Displaying items by tag: Talking Heads

All right, here are today’s new disc reviews...

Dennis has taken a look at Joel Schumacher’s 8MM (1999) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films.

Stuart has offered his take on Roberto Gavaldón’s Untouched (1954) on Blu-ray on Powerhouse Films’ Indicator label.

Tim has taken a look at Marcus Nispel’s remake of Friday the 13th (2009) in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video. He’s also turned in a review of Lucio Fulci’s Lizard in a Woman’s Skin (1971) on Blu-ray from Umbrella Entertainment.

And last, but certainly not least, Stephen has taken a deep dive into Toho’s Godzilla store-exclusive version of Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One (2023) in 4K Ultra HD!

Also here at The Bits today, we have a brand new update of our Release Dates & Artwork section, which is a convenient way to see all of the new Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD titles that street each week. You can see the cover art, and sort by date and format. And you can click on each of the titles to pre-order them on Amazon.

On that note, I wanted to take a moment to share a challenge we’ve been having of late, which is that our Amazon Affiliate revenue has been declining. For a long time now—for over a decade—our Affiliate revenue has been a big part of helping us to keep The Digital Bits going—to help us cover our server and operating costs. It’s how we’ve been able to keep The Bits free for everyone to read for over 27 years now. In recent months, however, that revenue has begun to decline. We understand that Amazon may not always be the cheapest option these days. So for those of you who still support The Bits by shopping with them through links (in the daily news column, in our disc reviews, in the 4K Ultra HD Release List, and in the Release Dates & Artwork section), we really appreciate it very much! [Read on here...]

All right, here’s today’s new disc reviews for all of you to enjoy...

Stephen has taken a look at Aleksandr Ptushko’s Ruslan and Ludmila (1972) on Blu-ray from Mosfilm via Deaf Crocodile and Vinegar Syndrome.

Dennis has reviewed William C. Reilly’s Men of Respect (1990) on Blu-ray from Columbia Pictures via Imprint Films.

And Tim has checked in with his thoughts on Nancy Walker’s Can’t Stop the Music (1980) in 4K Ultra HD from EMI via Kino Lorber Studio Classics!

Now then, we have a bunch of great announcement news for you today, so let’s get right into it...

For starters, Criterion has just announced their December release slate, which is set to include Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas (1984) (Spine #501 – 4K + Blu-ray and Blu-ray) on 12/3, Joel and Ethan Coen’s No Country for Old Men (2007) (Spine #1243 – 4K + Blu-ray and Blu-ray) and Federico Fellini’s 8½ (1963) (Spine #140 – 4K + Blu-ray) on 12/10, and Sammo Hung’s Eastern Condors (1987) (Spine #1244 on Blu-ray) on 12/17! Paris, Texas and No Country for Old Men will both include Dolby Vision HDR. No Country for Old Men is a Miramax title currently controlled by Paramount, so this is a licensing situation (and a welcome one). More details are available here, and you can see the cover artwork for all of these below the break. [Read on here...]

We start today with more new disc reviews, including...

Stephen’s look at John Flynn’s Rolling Thunder (1977) and Kimberly Peirce’s Carrie (2013) in 4K Ultra HD, as well as Jonathan Kaplan’s Over the Edge (1979) on Blu-ray, all from Shout! Factory.

Stuart’s take on Ken Loach’s documentary The Spirit of ‘45 (2013) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome and Alain Cavalier’s Le Combat dans l’île (1962) on Blu-ray from Radiance Films.

And Dennis’ thoughts on Kino Classics’ Vitagraph Comedies Blu-ray, featuring 40 classic shorts on three discs.

Now then, in terms of actual announcement news, we’ve got a couple of items for you and they’re pretty great. But there’s even more unofficial news, that’s no less exciting! Let’s get to the actual announcement news first...

It starts today with word that Janus Films will be debuting a brand new 4K restoration of Akira Kurosawa’s legendary epic Seven Samurai (1954) next month in New York and Los Angeles! You’ll be able to see it on 7/5 at the Film Forum in NYC and on 7/7 at the American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. This is only my favorite film of all time. I will absolutely be at that Egyptian Theatre screening, and the fact that this restoration is now complete surely means that a physical 4K Ultra HD is coming later this year from Criterion as well. You can see the poster for this release at left, and the trailer is available for reviewing below the break. [Read on here...]

All right, if you thought yesterday’s post was busy with news, we’ve got another banger for you here today! But first, the day’s disc reviews...

Stuart has offered his thoughts on Henri Verneuil’s I... for Icarus (1979) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Dennis has reviewed Neil Burger’s The Marsh King’s Daughter (2023) on Blu-ray from Lionsgate.

And just one more thing... Tim has delivered his take on Kino Lorber Studio Classics’ new Columbo: The 1970s – Seasons 1-7 Blu-ray box set as well. Enjoy!

Now then, a quick note: All of the Criterion Collection April titles we shared the cover artwork for in yesterday’s post now have Amazon pre-order links, though the actual pre-orders have yet to begin. But that should happen very soon. We’ve added the links to our 4K Ultra HD Release List here at The Bits as well.

We’re starting today with exciting news for music, concert film, and Talking Heads fans: A24 is going to begin pre-orders for their forthcoming 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Collector’s Edition release of Jonathan Demme’s Stop Making Sense (1984) on 1/27. The official street date and other details are still TBA. And per Variety, the film will return to IMAX theaters around the country that same day for month-long residence screenings. You can read more here.

Following up on yesterday’s news column, Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment and DC have just officially announced the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of James Wan’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on 3/12. The Digital release will be available on 1/23. Extras on all versions will include 7 featurettes (Finding the Lost Kingdom, Aquaman: Worlds Above and Below, It’s a Manta World, Necrus, the Lost Black City, Escape from the Deserter World, Brawling at Kingfish’s Lair, and Oh TOPO!). To this, the Digital version will add the exclusive Aquaman Through Fire and Water motion comic. And the Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD will also add the exclusive Atlantean Blood Is Thicker Than Water featurette. Note that the 4K Ultra HD will also feature Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio. You can see the cover artwork at left and also below. [Read on here...]

All right, I’d like to start today’s post out by saying a big thank you to everyone who’s signed up to support our Digital Bits Patreon, or expressed the intent to do so soon, or made a PayPal donation, or simply sent us good wishes. Thanks also to those among you who are using our Amazon affiliate links whenever you shop or pre-order new Blu-ray and 4K titles. The overall response has been very encouraging and very understanding, and we appreciate each and every one of you. So thank you!

Now then, we’re going to catch up on some news, plus we’ve got a bunch of new disc reviews for you here, and then I’m going to spend the next few days working on a few Blu-ray and 4K reviews myself. But first, here are some reviews our team has posted for you all to enjoy in the last few days...

Stuart has chimed in with reviews of Henry Hathaway’s Nevada Smith (1966), John Cassavetes’ Gloria (1980), and Ida Lupino’s Outrage (1950) all on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, François Ozon’s Everything Went Fine (2021) on Blu-ray from Cohen Media Group, and John Mackenzie’s Unman, Wittering and Zigo (1971) on Blu-ray from Arrow Video.

Dennis has offered his thoughts on Dorothy Arzner’s Christopher Strong (1933) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection, Harley Cokeliss’ Malone (1987) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, Chalit Krileadmongkon and Pakphum Wongjinda’s Creepy Crawly (2022) on Blu-ray from Well Go USA, and Brian Paulin’s At Dawn They Sleep (2000) on Blu-ray from Saturn’s Core and Vinegar Syndrome.

Stephen has taken an in-depth look at Louis Malle’s Pretty Baby (1978) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, Godfrey Ho’s Undefeatable (1993) on 4K Ultra HD from Vinegar Syndrome, and Allen Plone’s Night Screams (1987) also in 4K Ultra HD from Vinegar Syndrome.

And Tim has reviewed Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha’s direct-to-video animated finale Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar (2023) on Blu-ray from Adult Swim and Warner, as well as Amy Holden Jones and Deborah Brock The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) and The Slumber Party Massacre II (1987) in 4K Ultra HD from Scream Factory. [Read on here...]

We’ve got another new disc review for you today, actually two of them in a way: Our own Tim Salmons has taken a look at Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi’s The BoxTrolls in 4K Ultra HD from Laika via Shout! Factory—both the regular Amaray version as well as the Steelbook packaging.

In announcement news today, our friend George Feltenstein has just revealed (via Tim Millard’s excellent The Extras podcast) the Warner Archive Collection’s planned April slate of Blu-ray titles, which will officially include Safe in Hell (1931) mastered from a 4K scan and restoration of a rare and newly-discovered 35 mm print, along with One Way Passage (1932), The Strawberry Blonde (1941), and Storm Warning (1951) each mastered from new 4K scans of the original camera negatives, and A Lion in the Streets (1953) mastered from a new 4K restoration of the original three-strip Technicolor camera negatives. All of these titles are due to street toward the end of the month (dates TBA).

The Warner Archive has apparently been working with The Film Foundation on these titles. Also revealed to be coming at some point this year to Blu-ray is The Roaring Twenties (1939). Again, street date is TBA. [Read on here...]