Displaying items by tag: 20th Century Studios

All right, today is Election Day here in the States, which means that partisans on both sides (and everyone in between) are feeling grumpy, nervous, or just over the whole damn thing. Some folks this evening or tomorrow—or at some point in the next two months—will be happy-ish. But while none of this feels normal, it may actually be the new normal, and that too is unsettling for lots of people.

Given all of that, I wanted to share a post today here at The Digital Bits that might actually serve as a balm or a ray of sunshine for movie and 4K fans—or at least a bit of welcome news—no matter what the outcome of today’s voting might be. So stay tuned for that in a moment.

First though, we’ve got a trio of new disc reviews to share with you here today, including...

Stephen’s take on Robert Rossen’s All the King’s Men (1949) in 4K Ultra HD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s new Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection: Volume 5 box set.

Dennis’ review of Robert Rossen’s Body and Soul (1947) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And Stuart’s thoughts on Alberto Cavalcanti’s Nicholas Nickleby (1947) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics.

More reviews are definitely on the way soon, including my own look at Arcane: League of Legends in 4K UHD from GKids and Shout! Studios. So be sure to watch for them. [Read on here...]

We have three new disc reviews for you this afternoon, including...

Sam’s take on Glenn Ficarra and John Requa’s Focus (2015) in 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros.

Tim’s review of the new Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost (1999) and Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders (2000) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

And Stuart’s thoughts on Sidney Lanfield’s You’ll Never Get Rich (1941) on Region B only Blu-ray from Powerhouse Films’ Indicator label in the UK.

As for release news, there’s not a ton of it to report today, however we do have a couple of fun items for you...

First, Paramount has officially set the animated Transformers One for release on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD on 12/17, with the Digital release expected tomorrow on 10/22. Extras will include 5 behind-the-scenes featurettes (including In the Beginning, World Building on Cybertron, Together As One, The Iacon 5000, and The Battle for Cybertron). You can see the cover artwork below the break.

Speaking of Paramount, they along with CBS have set Blue Bloods: The Final Season and Blue Bloods: The Complete Series for DVD only release on 12/17 as well. Extras on the final season will include deleted scenes, 2 featurettes (The Story of the Reagans and May the Road Rise Up to Greet You), and a gag reel. [Read on here...]

Heads up Digital Bits readers: A bunch of new Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD titles have now become available for pre-order on Amazon.com, which has also been having sales on select titles this week for Prime members as well.

What’s more, it looks like the listed sale prices on some of the Disney and 20th Century Studios 4K titles are finally starting to creep down a little bit.

Knowing that many of you like and appreciate these pre-order links when we shared them (because boy—do we ever hear from you about them), here’s the latest batch...

(Don’t forget: The Bits is an Amazon Affiliate, so anytime you order literally anything from them after using our links, you’re helping to support our work at the site and we appreciate it.)

COLUMBIA CLASSICS 4K UHD COLLECTION V3 (60% OFF!)
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0B9C847Z2/tag=thedigitalbits-20

COLUMBIA CLASSICS 4K UHD COLLECTION V5
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9CJZCT7/tag=thedigitalbits-20

THE HITCHER (WARNER 4K)
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DJ3J6DQK/tag=thedigitalbits-20

THE HITCHER (WARNER BD)
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DJ3GLJG5/tag=thedigitalbits-20

ALIEN: ROMULUS (4K+BD)
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D8LG1W31/tag=thedigitalbits-20

ALIEN: ROMULUS (4K+BD STEELBOOK)
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D8LH17QL/tag=thedigitalbits-20

ALIEN: ROMULUS (BD)
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D8LC2DJ6/tag=thedigitalbits-20.

Continued below the break... [Read on here...]

We’ve got several more new disc reviews for you here at The Bits today, including...

Tim’s look at Bryan Bertino’s The Strangers (2008) in 4K Ultra HD and Kevin Tenney’s Night of the Demons (1998) in 4K Ultra HD, both from Shout! Studios and Scream Factory.

Stephen’s look at Peter Hyams’ Capricorn One (1978) on Blu-ray from Via Vision’s Imprint Films and also their new Two Films by Wayne Wang box set which includes Smoke (1995) and Blue in the Face (1995) on Blu-ray.

Dennis’ thoughts on Basil Dearden’s Woman of Straw (1964) on Blu-ray also from Imprint.

And finally Stuart’s review of Elijah Drenner’s That Guy Dick Miller (2014) on Blu-ray from Dekanalog and Vinegar Syndrome.

More reviews are on the way, so be sure keep your eyes peeled from them.

Also here at The Bits today, we’ve posted our weekly update of our Release Dates & Cover Art section with all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K UHD cover art and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, whenever you order literally anything from Amazon after clicking to them through one of our links, you’re helping to support our work here at the site and we really appreciate it. [Read on here...]

Greetings, Bits-ers! We’ve got some great announcement news for you this afternoon, but first...

Tim has taken a look at a couple of new releases on disc for you all, including Sergio Martino’s Torso (1973), an Italian giallo title from Arrow Video in 4K Ultra HD, and also Antonio Margheriti’s Cannibal Apocalypse (1980) in 4K Ultra HD from Kino Cult. So that should take care of your schlock horror cravings for today.

Morning reviews are on the way, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled.

Now then, the big announcement news today is that 20th Century Studios has just officially set Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus (2024) for 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD release on 12/3, with the Digital release expected in a couple of weeks on 10/15. The title will come in Steelbook packaging only. Look for HDR10 high dynamic range and Dolby Atmos audio on a 66GB disc. The aspect ratio (per the press release) is 2.39:1.

[Editor’s Note: The studio press release indicates HDR10 only, but the open packaging shot—when zoomed in—reveals that the disc has the Dolby Vision logo on it. We’ve asked the studio to confirm and will post an update here when we hear back.]

[Editor’s Update – 10/1/24: Just a quick heads up to clarify... I’ve confirmed with studio sources that the Alien: Romulus 4K will indeed have Dolby Vision HDR, despite the fact that their press release suggested otherwise. However: No, Disney and 20th Century aren’t necessarily adding DV to all future Ultra HD titles. Instead, they’re making the decision to include it on a case by case basis going forward.]

Extras will include the Return to Horror: Crafting Alien: Romulus documentary, which includes 4 parts (The Director’s Vision, Creating the Story, Casting the Faces, and Constructing the World). You’ll also get 2 additional featurettes (Inside the Xenomorph Showdown and Alien: A Conversation which features Alvarez talking with original Alien director Ridley Scott). And a selection of Alternate/Extended Scenes will also be included. You can see the packaging at left and also below. [Read on here...]

We start as always today with several new disc reviews, including…

Sam Cohen’s take on Poul Bang and Sidney W. Pink’s Reptilicus (1961) in 4K Ultra HD from Vinegar Syndrome.

Stuart’s look at Something Weird Video and Kino Classic’s double-feature Blu-ray of The Pace that Kills (1928) and its “talkie” remake The Cocaine Fiends (1935).

Dennis’ reviews of Clarence Brown’s Idiot’s Delight (1939) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection and Chad Ferrin’s Night Caller (2021) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.

Stephen’s thoughts on Guy Ritchie’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015) in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video.

And last but definitely not least, Tim’s review of Arrow Video’s new UK-only release of Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs (1991) in 4K Ultra HD, which corrects the color space issues that plagued the Kino Lorber Studio Classics 4K disc from 2021.

More reviews are forthcoming tomorrow, so be sure to watch for them!

Now then, the big news today is that Franklin J. Schaffner’s Planet of the Apes (1968) has just been upgraded to 4K on all your favorite Digital services, including Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Movies Anywhere, Kaleidescape and more! It actually has Dolby Vision HDR on Apple TV (and it may elsewhere as well). Naturally, we’ve asked about the possibility of a physical 4K release of this film. I suspect there are no current plans, but I also suspect that if the title does well on Digital, that could change. [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’ve got some great news to report for you today folks...

20th Century Studios is officially announcing the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of Wes Ball’s highly-successful sequel film, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) today!

And here’s the official word, straight from the studio...

THE SUMMER EPIC HIT, KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, REIGN CONTINUES

Be The First To Watch at Home When 20th Century Studios’ Impressive Action-Adventure Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Becomes Available to Buy at Digital Retailers on July 9 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on August 27

The 4K Ultra HD Package Contains Over 3 Hours of Content
Plus An Alternate Cut of the Movie

BURBANK, CA (June 20, 2024) – The fate of the world is at stake when 20th Century Studios’ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes arrives to digital retailers (Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home) on July 9 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on August 27. Director Wes Ball’s stunning new entry into the Planet of the Apes series has been heralded by critics as “a jaw-dropping spectacle” (Matt Neglia, Next Big Picture) and “a visual masterpiece” (Mark Hughes, Forbes). It is Certified-Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and has thrilled audiences worldwide, becoming one of the biggest global box office successes of the year and marking the beginning of a new era for the epic Planet of the Apes franchise.

Set generations after Caesar’s reign in a world where apes are the dominant species, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes follows an ape named Noa and a human named Mae as they emerge to define the future of how apes and humans will coexist.

Fans can delve deeper into the franchise on 4K UHD editions with Inside the Lens: The Raw Cut, a full-length alternative cut with a split-screen comparison between the final cut of the film and a version with unfinished VFX with optional audio commentary by director Wes Ball, editor Dan Zimmerman and VFX supervisor Erik Winquist. The never-before-seen alternate cut gives fans a unique opportunity to see the actors’ performances before the visual effects were completed. [Read on here...]

Our second news update of the day starts with a little bit of breaking news: Paramount has just made David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker’s Top Secret! (1984) and David Fincher’s Zodiac (2007) available in 4K Digital on Apple TV, Vudu, Kaleidescape, and more. Given the amount of effort Fincher puts into his remasters, we believe it’s safe to assume that Zodiac will be coming to physical 4K Ultra HD from Paramount sooner than later as well.

Zodiac, it should be remembered, was shot mostly in 10-bit RAW in 1080p HD (4:4:4) using the Thomson Viper FilmStream camera, along with some footage in 35 mm photochemical film (Super 35 format). But anyone who doubts that it could look great upscaled and remastered in 4K would do well to take a look at HBO’s Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season in 4K UHD (which we’ve reviewed here). The advantages of high data rate and low compression, combined with an HDR grade, could really make a difference. Zodiac in particular was very well lit and photographed. Personally, I’m eager to get a look at it.

Also today, Arrow Video has announced their August slate, which includes a UK-only 4K Ultra HD release of Michael Lehmann’s Heathers (1988) on 8/5, followed by a slew of titles on 8/26. Among them are Robert Rodriguez’s Desperado (1995) in 4K Ultra HD and The Mexico Trilogy box set (both in the UK, US, and Canada), which includes El Mariachi (1992) and Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) in Blu-ray, as well as the Desperado 4K. [Read on here...]

We’ve got no less than eight new reviews for you guys to start the new week out right here at The Bits, staring with Tim’s look at The Good, The Bad, and Huckleberry Hound (1988) from Hanna-Barbera on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

Dennis has offered his thoughts on Charles Brabin’s The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) on Blu-ray also from the Warner Archive Collection, as well as Nancy Savoca’s True Love (1989) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Stuart has delivered four reviews, including Ulrich Seidl’s Rimini (2022) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome, Jean-Paul Salomé’s La Syndicaliste (2022) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, John Boorman’s The Emerald Forest (1985) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, and Robert Allan Ackerman’s Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (2001) on DVD from Via Vision Entertainment.

And finally, Stephen has got an in-depth review of Alex Proyas’ The Crow (1994) in 4K Ultra HD from Paramount Home Entertainment, which is a gorgeous restoration that should impress most cinephiles.

All of these films are well worth a look, and more new disc reviews are certainly on the way this week, so be sure to watch for them.

Now then, my apologies for the lack of a news update here since mid last week, but I have unfortunately had COVID. Fortunately, a mild case, but enough to knock me out of commission for a few days. But I’m well on the path to recovery and feeling well enough to catch you all up on the latest news here at The Bits today. So let’s get right to it... [Read on here...]