Displaying items by tag: The Digital Bits

Thursday brings two more new disc reviews, and more release news—this time including some pretty great catalog 4K titles for Hitchcock fans.

First, Stephen has taken a look at Ruggero Deodato’s House on the Edge of the Park (1980) on Blu-ray from Severin Films.

And Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Michael Anderson’s Shake Hands with the Devil (1959), which stars James Cagney. The film is now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

A quick note: We’ve just gotten our hands on Sony’s new Ghostbusters Ultimate Collection 4K set and Tim is neck deep in work on an in-depth review. So watch for that coming soon here at The Bits.

Now then, in 4K Ultra HD catalog news, Spanish retail sources are indicating that Universal is planning another big wave of Alfred Hitchcock titles for release in 4K UHD this year. [Read on here...]

Today’s update is a quick one, with two more new disc reviews, two rather significant pieces of release news, and some additional release news as well. First, the reviews...

Dennis has turned in a look at Ronald Neame’s Gambit (1966) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, which stars Michael Caine and Shriley MacLaine.

And Stephen has reviewed Nadia Tass’ The Big Steal (1990) on Blu-ray from Columbia Pictures via Umbrella Entertainment’s Sunburnt Screens line.

A quick note: I’ve taken a bit of a break from reviewing discs myself as I’ve been focused on planning The Bits site upgrade that we’re going to be doing in the coming months. But I expect to get back to reviewing more in the next couple of weeks, and I’ll definitely catch up on specific titles then. So thanks for your patience in the meantime.

Now then... Disney has informed us today that their 2/8 Blu-ray and DVD release of the Peter Jackson documentary The Beatles: Get Back is being delayed. Apparently, the studio caught an audio glitch in the release at the last minute and needs to correct it. So just be aware of the delay, and we’ll post updates here direct from the studio when they reschedule the title with a new street date. [Read on here...]

We begin the day with a pair of new Blu-ray reviews from Stephen... Bill Forsyth’s Breaking In (1989) from Kino Lorber Studio Classics and Harry Watt’s The Overlanders (1946) from Umbrella Entertainment.

Also here at The Bits today, we’ve got another “bonus” History, Legacy & Showmanship column for you that’s leftover from 2021, in which Michael and film historian/author Raymond Benson celebrate the 50th anniversary of Peter Bogdanovich’s The Last Picture Show (1971). Enjoy!

In title announcements today, the big news is that Scream Factory has officially set Happy Death Day and Happy Death Day 2U for release on 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo on 4/26, just as we’ve been expecting for the last week or so.

Expect at least HDR10 high dynamic range and we’ll post the other AV details when we have them. [Read on here...]

“With excellent performances from an ensemble cast, moody and insightful direction by Peter Bogdanovich, and a lovely melancholy that will stay with you long after viewing it, The Last Picture Show is one of my favorite movies.” – Raymond Benson, Cinema Retro

The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this multi-page retrospective commemorating the golden anniversary of the release of The Last Picture Show, Peter Bogdanovich’s (Targets, What’s Up, Doc?) critically acclaimed film based upon Larry McMurtry’s 1966 novel set in a small Texas town during the early 1950s.

The Last Picture Show starred Timothy Bottoms (Johnny Got His Gun), Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski), Ellen Burstyn (The Exorcist), Ben Johnson (The Wild Bunch), Cloris Leachman (The Mary Tyler Moore Show), and Cybill Shepherd (Moonlighting), and was nominated for eight Academy Awards (including Best Picture) and was the winner of two (supporting nods for Johnson and Leachman). [Read on here...]

We’ve got just one quick final news post for you here at The Bits this week to report that Arrow Video has officially announced their April Blu-ray and 4K slate, and there are some real gems in the mix as well as a pair of great new Ultra HD releases.

On Blu-ray in the US and Canada only, look for The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter (1984) in two different cover art SKUs (original theatrical art and new artwork) on 4/5.

In the UK only, look for Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) on both Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD on 4/18.

And in all three regions, look for Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys (1995) on 4K Ultra HD on 4/26, as well as Twisting the Knife: Four Films by Claude Chabrol—which will include The Swindle (1997), The Color of Lies (1999), Nightcap (2002), and The Flower of Evil (2003)—also on 4/26 on Blu-ray only, and Rogue Cops and Racketeers: Two Crime Thrillers by Enzo G. Castellari on Blu-ray only—which includes the films The Big Racket (1976) and The Heroin Busters (1977)—on 4/19. [Read on here...]

We have another pair of new disc reviews for you to check out today...

First up, Tim and Stephen have jointly reviewed David Gordon Green’s Halloween Kills (2021) in 4K Ultra HD from Universal. And well... suffice it to say they didn’t care for it much. It is, however, an impressive 4K disc. You can read all about it here.

Tim has also taken a look at Richard Fleischer’s Mr. Majestyk (1974), which is now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Speaking of KLSC, the company has been working overtime lately to announce more of their upcoming Blu-ray and 4K catalog titles, so now is a good time to provide a quick round-up of the titles they’ve revealed in recent weeks for release in March and April...

3/8 – Billy Wilder’s The Apartment (1960 – 4K & BD), Howard Hawks’ Man’s Favorite Sport? (1964), Melvin Frank’s Strange Bedfellows (1965), Jerry Jameson’s Starflight One (1983 – for Code Red) [Read on here...]

We’ve got another new review for you today: Stephen has taken a look at Lewis Gilbert’s The 7th Dawn (1964), which stars William Holden and Susannah York. It’s now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Stephen has also posted a first for The Bits—A Blu-ray Review Supplemental—this one for his review from yesterday of Allan Arkush’s Get Crazy on Blu-ray, also from KLSC. After reading Stephen’s review, Arkush himself was generous enough to provide some additional background information on the remastering work and the making of the disc and its special features. If you’re a fan of the film, I think you’ll really enjoy it.

Now then... some release news: Kino Lorber Studio Classics has officially set their 4K Ultra HD of In the Heat of the Night for release on 4/19. You can see the cover artwork on the left. Note that this is one of KLSC’s 4K titles that will have SDR only, along with 5.1 and the original 2.0 mono audio. Extras on the UHD disc will include a new audio commentary by film historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson, along with Robert Mirisch (nephew of Walter Mirisch, and son of the Mirisch Company founder Harold Mirisch). You’ll also get the existing commentary with director Norman Jewison, cinematographer Haskell Wexler, and actors Rod Steiger and Lee Grant. [Read on here...]

We have a couple more new disc reviews this afternoon and more release news for you as well. As always, reviews first...

Stephen has checked out a pair of Blu-ray titles today, including Craig Lahiff’s Black and White (2002) from Umbrella Entertainment—another Sunburnt Screens label title—and also Allan Arkush’s Get Crazy (1983) from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Both are well worth a look, and it sounds like Get Crazy in particular includes a bunch of great bonus content. So enjoy Stephen’s reviews.

Now then, our friends over at The Warner Archive Collection have begun to reveal some great new catalog Blu-ray titles that they’re working on for release in 2022 (they’re listed as “coming soon” at the moment) and the three they’ve mentioned so far are real gems.

First up is Michael Curtiz’s Captains of the Clouds (1942) starring James Cagney. This is mastered from a new 4K scan of the original nitrate Technicolor camera negatives. Extras will include a 1942 Newsreel, the vintage 1942 color WB short Rocky Mountain Big Game, the classic Bugs Bunny cartoons What’s Cookin’, Doc? and Hold the Lion, Please (in HD), and the original theatrical trailer. [Read on here...]

We’ve got a couple more new disc reviews to start the week with here at The Bits...

Stephen has given Alfred Hitchcock’s Rich and Strange (1931) a look on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

He’s also offered his thoughts today on John Duigan’s Sirens (1994) on Blu-ray from Umbrella Entertainment, recently released as part of their Sunburnt Screens label.

And we’ve got another new History, Legacy & Showmanship piece for you this afternoon from our own Michael Coate. Michael’s film retrospectives take a great deal of time and effort to produce, and as such they occasionally become bonus content. So here’s a fun “leftover” from 2021 in which Michael and film historian Gary Gerani celebrate the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s Duel. Enjoy!

Now then... the big announcement news today is that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has officially set Lana Wachowski’s The Matrix Resurrections for release on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on 3/8 (SRP $29.99, $24.99, and $19.99), with the Digital release available on 1/25. [Read on here...]

“Duel showed us that art could be produced on a television budget and on a television schedule.” — Gary Gerani, co-author of Fantastic Television

The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the golden anniversary of the original broadcast of Duel, the acclaimed television film adapted from Richard Matheson’s short story about a man menaced on the highway by the unseen driver of a truck.

Duel featured Dennis Weaver (Gunsmoke, Gentle Ben) and originally aired as a part of the ABC Movie of the Week in autumn 1971 before being expanded into a theatrical release.

Directed by a 24-year-old Steven Spielberg, Duel marked Spielberg’s transition into the production of feature-length motion pictures following two years of directing episodic television. [Read on here...]