, but we have a sneak peek at the cover artwork below.
Also today, 20th Century Fox has set Taken 2 for release on Blu-ray Combo and DVD on 1/15 (SRP $39.99 and $29.99). No word yet on extras. Fox has also set French Kiss and One Fine Day for Blu-ray release on 1/8 (SRP $16.99 each).
Meanwhile, MGM has set Sleeper and Hannah and Her Sisters for Blu-ray release on 1/15 (SRP $24.99 each).
Lionsgate will release Brothers Grimm (2005) on BD on 1/8.
Shout! Factory has set Joshua Tree for release on Blu-ray/DVD Combo on 2/26/2013 (SRP $19.93). They also have a Prison: Collector’s Edition and The Next (we’ve mentioned that one before) due on BD on 2/19.
And Kino will release 15-disc The Ultimate Buster Keaton Collection Blu-ray Box set for release on 12/22 (SRP $299.95). It’s set to include(BD - includes Buster Keaton: Short Films Collection - 1920-1923, The Saphead, Our Hospitality, Sherlock Jr., Three Ages, The Navigator, Seven Chances, Go West, Battling Butler, The General, College (exclusive to this set until next year), Steamboat Bill, Jr. and Lost Keaton) on 12/11.
In other news, don’t forget there’s a new installment of the Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome web series on Machinima today.
Also, Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln arrives in theaters today, as does the final Twilight film Breaking Dawn. I wonder how many parents today are going to drop their kids off at Twilight and then sneak in to see Lincoln...
Finally, here’s something cool: Our friends at Trek Movie have confirmed that the first trailer for next year’s Star Trek into Darkness is going to be attached to non IMAX screenings of The Hobbit on 12/14, while IMAX screenings of The Hobbit will have the first 9 minutes of the Trek film as a preview. That’s a twofer right there. Count us in!
We’ll leave you this week with a look at the BD cover artwork for Disney’s Frankenweenie, Disney and Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. 3D, Fox’s Taken 2, Kino’s The Ultimate Buster Keaton Collection and Baron Blood (due 12/11), and Warner Archive’s Deathtrap (available online on 11/20)...
Have a great weekend and we’ll see you back here on Monday!
- Bill Hunt
We’ve got a bunch of new announcement news to report this afternoon, so let’s get to it…
First though, Amazon has a great Gold Box Deal of the Day going on The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Extended Edition Blu-ray box set – just $44 or more than 60% off the SRP! Act fast and don’t miss it!
Now then… Lionsgate has set Dredd for release on Blu-ray 3D Combo and DVD on 1/8/2013 (SRP $39.99 and $29.95). Both will include 6 featurettes (Mega-City Masters: 35 Years of Judge Dredd, Day of Chaos: The Visual Effects of Dredd 3D, Dredd, Dredd’s Gear, The 3rd Dimension and Welcome to Peachtrees) along with a Dredd motion comic. Check out the cover artwork below.
Our friends at The Criterion Collection have revealed their February Blu-ray and DVD release slate, set to include Keisuke Kinoshita’s The Ballad of Narayama (Cat #645 – BD and DVD – due 2/5), Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne’s The Kid with a Bike (Cat #646 – BD and DVD – 2/12), Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront (Cat #647 – BD and DVD – 2/19), Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin’s Chronicle of a Summer (Cat #648 – BD and DVD – 2/26) and Kenji Mizoguchi’s Sansho the Bailiff (Cat #386 – BD – 2/26). More great Japanese cinema and classic Brando in high-definition too!
And here’s something exciting: The Warner Archive Collection has just announced its first Blu-ray Disc releases, including Deathtrap and Gypsy! They’ll be available starting next week – 11/20. Then starting in February 2013, Warner Archive will release 2 additional BD titles each month (SRP $21.99 each). Future titles will include the Coen Brothers’ The Hudsucker Proxy and Fearless. From the studio’s press release, “All will leverage high-quality 1080p masters.” They’ll be produced in limited quantities and fulfilled on demand. Cool news indeed!
Also today, Summit Entertainment has set The Perks of Being a Wallflower for Blu-ray and DVD release on 2/12 (SRP $39.99 and $29.95). Extras will include audio commentary with screenwriter/director Stephen Chobsky, a second commentary with Chobsky and the cast, dailies footage, the Best Summer Ever featurette and deleted scenes with optional director’s commentary.
Warner has also set Gossip Girl: The Complete Sixth and Final Season for DVD release on 2/19.
Shout! Factory will release Quincy M.E.: Season 4 on DVD on 12/18 (SRP $39.97).
And Anchor Bay Entertainment has set Seeds of Destruction for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 2/19 (SRP $24.99 and $19.98).
Here’s a look at the cover art for both versions of Lionsgate’s Dredd and BD art for Summit’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Criterion’s On the Waterfront and Sansho the Bailiff and Warner Archive’s Gypsy (Dredd is available for pre-order on Amazon.com now – just click on the covers. We'll update the others with pre-order links as they become available.)…
Stay tuned!
- Bill Hunt
Morning, folks. Thought we’d start out today with a nice early update for a change, so start that coffee perking and read on...
Here at The Bits today, Dr. Jahnke and I weigh in on Sony’s long-awaited Lawrence of Arabia on Blu-ray Disc! Specifically, the Doctor’s taken a look at the film itself as well as Sony’s 2-disc Blu-ray version, while I’ve added my own thoughts on the studio’s 4-disc Fiftieth Anniversary Limited Edition box set. Whichever version you choose, you’re in for a real treat – it’s one of the best releases of the year.
And around the Net today, you fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are in for something special as well – Empire has made Howard Shore’s score for The Hobbit available for listening online. All 105 minutes worth of it. For free. Click here… and try not to sprain your clicker-fingers in haste! You’ll be able to purchase the CD on Amazon.com on 12/10 in the regular and deluxe editions picture here (click on the cover art to pre-order)…
That’s all for now. Stay tuned!
- Bill Hunt
Afternoon, folks! We’ve got a release news update for you on today. First though, our own Russell Hammond has updated the Release Dates & Artwork section to include all the latest Blu-ray, DVD and Video Game cover art and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, a portion of anything you purchase from Amazon after clicking through to them from our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits and we really appreciate it!
Now then…
Warner Home Video has set Scooby-Doo! and the Mask of the Blue Falcon for Blu-ray and DVD release on 2/26. They also have a Hats Off to Dr Seuss Collector’s Edition due on Blu-ray and DVD on 2/19 (includes The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham and Other Stories, The Lorax, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Horton Hears a Who!) and Tom & Jerry: Pint Sized Pals due on DVD only on 3/5.
Universal has set Hit & Run for Blu-ray Combo and DVD release on 1/8. Extras will include deleted scenes and a trio of featurettes (Street Legal, Run and Gun and Love on the Run). They studio will follow with The Awakening on Blu-ray Combo and DVD release on 1/29 - extras are TBA. They’ve also announced a batch of new Blu-ray 3D releases due on 1/29, including Amazing Ocean 3D, Fascination Coral Reef 3D and Fascination Coral Reef 3D: Mysterious Worlds Underwater. All three will also include a 2D Blu-ray viewing option.
Lionsgate has updated their January release slate with some additional titles. Newly announced are Hansel & Gretel: Warriors of Witchcraft, LeapFrog: The Magnificent Museum of Opposite Words, LeapFrog: Adventures in Shapeville Park and The Men Who Built America (Blu-ray and DVD) on 1/22 and Bangkok Assassins, The Cold Light of Day (Blu-ray and DVD), The Liability and That Obscure Object of Desire on 1/29. All titles are DVD only unless otherwise noted.
Sony has set Now Is Good for DVD only release on 1/8. That’s followed by The Intouchables on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/15.
Paramount and Comedy Central will release Chris Hardwick: Mandroid for DVD only release on 1/22. Paramount and CBS have also set Gunsmoke: The Seventh Season, Volume Two for DVD only release on 2/5, followed by Bonanza: The Official Fifth Season, Volume One, Bonanza: The Official Fifth Season, Volume Two and Matlock: The Eighth Season on 2/12.
Disney has set Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: The Wizard of Dizz for DVD only release on 2/5.
Finally, MPI Home Video has set Samsara, Ron Fricke’s new sequel to Baraka, for Blu-ray and DVD release on 1/8 (SRP $34.98 and $27.98). If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it. Like Baraka, the film was shot in 70mm, transferred to 8K digital and then the original digital file was down-converted to 1080p for BD release. It should look and sound spectacular.
Here’s a look at the BD cover artwork for Universal’s Hit & Run, MPI’s Samsara and Sony’s The Intouchables. The first two are available for pre-order on Amazon.com by clicking on the cover art…
Stay tuned!
- Bill Hunt
Afternoon, folks! We’ve got a bunch of good stuff for you today here at The Bits, including news about two popular genre TV series coming to Blu-ray next year.
First though, I’ve finally posted my in-depth review of Fox’s new Prometheus: 4-Disc Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray. It took a while to get through all the content… and also to really put a finger on my thoughts on the film. Read on if you’re interested…
Also, in honor of this weekend’s release of Skyfall in theatres, we’ve got Mario Boucher’s look back at the history of the Bond franchise and all the many changes it's undergone over the years: James Bond: 50 Years of Impact in Cinema. Enjoy!
Now then… the big news today is that Star Trek.com (and this CBS which runs it) has officially confirmed something we’ve been suggesting was in the works for months now: Star Trek: Enterprise is on the way to Blu-ray Disc in 2013! Our sources tell us that Season One will be out probably in Q2 of 2013 and then if sales are good Seasons Two, Three and Four will follow before the end of the year. You can actually vote on the cover artwork that CBS will use for the packaging (click here for that) – I like the crew shots myself (the first pair of images below) but be sure to weigh in yourself. Here’s a look at the choices…
Finally today, while we’re on the subject of TV on Blu-ray, our industry sources are telling us that 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is planning to bring its popular genre series The X-Files to Blu-ray in 2013 as well! You can read more about that in today’s re-launch of our ever-popular Rumor Mill column here at The Digital Bits. Don’t miss it!
Stay tuned…
- Bill Hunt