Displaying items by tag: The Digital Bits

Welcome to Thanksgiving week, folks! 

We’re very pleased this morning to bring you a review that we’ve been waiting years to write.  It’s our epic, in-depth look at Criterion’s amazing new Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman box set!  You get 25 remastered films in both Blu-ray and DVD, plus terrific extras.  Our own Todd Doogan – and yours truly – have reviewed every single feature and every single film.  There’s nothing… and we mean nothing… that we love more than Shintaro Katsu’s Blind Swordsman films.  And though we’ve certainly dreamed of it, we never seriously imagined that we’d ever see a Blu-ray box set of these films.  But here it is.  And it’s every bit as good as we could have hoped.  This is a gem that ranks right up there with the best box sets released on the Blu-ray format.  The set streets this Tuesday (11/26) and we wouldn’t miss it for the world.  [Read on here…]

Okay, today’s update is a quick one as we’re hard at work on more reviews...

Speaking of which, Tim has checked in with his thoughts on Ernst Lubitsch’s classic WWII screwball comedy To Be or Not to Be, available on Blu-ray from Criterion.

Now then, Lionsgate has announced the release of a number of popular catalog titles on Blu-ray Disc in new Steelbook packaging.  They’ll be available initially only at Best Buy stores starting this weekend in order to be around for Black Friday deals week.  Titles will SRP for $19.99 each and include Pulp Fiction, Total Recall, Sin City, Kill Bill Vol. 1, Kill Bill Vol. 2, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Rambo: First Blood, Stargate, Highlander, Hero and Apocalypse Now/Apocalypse Now: Redux.  [Read on here...]

All right, we have a new review for you: Tim’s checked out Luis Buñuel’s 1967 surrealist classic Belle de Jour on Blu-ray from Criterion.  More BD reviews are on the way tomorrow and Friday, so be sure to check back.

Our own Russell Hammond has also checked in with this week’s Release Dates & Artwork update, featuring all the latest Blu-ray, DVD and Video Game cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links.  Keep in mind that the section now includes Xbox One and PS4 games.  A portion of anything you order from the retailer after clicking to them though our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits and we surely do appreciate it!

Now then, let’s have some announcement news... [Read on here]

Anyone interested in some new Blu-ray reviews to start the week?  Our own Tim Salmons has checked in today with a pair of them featuring a look at a couple of Criterion titles in high-definition, including David Maysles and Albert Maysles’ Rolling Stones concert film Gimme Shelter and also the new special edition of Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights.  Both are now available on BD, so enjoy!

Meanwhile, pre-orders are now on for Paul Greengrass’ Captain Phillips from Sony at this link on Amazon.  Disney’s Thor: The Dark World and Summit Entertainment’s Ender’s Game are also both up for pre-order on BD on Amazon.  [Read on here…]

Criterion has just announced their February release slate and it includes great filmmakers and films, both new and old.  Starting on 2/4, you’ll get a BD/DVD Dual Format updating of François Truffaut’s Jules and Jim (Cat #281).  On 2/11, Abdellatif Kechiche’s Blue Is the Warmest color arrives in separate Blu-ray and DVD versions (Cat #695).  This film was a bit of a sensation at this year’s Cannes Film Festival (winning the Palme d’Or), and this is its debut release on home video in the States, thus the separate SKUs.  However, Criterion says that a true BD/DVD Dual Format special edition is coming at a later date.  Moving on, 2/18 will see Alfred Hitchcock’s Foreign Correspondent (Cat #696) as a Dual Format release along with Wes Anderson’s animated Fantastic Mr. Fox (Cat #700).  Finally, Jean-Luc Goddard’s Breathless (Cat #408), Steven Soderbergh’s King of the Hill (Cat #698) and Roman Polanski’s Tess (Cat #697) will all street on 2/25 as Dual Format releases. [Read on here…]

All right, we promised you some reviews and we’ve got a couple for you this morning.  Plus there’s some very exciting release news.  More on that in a minute.

First, I’ve turned in my thoughts on Twilight Time’s Oliver!, a nice Blu-ray upgrade of the classic musical.  It sports a fine transfer, nearly all of the previous DVD extras and new content as well.  Just 3,000 copies are available – see the review for details.

Also, I’ve finished a review of CBS’ forthcoming Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Five on Blu-ray, which features 26 more episodes, all of the previous DVD extras (including the Best Buy bonus featurettes) and abundant new material too, including 4 audio commentaries, deleted scenes and a gag reel in HD and over 90 minutes of great new documentary content from our friends Roger Lay, Jr. and Robert Meyer Burnett.  Don’t miss it.  [Read on here…]

Morning, folks.  We’ve had pretty strong response to our column from yesterday about out-of-control retail Blu-ray exclusives.  Seems like a lot of you are irritated by this trend as taken to its recent extreme. 

Meanwhile, we’ve got some new announcement and release news for you today…

The big news is that Universal has set Riddick for release on Blu-ray/DVD Combo on 1/14.  The digital release will happen on 12/17.  The BD will include an unrated director’s cut version of the film.  Extras will include 6 featurettes (Riddick: Blindsided, Meet the Mercs, Vin’s Riddick, The World of Riddick, Riddickian Tech and The Twohy Touch).  There will also be a new Riddick: Complete Collection on Blu-ray that same day that includes Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick, Dark Fury and Riddick in one package.  [Read on here…]

All right, in the wake of our report from a few months ago on Paramount’s out-of-control retail exclusives on the Star Trek Into Darkness Blu-ray release (which quickly went viral around the Net and ultimately even inspired a Forbes piece), a follow-up post on this issue here at The Bits was inevitable.  Because the truth is, most of the Hollywood studios are involved in the practice of giving retailers special “exclusive” BD content they can advertise as “only available here!”  In fact, this has been going on for years.  [Read on here...]

Afternoon, folks!  And a special Veteran’s Day nod out to all those of you in uniform who might be serving around the world (and you ex-vets too).

We’re working on more reviews today and we do have one new review for you this afternoon here at The Bits:  Joe Marchese has checked in with a look at Kino’s The Hitch-Hiker (1953) on Blu-ray.  Do check it out.

In announcement news, we’ve got a number of interesting things to report for you today…  [Read on here]

We’re closing out the week with a very quick post.  Just two things in fact…

First, I’ve finally completed my in-depth review of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Extended Edition on Blu-ray.  It includes 182 minutes of film (12 of which are new), 182 minutes of audio commentary, and 9 hours and 16 minutes of Appendices material.  That’s one spicy meatball.  And it’s worth digging into if you’re a fan of the film.  As I said yesterday, the footage added into the film doesn’t add up to much, but the documentaries are every bit as good as you’d expect.  If you’re a fan of these films and you enjoyed the previous Lord of the Rings: Extended Editions, don’t hesitate to make the purchase.  [Read on here…]