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Heads-up Bits readers!

This is just a quick update to let you all know that Lionsgate has just launched their new Direct-to-Consumer website: Lionsgate Limited!

You’ll find it at this link: https://lionsgatelimited.com/

So far it appears to have two 4K titles listed:

• The Conversation: Collector’s Edition (4K UHD Steelbook) – 12/17
• Apocalypse Now: Final Cut (4K UHD Steelbook Reprint) – 12/17

We’ll have more details on all this next week, when the studio makes their official announcement.

In the meantime… stay tuned!

(You can follow Bill on social media at these links: Twitter and Facebook)

We’ve got more new disc reviews today to start the short Thanksgiving week out right here at The Bits. Among them are...

Stephen’s take on Fred Zinnemann’s A Man for All Seasons (1966) in 4K Ultra HD from Sony’s new Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection: Volume 5 box set.

Tim’s review of Don Siegel’s Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970) in 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, as well as his on-going film-by-film review of Arrow’s excellent Shawscope: Volume Two Blu-ray boxed set—today featuring his thoughts on Lau Kar-leung’s The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978).

And my review of Dean Parisot’s Galaxy Quest (1999) in 4K Ultra HD Steelbook from our friends at Paramount Home Entertainment.

We’ve all got a lot more reviews in the works here at the site as well, so be sure to check back. In fact, in the next 24 hours or so, I’ll have my reviews of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai (1954) in 4K from the BFI (as compared to the recent Criterion 4K release, which I reviewed here last week), as well as my thoughts on Fede Álvarez’s Alien: Romulus (2024) in 4K UHD from 20th Century Studios.

Also today, I wanted to let you that I just dropped my second My Two Cents: A Video Blog episode exclusively for our supporters on The Digital Bits’ Patreon page. It runs about 26 minutes and includes comments on new and recent 4K titles, a sneak peek of 2025 4K catalog titles, and more. [Read on here...]

We’re starting as always today with new disc reviews! And we’ve got some good ones, including…

My look at Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai (1954) in 4K Ultra HD from the Criterion Collection.

Stephen’s take on Ti West’s MaXXXine (2024) in 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray from A24 and Lionsgate.

Tim’s review of Monk: Season Two (2003-2004) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Dennis’ thoughts on James Watkins’ Speak No Evil (2024) on Blu-ray from Universal, as well as Zach Clark’s The Becomers (2023) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome, and Peter Markle’s Youngblood (1986) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Sam Cohen’s look at Marco Bellocchio’s Kidnapped: The Abduction of Edgardo Mortara (2023) on Blu-ray from the Coen Media Group and Kino Lorber.

And finally, Stuart’s take on Claude Berri’s Tchao Pantin (1983) on Blu-ray from Radiance Films.

More reviews are forthcoming, including my own look on Dean Parisot’s Galaxy Quest (1999) in 4K Ultra HD from Paramount—that disc is expected to arrive here at the office today, so I’ll definitely be spinning it immediately upon its arrival! [Read on here...]

Heads up, Bits readers! For those of you who are into 4K projector news, our friend John Schuermann at The Screening Room A/V in Colorado Springs is hosting a new episode of their Video Podcast tonight to run down the new 2024 lineup of JVC Projectors!

You may recall that I joined the podcast for an episode last year on the future of physical media (available here).

Tonight, John will be joined by Sammie Prescott of Projector Central and Kris Deering of Deep Dive A/V! They’ll have special coverage of JVC’s new NEW DLA-RS1200 / NZ500 projector as reviewed by Sammie and the TSR Crew!

The fun starts tonight at 7 PM Mountain (9 PM Eastern). [Read on here...]

We’ve got more new disc reviews to share with you today, to start the new week out right…

As promised, I’ve shared my in-depth thoughts on Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest (1959) in 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, and you’ll be pleased to know that it’s stunning. What’s more, those of you who saw the promotional trailer for the remaster need not worry—its missing fingers and cigarette are untouched in the actual 4K master. The film looks really great.

Also today, Stephen has taken a look at Shout! Factory’s new Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD box set of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth (1986).

Tim has offered his thoughts on Barry Sonnenfeld’s Addams Family Values (1993) in 4K Ultra HD from Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment.

And Sam has reviewed Nikhil Nagesh Baht’s Kill (2023) in 4K Ultra HD Steelbook from Lionsgate.

Next up on my review stack is Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles (1974) in 4K Ultra HD from Warner, but first I may share my look at Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai (1954) in 4K UHD from Criterion, provided my copy arrives in the mail today as expected. Either way, both reviews should be posted in the next couple days.

Speaking of Criterion, the company has just unveiled its February 2025 release slate, as follows… [Read on here...]

We’ve got more new disc reviews for you today here at The Bits and some great release news as well to close out the week. So let’s get right into it...

First up, I’ve posted my review of James Cameron’s The Terminator (1984) in 4K Ultra HD from MGM and Warner Bros. It’s the best AI remaster yet from Lightstorm and Park Road Post, not to mention one that I think is going to pleasantly surprise a lot of people. (Hint: There’s grain.) BTW, I’m also working on my review of Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest (1959) in 4K, which I expect to share over the next 24 hours or so, so be sure to keep checking back. And Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles (1974) will follow shortly after that.

Tim has turned in his thoughts of Alexandre Aja’s Crawl (2019) in 4K UHD from the Paramount Scares: Volume 1 box set. He’s also taken a look at Lindsay Shonteff’s The Million Eyes of Sumuru (1967) in 4K from Blue Underground. And he’s reviewed Monk: Season One (2002) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics as well today.

Stephen has taken a look at Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront (1954) in 4K UHD from the new Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection: Volume 5 box set.

Sam has given Philippe Mora’s Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985) and Chih-Hung Kuei’s Corpse Mania (1981) a look in 4K UHD from Vinegar Syndrome.

And finally, Stuart has offered his take on John “Bud” Cardos’ Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) on Blu-ray from Kino Cult, as well as Fritz Lang’s You and Me (1938) on Region B Blu-ray from Powerhouse Films’ Indicator label. [Read on here...]

Heads up, Bits readers!

I just wanted to jump in here this afternoon to share a bit of news and a bunch of new disc reviews that we’ve prepared for today.

First, I’m sure that most of you have seen today’s first news update here by now: Lucasfilm and Disney just announced the 4K Ultra HD Steelbook release of Ron Howard’s Willow (1988).

Call it a hunch, but I have a strong suspicion that this release is meant to set up a second 4K Steelbook release coming in 2025, specifically of the more recent Disney+ streaming series Willow (2022). That show was cancelled and pulled from Disney+, allegedly for cost-cutting reasons, and a good way to try to recoup a little of that investment would be to sell it on 4K disc and possibly Blu-ray. So I think that’s a pretty good possibility next year.

Meanwhile, here at the site today, we’ve just posted our weekly update of the Release Dates & Artwork section (you’ll find that here) featuring all of the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover and Amazon.com pre-order links. (Thanks to our own Russell Hammond for his work on that.)

Speaking of which, John Ford’s The Searchers (1956) is finally up for pre-order on Amazon in 4K for the stunning price of just $29.99... [Read on here...]

All right, as promised we have a bunch of new Blu-ray reviews for you today and 4K review as well, with still more set to follow all this week. We’re starting this morning with...

My review of Ron Howard’s excellent Formula 1 racing drama Rush (2013) in 4K Ultra HD from Shout! Factory, featuring stunning HDR and a new Atmos mix on a 100 GB disc.

Stephen’s look at Michael Cimino’s Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) as re-issued in a new Blu-ray edition by Kino Lorber Studio Classics—the same disc that was included with their excellent 4K release last year.

Stuart’s thoughts on Damiano Damiani’s A Man on His Knees (1979) on Blu-ray from Radiance Films and Steven Hilliard Stern’s Rolling Vengeance (1987) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And Dennis’ take on Norman Taurog’s Words and Music (1948) on Blu-ray from the MGM library via the Warner Archive Collection.

Now then... given that this is Veteran’s Day, a Federal holiday here in the States, there’s not a ton of release news to report, but we do have a couple of things to share with you regardless... [Read on here...]

Heads up Bits readers…

I just wanted to check in here today to let you all know that we’re working on new disc reviews, the first of which should start going live here on the website over the weekend.

There’s not a ton of release news to report today, however I am happy to say that the SRPs for the new Star Wars Disney+ 4K Ultra HD Steelbooks (due on 12/3) have finally come down to rational levels Amazon. So here are the pre-order links:

The Mandalorian: The Complete Third Season (4K)

Ahsoka: The Complete First Season (4K)

Hawkeye: The Complete First Season (4K)

Loki: The Complete Second Season (4K)

Also today, it appears that the Warner Archive Collection’s new 4K and Blu-ray release of John Ford’s The Searchers (1956) have now been listed on Amazon, but the pre-orders are not yet live. But here are those links... [Read on here...]

All right, today is Election Day here in the States, which means that partisans on both sides (and everyone in between) are feeling grumpy, nervous, or just over the whole damn thing. Some folks this evening or tomorrow—or at some point in the next two months—will be happy-ish. But while none of this feels normal, it may actually be the new normal, and that too is unsettling for lots of people.

Given all of that, I wanted to share a post today here at The Digital Bits that might actually serve as a balm or a ray of sunshine for movie and 4K fans—or at least a bit of welcome news—no matter what the outcome of today’s voting might be. So stay tuned for that in a moment.

First though, we’ve got a trio of new disc reviews to share with you here today, including...

Stephen’s take on Robert Rossen’s All the King’s Men (1949) in 4K Ultra HD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s new Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection: Volume 5 box set.

Dennis’ review of Robert Rossen’s Body and Soul (1947) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And Stuart’s thoughts on Alberto Cavalcanti’s Nicholas Nickleby (1947) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics.

More reviews are definitely on the way soon, including my own look at Arcane: League of Legends in 4K UHD from GKids and Shout! Studios. So be sure to watch for them. [Read on here...]