Displaying items by tag: Warner Bros Home Entertainment

All right, sorry for the lack of a post yesterday, but we’ve been swamped working on new disc reviews for you guys. And in fact, over the last few days, we’ve posted several of them, including...

My take on Paramount’s new Star Trek: The Original 4-Movie Collection which includes the theatrical edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, both versions of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home on both 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Disc.

My in-depth look at David Lynch’s Dune: Limited Edition in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video, featuring a gorgeous remastered image and both new and legacy extras.

And also my look at Random Space Media’s recent Battlestar Galactica: The Definitive Collection 36-disc Blu-ray box set, which contains the original 1979 feature film, the original TV series, Galactica 1980, the more recent reboot TV series (plus its tie-in films), and—for the first time in Region A—Caprica: The Complete Series.

But that’s not all: Stephen has posted a review of Paul Morrissey’s Blood for Dracula in 4K Ultra HD from Severin Films.

And Tim has reviewed Smokey and the Bandit on 4K Ultra HD from Universal.

Tim’s also turned in his thoughts on Via Vision’s Hammer Horror: Four Gothic Horror Films box set, which includes Countess Dracula, Hands of the Ripper, Twins of Evil, and Vampire Circus on Blu-ray. [Read on here...]

We’ve got some reviews to catch up on here at The Bits this afternoon...

Over the past couple of days, we’ve posted a number of new Blu-ray reviews, including Stephen’s thoughts on Kensuke Sonomura’s Hydra (2019) from Well Go USA, Savage Steve Holland’s One Crazy Summer (1986) from the Warner Archive Collection, and Jacques Deray’s The Outsider (1983) and Harold Becker’s The Black Marble (1980) from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And Tim has turned in his thoughts on Tom McLoughlin’s One Dark Night (1983) from the MVD Rewind Collection, the Friday the 13th: 8-Movie Collection from Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment, and Umbrella Entertainment’s Drive-In Delirium: The Final Conflict, which feature a whopping 181 classic film trailers. All of these titles are well worth a look, so do give the reviews a try.

In announcement news today, Criterion has revealed that they’re adding a physical 4K Ultra HD release of Uncut Gems to their November release slate. The Blu-ray and DVD release are moving to 11/23, which is the date the 4K will arrive as well. And all three are getting new cover artwork, which you can now here see on the left and also below. [Read on here...]

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

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is close to announcing their long-awaited Middle-Earth 31-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition box set, which will include the Theatrical and Extended versions of all six Hobbit and Lord of the Rings films on both 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray (including the remastered Lord of the Rings films on Blu-ray) along with a Blu-ray bonus disc of new content that (per our sources) is expected to include the 26-minute presentation reel shown at Cannes in 2001, and the Alamo Drafthouse cast reunion in 3 parts. In total, we expect this to be about 90 minutes of new content in all. (Note that the existing audio commentaries will also carry over on the actual film discs.) You’ll also get a 64-page book of costume sketches, photography, and production notes, plus 7 “travel poster” artwork cards.

Please be advised that The Appendices will not be included in this new set (that was confirmed when WB first revealed the set last year) so don’t start selling your existing Blu-ray and 4K sets in anticipation of buying the new one assuming that everything will be included in it.

Warner’s official announcement should come at any time, but we’ve got a sneak peek at what the set looks like in the meantime from a new listing on the Wow HD UK webstore, which currently shows a street date of October 26 (click here for that, and you can see the packaging below)... [Read on here...]

We’ve got some good announcement news to report today...

As we first revealed a couple weeks ago here at The Bits, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, StudioCanal, and American Zoetrope have just officially announced their new 4K restoration Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders: The Complete Novel. From their joint press release: “Created to give fans more of the action that took place in S.E. Hinton’s celebrated book, Coppola’s latest, definitive version includes new music, as well as several scenes cut from the theatrical version which were reconstructed from original camera negatives.”

Warner will re-release the film in a limited theatrical run starting on 9/26, with a physical 4K Ultra HD Collector’s Edition (that will include both The Complete Novel and the original version) and a Digital release expected on 11/9. StudioCanal will handle a similar 4K UHD and Blu-ray release internationally on 11/8. The Outsiders: The Complete Novel will also appear on HBO Max starting on 11/16. You can see the poster art for the theatrical re-release at the left (4K UHD cover art is not available yet).

Warner’s physical 4K Ultra HD release will be a 4-disc set that includes both The Outsiders: The Complete Novel and The Outsiders in 4K with HDR (likely HDR10). You’ll also get Digital codes for both versions, and substantial new and legacy extras. The new extras will include a restoration interview (with cinematographer Stephen Burum, Zoetrope Head of Archives and Restorations James Mockoski, and colourist Gregg Garvin), plus deleted scenes, an introduction by Coppola, and 2 new featurettes (Anatomy of a Scene and Old House New Home). [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 few odds and ends to report on for you today...

First up, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will be releasing a new Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: Anniversary 8-Film Collector’s Edition on 11/2, featuring all 8 films in the series in both 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, packaged in a cardboard replica of the Hogwarts Express (SRP $139.99). The box will also include a replica train ticket and a photo book featuring a look at props and other items from the films. You can see the open packaging below the break. Before you get too excited, these are the exact same discs released previously. But if you’re a fan and you haven’t yet upgraded to 4K, this might be just the thing.

Also in 4K Ultra HD news today, we’ve learned that Koch Media in Germany has delayed their wide release of David Lynch’s Dune on Blu-ray and 4K (as well as their web store exclusive Dune: Ultimate Edition 4K/Blu-ray set) to 10/14. (It was previously set to street on 8/26). The reason is that this will now be the only place you’ll be able to see Ballyhoo Motion Pictures’ feature-length documentary The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune. As we’ve reported previously, the Arrow Video 4K and Blu-ray release will street on 8/31 as originally planned, but it will no longer include the documentary. Adjust your plans accordingly. [Read on here...]

All right, we have just a couple of quick updates for you here at The Bits today, but first we have a new disc review...

Stephen has taken a look at Stephen Sommers’ G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) as newly-released on 4K Ultra HD by Paramount. Sounds like it’s a modest but decent upgrade over the existing Blu-ray, so do give it a look if you’re a fan.

Now then, in terms of announcement news, Lionsgate has set writer-director Janicza Bravo’s Zola for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital on 9/14. Extras will include audio commentary with Bravo and editor Joi McMillon, the Y’all Wanna Hear a Story: Making Zola featurette, and deleted scenes with optional audio commentary.

Lionsgate will also release Twist on Blu-ray and DVD on 9/28. The film stars Lena Headey and Michael Caine. Extras will include The Artful Dodger: Twist’s Underworld featurette. [Read on here...]

All right folks, this is a day a lot of us have been waiting a very long time for. Let’s get right into what is arguably the year’s biggest news...

Our friends at The Criterion Collection have finally announced that their first titles on the physical 4K Ultra HD format will include David Lynch’s Mulholland Dr., Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane, Jane Campion’s The Piano, Allen and Albert Hughes’s Menace II Society, Emeric Pressburger and Michael Powell’s The Red Shoes, and Richard Lester’s A Hard Day’s Night! The first of these is expected to arrive in November (we believe it will be Mulholland Dr.) and will be officially detailed next week when Criterion announces its full November slate. The rest will follow in subsequent months (starting—we believe—with Citizen Kane in December, given that 2021 is the film’s 80th anniversary). Per Criterion, each of their 4K titles will include the film on both 4K and Blu-ray (with most extras on the Blu-ray, allowing the 4K disc to have maximum room for video and audio data). Select films will also feature Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound.

Any way you slice it, this is outstanding news. We actually knew (thanks to our longtime industry sources) about three of those titles and had a pretty good line on a fourth. But by our reckoning, the fact that the company has announced no less than SIX 4K titles tells us that Criterion is seriously ALL IN on the Ultra HD format at long last. And that is the best news we’ve had all year for physical media.

But that’s not all of the news we have for you today, so let’s keep going! [Read on here...]

Hope you’re all having a great week so far. I was buried in catch-up work yesterday after having a series of family visits here—our first in two years due to the pandemic—so suffice it to say that there was no news post yesterday.

However, I’ve been on the phone a lot in the last couple of days talking with industry sources, and we’ve got some great new Blu-ray and especially 4K catalog updates for you this afternoon.

FYI, there will be more new disc reviews coming later this week as well, so be sure to check back for those. But let’s get right into the 4K news...

First up, I’ve confirmed with multiple industry sources now that Warner Bros. will be releasing Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders (1983) on physical 4K Ultra HD in early November. Coppola and his American Zoetrope have recently been remastering several of the director’s films in 4K (Lionsgate is releasing a remastered Dementia 13 on Blu-ray and 4K Digital on 9/21 as part of their Vestron Video Collector’s Series, and Paramount is going to be releasing the complete Godfather Trilogy in 4K Ultra HD next year in honor of the original film’s 50th anniversary), so perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise. [Read on here...]

All right, we’re starting today with a quick new disc review, and then we’ve got some big new release news to report on...

First though, I’ve just reviewed Rian Johnson’s excellent 2012 science-fiction thriller Looper on 4K Ultra HD, as recently released in the UK by Entertainment One. The title is expected on UHD here in the States from Sony later this year or early next, but in the meantime, if you’re willing to import for just the 4K experience, this eOne release is a great option.

Now then, the big breaking news today is that Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has finally officially announced their long-expected Universal Classics Monsters: Icons of Horror Collection for release on 4K Ultra HD on 10/5.

The set will include the 90th anniversary editions of Dracula and Frankenstein, along the 80th anniversary edition of The Wolf Man, and also The Invisible Man, all in 4K Ultra HD. There’s no indication of Dolby Vision, so we expect HDR10 high dynamic range along with the existing audio mixes. [Read on here...]