Items filtered by date: November 2013

This is our last post for 2013, so we’ve got a couple quick things for you today...

First, our own Michael Coate has posted a new installment of his History, Legacy and Showmanship column, featuring a look at the restoration of Funny Girl with Sony’s Grover Crisp, as well as a look back at its roadshow engagement history.  Don’t miss it!  [Read on here...]

The Digital Bits is pleased to present this retrospective article commemorating the 45th anniversary of the release of Funny Girl, the popular William Wyler-Ray Stark motion picture adaptation of the stage musical featuring Barbra Streisand’s Academy Award-winning performance as comedienne Fanny Brice.

Earlier this year, Sony Pictures’ restoration of Funny Girl was featured in the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival and subsequently released on Blu-ray Disc.

Now, The Digital Bits celebrates the classic musical’s 45th anniversary with a detailed listing of the film’s original, major-market, reserved-seat roadshow engagements in the United States and Canada as well as an interview with Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Grover Crisp, who speaks about the film’s recent restoration.  [Read on here…]

All right, hope you all had a great weekend…

We’ve added 14 more classic Blu-ray reviews from the original Bits website into the new review database here, including Adam Jahnke’s thoughts on Gamer, The Thing (1982), The Nightmare Before Christmas, Land of the Dead, Scream 4, Mimic, The Final Destination 3D, The Last Circus, Whip It, Halloween II: 30th Anniversary Edition, The New York Ripper, The Prowler, Splice and Frozen (2010).  Lots more are coming, so we’ll keep at it until all of the old BD reviews are updated.  [Read on here…]

As one year fades away and a new year begins, it seems like a good idea to take a look at where the MOD initiative stands. And what better way to do that than by handing out some good old fashioned letter grades?

Yes, it’s time for the official Burnt Offerings 2013 Studio Report Card! Single file, children, and make sure you have your CEOs sign your report card and return them to me when the new term begins.  [Read on here...]

Morning, folks!  Hope you guys are all enjoying your holiday break.  We’ve actually got some Blu-ray announcement news for you today...

First up, Twilight Time has announced the limited Blu-ray release of Zulu (1964), Khartoum (1966), Titus (1999) and Man in the Dark 3D (1953) – 3,000 copies each will be available.  They’ve also revealed that less than 600 copies each remain of Enemy Mine (1985) and Stagecoach (1966).  SRP for these BDs is $29.95 each.  Head to Screen Archives Entertainment to get your copies.  [Read on here…]

Back as promised today and we’ve got a great new holiday-themed View from the Cheap Seats column from our own Bud Elder!  This time around, Bud looks back on his favorite non-Christmas Christmas films, and also runs down some great new indie Blu-ray and DVD offerings.  We hope you enjoy it!

We’ll be off the next couple of days, but we’ll be back on Thursday with more new reviews and a round-up of any release news worth reporting.

So with that, we bid you all a very Merry Christmas!  We wish you and yours a great and safe holiday.

Stay tuned!

- Bill Hunt

Most film columnists start writing their Christmas pieces around August, churning out their memories of It’s a Wonderful Life (which is a story in itself – this generation has no idea that the film was considered an oddity and a flop until Jimmy Stewart mentioned it on The Tonight Show and, as it was in the public domain and available for cheap airings, it has since been considered a “classic”) and other routine movies that just happen to tell a Christmas like story.  Movies like Miracle on 34th Street and Christmas in Connecticut still hold up and there are others I’m sure that do as well, but few movies that are singularly about Christmas float my boat.  I’ve seen them a million times and most are creaky.  Here are my favorite Christmas movies, a list my successful and thoughtful brother calls Christmas Movies for People Who Aren’t Enamored with Christmas Movies.  [Read on here…]

All right, I know we don’t get The Rumor Mill updated nearly as often as we should.  So how’s about a little holiday Rumor Mill cheer?  We’ll make that one of our New Year’s resolutions – to get more Rumor Mill updates going for you guys in 2014.

So here’s today’s installment…  [Read on here….]

Evening, folks!  This is just a quick update for you with a few items of interest for you...

First, our own Mario Boucher has turned in a review of Universal’s new Fast & Furious 6: Extended Edition on Blu-ray Disc, so be sure to check it out.

Also, we’ve added four more retro Blu-ray reviews to the new site from the old Bits database: Barrie Maxwell’s review of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, my thoughts on THX 1138: The George Lucas Director’s Cut and Dr. Jahnke’s take on Stake Land and Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Santa Sangre.  [Read on here…]

Well, folks... today is the Friday before Christmas, so you know what that means.  Hollywood is shutting down for the holidays and lots of you are starting your Christmas vacations!

Things are going to be pretty slow over the next week or two, so we may not check in every day, but we’ll try to drop by if there anything worth reporting for you guys.  You never know.  And we’ll have some reviews for you too.

Speaking of which, we’ve just added no less than 12 Blu-ray Disc reviews into the new site’s database, including a pair of music titles in Sting: Bring on the Night and The Police: Certifiable, a couple of fine catalog titles in the form of Forrest Gump, Rocky Balboa and Outbreak, a mess of Dr. Jahnke’s horror reviews including Audition, Children of the Corn, Child’s Play, Book of Blood and The Blood Trilogy, and finally a pair of great holiday titles including White Christmas and – or course – It’s a Wonderful Life.  What would the Christmas season be without those last two?  [Read on here...]