Displaying items by tag: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

We hope those of you here in the States are all enjoying the long Memorial Day weekend. As it is a work holiday here today, there’s not a lot of official news to report. But we do have some significant 4K news from retail and other sources.

And we have some new disc reviews for you today as well, including...

Stephen’s look at Robert Rossen’s WWII classic They Came to Cordura (1959) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Stuart’s take on the first season of a French TV title called Paris Police 1900 (2021) on DVD from Kino Lorber.

And Dennis’ review of Alexander Hall’s Little Miss Marker (1934) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

More reviews are forthcoming this all week, so be sure to stay tuned for them. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a few things to share with you today here at The Digital Bits...

First, our own Russell Hammond has completed a major new update of our interactive Release Dates & Cover Artwork section, featuring all kinds of new Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover artwork, with Amazon.com pre-order links! All of the latest title announcements are included and we’re going to be adding more every week to keep the section fully up to date. The section also now features an option to sort the displayed page results by format and even by Criterion titles! And as always, whenever you pre-order literally anything from Amazon after clicking through to them from one of our links, you’re helping to support our work here at The Bits and we really appreciate it.

Also, before we get to new release news for this afternoon, today marks the 46th anniversary of the theatrical release of George Lucas’ original Star Wars (1977). It’s also the 43rd anniversary of Richard Marquand’s Return of the Jedi (1983) and the 44th anniversary of Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979). So to celebrate the occasion, we’d like to call your attention to a few of our own Michael Coate’s History, Legacy & Showmanship retrospectives on these films here at The Bits:

A Force to be Reckoned With: Remembering “Star Wars” on its 40th Anniversary

Remembering “Return of the Jedi” on its 30th Anniversary

Celebrate the Love: Remembering “Return of the Jedi” on its 35th Anniversary

Still Screaming in Space: Remembering “Alien” on its 40th Anniversary

All of these are well worth your reading time and are filled with tremendous detail about the production and original theatrical release of these iconic films. [Read on here...]

We’ve got only a quick news update for you today, as we’re busy working on more new disc reviews. Speaking of which...

Stephen has just posted his thoughts on Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Air Doll (2009) on Blu-ray from Dekanalog via Vinegar Syndrome.

More Blu-ray and 4K UHD reviews are definitely on the way.

Now then, the big news this afternoon is that Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution has officially announced that Taika Waititi’s latest Marvel Cinematic Universe entry, Thor: Love and Thunder, will arrive on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 9/27. The Digital and Disney+ streaming release is set for 9/8. As always, the 4K will feature Dolby Atmos audio and HDR10 high dynamic range. [Read on here...]

All right, sorry for the lack of an update yesterday, but I had a bunch of personal life stuff to take care of, as happens now and again. We’ve got some more disc reviews for you today, along with a bunch of good catalog 4K Ultra HD news. So let’s get to those reviews first, as always...

Stephen has turned in his thoughts on Moustapha Akkad’s The Message (1976) on 4K Ultra HD from Shout! Factory.

Dennis has offered his thoughts on Robert Z. Leonard’s Ziegfeld Girl (1941) on regular Blu-ray Disc from our friends at the Warner Archive Collection.

And Tim has checked in with a look at Nathan H. Juran’s The Brain from Planet Arous (1957) newly restored on Blu-ray from the good folks at The Film Detective.

All three titles are worth a look and more disc reviews are on the way.

Now then, we’ve got some 4K UHD announcement news for you today... [Read on here...]

We’ve got three more new disc reviews for you today here at The Bits, plus more new theatrical and catalog release news, including a fun catalog 4K title we’re looking forward to. Plus we’ve got word on a new film documentary series that’s now streaming and worth your time.

First those reviews...

Tim has turned in his thoughts on a great new Blu-ray release from our friends at ClassicFlix and the 3-D Film Archive: Jean Yarbrough’s Jack and the Beanstalk (1952) starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. The disc streets next week in honor of the film’s 70th anniversary and it includes a ton of great extras in addition to a terrific film restoration.

Stephen has taken a look at Ike Sanders’ Final Flesh (2009) on Blu-ray from AGFA via Vinegar Syndrome.

And Stephen has also offered his thoughts on a nifty little German thriller, Carl Schenkel’s Out of Order (1984), in 4K Ultra HD from Subkulture USA via Vinegar Syndrome.

All three titles are well worth a look. [Read on here...]

Today’s update is brief, as I’m testing the Digital Bits site upgrade this week, but we do have some interesting news for you.

First though, a quick heads-up: Criterion is offering 30% off all their in-stock and pre-order titles in their online store throughout the month of May. So if there’s something you’re interested in, be sure to take advantage of the sale.

Also, Lionsgate has officially announced the 4K Ultra HD Steelbook release of Roland Emmerich’s Universal Soldier (1992) on 6/21 (SRP $27.99).

Extras will include audio commentary by Roland Emmerich, Dean Devlin, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Dolph Lundgren, a second commentary with just Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin, 2 featurettes (A Tale of Two Titans and Guns, Genes, and Fighting Machines), an alternate ending, a vintage Behind-the-Scenes piece, and the theatrical trailer. [Read on here...]

We’re wrapping things up here at The Bits this week with three more new disc reviews, all of them from Tim Salmons...

First up is Tim’s take on Jorge Grau’s The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue (1974), which is coming on Blu-ray on 6/7 from Synapse Films in regular Amaray, and is already available in Steelbook packaging. Tim has reviewed both versions here and here.

Tim has also given a look at Genndy Tartakovsky’s Hotel Transylvania 2 on Blu-ray 3D, a throw-back animated title released back in 2016 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

In terms of release news today, Synapse Films has announced that a new 4K Ultra HD edition of Dario Argento’s Tenebrae (1982) is coming on 7/26. Two versions will be available, a 3-Disc 4K UHD Limited Edition (of 6,000 units) and a 3-Disc 4K UHD “Variant Cover” Limited Edition (of just 2,000 units that’s exclusive to DiabolikDVD). [Read on here...]

Morning, everyone!

Tim kicks off the new week here at The Bits by checking out David Cronenberg’s Eastern Promises in 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Tim has also updated our old friend Jim Hemphill’s review of Guy Hamilton’s Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins to include the new Kino Lorber Studio Classics Blu-ray release.

Stephen has taken a look at Dwien Baltazar’s Ode to Nothing and Henry Levin and George Pal’s The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome and the Warner Archive Collection respectively.

Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Sam Peckinpah’s The Osterman Weekend on Blu-ray from Via Vision.

And finally, I’ve taken a look at Shout! and GKids’ new wide-release standard edition of Weathering with You in 4K Ultra HD.

As always, more reviews are on the way this week so be sure to stay tuned for them. [Read on here...]

The big news today is that The Criterion Collection has just announced their July release slate, as follows...

Look for Bong Joon Ho’s Okja (2017 – Spine #1133 – 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD) and Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides (1999 – Spine #920 – 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD) on 7/5.

David Lean’s Summertime (1955 – Spine #22 – Blu-ray and DVD) and Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull (Spine #1134 – 4K and Blu-ray) on 7/12.

And Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car (2021 – Spine #1136 – Blu-ray and DVD) and Carl Franklin’s Devil in a Blue Dress (1995 – Spine #1135 – 4K and Blu-ray) on 7/19.

Of these, Devil in a Blue Dress and Okja will feature Dolby Vision HDR. Okja will also include Dolby Atmos audio (the other titles are all DTS-HD Master Audio). [Read on here...]

The big piece of announcement news today is that Universal Studios Home Entertainment has set Paul Thomas Anderson’s excellent and Best Picture-nominated film Licorice Pizza for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 5/17. The Digital version is already available (including 4K), though there are no current plans for a physical 4K Ultra HD release. Extras on the Blu-ray will include camera tests, a deleted scene, a Fat Bernie’s Commercial, and a Behind-the-Scenes featurette. You can see the cover artwork at left and also below.

Also, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has officially set The Boys: Seasons 1 & 2 Collection for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 5/17. Of course, the Amazon-exclusive series is already available for streaming on Amazon Prime. This release is no doubt timed to support the 6/3 debut of Season 3 on Prime. Extras on the discs will include deleted scenes and a blooper real for each season, plus Butcher: A Short Film. Again, you can see the cover artwork below.

One hopes that the this means Sony might consider releasing other series it produces for streamers on physical media eventually, including (hopefully) Apple TV’s outstanding For All Mankind (which I’d kill to own on physical 4K). [Read on here...]