Displaying items by tag: Arrow Video

We’re back!

Sorry for the absence of news posts over these last few days, folks. It’s been a busy and chaotic week here at The Bits—not so much work wise, but personal life. Our family’s had a flurry of doctors appointments (all routine, thanks goodness, but still disruptive) and I’ve had to run a car in for servicing. Man, I hate it when real life intrudes on my 4K disc time! Anyway, things seem to be settling down, so it’s time to catch up on news, and then I’ll be working on some new disc reviews myself over the coming days as well.

First though, we do have a couple of reviews to share with you from the team, including...

Tim’s look at Tarsem Singh’s The Cell (2000) in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video—something of a complicated title to review, given its unique production characteristics, as well as the fact that Arrow implemented a disc replacement program.

And Stephen’s thoughts on Robert Wise’s The Andromeda Strain (1971) in 4K Ultra HD, also from Arrow Video, a terrific sci-tech thriller adapting Michael Crichton’s influential 1969 novel of the same name.

Also here at the site this week, we’ve posted a new update of our Release Dates & Artwork section featuring all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover art and Amazon pre-order links. As always, whenever you order literally anything from Amazon after clicking through to them from one of our links, you’re helping to support our work here at the site and we really do appreciate it! [Read on here...]

Afternoon, Bits readers! We’re starting the week with more new disc reviews, as always, including...

Stuart’s thoughts on Daniel Petrie’s The Betsy (1978) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films.

Dennis’ look at Todd Field’s In the Bedroom (2001) on Blu-ray also from Imprint Films.

And Tim’s take on Imprint’s new Blaxploitation (1972-1973) Blu-ray box set, which includes Martin Goldman’s The Legend of Black Charley (1972), Larry G. Spangler’s The Soul of Black Charley (1973), Ron O’Neal’s Superfly T.N.T. (1973), and Arthur Marks’ Detroit 9000 (1973). (Note that two of those films are using their less controversial titles, one of which was apparently changed for use in newspaper theatrical listings and for its original 1970s TV broadcast.)

Also… on Friday, Stephen turned in a detailed look at Mel Brooks’ trail-blazing comedy Blazing Saddles (1974) in 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment.

And finally, Tim also reviewed Arrow Video’s excellent Inside the Mind of Coffin Joe Blu-ray box set, which was released in March.

More reviews are forthcoming this week, so be sure to stay tuned for them.

In announcement news today, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has just revealed a new 4K Steelbook edition of David Ayer’s Fury (2014) for release on 7/15. The title will now include Dolby Vision HDR, whereas the previous 4K release (from May of 2018) had HDR10 only. (You can read our review of that disc here.) All the extras will be the same, with the sole exception that the 4K disc no longer includes the 46-minute Smithsonian Channel documentary The Tanks of Fury. (Nor is it on the Blu-ray in the package, which seems to be identical to the previous Blu-ray.) Presumably, this omission allows for the inclusion of Dolby Vision and perhaps a higher overall 4K data rate. In any case, you can see the Steelbook cover artwork at left. [Read on here...]

We start today with three new disc reviews, including...

Stephen’s look at Lucio Fulci’s Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972) in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video.

Stuart’s take on Stephen Soucy’s Merchant Ivory: The Documentary (2023) on Blu-ray from the Cohen Media Group via Kino Lorber.

And Tim’s thoughts on Shane Black’s The Nice Guys (2016) in 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment.

We’re all working on more new disc reviews here this week as well, including yours truly. So watch for those over the coming week.

Over on The Digital Bits’ Patreon on Sunday afternoon, I shared another new 30-minute My Two Cents: A Video Blog update with our subscribers, talking more about Tombstone and Dogma, as well as other recent industry developments. And we’re now taking questions for an Ask Me Anything session we’re planning next weekend. Supporting The Digital Bits via Patreon is a great way to help ensure that we can keep bringing you all great industry coverage here on the site. Do keep in mind that since we’ve been covering this industry since the very beginning of the DVD format back in 1997, nobody has better connections, sources, and knowledge of this industry that we do here on The Bits. So thank you all very much for reading and for your support!

Now then... in release news today, we’ve got exclusive details on the next pair of Lionsgate Limited 4K Ultra HD Steelbook titles, due to become available in May! Look for the studio to release Breck Eisner’s The Crazies (2010) and Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass (2010) on 5/13! Both will include Dolby Vision HDR and new Dolby Atmos mixes, and they’ll both be released on 100GB discs. Each will also include new and legacy special features! [Read on here...]

We’ve got one new disc review for you to enjoy here at The Bits today...

Tim has updated Barrie Maxwell’s 2011 Criterion Blu-ray review of Jean-Pierre Melville’s Le cercle rouge (1970) to reflect the company’s more recent 4K Ultra HD release. As long time Bits readers will know, Barrie was our dear friend and a classic cinema expert who wrote reviews and a Classic Coming Attractions column here at the site for many years. Barrie sadly passed away back in 2012. We can’t think of a better way to honor his memory than to ensure that his writing continues to find new audiences. So enjoy the review!

The big release news today is that our friends at the Warner Archive Collection have just announced their May catalog release slate, which includes not only great Blu-ray titles but also WAC’s next 4K Ultra HD release! That 4K title is none other than Charles Walters’ classic High Society (1956), starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Louis Armstrong!

The film has been remastered from new 13.5K scans of the original VistaVision negative. The 4K disc will include Dolby Vision HDR on a 100GB disc, with disc authoring and compression by Fidelity in Motion. The remastered film will also be included in the package on Blu-ray, a BD-50. [Read on here...]

We have three more new disc reviews for you all to enjoy today, including...

Stuart’s look at John M. Stahl’s When Tomorrow Comes (1939) on Region-B Blu-ray from Powerhouse Films and Indicator.

Tim’s review of Jack Arnold’s The Glass Web (1953) on Blu-ray 3D from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, with an assist by our friends at the 3-D Film Archive.

And Stephen’s thoughts on Renny Harlin’s The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) in 4K Ultra HD from the good folks at Arrow Video.

More reviews are on the way this week, so be sure to watch for them!

Now then, I’ve also posted a new Patreon blog entry asking the question: Why Aren’t More 4K Ultra HD Titles Released on 100GB Discs? And the reason might surprise you! You’ll find that here for our subscribers on The Bits’ Patreon page. Keep in mind, we have great and very affordable options for subscribing, and we have big plans for expanding our coverage of 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD there in addition to everything we do here on the website. And as I mentioned yesterday, it’s a great way to help support our work here at The Bits and we really appreciate it very much. [Read on here...]

We’ve got SIX more new disc reviews for you all to enjoy today, including...

Dennis’ reviews of Stanley Donen’s Arabesque (1966) in 4K Ultra HD and Dick Powell’s The Conqueror (1956) on Blu-ray, both from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, as well as Ryan Kruger’s Street Trash (2024) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome, and Jonathan Mostow’s Breakdown (1997) in 4K Ultra HD from Paramount Home Entertainment (the 4K reviews with an A/V assist by Tim).

And Tim’s reviews of the third title in Arrow Video’s Shawscope: Volume Two Blu-ray box set—Disciples of the 36th Chamber (1985)—and also Bob Clark’s Murder by Decree (1979) in 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Speaking of Arrow Video, the company has just announced its June slate of Blu-ray and 4K titles, which includes Rowdy Herrington’s Road House (1989) on Blu-ray and 4K UHD + Blu-ray (in the UK only) on 6/2, Joseph Sargent’s The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) on Blu-ray and 4K UHD + Blu-ray (in the UK only) on 6/9, Dominic Sena’s Swordfish (2001) on 4K UHD + Blu-ray (in the UK, US, and Canada) on 6/9, Peter Weir’s Witness (1985) on Blu-ray and 4K UHD + Blu-ray (in the UK only) on 6/16, and Alex Proyas’ Dark City (1998) on Blu-ray and 4K UHD + Blu-ray (in the UK, US, and Canada), Yoshiyuki Kuroda’s The Invisible Swordsman (1970) on Blu-ray (in the UK, US, and Canada), and Sergio Leone’s The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966) on Blu-ray and 4K UHD + Blu-ray (in the UK only) all on 6/23. [Read on here...]

We’re closing out the week here at The Bits with a trio of new disc reviews, including...

Tim’s review of Alfred Sole’s Alice, Sweet Alice (1976) in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video.

Stephen’s review of Howard Hawks’ Hatari! (1962) in 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And Stuart’s review of Bruce Weber’s Let’s Get Lost (1988) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics.

Also today, our friends at Vinegar Syndrome have revealed a number of new March Blu-ray and 4K titles, including Richard Loncraine’s Brimstone & Treacle (1982) in 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (with Dolby Vision), a double-feature Blu-ray of Hung-Chuen Lau’s Devil Fetus (1983) and Ngai Choi Lam’s Her Vengeance (1988), Forgotten Gialli: Volume Eight on Blu-ray—which includes Alberto Negrin’s Rings of Fear (1978), Tano Cimarosa’s Reflections in Black (1975), and Demofilo Fidani’s A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services (1975)—Miguel Angel Martinez’s 38 Especial (1992) on Blu-ray from Degausser Video, Gene Saks’s Last of the Red Hot Lovers (1972) on Blu-ray from Cinématographe, and Peter Greenaway’s The Belly of an Architect (1987) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome Labs. All are set to ship later this month. [Read on here...]

We’ve got a new disc review for you all to enjoy today, as well as a much of good announcement news. First the review...

Stephen has taken a look at William Friedkin’s Cruising (1980) in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video.

And we’ve posted our weekly update of the Release Dates & Artwork section here at The Bits with all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover artwork and Amazon pre-order links. As always, whenever you order literally anything from Amazon after clicking to them through one of our links (like this one), you’re helping to support our work here at the site and we really appreciate it!

Now then, the big news today is that Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment has officially set the Clint Eastwood films Dirty Harry (1971), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), and Pale Rider (1985) for 4K Ultra HD, 4K Steelbook, and Digital release on 4/29 (a slight change from the 4/15 date listed previously on retail sites). Not as if everyone didn’t already know, but the studio’s press release has just confirmed it. As expected, all three will feature Dolby Atmos audio mixes and HDR10 high dynamic range.

In terms of special features, Dirty Harry (1971) will include two new featurettes (Generations and Dirty Harry and Lensing Justice: The Cinematography of Dirty Harry) as well as the following legacy features: Audio Commentary by Richard Schickel, five featurettes (American Masters Career Retrospective: Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows, Clint Eastwood: The Man from Malpaso, Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy – Fighting for Justice, Dirty Harry’s Way, and Dirty Harry: The Original), and an Interview Gallery (featuring Patricia Clarkson, Joel Cox, Clint Eastwood, Hal Holbrook, Evan Kim, John Milius, Ted Post, Andy Robinson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Robert Urich).

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) will include two new featurettes as well (An Outlaw and an Antihero and The Cinematography of an Outlaw: Crafting Josie Wales) plus the following legacy features: Audio Commentary by Richard Schickel and four featurettes (Clint Eastwood’s West, Eastwood in Action, Hell Hath No Fury: The Making of The Outlaw Josie Wales, and Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy – Reinventing the West).

And finally, Pale Rider (1985) will include two new featurettes (The Diary of Sydney Penny: Lessons from the Set and Painting the Preacher: Bruce Surtees and Pale Rider) plus three legacy ones (Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy – Reinventing Westerns, Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story, and The Eastwood Factor). You can see the cover artwork above left and also below the break. [Read on here...]

We’ve got some great announcement news to report here at The Digital Bits today, at the start of a new week...

First of all, our friends at Kino Lorber Studio Classics have begun announcing new 4K Ultra HD catalog titles licensed from Paramount, which so far include Stephen Surjik’s Wayne’s World 2 (1993) and Peter and Bobby Farrelly’s Kingpin (1996). We also expect Ken Finkleman’s Airplane II: The Sequel (1982) to be revealed soon as well. All are reported to be “coming soon” and we expect more titles to be revealed in the weeks ahead.

While we’re talking KL Studio Classics, we’ve learned that their already announced 4K release of Dante’s Peak (1997) has been delayed from its original 2/11 street date to 5/27. So adjust your plans accordingly.

Meanwhile, Paramount has officially set Star Trek: Section 31 (2025) for Blu-ray, DVD, 4K Ultra HD Steelbook, and Digital release on 4/29. Extras will include 5 featurettes (Art Squad, Alpha Squad, Stunts Squad, Gear Squad, and Georgiou) as well as a gag reel. (Though based on the reviews, the entire film may as well be a gag reel.) The Blu-ray SKUs will include Dolby Atmos audio.

Neon has set Steven Soderbergh’s Presence (2024) for Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release on 5/20. [Read on here...]

We have two more new disc reviews for you today here at The Bits...

Stuart’s look at A Man Called Shenandoah: The Complete Series (1965-66) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

And Dennis and Tim have taken a look at Guillermo del Toro’s Cronos (1992) in 4K Ultra HD from Criterion.

The big news today is that Arrow Video has just unveiled their full Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD release slate for May, which is set to include D.W. Medoff’s I Will Never Leave You Alone (2023) on Blu-ray (in the UK only) on 5/5, Robert Wise’s The Andromeda Strain (1971) in 4K Ultra HD (in the US, UK, and Canada) on 5/13, Jim Isaac’s Jason X (2001) and Adam Marcus’ Jason Goes to Hell (1993) both in 4K Ultra HD (in the US, UK, and Canada) on 5/20, Sergio Leone’s For a Few Dollars More (1965) on Blu-ray and 4K UHD (in the UK only) on 5/26, and Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s Steppenwolf (2024) on Blu-ray (in the US, UK, and Canada) on 5/27. [Read on here...]