Displaying items by tag: Robert A Harris

“The Godfather has become such an indelible part of American culture and world culture that it’s become one of those films that everyone knows even if they’ve never seen it.” – Ray Morton, author of King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon from Fay Wray to Peter Jackson

The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the golden anniversary of the release of The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola’s legendary film about the Corleone crime family.

Based upon Mario Puzo’s best-selling 1969 novel, the film adaptation starring Marlon Brando (A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront) won three Academy Awards (including Best Picture), was for a period of time the highest-grossing motion picture, spawned two sequels, and influenced countless filmmakers. The Godfather also starred Al Pacino (Dog Day Afternoon, Scarface), James Caan (Rollerball, Thief), Richard Castellano (A Fine Madness, Lovers and Other Strangers), Robert Duvall (The Great Santini, Tender Mercies), Sterling Hayden (The Killing, The Long Goodbye), John Marley (Faces, Love Story), Richard Conte (I’ll Cry Tomorrow, Ocean’s 11), and Diane Keaton (Annie Hall, Looking for Mr. Goodbar). [Read on here...]

We’re starting today with more new disc reviews, and then we have a major piece of catalog 4K news for you here at The Bits. First up...

Tim has taken a look at Sidney Lumet’s Murder on the Orient Express (1974) on Blu-ray from Paramount.

Dennis has reviewed J. Lee Thompson’s Eye of the Devil (1966) and Karl Freund’s Mad Love (1935), both new on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

And Stephen has delivered his thoughts on a pair of new Umbrella Entertainment Region-Free Blu-ray releases, including Steve Jodrell’s Shame (1988) and Bruce Beresford’s Puberty Blues (1981).

Now then, let’s get to that big release news: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has set Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s musical comedy Singin’ in the Rain (1952) for 4K Ultra HD release on 4/26, just as we first revealed here at The Bits way back in November. [Read on here...]

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We have a quick update on the BFI’s new restoration and Blu-ray of Napoleon (1927). It seems that Francis Ford Coppola and former Bits contributor and film preservationist Robert A. Harris own the worldwide theatrical rights to Napoleon outside the U.K. and France, and are working on their own restoration effort. Lou Lumenick, the film editor for The New York Post, contacted Harris about the project and received this reply: [Read on here…]

[Editor’s Note: This article was originally scheduled to appear a year ago for the film’s 50th anniversary. The article was delayed so that it could be published to coincide with the delayed but now available Blu-ray Disc release.]

“My Fair Lady is probably the greatest popular smart musical ever made. The melodies soar, the characters endear and engage, and the wit of so much pointed commentary on social class, gender, money, and surface appearances never lapses into self-conscious cleverness.” — film historian and author Matthew Kennedy  [Read on here...]

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All right, we just have a couple of things for you today...

First up, all those Criterion October titles are now available for pre-order on Amazon.com – just click on the titles here (or on the images below): Mulholland Dr., My Own Private Idaho, The Brood, A Special Day, and Kwaidan. Both Universal’s Back to the Future: 30th Anniversary Trilogy ($49.98) and the Back to the Future: The Complete Adventures – Limited Edition ($99.88) are available for pre-order as well.  [Read on here…]

[Editor’s Note: Be sure to like TheDigitalBits.com page on Facebook for breaking news, site updates on the go, discussion with our staff and other readers, giveaways and more!]

All right, we’ve got more new release news for you…

First, Criterion has just officially announced their October Blu-ray and DVD release slate, as follows: Look for Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho (Cat #277 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 10/6, David Cronenberg’s The Brood (Cat #777 – Blu-ray and DVD) and Ettore Scola’s A Special Day (Cat #778 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 10/13, Masaki Kobayashi’s Kwaidan (Cat #90 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 10/20, and David Lynch’s Mulholland Dr. (Cat #779 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 10/27. You can see the cover artwork below.  [Read on here…]

[Editor’s Note: Be sure to like TheDigitalBits.com page on Facebook for breaking news, site updates on the go, discussion with our staff and other readers, giveaways and more!]

We’ve got some more Blu-ray release news for you this afternoon…

Here’s something for you catalog fans: The official Disney Movie Club has revealed that they’re going to be releasing the live action classics Swiss Family Robinson (1960) and Return to Oz (1985) on Blu-ray on 4/14, though only to club members. Other classic live-action titles are already available on Blu-ray to club members, including The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975), The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969), Polyanna (1960), Old Yeller (1957), The Love Bug (1968), and Herbie Rides Again (1974). I haven’t seen any of these personally, but readers tell me they’re pretty good on the whole. There are currently no signs that these BDs will be made available widely, although that’s always a possibility down the line. The regular club price is $29.95 for Blu-ray, but when you first join you get some good discounts. Visit the official Disney Movie Club website here for more information and to sign up.  [Read on here…]

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We’ve got a bunch of stuff for you to enjoy here at The Bits today, starting with a trio of new columns here at the site.

First, the good Dr. Jahnke has turned in his latest installment of Burnt Offerings: MOD DVD, running down the latest in small batch, hand crafted DVDs and Blu-rays. He’s also added new component to the column that he’s calling Wide Awake in Streamland, which details worth deep catalog film and TV titles available for streaming via Warner Archive Instant, Netflix, Hulu Plus and the like. Be sure to check it out.

Also today, our own Michael Coate unloads both barrels of his History, Legacy and Showmanship column to celebrate the 50th anniversaries of TV’s Bewitched and the seminal James Bond film Goldfinger! For each column Michael conducts a roundtable discussion with film historians and experts. You definitely don’t want to miss them – here’s the Bewitched piece and here’s Goldfinger. Enjoy!  [Read on here…]

[Editor’s Note: Be sure to like TheDigitalBits.com page on Facebook for great Blu-ray, DVD and film discussion with other readers and for live updates on your mobile device when new content is posted here!]

We’ve got a new Doogan’s Queue column today from Todd (in Gripe Soda), running down all of this week’s best new releases on Blu-ray and DVD. Don’t miss it!

Also this morning, our own Tim Salmons has turned in a Blu-ray review of Joseph Anthony’s Tomorrow (1972) from B2MP Inc. The film stars Robert Duvall and is an adaptation of a short story by William Faulkner. Do check it out.  [Read on here…]

Anybody know a good screenwriter? Here’s true scenario that would offer a perfect studio pitch.

And it’s a thriller, in a way, with a determined adventurer racing against time to seek justice for a hero from a past generation – one who sacrificed finances, reputation and goodwill to slay a dragon that was, in the long run, perhaps beyond even his reach.

This story is about John Wayne. This story is about Robert Harris. This story is about America and the importance of its cultural maintenance. And, ok, it’s also about personal obsession. Duke Wayne did what he said. No backing out. No cutting corners. No half assed. [Read on here...]