My Two Cents
Monday, 09 October 2023 17:04

New Warner Archive Blu-ray titles, plus Questor Tapes, Oldboy 4K, and a brief Titanic Ultra HD update

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We’ve got some interesting release news for you today, as well as updates on forthcoming 4K catalog titles we’ve been tracking for a while, and of course more new disc reviews. So let’s get to the latter first...

Our own Stephen Bjork has posted his in-depth review of Loki: The Complete First Season in 4K Ultra HD Steelbook from Marvel Studios and Disney. The short version is that the studio really does seem to have done this title right, in terms of AV quality, which bodes well for forthcoming Disney+ streaming series in 4K UHD.

Stephen has also turned in a look at Barry Levinson’s Rain Man (1988) in 4K Ultra HD from the MVD Marquee Collection.

And Stuart has delivered his take on Kino Lorber Studio Classic’s Audie Murphy Collection II on Blu-ray, which features Sierra (1950), Kansas Raiders (1950), and Destry (1954).

In terms of new release news, we’re hearing from retail sources that Universal’s forthcoming Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of David Gordon Green’s The Exorcist: Believer (2023) will arrive in stores on 12/19.

Lionsgate has also delayed their 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray release of Jean-Luc Godard’s Contempt (1963) from 9/26 to 10/24. Adjust your plans accordingly. [Read on here...]

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Of course, the big news we’re all expecting soon is Paramount’s long-awaited announcement of their forthcoming James Cameron’s Titanic (1997) 4K Ultra HD. That should be happening some time in the next couple of weeks. As of now, we know that the title is set to street on 12/5. The most recent pre-order date we’re starting to hear from some retail sources is 10/24, so if that holds firm we would expect the official announcement to happen any time between now and then.

As for Cameron’s The Abyss, True Lies, and Aliens in 4K, we’ll have more to say after Titanic is announced. In the meantime, I’ll just say this: Unlike other sources I’ve seen on social media in the last few weeks, we’re not going post rampant speculation, guesses, BS, made-up cover art, and third and fourth-hand rumors about what might happening and what the street dates will be. Instead, I am actively tracking the production of these titles with longtime industry sources. And trust me when I say that I’ve been doing this for 26+ years now—I most definitely have the sources. Rest assured, when more can be said about the titles accurately, we’ll do so. In the meantime, anything you might be reading online should be considered rumor at best.

While we’re talking 4K catalog titles today, Umbrella Entertainment is about to announce a new 4K Ultra HD release of Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel’s Super Mario Bros (1993), which stars Bob Hoskins and John Lequizamo. More on that later this week.

We also expect Lionsgate’s newly-announced Young Guns (1988) 4K Ultra HD release to become available for pre-order very soon, so we’ll be sure to share that Amazon link when it’s live.

Here’s good news for fans of Arrow Video: Their Enter the Video Store: Empire of Screams Blu-ray box set is coming back into print on 12/12. Also coming back into print from Arrow on 12/12 is Kevin Reynolds’ Waterworld (1995) in 4K Ultra HD. We’ve included those Amazon links below.

Meanwhile, Kino Lorber Studio Classics has set Richard A. Colla’s The Questor Tapes (1974) for Blu-ray release on 12/5. This of course is a made-for-TV sci-fi drama created by Star Trek’s Gene Roddenberry.

Also newly announced for Blu-ray release on 12/5 by KLSC are Robert Wise’s Odds Against Tomorrow (1959), Henri Verneuil’s I... for Icarus (1979) and Mille Milliards de Dollars (1982), and The Ballad of Little Jo (1993).

Raro Video will be releasing a new 4K restoration of Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Conformist (1970) on Blu-ray on 11/28.

The Warner Archive Collection has set Tod Browning’s The Devil-Doll (1936) for release on Blu-ray on 10/24. They also have Costa-Gavras’ Mad City (1997), Norman Taurog’s Double Trouble (1967), and Harry Beaumont’s Dance, Fools, Dance (1931) all coming on Blu-ray on 10/31. Looney Tunes Collector’s Choice: Volume 2, which we mentioned last week, is coming on Blu-ray on 11/28, featuring 25 classic shorts making their debut on the format (see the complete list here). And Kevin Reynolds’ Rapa-Nui (1994) and Richard Attenborough’s In Love and War (1996) will follow on Blu-ray on 11/14.

Decal and Neon have set Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy: Limited Edition (2003) for release on 4K Ultra HD on 12/12.

VCI Entertainment has set Arthur Crabtree’s restored and uncut Horrors of the Black Museum (1959) for Blu-ray release on 12/12.

Vertical Entertainment has set Tim Brown’s The Retirement Plan (2023) for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/19.

For those of you who haven’t already purchased Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse or Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in 4K Ultra HD or Blu-ray, Sony is releasing a new Spider-Verse 2-Movie Collection including both 4K and Blu-ray on 11/14.

And also now available for pre-order on Blu-ray and DVD on Amazon—street date uncertain—are André Øvredal’s The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023) and Jeff Celentano’s The Hill (2023) from Universal, along with Ari Folman’s The Congress (2013) from Drafthouse.

We’ll leave you with a look at the cover artwork for a few forthcoming titles (with Amazon links if available)...

The Walking Dead: The Complete Collection (Blu-ray Disc)

The Fugitive (4K Ultra HD) Looney Tunes Collectors' Choice: Volume 2 (Blu-ray Disc) Waterworld (4K Ultra HD)

Back tomorrow with more. Stay tuned...

(You can follow Bill on social media at these links: Twitter and Facebook)

 

 

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