Items filtered by date: December 2013

A FEW MINUTES WITH FILM HISTORIAN SHELDON HALL

In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the premiere and the release this week of a new Blu-ray Disc from Twilight Time, The Digital Bits offers a reflective interview with film historian Sheldon Hall on Zulu, the extraordinary story of the Battle of Rorke’s Drift during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, starring Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins and Michael Caine. [Read on here…] 

More good stuff for you today…

First, Dr. Jahnke has posted a BD review of Sony’s The Big Gundown, a great spaghetti western from 1966 directed by Sergio Sollima. Sounds like the disc and its extras are pretty swell too. Don’t miss it.

Also today, our own Michael Coate has posted an update of his History, Legacy & Showmanship column from back on November – It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Retrospective – with a great roundtable interview from some of the folks involved in the film’s restoration and Criterion’s fine new Blu-ray release, including Karen Stetler, the Criterion Blu-ray Disc producer; Robert A. Harris, the restoration/reconstruction producer; Karen Sharpe-Kramer, the widow of producer-director Stanley Kramer; and the team that recorded the audio commentary track: Mark Evanier, Michael Schlesinger, and Paul Scrabo. It’s a great read, so I highly recommend that you give it a look. [Read on here…]

Today being a work holiday here in the States, things are a bit slow news-wise, but we do have some good stuff for you nevertheless…

First, our own Tim Salmons has posted a review of Disney’s new Mary Poppins: 50th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray Disc. Sounds like it’s loaded with content and the quality is excellent. Do check it out.

Also today, Doogan has updated his Gripe Soda column with another weekly installment of Doogan’s Queue, running down all of the great Blu-ray and DVD titles that street tomorrow.  [Read on here…]

Well look at that – you guys actually want to hear from me once a week. Your wish is my command. Unless Bill lied to me, and only HE wants to hear from me. In that case... because you didn’t ask for it: here’s a rundown of all sorts of things you can buy to own or rent to watch on Blu/DVD/download/MOD – no promises it’ll be available everywhere, but that’s life for you, right?  [Read on here…]

Let’s get right down to business…

Today’s big story is the revelation (due to Dr. Jahnke’s inquisitive Internet wanderings) that Orson Welles’ 1947 film noir, The Lady from Shanghai, is officially coming to Blu-ray in the States as an exclusive Blu-ray/DVD Combo available only from TCM Shop!  [Read on here…]

The Digital Bits’ Mark A. Altman weighs in on the Top 25 best Blu-ray and DVD releases of the last year… because 10 just wasn’t enough

As a longtime discophile (and, I’m not talking about Donna Summer), nothing upsets me more to hear about the so-called end of days for physical media. Cries that the streaming Visigoths are at the gates ready to crush our silver platters into dust in the process make me shudder.  [Read on here…]

Well… this morning the Academy Award nominations were announced here in SoCal. I don’t want to spoil it for you – you can find all the details here straight from the horse’s mouth.

Meanwhile, our very own Dr. Adam Jahnke has added a new feature to his Jahnke’s Electric Theatre column here at The Bits called An Honor to Be Nominated. In today’s installment, he looks back at deserving films that were snubbed for Oscar glory. This week’s installment: Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple. Don’t miss it!  [Read on here…]

Back in 2011, I started a gig as DVD columnist for a website called The Morton Report. It was (and is) a fine site but after awhile, the challenge of writing about the same subject for two different outlets began to take its toll. I left the site and devoted my DVD-related ramblings back to The Bits.

While I was there, I created a column called An Honor To Be Nominated. The mission statement for the column was fairly simple:  [Read on here...]

Holy Disc-a-rama, Batman!

We’ll have more on this in the days and weeks ahead, as official press announcements get made, but Conan O’Brien just tweeted a picture of himself with the original TV Batmobile and word that Warner Home Video is releasing the classic Adam West/Burt Ward Batman TV series on disc (presumably both Blu-ray and DVD) in 2014!

Our sources are telling us this is the real deal, and our friends over at TV Shows on DVD have apparently heard the same thing.  [Read on here...]

We’ve got a quick announcement news rundown for you today…

Warner Home Video will release Tom and Jerry: Mouse Trouble on DVD on 2/18. The 2-disc set will feature 30 shorts, including Down and Outing, Tee For Two, Rock ‘n’ Rodent, Jerry, Jerry, Quite Contrary, Bad Day at Cat Rock, Love Me, Love My Mouse, Is There a Doctor in the Mouse?, Hockey Schtick, Little School Mouse, Designs on Jerry, Mouse Trouble, Down Beat Bear, Jerry and the Lion, Mouse For Sale, Prehisterics, Jackhammered Cat, Tomcat Superstar, Little Big Mouse, Cat Show Catastrophe, Don’t Bring Your Pet to School Day, Cry Uncle, Cat Got Your Luggage?, Feeding Time, Summer Squashing, Salt Water Tabby, The Invisible Mouse, DJ Jerry, Game of Mouse and Cat, Zent Out of Shape, and Kitty Foiled.  [Read on here…]