My Two Cents
Thursday, 16 October 2014 12:57

Criterion’s January includes Sword of Doom & more, plus Majestic stand-alone BD & yet another Abyss/True Lies non-update

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First up this morning, our own Dr. Jahnke checks in with today’s Hell Plaza Oktoberfest Blu-ray review in the form of StageFright from our friends at Blue Underground. Do give it a look.

The big announcement news today is that Criterion has just revealed their January Blu-ray and DVD release slate, which is set to include Kihachi Okamoto’s The Sword of Doom (Cat #280 – Blu-ray – SRP $39.95) on 1/6, Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (Cat #740 – Blu-ray and DVD – SRP $39.95 and $29.95) on 1/13, Guy Maddin’s My Winnipeg (Cat #741 – Blu-ray and DVD – SRP $39.95 and $29.95) and Preston Sturges’ The Palm Beach Story (Cat #742 – Blu-ray and DVD – SRP $39.95 and $29.95) on 1/20, and Lucrecia Martel’s La ciénaga (Cat #743 – Blu-ray and DVD – SRP $39.95 and $29.95) on 1/27. You can see the cover artwork below.  [Read on here…]

Shout! Factory has set the crime drama Brazilian Western for Blu-ray Combo release on 11/18. Extras will include a making of featurette and the film’s trailer.

For those of you eagerly awaiting the release of Frank Darabont’s The Majestic on Blu-ray, in addition to Warner’s Frank Darabont Collection, Warner is also releasing the title as a standalone Blu-ray on 2/24/15 (SRP $14.97). You can pre-order it on Amazon at the link provided – no cover artwork available yet.

Speaking of Warner, the studio has also set the original CG-animated movie Justice League: Throne of Atlantis for Blu-ray Combo and DVD release on 1/27/15 (SRP $24.98). See the cover artwork below.

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Also, it looks like Paramount has set the Spongebob Squarepants Movie for Blu-ray release on 12/30 (SRP $21.99).

Finally today, last night’s Terminator: 30th Anniversary screening at Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood (sponsored by the American Cinematheque and Fox Home Entertainment) would have been a great opportunity to ask director James Cameron when The Abyss and True Lies are finally going to be released on Blu-ray. As you all know full well by now, both films celebrate major anniversaries this year. Though Arnold Schwarzenegger was unable to attend the event due to illness, Cameron was on hand along with producer Gale Anne Hurd. A Q&A was held afterward moderated by Geoff Boucher from L.A. Times/Hero Complex. Short of actually being on hand myself (I couldn’t make it due to a schedule conflict), I did everything possible to ensure that Cameron was at least asked the question. Fortunately, he was. Unfortunately, no answer was forthcoming. Bits reader Jeremy W. (who was there at the screening) reports that during the Q&A, Cameron apparently said the first question Gale Anne Hurd asked him when they met earlier in the evening was “When is Abyss coming on BD?” In response, Cameron pointed the head of Fox Home Entertainment out in the crowd. And that was it. So it sounds as if the delay in releasing both titles sits on Fox alone. (Cameron seems to want us to think that at any rate: Fox isn’t commenting thus far.) Honestly, does anyone else think this is starting to get ridiculous? We’ll have more to say on this topic soon, rest assured.

All right, we’ll leave you today with a look at some new Blu-ray cover artwork – those Criterion titles and more (we’ll add Amazon pre-order links as soon as they’re available)...

Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (Blu-ray Disc)    Sword of Doom (Criterion Blu-ray Disc)    The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (Criterion Blu-ray Disc)

La Cienaga (Criterion Blu-ray Disc)    My Winnipeg (Criterion Blu-ray Disc)    The Palm Beach Story (Criterion Blu-ray Disc)

Stay tuned...

- Bill Hunt

 

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