Displaying items by tag: HBO

Today’s post will be brief, as I’m working to finish a sort of teaser review of Network’s new Monty Python’s Flying Circus: Norwegian Blu-ray Edition box set. Network was kind enough to send me check discs of the first season (the other discs are coming as they’re available), so I’m going to review those ASAP and then update the review when the rest of the set arrives. I can already tell you with confidence, however, that the restoration is remarkable. The series have never looked so good, nor been so complete and uncut. More in the review as soon as I finish it (possibly later today).

Speaking of reviews, I’ve also posted my in-depth thoughts on Warner’s new 8K/16-bit restoration of The Wizard of Oz on 4K Ultra HD. It’s also remarkable and should absolutely be on the want lists of every serious cinephile who’s upgraded their systems to 4K.

I’ll tell you, it’s been really uplifting this week to see three beloved film and TV titles (It’s a Wonderful Life, The Wizard of Oz, and now Monty Python) that have been given such careful and meticulous restoration for home video release. And I’m more impressed every day with just how far the state-of-the-art in restoration and remastering technology has come. [Read on here...]

We’ve got another new disc review for you to enjoy today...

I’m just posted my thoughts on HBO’s Deadwood: The Movie, written by David Milch and directed by Daniel Minahan. If you’re a fan of the original Deadwood TV series (reviewed here on Blu-ray), you should really appreciate what a fine piece of work it is (and what a miracle it is that it finally happened).

I should note here though that HBO has informed us they’re no longer sending out review product for most of their physical media releases (they’re deciding it on a title by title basis, essentially the same thing). That is a sorry state of affairs for a network of HBO’s pedigree. In any case, it means that we had to purchase our own copy of this title for the review, something will certainly not be doing often in the future. Sadly, we can only see this as yet another sign that physical media is waning.

In any case, we do thankfully have some good physical media news for you today... [Read on here...]

Boy, this is a big news day! We’ve got official word of titles we’ve been reporting on here at The Bits for many weeks now. So let’s get right to it...

First of all, Marvel Studios and Disney have just announced Avengers: Endgame for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 8/13, with the Digital release expected on 7/30. (And that is just as we predicted here on The Bits and have had listed in our 4K Ultra HD Release List here for quite a while.) Audio on the 4K will be Dolby Atmos, while the Blu-ray will feature 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. Look for HDR10 on the 4K disc.

Extras will include audio commentary by directors Anthony and Joe Russo with writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, 7 featurettes (Remembering Stan Lee, Setting the Tone: Casting Robert Downey Jr., A Man Out of Time: Creating Captain America, Black Widow: Whatever It Takes, The Russo Brothers: Journey to Endgame, The Women of the MCU, and Bro Thor), 6 Deleted Scenes (including Goji Berries, Bombs on Board, Suckiest Army in the Galaxy, You Used to Frickin’ Live Here, Tony and Howard, and Avengers Take a Knee), a Gag Reel, and an intro by directors Joe and Anthony Russo. The Digital version will also include an exclusive featurette... Steve and Peggy: One Last Dance. You can see the cover artwork at left and also below. [Read on here...]

We start this week with a great new Blu-ray review, this one of Scream Factory’s Universal Horror Collection, Volume 1 box set, which includes The Black Cat (1934), The Raven (1935), The Invisible Ray (1936), and Black Friday (1940). Do give it a look.

Also, just a heads-up: We’re going to be reviewing Warner Archive’s new Jonny Quest: The Complete Series Blu-ray soon. A review copy is on the way.

And we’ve posted the weekly update of the Release Dates & Artwork section featuring all of the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K cover artwork with Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, whenever you order 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 really do appreciate it. [Read on here...]

This here’s just a quick update to let you all know that we’ve posted a bunch of new disc reviews in the last day or two, including…

Hunter Killer in 4K from Lionsgate (by yours truly)

Creed II in 4K from Warner Bros. (by new Bits reviewer Chase Whale)

A Beautiful Planet in 4K from Mill Creek (also by yours truly)

The Deadly Mantis (1957) on Blu-ray from Scream Factory (by Tim)

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume X.2 on DVD from Shout! Factory (also by Tim)

Berserk (1967) on Blu-ray from Powerhouse/Indicator (also by Tim) [Read on here...]

We’ve some interesting release news today, starting with a little heads-up: Sources say that the long-anticipated official announcement of Ridley Scott’s Alien on 4K Ultra HD is happening very soon. So be sure to watch for that. We’ll have all the details here as soon as they’re official.

In other 4K announcement news, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has made Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down official for release on the format on 5/7.

It will include both the Theatrical and Extended cuts of the film newly remastered in 4K from the original camera negative and featuring an HDR grade approved by Scott. Both will also feature a new Dolby Atmos sound mix. [Read on here...]

All right, today’s post was meant to go live yesterday, but we had some server glitches and crashed that took us offline for a while. As such, we’re playing catch up a little bit today. But we’ve expanded the post with today’s news and reviews so. So here we go…

First up, Tim Salmons has turned in his thoughts on Vincent Ward’s Vigil, now available in a new Special Edition Blu-ray from Arrow Video, as well as Scream Factory’s In the Mouth of Madness: Collector’s Edition. Also, David Steigman has taken a look at on Arrow’s The Case of the Scorpion’s Tale: Special Edition on Blu-ray, along with Cleopatra Entertainment’s China Salesman. And Dennis Seuling has reviewed Fredric Hobbs’s Godmonster of Indian Flats on Blu-ray from AGFA and Something Weird Video, as well as 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s Love, Simon on Blu-ray.

Now then... Prime Day was a little bit of a disaster yesterday, what with Amazon.com having all kind of outages. But the good news is that they’re having a special sale today for Prime members on many great 4K titles. They have over 175 great titles for just $15 each today! Act quick if you want to take advantage via this link. (Doing so will help support our work here at The Bits and we appreciate it!) [Read on here...]

Thanks to our friends at HBO, we’re giving away ONE copy of Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season in 4K Ultra HD on The Bits’ Facebook page today!

All you have to do is follow the page (linked here), and respond in the comments section of this post (linked here) with your favorite quote from the show. (US residents only, please – sorry!)

The giveaway is open until 11:59 PM Pacific tonight. We’ll draw at random from all the entries up to that time and announce the winner here and on Facebook tomorrow morning.

Good luck!

- Bill Hunt

(You can follow Bill on social media at these links: Twitter and Facebook)

All right, the big news today is that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has set Tomb Raider (2018) for release on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 6/12, with the Digital release expected on 5/29. The 4K disc will feature both Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio, and the film was finished as a 4K Digital Intermediate. Extras will include 4 featurettes (Tomb Raider: Uncovered, Croft Training, Breaking Down the Rapids, and Lara Croft: Evolution of an Icon). We’ve updated the 4K Ultra HD Release List here at The Bits accordingly. You can see the cover artwork to the left and also below. We’ll add the Blu-ray 3D cover artwork as soon as we have it.

By the way, we’ve also updated the 4K Ultra HD Release List with new information from retail and industry sources, which suggest that Avengers: Infinity War will be an August release. Also, Disney MAY be planning to release Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron on 4K with it. Paramount is releasing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on 7/17. Universal is working on Deer Hunter for July. Warner appears to be prepping The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions to follow the original film to 4K late this year. And finally, Sony may be prepping Panic Room for release on BD and 4K this year. As always, we caution you to consider all of this information Rumor Mill-worthy until the studios make official announcements.

One last 4K note: We expect to have our hands on Paramount’s Braveheart and Gladiator, along with Warner’s The Matrix, on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray by the end of the week or early next. Rest assured, we’ll get in-depth reviews up here at The Bits as soon as they come in. [Read on here...]

All right, big release news today...

As we first reported was coming a few weeks ago here on The Bits, HBO has just officially announced the 4K Ultra HD release of Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season on 6/5. The discs will include Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos object-based audio. You can see the cover artwork at the left and below. The package will include all 10 episodes in Ultra HD with the previous BD bonus features in their original HD, plus a Digital copy code.

That bonus content includes: Animated Histories, Anatomy of an Episode, Cast Auditions, Making of Game of Thrones, Characters Profiles, Creating the Show Open, From the Book to the Screen, The Night’s Watch, Creating the Dothraki Language, and 7 episode Audio Commentaries with the cast and crew. [Read on here...]