Displaying items by tag: RLJE Films

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, 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...]

We’ve got some interesting odds and ends to share news-wise here at The Bits today, as well as another big disc review, and some sad news unfortunately. But first, the review...

Tim has just delivered his in-depth look at Sony’s new Ghostbusters Ultimate Collection 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray box set, which includes new 4K editions of Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II—now with Dolby Vision HDR—as well as Ghostbusters: Afterlife on disc, and Ghostbusters: Answer the Call on Digital only (though the code redeems for both versions of that film in 4K). Plus the set include no less than two Blu-ray bonus discs with a ton of legacy extras, as well as new material exclusive to this set. And you get a mini replica of Don Shay’s Making Ghostbusters book from 1985.

Unfortunately, the set is a limited edition release from Sony and it’s sold out almost everywhere. (At last check, you could still get it from a few international retailers, but that version may have region issues and will not come with Digital codes.) We have asked the studio whether it might be released in a second printing, or perhaps in a discs-only configuration at some point in the future, and have been told that while it’s possible there’s no news to report at this time. Should that change, we will of course post an update here on The Bits.

In the meantime, we’ve gotten reports from a number of readers that their sets were damaged in shipment, or that the box they received had the wrong discs resulting from a packaging error (for example, they may have gave gotten two copies of Ghostbusters in BD and 4K, but no copies of Ghostbusters II). If that applies to you, Sony has provided us with a customer service email address for you to use to get things sorted. [Read on here...]

All right, we’re starting this afternoon with a few more new disc reviews for you to enjoy...

Stephen has posted his thoughts on Curtis Bernhardt’s 1929 silent drama The Woman One Longs For, featuring only the second starring role for actress Marlene Dietrich. That’s now available on Blu-ray from Kino Classics.

Also, Dennis has offered a look at John Farrow’s 1949 film noir Alias Nick Beal, available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Do give both of them a look.

In Blu-ray release news today, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and DC have just set Batwoman: The Complete Second Season for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 9/21 featuring all 18 episodes along with deleted scenes, a gag reel, and 2 featurettes (Villains Analyzed and Never Alone: Heroes and Allies).

WBHE has also set the animated Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog for release on DVD and Digital on 9/14. [Read on here...]

So the big news this morning is that Shout! Factory has dropped an out-of-left-field 4K Ultra HD announcement: They’re gotten the US release rights to Michael Cimino’s 1978 Best Picture winner The Deer Hunter. As some of you will know, this was a Studio Canal release last year in the UK on 4K Ultra HD, but there was no U.S. distributor.

Shout! will be releasing it on 5/26 as a Shout Select 4K/Blu-ray Collector’s Edition. SRP is $34.93, but you can pre-order it direct from the Shout website for just $28.43 with an exclusive poster. There will apparently be some new extras, which will be announced at a later date. We have no details yet on HDR or audio specs, but the Studio Canal package included Dolby Vision and HDR10, with 2.0 and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. [Read on here...]