Darn that Facebook.

I’ve gotten a hoot out of it – have loved reconnecting with high school friends and long lost family and have discovered as well that there are people in the world with pages dedicated to interests close to my heart, such as those kept by my favorite authors, pictures of the New York I loved in the 70s and 80s and tributes to great character actors such as Timothy Carey.  [Read on here...]

Here are a couple of other stories from the salt mines of Oklahoma location scouting. There’s many, many more. But I can only bore so much..

Both tales involve the terrific writer, film critic and Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Hunter. In his 1993 novel Point of Impact, Hunter created the character Bob Lee “The Nailer” Swagger, which has now been featured, along with his father, Earl, in some 12 novels, the most recent of which is Sniper’s Honor.  [Read on here...]

We’re closing out the week with a bunch more interesting bits of announcement and release news, and a little bit of detail on some already announced upcoming titles. And just to let you know… if you come back here on Monday, you’ll find Dr. Adam Jahnke’s epic Blu-ray review of CBS’s Twin Peaks: The Entire Mystery box set! So don’t miss it.

Now then… let’s get to some good announcement news. Are any of you fans of Sergio Leone and/or Spaghetti Westerns? If so, you’ll be pleased to hear that MGM is finally releasing Leone’s Duck, You Sucker (a.k.a. A Fistful of Dynamite, a.k.a. Once Upon a Time in the Revolution) on Blu-ray Disc on 10/7 (SRP $19.99). You can pre-order it here on Amazon. Now if we could just get The Colossus of Rhodes from WHV, we’d have nearly all of the key Leone classics. [Read on here…]

We’ve got more announcement news for you today. Not a whole lot, but a few things. And in particular, something interesting for you Stanley Kubrick fans. All as our very own Dr. Jahnke is knee-deep in working on his epic-lenth review of CBS’s Twin Peaks new Blu-ray set (watch for that very soon).

So let’s start with that, shall we? Warner Home Video has just solicited on Amazon.com a new Stanley Kubrick: The Masterpiece Collection Blu-ray box set as an Amazon.com exclusive release. Due on 11/14 (SRP $199.99 but Amazon has it for $139.99), the 10-disc box set will come in the studio’s usual Ultimate Collector’s Edition style packaging with 8 films – Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, and Eyes Wide Shut. Disc 9 will include the Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures and O’ Lucky Malcolm documentaries, while Disc 10 will include the all-new Kubrick Remembered documentary, the new-to-Blu-ray Stanley Kubrick in Focus documentary and the new-to-the U.S. Once Upon a Time… A Clockwork Orange documentary. The set will also include a 78-page hardcover photo book. Here’s what the open contents looks like. [Read on here…]

Afternoon, folks. We’ve got some more release news for today...

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has officially set X-Men: Days of Future Past for Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, and DVD release on 10/14, preceded by a digital release on 9/23. The Blu-ray versions will include deleted scenes with optional audio commentary by director Bryan Singer, a gag reel, 5 featurettes (Kitchen Sequence, Classification: M, X-Men: Reunited, Double Take: Xavier & Magneto, and Sentinels: For A Secure Future), a Trask Industries image gallery, a Second Screen app, and the film’s trailers. You can see the cover artwork for both Blu-ray versions below.  [Read on here…]

First up here at the site today, Doogan Queue is now online covering this week’s new Blu-ray and DVD releases. The good Dr. Jahnke has also turned in his latest Burnt Offerings covering all of the great MOD DVD and small batch Blu-ray titles over the last few weeks from Warner Archive and the 20th Century Fox Cinema Archives. Don’t miss ‘em!

In announcement news, Fox has just set FX’s Fargo: Season One for Blu-ray and DVD release on 10/14 (SRP $59.99 and $49.98). [Read on here…]

Okay… we’ve got a good bit of ground to cover for you guys today as the dust begins to settle from another Comic-Con, so let’s get right to it.

First let’s talk about the titles that were officially announced at (or around) the show, and then we’ll get to the latest rumors and other news on those that weren’t. We’ll start with Batman… [Read on here…]

Okay – how’s your Saturday going? The Bits crew has been down at San Diego Comic-Con the last couple days checking out all the BD-related stuff going on and we’re going to have a full report for you on Monday morning wrapping up all the details. There weren’t a ton of major announcements, and there was no sign of Abyss, True Lies, or The X-Files (though we will have updated information on those titles for you), but Shout! and Scream Factory certainly announced some impressive titles. We have posted a little bit of news on The Bits Facebook page, so be sure to check that out now if you’re interested.

Meanwhile, we thought you guys might enjoy a look at some pictures from the show floor, including your first good look at a number of upcoming (and in a few cases limited or exclusive) Blu-ray releases that were on display there, including Fox’s Comic-Con deluxe catalog BD sci-fi/fantasy title packaging, their X-Men “Cerebro” BD box set, the WETA-designed Planet of the Apes: Caesar Warrior box set, the Halloween Complete Collection, Pee-Wee’s Playhouse: The Complete Series, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, and more. So here’s the gallery. [Read on here…]

Doogan’s just posted his latest Doogan’s Queue column in Gripe Soda, running down this week’s finest on new release and catalog titles on Blu-ray and DVD.

In announcement news today, Visual Entertainment has revealed that they’re releasing The Equalizer: The Second Season and The Equalizer: The Complete Collection on DVD on 8/26 (SRP $29.99 and $99.99). The 30-disc box set will include all 88 episodes plus 12 hours of additional bonus content. [Read on here…]

All right, LOT of ground to cover today. Updates this week are going to be a little sporadic, as Comic-Con week brings with it an intense flurry of visitors, meetings and other very important business here at The Bits. BUT… rest assured we will catch you up on all the important developments soon enough.

First up here at the site today, Dr. Jahnke has turned in a new installment of his An Honor to Be Nominated, featuring a look back at a Comic-Con appropriate former Oscar nominee… Skippy (1931)! It’s well worth your time, so do check it out.

Also today, Russell Hammond has posted the weekly Release Dates & Artwork update and note that our very own Todd Doogan will chime in tomorrow with his weekly Doogan’s Queue.

Now then… Comic-Con week also brings with it lots of announcement news, so let’s get right to it. [Read on here…]