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Tuesday, 21 January 2020 15:32

Tex Avery Screwball Classics, Volume 1 official, plus Jojo Rabbit, Frozen II, and Charlie’s Angels (2019)

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All right, we have some big release news for you today...

But first, we’ve got more new Blu-ray Disc reviews for you to enjoy, including...

Dennis’ look at Rian Johnson’s Brick (2005), newly released on Blu-ray Disc by Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Tim’s take on John Frankenheimer’s Prophecy (1979) from Scream Factory.

And more reviews are coming tomorrow too, so be sure to stay tuned for those.

Now then, the big news today is that the Warner Archive Collection has officially announced the details of their Tex Avery Screwball Classics, Volume 1 Blu-ray! [Read on here...]

CLICK HERE to BACK THE BITS in our fight to preserve Physical Media Shopping on Amazon? START HERE!

The first of a series of Blu-ray releases (more on that in a minute), Volume 1 will ship on 2/18 (SRP $21.99) and will include new restored 1080p HD presentations (in the original 1.33:1 aspect ratio) mastered from new 2020 4K scans of the best archival elements, with 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio in the original English with optional English SDH subtitles.

The collection will feature 19 shorts in all, including:

Tex Avery Classics – Red Hot Riding Hood, Who Killed Who?, What’s Buzzin Buzzard?, Batty Baseball, The Hick Chick, Bad Luck Blackie, Garden Gopher, The Peachy Cobbler, and Symphony in Slang.

Screwy Squirrel – Screwball Squirrel, The Screwy Truant, Big Hell-Watha, and Lonesome Lenny

George & Junior – House Hunters and Red Hot Rangers

Droopy – Dumb Hounded, Wags to Riches, The Chump Champ, and Daredevil Droopy

You can see the cover artwork above left and also below. The title is now available for pre-order here at WB Shop (and we’ll add the Amazon pre-order link as soon as it’s available). Warner notes that the “Tex Avery Screwball Classics Collection, Volume One is Intended for the Adult Collector and May Not Be Suitable for Children.”

Now, I believe that Avery directed some 67 animated shorts for MGM starting in 1941, so in theory this series should run to 3 or 4 Blu-ray volumes at the rate of 19 per disc—certainly very good news. You can read more on this here from animation historian Jerry Beck at the Animation Scoop website. By the way, we also suspect that the Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons are being planned for release on Blu-ray as well.

All right, that’s great news but it’s not nearly everything we have to report today...

First up, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has officially announced the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of Taika Waititi’s Best Picture-nominated Jojo Rabbit on 2/18, just as we predicted, with the Digital release due on 2/4. Extras on the Blu-ray SKUs will include audio commentary by Taika Waititi, 3 deleted scenes, outtakes, the Inside Jojo Rabbit featurette, and 2 theatrical trailers. Audio will include DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. You can see the cover artwork below.

Next... Walt Disney Studios has officially set the animated Frozen II for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 2/25, also as predicted in our 4K Release List, with the Digital release expected on 2/11. The 4K release will include Dolby Atmos audio. Extras on the Blu-ray SKUs will include a Sing-Along version of the film, song selection, outtakes, 5 deleted scenes (with an introduction), 2 deleted songs (with an introduction), 3 featurettes (The Spirits of Frozen 2, Did You Know???, and Scoring a Sequel), 2 Gale Tests, a multi-language reel, Panic! at the Disco’s Into the Unknown music video, and Weezer’s Lost in the Woods music video. There will also be 2 Digital Exclusive extras including Meet the Lopezes and another deleted song. You can see the cover artwork below.

Also, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will release Charlie’s Angels (2019) on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 3/10, with the Digital release due on 2/18. The 4K version will be IMAX Enhanced and will include DTS:X audio. Extras will include a gag reel, 5 deleted scenes, 4 featurettes (Stronger Together: The Sisterhood of the Angels, Elizabeth Banks: As BOSSley, Warriors on Set: Angels in Action, and Tailored for Danger: Styling the Angels), and Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Rey’s Don’t Call Me Angel music video. You can see the cover artwork below.

Universal has set Dragonheart: Vengeance on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital on 2/4.

And Lionsgate will release Inherit the Viper and Uncut Gems on Blu-ray and DVD on 3/10. Inherit the Viper will also be released on Digital that date, while Uncut Gems will hit Digital on 2/25. Uncut Gems will include one featurette, Money on the Street: The Making of Uncut Gems.

Note that we’ve updated our 4K Ultra HD Release List here at The Bits with all of the UHD release information included above.

Here’s a look at the cover artwork for a few of the titles mentioned above, with Amazon.com pre-order links if available...

Tex Avery Screwball Classics, Volume 1 (Blu-ray Disc) Frozen II (4K Ultra HD) Frozen II (Blu-ray Disc)

Jojo Rabbit (4K Ultra HD) Charlie's Angels (4K Ultra HD) Charlie's Angels (Blu-ray Disc)

Stay tuned...

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