Displaying items by tag: The Digital Bits

We’re closing out the week with a bunch of new disc reviews and a ton of significant new title announcements as well from the likes of Arrow, Imprint, Sony, Shout! Factory, and more. But first, here are those reviews...

First, Stephen has delivered his in-depth takes on James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 3 (2023) on 4K Ultra HD from Marvel and Disney, Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) on 4K UHD from Paramount, Russell Mulcahy’s Razorback (1984) on 4K UHD from Umbrella Entertainment, Lucio Fulci’s City of the Living Dead (1980) on 4K UHD from Cauldon Films, and Dario Argento’s Tenebrae (1982) on 4K UHD from Synapse Films.

Stuart has chimed in with his thoughts on Henry Koster’s My Man Godfrey (1957) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, as well as Fred Zinnemann and John Sturges’ The Old Man and the Sea (1958) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

And Dennis has taken a look at Laura Tarruso’s About My Father (2023) on Blu-ray from Lionsgate, along with Cauleen Smith’s Drylongso (1998) on Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection.

Rest assured, we have even more new disc reviews coming next week, including Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams, and several other titles.

Now then... in announcement news over the last couple of days, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has officially set Frank Oz’s The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) for release on 4K Ultra HD on 10/24. Look for the film to be mastered in 4K from the original camera negative with Dolby Vision HDR and a new Dolby Atmos sound mix, both approved by Oz (the original English 5.1 and mono audio are also included). The 4K disc will also include a new audio commentary with Oz. This will be accompanied by a Blu-ray disc featuring the remastered film with 5.1 audio and 3 legacy special features (including an Interview with Jim Henson, Muppetisms: Miss Piggy & Kermit the Frog, and Muppetisms: Pepe and Fozzie Bear). You can see the cover artwork at left and also below. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a lot of catching up to do in terms of release news today, in the wake of the recent Disney and Fox title announcements. So let’s get right to it...

Paramount has just set a pair of fan-favorite catalog films for release on 4K Ultra HD on 11/7... John Landis’s Trading Places (1983) and Richard Donner’s Scrooged (1988). We haven’t seen official announcements yet, so we don’t know for sure what the details are, but they’re now available for pre-order on Amazon.com. You can see the cover art at left and also below the break, where we’ll include the Amazon links. If the studio follows their usual release pattern however, the discs should include Dolby Vision HDR, DTS-HD MA soundtracks, and (possibly) the previously-released extras. It appears that Scrooged will not include a Blu-ray copy however—it’ll will be 4K UHD + Digital Code only.

Speaking of Paramount, their previously-announced South Park: The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season is finally available for pre-order on Amazon and you can see the cover art below.

Lionsgate has just announced a new John Wick: Chapters 1-4 Blu-ray collection for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital on 10/17. All of the previous special features will be included.

Also newly-announced by Lionsgate for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital that same day is The Twilight Saga: The Complete Collection – 15th Anniversary Edition. Included will be Twilight (2008), The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009), The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 and the Breaking Dawn: Part 1 – Extended Edition (2022), as well as The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012). The package will also include “three alternative artwork cards that can be swapped into the front cover of the package” and most or all of the previous legacy extras.

And here’s the big one: Lionsgate and AMC are releasing a massive The Walking Dead: The Complete Collection Blu-ray box set on 10/17. SRP for this one is $209.97. You can see the cover artwork for all three of these Lionsgate sets below the break. [Read on here...]

This is no joke, folks! We’ve got more great Disney 4K Ultra HD news to report for you today.

And no, it’s not the long-awaited James Cameron titles, but have faith—those are definitely still coming (and should be announced in the next few months). But in its way, this news is just as good.

Remember how we said that Disney might be turning a corner with their physical 4K UHD releases? Well, today we bring you breaking news of the company’s first Disney+ original series coming to Blu-ray and 4K! And these are some major titles!

Here’s the studio’s official press release (be sure to read to the very end for some additional comments of our own)...

FOR THE FIRST TIME ON 4K UHD AND BLU-RAY!
LOKI SEASON 1, WANDAVISION, AND THE MANDALORIAN SEASONS 1 AND 2

NEW COLLECTOR’S EDITIONS FROM MARVEL STUDIOS AND LUCASFILM WITH STEELBOOK PACKAGING, EXCLUSIVE ART AND NEW BONUS FEATURES

BURBANK, CA (August 21, 2023) – The Walt Disney Company today announced a number of popular series from Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm will be available on Collector’s Edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray for fans to add to their movie collections, featuring Steelbook packaging, concept art cards and some never-before-seen bonus features.

The titles and dates announced are:

• Marvel Studios’ Loki: The Complete First Season – September 26, 2023
• Marvel Studios’ WandaVision: The Complete Series – November 28, 2023
• Star Wars The Mandalorian: The Complete First Season – December 12, 2023
• Star Wars The Mandalorian: The Complete Second Season – December 12, 2023

All four titles will be available to pre-order from August 28.

Each title will be available nationally on Blu-ray Steelbook with cohesive and collectible brand-new box art designed by popular artist Attila Szarka and collectible concept art cards. [Read on here...]

We’ve got some great news to report for you today folks: As we first reported here at The Bits last month, 20th Century Studios is officially announcing the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of Dan Trachtenberg’s Hulu original film Prey (2022) today! And here’s the official word, straight from the studio...

FOR THE FIRST TIME ON 4K UHD, BLU-RAY AND DVD, ADD THE 6-TIME EMMY NOMINATED PREY TO YOUR MOVIE COLLECTION

The Newest Entry in the Popular Predator Franchise, Prey Arrives on October 3 With Over 2 Hours of Bonus Content

BURBANK, CA (August 14, 2023) – The chilling prequel to the critically-acclaimed Predator films, 20th Century Studios’ Prey, arrives on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on October 3. As part of a special artist line, a collector’s edition 4K SteelBook, designed by popular digital artist Attila Szarka, will also be available exclusively at Best Buy.

Nominated for six Emmys, including Outstanding Television Movie, the science-fiction film welcomes new viewers into the Predator story while entertaining long-time fans of the celebrated franchise. All formats include a full-length Comanche audio track and never-before-seen bonus content.

Film Synopsis

The epic Predator legacy continues with this action-thriller set in 1719 on the Great Plains with a band of Comanches. When Naru, a fierce and highly skilled young warrior, sets out to protect her people, the prey she stalks turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator—leading to a vicious and terrifying showdown. [Read on here...]

We’re starting today with a couple more new disc reviews including...

Stephen’s take on Disney’s new wide-release 4K Ultra HD version of their animated classic Cinderalla (1950), which looks fantastic and bodes well for future Disney 4K titles.

And Dennis’ review of Harry Beaumont’s The Broadway Melody (1929) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

Now then, the big announcement news today is that Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has finally (and officially) set Sydney Pollack’s The Way We Were (1973) for 4K Ultra HD release on 10/17 in a new 50th Anniversary Edition. [Read on here...]

We’ve a bunch of news to cover throughout the rest of this week, and we’ll start today with some significant announcement news in just a moment. But first, we have new disc reviews for you...

Stephen has posted his thoughts on the new DC Universe animated movie Justice League: Warworld on 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros.

Stuart has weighed in with his thoughts on Fritz Lang’s Human Desire (1954) and William Nigh’s Mr. Wong Collection—which includes Mr. Wong, Detective (1938), The Mystery of Mr. Wong, Mr. Wong in Chinatown (both 1939), The Fatal Hour, and Doomed to Die (both 1940)—both on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And Dennis has checked in with his take on Bernard Girard’s Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (1966) also on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Now then, a lot of you have asked when Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which was announced yesterday by Disney and Lucasfilm for Digital release on 8/29, is coming to physical media. Our sources say the street date for Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K UHD is likely to be set in late October or early November, and should be announced in the next 4-6 weeks. We’ll certainly post updates as they come in.

The big announcement news today is that the Criterion Collection has officially revealed their November slate of Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD titles. [Read on here...]

History’s Greatest Hero Returns! Harrison Ford reprises his role as the legendary archaeologist when Lucasfilm’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Arrives on Digital August 29

BURBANK, CA (August 14, 2023) – From Academy Award–nominated writer-director James Mangold (Logan, Walk the Line) comes the final chapter in the saga of one of cinema’s greatest heroes. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny sees Harrison Ford reprise his iconic role as the whip-smart archaeologist one last time for a “rip-roaring adventure” (Maureen Lenker, Entertainment Weekly) full of “exciting action, wonderful banter and fantastic twists and turns” (Germain Lussier, io9).

The film will be available from all major digital retailers including Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu on August 29, with never-before-seen bonus content including five chapters that chart the making of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Join the cast and crew on an epic, globe-trotting adventure showcasing new characters, stunts, music, locations, production design, and visual effects.

Film Synopsis

Harrison Ford returns to the role of the legendary hero archaeologist for this highly anticipated final installment of the iconic franchise—a big, globe-trotting, rip-roaring cinematic adventure. Starring along with Ford are Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag), Antonio Banderas (Puss in Boots: The Last Wish), John Rhys-Davies (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Shaunette Renée Wilson (Black Panther), Thomas Kretschmann (Das Boot), Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Boyd Holbrook (Logan), Olivier Richters (Black Widow), Mads Mikkelsen (Doctor Strange) and newcomer Ethann Isidore. [Read on here...]

Today’s new disc reviews here at The Bits include the following...

Stephen’s in-depth look at Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo (1959), which is now available in 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment.

And Stuart’s thoughts on Lesley Selander’s The Catman of Paris (1946) and John Ford’s The Long Voyage Home (1940), both available on Blu-ray from Via Vision’s Imprint Films label, as well as the documentary double feature Filmmakers for the Prosecution (2021) and Nuremberg: Its Lesson for Today (1948) on DVD from Kino Lorber.

Now then, we have some great 4K Ultra HD news today... Lionsgate has just set Stephen King’s The Mist for release on the format on 10/3, in both wide-release (SRP $34.99) and Best Buy-exclusive Steelbook ($37.99) versions! Each is a 4-disc set. Both the original and alternate black and white versions will be included in 4K, along with audio commentary by director Frank Darabont and producer Denise Huth. The package will also include Blu-ray versions that add deleted scenes, A Conversation with Stephen King and Frank Darabont, and other legacy extras. You can see the cover art at left and also below. Note that the 4Ks will include both HDR10 and Dolby Vision high dynamic range, as well as Dolby Atmos audio (with Dolby TrueHD found on the Blu-ray). [Read on here...]

We’re starting this week out with another pair of new disc reviews, including...

Stephen’s take on Eugène Lourié’s Gorgo (1961) on 4K Ultra HD from Vinegar Syndrome, along with his thoughts on Shinji Higuchi’s Shin Ultraman (2022) on Blu-ray from Cleopatra Entertainment.

In announcement news today, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has officially set Gene Stupnitsky’s No Hard Feelings for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 8/29, with the Digital release coming next week on 8/15. Extras will include Outtakes & Bloopers, A Motley Crew: Meet the Characters, and A Little Wrong: Making No Hard Feelings. The films stars Jennifer Lawrence.

Paramount has announced that the Paramount+ original series Rabbit Hole: Season One, featuring Kiefer Sutherland, will arrive on DVD only on 10/17.

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment is releasing Blue Collar TV: The Complete Series, Step by Step: The Complete Series, and Pinky and The Brain: The Complete Series, all on DVD only on 9/26. [Read on here...]

We’ve got a quick rundown of release news for you to close out the week today, and some new reviews as well. I suspect some of you are interested in a follow-up to the State of 4K and Physical Media editorial we posted on Wednesday. Rest assured, there will be a follow-up, and I hope to get that posted here sometime next week. So stay tuned.

In the meantime, we have several new disc reviews for you to enjoy this afternoon...

Tim has posted his thoughts on John Hughes’ Weird Science (1985) in 4K Ultra HD from our friends at Arrow Video.

Stephen has shared his take on Chad Stahelski’s John Wick: Chapter 4 in 4K UHD from Lionsgate, Brian De Palma’s Blow Out (1981) in 4K UHD from Criterion, and also John Henry Johnson’s Curse of the Blue Lights (1990) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.

Dennis has delivered a look at Charles Walters’ Dangerous When Wet (1953) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

And Stuart has weighed in with a look at René Clément’s Joy House (1964) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Now then, the big news today is that Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has set Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City for Blu-ray and DVD release on 8/15, with the Digital release due next week on 8/11. Extras will include the 4-part The Making of Asteroid City documentary (which includes Desert Town, Doomsday Carnival, Montana and Ranch Hands, and The Players), as well as 2 additional Digital-exclusive features (The Alien and The Roadrunner). You can see the cover artwork at left and also below the break. [Read on here...]