Just a quick post this morning...

At long last, I've finally managed to post my review of CBS' Star Trek: Enterprise – Season Four on Blu-ray. The A/V quality is good, the new extras are excellent, the season itself is terrific and the set streets on 4/29. Don't miss it.

Also, our very own Dr. Jahnke has turned in a new installment of An Honor to Be Nominated in his Jahnke’s Electric Theater column. This time around he looks back at Sidney Lumet’s Dog Day Afternoon. Need we say more?

Back tomorrow. Stay tuned!

- Bill Hunt

As expected, Criterion announced their July release slate yesterday and it includes some definite gems as usual. Look for Peter Weir’s Picnic at Hanging Rock (Cat #29 – 2-disc DVD edition – the Dual Format version streets on 5/17) and Howard Hawks’ Red River (Cat #709 – 2-disc DVD edition – the Dual Format version streets on 5/27) on 7/8, Robert Bresson’s Pickpocket (Cat #314 – Dual Format) and David Cronenberg’s Scanners (Cat #712 – Dual Format) on 7/15, and The Essential Jacques Demy (Cat #713-719 – Dual Format box set – includes Lola, Bay of Angels, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Young Girls of Rochefort, Donkey Skin, and Une chambre en ville), Erik Skjoldbjærg’s Insomnia (Cat #47 – Dual Format), and Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill (Cat #720 – Dual Format) all on 7/22. Extras will include new restored high-def transfers, new documentaries and – in the case of titles previously released on DVD by Criterion – virtually all of the existing extras. Be sure visit the official Criterion site for specific details and check out the cover artwork below. [Read on here...]

We’ve got some good things for you today!

First, our own Todd Doogan has his weekly Doogan’s Queue column up now on The Bits featuring a rundown of all the great new Blu-ray and DVD titles newly available on Amazon and in stores today. Do check it out.

Also, the good Dr. Jahnke has posted a new installment of his Burnt Offerings: MOD DVD column looking at the latest from Warner Archive and the 20th Century Fox Cinema Archives, as well as details of Warner Archive’s panels and events at the WonderCon convention in Anaheim this weekend.

Now, let’s get to some very cool announcement & release news… [Read on here…]

All right, we’ve got a bunch release news for you today...

First though, we’ve got a new Blu-ray review from Dr. Jahnke for you this afternoon. It’s a newly-released Warner Archive title from 1970 directed by Donald Cammell and Nicolas Roeg, and starring Mick Jagger and James Fox – Performance. Do check it out.

My Star Trek: Enterprise – Season Four Blu-ray review will be up very soon. Sorry for the delay getting it posted, but there’s good reason. We have a special guest staying with us here this week: Sue Maxwell, the wife of our longtime (and dearly departed) Bits staff writer Barrie Maxwell. She’s been in town for the TCM Film Festival and now she’s visiting with us this week before returning home to Canada. So anyway, I appreciate your patience. And Sue sends her best to all of you! [Read on here...]

All right, there’s not a great deal going on today news-wise, but the TCM Festival is on this weekend here in the Los Angeles area. Here’s a link to the Festival website if you’re interested in attending.

Also, we have a quick update for you on Fox’s The Rodgers & Hammerstein Blu-ray Collection, which is due on 5/6. From their official press release: [Read on here…]

We’ve got a quick rundown of new Blu-ray and DVD announcement news for you today, including cool new catalog titles from Shout!, Scream and Warner…

First up, PBS has set Ken Burns: The Roosevelts for Blu-ray release on 9/16 (SRP $129.99).

The BBC (via Warner) will release Orphan Black: Season 2 on Blu-ray and DVD on 6/24.

Amazon has The Walking Dead: The Complete Fourth Season – Limited Edition Blu-ray set available for pre-order now for $90.99. Street date is 8/26, like the regular Blu-ray and DVD, but this version comes in special “Tree Walker” packaging. When you remove the BDs from the base, the Tree Walker’s head and arm move. You can see it on the left there and click here or the title link to pre-order on Amazon. [Read on here...]

We’ve got another Blu-ray review for you today: Tim Salmons has checked out Robert Rossen’s All the King’s Men (1949) from Twilight Time. Enjoy!

Also today, a couple of quick announcements…

First, we’ve finally got a look at the new Blu-ray packaging for Sony’s re-issued Breaking Bad: The Complete Series, which is due on Blu-ray and – for the first time – DVD on 6/3. You can see it on the left there. Here’s the best part: The SRP is MUCH lower. Amazon has the SRP set at $230.99 for the Blu-ray, plus 30% for a final price of just $160.99. Meanwhile, the DVD is $160.99 SRP minus 30% for a price of just $113.49. That Blu-ray price is less than half the $399.99 of the original BD set, so good news indeed for fans. Click on the links in the text (or on the cover art below) to pre-order. [Read on here…]

All right, I’ve finally got my review of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on Blu-ray for you to check out. The movie is fun – better than the first go-round for those keeping score – and the Blu-ray itself delivers all the quality and extras you’d expect from the Theatrical Cut BD release. The disc streets today, so check out the review… then pick up your copy and enjoy! [Read on here…]

We’ve got a new Blu-ray Disc review for you today. Dr. Jahnke has given Twilight Time’s new Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia Blu-ray a spin – a Sam Peckinpah classic. The film is great and it sounds as though Twilight’s done a very nice job on the disc’s A/V quality and extras too. Don’t miss it.

Just to let you know, I’ll be back early tomorrow morning with my review of Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on Blu-ray – the theatrical edition that arrives in stores tomorrow.

Also here at The Bits today, our own Russell Hammond has updated the Release Dates & Artwork section with all the latest Blu-ray and DVD cover art and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, anything you order from them in the same session after clicking through our links helps support our work here at The Bits and we surely do appreciate it. [Read on here…]

All right, it’s a slow news day today so we’re focusing on getting some new Blu-rays done for you for next week, including The Desolation of Smaug. Watch for that starting on Monday.

Meanwhile, Warner Home Video has now officially announced the Blu-ray and DVD release of the Veronica Mars movie on 5/6 (SRP $29.98 and $28.98). Extras will include the By the Fans: The Making of the Veronica Mars Movie documentary, deleted scenes, a gag reel, and 6 More On-Set Fun featurettes (including Welcome to Keith Mars Investigation, Game Show with Kristen Bell and Chris Lowell, On Set with Max Greenfield, Veronica Mars’ Backers, “It’s Not All About You, Monkey”, and Young Veronica). [Read on here...]