Displaying items by tag: Icons Unearthed: Star Wars

Well, folks... it’s a new year and time to get right back into the thick of things in terms of physical media news. And we have a bunch to catch you up on here at The Bits today.

Before we get started though, I wanted to call your attention to Michael Coate’s latest History, Legacy & Showmanship column here at The Bits, which we posted on New Year’s Eve. It features a great retrospective and roundtable interview with film historians celebrating the 50th anniversary of George Lucas’ classic American Graffiti (1973). Its 9 pages and 17 chapters are packed with great reading, so do be sure to check it out.

I’d also like to start the new year by with another quick Patreon pitch: If you believe in the work we do here at The Bits in support of physical media, we’d like to ask you to consider becoming a supporter of the site on Patreon. I’ve been sharing exclusive blog posts there, and it’s becoming a great little community—a fun and welcoming place to share your love of Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD with fellow enthusiasts. You can join for as low as $6 a month (or as much as you’d like to contribute) and it really makes a difference in helping us to grow and continue our work here at the site. So thank you!

Now then, the big news item this afternoon is that Lionsgate has just officially set Francis Lawrence’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes for Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release on 2/13, with the Digital release due on 1/30. There will also be a Walmart-exclusive 4K Steelbook release on 2/13. The 4K and Blu-ray will include the following special features: audio commentary with Lawrence and producer Nina Jacobson, the 8-part Predator or Prey: Making The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes documentary (note that both the commentary and documentary are exclusive to the physical release), Rachel Zegler’s The Hanging Tree music video, the A Letter to the Fans featurette, and the theatrical trailer. You can see the 4K cover art at left and also below.

FYI, Lionsgate is also releasing John Woo’s Silent Night (2023) on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/30. The film stars Joel Kinnaman (of For All Mankind fame). [Read on here...]

We’ve got three more new disc reviews for you today here at The Bits, plus more new theatrical and catalog release news, including a fun catalog 4K title we’re looking forward to. Plus we’ve got word on a new film documentary series that’s now streaming and worth your time.

First those reviews...

Tim has turned in his thoughts on a great new Blu-ray release from our friends at ClassicFlix and the 3-D Film Archive: Jean Yarbrough’s Jack and the Beanstalk (1952) starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. The disc streets next week in honor of the film’s 70th anniversary and it includes a ton of great extras in addition to a terrific film restoration.

Stephen has taken a look at Ike Sanders’ Final Flesh (2009) on Blu-ray from AGFA via Vinegar Syndrome.

And Stephen has also offered his thoughts on a nifty little German thriller, Carl Schenkel’s Out of Order (1984), in 4K Ultra HD from Subkulture USA via Vinegar Syndrome.

All three titles are well worth a look. [Read on here...]