All right, I want to start today by summarizing all of the new disc reviews The Bits review team has shared here in the last week or so, since my last My Two Cents news update…
Tim has shared his thoughts on Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria (2018) in 4K Ultra HD and also Ho Meng-Hua’s The Lady Hermit (1971) on Blu-ray, both from Imprint & Via Vision, as well as Peter Medak’s Negatives (1968) on Blu-ray from Severin Films, Hanna Barbera’s Touché Turtle and Dum Dum: The Complete Series (1962-63) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection, and Chor Yuen’s Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan (1972 ) on Blu-ray from Arrow’s Shawscope: Volume Three box set.
Stuart has taken a look at José Giovanni's Boomerang (1976) and Georges Lautner’s Cop or Hood (1979) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
Dennis has reviewed Howard Hughes and James Whale’s Hell’s Angels (1930) on Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection, Joseph Losey’s King and Country (1964) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, and Dick Richards’ Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins (1975) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.
And Stephen have offers his take on Ti West’s X Trilogy (X, Pearl, MaXXXine) in 4K Ultra HD from A24, John Woo’s Hard Boiled (1992) in 4K from Shout! Studios, Walter Hill’s Undisputed (2002) in 4K from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, and Timo Tjahjanto’s Nobody 2 (2005) in 4K from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
More reviews are on the way all this week, so be sure to keep checking back for them!
And I’ll be back here again shortly with a new My Two Cents release news update.
Stay tuned…
- Bill Hunt
(You can follow Bill on social media on Twitter, BlueSky, and Facebook, and also here on Patreon)
Greetings, Bits readers!
I trust you’re all having a lovely evening. This is Bill, and I just wanted to check in here tonight with a quick update.
Some of you may have noticed that I’ve posted fewer My Two Cents news columns in the last couple of weeks, despite the fact that there seems to be more disc news than ever as we head toward the finish line in 2025.
And it’s true, there have been fewer news posts here. The reason for this is simple: I had a pretty significant prostate surgery a week ago today. It wasn’t a serious issue, thank goodness—fortunately, not a cancer scare.
Rather, I’ve been suffering these past few years from straightforward prostate enlargement, which runs in my family and which, in fact, as much as 75% of all men begin to deal with when they reach their 50s.
Luckily, my doctor is fantastic, the surgery itself went very well, and my recovery has been ahead of the curve. I’ve still got about 6-8 weeks of healing to do before I’m back to normal. But I’ve spent most of the last week in bed resting. And of course, the week ahead of my surgery was stressful indeed. [Read on here...]
The Stunt Man in 4K from Radiance, plus Save the Green Planet, Smashing Machine & new Imprint, KLSC, BFI & Indicator titles
by Bill HuntAll right, we’ve got a ton of new disc reviews that we’ve shared here at The Bits over the past week, including…
My reviews of the fixed Superman: The Movie, Superman II, and Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut 4K Ultra HD discs from Warner Bros.
My review (with Todd Doogan) of Akira Kurosawa’s Stray Dog (1949) on Blu-ray from the BFI, as well as my review (with Tim) of the new Back to the Future: 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Gift Set in 4K from Universal.
Stephen’s thoughts on Arūnas Žebriūnas’s The Devil’s Bride (1974) on Blu-ray from Deaf Crocodile, Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi’s Shin Godzilla: Deluxe Collector’s Edition (2016) from GKids, and Abel Ferrara’s Ms. 45 (1981) on 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video.
Tim’s reviews of Hanna-Barbera’s Wacky Races: The Complete Series on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection, StudioCanal’s Dead of Night: 80th Anniversary Collector’s Edition in 4K Ultra HD, the first titles—One-Armed Swordsman (1967) and Return of the One-Armed Swordsman (1969)—from Arrow’s Shawscope: Volume Three Blu-ray box set.
Dennis’ look at Mark L. Lester’s The Ex (1996) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics and John Cromwell’s The Racket (1951) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.
And Stuart’s take on Stuart Heisler’s I Died a Thousand Times (1955) and the Bette Davis Collection (which includes The Letter, Dark Victory, Jezebel, and The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection as well as José Giovanni’s Last Known Address (1970) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
We’ve also got lots more new disc reviews coming today and all this week, so be sure to check back for them!
Now then… in announcement news today, the good people at Radiance Films have revealed that they’re releasing Richard Rush’s The Stunt Man (1980) in 4K Ultra HD on 2/23/26. The film will feature Dolby Vision HDR, and the package will include a bevy of new and legacy special features, including the acclaimed documentary The Sinister Saga of Making The Stuntman (2001). You can see the cover work above left. [Read on here...]
Arrow Video’s January slate, plus KLSC sets Dante’s Peak for 4K on 12/16, Yellowstone on Blu-ray, new Shout! Factory titles & more
by Bill HuntWe’re starting the new week here at The Bits with a host of new disc reviews for the team, including...
My thoughts (with longtime Bits contributor Todd Doogan) on Antony Hoffman’s Red Planet (1990) in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video.
Tim’s take on Terence Fisher’s The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) in 4K Ultra HD from the Warner Archive Collection, as well as Warner Archive’s Hollywood Legends of Horror: 6-Film Collection on Blu-ray, Jag Mundhra’s Hack-O-Lantern (1988) in 4K from Massacre Video, and Tom Savini’s Night of the Living Dead (1990) in 4K Steelbook from Sony.
Dennis’ thoughts on Dan Curtis’ Dead of Night (1977) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
Stuart’s take on Richard Thorpe’s The Prisoner of Zenda (1952) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.
And Stephen’s reviews of John Carpenter’s In the Mouth of Madness (1994) in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video, and the new Evangelion: 1.11 You Are (Not) Alone (2007) and Evangelion: 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance (2009) anime films on Blu-ray from GKids via Shout! Studios.
More reviews are definitely on the way all this week, so be sure to keep checking back.
Now then, we’ve got a bunch of release news to report today... [Read on here...]
Ben-Hur & All the President’s Men are coming to 4K in early 2026 from Warner, plus Star Trek: Picard – S3 goes 4K Digital on Amazon!
by Bill HuntMorning folks! We’ve got some good release news for you today, along with more new disc reviews as always. The reviews include…
Tim’s take on Jonathan Liebesman’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006) in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video, as well as Jim Stenstrum’s animated Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998) on Blu-ray from Hanna-Barbera via Warner Bros. “Terror Time” line.
Also today, we’ve just posted our latest update of the Release Dates & Cover Art section featuring all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD covers with Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, whenever you purchase literally anything from Amazon after clicking to them through one of our links, you’re helping to support our work here at The Bits and we appreciate it!
Now then, we’ve been talking about this next title on our Patreon page for subscribers for a few months at this point, but here’s some great news: William Wyler’s epic Ben-Hur (1959) is officially coming to 4K Ultra HD disc from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment! [Read on here...]
Disney sets Emperor’s New Groove for 4K on 12/9, plus HIM, new Imprint TV titles, Lionsgate Limited’s Halloween Flash sale & more!
by Bill HuntAll right, we’ve got a bunch of new disc reviews for you today, including…
Tim’s looks at Marcus Nispel’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) and Michael Gornick’s Creepshow 2 (1987) both in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video, as well as Mike Hodges’ Get Carter (1971) in 4K Ultra HD from our friends at the Warner Archive Collection.
Stephen’s thoughts on Tsui Hark’s Peking Opera Blues (1986) in 4K Ultra HD from Shout! Studios’ new Hong Kong Cinema Classics line.
Dennis’s take on Daniel Petrie’s Lifeguard (1976) on Blu-ray from Paramount via Imprint Films, as well as Ryan Archibald’s Screamityville (2025) on Blu-ray from MVD Entertainment.
And finally, Stuart’s review of Peter Fleischmann’s Weak Spot (1975) on Blu-ray from Gaumont Distribution via Radiance Films.
Trust me when I say this next bit: We have a LOTN more reviews in the works from the entire Bits review team, so definitely be sure to keep checking back over the coming days.
Now then… my apologies for not sharing a My Two Cents post here on the site yesterday. I’d fully intended to have one up, and suddenly a bunch of calls, emails, and messages came in from sources and I found myself going down a rabbit hole of chasing down some really interesting bits of industry news and title release rumors. You’ll see the result of that effort here over the next couple of weeks.
In terms of today’s news items, here’s the big one: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has just finally officially announced the 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital release of the animated The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) on 12/9, just as we expected and have been reporting for a few months now. [Read on here...]
Lionsgate sets Hearts of Darkness for 4K on 12/9, plus KLSC’s Babe/Babe: Pig in the City & a word on Shout! Studios
by Bill HuntWe’ve got two more new disc reviews to share with you today, including…
Stephen’s look at Dario Argento’s The Card Player (2004) in 4K Ultra HD from Vinegar Syndrome.
And Dennis’ thoughts on Cliff Owen’s The Wrong Arm of the Law (1963) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
In terms of announcement news today, Lionsgate has set its own 4K Ultra HD release of George Hickenlooper, Fax Bahr, and Eleanor Coppola’s Hearts of Darkness (1991) documentary—on the making of Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now (1979)—for release here in the States on 12/9. It will include The Making of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse as a special feature. This film was recently restored in 4K by StudioCanal, and you can read my review of their 4K release here at The Bits.
Kino Lorber Studio Classics has just announced that their 4K Ultra HD release of Chris Noonan’s Babe (1995) and George Miller’s Babe: Pig in the City (1998) will officially street on 12/16. [Read on here...]
Sony sets Michael Apted’s Thunderheart for 4K disc in January, plus Warner Bros is definitely for sale & an original CinemaScope lens resurfaces!
by Bill HuntMore news and more reviews are the order of the day today here at The Bits. Starting with the latter first, as always, we’re pleased to bring you…
Stephen’s take on Ken Russell’s Altered States (1980) in 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from our friends at the Criterion Collection.
And Tim’s look at Glen A. Larson’s classic Knight Rider: The Complete Series (1982-1991) on 4K Ultra HD from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment!
Also, yesterday we posted the following as well…
Stuart’s look at Anthony Asquith’s French Without Tears (1939) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
And Tim’s reviews of Severin Films’ High Tension: Four Films by Lamberto Bava Blu-ray box set and also the final films in Arrow Video’s Shawccope: Volume Two Blu-ray box set.
More reviews are definitely on the way, so be sure to keep checking back.
Also today, speaking of the Criterion Collection, they’re holding a quick 24-hour flash sale today that runs for about the next 19 hours as of the time of this writing. The sale is good for 50% off all in-stock titles on their website here. So if there’s something you’ve been looking for, now might be a good time to pick it up if you act fast! [Read on here...]
Dogma 4K goes up on Lionsgate Limited SOON, plus Artcraft’s Beau Geste (1926) restoration on Blu-ray!
by Bill HuntWelcome to a new week, Bits readers!
We have a couple of new disc reviews for you all this afternoon, plus some great release news as well. First, those reviews…
Dennis has taken a look at Dan Curtis’ Late-Night Mysteries (1974) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, featuring four films from ABC’s 1970s late night-anthology series The Wide World of Mystery.
Dennis has also offered his thoughts on Lisa D’Apolito’s Shari & Lamb Chop (2023) documentary on DVD from Kino Lorber.
More reviews are forthcoming all this week, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for them!
Now then, the big news today is that director Kevin Smith’s Dogma (1999) finally appears on the Lionsgate Limited website today (if it’s not up by the time you read this, it should be up soon). [Editor’s Note: It’s up now.] There will be a Lionsgate Limited exclusive Steelbook as well as a wide release Amaray version, both of them 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital. The official street date is 12/9. Pre-orders on the Lionsgate Limited website will open on 11/11. [Read on here...]
Book Review: Andy Saunders’ Gemini and Mercury Remastered & Apollo Remastered
by Bill HuntI’ll be back on Monday with the usual news and reviews here at the site, but today I wanted to do a little something different.
As long time Bits readers will no doubt be aware, every once in a while I review something other than a physical media release. In fact, in the past, I’ve reviewed great books about cinema, film production, and the like.
Some of you may remember that back in 2016, I posted a feature called Stanley Kurbick’s 2001: The Ultimate Trip in Print, covering all of the great books dedicated to the making of Kubrick’s science fiction landmark 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)—a piece I then updated in 2023 to cover an additional book on the topic that I thought worth mentioning released in the years since.
Longtime readers will also know that I am a lifelong fan of human spaceflight, and that I’ve reviewed many physical media releases related to the topic, including the films 2001, The Martian (2015), Apollo 13 (1995), and First Man (2018), HBO’s From the Earth to the Moon (1998) dramatic series, and documentaries like Apollo 11 (2019) and For All Mankind (1989).
If you’re interested in human spaceflight, there are of course many great non-fiction books that cover the topic in exhaustive detail, but I would certainly recommend beginning with Andrew Chaikin’s A Man on the Moon (1994). (It’s worth noting that this book was the basis for the HBO series I just mentioned.)
But there’s a new book that just arrived in stores last week—and a second book by the same author published a couple of years ago—that I think is absolutely indispensable to anyone interested in humanity’s first voyages beyond the Earth. Published by Black Dog & Leventhal here in the States (part of the Hachette Group) and Particular Books in the UK, Andy Saunders’ Gemini and Mercury Remastered (2025) and Apollo Remastered: The Ultimate Photographic Record (2022) are large and substantial coffee table books. By large, I mean 12 inches by 12 inches each, and by substantial I mean they weigh in at 5.28 and 6.92 pounds respectively. These are serious tomes. [Read on here...]