Displaying items by tag: Tim Burton

We’ve got a trio of new disc reviews for you today to start the new week, including...

Tim’s review of Columbo: The Return (1989-2003) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, featuring the final 24 episodes of the series.

Stuart’s take on Patrice Leconte’s The Hairdresser’s Husband (1990) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics.

And Dennis’ thoughts on Bert I. Gordon’s The Food of the Gods (1976) on Blu-ray from American International Pictures via Kino Lorber Studio Classics’ new Kino Cult line.

More discs are on the way this week as well, so be sure to watch for them.

It’s a slow morning for release news, but we do have a couple things for you.

First, Paramount has set ZAZ: The Collection! for release on 4K Ultra HD on 11/19. That’s Zucker, Abrahams & Zucker to you! The collection will include Airplane! (1980), Top Secret! (1984), and The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988). The first two are new to the format.

Kino Lorber Studio Classics is going to be releasing Claude Miller’s Deadly Circuit (1983) on Blu-ray on 10/29. The company has also revealed that Herbert Ross’ Play It Again Sam (1972) is coming soon to Blu-ray, while Michael Anderson’s Orca (1977) is coming soon to 4K Ultra HD. [Read on here...]

We’re starting the new week here at The Bits, as always, with more new disc reviews...

Stephen has turned in his thoughts on Albert Magnoli’s celebration of all things Prince, Purple Rain (1984), in 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. Discover Home Entertainment. The film celebrates its 40th anniversary this summer, and the city of Minneapolis has been partying all weekend in honor of it (more on that here).

Also, I’ve shared my thoughts on Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999) in 4K Ultra HD from Paramount Home Entertainment. I’m not sure the title actually needed a 4K upgrade, but what the heck—blame Canada. You can read all the details here.

And Dennis has shared his perspective on The Wachowskis’ Bound (1996), which is new on Blu-ray (and 4K UHD) from our friends at The Criterion Collection.

More reviews are forthcoming this week, so be sure to stay tuned for them.

Now then... we’ve got a pretty significant piece of industry news to share with you today. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has completed an “umbrella” distribution deal with Studio Distribution Services (SDS) that covers not only their own Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD product, but also titles from Lionsgate and Disney (along with 20th Century Studios, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, and the other Disney-owned labels), which Sony produces for those studios. We first broke the news of this for our Patreon subscribers over the weekend.

The reason this deal is important is that it guarantees Sony, Disney, 20th Century Studios, and Lionsgate a direct and stable distribution channel for their physical media product into Walmart stores. And as we’ve reported previously, Walmart is the biggest disc retailer in North America with a whopping 45% share of the disc sales market (as of earlier this year—that number may have grown a bit with the recent exit of Best Buy, which had approximately 4% of the business). [Read on here...]

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’re starting this week with a trio of great new disc reviews here at The Bits, including...

Stuart’s thoughts on Kenneth Branagh’s A Midwinter’s Tale (1995) on Blu-ray from Castle Rock Entertainment via the always excellent Warner Archive Collection.

And Stephen’s take on Oldřich Lipský’s The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians (1981) on Blu-ray from Deaf Crocodile and Vinegar Syndrome, as well as his look at John Carpenter’s Starman (1984) in 4K Ultra HD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment as featured in their excellent Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection: Volume 4 box set!

All of these are fascinating titles and well worth a look.

Before we continue, I mentioned Warner Archive a moment ago: All of us here at The Digital Bits would like to take a moment today to salute our dear friend George Feltenstein and everyone who has contributed to the Warner Archive Collection over the years—the fan-favorite boutique label just celebrated its 15th anniversary on Saturday! Here’s to many more years and all the fantastic Blu-ray and DVD catalog titles to come. Well done, folks!

In announcement news today, Kino Lorber Studio Classics has just set Mark DiSalle’s The Perfect Weapon (1991) and Stephen Norrington’s Death Machine (1994) for Blu-ray release on 5/21. The company has also revealed that Gary Nelson’s Noble House (1988) miniseries is coming soon to Blu-ray, and also that Richard Stanley’s Dust Devil (1992) is coming soon to both Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD. [Read on here...]

We’re starting the week here at The Bits with more new disc reviews, including...

Stephen’s take on Charles Laughton’s The Night of the Hunter (1955) in 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Dennis’ look at Fritz Lang’s Clash by Night (1952) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

And Stuart’s thoughts on Dennis Hopper’s Backtrack (aka Catchfire) (1990) on Blu-ray also from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Be sure to watch for more new reviews from The Bits’ team all this week.

In announcement news today, we have a couple of big items to report. First, Paramount will release Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow (1999) on 4K Ultra HD in both Amaray and Steelbook packaging on 9/5. This is a title we’ve had in our 4K Ultra HD Release List here at The Bits as “coming in 2023” for a few months now. Expect them to include both Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio. You can see the cover artwork at left and also below. [Read on here...]

All right, Bits-ers... we’re checking in early this morning with more breaking news. But first as always, we have some new disc reviews for you...

First, Stephen has taken a look at Yves Boisset’s The Cop (1970) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Stephen has also taken a deep-dive into Doug Liman’s Edge of Tomorrow (2014 – aka Live Die Repeat) in 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

As always, more reviews are forthcoming, so be sure to stay tuned for them.

Now then, let’s get to that news: As we first reported here at The Digital Bits back on 12/6 (with follow ups on 12/20 and 1/4, not to mention the first hint way back in 2020), Paramount Home Entertainment has just officially announced the Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD, and Limited Edition 4K UHD Steelbook release of Matthew Robbins’ Dragonslayer (1981) on 3/21! [Read on here...]

All right, we have big release news to report today, but first we’ve got three more new disc reviews for you all to enjoy…

Stephen has given an in-depth look at Dario Argento’s Tenebrae in 4K Ultra HD, as newly released in a terrific and loaded special edition package from our friends at Synapse Films. If you’re a fan of Argento, the gaillo genre, or this film in particular, this is a great package that you’re not going to want to miss.

Stephen has also taken a look at an under-appreciated Soviet classic by director Alexandr Ptushko, a filmmaker considered by many to be the Russian George Pal… Sampo (1959) new on Blu-ray from Deaf Crocodile and Vinegar Syndrome. This is an interesting piece of cinema that also deserves a look.

Last but not least, Dennis has offered his thoughts on Graham Mason’s Inspector Ike (2020), which presents itself as a “lost 70s telefilm” and detective story spoof, a-la The Naked Gun. That’s available on Blu-ray from Factory 25 via Vinegar Syndrome, so be sure to check it out.

Now then, the biggest box office hit of the year… and what is likely to be the biggest home media title of the year as well… has finally been made official: Paramount Home Entertainment will release Joseph Kosinski’s Top Gun: Maverick on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 11/1 (a date that our sources have been suggesting for a few weeks now). But here’s the real surprise: The Digital release will drop next Tuesday on 8/23! [Read on here...]

All right, we haven’t posted a news update in a few days, because frankly there hasn’t been a ton of news to report, and also because we’ve been working on more new discs reviews. To that end we’ve recently posted...

My thoughts on Rob Reiner’s The Princess Bride, as released late last year on 4K Ultra HD by Turbine Media in Germany. The accompanying Blu-ray is locked to Region B, but the 4K disc is compatible with UHD players worldwide, and the image quality is absolutely gorgeous.

My review of Tim Burton’s Big Fish, newly released on 4K Ultra HD here in the States by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Tim’s take on Rolf de Heer’s Bad Boy Bubby (1993), which dropped back in February on region-free Blu-ray from Umbrella Entertainment.

And Dennis’ look at Richard C. Sarafian’s Eye of the Tiger (1986), coming soon on Blu-ray from Scorpion Releasing via Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

More reviews will follow next week, including my thoughts on Arrow Video’s recent UK release of Kinji Fukasaku’s Battle Royale in 4K, among others. So be sure to check back then. [Read on here...]

All right, we hope you all had a great weekend. We’re starting the week off with several new Blu-ray reviews...

Tim has checked out Adrian Hoven’s Castle of the Creeping Flesh (1968) from Severin Films.

And Dennis has turned in a trio of reviews as well, including Frank Perry’s Doc (1971), Sidney Lanfield’s My Favorite Blonde (1942), and Richard Fleischer’s The Don is Dead (1973), all newly released or coming soon on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

In actual announcement news today, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has just made Tim Burton’s Big Fish official for release on 4K Ultra HD on 5/4, as expected. [Read on here...]

We’ve got still more release news to report today, though much if it we’ve already talked about here at The Bits. The point is, it’s all now official.

First up, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has just set four catalog titles for release on 4K Ultra HD (with Blu-ray and Digital Copy) on 9/1...

These include Richard Donner’s The Goonies (1985), Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice (1988), and Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011). All four were shot on film, so appear to have been mastered from new 4K scans of the original camera negatives (the two Sherlock Holmes titles were shot on film but finished as 2K DIs, so it’s possible new 4K DIs were built from scans of the camera neg and VFX film outs).

All four titles will include the previous Blu-ray extras. In addition, Beetlejuice will offer a new English Dolby Atmos sound mix. There’s no indication of Dolby Vision HDR in Warner’s press release, so assume HDR10 for the time being. Both The Goonies and Beetlejuice will also be available in new Deluxe 4K Giftsets exclusive to Amazon.com. [Read on here...]