Displaying items by tag: Paramount Home Entertainment

Good afternoon (or evening as the case may be), Bits readers! My wife and I had a houseguest here visiting yesterday, so today’s post is a little later than usual. But we’re starting as always with some new disc reviews...

First of all, on Monday I posted my thoughts on Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) on 4K Ultra HD from Paramount, and just today I added a couple of additional Editor’s Notes discussing one of the film’s key story points as well as the 4K video quality (which I’ve revised downward just a tad from A to A-, the reason for which is explained in my review).

Also, Stephen has turned in his thoughts on Hideaki Anno’s (et al) Evangelion: 3.0+1.11 Thrice Upon a Time (2021) in 4K from GKids and Shout! Factory, and for those of you who aren’t familiar, he also gives you a good little primer on the topic.

Meanwhile, Stuart has weighed in with looks at William Dieterle’s The Life of Emile Zola (1937) and Richard Brooks’ The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection, as well as Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret’s The Worst Ones (2022) on DVD from Kino Lorber.

Dennis has offered his take on Julian Schnabel’s Before Night Falls (2000) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive as well as Mark Pellington’s The Severing (2022) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.

And finally, Tim has delivered an in-depth review of Kevin Connor’s Motel Hell (1980) in 4K Ultra HD from Scream Factory. [Read on here...]

Afternoon, Bits readers and welcome to the new week and, of course, Halloween Eve!

We’ve got a little bit of ground to cover here today, but first I wanted to personally thank all those of you who have signed up to support The Digital Bits via Patreon. Since we first launched our Patreon five days ago, we’re up to 77 backers (and 104 members total), and we really appreciate your support. It means a lot, and it will make a real difference here, let me tell you.

Already, I’ve decided on a couple things: I’m making regular (almost daily) blog posts exclusively for our Patreon supporters that are a little different than the kind of thing I post here and on our social media. For example... my first-take thoughts on things I’m hearing from sources (release news, industry developments, and the like), first impressions on new review discs that I’ve had the chance to look at (before I publish the full in-depth reviews here on the site), and other odds and ends—the kinds of things that offer you a essentially a more personal and candid look behind the scenes here at The Bits. I’m also making the occasional public post for all members there, with information that’s relevant to all our readers—the kind of thing I’m going to share here in a minute today (disc replacement news, a PS5 firmware update of relevance to disc fans, the occasional piece of significant breaking news). And we’ll add more Patreon-exclusive features over time as we get used working there, learning what kinds of perks are possible, and what we can do without dramatically increasing our workload.

Anyway, just know that we really, really appreciate those of you who are willing to support our work with your hard-earned money. Thanks to all 77 paying backers (here’s to reaching 100!) and thanks to all of you who are following us there.

Now then... I’m going to be spending the rest of my day working on a review of Paramount’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One in 4K UHD for posting here hopefully tomorrow. But first, there’s some important breaking news... [Read on here...]

All right, a quick heads-up for those of you who have purchased Paramount’s new Rosemary’s Baby 4K Ultra HD: An error has been discovered on the 4K disc’s soundtrack. When Dr. Sapirstein’s line “We happen to be in labor here” is spoken in the film, the only word audible in the mix is “here.” Note that this also pertains to the disc included in Paramount’s new Paramount Scares 4K box set.

Having been made aware of this error, Paramount intends to fix it and launch a disc replacement program. So if you have the new disc, visit this online form: https://phe-physical-consumer-support.imoxiemedia.com/

Select issue type “Other,” format “UHD,” put “Rosemary’s Baby 4K Ultra HD” in the title field, and in the brief description box add “Replacement Disc.” You might also want to specify whether you have the stand-alone disc or the Paramount Scares box set version.

You’ll be asked for your shipping info and (possibly) for a proof of purchase (which is often just a picture of the disc and its packaging). The fixed discs will be shipped out in the next couple of months when they’re ready. Thanks to Paramount for responding to this issue and taking steps to make it right.

Now then, in announcement news today, our friends at Arrow Video have indeed announced their January 2024 Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD slate as planned, and it’s pretty exciting.

It includes Brian De Palma’s Carrie (1976) on 4K Ultra HD on 1/22 (in the UK only—Scream Factory has already released the film here in the States on the format), as well as Peter Yates’ Murphy’s War (1971) on Blu-ray on 1/30 (in the US and Canada only), and both John Milius’ Conan the Barbarian (1982) and Richard Fleischer’s Conan the Destroyer (1984) on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD on 1/16 (in the US and Canada only). You’ll be able to buy the two Conan films individually, or in The Conan Chronicles: Limited Edition 3-disc set on Blu-ray or 4K Ultra HD. [Read on here...]

All right, I’d like to start today’s post out by saying a big thank you to everyone who’s signed up to support our Digital Bits Patreon, or expressed the intent to do so soon, or made a PayPal donation, or simply sent us good wishes. Thanks also to those among you who are using our Amazon affiliate links whenever you shop or pre-order new Blu-ray and 4K titles. The overall response has been very encouraging and very understanding, and we appreciate each and every one of you. So thank you!

Now then, we’re going to catch up on some news, plus we’ve got a bunch of new disc reviews for you here, and then I’m going to spend the next few days working on a few Blu-ray and 4K reviews myself. But first, here are some reviews our team has posted for you all to enjoy in the last few days...

Stuart has chimed in with reviews of Henry Hathaway’s Nevada Smith (1966), John Cassavetes’ Gloria (1980), and Ida Lupino’s Outrage (1950) all on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, François Ozon’s Everything Went Fine (2021) on Blu-ray from Cohen Media Group, and John Mackenzie’s Unman, Wittering and Zigo (1971) on Blu-ray from Arrow Video.

Dennis has offered his thoughts on Dorothy Arzner’s Christopher Strong (1933) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection, Harley Cokeliss’ Malone (1987) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, Chalit Krileadmongkon and Pakphum Wongjinda’s Creepy Crawly (2022) on Blu-ray from Well Go USA, and Brian Paulin’s At Dawn They Sleep (2000) on Blu-ray from Saturn’s Core and Vinegar Syndrome.

Stephen has taken an in-depth look at Louis Malle’s Pretty Baby (1978) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, Godfrey Ho’s Undefeatable (1993) on 4K Ultra HD from Vinegar Syndrome, and Allen Plone’s Night Screams (1987) also in 4K Ultra HD from Vinegar Syndrome.

And Tim has reviewed Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha’s direct-to-video animated finale Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar (2023) on Blu-ray from Adult Swim and Warner, as well as Amy Holden Jones and Deborah Brock The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) and The Slumber Party Massacre II (1987) in 4K Ultra HD from Scream Factory. [Read on here...]

I’ve been thinking a lot, in recent days, about the future of physical media.

Frankly, I can’t recall a time in this industry that’s offered greater cognitive dissonance than this past week, which began with the news that Best Buy is exiting the disc business—and saw a Digital Bits headline on the subject appear in Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show monologue—but ended not only with the release of Barbie and The Exorcist in 4K, but also with the Ultra HD announcement of Titanic, The Color Purple, and Oppenheimer, to say nothing of the revelation (by Kino Lorber Studio Classics) that Stanley Kubrick’s earliest films are coming to the format!

What’s the opening line of A Tale of Two Cities again? “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity.” Charlies Dickens was nothing if not a visionary.

This coming December, I’ll mark my twenty-sixth year as editor of The Digital Bits, and my thirty-fifth as a working professional in the business of media more generally. For most of that time, I’ve had a front row seat from which to view the ebbs and flows of the disc business—both its public-facing portion, as well a singularly-unique insider’s perspective. I launched The Bits website in 1997, at the height of LaserDisc and the dawn of DVD, to create a nexus between fans of these formats and the industry professionals who create them.

Soon afterwards, I gave the world its first look at Circuit City’s pay-per-view DIVX format, then led the crusade against it. I co-led a campaign that convinced George Lucas to begin releasing his beloved Star Wars films on DVD. I reported from the trenches on—and correctly predicted the outcome of—the high-definition format war between Blu-ray and HD-DVD. And I’ve covered every minute of the Golden Age of Physical Media, the rise and stumbles of Digital and streaming, and the continuing adventures of our favorite little format that could… 4K Ultra HD. [Read on here...]

All right, believe it or not, even after the insanity that’s been the last couple of days, we still have a bit more new release news to catch you all up on here at The Bits...

First things first… Lionsgate has officially set The Expendables 4, aka Expend4bles, for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 11/21. There will also a trio of retail exclusive versions, including an Amazon 4K with lenticular cover, a Best Buy 4K Steelbook, and a Walmart Steelbook 4-Film 4K Collection. All 4K versions of Expend4bles will offer Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio on a 100GB disc. Extras on the Blu-ray and 4K SKUs will include audio commentary with director Scott Waugh, 2 featurettes (Bigger, Bolder, Badder: The Expendables in Action and More Than a Team: New Blood Meets Old Blood), plus the film’s theatrical trailer. You can see the cover artwork at left and also below.

Lionsgate has also set Kevin Greutert’s Saw X for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 11/21. Look for HDR10 and Dolby Atmos on the 4K SKU. Extras will include audio commentary (with director-editor Kevin Greutert, cinematographer Nick Matthews, and production designer Anthony Stabley), the 6-part Reawakening documentary (includes I Want to Play a Game: Bleeding New Life into the Saga, This Time It’s Personal: Characters and Casting, Another Time, Another Place: Locations and Cinematography, There Will Be Blood: Production Design and Make-up, Leave Nothing to Chance: Post-Production, and Live or Die: Release and Legacy), 2 additional featurettes (Drawing Inspiration: Illustrated Scene Breakdowns with Kevin Greutert and Make-Up Department Trap Tests), deleted scenes, and the film’s theatrical trailer. Again, you’ll find the cover art below. [Read on here...]

We’re starting our first big news update of the week here at The Bits with some new disc reviews, as always. So now available for your reading enjoyment are...

Stephen’s in-depth reviews of both the wide release 4K Ultra HD and the Disney Movie Club-exclusive “quad” 4K Ultra HD release of Walt Disney’s classic animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). The good news is that Disney’s positive change in direction with 4K catalog releases is officially no fluke—the disc features absolutely beautiful 35mm film remastering with lovely grain structure and wonderfully vibrant colors.

Stephen has also turned in a review of Michael Cimino’s Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) in 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, which also features terrific new remastering.

And Stuart has delivered a look at Norman Taurog’s Spinout (1966) on Blu-ray from our friends at the Warner Archive Collection.

As always, more new reviews are on the way later this week, so be sure to watch for them.

Now then... in announcement news today, the Criterion Collection has officially revealed their January 2024 release slate. [Read on here...]

All right, folks! Last week was busy with big news, and this week will be no different.

We’re going to be back with a larger post later this morning to cover it all, but first we wanted to break in here early with official word that James Cameron’s Titanic (1997) is now available for pre-order on Amazon!

This fulfills at least part of a promise made to us by producer Jon Landau and first reported here at The Bits all the way back in March (see our report from the time here, complete with video we shot of Landau breaking the news). Note that we’ve included the video I shot at Lightstorm that day below the break as well.

Paramount’s street date is 12/5, just as we’ve been predicting for a while now. According to the packaging, which you can see at left and also below the break, the release will be a 2-disc set that includes the film in 4K Ultra HD, along with a Blu-ray disc of bonus features.

The set will include over 15 hours of content (most of it on the Blu-ray), including a new documentary, Titanic: Stories from the Heart, featuring new interviews with James Cameron, Jon Landau, and Kate Winslet, as well as a new fan art gallery. [Read on here...]

[10/13/23 Update: Variety and Media Play News have now confirmed my reporting that Best Buy is phasing out physical media in the new year, following the 2023 holiday shopping season. The company will apparently still continue to sell videogames. A Best Buy spokesperson provided this statement to Variety: “To state the obvious, the way we watch movies and TV shows is much different today than it was decades ago. Making this change gives us more space and opportunity to bring customers new and innovative tech for them to explore, discover and enjoy.” So... there you have it. Longtime readers of The Digital Bits can rest assured of two things: First, no this does not spell the end of physical media. And second, I’ll have a great deal more to say on this topic here at The Bits on Monday and all next week. See you back here then.]

All right, folks... we’ve got a little bit of a whopper for you today. And so as not to bury the lede, let’s get right to it...

The Digital Bits has learned from industry sources—and we’ve confirmed it with multiple sources now—that Best Buy plans to exit the physical media business for good next year, possibly as soon as the end of Q1 2024.

This includes not just their in-store Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD sales, which the retailer has been gradually phasing out for a couple of years now in their many store locations nationwide, but online sales as well. This means no more Best Buy-exclusive Steelbook titles, and no more titles from Best Buy period.

The fact that Best Buy is discontinuing physical media sales in their retail locations should come as no surprise; anyone who’s visited a Best Buy store location on a Tuesday recently will be all too aware that the retailer’s disc sections keep getting moved around and have gotten smaller and smaller. Our own experience here at The Bits is that some store locations don’t even bother to stock new-release titles on the sales floor anymore—even their exclusive ones. More than once, in their Southern California locations, I’ve had to ask for the titles and wait while a clerk checks the storeroom.

But the idea that Best Buy would discontinue online sales too comes as a bit of a surprise... though perhaps it shouldn’t. We’ve noted in recent months that Paramount has quietly shifted their Blu-ray and 4K Steelbook exclusive titles—titles that would normally have been released at Best Buy—to Amazon instead. And it seems very likely that other studios will follow Paramount’s lead in the months ahead. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got some ground to cover today here at The Bits, so first things first. We have a trio of new disc reviews for you to enjoy this afternoon, including...

Tim’s take on Amando de Ossorio’s Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972) on Blu-ray from Synapse Films.

And Dennis’ thoughts on William A Wellman’s Westward the Women (1951) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection, as well as James Foley’s After Dark, My Sweet (1990) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Don’t forget, Amazon’s Prime “Big Deal” Days Sale continues until the end of the day today, so be sure to take advantage of all the great prices on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD titles, box sets, and collections. Click here and here to see what’s on sale and act fast!

For the record, some of today’s deals include...

• Universal Classic Monsters: Icons of Horror 4K UHD (regularly $79.99) Now $29
• The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection 4K UHD (regularly $69.98) Now $38
• The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection #2 4K UHD (regularly $69.98) Now $38

• Game of Thrones: The Complete Collection 4K UHD (regularly $219) Now $94
• Batman: The Complete Animated Series Blu-ray (regularly $79) Now $24
• Superman: The Complete Animated Series Blu-ray (regularly $69) Now $19
• The Last of Us: The Complete First Season Blu-ray (regularly $49) Now $26
• Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series Blu-ray (regularly $99) Now $49
• Bonanza: The Complete Series DVD (regularly $244) Now $159

• Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy 4K UHD (regularly $55) Now $23
• The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (Extended & Theatrical) 4K UHD (regularly $89) Now $39
• Harry Potter: 8-Film Collection 4K UHD (regularly $178) Now $59
• Mission: Impossible 6-Movie Collection 4K UHD (regularly $83) Now $50
• The Godfather Trilogy 4K UHD (regularly $90) Now $54
• The James Bond Collection 24-Films Blu-ray (regularly $144) Now $54

So be sure to act fast if you’re interested.

Also today here at the site, we’ve got word on some long-awaited 4K Ultra HD catalog titles... [Read on here...]