And our own Russell Hammond has posted the weekly update of the Release Dates & Artwork section with all the latest Blu-ray and DVD cover artwork, as well as Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, a portion of anything (and we mean anything) that you buy from Amazon in the same session after clicking through our links helps to support our work here at The Bits and darned if we don’t appreciate it a great deal.
Now then… the BIG news today is that Anchor Bay Entertainment and Scream Factory have officially announced the jointly-produced Blu-ray box set release of Halloween: The Complete Collection on 9/23. There will be a 15-disc Deluxe Limited Edition (SRP $169.99) and a 10-disc Regular Edition (SRP $129.99). Click on the links to pre-order them from Amazon.com. From the press release:
“For the legions of Halloween fans, the Deluxe Edition boasts 15 discs and contains all the Halloween feature films – Halloween, Halloween II, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, Halloween H20, Halloween: Resurrection, Rob Zombie’s Halloween and Halloween II. The set includes the NEVER BEFORE RELEASED producers cut of Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers as well as the ultra-rare network TV version of the original Halloween, the network TV version of Halloween II, plus the unrated versions of Rob Zombie’s Halloween and Halloween II. It is packed with hours of BRAND NEW bonus features including new interviews with cast and crew from the entire franchise! In response to years of fan feedback, the first Halloween will now also include the original mono audio track and the set will include both versions of the original Halloween – the original Blu-ray release and the recently remastered 35th Anniversary version with the mono track added back in! It also comes with a limited edition 40-page book written by Michael Gingold of Fangoria Magazine. The collectible packaging will include a newly commissioned illustration on the outer case and each film will be in its own black Blu-ray case with the original theatrical one sheet as the key art.”
So that should be the ultimate, once and for all release of this franchise on disc. Meanwhile, the Regular Edition set will include the original theatrical versions of the Halloween films and select bonus features. There’s no cover artwork yet, but you can bet we’ll post it as soon as it’s available.
Meanwhile, Lionsgate has officially set Divergent for Blu-ray and DVD release on 7/22 (SRP $39.99 and $29.95). The Blu-ray will include the Bringing Divergent to Life documentary, the Faction Before Blood featurette, deleted scenes, and 2 audio commentary tracks – one with director Neil Burger and another with producers Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher. Note that it appears Target stores will offer the Blu-ray with an exclusive bonus disc containing 45 minutes of additional content.
In other news, Warner Home Video has set Paramount’s Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events for BD release for the first time in the States on 9/9 (SRP $14.97).
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has set Afflicted for Blu-ray and DVD release on 7/1, followed by The Raid 2 on 7/8.
Kino Lorber has set Marty (1955) for BD release on 7/15, followed by Witness for the Prosecution (1957), The Scalphunters (1968), The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) and Sabata (1969) on 7/22, and Paris Blues (1961), Duel at Diablo (1966), and Separate Tables (1958) on 7/29.
And Breaking Glass pictures has set Breaking Through for DVD release on 6/3.
In a bit of Rumor Mill news today, we have word from industry sources that Sony’s The Amazing Spider Man 2 will arrive on Blu-ray and DVD on 8/19. You can pre-order it here. Watch for official announcements in the weeks ahead.
Finally, we wanted to share this with you: Our old friend Charles de Lauzirika posted this photo on Facebook and it seemed well worth sharing. It was shot back in January at the Bigfoot Lounge in L.A., during the filming of the new Between Two Worlds feature on CBS’ forthcoming Twin Peaks: The Entire Mystery Blu-ray set (due 7/29). I don’t imagine we need to tell you Twin Peaks fans who’s pictured. LOL.
We’ll leave you with a look at the Blu-ray cover artwork for Kino’s Marty and Sabata, and Warner/Paramount’s Lemony Snicket…
We’ve got more great columns and some Blu-ray reviews too coming later this week. So stay tuned!
- Bill Hunt