My Two Cents
Greeting, Bits-ers! Sorry I’ve been a little MIA here this week. I’ve had a couple unexpected things happening here over the last few days, not the least of which is that my longtime workhorse home theater projector—an Epson 5040UB—decided to die unexpectedly. It appears to be a problem with the mainboard, so I find myself in the position of either having to repair it (which I’m currently investigating) or replacing it (which I’m also researching). If I go with the latter option, it will almost certainly be one of the new JVC models, which I’ve been hearing raves about for a while now. But of course, given the challenges and expenses of running a website in the 21st century—especially at a time when everyone else seems to be publishing everything they do on the wildly passive-aggressive, unvetted information vortex that is social media—suffice it to say that equipment failure was not on my 2022 budgetary Bingo card.
In any case, while I deal with that, I’ve just gotten not only Prey 4K and Loki: The Complete First Season 4K for review, and I’ve already launched into work on a review of the former using my flat panel. So look for that to be posted very soon.
Also today, our very own Stuart Galbraith IV has just chimed in with a review of Imprint’s excellent new Film Focus: Gene Hackman box set, which includes I Never Sang for My Father (1970), Bite the Bullet (1975), March or Die (1977), and The Domino Principle (1977) all on Blu-ray. Enjoy! [Read on here...]
We’ve got a bunch of great title announcement news and “revels” to report today, so let’s get right to it...
First up, our friends at Kino Lorber Studio Classics have just revealed on their social media that they’re working on a new 4K Ultra HD release of Fred Dekker’s The Monster Squad (1987)! And we have street date: Look for it to arrive on 11/28, complete with a new 4K scan of the original camera negative with Dolby Vision HDR on a UHD-100 disc. The 3-disc set will also include the film remastered in 1080p HD on Blu-ray (which will also be available separately) and you’ll get a bonus disc with the Wolfman’s Got Nards (2018) documentary. Plus the set will include a ton of legacy special features. You can see the 4K cover artwork at left.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has also just revealed the Region A/US Blu-ray release of Ron Moore and Apple TV+’s fantastic alternate/near future science fiction series For All Mankind: Season One. Look for that to street on 11/14. Unfortunately, no 4K Ultra HD release is currently planned. Also, the cover artwork leaves a lot to be desired; it’s identical to the key art used on Dazzler’s UK release (which we reviewed here) but it shares nothing in common with the show’s actual logo or promotional artwork, causing a number of fans we’ve heard from to say it looks like a bootleg. In any case, it’s a great series—one of my favorites actually, along with Apple TV’s Foundation—and it’s great to finally have a legit US Blu-ray option. You can see the cover (with the Amazon pre-order link) below the break.
Sony has also just set FX’s Justified: City Primeval – Season One for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 11/14. And we’ve got that cover artwork for you below as well. [Read on here...]
Welcome to the new week, Bits-ers! We’re starting as always today with a trio of new disc reviews for you to check out...
Stuart has offered his thoughts on Andrei Konchalovsky’s Duet for One (1986) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
Dennis has delivered a look at Renato Polselli’s Delirium (1972) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.
And Tim rounds things out with his review of George A. Romero’s Creepshow (1982) in 4K Ultra HD from Scream Factory.
We also have several more reviews currently in the works for the next few days, so be sure to keep checking back for them.
The big news this morning is that the Criterion Collection has just unveiled its December slate of titles, including one new 4K Ultra HD release. The slate includes an upgraded version of Allen Baron’s Blast of Silence (1961) (Spine #428 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 12/5, followed by The Red Balloon and Other Stories: Five Films by Albert Lamorisse (1951-1965) (Spine #1200 – Blu-ray and DVD – includes Bim, the Little Donkey, White Mane, The Red Balloon, Stowaway in the Sky, and Circus Angel) and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022) (Spine #1201 – 4K UHD + Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD) on 12/12.
You can see the cover art for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio at left and all three of them below the break. [Read on here...]
All right, we’ve got just a quick batch of announcements to catch up on this morning...
First of all, just as we first reported here at The Bits many weeks ago, Paramount has officially set Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One for Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release on 10/31, with the Digital version due on 10/10. Expect Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio on the 4K.
Extras on the disc will include audio commentary by McQuarrie and editor Eddie Hamilton, plus a Deleted Scenes Montage, and 7 featurettes (Rome, Venice, Freefall, Speed Flying, Train, and Editorial Featurette: The Sevastopol). Look for 2 4K SKUs... a regular Amaray version and a Steelbook version. You can see the cover artwork at left and also below.
Also today, Lionsgate has set Talk to Me for physical media release on 10/3. It appears that there will be multiple versions: 4K + Blu-ray + Digital, Blu-ray + DVD + Digital, Amazon-exclusive 4K + Blu-ray + Digital, and Walmart Blu-ray + DVD + Digital. [Read on here...]
All right, as mentioned earlier, we’ve got more release news to cover today here at The Bits. But first some new disc reviews...
Stephen has checked out Paul Verhoeven’s cult classic Showgirls (1995) on 4K Ultra HD from Vinegar Syndrome, which features the film in 4K UHD and Blu-ray, along with an additional Blu-ray full of special features. Stephen has also reviewed Peter Greenaway’s The Draughtsman’s Contract (1982) on Blu-ray from Zeitgeist Films and Kino Lorber.
Also today, Dennis has offered his thoughts on George Cukor’s Little Women (1955) and Abe Levitow’s animated Gay Purr-ee (1962), both new on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.
And Stuart has taken a look at the Norwegian legal drama Aber Bergen: Complete Series from MHz Networks and Kino Lorber, as well as Inés Toharia Terán’s Film: The Living Record of Our Memory (2021) documentary from Kino Lorber, both of them on DVD, along with the Warner Archive Collection’s Tintin and the Mystery of the Golden Fleece (1961) and Tintin and the Blue Oranges (1964) double feature Blu-ray.
Now then, speaking of Warner, Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment and DC Studios have announced the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of the Netflix original series The Sandman: The Complete First Season on 11/18, with a Digital release expected on 9/18. Note that a second season of the series is already on the way from Netflix. The set will include all 11 episodes, along with a pair of featurettes (The Sandman: Behind the Scenes Sneak Peek and The World of The Endless). You can see the cover artwork at left and also below. [Read on here...]