Displaying items by tag: Conquest of Space

Well, folks... it’s a new year and time to get right back into the thick of things in terms of physical media news. And we have a bunch to catch you up on here at The Bits today.

Before we get started though, I wanted to call your attention to Michael Coate’s latest History, Legacy & Showmanship column here at The Bits, which we posted on New Year’s Eve. It features a great retrospective and roundtable interview with film historians celebrating the 50th anniversary of George Lucas’ classic American Graffiti (1973). Its 9 pages and 17 chapters are packed with great reading, so do be sure to check it out.

I’d also like to start the new year by with another quick Patreon pitch: If you believe in the work we do here at The Bits in support of physical media, we’d like to ask you to consider becoming a supporter of the site on Patreon. I’ve been sharing exclusive blog posts there, and it’s becoming a great little community—a fun and welcoming place to share your love of Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD with fellow enthusiasts. You can join for as low as $6 a month (or as much as you’d like to contribute) and it really makes a difference in helping us to grow and continue our work here at the site. So thank you!

Now then, the big news item this afternoon is that Lionsgate has just officially set Francis Lawrence’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes for Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release on 2/13, with the Digital release due on 1/30. There will also be a Walmart-exclusive 4K Steelbook release on 2/13. The 4K and Blu-ray will include the following special features: audio commentary with Lawrence and producer Nina Jacobson, the 8-part Predator or Prey: Making The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes documentary (note that both the commentary and documentary are exclusive to the physical release), Rachel Zegler’s The Hanging Tree music video, the A Letter to the Fans featurette, and the theatrical trailer. You can see the 4K cover art at left and also below.

FYI, Lionsgate is also releasing John Woo’s Silent Night (2023) on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/30. The film stars Joel Kinnaman (of For All Mankind fame). [Read on here...]

We’ve got more new disc reviews for you today as well as more great title announcements, cover artwork, and pre-order links too...

Today’s reviews start with Tim’s take on Marquis de Sade’s Justine (1969) in 4K Ultra HD from director Jesús Franco and our friends at Blue Underground.

Also this evening, Stuart has offered his thoughts on François Truffaut’s Mississippi Mermaid (1969) on Blu-ray Disc from the Kino Lorber Studio Classics line, and also Mathieu Amalric’s Hold Me Tight (2021) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.

As always, watch for more new disc reviews all this week.

Now then, the big catalog news today is that Paramount has finally announced a title we first revealed here at The Bits back in December: Mimi Leder’s Deep Impact (1998) is officially set for release in 4K Ultra HD on 5/2. The title will include Dolby Vision HDR and will carry over all of the previous Blu-ray special features. You can see the cover artwork at left and also below. [Read on here...]