All right, we’ve got some more Blu-ray Disc reviews for you all to enjoy today. First up, Tim has given Criterion’s version of Terrence Malick’s Badlands a look for you. Also, we’ve brought our BD reviews of Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story, Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 over to the new Bits site. Enjoy!
Also here at the site today, our own Russell Hammond has posted the weekly update of the Release Dates and Artwork section, featuring all the latest Blu-ray, DVD and Video Game cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, a portion of anything you order from Amazon after clicking through to them through our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits and we appreciate it. It really does make a difference. So thank you!
In announcement news today, Universal has set the comedy Admission, staring Tina Fey and Paul Rudd for Blu-ray and DVD release on 7/9. Universal has also set Syfy’s Alphas: Season Two for DVD only release on 7/16.
HBO has set Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Third Season for Blu-ray and DVD release on 8/20. Also coming to Blu-ray and DVD from HBO on 8/13 is Girls: The Complete Second Season, as well as Enlightened: The Complete Second Season on DVD only.
Warner Home Video has announced the Charlie Chan Collection for DVD release on 8/6 (SRP $39.92). The set will include Shadows Over Chinatown, Docks of New Orleans, Shanghai Chest and The Golden Eye. All will be remastered.
Sony has set the documentary The Gatekeepers for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 7/9. Sony has also set NO for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 6/25, followed by Dead Man Down on both formats on 7/9.
Here’s a title that’s not officially been announced yet, but Sony has accidentally let it slip that director Neill Blomkamp’s upcoming sci-fi/action film Elysium is likely to street on or around 12/17. The date is obviously subject to change, but you can tentatively set the Wayback Machine (in reverse) for it.
Meanwhile, CBS has set The Borgias: The Third Season for Blu-ray and DVD release on 8/6. CBS has also set Family Ties: The Seventh and Final Season for DVD only release on 8/13.
Disney has announced the DVD only release of ABC’s Revenge: The Complete Second Season on 8/20 (SRP $45.99), followed by Army Wives: The Complete Seventh Season (SRP $39.99) and Castle: The Complete Fifth Season (SRP $45.99) on 9/10, and Nashville: The Complete First Season (SRP $45.99) on 9/17.
Disney has also set the animated Oliver and Company: 25th Anniversary Edition for release on Blu-ray/DVD Combo on 7/21.
Grindhouse Releasing has set Corruption and An American Hippie in Israel for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 9/10.
Image Entertainment will release the Sony catalog title Quicksilver on Blu-ray on 8/6, followed by The Tailor of Panama and 88 Minutes on 8/20, and Stranded on 8/27.
Wolfe Video has set Quentin Lee’s White Frog for DVD release on 6/4.
Lionsgate has set the supernatural western Gallowwalkers for DVD release on 8/6 (SRP $26.98).
Magnolia Home Entertainment has announced The Brass Teapot for Blu-ray and DVD release on 6/18.
Anchor Bay Entertainment will release Detention of the Dead on DVD only on 7/23, followed by The Demented on Blu-ray Combo and DVD on 7/30.
And our friends at Warner Archive have made a few more great DVD-R/MOD titles available this week, including Sincerely Yours (1955), Stampede (1949), Short Grass (1950), Wild Stallion (1952) and Rider on a Dead Horse (1962), as well as The Monogram Cowboy Collection: Volume Six – Jimmy Wakely, which includes Riding the Dusty Trail aka Riders of the Dawn (1945), Lonesome Trail (1945), The Rangers Ride (1948), Range Renegades (1948), Silver Trails (1948) and Brand of Fear (1949).
In other news, this has nothing to do with Blu-ray Disc, but it’s just damn cool: Astronaut (and musician) Chris Hadfield just returned safely from the International Space Station yesterday, but before he left he shot an HD video tribute to David Bowie by recording one of the coolest versions of the song Space Oddity you’re ever likely to see. Bowie himself even recognized it on Twitter. Do give it a watch (and be sure to select 720p)…
Finally, don’t forget that the original 1978 Battlestar Galactica feature film hits Blu-ray today at Best Buy stores for just $14.99. I picked up a copy – it’s pretty good. No extras, but the film looks surprisingly nice given its age. Nice contrast, color and detail. Audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 2.1 (with the .1 channel reproducing the Sensurround track of the original theatrical presentation). Jeff will be doing a review in the next week or so.
We’ll leave you with a look at the Blu-ray cover artwork for Universal’s The Host (due 7/9), Sony’s The Call (7/25) and HBO’s Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Third Season…
Stay tuned...
- Bill Hunt