My Two Cents
We’ve got some reviews to catch up on here at The Bits this afternoon...
Over the past couple of days, we’ve posted a number of new Blu-ray reviews, including Stephen’s thoughts on Kensuke Sonomura’s Hydra (2019) from Well Go USA, Savage Steve Holland’s One Crazy Summer (1986) from the Warner Archive Collection, and Jacques Deray’s The Outsider (1983) and Harold Becker’s The Black Marble (1980) from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
And Tim has turned in his thoughts on Tom McLoughlin’s One Dark Night (1983) from the MVD Rewind Collection, the Friday the 13th: 8-Movie Collection from Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment, and Umbrella Entertainment’s Drive-In Delirium: The Final Conflict, which feature a whopping 181 classic film trailers. All of these titles are well worth a look, so do give the reviews a try.
In announcement news today, Criterion has revealed that they’re adding a physical 4K Ultra HD release of Uncut Gems to their November release slate. The Blu-ray and DVD release are moving to 11/23, which is the date the 4K will arrive as well. And all three are getting new cover artwork, which you can now here see on the left and also below. [Read on here...]
All right, we’ve got a bit of breaking news to cover today, so let’s get right to it...
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is close to announcing their long-awaited Middle-Earth 31-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition box set, which will include the Theatrical and Extended versions of all six Hobbit and Lord of the Rings films on both 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray (including the remastered Lord of the Rings films on Blu-ray) along with a Blu-ray bonus disc of new content that (per our sources) is expected to include the 26-minute presentation reel shown at Cannes in 2001, and the Alamo Drafthouse cast reunion in 3 parts. In total, we expect this to be about 90 minutes of new content in all. (Note that the existing audio commentaries will also carry over on the actual film discs.) You’ll also get a 64-page book of costume sketches, photography, and production notes, plus 7 “travel poster” artwork cards.
Please be advised that The Appendices will not be included in this new set (that was confirmed when WB first revealed the set last year) so don’t start selling your existing Blu-ray and 4K sets in anticipation of buying the new one assuming that everything will be included in it.
Warner’s official announcement should come at any time, but we’ve got a sneak peek at what the set looks like in the meantime from a new listing on the Wow HD UK webstore, which currently shows a street date of October 26 (click here for that, and you can see the packaging below)... [Read on here...]
We’ve got a couple things for you today, including some new 4K Ultra HD release news. But first, we have several more new reviews for you to check out...
Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Roger Corman’s The Tomb of Ligeia (1964) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics and also Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman on Blu-ray from Universal.
Stephen has checked in with a look at Peter Greenaway’s The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover and Bruce Beresford’s Breaker Morant, both recently-released on Blu-ray by Umbrella Entertainment, as well as Jon Chu’s G.I. Joe: Retaliation in 4K Ultra HD from Paramount.
And Tim has offered his take on Anthony Hickox’s Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1989) on Blu-ray from the Vestron Video Collector’s Series, along with Shout! Factory’s new Steelbook 4K Ultra HD release of the animated The Transformers: The Movie.
And for those of you who may be wondering what I’m up to review-wise, I’m currently working on film reviews for the first four Star Trek features, as well as David Lynch’s Dune, and Ridley Scott’s Legend, in anticipation of receiving the newly-remastered 4K (and/or Blu-ray) editions of each from Paramount and Arrow Video respectively in the next week or two. [Read on here...]
We’ve got some good announcement news to report today...
As we first revealed a couple weeks ago here at The Bits, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, StudioCanal, and American Zoetrope have just officially announced their new 4K restoration Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders: The Complete Novel. From their joint press release: “Created to give fans more of the action that took place in S.E. Hinton’s celebrated book, Coppola’s latest, definitive version includes new music, as well as several scenes cut from the theatrical version which were reconstructed from original camera negatives.”
Warner will re-release the film in a limited theatrical run starting on 9/26, with a physical 4K Ultra HD Collector’s Edition (that will include both The Complete Novel and the original version) and a Digital release expected on 11/9. StudioCanal will handle a similar 4K UHD and Blu-ray release internationally on 11/8. The Outsiders: The Complete Novel will also appear on HBO Max starting on 11/16. You can see the poster art for the theatrical re-release at the left (4K UHD cover art is not available yet).
Warner’s physical 4K Ultra HD release will be a 4-disc set that includes both The Outsiders: The Complete Novel and The Outsiders in 4K with HDR (likely HDR10). You’ll also get Digital codes for both versions, and substantial new and legacy extras. The new extras will include a restoration interview (with cinematographer Stephen Burum, Zoetrope Head of Archives and Restorations James Mockoski, and colourist Gregg Garvin), plus deleted scenes, an introduction by Coppola, and 2 new featurettes (Anatomy of a Scene and Old House New Home). [Read on here...]
All right, we’re starting today with a couple of new disc reviews...
First of all, Stephen has checked out Michael Mann’s Collateral on 4K Ultra HD, as released late last year on the format by Paramount Home Entertainment. It’s a modest upgrade, but might be worth a look for fans.
Also, Dennis has turned in his thoughts on D.A. Pennebaker’s 1970 documentary film Original Cast Album: Company, as newly released on Blu-ray by the Criterion Collection. Do check it out.
Now then, the big release news today is that Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment and 20th Century Studios have just officially set Shawn Levy’s Free Guy for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 10/12, with the Digital release expected on 9/28. The 4K disc will include HDR10 high dynamic range and Dolby Atmos audio. [Read on here...]