Displaying items by tag: Robert A Harris

In reviews today, Stephen has taken a great in-depth look at Terry Gilliam’s acclaimed Time Bandits (1981) in 4K Ultra HD from the Criterion Collection.

And Tim has weighed in with his thoughts on Chris McKay’s horror comedy Renfield (2023) on Blu-ray from Universal. The film stars Nicolas Cage, Nicholas Hoult, and Awkwafina.

As far as title announcements, the big one today is that Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has officially set the animated sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 9/5. The Digital version becomes available on 8/8. The 4K will include Dolby Atmos audio, while the Blu-ray will feature 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. Extras will include audio commentary with the filmmakers, a deleted scene (Miguel Calling), lyric videos, and 10 behind-the-scenes featurettes (Obscure Spiders and Easter Eggs, I’mma Do My Own Thing, Across the Worlds: Designing New Dimensions, Designing Spiders and Spots, Scratches, Score and The Music of the Multiverse, Escape from Spider-Society, Across the Comics-Verse, Creating the Ultimate Spider-Man Movie, Raising a Hero, and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Cast). You can see the final cover artwork for the 4K UHD at left and also below, along with the wide release Blu-ray cover. Note that there will also be retail-exclusive packaging SKUs, including a Steelbook at Best Buy.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has also set Cobra Kai: Season 5 for DVD only release on 9/12. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover today, including a bunch of new Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD release news. But first, we have more new disc reviews for you as always...

Tim has taken a look at Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead (2004) remake in 4K Ultra HD from Scream Factory, as well as Chester Fox and Alex Stevens’ Massage Parlor Murders (1973) in 4K UHD from Vinegar Syndrome.

Stephen has reviewed Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s The Red Shoes (1948) in 4K Ultra HD from Criterion.

And Stuart has offered his thoughts on Charles Barton’s Double Crossbones (1951) and Richard Goldstone and John Marks, Jr.’s No Man Is an Island (1962) both on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, as well as Frank Capra’s State of the Union (1948) on Region B Blu-ray from Indicator and Powerhouse Films.

Watch for more new disc reviews tomorrow and all this week.

Now then, let’s get to that release news. We’ll start with the officially-announced titles first...

Paramount Home Entertainment has just set John Hughes’ Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) for release on 4K Ultra HD on 8/1. It will include both Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio. In a nice surprise, extras will include Hughes’ original director’s commentary, which hasn’t been available since the 1999 DVD release. You’ll also get 5 legacy featurettes (including Getting the Class Together: The Cast of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Making of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Who is Ferris Bueller?, The World According to Ben Stein, and Vintage Ferris Bueller: The Lost Tapes). You can see the cover art at left and also below. [Read on here...]

“The Godfather has become such an indelible part of American culture and world culture that it’s become one of those films that everyone knows even if they’ve never seen it.” – Ray Morton, author of King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon from Fay Wray to Peter Jackson

The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the golden anniversary of the release of The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola’s legendary film about the Corleone crime family.

Based upon Mario Puzo’s best-selling 1969 novel, the film adaptation starring Marlon Brando (A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront) won three Academy Awards (including Best Picture), was for a period of time the highest-grossing motion picture, spawned two sequels, and influenced countless filmmakers. The Godfather also starred Al Pacino (Dog Day Afternoon, Scarface), James Caan (Rollerball, Thief), Richard Castellano (A Fine Madness, Lovers and Other Strangers), Robert Duvall (The Great Santini, Tender Mercies), Sterling Hayden (The Killing, The Long Goodbye), John Marley (Faces, Love Story), Richard Conte (I’ll Cry Tomorrow, Ocean’s 11), and Diane Keaton (Annie Hall, Looking for Mr. Goodbar). [Read on here...]

We’re starting today with more new disc reviews, and then we have a major piece of catalog 4K news for you here at The Bits. First up...

Tim has taken a look at Sidney Lumet’s Murder on the Orient Express (1974) on Blu-ray from Paramount.

Dennis has reviewed J. Lee Thompson’s Eye of the Devil (1966) and Karl Freund’s Mad Love (1935), both new on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

And Stephen has delivered his thoughts on a pair of new Umbrella Entertainment Region-Free Blu-ray releases, including Steve Jodrell’s Shame (1988) and Bruce Beresford’s Puberty Blues (1981).

Now then, let’s get to that big release news: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has set Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s musical comedy Singin’ in the Rain (1952) for 4K Ultra HD release on 4/26, just as we first revealed here at The Bits way back in November. [Read on here...]

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We have a quick update on the BFI’s new restoration and Blu-ray of Napoleon (1927). It seems that Francis Ford Coppola and former Bits contributor and film preservationist Robert A. Harris own the worldwide theatrical rights to Napoleon outside the U.K. and France, and are working on their own restoration effort. Lou Lumenick, the film editor for The New York Post, contacted Harris about the project and received this reply: [Read on here…]

[Editor’s Note: This article was originally scheduled to appear a year ago for the film’s 50th anniversary. The article was delayed so that it could be published to coincide with the delayed but now available Blu-ray Disc release.]

“My Fair Lady is probably the greatest popular smart musical ever made. The melodies soar, the characters endear and engage, and the wit of so much pointed commentary on social class, gender, money, and surface appearances never lapses into self-conscious cleverness.” — film historian and author Matthew Kennedy  [Read on here...]

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All right, we just have a couple of things for you today...

First up, all those Criterion October titles are now available for pre-order on Amazon.com – just click on the titles here (or on the images below): Mulholland Dr., My Own Private Idaho, The Brood, A Special Day, and Kwaidan. Both Universal’s Back to the Future: 30th Anniversary Trilogy ($49.98) and the Back to the Future: The Complete Adventures – Limited Edition ($99.88) are available for pre-order as well.  [Read on here…]

[Editor’s Note: Be sure to like TheDigitalBits.com page on Facebook for breaking news, site updates on the go, discussion with our staff and other readers, giveaways and more!]

All right, we’ve got more new release news for you…

First, Criterion has just officially announced their October Blu-ray and DVD release slate, as follows: Look for Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho (Cat #277 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 10/6, David Cronenberg’s The Brood (Cat #777 – Blu-ray and DVD) and Ettore Scola’s A Special Day (Cat #778 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 10/13, Masaki Kobayashi’s Kwaidan (Cat #90 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 10/20, and David Lynch’s Mulholland Dr. (Cat #779 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 10/27. You can see the cover artwork below.  [Read on here…]

[Editor’s Note: Be sure to like TheDigitalBits.com page on Facebook for breaking news, site updates on the go, discussion with our staff and other readers, giveaways and more!]

We’ve got some more Blu-ray release news for you this afternoon…

Here’s something for you catalog fans: The official Disney Movie Club has revealed that they’re going to be releasing the live action classics Swiss Family Robinson (1960) and Return to Oz (1985) on Blu-ray on 4/14, though only to club members. Other classic live-action titles are already available on Blu-ray to club members, including The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975), The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969), Polyanna (1960), Old Yeller (1957), The Love Bug (1968), and Herbie Rides Again (1974). I haven’t seen any of these personally, but readers tell me they’re pretty good on the whole. There are currently no signs that these BDs will be made available widely, although that’s always a possibility down the line. The regular club price is $29.95 for Blu-ray, but when you first join you get some good discounts. Visit the official Disney Movie Club website here for more information and to sign up.  [Read on here…]

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We’ve got a bunch of stuff for you to enjoy here at The Bits today, starting with a trio of new columns here at the site.

First, the good Dr. Jahnke has turned in his latest installment of Burnt Offerings: MOD DVD, running down the latest in small batch, hand crafted DVDs and Blu-rays. He’s also added new component to the column that he’s calling Wide Awake in Streamland, which details worth deep catalog film and TV titles available for streaming via Warner Archive Instant, Netflix, Hulu Plus and the like. Be sure to check it out.

Also today, our own Michael Coate unloads both barrels of his History, Legacy and Showmanship column to celebrate the 50th anniversaries of TV’s Bewitched and the seminal James Bond film Goldfinger! For each column Michael conducts a roundtable discussion with film historians and experts. You definitely don’t want to miss them – here’s the Bewitched piece and here’s Goldfinger. Enjoy!  [Read on here…]