Displaying items by tag: Orson Welles

We’ve got a couple odds and ends for you today...

First, the big news... Shout! Factory has just reached a multi-year distribution agreement with the Portland-based Laika animation studio. The deal gives Shout! the U.S. packaged media distribution rights to the studio’s first four films: Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), The Boxtrolls (2014), ParaNorman (2012), and Coraline (2009). According to the report on The Hollywood Reporter, new bonus content is already in development for these films. Not only are new Blu-rays obviously in the offing, we can’t help thinking how great these titles would look again on Blu-ray 3D and for the first time on 4K Ultra HD as well.

Also today, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has just announced Supernatural: The Fifteenth and Final Season and Supernatural: The Complete Series for Blu-ray and DVD release on 5/25. The Fifteenth Season set includes 2 new featurettes, deleted scenes, a gag reel, and more (SRP $49.99 for Blu-ray and $44.98 for DVD). The Complete Series set includes all 327 episodes and all the previous bonus content, plus a 68-page book (SRP $359.99 for Blu-ray and $329.99 for DVD). [Read on here...]

We start the new week with a few more Blu-ray reviews, including Tim’s review of Absurd from Severin Films, David’s look at Street Mobster from Arrow Video, and Dennis’ take on Gun Crazy from the Warner Archive Collection. Enjoy!

Also, we’ve posted another new update of the Release Dates & Artwork section featuring all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. And as we work our way towards Thanksgiving and Black Friday week, we ask that whenever you’re going to shop on Amazon for literally anything, please consider starting by clicking through one of our links (link this one). It makes a real difference in helping us to keep The Bits and we really do appreciate it.

In terms of announcement news, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has just set Jonathan Demme’s Philadelphia: 25th Anniversary Edition for release on 4K Ultra HD on 11/27, just as we expected. All of the existing extras will carry over, and there will be a new featurette with new Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, and Mary Steenburgen interviews too. Audio will be Dolby Atmos and there will be HDR10 high dynamic range. [Read on here...]

We’re kicking things off today with a trio of new Blu-ray reviews, including...

Tim’s look at Peter Medak’s The Changeling (1980), available in a new limited edition from Severin Films.

David’s thoughts on William Castle’s Strait-Jacket (1963) from Scream Factory.

And Dennis’ take on the 2004 remake of Walking Tall, starring Dwayne Johnson, from MVD Visual.

We’ve also posted the weekly update of the Release Dates & Artwork section, featuring all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, whenever you order literally anything from Amazon after clicking to them through one of our links (like this one), you’re helping to support our work here at The Bits and we really appreciate it. [Read on here...]

“Casino Royale is the Star Wars Holiday Special of James Bond films.” — 007 historian John Cork

The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the 50th anniversary of the release of Casino Royale, the James Bond comedy spoof starring Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, David Niven, Orson Welles and Woody Allen.

Our previous celebratory 007 articles include Tomorrow Never Dies, Die Another Day, Dr. No, The Living Daylights, The Spy Who Loved Me, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, Casino Royale, For Your Eyes Only, Thunderball, GoldenEye, A View to a Kill, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Goldfinger, and 007… Fifty Years Strong.

The Bits continues the series with this retrospective featuring a Q&A with an esteemed group of James Bond historians who discuss the virtues, shortcomings and legacy of Casino Royale (1967). [Read on here...]

We’ve got a bunch of good stuff for you today here at The Bits so let’s get right to it...

First up, Tim has just posted his review of Tibor Takacs’ The Gate from Lionsgate, part of their new Vestron Video Collector’s Series. The disc is now available in stores.

Meanwhile, Michael Coate has chimed in with a new History, Legacy & Showmanship column, celebrating today’s 40th anniversary of the hit ABC sitcom Three’s Company. It features an interview with author and series authority Chris Mann. Do give it a look. [Read on here…]

“Citizen Kane towers over most other films. Few are in its league. It has a legacy for filmmakers as the film to beat, and for critics as one of the best of the best.” — Young Orson: The Years of Luck and Genius on the Path to Citizen Kane author Patrick McGilligan

The Digital Bits is pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the diamond anniversary of the release of Citizen Kane, Orson Welles’s legendary film about newspaper tycoon Charles Foster Kane and the pursuit of the meaning of “Rosebud.” [Read on here...]

[Editor’s Note: Be sure to follow us on Twitter @thedigitalbits @BillHuntBits and on Facebook here and here. And you can help support The Bits by pre-ordering Blu-rays and other items from Amazon through this link.]

We’ve got some good stuff for you today here at The Bits, including a new column and fine release news too...

First up, our own Michael Coate has just posted a brand new History, Legacy & Showmanship column here at the site, entitled Mighty Wings: Remembering “Top Gun” on its 30th Anniversary. Michael details the film’s original 70mm North American theatrical release and discusses its lasting impact and Tony Scott’s legacy with documentarian Charles de Lauzirika, producer of the excellent Danger Zone: The Making of Top Gun documentary from the 2004 Special Edition DVD (it’s also on the recent Blu-ray edition). Don’t miss it.  [Read on here…]

[Editor’s Note: Do you have family and friends who love film, Blu-ray and DVD? Invite them to like TheDigitalBits.com page on Facebook for live updates when new content gets posted here!]

We have a really fascinating mix of interesting release news for you guys today.

First, Dr. Jahnke has a new An Honor to Be Nominated column for you this afternoon, featuring a look back at Sydney Pollack’s Tootsie (1982). Enjoy!  [Read on here…]

The big release news today is that Disney has just officially set The Lone Ranger for Blu-ray Combo and Digital release on 12/17.  Extras will include a blooper reel, a deleted scene and 3 behind-the-scenes featurettes (totaling about 32 minutes – Riding the Rails of The Lone Ranger, Armies’ Western Road Trip and Becoming a Cowboy).  You’ll find the final official cover artwork below.

PBS Distribution has announced an American Experience: War of the Worlds DVD release on 11/29, honoring the 75th anniversary of the original Orson Welles / Mercury Theater radio broadcast on 10/30.  [Read on here…]

All right, we’ve got still more good news for you guys today…

First up, our friends at Kino Lorber tell us they’re hard at work on some great new Blu-ray and DVD titles for release through the end of this year, including a deluxe version of F.W. Murnau’s original Nosferatu (1922), as well as Orson Welles’ The Trial (1962) and Alexander Sokurov’s groundbreaking Russian Ark (2002)!  For you New York-area readers, Russian Ark will also re-open theatrically on 9/6 as an exclusive engagement at the Film Forum in NYC prior to the BD/DVD release.  For those of you who haven’t seen it, Russian Ark features one of the longest continuous shots in film history, was (at least at the time) the longest film ever created in single take, and was shot with some 2000 actors and 3 live orchestras using 33 rooms of The Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.  It’s pretty amazing.  In any case, all three titles are very welcome additions to the Blu-ray format.

Also today, if there are any Criterion fans in the house (and who isn’t a fan of The Criterion Collection?), Barnes & Noble is running their regular 50% off Criterion titles sale again through July 29th.  So now’s a great time to stock up and fill missing spots in your Criterion BD and DVD libraries.