Displaying items by tag: George A Romero

We’re starting today with a bunch of new disc reviews here at The Digital Bits, including...

Tim’s look at George A. Romero’s Land of the Dead (2005) in 4K Ultra HD from Scream Factory.

And Stephen’s thoughts on Carlo Ledesma’s The Tunnel (2011) on Blu-ray from Umbrella Entertainment and Vinegar Syndrome, as well as John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein’s Game Night (2018) on 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment.

We have more new disc reviews coming this afternoon and tomorrow as well, so be sure to keep watching for them.

We’re also going to be trying out a new approach to sharing these news updates here on the site. Rather than simply posting one long update a day, I’m going to try posting two shorter updates, one late morning (US Pacific time) and one later in the afternoon. The idea is that shorter updates are a little easier to manage, so I’ll be able to get breaking news up a little more quickly here. So be sure to check back later today for a second news post.

Now then... first up in announcement news today, Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment has officially set Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) for release on Blu-ray, DVD, 4K Ultra HD, and 4K UHD Steelbook on 12/17, with the Digital release due on 10/29. You can see the cover artwork at left and also below. [Read on here...]

We’re starting the new week as always with more new disc reviews…

First, our own Tim Salmons has turned in his thoughts on Imprint Films’ new double feature of The Uninvited (1944) and The Unseen (1945) on region-free Blu-ray, a pair of film noir titles both directed by Lewis Allen.

And Stephen has weighed in with a look at a hefty title of his own: Full Moon Features’ new The Primevals: Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray box set, featuring the restored 2023 David Allen film, which was originally greenlit in 1978 but wasn’t filmed until 1994. Sadly, Allen passed away in 1999 before the film was completed. But thanks to an Indiegogo campaign, it’s finally completed as much as is possible and available on disc. And what a nice package it is too.

More reviews are on the way of course, but today we’ve got a TON of Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD release news to catch up all up on. It starts with Arrow’s Friday morning announcement of their October slate, which includes John Boorman’s Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) on Blu-ray (in the UK only) on 10/7, William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist III (1990) on 4K (in the UK only) on 10/7, the Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment box set—which includes Clive Barker’s Hellraiser (1987), Tony Randel’s Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988), Anthony Hickox’s Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992), and Kevin Yagher’s Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996)—on Blu-ray and 4K (in the US and Canada only, it was already released in the UK) on 10/22, Michael Dougherty’s Trick ‘r Treat (2007) on 4K (in the UK, US, and Canada) on 10/28, and the J-Horror Rising: Limited Edition Blu-ray box set—which includes Shunichi Nagasaki’s Shikoku (1999), Toshiyuki Mizutani’s Isola: Multiple Personality Girl (2000), Masato Harada’s Inugami (2001), Ten Shimoyama’s St. John’s Wort (2001), Kōji Shiraishi’s Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman (2007), Takashi Komatsu’s Persona (2000), and Koji Shiraishi’s Noroi: The Curse (2005)—on Blu-ray (in the UK, US, and Canada) also on 10/28. [Read on here...]

Welcome to the first week of April, everyone!

As you might expect, over the weekend we’ve posted several more new disc reviews for you all to enjoy, including...

My reviews of Jonathan Frakes’ Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) and Stuart Baird’s Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) in 4K Ultra HD from Paramount. That completes my look at all four of the newly-remastered Star Trek: The Next Generation feature films in 4K.

Stuart’s thoughts on Clarence Brown’s Wife vs. Secretary (1936) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection and Milton Moses Ginsberg’s The Werewolf of Washington (1973) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics.

And last but certainly not least, Stephen’s in-depth review of Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, and Clyde Geronimi’s original classic animated Cinderella (1950) in 4K Ultra HD from Disney, currently available from the Disney Movie Club, but coming widely later this year.

Key note about Cinderella—it looks like Disney’s actually done this one right, with a stunning 4K remaster that respects the film’s original photochemical production by leaving its line-work, fine detail, and grain structure fully intact! This really bodes well for future 4K animated titles from the studio, and one certainly hopes that all of these original animated classics will be revisited on the format going forward. [Read on here...]

We’ve got more new disc reviews for you today as well as more great title announcements, cover artwork, and pre-order links too...

Today’s reviews start with Tim’s take on Marquis de Sade’s Justine (1969) in 4K Ultra HD from director Jesús Franco and our friends at Blue Underground.

Also this evening, Stuart has offered his thoughts on François Truffaut’s Mississippi Mermaid (1969) on Blu-ray Disc from the Kino Lorber Studio Classics line, and also Mathieu Amalric’s Hold Me Tight (2021) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.

As always, watch for more new disc reviews all this week.

Now then, the big catalog news today is that Paramount has finally announced a title we first revealed here at The Bits back in December: Mimi Leder’s Deep Impact (1998) is officially set for release in 4K Ultra HD on 5/2. The title will include Dolby Vision HDR and will carry over all of the previous Blu-ray special features. You can see the cover artwork at left and also below. [Read on here...]

We have four new disc reviews for you to enjoy today, along with some release news...

First, I’ve taken a look at the long-awaited physical 4K Ultra HD release of Joseph Kosinski’s Top Gun: Maverick from Paramount. You’ll be glad to know that the disc’s A/V quality is demo worthy, though the extras are somewhat wanting and you have to buy the Blu-ray version separately.

Stephen has offered up a review of Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist, also in 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. And he’s got a review of Rob Zombie’s The Munsters on regular Blu-ray as well from Universal.

Finally, Tim has reviewed a film that was thought to be lost but has now been re-discovered and restored for Blu-ray release: George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park (1975) from Shudder and RLJ Entertainment.

More reviews are definitely on the way, so be sure to watch for them.

And we’ve also posted a major update of our Release Dates & Artwork section here at The Bits (listed as Cover Art in the navigation bar above), featuring a ton of new Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover images and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, anytime 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 Bits and we really appreciate it! (Thanks to our own Russell Hammond for his work on that section.) [Read on here...]

We’ve got two new disc reviews for you today, as well as more interesting 4K Ultra HD news and a few other things as well. First up, those reviews...

Tim has turned in his thoughts on Kenneth G. Crane’s Monster from Green Hell (1957) on Blu-ray from The Film Detective.

And Dennis has offered his take on Michael Curtiz’s The Scarlet Hour (1956) on region-free Blu-ray from Imprint Films in Australia.

More reviews are on the way all this week, so be sure to stay tuned for them.

The big 4K news today is that Paramount has officially set Walter Hill’s 48 Hrs. (1982) and Another 48 Hrs. (1990) for release on 4K Ultra HD on 12/6, just as we’ve been anticipating. [Read on here...]

As always, we’ve got more new disc reviews for you today…

Tim has taken a look at Jack Cardiff’s The Long Ships (1964), a Viking adventure film on Blu-ray from Imprint Films in Australia.

And Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Mark O’Brien’s The Righteous (2021) on Blu-ray from our friends at Arrow Video.

In announcement news today, Paramount has made their Paramount Presents Blu-ray of Back to the Beach (1987) official for release on Blu-ray on 8/9. Newly-remastered from a new 4K scan of the film, the disc will include a new Filmmaker Focus featurette with director Lyndall Hobbs that includes previously-unseen home movies from the set. [Read on here...]

Boy, we’ve got a LOT of new announcement and catalog release news to report on today, so let’s get right into it…

First up, the big news: Criterion has just announced their October title slate, and as expected it includes a couple of great 4K Ultra HD titles, along with some Blu-ray gems.

It all starts with a title we revealed last week: George A. Romero’s classic zombie film Night of the Living Dead (1968 – Spine #909 – 4K Ultra HD) on 10/4. Following on 10/11 is another title we revealed a couple months ago here at The Bits, David Lynch’s Lost Highway (1997 – Spine #1152 – Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD), as well as Frank Capra’s Arsenic and Old Lace (1944 – Spine #1153 – Blu-ray and DVD). On 10/18, look for Jayro Bustamante’s La Llorona (2019 – Spine #1156 – Blu-ray and DVD) and Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Cure (1997 – Spine #1155 – Blu-ray and DVD). And finally, Kasi Lemmon’s Eve’s Bayou (1997 – Spine #1154 – Blu-ray) round the month out. Lost Highway will include Dolby Vision HDR.

You can read more about these titles here at the Criterion website, and we’ve updated our Criterion Spines Project and 4K Ultra HD Release List pages here at The Bits accordingly. You can also see the cover artwork at left and also below. [Read on here...]

Afternoon, folks!

All right, there was no post yesterday because we’ve spent the entire weekend focused on getting more new disc reviews done for you. And on that note...

Tim and I have posted our in-depth look at George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, as newly released in a fabulous 4K Ultra HD Limited Edition by Second Sight Films in the UK. It’s hands down one of the best home video releases of the year on any format. You can find that here.

Also, I’ve now posted my thoughts on Paramount’s Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America, both starring Eddie Murphy and both coming to 4K Ultra HD on 12/1.

I’ve also just reviewed Kino Lorber Studio Classics’ new standard Blu-ray release of George Miller’s Mad Max, which streets today. I’ll be reviewing their new 4K release too as soon as it arrives. [Read on here...]

“Night of the Living Dead is a classic that has inspired countless imitators, and spawned a sub-genre that continues to be exploited today in film, television, books and video games.” – John Scoleri, author of Latent Images: Night of the Living Dead

The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the golden anniversary of the release of Night of the Living Dead, George A. Romero’s influential and franchise-spawning horror film about a group of characters trapped in a Pennsylvania farmhouse who are stalked by flesh-eating zombies.

Night of the Living Dead – co-written by John Russo and featuring Judith O’Dea, Duane Jones, Marilyn Eastman, Karl Hardman, Judith Riley, and Keith Wayne – opened fifty years ago this autumn, and for the occasion The Bits features a Q&A with author and film historian John Scoleri.

John Scoleri is the author of Latent Images: Night of the Living Dead (Dreams and Visions Press, 2019), and several books on artist Ralph McQuarrie, including The Art of Ralph McQuarrie: Archives (Dreams and Visions Press, 2015). He was co-editor (with Peter Enfantino and Robert Morrish) of The Scream Factory Magazine (Deadline Press, 1989-1997) as well as the 600+ page greatest-hits collection, The Best of The Scream Factory (Cemetery Dance, 2018). [Read on here...]