Our friends at the Criterion Collection have just closed out the week by announcing their August slate of Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD titles, and it’s interesting indeed. There are few, what one might call, major titles this month, but there are some interesting art house gems. The slate includes...
Kon Ichikawa’s Fires on the Plain (1959) (Spine #378 – 4K + Blu-ray and Blu-ray) and The Burmese Harp (1956) (Spine #379 – 4K + Blu-ray and Blu-ray) on 8/5, Youssef Chahine’s Cairo Station (Spine #1273 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 8/12, A Confucian Confusion / Mahjong: Two Films by Edward Yang (1994-96) (Spine #1275 – Blu-ray) and Vittorio De Sica’s Shoeshine (1946) (Spine #1272 – 4K + Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD) on 8/19, and finally Maura Delpero’s Vermiglio (2024) (Janus Contemporaries – Blu-ray and DVD), Alice Wu’s Saving Face (2004) (Spine #1276 – Blu-ray), and Zeinabu irene Davis’s Compensation (1999) (Spine #1274 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 8/26.
Curiously, there aren’t a lot of 4K titles in this batch, but I strongly suspect it’s because they have many more in the works. In any case, you can read more about these titles on Criterion’s website here. And don’t forget that they’re running their Spring Sale until 5/26, offering 30% of all discs. [Read on here...]
We’re back!
Sorry for the absence of news posts over these last few days, folks. It’s been a busy and chaotic week here at The Bits—not so much work wise, but personal life. Our family’s had a flurry of doctors appointments (all routine, thanks goodness, but still disruptive) and I’ve had to run a car in for servicing. Man, I hate it when real life intrudes on my 4K disc time! Anyway, things seem to be settling down, so it’s time to catch up on news, and then I’ll be working on some new disc reviews myself over the coming days as well.
First though, we do have a couple of reviews to share with you from the team, including...
Tim’s look at Tarsem Singh’s The Cell (2000) in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video—something of a complicated title to review, given its unique production characteristics, as well as the fact that Arrow implemented a disc replacement program.
And Stephen’s thoughts on Robert Wise’s The Andromeda Strain (1971) in 4K Ultra HD, also from Arrow Video, a terrific sci-tech thriller adapting Michael Crichton’s influential 1969 novel of the same name.
Also here at the site this week, we’ve posted a new update of our Release Dates & Artwork section featuring all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover art and Amazon pre-order links. As always, whenever you order literally anything from Amazon after clicking through to them from one of our links, you’re helping to support our work here at the site and we really do appreciate it! [Read on here...]
This is a quick post to let you all know that our Release Dates & Cover Artwork section here at The Digital Bits has just been updated with all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. Don’t forget that you can select to see just the Blu-ray, DVD, 4K Ultra HD, or even Criterion titles seperately if you like, to help you find exactly the ones you’re looking for. Just click on RELEASE DATES & ART on the menu bar above to visit the page, and use the search options in the red bar (at the top) to sort by format and date. Once you find a title you like, just click on the cover art and you’ll be taken right to the Amazon.com pre-order page. Thank you for shopping through our links and don’t forget that anytime you order from Amazon through our links, you’re helping to support our work here at The Bits and we really appreciate it! And thanks to our own Russell Hammond for the update work!
- Bill Hunt
We’re starting the week here at The Bits, as we so often do, with a trio of new Blu-ray reviews, including...
Dennis’ look at Herbert Ross and Woody Allen’s Play It Again Sam (1972) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films.
And Stuart’s thoughts on Edward Kull and Wilbur F. McGaugh’s 1935 The New Adventures of Tarzan serial on Blu-ray from Film Masters, as well as Clarence Brown’s Sadie McKee (1935) on Blu-ray from our friends at the Warner Archive Collection.
Also, Stephen and I have just contributed a pair of new subscriber-exclusive blog posts on The Digital Bits’ Patreon page (here and here). We’re up to 377 subscribers over there, and we’d really love to reach 400, so if you appreciate what we do here at The Bits in support of physical media, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. We have options for doing so that are as low as $6 a month (with discounts for a year-long subscription) and we definitely try to post exclusive content there that will make it worth your while, including regular video updates. Thanks in advance for your consideration! [Read on here...]
In announcement news today, the big news is that Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment has just set Jared Hess’ A Minecraft Movie (2024) for Digital release on 5/13, with the physical Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release set to follow on 6/24. A Limited Edition 4K Steelbook package will also be available.
The 4K disc will include Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio.
Extras will include 5 featurettes (among them Building the World of Minecraft: Block Party, Creepers, Zombies, and Endermen Oh My!, A Minecraft Movie: Block Beats, A Minecraft Movie: Pixel Pals, and Marlene + Nitwit). You can see the cover artwork at left and also below the break.
Also today, Kino Lorber Studio Classics has just set Bob Giraldi’s Hiding Out (1987) on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on 7/29. The film stars John Cryer and Annabeth Gish. [Read on here...]
We’ve done a bunch of updating here at The Bits today, including our 4K Ultra HD Release List, which should now be up to date with all the latest announcements, details, and pre-order links.
We’ve also just done our weekly update of the Release Dates & Artwork section here at the site (thanks to our own Russell Hammond for that) which includes all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K UHD cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links.
As always, whenever you order literally anything from Amazon after clicking to them through one of our links, you’re helping to support our work here at the site and we really do appreciate it!
Now then, the big news today is that Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment has finally officially announced the 4K Ultra HD release of Richard Donner’s Lethal Weapon (1987) on 6/24. [Read on here...]
Afternoon, Bits readers! We’re starting the week with more new disc reviews, as always, including...
Stuart’s thoughts on Daniel Petrie’s The Betsy (1978) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films.
Dennis’ look at Todd Field’s In the Bedroom (2001) on Blu-ray also from Imprint Films.
And Tim’s take on Imprint’s new Blaxploitation (1972-1973) Blu-ray box set, which includes Martin Goldman’s The Legend of Black Charley (1972), Larry G. Spangler’s The Soul of Black Charley (1973), Ron O’Neal’s Superfly T.N.T. (1973), and Arthur Marks’ Detroit 9000 (1973). (Note that two of those films are using their less controversial titles, one of which was apparently changed for use in newspaper theatrical listings and for its original 1970s TV broadcast.)
Also… on Friday, Stephen turned in a detailed look at Mel Brooks’ trail-blazing comedy Blazing Saddles (1974) in 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment.
And finally, Tim also reviewed Arrow Video’s excellent Inside the Mind of Coffin Joe Blu-ray box set, which was released in March.
More reviews are forthcoming this week, so be sure to stay tuned for them.
In announcement news today, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has just revealed a new 4K Steelbook edition of David Ayer’s Fury (2014) for release on 7/15. The title will now include Dolby Vision HDR, whereas the previous 4K release (from May of 2018) had HDR10 only. (You can read our review of that disc here.) All the extras will be the same, with the sole exception that the 4K disc no longer includes the 46-minute Smithsonian Channel documentary The Tanks of Fury. (Nor is it on the Blu-ray in the package, which seems to be identical to the previous Blu-ray.) Presumably, this omission allows for the inclusion of Dolby Vision and perhaps a higher overall 4K data rate. In any case, you can see the Steelbook cover artwork at left. [Read on here...]
We have three more new disc reviews for you today, including…
Stephen’s look at both the regular 4K Ultra HD and 4K Steelbook versions of Clint Eastwood’s Pale Rider (1985) in 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment.
And Dennis’ take on Kirk Douglas’ Posse (1975) on Blu-ray from Paramount via Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
In release news today, Vinegar Syndrome has announced a trio of new 4K Ultra HD titles as part of their Halfway to Black Friday event, including Bob Saget’s Dirty Work (1998), Michael Ritchie’s The Golden Child (1986), and William Friedkin’s Jade (1995)! All three will include Dolby Vision HDR and substantial extras.
What’s more, our friends at Kino Lorber Studio Classics have just set George Stevens’ Shane (1953) for 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray release on 7/15! That’s a Paramount title, and it’ll include Dolby Vision HDR. [Read on here...]