No… your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. At long last, we’ve finally gone and done it. You are now looking at the all-new, fully-modernized Digital Bits. We’ve entered the 21st Century at last! That’s right, The Bits no longer looks like it was designed in the late 1990s. And this is just the beginning.

So what took so long? Well… a funny thing happened over the decade and a half since we first launched The Bits. The site grew so big so fast that it just because a monstrous chore to try and update it! I mean, seriously daunting. It didn’t help that I was always too busy talking to industry sources, taking calls, tracking down release news, reviewing discs and dealing with not one but two format wars. Add to that hundreds of daily reader e-mails in need of answering, and more than a few readers who needed help with defective discs or hardware… you get the idea. The idea of completely redesigning The Bits became completely overwhelming.

But about a year ago, I finally got the bug to get it done. I started playing with various new looks and new layouts, designing new graphics… an all-new Bits logo. The rest of The Bits staff got cautiously excited about it, though to be fair I’m not sure most of them believed it was ever really going to happen. And given all of the personal difficulties I’ve experienced in the last year – the death of my grandmother and father, the death of Sarah’s mom, the loss of a beloved cat and most recently the passing of our dear friend and colleague Barrie Maxwell – well, frankly even I’m not quite sure how I managed to get this done. But here it is and we’re pretty pleased with it. We hope you are too.

Today, we’re essentially ‘soft launching’ the new Bits. I really wanted to get it up and running in time for Adam’s Hell Plaza Oktoberfest to kick off today… and up and running we are. But you’ll notice that there are several features that aren’t fully working or updated yet. Only a few of the most recent column entries are here on the new site. We have a few brand new columns that we’ve yet to launch. Reader comments aren’t yet enabled. And less than a hundred of our many disc reviews – mostly Blu-rays – are in the database at the moment. It’s going to take time to add our entire current review catalog – thousands of titles in all – into the new database. Our immediate goal is to work out the various bugs in the new design (and there are sure to be a few, so your patience is appreciated) and to update and add all the usual features over the coming month or so. We’ll gradually add older Bits content to the new design in the weeks and months ahead. Meanwhile, the original Bits site has been permanently archived here, so you can go back and look through it any time you like. (You can always find it in the main menu bar under Features for future reference)

If you’d like to e-mail me or any of The Bits’ staff, all you have to do is go to Meet the Staff under the About section and you’ll find bio pages for each of us. On each bio page is a Contact e-mail form for that person. Don’t hesitate to use these forms to let us know what you think.

So there you go! It’s a whole new Bits! Updated. Shinny. Easier to use. Links up nice with Facebook and other social media sites so you can share content. It should look good on mobile devices. You can finally search for stuff. We have RSS feeds! And best of all, it’s 100% less unattractive. We hope you like it.

Back tomorrow with the usual. Stay tuned…

- Bill Hunt

Inside Moves
1980 (2009) - Lionsgate Home Entertainment

When you think of the films of Richard Donner, you likely think of big-budget action-adventures like The Goonies or the Lethal Weapon series. But back in 1980, Donner followed up Superman with Inside Moves, a quiet, low-key drama more in keeping with the films of Hal Ashby than Dick Donner. Despite a cult following and winning an Academy Award nomination for supporting actress Diana Scarwid, it's never been released on DVD. That is, until now.

Six years ago, I was standing at a crossroads with my trusty blues guitar when a stranger came up to me. “Nice guitar,” said the stranger in a seductive purr. “You play?”

“Not a lick,” said I. “But I heard tell that a fella needs himself a guitar in these parts.”

“True enough,” replied the stranger. “True enough. But it ain’t doin’ you much good strung across your back like that. Instrument like that ought be played.”

“Reckon you’re right but who’s gonna teach me? You?”

Our regular posts here at The Digital Bits will resume tomorrow, but in the meantime, we hope you'll join us as we take the day to honor our dear friend and fellow Bits contributing editor, Barrie Maxwell, who passed away on July 10th after a valiant fight with brain cancer.

Over the past 70 years, Batman's adventures on the screen have fascinated people of all ages. From Lewis Wilson to Christian Bale, seven men have worn the cape and cowl of the famous detective as created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger in the 1930's. Many writers and directors have put their stamp on the world of Gotham City on the big screen and on television. 

John Williams's pulsing dum, dum, dum, dum, dum... the unmistakable sound of a shark swimming towards a tasty lunch in Amity.

Out August 14 by Universal and on Blu-ray for the first time, Jaws remains one of the best thrillers ever made. This, despite the fact the production was filled with troubles. Or, perhaps, because of the malfunction of the mechanical shark and the complexity of filming on the ocean, the movie benefited from the problems. Thirty-seven years after its initial theatrical release, Jaws has been beautifully restored on Blu-ray looking even better than what audiences saw in 1975. 

Earlier this year, when Shout! Factory announced the launch of a new line of horror Blu-rays and DVDs called (what else?) Scream Factory, that loud thud you heard was horror fans everywhere collectively dropping to their knees to give thanks. Shout! Factory has deservedly earned a reputation for high quality catalog titles with their impressive Roger Corman’s Cult Classics line, music releases, and television series. So even though this year’s Hell Plaza Oktoberfest is still a few weeks away, I thought we should get a jump on the season by taking a look at Scream Factory’s highly anticipated inaugural releases. Rest assured, horror fans were fully justified in their excitement. If you love the genre, don’t hesitate in adding these discs to your collection.

Here are my reviews...

• Halloween II: 2-Disc Collector’s Edition
• Halloween III: Season of the Witch - Collector’s Edition

- Dr. Adam Jahnke

Battleship features a big leap in computer water effects. Out August 28 by Universal, the movie is entertaining, over-the-top and filled with action sequences.

In an exclusive for The Digital Bits, I visited Industrial Light & magic (ILM) in San Francisco to get a glimpse at the talented wizards who up the ante in special effects for Battleship.

All right, we've got a quick early update for you today with some major breaking release news...

You may recall that, back on 9/18, we reported on a leaked WHV promotional video on YouTube that teased the home video release of The Dark Knight Rises with the text "Own it on Blu-ray Combo Pack or Digital Download 12/3." Well, now Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Warner has confirmed to them that the film will arrive on Blu-ray Combo, DVD and digital on 12/4. There will also be a limited and numbered box set edition of the BD Combo that comes packaged with a replica of Batman's cowl. According to their information, the discs will include a documentary on the history of the Batmobile, the 17-part Ending the Knight documentary, The Journey of Bruce Wayne featurette, trailers, galleries and more. Watch for official details shortly. 

Also today, for those of you Bond fans who have the EPIX channel on your cable or satellite system, they'll be showing a documentary on the Bond franchise called Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007. Directed by Steven Ridley, it focuses "on Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman, and author Ian Fleming as they discuss the inception and durability of the longest running film franchise in cinema history." The documentary will debut on Friday, October 5th at 8:00pm ET. Here's the film's listing on the EPIX website.

Stay tuned...

- Bill Hunt

Afternoon, folks!

Warner Home Video has officially announced the Blu-ray Combo and DVD release of The Campaign on 10/30 (SRP $35.99 and $28.98). The Blu-ray will include Line-O-Rama, deleted scenes and a gag reel. The film will be an extended cut with 11 minutes of scenes not seen in theatres.

Warner Bros will also release Dallas: The Complete First Season on DVD only on 1/8 (SRP $39.98). You'll get all 10 episodes, plus 6 featurettes, commentary on the pilot and deleted scenes. 

Look for a Chuck: The Complete Series - Collector Set on Blu-ray and DVD from Warner as well on 10/30 (SRP $179.98 and $149.98). We don't know if these sets will include the 3D version of the Chuck Versus the Third Dimension episode (that was a Best Buy BD exclusive), but we'll try to find out.

And Warner has set Steven Spielberg Presents Tiny Toon Adventures: Volume 3 for DVD only release on 1/8/2013.

Meanwhile Lionsgate has a Francis Ford Coppola 5-Film Collection coming to Blu-ray on 12/4 (SRP $39.99). It will include Apocalypse Now, Apocalypse Now Redux, Tetro, The Conversation and One from the Heart. We believe this is the first time that final film will be available in high-def. (One suspects it will be released separately on Blu-ray next year.)

Drafthouse Films has set The Ambassador for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 10/23.

Paramount is releasing the classic "western comedy" Something Big on DVD only on 10/9 (SRP $19.99). The film stars Dean Martin and Brian Keith.

Danger After Dark will release the Japanese horror (or "J-horror") film X-Game on DVD only on 11/13. SRP is $17.99.

Shout! Factory will release Simon & Simon: Season Seven on DVD only on 10/16 (SRP $29.99). All 16 episodes from the season will be included.

Any of you guys remember the Nickelodeon classic You Can't Do That on Television? Shout! is also releasing a feature-length documentary on the series, You Can't Do That on Film, on DVD only on 10/16. The disc will include a rare interview with show creator Roger Price, extended cast and crew interviews, recaps of the SlimeCon and SlimeCon 2004 fan conventions and cast reunions, outtakes, behind-the-scenes footage from The Official Reunion Episode Titled Project 131 and more.

Image Entertainment has set the documentary The Clintons: An American Odyssey for DVD only release on 10/2.

The Cinema Guild has the indie film Natural Selection coming on Blu-ray and DVD on 11/13 (SRP $29.95 and $24.95). The discs will include interviews with the cast and crew and the film's theatrical trailer.

First Run Features has set Chely Wright: Wish Me Away and Nobody Else But You for DVD only release on 10/16.

Wolfe Video has Funkytown coming to DVD on 10/2.

And Anchor Bay and Starz has Magic City: The Complete First Season coming to Blu-ray and DVD on 10/3.

Finally, we've got a couple title updates for you. First, we've learned that Network doesn't currently have the U.K. release rights to Gerry Andersons' UFO and Thunderbirds so they can't release Blu-ray versions there. A&E does have the U.S. rights to both series and is considering releasing them on BD. However it's very early in the process so there's nothing concrete to report yet.

Also, for those of you who are interested in the Target-exclusive version of Warner's Harry Potter: Year 7 - Ultimate Edition, here's what you need to know. It's a Blu-ray/DVD Combo, but only the movies are included on DVD. All the extras are on the Blu-rays. Also, it only includes the 8th book - Growing Up. It's in many Target stores now, but initial shipment quantities were low so many stores have just 1-3 copies until they restock. Some stores aren't getting their copies of the set in until next week. We strongly suspect that when the Target exclusive ends and Warner puts the set into wide release, you'll get at least two different SKUs - separate Blu-ray and DVD versions - to match the ones they've released thus far. It may also be that the wide release versions will be split into separate boxes for the two films, like the U.K. versions. So if you only want Blu-ray and you're dying to get the set now, Target's the place. But if you want the DVD version or want to wait until it's two separate boxes for each film so you get the two different books, all the character cards, etc, hang tight until early next year.

All right, one last note about upcoming reviews. We do have the Bond 50 Blu-ray Disc set on hand. I will be doing a full review, but it's going to take a couple weeks to really get into it all and cover it properly as I only just got my hands on it and there's a LOT of material to go over. Also, Dr. Jahnke will shortly have the Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection Blu-ray set in his hands which means you can definitely expect it to be one of the titles he reviews when we launch his annual Hell Plaza Oktoberfest next week! I know a lot of you have been looking for reviews on those titles, so just know they're coming.

We'll leave you with a look at the Blu-ray Disc cover art for Lionsgate's Francis Ford Coppola 5-Film Collection, Warner's Chuck: The Complete Series and PBS' Downton Abbey: Seasons 1 & 2 (due on 10/2)...

Stay tuned!

- Bill Hunt