Items filtered by date: April 2019

We’ve got a couple interesting things for you this afternoon before we get to today’s release news...

First up, reviews... I’ve posted my in-depth thoughts on Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) in 4K Ultra HD here at The Bits and will have reviews of Batman Returns, Batman Forever, and Batman & Robin in 4K over the next few days. The upshot of this first Batman film in 4K is that Warner’s new transfer and Atmos mix are terrific, but the HDR may take a little getting used to and a few of the sound effects have been changed for reasons explained in the review. You can read that here.

Also, Tim has posted a review of Archer: Danger Island – The Complete Season Nine on DVD from Fox and Dennis has looked at Isn’t It Romantic on Blu-ray from Warner.

And some of you may know that this past weekend was the 40th anniversary of Ridley Scott’s original Alien (1979). So our own Michael Coate has posted a new History, Legacy, and Showmanship retrospective column looking back at the film’s theatrical release. It includes a great new roundtable of experts to discuss the film, including authors Chris Barsanti, Paul M. Sammon, and J.W. Rinzler (whose new book The Making of Alien is coming in July). You can read the piece here and if you’re a fan of the film, I think you’ll really enjoy it. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a pair of new Blu-ray reviews for you to check out today...

Late yesterday I posted my thoughts on Paramount’s Jack Ryan: Season One, as well as Eagle Rock Entertainment’s Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out documentary. And I’m working on a review of Kino’s Hannibal 4K and more for Monday.

The big news today is that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and DC have announced the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of Shazam! on 7/16, with the Digital version expected on 7/2.

The 4K Ultra HD version will include Dolby Atmos audio and Dolby Vision HDR. [Read on here...]

It’s been long awaited by film fans, especially after its extensive 4K restoration (from the original negative and 35mm 4-track audio masters) in 2012, which premiered at the TCM Classic Film Festival that year.

(You can read about the audio portion of that effort here at the Disney Digital Studio Services website.)

But Richard Fleischer’s beloved 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) has never appeared on Blu-ray. The film stars Kirk Douglas, James Mason, and Peter Lorre, and is beloved by generations of movie buffs.

The reason for its absence on Blu-ray is that Disney has, for many years, been trying to remake the film.

Bryan Singer was involved at one point, then James Mangold, and David Fincher, along with a host of actors including Brad Pitt and more recently Johnny Depp. [Read on here...]

All right, I trust you all saw our new History, Legacy, and Showmanship column from last night featuring Michael Coate’s retrospective on Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, which celebrated its 20th anniversary on Sunday. You’ll find that here and if you’re a Star Wars fan, I think it’s well worth your time.

Meanwhile, we have some major new Blu-ray and 4K announcements for you today, so read on...

First, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has just officially set Robert Rodriguez’s Alita: Battle Angel for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD (with Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D) on 7/23. The Digital version will be available on 7/9. The 4K will include not only Dolby Atmos audio, but HDR in Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HDR10+. Aspect ratio is 2.39:1, per the press release.

And there will be HOURS of special features, as follows... [Read on here...]

We’re going to have a new Michael Coate retrospective today in his History, Legacy & Showmanship column here at The Bits, looking back at Star Wars: The Phantom Menace in honor of yesterday’s 20th anniversary for the film. That will be up later this afternoon, so be sure to watch for it.

In the meantime, we have a bit of 4K and standard Blu-ray news to report...

First up, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has set Rob Reiner’s Stand by Me for release on 4K Ultra HD on 8/27. Scanned from the original camera negative, the film will be presented with a new Dolby Atmos mix, along with the original theatrical mono audio and the previous 5.1 remix. Extras on the 4K disc will include never-before-seen deleted and alternate scenes. The package will also include the previous Blu-ray with picture-in-picture video commentary with Reiner and the cast, the Walking the Tracks: The Summer of Stand by Me documentary, and audio commentary with Reiner. You can see the cover artwork at left. [Read on here...]

Okay, this is just a very quick late Friday update to let you all know that director Robert Rodriguez’s Alita: Battle Angel will officially arrive on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 7/23, with the Digital release expected on 7/9.

And the great news is that the 4K Ultra HD package will include a Blu-ray 3D version of the film too. (It appears that the 4K package will be the only way to get the film in 3D in the States, unless there’s a retail exclusive SKU we don’t know about yet.)

This is official from the Fox Movies website, and we would expect the home video press release to go out at any time now.

You can see the 4K cover artwork at left, and we have artwork for all three versions below. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a news roundup and a couple of updates for you today...

First, Tim has posted a new review of Book of Monsters on Blu-ray from Dread and Epic Pictures. Also, Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Michael Haneke’s Funny Games (1997) on Blu-ray from Criterion. Enjoy!

The big news today is that Warner Archive has just officially announced the Blu-ray release of Jonny Quest: The Complete Original Series (1964). We hear the set is expected next month (street date TBA). The 3-disc set will include all 26 original episodes newly-remastered in full HD from the original film elements. Audio will be 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio. Extras will include the Jonny Quest: Adventures in Animation featurette, a special version of the Double Danger episode with Quest Files facts and trivia, the Jonny Quest Video Handbook, and a Vintage P.F. Flyers Sneaker Commercial. You can see the cover artwork at left. [Read on here...]

All right, just some quick odds and ends in today’s post while I’m off to work on reviews...

Tim has posted his thoughts on Alexander Singer’s Psyche 59 (1964) from Powerhouse Films and Indicator as well as David Blyth’s Death Warmed Up (1984) from Severin Films. Both are available on Blu-ray, so do give them a look if you’re interested.

In announcement news today, Warner Bros. has just officially set DC Universe animated film Batman: Hush for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 8/13, with the Digital release expected on 7/20. Extras will include the DC Showcase: Sgt. Rock animated short, the Batman: Love in Time of War featurette, audio commentary (with executive producer James Tucker, director Justin Copeland, and screenwriter Ernie Altbacker), a sneak peek at the next DC Universe Movie, Wonder Woman: Bloodlines, and two From the DC Vault episodes of The Batman/Superman Hour (including The Underworld Underground Caper and Partners in Peril). You can see the over artwork at left and also below. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a couple things for you today...

First a couple of new Blu-ray reviews... Tim has looked at Cyril Frankel’s The Witches, aka The Devil’s Own (1966) on disc from Hammer Films by way of Scream Factory. Tim’s also reviewed Eddie Adlum’s Invasion of the Blood Farmers (1972) from Severin Films.

More reviews are on the way here too; I’m working on Hannibal 4K from Kino, Shout! and GKids’ new Princess Mononoke: Collector’s Edition, and more. So watch for those in the next few days.

The big announcement news today is that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining on 4K Ultra HD on 10/1. [Read on here...]

So... did you guys happen to see/enjoy/rage at last night’s penultimate episode of Game of Thrones? It was doozy, that’s for sure. But more on that in a minute (and I assure you, there will be no spoilers).

First, we have some new Blu-ray reviews for you... Tim has posted his thoughts on Nicolas Roeg’s Track 29 (1988) in a new Region B Blu-ray release from Indicator and Powerhouse Films. Meanwhile, Dennis has offered his thoughts on Tom O’Horgan’s Rhinoceros (1974) from Kino Classics.

Now then, in release news, Lionsgate has just announced the Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital debut of Claire Denis’ new high-concept science fiction film High Life on 7/9. I actually hope they’ll consider releasing this in 4K, because the film’s visuals certainly deserve it. In the meantime, the Blu-ray will include 2 featurettes (Audacious, Passionate, and Dangerous: Making High Life and Visualizing the Abyss: The Look of High Life) with audio in 5.1 DTS-HD MA. You can see the cover artwork at the left and also below. [Read on here...]