My Two Cents
All right, we’re starting a new week with a ton of new disc reviews, including…
Tim’s look at Adam Carter Rehmeier’s Carolina Caroline (2026) on Blu-ray from Magnolia, and Imprint Asia’s Shaw-Shock: Shaw Brothers Horror Collection – Volume 1 (1976-1984) Blu-ray boxed set, featuring The Oily Maniac (1976), Seeding of a Ghost (1983), and Sex Beyond the Grave (1984).
Dennis’ take on Barry Levinson’s Wag the Dog (1997) and Ray Enright and Raoul Walsh’s Montana (1950) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.
Stuart’s thoughts on Jorge Fons’ Jory (1973) and Alberto De Martino’s Blazing Magnum (1976) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, David Gleeson’s Once Upon a Time in Cinema (2026) on DVD from Kino Lorber, and Terence Young’s Red Sun (1971) in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video (a tag-team review with Tim).
And finally, Todd’s reviews of Francesco Lucente’s Starbright (2026), Paradise Bungalows (1987), and Badland (2007) all on Blu-ray from MVD Visual, and Imprint’s Film Focus: Philip Seymour Hoffman (1999-2007) Blu-ray box set, which includes Flawless (1999), Owning Mahowny (2003), and Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007) on Blu-ray.
Watch for more new disc reviews tomorrow and all this week!
Now then, the big news today is that Paramount has finally reached a deal with a group of states (led by California) seeing to block its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, which clears the way for the merger to happen. This will prevent Paramount from leaving the state. In exchange, Paramount has agreed to establish a board of journalists to ensure the independence of CNN and CBS News, they’ve agreed to distribute 30 films per year in theaters, and they’ve agreed to spend an additional $1.5 billion on film production and increase the percentage of those films made in the US. Unfortunately, the FCC has also allowed Paramount to sell a 49.5% equity stake in the company to the sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. But at this point, it is what it is. (You can read more today on Variety, the NY Times, and Ars Technica, among many other places.) [Read on here...]
All right, we’ve got just a quick update for you here at The Bits today, but it’s a good one.
Our friends at the Criterion Collection have just unveiled their final titles of 2026, and the December slate is a dandy!
On December 1, look for Robert Altman’s Nashville (1975) (Spine #683 – 4K + BD and BD) and Pietro Germi’s Divorce Italian Style (1961) (Spine #286 – 4K + BD and BD).
Following on December 8 are Werner Herzog’s Grizzly Man (2005) (Spine #1339 – BD) and Anthony Minghella’s Best Picture-winning The English Patient (1996) (Spine #1338 – 4K and BD)!
And on December 15, look for Eclipse Series 50: Sara Gómez’s Revolutionary Cuba on Blu-ray—which includes 15 films (One Way or Another, I’ll Go to Santiago, Excursion to Vueltabajo, Guanabacoa: Chronicle of My Family, And… We’ve Got Sabor, On the Other Island, An Island for Miguel, Treasure Island, Local Power, Popular Power, A Documentary About Transit, On Sugar Workers’ Quarters, My Contribution, Year One, Prenatal Care, and About Extra Hours and Volunteer Work)—as well as Ernst Lubitsch’s The Shop Around the Corner (1940) (Spine #1340 – 4K + BD and BD).
Not half bad!
It seems to me that The English Patient is one of the few modern Best Picture-winners not yet available on 4K disc, so it’s great to see it finally (licensed from Miramax via Paramount). It’s also a personal favorite of mine. [Read on here...]
We’ve got lots of new disc reviews for you to enjoy here at The Bits today, including…
Tim’s look at John Guillerman’s King Kong (1976) in 4K UHD from Paramount, Charles Lamont’s Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955) in 4K UHD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, Mikael Håfström’s 1408 (2007) in 4K UHD from Via Vision, and Norman Jewison’s In the Heat of the Night (1967) in 4K UHD from Criterion.
Stuart’s thoughts on John Ford’s Sergeant Rutledge (1960) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection and the Tales of the Wild West: Collection Two Blu-ray box set from Imprint.
Dennis’ take on William Keighley’s Torrid Zone (1940) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection, Mario Caiano’s Weapons of Death (1977) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, and Bret Wood’s Hell’s Highway: The True Story of Highway Safety Films (2003) on Blu-ray from Kino Cult.
And finally, Todd’s review of Tulsi and Shyam Ramsay’s Veerana: Vengeance of the Vampire (1988) on Blu-ray from Mondo Macabro.
Stephen has been on vacation for the last week, but he’ll be back to reviewing in a few more days, and of course we have lots more reviews forthcoming from the rest of the team.
Also today here, our own Russell Hammond has posted the latest update of our Release Dates & Cover Art section with all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K UHD cover art 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 Bits and we greatly appreciate it! [Read on here...]
We’re starting the new week, after the long holiday weekend here in the States, with more new disc reviews from The Bits’ team, including…
Tim’s thoughts on Gary Goddard’s Masters of the Universe (1987) in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow’s new Toy Robot Video sub label, as his thoughts on Kevin Reynolds’ Robin Hood: Price of Thieves (1991) in 4K UHD from Arrow Video proper.
Dennis’ look at Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) in 4K Ultra HD from the Criterion Collection (with an assist by Tim), his take on Kino Lorber Studio Classics’ Death Ship/Terror Train Double Feature DVD (1980) (again, with an assist by Tim), and Burt Kennedy’s The War Wagon (1967) on Blu-ray also from KLSC.
And Todd’s take on Paul Wendkos’ Cannon for Cordoba (1970) on Blu-ray from Imprint, Nicanor Loreti, Fabián Forte, and Luca Castello’s Portraits of the Apocalypse (2024) on DVD from Cleopatra Entertainment, and John Williams’ Watch Me Sleep (2023) on DVD from Wild Eye Releasing.
Watch for more reviews all this week!
Now then… we’ve got a couple of things to talk about today…
First, Amazon MGM Studios and Alliance Home Entertainment have officially set The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power – Seasons One and Two for Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release on 11/3. There will also be an Amazon-exclusive Limited Edition 4K Steelbook release on 12/1. [Read on here...]
All right, we’ve got a few good reviews to catch up on here, including…
Tim’s take on Hanna-Barbera’s Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines: The Complete Series (1969-70) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.
Stephen’s look at the Full Moon Fright Box: Volume 1 Blu-ray box set from Umbrella Entertainment, and Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will (1935) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
Stuart’s thoughts on King Vidor’s The Texas Rangers (1936) on Blu-ray and the Brit Noir Collection III Blu-ray box set, both from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
Dennis’ take on Frank Borzage’s Till We Meet Again (1944) and Alberto De Martino’s The Counsellor (1973) both on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
And finally, Todd’s two cents on Deepak Ramsay’s Aatma: The Ghost and Tulsi and Shyam Ramsay’s Tahkhana: The Dungeon (1986) and Purani Haveli: The Monster Wakes (1989) both on Blu-ray from Mondo Macabro.
Watch for more reviews soon!
Now then, our friends at Lionsgate have informed us that 10,000 more units of their 5-film Rambo Collection 4K Ultra HD package are dropping tomorrow on Amazon. So keep your eyes peeled on this link over the course of the day. [Read on here...]