First, the big news is that Walt Disney Studios has set their CG-animated Moana for release on Blu-ray 3D Combo, Blu-ray Combo, and DVD on 3/7, with a Digital HD release expected on 2/21. Extras on the Blu-ray versions will include the Inner Workings and Gone Fishing short films, audio commentary with directors Ron Clements and John Musker, 5 behind-the-scenes featurettes (Voice of the Islands, Things You Didn’t Know About..., Island Fashion, They Know the Way: Making the Music of “Moana”, and Fishing for Easter Eggs), 4 The Elements of... featurettes (Mini Maui, Water, Lava, and Hair), 7 deleted scenes and a deleted song, Alessia Cara’s How Far I’ll Go music video, and the How Far I’ll Go Around the World multi-language song reel. You can see the Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D cover artwork above left and below.
Also today, many of you are already aware that CBS has Star Trek: Enterprise – The Complete Series coming on Blu-ray on 2/14, but they’ve also set Star Trek: Voyager – The Complete Series for DVD only release on 3/7.
Scream Factory has revealed that their 2/28 Blu-ray/DVD Combo release of Deadtime Stories will include a new HD transfer from the original negative, a new audio commentary with co-writer/director Jef Delman, new interview featurettes (featuring Delman and actors Cathryn de Prume, Melissa Leo, and Scott Valentine), The Black Forest (alternate cut of the first story), deleted scenes, trailers, and a still gallery.
HBO Home Entertainment has announced the Blu-ray and DVD release of Veep: The Complete Fifth Season on 4/11. Extras will include audio commentaries with the cast and crew, 30 minutes of deleted scenes, and a digital download of the whole season. HBO has also set Insecure: The Complete First Season for Blu-ray and DVD release on 3/21.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced Jim Jarmusch’s documentary on the rise and fall of legendary punk rock band The Stooges, Gimme Danger, for release on DVD and digital on 1/31.
Entertainment One will release From Dusk Til Dawn: The Series – Season Three on Blu-ray and DVD on 2/7.
Lionsgate will release Arsenal on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD on 3/28. They’ve also set The Legend of Chupacabras for DVD only release on 3/7, followed by Wolf Creek: Season One on DVD only on 3/21. In addition, Lionsgate has set The Gospel of Mark for DVD and Digital HD release on 3/14, though the DVD is a Walmart exclusive.
Olive Films has just announced their March Blu-ray and DVD slate, which is set to include Robert Altman’s The Delinquents (1957 – DVD/BD), Blast-Off (1967 – DVD/BD), Phaedra (1962 – BD only), The Cardinal (1936 – DVD/BD), and Won Ton Ton, The Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976 – DVD/BD) all on 3/21.
Kino Lorber has announced that André De Toth’s The Indian Fighter (1955) and Frank Kramer’s Adios, Sabata (1970) and Return of Sabata (1971) are coming soon to Blu-ray. Also, their 3/28 Blu-ray and DVD release of director Philip Kaufman’s The Wanderers (1979) is going to include a huge batch of extras, including the original 117-minute theatrical cut (scanned in 2K), the 124-minute “Preview Cut” (a new HD master) audio commentary by Kaufman, audio commentary by Columbia University film professor Annette Insdorf, author of the book Philip Kaufman, the Back to the Bronx with Richard Price featurette, Wanderers Forever NYC Film Forum Q&A (with Karen Allen, Toni Kalem, Tony Ganios and Richard Price), The Wanderers LA Cinefamily Q&A (with Philip Kaufman, Alan Rosenberg and Peter Kaufman), Audio Q&A at NYC’s Film Forum and SF’s Drafthouse (with Philip Kaufman and Richard Price), an introduction to the film (Karen Allen, Toni Kalem and Tony Ganios), and original theatrical trailers and teasers. Meanwhile, Kino’s March slate will also include Invisible Ghost (1941), Chamber of Horrors (1940), Game of Death (1945), Fire at Sea (2017), and Great Wall (1986) on 3/21, along with Dakota (1945), September Storm 3D (1960), and Julie Taymor’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2014) on 3/28, among other titles.
Mill Creek Entertainment will release Marco Polo: The Complete Miniseries on Blu-ray on 3/14.
Well Go USA has just announced a 6-disc Phantasm: Special Edition Box Set for release on Blu-ray on 3/28 (SRP $79.98). It will include Phantasm, Phantasm II, Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead, Phantasm IV: Oblivion, and Phantasm V: Ravager – each with substantial extras including audio commentaries, featurettes, and deleted scenes) – as well as Bonus Disc of additional bonus features, among them the Phantasmagoria documentary, a Phantasmagorical Mystery Tour with Reggie Bannister, Phantasm Genesis, Phandom, and more. Much of the content on this set is apparently TBA, so we’ll talk more about it in the weeks ahead.
Arrow Video will release Kazuhiko Yamaguchi’s Wolf Guy and Francesco Rosi’s Three Brothers as 2-disc Blu-ray Special Editions on 4/25. They also have Emilio Miraglia’s The Red Queen Kills Seven Times and The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave, and Elio Petri’s The Assassin (L’Assassino) coming to Blu-ray on 4/18. Here’s something really interesting: Arrow is releasing a Donnie Darko: 4-Disc Limited Edition on Blu-ray on 4/18. And Arrow will release Django Prepare a Coffin on Blu-ray on 4/11.
Severin Films has announced Franco Prosperi’s Wild Beasts (1983) for Blu-ray and DVD release on 2/7. Extras will include a series of new interview featurettes with the director and cast, and the international trailer.
Icarus Films will release John Pilger’s Utopia on DVD only on 2/28.
Cohen Media Group has set Come What May for Blu-ray and DVD release on 2/7.
Breaking Glass Pictures has set Underground Kings for release on DVD and digital on 2/7.
PBS Distribution will release Secrets of the Dead: Van Gogh’s Ear on DVD and Blu-ray on 1/17.
Icarus Films will release Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Creepy on DVD on 2/28.
Lightyear Entertainment has announced the release Tanna, Australia’s official Oscar entry for Best Foreign Language Film, on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital on 3/7.
RLJ Entertainment and Acorn Entertainment have announced the U.S. release of Wentworth: Season Two and Suspects: Series Five on DVD only on 3/7, followed by The Brokenwood Mysteries: Series Three on Blu-ray and DVD on 3/21, and Jack Taylor: Set Three on DVD only on 3/28.
For U.K. readers, Eureka! has set John Ford’s Two Rode Together for Blu-ray/DVD Combo release on 13 March. Extras include uncompressed mono audio, an isolated music and effects track, and the Rebirth video essay, plus a booklet with an essay by Richard Combs.
And on the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray front, we’re hearing from European retail sources that Warner is going to release 187 (1997) on the format in the months ahead, and that Universal is preparing to release Ridley Scott’s Gladiator in 4K. We’ve also had industry sources tell us that Mel Gibson’s Braveheart has quietly been prepared for release on 4K with HDR. File that as Rumor Mill-worthy until such time as the studios make official announcements.
We’ll leave you with a look at a bunch of new Blu-ray cover artwork for some of the titles mentioned above. Click on the links to pre-order them on Amazon (and show your support for The Bits in the process)...
Stay tuned...
- Bill Hunt (@BillHuntBits)