Displaying items by tag: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

We have a trio of new disc reviews for you all to enjoy today...

Stephen has taken a look at Dario Argento’s Phenomena (1985) on 4K Ultra HD from our friends at Synapse Films. It features an early performance by Jennifer Connelly, and the 4K is apparently pretty lovely.

Stephen has also reviewed Howard Hawks’ Man’s Favorite Sport? (1964) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. The film stars Rock Hudson and Paula Prentiss.

And Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Luis Valdez’s Zoot Suit (1982) on Blu-ray, also from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, featuring the great Edward James Olmos in an early role.

Also today, this is the final couple of days to vote in the 2022 Home Entertainment Media Play Awards, so be sure to head on over to their website to get your picks in quick. Voting ends on 4/1. [Read on here...]

We’ve got one quick new Blu-ray review to share with you today. Stephen has given Tim Mielants’ Patrick (2019) a look on Region B Blu-ray, a disc that’s newly available from Anti-Worlds Releasing in the UK. You’ll find that here.

In terms of announcement news today, Sony has just officially set Heavy Metal for release on 4K Ultra HD on 4/19 in special Steelbook packaging. The release includes the original Heavy Metal remastered in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision HDR and now with a new Dolby Atmos soundtrack, both reviewed and approved by producer Ivan Reitman. You’ll also get the previous 5.1 mix as well as the original 1981 theatrical Dolby Stereo audio.

The 4K disc will also include the new Heavy Metal: A Look Back retrospective featurette. The package also includes Heavy Metal and its sequel Heavy Metal 2000 on Blu-ray Disc, each with its previous special features. And you’ll get a Digital code as well. You can see the cover artwork at right and also below. [Read on here...]

We’ve got a brand new History, Legacy & Showmanship column from our own Michael Coate for you to enjoy today, and it’s another bonus column originally meant to be posted late last year, but that took longer to complete than expected. In this installment, Michael looks back at Don Seigel’s Dirty Harry (1971) in honor of the film’s 50th anniversary. He’s joined by documentary filmmaker Gary Leva and authors Patrick McGilligan and Lee Pfeiffer, historians all. The piece is well worth your time if you’re a fan of the film.

Also today here at The Bits we have a trio of new Blu-ray reviews from Tim, including his take on the animated The Addams Family (2019) and The Addams Family 2 (2021) from Universal, and also Tom Gries’ Breakheart Pass (1976) from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Enjoy!

The big piece of announcement news today is that Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has just officially set Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 3/22, with the Digital release expected on 3/8. The Blu-ray and 4K will include three featurettes (Del Toro’s Neo Noir, Beneath the Tarp, and What Exists in the Fringe). Audio will be Dolby Atmos on the 4K and DTS-HD MA on the Blu-ray SKU. The 4K will also include HDR10 high dynamic range. You can see the cover artwork above left and also below. [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...]

Thursday brings two more new disc reviews, and more release news—this time including some pretty great catalog 4K titles for Hitchcock fans.

First, Stephen has taken a look at Ruggero Deodato’s House on the Edge of the Park (1980) on Blu-ray from Severin Films.

And Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Michael Anderson’s Shake Hands with the Devil (1959), which stars James Cagney. The film is now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

A quick note: We’ve just gotten our hands on Sony’s new Ghostbusters Ultimate Collection 4K set and Tim is neck deep in work on an in-depth review. So watch for that coming soon here at The Bits.

Now then, in 4K Ultra HD catalog news, Spanish retail sources are indicating that Universal is planning another big wave of Alfred Hitchcock titles for release in 4K UHD this year. [Read on here...]

We’ve got more reviews and some great new announcements today as well. As usual, let’s start with the reviews...

I’ve just taken an in-depth look at Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane (1941) with an assist from the late great Bits reviewer Barrie Maxwell. The film is now available in a 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Disc combo edition from The Criterion Collection and it’s worth every penny. The package features a terrific new film restoration and a wealth of new and legacy special features. As you know, there’s an issue with the movie Blu-ray in the package, but Criterion is already fixing it and I wouldn’t let that stop you from picking up what is one of the best releases of 2021.

Also today, Stephen has taken a look at Glenn Jordan’s Mass Appeal (1984) on Blu-ray from Code Red, and William Malone’s Creature (1985) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.

Tim has checked in with this thoughts on Jeffrey Obrow and Stephen Carpenter’s The Kindred (1987) on Blu-ray from Synapse Films.

And Dennis has offered his thoughts on Jerry Schatzberg’s The Seduction of Joe Tynan (1979) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. [Read on here...]

We start today’s post with a couple more new disc reviews, as usual...

Stephen has taken a nice deep dive into Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Complete Series, as newly-released on Limited Collector’s Edition Blu-ray by GKids via Shout! Factory. Directed and later re-envisioned by Hideaki Anno (Shin Godzilla), the series is a classic of Japanese anime, right up there with Akira, Ghost in the Shell, and Cowboy Bebop. But it can be a little daunting for the uninitiated, so Stephen will help guide you through it, and there’s no better way to experience the series than this new Blu-ray box set. It’s only available directly from Shout!, but you can also find a wide release Blu-ray edition of the series on Amazon (linked in the review).

Also today, Dennis has take a look back at Milos Forman’s Ragtime, which is now available on Blu-ray from Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment fully remastered from a new 4K scan and restoration as part of their Paramount Presents line. Both the theatrical version and Director’s Cut workprint version are included in the set. You can learn more here.

As always, more reviews are on the way, including a look at Criterion’s new Citizen Kane 4K Ultra HD, which should be up here on the site by Monday. [Read on here...]

Today’s update is a quick one, but we’ve got some good announcement news and a bunch of new disc reviews for you to enjoy. So as always, let’s start with the latter first...

I’ve now posted my thoughts on Cary Joji Fukunaga’s No Time to Die in Ultra HD from MGM and Universal, which offers a stunning 4K image, a very good Dolby Atmos mix, and a lean batch of extras that actually includes a nice 4K exclusive feature.

I’ve also reviewed Ridley Scott’s latest medieval drama, The Last Duel, new on 4K Ultra HD from 20th Century Studios. The film stars Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, and Ben Affleck, and borrows liberally from Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon.

Tim’s been busy reviewing as well, delivering his thoughts on William Lustig’s Maniac Cop 2 (1990) in 4K UHD from Blue Underground, as well as Budd Boetticher’s Wings of the Hawk in Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D from Kino Lorber Studio Classics (with a restoration by the 3-D Film Archive). [Read on here...]

We’ve got some good announcement news to report today...

As we first revealed a couple weeks ago here at The Bits, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, StudioCanal, and American Zoetrope have just officially announced their new 4K restoration Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders: The Complete Novel. From their joint press release: “Created to give fans more of the action that took place in S.E. Hinton’s celebrated book, Coppola’s latest, definitive version includes new music, as well as several scenes cut from the theatrical version which were reconstructed from original camera negatives.”

Warner will re-release the film in a limited theatrical run starting on 9/26, with a physical 4K Ultra HD Collector’s Edition (that will include both The Complete Novel and the original version) and a Digital release expected on 11/9. StudioCanal will handle a similar 4K UHD and Blu-ray release internationally on 11/8. The Outsiders: The Complete Novel will also appear on HBO Max starting on 11/16. You can see the poster art for the theatrical re-release at the left (4K UHD cover art is not available yet).

Warner’s physical 4K Ultra HD release will be a 4-disc set that includes both The Outsiders: The Complete Novel and The Outsiders in 4K with HDR (likely HDR10). You’ll also get Digital codes for both versions, and substantial new and legacy extras. The new extras will include a restoration interview (with cinematographer Stephen Burum, Zoetrope Head of Archives and Restorations James Mockoski, and colourist Gregg Garvin), plus deleted scenes, an introduction by Coppola, and 2 new featurettes (Anatomy of a Scene and Old House New Home). [Read on here...]

All right, we’re starting today with a quick new disc review, and then we’ve got some big new release news to report on...

First though, I’ve just reviewed Rian Johnson’s excellent 2012 science-fiction thriller Looper on 4K Ultra HD, as recently released in the UK by Entertainment One. The title is expected on UHD here in the States from Sony later this year or early next, but in the meantime, if you’re willing to import for just the 4K experience, this eOne release is a great option.

Now then, the big breaking news today is that Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has finally officially announced their long-expected Universal Classics Monsters: Icons of Horror Collection for release on 4K Ultra HD on 10/5.

The set will include the 90th anniversary editions of Dracula and Frankenstein, along the 80th anniversary edition of The Wolf Man, and also The Invisible Man, all in 4K Ultra HD. There’s no indication of Dolby Vision, so we expect HDR10 high dynamic range along with the existing audio mixes. [Read on here...]