Displaying items by tag: restoration

Anybody know a good screenwriter? Here’s true scenario that would offer a perfect studio pitch.

And it’s a thriller, in a way, with a determined adventurer racing against time to seek justice for a hero from a past generation – one who sacrificed finances, reputation and goodwill to slay a dragon that was, in the long run, perhaps beyond even his reach.

This story is about John Wayne. This story is about Robert Harris. This story is about America and the importance of its cultural maintenance. And, ok, it’s also about personal obsession. Duke Wayne did what he said. No backing out. No cutting corners. No half assed. [Read on here...]

CELEBRATING “IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD” ON ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY

The Digital Bits is pleased to present this retrospective article commemorating the golden anniversary of the original release of Stanley Kramer’s It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World and a new Blu-ray Disc from The Criterion Collection.

Featured in this tribute are a list of the epic comedy’s roadshow engagements and an interview segment with several people involved with the production of the Blu-ray Disc. [Read on here...]

Here’s some exciting breaking news: Our friends at The Criterion Collection have just announced their January Blu-ray and DVD release slate, and WOW – some terrific titles!

The fun starts with a BD upgrade of Akira Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood (Cat #190 – Blu-ray/DVD – due 1/7/14) and the fortieth Eclipse set  Late Ray (DVD – due 1/7/14 – features Satyajit Ray’s The Home and the World, An Enemy of the People and The Stranger), and continues with a BD upgrade of Jules Dassin’s Rififi (Cat #114 – Blu-ray/DVD – due 1/14/14) and the all-new Michael Mann’s Thief (Cat #691 – Blu-ray/DVD – due 1/14/14), Aki Kaurismäki’s La vie de bohème (Cat #693 – Blu-ray/DVD – due 1/21/14), Stanley Kramer’s It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (Cat #692 – Blu-ray/DVD – due 1/21/14) and Terence Davies’s The Long Day Closes (Cat #694 – Blu-ray/DVD – due 1/28/14).  By the way, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World includes a “restored 4K digital film transfer of the general release version of the film, with 5.1 surround Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray” plus a “new high-definition digital transfer of a 197-minute extended version of the film, reconstructed and restored by Robert A. Harris using visual and audio material from the longer original road-show version – including some scenes that have been returned to the film here for the first time – with 5.1 surround Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray.”  What a great slate!  You’ll find cover artwork for all the Blu-rays below.  [Read on here...]