All right, here at The Bits today, our own Dr. Jahnke has turned in a review of Kino’s new Santa Claus Conquers the Martians on Blu-ray. Don’t miss it!

We’ve also got a bunch of title announcement odds and ends for you...

Sony has revealed the list of extras that will be included on their Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD release of Hotel Transylvania on 1/29. All three will include audio commentary (with director Genndy Tartakovsky, producer Michelle Murdocca, and visual effects supervisor Daniel Kramer), 3 deleted scenes, Tartakovsky’s Goodnight, Mr. Foot mini-movie, the Problem (Monster Remix) music video by Becky G Featuring will.i.am and a “making of” the music video featurette. To this the Blu-ray versions will add 3 animation progression reels and 2 featurettes (Meet the Staff and Guests: Voicing Hotel Transylvania and Making the Hotel).

Warner Home Video has announced the 22-episode DVD only release of Scarecrow & Mrs. King: The Complete Fourth Season on 1/22 (SRP $39.98).

Well Go USA Entertainment is releasing the steampunk/martial arts actioner Tai Chi Zero on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/22 (SRP $29.98 and $24.98), from the creators of the IP Man films.

Lionsgate Home Entertainment will release Titanic: Blood & Steel on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/4. They’ve also set Anger Management: Season One for release on both formats on 1/8.

Artsploitation Films has Hard Romanticker set for DVD release on 1/22.

Anchor Bay Entertainment has set Officer Down for Blu-ray and DVD release on 1/22, starring Stephen Dorff and James Woods. Look also for Pascal Hérold’s reimagined Cinderella on DVD only on 12/26. And of course, their recent remake of the Christmas horror classic Silent Night is due on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/4.

Paramount and Comedy Central are releasing Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand-Up Revolution on DVD on 12/21. They’ve also set Tosh.0: Deep V’s for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/21. In addition, Tosh.0: Cardigans Plus Casual Jackets will be released on DVD only as a Walmart exclusive that same day.

Paramount and Nickelodeon will release Nickelodeon Favorites: Rootin’ Tootin’ Wild West! on DVD only on 1/29.

Vanguard will release Here’s the Kicker and Scape on DVD on 1/29.

Pathfinder will release the Korean apocalypse tale End of Animal on DVD on 1/22.

Shout! Factory has set Slugterra: Return of the Shane Gang Makes for DVD release on 2/12. Shout! has also confirmed the Blu-ray release of The Seven-Per-Cent Solution on 1/22, followed by Ridley Scott’s The Duellists on BD on 1/29.

Here’s an odd-ball release: Entertainment One has set the Osama Bin Laden/zombie flick Osombie: The Axis of Evil Dead for release on Blu-ray/DVD combo on 12/11. Nope, not kidding.

IFC has Sleepwalk with Me coming on DVD only on 12/19.

For you music fans, MVD Entertainment Group will release the 2-disc concert tour film The Yardbirds: Making Tracks on DVD on 12/11.

Stay tuned!

- Bill Hunt

Welcome to Dailies, a column dedicated to bringing you both the obscure and the mainstream on DVD and Blu-ray. Being that a lot of us seem to have such a large appetite for varying film genres, this column will cover virtually everything I can get my grubby little paws on. Some of it will be good, and some of it not so much, but hopefully it will illuminate a few titles that you might not have seen otherwise, or perhaps just needed a reminder about. Either way, enjoy!

In this week’s entry, we’re going to be taking a look at a couple of new titles from the folks over at Shout! Factory via their new Scream Factory label: The Island and Death Valley. I gotta tell you, I’m just thrilled to bits with the quality of product that this company is putting out. Their transfers may not be the best that money can buy, nor are all of them overloaded with supplemental features, but they do give new life to mostly unseen sci-fi and horror film titles that a lot of us have either never heard of or have forgotten about. They cover some pretty high profile titles like Halloween II and They Live, but for me the real cream of the crop is the unseen stuff.

All right first up today, our own Tim Salmons has delivered a new Dailies column with a look at a pair of new Scream Factory titles from Shout! – The Island and Death Valley. Enjoy!

We also have a number of new announcements to report today, as follows…

Paramount has Top Gun 3D coming to Blu-ray 3D on 2/19 (SRP $39.99). The should be about a week after it’s planned February 3D theatrical release. Best Buy has it available for pre-order, though it’s not yet up on Amazon.

Best Buy also has Ben Affleck’s Argo listed for Blu-ray Combo release on 2/19 (SRP $29.98 for BD). Obviously that title isn’t yet officially announced by Warner (and there will certainly be a DVD as well) but we’d expect the press release soon.

Meanwhile, Disney has relisted their delayed Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One – Avengers Assembled 10-disc/6-film BD box set for release on 4/2/2013. (SRP $219.00). Amazon current has it up for pre-order for $197.10. The set includes The Avengers, Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor on BD and BD3D, as well as Iron Man, Iron Man 2 and The Incredible Hulk on BD. The set will include exclusive looks at Iron Man 3 and other forthcoming Phase Two films, plus swag.  Here’s a look at the revised briefcase packaging (click on the image to go to the Amazon.com pre-order page)…

Warner has announced a trio of new TCM Greatest Classic Films: Legends DVD collections for release on 3/12, including Judy Garland (For Me and My Gal, The Harvey Girls, In the Good Old Summertime and Summer Stock), Natalie Wood (Splendor in the Grass, Gypsy, Sex and the Single Girl and Inside Daisy Clover) and Sidney Poitier (Blackboard Jungle, Edge of the City, Something of Value and A Patch of Blue). SRP is $27.92 each.

Warner also has a host of animated titles coming to Blu-ray on 3/12, including Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, Superman: Brainiac Attacks, Scooby-Doo and the Legend of the Vampire, Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster, Scooby-Doo and the Monster of Mexico, Scooby-Doo and the Samurai Sword and Tom and Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers. SRP is $14.98 each.

And here’s something cool for you classic fans: Warner is gearing up to release The Best Years of Our Lives on Blu-ray Disc in 2013. Amazon.ca currently has it listed for 11/5/2013, which seems like a strange date. Nevertheless, we know it’s coming and that IS official artwork (see below).

20th Century Fox has set the comedy 30 Nights of Paranormal Activity with the Devil Inside the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/15. Extras will include a behind-the-scenes featurette.

Sony has set Seven Psychopaths for Blu-ray and DVD release on 1/29 (SRP $35.99 and $30.99). No word yet on special features but both will feature UltraViolet. Here Comes the Boom and Celeste and Jesse Forever will follow on both formats on 2/5 (SRP also $35.99 and $30.99). Look also for Searching for Sugar Man on Blu-ray and DVD from Sony on 1/22.

Sony will also release Charlie Chase Shorts: Volume 1 as an MOD DVD-R title on 1/1. Included will be Man Bites Lovebug, The Mind Needer, The Chump Takes a Bump, Rattling Romeo, Skinny the Moocher, The Awful Goof, The Heckler, South of the Boudoir and A Nag in the Bag.

Lionsgate has set Caught on Tape and Celebrate with Clifford for DVD only release on 2/5, followed by Black Game and Storage Wars: Volume 4 on DVD and The Perks of Being a Wallflower on both Blu-ray and DVD on 2/12.

Also today, Shout! Factory has set Tiny Toon Adventures Crazy Crew Rescues! for DVD release on 1/8 (SRP $19.97).

And Anchor Bay Entertainment will release Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/8 (SRP $24.99 and $19.98). The film recently debuted on the National Geographic Channel.

Here’s a look at the cover artwork for Fox’s 30 Nights of Paranormal Activity with the Devil Inside the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (BD), Image’s recent The Dick Van Dyke Show: The Complete Series (now available) and Warner’s The Best Years of Our Lives (BD - TBA)...

Stay tuned!

- Bill Hunt

Afternoon, movie fans! Hope you all had a wonderful and LONG Thanksgiving holiday week and weekend. As most of you probably know, today is Cyber Monday which means there are still lots of great holiday shopping deals to be found online on places like Amazon.com, where you can get Farscape: The Complete Series on Blu-ray for just $60 - a whopping 70% off the regular SRP. That’s just one of hundreds of BD and DVD titles on sale at Amazon today, so do check it out. Barnes and Noble has many titles on sale for 60% off as well. Good deal hunting!

In announcement news today, Warner and the BBC have set the Brit drama Ripper Street for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 3/12 (SRP $34.98 and $29.98).

Universal will release Pitch Perfect on Blu-ray Combo and DVD on 12/18.

Disney has set Marvel Ultimate Spider-Man: Avenging Spider-Man for DVD only release on 2/5, followed by Marvel the Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Volume 6 on DVD on 2/19.

Cult Epic has set Hysteria for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 3/12 (SRP $29.98 and $24.98).

Magnolia will release Sushi Girl on both formats on 2/19 (SRP $29.98 and $26.98).

PBS has slated Nova: Ultimate Mars Challenge for release on BD and DVD on 2/19 (SRP $29.99 and $24.99).

And Inception Media has set the classic On Approval (1944) for Blu-ray release on 2/12 (SRP $34.98).

Finally today, we’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the passing of actor Larry Hagman, best known to millions of TV viewers as J.R. Ewing on both the classic and recent revival series Dallas. I’ll always fondly recall him for playing the astronaut Tony Nelson on the classic I Dream of Jeannie. And of course Hagman had many other parts on TV and in film over the years. He was 81.

Stay tuned!

- Bill Hunt

All right, this is just a quick Black Friday update with news about a few more great new BD and DVD title announcements.

First, Amazon.com is now taking pre-orders for MGM’s Skyfall on Blu-ray, distributed by Fox. There’s no street date yet but we hear March is the likely timeframe. (Retail sources tell us 3/12 is the likely date, though remember it’s officially still TBA.) SRP is $39.99 but Amazon has it for $27.99. See the cover artwork below.

Also, Universal has announced End of Watch, Death Race 3: Inferno and For a Good Time, Call... for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/22. On DVD only they also have The Six Million Dollar Man: Season 3 coming on 2/19, followed by Law & Order: The Twelfth Year on 2/26.

And finally, Warner has officially set Westworld for release on Blu-ray on 3/5 (SRP $19.98).

Here’s a sneak peek at the fresh new BD cover art for Skyfall, Westworld and End of Watch. Again, all are now available for pre-order on Amazon.com by clicking on the covers...

Have a great weekend!

- Bill Hunt

We’ve got a couple things for you to enjoy today after your turkey and stuffing…

First, our own Tim Salmons has turned in a new Dailies column with reviews of a pair of great Blu-ray titles from Criterion featuring the legendary Charlie Chaplin: The Great Dictator and Modern Times!

Also, Russell has updated 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 order from Amazon after clicking to them through our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits and we really do appreciate it.

Now then… hope you’re having a great day with family and friends, eating lots of food and enjoying a ton of excellent movies on Blu-ray, DVD and in your local theater. Happy Thanksgiving!

- Bill Hunt

Since the holidays are here and chances are very good that a lot of us will be gathered around the TV for some entertainment after stuffing ourselves silly, here are some reviews of a couple of high-class (but clean) Blu-ray titles that everyone can enjoy: Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times and The Great Dictator.

Modern Times (Criterion)

The Great Dictator (Criterion)

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, and please be careful when you go out shopping for those awesome Black Friday deals this weekend!

- Tim Salmons

Afternoon, folks! We've got a couple good news items to report for you today…

First, our friends over at Shout! Factory have announced a terrific batch of new Scream Factory titles coming on Blu-ray and DVD in 2013. Some have already been revealed but there are great new titles as well.  Look for The Island and Death Valley on 12/11, Deadly Blessing on 1/22, The Nest, Prison and a TerrorVision/The Video Dead double feature on 2/19, and From Beyond and Phantasm II in March (street date TBA). And here’s the great news: There are LOTS more great titles coming later in 2013 (street date TBD) including Vampire Lovers, Town that Dreaded Sundown/The Evictors, The Incredible Melting Man, X-ray (aka Hospital Massacre), Schizoid, The Godsend, Scanners II, Scanners III, The Horror Show, The Vagrant, The Fog, The Howling, Lifeforce, Night of the Comet, The Burning and Day of the Dead! Watch for more details on those TBD titles in the weeks ahead.

Also, here’s something interesting: As we’ve reported previously, Sony is gearing up to start selling 4K Ultra HDTVs in 2013 and the company is now promising that it will make free Sony 4K theatrical films available for viewing on them as a way of solving the “chicken and egg” content problem. Presumably these would be delivered digitally but specific details haven’t yet been revealed. More here at ars technica.

In other news, this was interesting: Paramount Pictures’ EVP of Operations Mark Christiansen told theatre owners at the Showeast conference recently that they should make the switch to digital projection as soon as possible because the various manufacturers of physical film stock are gradually stopping production. The implication is that at some point in the near future, digital will be the only option for film production and distribution. Interesting. More here at Digital Trends.

Finally today, a quick shout out: As it happens, our friend Guido Henkel of DVD Review is also a video game producer. He’s just started a new Kickstarter to fund his latest game project – an RPG called Thorvalla! Do check it out.

Here's a look at a couple of those upcoming Shout!/Scream BD titles, as well as the 2D Blu-ray of Sony’s Hotel Transylvania (due 1/29)...

All right, we’ll probably still check in regularly over the next few days, but we know a lot of your are traveling to visit family for the Thanksgiving holiday. So from all of us here at The Digital Bits, we’d like to wish you and yours safe travels and a wonderful holiday!

Stay tuned!

- Bill Hunt

All right, we’ve got a couple more bits of announcement news for you today on a couple major titles...

First up, Sony has set the sci-fi action thriller Looper for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/31 (SRP $35.99 and $30.99). Both versions will offer audio commentary with director Rian Johnson and actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt, 2 featurettes (Looper: From the Beginning and Scoring Looper), 5 deleted scenes with optional commentary (by Johnson and actor Noah Segan) and an animated trailer. To this, the Blu-ray will add an additional featurette (The Science of Time Travel) and 17 more deleted scenes with optional commentary (by Johnson and Segan). You’ll find BD cover art below.

Sony has also set Hotel Transylvania for release on Blu-ray 3D Combo, Blu-ray Combo and DVD on 1/29/2013  (SRP $55.99, $40.99 and $30.99). Extras will include audio commentary with director Genndy Tartakovsky, producer Michelle Murdocca and VFX supervisor Daniel Kramer, 4 featurettes (Goodnight Mr. Foot, Prologue, Cast and Making the Hotel), 3 Progression Reels (Genndy Blur, Mavis Ventures Out and Look of Picture), a music video, making of the music video and links to online content. You’ll find cover artwork for the BD3D version below.

For you MOD fans, Sony will release the following titles on DVD-R on 1/1/2013: Dead by Sunset, How to Save a Marriage (and Ruin Your Life), I Dream of Jeannie: 15 Years Later, Love Walked In, Once More, With Feeling, Who Was That Lady?, It’s All Gone Pete Tong, Love and Pain and the Whole Damn Thing, Flight Into Nowhere, Charlie’s Angels: The Complete Fifth Season and The Three Stooges: Rare Treasures from the Columbia Pictures Vault.

And Sony has set Pan Am: The Complete First Season for release on standard DVD on 1/29/2013 (SRP $30.99).

Also, HBO and Warner have set Game of Thrones: The Complete Second Season for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 2/19/2013 (SRP $79.98 and $59.99). Extras on both versions will include 3 featurettes (Creating the Battle of Blackwater Bay, Game of Thrones: Inner Circle and The Religions of Westeros), 7 Character Profile clips and 12 audio commentaries with the cast and crew (including David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, George R.R. Martin, Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington and more). The Blu-ray will exclusively add the War of the Five Kings interactive guide, 19 Histories & Lore clips, an In-Episode Guide to characters, locations and histories and hidden Dragon Eggs (aka Easter eggs). See the BD cover artwork below.

By the way, Amazon currently has a deal for $8 off Disney’s Peter Pan: Diamond Edition on Blu-ray Disc (due 2/5/2013). Just click on the link and look for the “Save $8.00 with this Coupon” text.

Here’s a look at the BD cover art for Looper, Hotel Transylvania 3D and Game of Thrones: The Complete Second Season. All three titles can now be pre-ordered on Amazon.com by clicking on the covers...

Stay tuned!

- Bill Hunt

Morning, folks! All right, the Thanksgiving holiday is nearly upon us. As you know, that means this is Black Friday week! And that means that you’ll find all kinds of crazy great deals on Blu-rays and DVDs and other goodies over on Amazon.com - at prices up to 70% off on many items! Some examples: You can get Thor, Monty Python and the Holy Grail for just $10 each, E.T. and Prometheus (2-disc) for just $13 each, Jaws for $14, Titanic, Prometheus 3D and Avengers (2-disc) for $15 each, Alien Anthology and Brave for $19 each, Looney Tunes Platinum: V1 for just $25, The Dark Knight Trilogy for $30, Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures for $49, the Star Wars Saga for $70 (etc, etc - click on the links to order). You get the idea. Hell, Bond 50 is just $129 - 57% off! If there’s a title you’ve been wanting, now’s the time to buy because the prices will never be better!

There are new deals going up each hour throughout the entire week, so we’ve created a couple of links for you to use to make it easier to take advantage of all the savings. First of all, you can check out Amazon’s Black Friday page for Blu-ray and DVD here...

Amazon Black Friday Deals on Blu-ray and DVD

And here’s a link for you to check out the home theatre deals as well...

Amazon Black Friday Deals on TV, Video and Audio Gear

Remember, any time you purchase something from Amazon after clicking through to them from our links, not only will you get a great deal but a portion of the sale goes to help support our work here at The Bits. It really makes a difference and we surely do appreciate it! 

We’ll be back later this morning with our regular news update, so we’ll see you then. In the meantime, happy deal hunting!

- Bill Hunt