Items filtered by date: August 2022

We’ve got three new disc reviews for you today, starting with my take on Paramount’s new George Pal Double Feature of Byron Haskin’s The War of the Worlds (1953) on 4K Ultra HD and Rudolph Maté’s When Worlds Collide (1951) on regular Blu-ray Disc. Unfortunately, both discs are... problematical... as you may have heard here and elsewhere. (And I should note that we have Paramount’s official position on War of the Worlds in the review text.) But they may still be worth your consideration so do check it out.

Also today, Tim has posted his thoughts on Jack Bender’s Child’s Play 3 (1991) in 4K Ultra HD from Scream Factory.

And Stephen has chimed in with his thoughts on Jeff Kanew’s Natural Enemies (1979) on Blu-ray from Fun City Editions via Vinegar Syndrome.

I’ve also just gotten my hands on Imprint Film’s new all-region Blu-ray of Akira Kurosawa’s Dersu Uzala (1975) and it’s pretty terrific. I’ve never seen the film looking better than it does here, and there are some nice extras on board as well, including a cracking new audio commentary by Japanese film expert Stuart Galbraith IV. I’ll have a full review here on The Bits in the next day or two. [Read on here...]

Well, go figure. I’d planned on working on disc reviews today, but it turns out that Paramount’s War of the Worlds (1953) 4K color grading issue isn’t the only problem with that release.

First though, the rest of The Bits team has turned in a couple reviews of their own...

Stephen has taken a look at Pierre Chenal’s Native Son (1951) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics.

And Dennis has reviewed Lewis Milestone and Byron Haskin’s The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) on Blu-ray as well, from Kino Lorber Studio Classics proper.

Both titles are worth a look, and I promise that more reviews are on tap for next week, including 4K titles.

Now then (speaking of Byron Haskin), I mentioned yesterday that there’s a color grading problem with Paramount’s new War of the Worlds: Paramount Presents 4K Ultra HD release. [Read on here...]

We have a few quick items of you today...

First, Lionsgate has just announced the Blu-ray and DVD release of Kevin Smith’s Clerks III on 12/6, with the 4K Digital release expected on 10/14.

Special features will include audio commentary (with writer/director Kevin Smith, and actors Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Trevor Fehrman, and Austin Zajur), 2 documentaries (The Clerks III Documentary and We’re Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today: 3 Decades of Clerks), deleted and alternate scenes, and the theatrical trailer.

We’re still awaiting the final Blu-ray cover artwork for this release, but you can see the film’s promotional art at left.

Lionsgate has also set Fall for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 10/18, with the Digital version expected on 9/27.

1901 Pictures has set the psychological horror film Nix for Digital release on 9/27. [Read on here...]

We’ve got two new disc reviews for you on this lovely Tuesday afternoon, both of them by our own Stephen Bjork...

First up, he’s taken a look at Universal’s CG-animated prequel Minions: The Rise of Gru in 4K Ultra HD.

Stephen has also offered his thoughts on Fernando Di Leo’s The Violent Breed (1984) on Blu-ray from Code Red via Kino Lorber.

As mentioned yesterday, more new disc reviews are on the way including a few great new 4K catalog titles, among them The War of the Worlds from Paramount and The Lost Boys from Warner Bros. So watch for those and more in the coming days.

Now then, in announcement news, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has officially set David Leitch’s Bullet Train (2022) for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 10/18, with the Digital release expected on 9/27. [Read on here...]

We’ve got two new disc reviews for you today, as well as more interesting 4K Ultra HD news and a few other things as well. First up, those reviews...

Tim has turned in his thoughts on Kenneth G. Crane’s Monster from Green Hell (1957) on Blu-ray from The Film Detective.

And Dennis has offered his take on Michael Curtiz’s The Scarlet Hour (1956) on region-free Blu-ray from Imprint Films in Australia.

More reviews are on the way all this week, so be sure to stay tuned for them.

The big 4K news today is that Paramount has officially set Walter Hill’s 48 Hrs. (1982) and Another 48 Hrs. (1990) for release on 4K Ultra HD on 12/6, just as we’ve been anticipating. [Read on here...]

Our friends at the Criterion Collection have just unveiled their December Blu-ray slate this afternoon, which is set to include four more interesting titles...

It starts with the Michael Haneke: Trilogy (Spine #1161 – Blu-ray only – includes The Seventh Continent, Benny’s Video, and 71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance) on 12/6. And following on 12/12 are Todd Haynes’ The Velvet Underground (Spine 1164 – Blu-ray and DVD), Three Films by Mai Zetterling (Spine #1162 – Blu-ray only – includes Loving Couples, Night Games, and The Girls), and finally Michael Schultz’s Cooley High (Spine #1165 – Blu-ray only).

It’s worth noting that The Velvet Underground documentary will include a new Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Click here for more details on all of these titles.

In 4K Ultra HD news today, retail sources are indicating that Universal will release David Gordon Green’s Halloween Ends on 12/27, though do keep in mind that this date is tentative and subject to change, as the film doesn’t actually hit theaters until 10/14. [Read on here...]

We have two more new disc reviews for you this afternoon, as well as more announcement news—including a couple of surprise titles. But first those reviews...

Tim has turned in his thoughts on John Lafia’s Child’s Play 2 (1990) in 4K Ultra HD from Scream Factory.

And Dennis has offered his take on Atom Egoyan’s Exotica (1994) on regular Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.

As always, more reviews are on the way in the days ahead, so be sure to watch for them.

Now then... the big news today is that Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just made Jordan Peele’s Nope official for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 10/25, with the Digital release due on 9/20. It appears that both the Blu-ray and 4K presentations will feature a variable aspect ratio that shifts between 2.20 and 1.78 to preserve the theatrical IMAX experience. [Read on here...]

No sooner did we post our first news update today, we’ve got a new announcement to add as well...

WARNER BROS.’ CASABLANCA

COMES TO 4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY COMBO PACK AND DIGITAL FROM WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT

TO CELEBRATE THE CLASSIC FILM’S 80TH ANNIVERSARY, CASABLANCA

WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 4K RESOLUTION AND HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE (HDR)

Own it November 8 on 4K Ultra HD and Digital

BURBANK, Calif., September 13, 2022 – Celebrating the 80th anniversary of its 1942 release, the legendary Warner Bros. film Casablanca will be released on Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital on November 8, it was announced today by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Starring Academy Award winners Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, critic Leonard Maltin calls Casablanca “the best Hollywood movie of all time.” [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a LOT of Blu-ray and 4K announcement news today, as well as lots of new Amazon pre-order links. But first, we have a few more new disc reviews...

Tim has taken a look at Steve Wang’s Drive (1997) on 4K Ultra HD from 88 Films and the MVD Rewind Collection.

Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Onur Tukel’s Summer of Blood (2014) on Blu-ray Disc from Vinegar Syndrome.

And Stephen has offered his take on Neil Marshall’s Dog Soldiers (2002) on 4K Ultra HD in a terrific special edition release from Second Sight.

Also here at The Bits, our own Michael Coate has posted a great new History, Legacy, and Showmanship column featuring a retrospective look at George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones on the occasion of the film’s 20th anniversary. The piece contains a complete rundown of the film’s first-run D-Cinema and IMAX presentations, along with a roundtable interview with historians Stephen Danley, W.R. Miller, and Richard Woloski. If you’re a Star Wars fan in particular, I think you’ll really enjoy it. [Read on here...]

“Attack of the Clones represents George Lucas’ forward-thinking perhaps more than any of his other films.” – Stephen Danley, Star Wars at the Movies

The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the 20th anniversary of the release of Attack of the Clones, the second and middle episode in George Lucas’s Star Wars prequel trilogy.

For the occasion of Attack of the Clones’s recent anniversary, The Bits features a multi-page article consisting of a Q&A with a trio of Star Wars historians and enthusiasts who reflect on the film.

It also contains detailed box-office data and statistics, passages from film reviews, and a reference listing of its North American first-run D-Cinema and IMAX presentations. [Read on here...]