Displaying items by tag: Umbrella Entertainment

Greetings, Bits readers—I hope this finds you all well!

You may have noticed that there have been very few updates here on the site this week, and also that we’ve had a lot of downtime in which the site wasn’t working or was slow to load.

There’s a reason for that, which is that we’ve been the target of relentless scaping by AI companies trying to train their LLMs. We’ve taken steps to prevent it in the past, but they don’t seem to care that when they scrape us, it causes significant disruptions for both us and you as readers. So it looks like we’re going to have to take further steps to prevent this going forward.

In the meantime, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover today, as I haven’t been able to post a news update since Monday due to these disruptions.

We’ll start with disc reviews! We’ve had a bunch for you this week, including…

My looks at Jeannot Szwarc’s Somewhere in Time (1980) in 4K from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, David Lynch’s The Straight Story (1999) in 4K from StudioCanal (a joint review with former Bits staffer Dan Kelly), Michael Crichton’s Westworld (1973) in 4K from Arrow Video, and Ted Lasso: The Richmond Way (2020-23) in 4K from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

Tim’s review of Lam Nai-Choi’s The Cat (1991) on Blu-ray from 88 Films.

Dennis’ take on Claude Leloch’s A Man and a Woman (1966) on Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection.

Stuart’s thoughts on Jerzy Skolimowski’s The Lightship (1985) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films and Jeffrey Dell and Roy Boulting’s Man in a Cocked Hat (1959) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And finally, Stephen’s look at Dario Argento’s The Phantom of the Opera (1998) and Emmett Alston’s Demonwarp (1988) in 4K from Vinegar Syndrome, and Ti West’s The Innkeepers (2011) on Blu-ray from Umbrella and in 4K Ultra HD from Second Sight. Whew!

Now, let’s get to the news that’s broken since our announcement of James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash on Blu-ray and 4K on Monday… [Read on here...]

We’ve got a pretty exciting post today, if I do say so myself. At least, it’s full of things for which we here at The Bits have serious enthusiasm. And really, what’s a life without enthusiasms anyway?

To start, we’ve got two more new disc reviews for you…

Stephen has taken a look at Ben Wheatley’s Kill List (2011) in 4K Ultra HD from our friends at Severin Films.

And Tim has offered his thoughts on Martin Campbell’s No Escape: Collector’s Edition (1994) in 4K Ultra HD from Umbrella Entertainment.

Now then… and speaking of 4K Ultra HD… the good folks at Lionsgate have just dropped new titles on their Lionsgate Limited website today!

They include Roman Polanski’s The Ninth Gate (1999) in 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Steelbook, which streets on 4/21. It’s available here for the first time in 4K with Dolby Vision, and includes a new interview with cinematographer Darius Khondji as well as a ton of legacy extras.

Also available on Blu-ray only is the next Vestron Video Collector’s Series title, James Melkonian’s The Stöned Age (1994). Look for that on 4/20 (naturally).

And more new warehouse finds are now available on the Lionsgate Limited website, including Angel Heart, Punisher, Hacksaw Ridge, Ender’s Game, Highlander, and more. [Read on here...]

As we so often do, we’re starting the new week here at The Bits with more new disc reviews, including…

Tim’s look at Riccardo Freda’s The Ghost (1963) in 4K Ultra HD from Severin Films, as well as Louis Malle’s The Fire Within (1963) on Blu-ray from Umbrella Entertainment.

Stephen’s thoughts on Can Evrenol’s Baskin (2015) in 4K Ultra HD, also from Severin.

Dennis’ take on Kenneth Branagh’s Dead Again (1991) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, Bruce Robinson’s Withnail and I (1987) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films, and Olaf Ittenbach’s Garden of Love (2003) on Blu-ray from Unearthed Films.

And finally, Stuart’s reviews of George Marshall’s Hold That Blonde! (1945) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, as well as Warner Archive’s Robert Taylor Collection on Blu-ray, which includes Devil’s Doorway (1950), Westward the Women (1951), Ivanhoe (1952), and The Last Hunt (1956).

Watch for more new disc reviews here all this week!

Now then, last night was the Academy Awards, and I think it’s safe to say that there weren’t too many surprises in terms of winners and losers. I was certainly glad to see Autumn Durald Arkapaw become the first woman to win Best Cinematography for Sinners, and to see Michael B. Jordan to win Best Actor for the same film.

While I’m talking Michael B. Jordan, this is a good time to mention that he was great in the very first thing I ever saw him in as well, which was NBC’s Friday Night Lights (2009-2011) TV series. The show is fantastic, and it doesn’t get nearly the love it deserves. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it. The series brilliantly chronicles small town life in America, and it’s about a lot more than just high school football (though that part is great too). Do give it a look—I think you’ll really enjoy it. [Read on here...]

This has been a very busy week here at The Bits, tracking upcoming titles, talking with industry sources, and the like, thus the lack of posts.

But we’ve definitely got both new disc reviews for you today as well as some release news worth sharing. Let’s start with the latter first.

Today we’ve got…

Tim’s reviews of Chor Yuen’s The Sentimental Swordsman (1977) on Blu-ray from Arrow’s Shawscope: Volume Three box set, Severin Films’ Saga Erotica: The Emmanuelle Collection in 4K Ultra HD, and Michael Curtiz’s Captain Blood (1935) in 4K Ultra HD from Criterion.

Stephen’s reviews of Jean-Jacques Annaud’s Quest for Fire (1981) on Blu-ray from Umbrella Entertainment, Dario Argento’s Sleepless (2001) in 4K UHD from Vinegar Syndrome, Michael Cacoyannis’ Iphigenia (1977) on Blu-ray from Radiance Films, Corey Yuen’s She Shoots Straight (1990) on Blu-ray from 88 Films, and John Woo’s Once a Thief (1991) in 4K from Shout’s HK Cinema Classics line.

And Dennis’ take on Raoul Walsh’s Manpower (1941) and David Butler’s By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953) both on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

Now then… before we get started on news today, I’m going to be joining my friend Tim Millard on his next The Extras podcast to talk about the latest developments in the ongoing Paramount/Skydance, Warner Bros., Netflix saga. Looks like we’re going to be recording the episode this weekend, so be sure to check Tim’s social media for news on the episode drop, and I’ll share the details on my own as well when I have them. [Read on here...]

As promised, we have more new disc reviews for you to enjoy today, including…

My take on Guy Hamilton’s epic Battle of Britain (1969) in 4K Ultra HD from Imprint Films, as well as Sony’s long-awaited US/Region A Blu-ray edition of Apple TV’s excellent For All Mankind: Season Two (2021).

Stephen’s review of Osgood Perkins’s Keeper (2025) in 4K Ultra HD from Neon and Decal, as well as David Schmoeller’s Tourist Trap (1979) on Blu-ray from Umbrella Entertainment.

Dennis and Tim’s tag team look at Blake Edwards’ A Shot in the Dark (1964) in 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, as well as Dennis’ look at Rudolph Maté’s For the First Time (1959) on Blu-ray from MGM via the Warner Archive Collection.

And Stuart’s thoughts on Gordon Parks’ Leadbelly (1978) on Blu-ray from Paramount via Imprint Films, as well as Géza von Radványi’s Maedchen in Uniform (1958) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics.

Watch more for new disc reviews tomorrow!

Also today, we’ve just posted the latest update of our Release Dates & Artwork section featuring all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K UHD cover art and Amazon pre-order links. As always, whenever you order literally anything from them after clicking through one of our links first, you’re helping to support our work here at The Bits and we really appreciate it!

Now then… there’s not a lot on the way of announcement news today, but we do have a couple of things for you. [Read on here...]

All right, this is just a quick release news update before the weekend. But we’ve got some good stuff for you…

To start, we have great news on a title I first revealed to all of you on New Year’s Eve: The Wachowski’s Speed Racer (2008)! And the update is that pre-orders are starting to appear online (on Amazon UK and Zavvi so far, but I expect the US pre-orders on Amazon and Gruv to appear soon as well) for the 4K Ultra HD and 4K Steelbook release!

The street date is TBA, but my sources say it’s likely Q2, so I would guess you can look for it to arrive sometime in April or May.

We don’t have A/V specs yet, but I’m hoping for a 100GB disc, and both Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio.

Each edition will be a 2-disc set, including the film on 4K disc and Blu-ray—probably the previous international BD SKU, as the BD disc includes the same featurettes released internationally, which include 4 featurettes: Spritle in the Big Leagues (15 mins), Speed Racer: Supercharged! (16 mins), Speed Racer: Car-Fu Cinema (27 mins), and Speed Racer: Ramping Up! (10 mins, which was not included on the US Blu-ray).

The 4K disc will also include a featurette: Wonderful World of Racing: The Amazing Racer Family (31 mins), which was previously a Target exclusive feature in the US.

And apparently the Steelbook will include a slipcase, a 32-page book (The World of Speed Racer), a pair of mini theatrical posters, plus a Mach 5 art and 6 character cards. We’ll share the final cover artwork, as well as official specs and the street date, as soon as it comes in. [Read on here...]

We’ve got a few more new disc reviews to share with you today here at The Bits…

Stephen has turned in his in-depth look at Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America (1984) in 4K Ultra HD from Eagle Pictures’ 4Kult label in Italy.

Dennis has offered his thoughts on Raoul Walsh’s Silver River (1948) and Tay Garnett’s The Valley of Decision (1945) both on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

And Tim has delivered his take on Tim Burton’s Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985) in 4K Ultra HD from the Criterion Collection, as well as Alex Winter and Tom Stern’s Freaked (1993) in 4K UHD from Umbrella Entertainment!

More disc reviews are forthcoming all this week, so be sure to keep checking back.

In announcement news today, it appears that Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment is releasing Barry Levinson’s Sleepers (1996) in 4K Ultra HD and 4K Steelbook in the coming months. The film stars Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Bruno Kirby, Jason Patric, Brad Pitt, Brad Renfro, and Minnie Driver.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will release James Vanderbilt’s Nuremberg (2025) on Blu-ray and DVD on 2/10. No 4K is currently planned. Sony has also set Hikari’s Rental Family (2025) for Blu-ray and DVD release on 2/17. And don’t forget that they’ve listed Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon (2025) for Blu-ray and DVD on 1/23. [Read on here...]

We have several new disc reviews for you to enjoy today, including…

Tim’s look at multiple versions of Kevin Smith’s Dogma (1999) on 4K Ultra HD from Lionsgate Limited, Lionsgate (the wide release SKU), and Umbrella Entertainment.

Dennis’ reviews of Curtis Bernhardt’s Interrupted Melody (1955) and Archie Mayo’s It’s Love I’m After (1937) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

Stephen’s thoughts on Andres Veiel’s Riefenstahl (2024) documentary on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber and Dario Argento’s The Stendhal Syndrome (1996) in 4K Ultra HD from Vinegar Syndrome.

And finally, Stuart’s look at Romolo Guerrieri’s Young, Violent, Dangerous (1976) on Blu-ray from Raro Video via Kino Lorber.

More reviews are on the way, so be sure to keep checking back!

Now then… in announcement news today, our friends at Lionsgate Limited have just set Oliver Stone’s The Doors (1991) for 4K Ultra HD Steelbook release on 2/24. They’ve also got Eli Roth’s Cabin Fever (2002) available in 4K Ultra HD and VHS format—no kidding! Those are now available, as is the latest Vestron Video Collector’s Series Blu-ray, which is none other than Derrick Comedy and director Dan Eckman’s Mystery Team (2009). [Read on here...]

Happy Holidays, Bits readers!

It’s a slow week in the home entertainment industry, what with Christmas fast approaching, Hanukkah having just concluded and other holidays well underway—hey, folks even gathered at Stonehenge in the UK to celebrate yesterday’s Winter Solstice, aka the shortest day of the year. So it’s all sun and games from here on out, and New Year’s is right around the corner!

We’ve got a couple of recent disc reviews to share with you today, though most of The Bits review team is throttling down a bit just to relax and enjoy some well earned holiday time family friends. Nevertheless, today we have...

Stephen’s reviews of Dezső Ákos Hamza’s Sirius (1942) on Blu-ray from Deaf Crocodile Films, as well as Richard Stanley’s Dust Devil (1992) in 4K Ultra HD from our friends at Umbrella Entertainment.

And Dennis’ take on Paul Auster’s Lulu on the Bridge (1998) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films.

We may have another review of two this week, but if not we’ll definitely have more for you next week after Christmas.

In the meantime, we do have some good new and recent disc announcements to cover here this afternoon...

First, the good folks at the Warner Archive Collection have the 2-disc Looney Tunes Collector’s Vault: Volume 2 for release on 3/24, including “over fifty classic cartoons each marking their first time as part of a remastered Blu-ray WB cartoon collection, with some unseen in decades.” Select shorts will also include audio commentaries. [Read on here...]

Afternoon, friends! We’re starting today with more new disc reviews as always, including…

Tim’s look at Hanna-Barbera’s animated Frankenstein Jr. and the Impossibles: The Complete Series (1966-67) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

Stephen’s thoughts on Sean S. Cunningham’s DeepStar Six (1989) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, as well as KLSC’s Blu-ray double feature of Wayne Wang’s Smoke (1995) and Paul Aster’s Blue in the Face (1995).

Dennis’ look at William D. Russell’s Dear Ruth (1947) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And Stuart’s take on Alexander Hall’s Exclusive (1937) and James P. Hogan’s The Farmer’s Daughter (1940) both on Blu-ray also from KL Studio Classics.

Now then, the big news today is that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is soon to announce the Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD release of Joseph Kosinski’s F1: The Movie (2025) on 10/7. No official press release has yet been issued, however online retailers (including Amazon) are now taking pre-orders for the title. You can see the final cover art at left and also below the break. [Read on here...]