Criterion’s April slate includes Chungking Express in 4K, plus The Third Man & You’re Next from Lionsgate Limited, Imprint’s March Blu-ray slate & more!
by Bill HuntWe’ve got a bunch of release news to catch you all up on today here at The Bits, but first—as always—we’re closing out the week with a bunch of new and recent disc reviews…
I’ve turned in my thoughts on Quentin Tarantino’s long awaited Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004) 4K Steelbooks from Lionsgate Limited, as well as their reissue of his Reservoir Dogs (1992) in 4K Steelbook. (And don’t forget my review of Lionsgate Limited’s Jackie Brown 4K Steelbook from earlier this week as well.)
Tim has offered his take on Robert Zemeckis’ Death Becomes Her (1992) and Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell (2009) both in 4K UHD from Shout!/Scream Factory, as well as Warner Archive’s new Blu-ray Double Feature of William A. Wellman’s The Boob (1926) and William A. Seiter’s Why Be Good? (1929), and Jackson Publick’s The Venture Bros.: Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart (2023) on Blu-ray also from Warner Bros.
Stuart’s look at Sidney Gilliat’s Left Right and Centre (1959) on Blu-ray from Indicator, as well as The Persuaders!: The Complete Series (1971-72) on Blu-ray from Imprint, Fernando Di Leo’s The Italian Connection (1972) on Blu-ray from Raro Video, Jean Aurel’s Les Femmes (1969) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics, and Terence Young’s Bloodline (1979) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.
Dennis’ thoughts on Joel and Ethan Coen’s No Country for Old Men (2007) and Stephen Frears’ The Grifters (1990) each on Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection, and Gary David Goldberg’s Must Love Dogs (2005) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive.
More reviews are on the way next week, so be sure to check back for them! Also, we’ve updated our 4K Ultra HD Release List here at The Bits, as well as our Release Dates & Artwork section—the latter with all the latest 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD cover art and Amazon.com pre-order links. And The Bits is an Amazon Affiliate, so anything you order from them after clicking through one of our links goes to help support our work here at the site and we appreciate it!
Now then, let’s get to that breaking announcement news… [Read on here...]
BREAKING: Warner makes Amadeus 4K official, plus Shout! acquires the Golden Princess Library!
by Bill HuntAfternoon, everyone! We’ve got some great breaking news to report here at The Bits today, but first we’ve got more new disc reviews to share with you as always...
Dennis has taken a look at Stephen Frears’ The Grifters (1990) on Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection, as well as Bob Rafelson’s Mountains on the Moon (1990) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
Stuart has offered his thoughts on Terence Young’s Bloodline (1979) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome, as well as Jean Aurel’s Les Femmes (1969) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics and StudioCanal.
Tim has reviewed Russ Meyer’s Supervixens (1975) in 4K Ultra HD from Severin Films.
And Stephen has given the complete In the Line of Duty I-IV Blu-ray box set a look from 88 Films.
I’ve also gotten my hands on Lionsgate’s new Quentin Tarantino Lionsgate Limited 4K Steelbooks, and I’ll have a review of each of them very soon, starting with Jackie Brown (1997) later today. To give you a tease, the new 4K presentations are terrific, particularly Jackie Brown which is a full 4K scan of original camera negative. But more on those soon.
Now then, as I noted a moment ago, we’ve got great breaking news to report today, starting with the fact that Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment has just made Miloš Forman’s Amadeus official for release in 4K Ultra HD on 2/25. [Read on here...]
Nice Guys, Tommy, Night of the Creeps & more 4Ks, plus Con Air, Cold Mountain, Star Trek: Lower Decks, our review of Se7en & a discount on Colin Cantwell art!
by Bill HuntWe’ve got a bunch of new disc reviews for you all to enjoy here at The Bits today, but first I wanted to let you know that Amazon.com is currently running a pretty great deal for 4K titles: You can buy 3 4K titles for just $33, which is a great way to fill holes in your collection. The selection of titles is pretty good too (lots of titles from Warner, Universal, and more), so click here to take advantage if you wish.
All right, today’s new disc reviews here at The Bits start with Stephen’s two cents on David Fincher’s Se7en (1996) on 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, Richard Attenborough’s A Bridge Too Far (1977) in 4K UHD from Imprint, and Woo-Ping Yuen’s In the Line of Duty IV (1989) on Blu-ray from 88 Films.
Stuart’s look at Marco Bellocchio’s Slap the Monster on Page One (1972) and Seijun Suzuki’s Tattooed Life (1965) on Blu-ray from Radiance Films, John Farrow’s California (1947) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, and Fernando Méndez’s El Vampiro: Two Bloodsucking Tales from Mexico Blu-ray box set from Powerhouse Films, which includes The Vampire (1957) and The Vampire’s Coffin (1958).
Dennis’ thoughts on Matthew Ryan Hoge’s The United States of Leland (2003) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films.
And finally, Tim’s take on Randall Lobb and Robert McCallum’s Power of Grayskull: The Definitive History of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2017) documentary on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome, as well as Irving Klaw’s Teaserama (1955), Varietease (1954), and Buxom Beautease (1956) on Blu-ray from Kino Cult.
As always, lots more reviews are on the way in the coming days, so be sure to keep checking back.
Now then, in announcement news today, Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment has revealed that they’re releasing Shane Black’s The Nice Guys (2016) and Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) on 4K UHD on 2/18. [Read on here...]
KLSC reveals Repo Men (2010) & The Snowman (2017) in 4K, plus new 4K Steelbooks from Warner, Eureka!’s Mabuse box & more!
by Bill HuntGood evening, friends! We’ve got three new disc reviews for you today, including...
Dennis’ look at Michael Gordon’s For Love or Money (1963) on Blu-ray.
Stuart’s review of Otto Preminger’s The Court-Martial Billy Mitchell (1955) on Blu-ray.
And Tim’s thoughts on Joseph Sargent’s The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) on Blu-ray.
All of them are newly released by our friends at Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
Speaking of Kino Lorber Studio Classics, the company has just announced that Miguel Sapochnik’s Repo Men (2010) and Tomas Alfredson’s The Snowman (2017) are both coming soon in 4K Ultra HD. And they’ve also set Patrice Leconte’s Half a Chance (1998) will arrive on Blu-ray on 3/18. [Read on here...]
Wicked arrives on 2/4, plus Dune: Prophecy in 4K, Lower Decks, Hard Eight (1996) & Delicatessen (1991) in 4K, Talking Heads: 77 discount, Genesis on BD-A & more!
by Bill HuntWe have a lot of ground to cover today to close out the first partial week of 2025, starting with more new disc reviews...
First up, Tim has taken a look at Russ Meyer’s Vixen! (1968) in 4K Ultra HD from the good folks at Severn Films, and he’s also reviewed Marco Brambilla’s Demolition Man (1993) in 4K from Arrow Video.
Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Alan Crosland’s The Beloved Rogue (1927) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics.
Stuart has checked in with his take on Ted Hooker, Jack Cardiff, and Freddie Francis’ Cruel Britannia (1971-1974) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome, as well as Kinji Fukasaku’s The Threat (1966) on Blu-ray from Arrow Video, and Jules Dassin’s Topkapi (1964) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
And finally, Stephen has offered his reviews of Corey Yuwn’s Yes, Madam! (aka In the Line of Duty II) (1985) and Arthur Wong and Brandy Yuen’s In the Line of Duty III (1988) each on Blu-ray from 88 Films, as well as Michael Schaack’s animated but rarely-seen classic Felidae (1994) in 4K Ultra HD from Deaf Crocodile Films.
As always, more reviews are on the way next week, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for them.
Now then, we have a bunch of release news and official title announcements to share with you today, so let’s dive right in...
First, Universal Studios Home Entertainment has officially set Jon M. Chu’s Wicked: Part One (2024) for Blu-ray, DVD, 4K Ultra HD, and 4K Steelbook release on 2/4. The 4K disc will feature Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio, and all the SKUs will include over an hour of bonus features, including deleted and extended scenes, audio commentary with the director, a second audio commentary with stars Cynthia Ervio and Ariana Grande, the Making Wicked documentary, and a sing-along viewing option for the film. You can see the final cover artwork at left and also below the break. [Read on here...]
On this the final day of 2024, it’s only natural for us to take a look back and reflect on the many amazing Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD releases we’ve been blessed with over the past year. And it’s certainly been a tremendous year, especially for the 4K format.
So with that in mind, we’ve asked our team members here at The Digital Bits to weigh in with their favorite picks and honorable mentions.
The mandate to our team was simple: Pick your ten favorite discs of the year, and fell free to include some additional honorable mentions if you wish. Present them in any order you like, and say as much or as little about them as you like.
Any title—Blu-ray, DVD, or 4K Ultra HD—released in the calendar year 2024 qualified for consideration, and we extended that just a tad to include any title we received for review in 2024 period (so you’ll note that a couple of the titles mentioned technically street in January). Given how many discs are shipping late (or are getting delayed due to high demand), we felt this was a reasonable allowance.
So without further ado, here (below the break) are our picks for The Best Discs of 2024! [Read on here...]
Our final reviews of 2024, plus Towering Inferno at 50, new KLSC 4K & Blu-ray titles, plus Tommy Boy, Venom (1981) & The English Patient are coming to 4K!
by Bill HuntWe’ve got a couple of good things to share with you today, starting with new discs reviews. Among them are…
My look at John Ford’s legendary Western classic The Searchers (1956) in 4K Ultra HD from the Warner Archive, an absolutely stunning title that I think deserves to be considered the 4K Disc of the Year.
Stephen’s review of Sydney Pollack’s Tootsie (1982) in 4K Ultra HD from Sony via their excellent Columbia Classics: Volume 5 box set, as well as David Chung’s Royal Warriors (1986) on Blu-ray from 88 Films.
And Dennis’ review of Buster Keaton’s Seven Chances (1925) and Sherlock Jr. (1924) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics.
All three are well worth a look, and we’re going to have more new disc reviews here on Wednesday.
Also today, our own Michael Coate has just shared a new History, Legacy & Showmanship column today featuring film historian and author Nat Segaloff as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of John Guillermin’s The Towering Inferno (1974). It’s a short read, but still well worth your time. [Read on here...]
A Few Minutes with Nat Segaloff: Remembering “The Towering Inferno” on its 50th Anniversary
by Michael Coate“It is very simply the greatest disaster movie ever made.” — Nat Segaloff, author of More Fire! The Building of The Towering Inferno: A 50th Anniversary Explosion
The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the golden anniversary of the release of The Towering Inferno, Irwin Allen’s popular production about a fire in a San Francisco skyscraper.
Based upon the novels The Tower by Richard Martin Stern and The Glass Inferno by Thomas N. Scortia and Frank M. Robinson, the 20th Century-Fox/Warner Bros. co-production was directed by John Guillermin (The Blue Max, King Kong [1976]) and featured an all-star cast headed by Steve McQueen (Bullitt), Paul Newman (Cool Hand Luke), William Holden (Sunset Boulevard), and Faye Dunaway (Network). [Read on here...]
Amadeus 4K pre-orders, Gravity & Black Sheep in Ultra HD, and Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from all of us at The Digital Bits!
by Bill HuntAll right, we have just a few final items of business to cover on this short Christmas week...
The very first VistaVision film ever has been fully restored from the original camera negative and it’s simply gorgeous. It’s a holiday classic that stars Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, and it’s well worth a look on 4K disc for cinephiles.
Also, in a bit of release news today, our friends over at Kino Lorber Studio Classics have revealed that Penelope Spheeris’ Black Sheep (1996), starring Chris Farley and David Spade, is set for release on 4K Ultra HD on 3/25. [Read on here...]
Paramount sets Gladiator II for Digital on 12/24 & physical in March, plus new KLSC 4Ks include Daylight & Prophecy, Arrow’s March slate & more!
by Bill HuntAfternoon, everyone! We’re starting the short Christmas week here at The Bits with more new disc reviews as always. Today, we’ve got...
Tim’s review of Shawn Levy’s Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) in 4K Ultra HD from 20th Century Studios and Marvel, via Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Stephen’s review of Roman Polanski’s The Tenant (1976) in 4K Ultra HD from Paramount via Vinegar Syndrome.
And Dennis’ take on Vincent Sherman’s The Return of Doctor X (1939) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.
We also have a few more new disc reviews for you from late last week, in case you missed them, including...
Tim’s review of Monk: Season Six (2007-2008) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
Stuart’s review of Richard Thorpe’s Three Little Words (1950) on Blu-ray from Warner Archive.
Dennis’ look at Umberto Lenzi’s Battle of the Commandos (1969) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
Stephen’s review of William Friedkin’s The Hunted (2003) on 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
Stuart’s look at Claude Autant-Lara’s Enough Rope (1963) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
And finally, my review of Robert Meyer Burnett and Max Allan Collins’ True Noir: The Assassination of Anton Cermak 10-part audio drama from Imagination Connoisseurs Unlimited.
Also, just so you know, we’re not done yet: Look for at least one more new disc review tomorrow before the Christmas holiday, and lots more after we get back from the break next week. [Read on here...]