Displaying items by tag: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

First things first today: The Criterion Collection has just announced their April Blu-ray and 4K release slate and—as always—it’s another great list of titles.

Look for Alex Cox’s Walker (Spine #423 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 4/12, Vittorio De Sica’s Miracle in Milan (Spine #1119 – Blu-ray and DVD) and Frank Tashlin’s The Girl Can’t Help It (Spine #1120 – Blu-ray only) on 4/19, and Arie and Chuko Esiri’s Eyimofe (This Is My Desire) (Spine #1121 – Blu-ray and DVD), Bertrand Tavernier’s ‘Round Midnight (Spine #1122 – Blu-ray and DVD), and Al Reinert’s For All Mankind (Spine #54 – 4K Ultra HD – Blu-ray and DVD already available) on 4/26. You can see the 4K art for For All Mankind on the left, and we’ll post the rest of the cover artwork over the next few days as the titles become available for pre-order on Amazon.

Here’s some more great breaking news: Our friends at Powerhouse Films have just informed us that their outstanding Indicator label—which already delivers fantastic special edition Blu-ray titles to the UK and European market—is officially coming to the US!

The company has partnered with Distribution Solutions, a division of Alliance Entertainment, to ensure that retailers throughout North America will be able to carry Indicator releases. These will include Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sunrise, Critics Choice, and DiabolikDVD. The first Indicator titles should start becoming available here in the US starting this week. [Read on here...]

We’ve got a few more interesting pieces of release news for you all today, as well as more new disc reviews. Let’s get to the latter first...

Stephen has reviewed Robert Schwentke’s Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (2021) on 4K Ultra HD from Paramount, along with Norman Z. McLeod’s It’s a Gift (1934) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, and William A. Fraker’s A Reflection of Fear (1972) on Blu-ray from Imprint.

Also, Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Mark Robson’s Isle of the Dead (1945) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection and Stuart Heisler’s Among the Living (1941) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

More reviews are on the way over the next several days, so be sure to watch for them.

Now then... in announcement news today, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has just officially set Andy Serkis’ Venom: Let There Be Carnage for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 12/14, with the Digital release due on 11/23. The 4K disc will include HDR10 high dynamic range and Dolby Atmos audio. Extras on both the Blu-ray and 4K will include outtakes & bloopers, 6 deleted scenes, and 4 behind-the-scenes featurettes (Eddie & Venom: The Odd Couple, Sick and Twisted Cletus Kasady, Concept to Carnage, and Let There Be... Action). You can see the cover artwork above-left and also below. [Read on here...]

Today’s update here at The Bits will be a quick one, as we have one major title announcement to report, plus what appears to be an audio problem on a key forthcoming 4K catalog title that we’re tracking.

First though, we have a few new disc reviews for you...

Tim has posted his thoughts on Wes Craven’s The Hills Have Eyes (1977), as released in 4K Ultra HD by our friends at Arrow Video.

Meanwhile, Stephen has checked in too with his thoughts on Wes Craven’s Scream (1996), newly released in 4K Ultra HD by Dimension Films via Paramount.

And Dennis has weighed in as well with his two cents on Liesl Tommy’s recent Aretha Franklin biopic, Respect, new on Blu-ray from MGM via Universal Pictures. [Read on here...]

We’re very pleased this morning to bring you some great breaking release news...

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has just officially set director Robert Zemeckis’ ground-breaking animation/live action comedy Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) for release on 4K Ultra HD on 12/7! You can see the cover artwork at left and also below.

We first reported that this title was coming over a year ago here at The Digital Bits, with studio sources originally providing us with a street date of 10/12. More recently those same sources had suggested to us that the title could slip into early 2022. (The other 4K title we were told to expect along with it—Michael Mann’s Heat (1995)—is likely to be so delayed.) So it’s great to see that work on the Roger Rabbit 4K release has finally been completed in time for a release this year. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a little bit of ground to cover today news-wise, so let’s get right to it...

First up, Universal has officially announced F9: The Fast Saga for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 9/21, with the Digital release expected on 9/7. Both the Blu-ray and 4K will include Dolby Atmos audio. The 4K disc will also include HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision high dynamic range. These discs will feature both the theatrical cut and a Director’s Cut that runs about 7 minutes longer. Extras will include audio commentary on both versions with director Justin Lin, a gag reel, and 6 featurettes (F9: All In, Practically Fast, Shifting Priorities, Justice for Han, A Day on Set with Justin Lin, and John Cena: Supercar Superfan). You can see the cover artwork at left and also below.

Disney has officially announced the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of The Jungle Cruise on 11/16, just four days after it goes into wide availability on Disney+. The Digital release is expected on 8/31. Look for the 4K disc to include HDR10 high dynamic range and Dolby Atmos audio. Extras will include a Jungle Cruise Expedition Mode viewing option (that includes pop-up trivia), 4 behind-the-scenes featurettes (It’s a Jungle Out There: Making Jungle Cruise, Dwayne and Emily: Undoubtedly Funny, Creating the Amazon, and Once a Skip, Always a Skip), outtakes, and 11 deleted scenes. The cover artwork isn’t available yet.

Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has set Space Jam: A New Legacy for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 10/5, with the Digital release expected on 9/3. Look for HDR10 high dynamic range and Dolby Atmos audio on the 4K. Extras will include 4 featurettes (First Quarter: Game On, Second Quarter: Teamwork, Third Quarter: Out of This World, and Fourth Quarter: The Looniest), plus deleted scenes. You’ll find the cover art below. [Read on here...]

We’re rounding out the week with a bit of new announcement news here at The Bits...

I’ll have a review of Akira Kurosawa’s Ran in 4K Ultra HD for you later today as well, but first I wanted to jump in early with some breaking news.

Universal Monsters fans may be pleased to learn that Tod Browning’s Dracula (1931) is now available for purchase on iTunes/Apple TV in 4K UHD with HDR. And the SRP is just $4.99. It looks fantastic—the high dynamic range really does make a difference in subtle things, like shadow detailing, candle and moonlight luminance, Dracula’s glowing white eyes, and the like.

As I mentioned in my review of the complete Universal Monsters Blu-ray Collection back in 2018, all of these films were remastered from new 4K scans. So potentially, they could all be made available in native 4K, both digitally and on disc. And in fact, we’ve had Dracula on our 4K Ultra HD Release List here at The Bits for many months now. Both Dracula and Frankenstein celebrate their 90th anniversaries this year. The Mummy turns 90 next year, while The Wolf Man celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2021. [Read on here...]

We’ve got an early My Two Cents post for you this morning here at The Bits with a bit of breaking 4K news...

Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution has just officially announced that director M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable (2000) will be released on physical 4K Ultra HD and 4K Digital on September 21st.

The film stars Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Robin Wright Penn, Spencer Treat Clark, and Charlayne Woodard.

Unbreakable joins Shyamalan’s Split (2016) and Glass (2019)—both of which have been released previously on Ultra HD by Universal—thus completing the director’s Eastrail 177 Trilogy on the format. [Read on here...]

We’ve got some great Blu-ray and 4K release news to share with you all today...

Let’s start with Paramount... as expected, Paramount Home Entertainment has officially announced the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place: Part II later this month on 7/27, with the Digital only release expected tomorrow (on 7/13). You’ll also be able to buy a 2-Movie Collection on Blu-ray and Digital. A Quiet Place: Part II in 4K will include Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio.

Extras will include 5 featurettes (Director’s Diary: Filming with John Krasinski, Pulling Back the Curtain, Regan’s Journey, Surviving the Marina, and Detectable Disturbance: Visual Effects and Sound Design). You can see the cover artwork above left and also below (complete with its Amazon pre-order link).

Speaking of Paramount, the studio has announced that it’s releasing Hardball, starring Keanu Reeves and Diane Lane, on Blu-ray for the first time on 9/21 in honor of the film’s 20th anniversary. Extras will include audio commentary by director Brian Robbins and writer John Gatins, The Making of Hardball, deleted scenes, the Hardball music video, interstitials, and the film’s theatrical trailer. You can see the cover art below. [Read on here...]

We’ve got more new disc reviews for you today and some more new 4K Ultra HD release news as well!

Let’s start with those reviews...

Stephen has turned in his thoughts on All the Anime’s UK import 4K Ultra HD release of Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name. The package is exclusive to All the Anime’s online store and also to Zavvi. Sounds like it’s worth a look if you’re a fan, as the HDR makes a notable difference.

Also, Tim has weighed in with his take on Umbrella Entertainment’s region free Blu-ray import of James Gunn’s Slither.

Now then, a quick update on our Star Trek: The Original 4-Film Collection 4K and remastered Blu-ray news from yesterday: We’ve checked in with Paramount and have confirmed that all of the remastered films in BD & 4K will feature 7.1 Dolby TrueHD audio mixes. So plan accordingly.

Meanwhile, the 4K Ultra HD set and the remastered Blu-ray singles are all now available for pre-order on Amazon.com and you can see the cover artwork (and find the pre-order links) below. [Read on here...]

All right, I trust you all had a fine and long Memorial Day weekend—those of you here in the States at least. We’ve got some good Blu-ray and 4K news to report today, but first more new disc reviews...

Tim has posted his thoughts on John Guillerman’s King Kong (1976), now available as a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray from Scream Factory.

He’s also weighed in on Vincent Robert’s The Fear (1995) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.

Meanwhile, Dennis has turned in a look at George Abbott and Stanley Donen’s Damn Yankees (1958) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

And Stephen has weighed in as well with a look Michael Ritchie’s Smile (1975) on Blu-ray from Fun City Editions. [Read on here...]