Displaying items by tag: Scream Factory

We’ve got another quick update for you as we work on new disc reviews today. Speaking of which...

I’ve just posted my in-depth thoughts on GKids and Shout! Factory’s new Blu-ray release of Hayao Miyazaki’s 2013 animated masterpiece The Wind Rises. It streets on 9/22, and like all of these new GKids/Shout! Studio Ghibli Blu-ray reissues, it’s absolutely the definitive release of the film on disc for fans in the US. Don’t miss it.

My review of Bill & Ted 4K is up next, and over the weekend I’ll be looking at Goonies and Beetlejuice 4K as well. Tim and Dennis are hard at work on reviews too. So be sure to watch for those.

Now then... the big 4K announcement news today is that StudioCanal has officially set the 4K Ultra HD release of Paul Verhoeven’s Total Recall: 30th Anniversary Edition in the UK for 23 November. The 16-bit 4K scan and remaster was done from the original camera negative, with color grading in HDR10 and Dolby Vision HDR. [Read on here...]

All right, today’s post is a quick one because I’m spending the disc and evening working on new disc reviews.

BUT... we’ve got something fun for you fans of Friday the 13th today—the complete list of extras that Shout! Factory and Scream are packing into their forthcoming Friday the 13th Collection: Deluxe Edition box set, which is due on 10/13.

So here’s the text of their press release with the complete list:

“LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Scream Factory has just announced the full list of exciting and shockingly extensive bonus features that will be included in the Friday the 13th Collection: Deluxe Edition, to be released on October 13th, 2020 (see full list below).

“In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the original and groundbreaking 1980 film Friday the 13th, the 16-disc set is the definitive Blu-ray collection of one of the most influential horror franchises ever created and includes all 12 original films from Paramount Pictures and New Line Cinema. [Read on here...]

We have some new release news, announcements, and an interesting rumor to report on today. But first, we’ve got some new disc reviews here at The Bits for you, including...

Tim’s look at Terence Fisher’s 1962 Hammer Studios production of The Phantom of the Opera, available now as a new Collector’s Edition Blu-ray from our friends at Scream Factory. He’s also taken a look at John Harrison’s Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, also available on Collector’s Edition Blu-ray from Scream.

[Editor’s Note: While you’re listening to the audio commentary with Harrison and George Romero on that disc, know that I was in the booth as it was being recorded back in November of 2001. You can see my coverage of the day here on The Bits, complete with pictures. John’s become a friend over the years, and let me tell you, George was every bit as warm and lovely a human being as you’d hope. It makes me very happy to see this film and commentary get another appearance on disc for fans to rediscover.]

Not done yet with reviews... I’ve just posted my thoughts on David Twohy’s Pitch Black, soon to arrive on 4K Ultra HD from our friends at Arrow Video. The film really does benefit from both the new 4K scan of the original camera negative and the HDR grade, though the audio is the same 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix found on the previous Blu-ray. The disc is also loaded with extras, including nearly all the legacy content and new material too. It’s a worthy upgrade for fans. Note however that the title shipped without a slipcover due to a production problem. So if you happen to be surprised that your copy doesn’t have a slipcover, that’s why. [Read on here...]

Well, the new week is here. And unfortunately, in the wake of our post on Friday about Walt Disney Home Entertainment’s catalog 4K plans (or lack thereof), the news today isn’t good either...

Per Deadline this morning, WarnerMedia has begun a round of layoffs and restructuring meant to help the company survive the pandemic and its resulting economic downturn. Jeffrey R. Schlesinger (President, Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution), Ron Sanders (President, Worldwide Theatrical Distribution & Home Entertainment and EVP, International Business Operations), and Kim Williams (EVP and Chief Financial Officer, Warner Bros. Entertainment) are all “exiting” the company per this arrangement. Ron Sanders has been with the company for almost thirty years, going all the way back to the early days of DVD. So his departure is a big deal. (Our friends at Media Play News have a good profile on Sanders up today here.)

But here’s the rub from the linked Deadline piece... “about 600 employees across multiple divisions are expected to be let go, starting today. Warner Bros Entertainment is believed to be heavily impacted.” [Read on here...]

[UPDATED WITH NEW BUGS BUNNY BLU-RAY DETAILS BELOW.]

BIG release news today, but we’re starting our post with a new Blu-ray review...

Tim has taken a look at Dave Parker’s 2009 Warner Premiere horror film The Hills Run Red, newly released on Blu-ray by Scream Factory. The disc includes nearly 6.5 hours worth of special features created by Parker and the film’s producer, Robert Meyer Burnett, a longtime friend of The Bits. The disc is seriously stacked with extras, so do give it a look.

Speaking of Scream Factory, the company has just announced that their forthcoming Tales from the Darkside: The Movie – Collector’s Edition Blu-ray (due on 8/25) will include audio commentary with co-producer David R. Kappes, the original DVD audio commentary from 2001 with director John Harrison and co-screenwriter George A. Romero (the recording of which was featured here on The Bits at the time), the new 6-part and feature-length Tales Behind the Darkside: The Making of Four Ghoulish Fables documentary (featuring Harrison, producer Mitchell Galin, DP Robert Draper, production designer Ruth Ammon, special make-up & creature effects artists Robert Kurtzman, Greg Nicotero, and Howard Berger, creature performer Michael Deak, actors James Remar and Rae Dawn Chong, and editor Harry B. Miller), the theatrical trailer, TV and radio spots, a compilation of behind-the-scenes footage, and image galleries. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a few good bits of news and such to wrap up the week...

First up though, we’ve just updated our Release Dates & Artwork section with tons of new Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, whenever you pre-order literally anything from our links here at The Bits, you’re helping to support our work and we surely do appreciate it.

Now then, we have word that Mamoru Oshii’s much-loved 1995 anime Ghost in the Shell will indeed street on 4K Ultra HD from Lionsgate on 9/8 (though do keep in mind that this date—while leaked by multiple retail sources now—is not yet officially announced by the studio). What’s more, it’s now available for pre-order on Amazon (here and also by clicking on the art below the break).

Also up for pre-order in 4K from Lionsgate is Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream. No street date is yet listed, but sources tell us it’s likely to arrive on 10/13. Again, you can see the cover artwork below. [Read on here...]

All right, we’re kicking off the new week with more Blu-ray reviews and some GREAT release news too...

First, Tim has offered his thoughts on a pair of new Blu-ray releases, including Bert I. Gordon’s The Spider (1958 – aka Earth vs. the Spider) as well as Freddie Francis’ 1964 Hammer Films classic The Evil of Frankenstein, both available from our friends at Scream Factory.

Speaking of Scream Factory, they’re starting us off with the release news today as well...

Scream has just officially announced that they’re going to be releasing a definitive 16-disc Blu-ray collection of the Friday the 13th series. The Friday the 13th Collection: Deluxe Edition box set will arrive on October 13 and will include all 12 original films from Paramount and New Line Cinema. [Read on here...]

All right, to get things started this week, I’ve posted an in-depth review of Paramount’s new Top Gun 4K Ultra HD release. It’s a major picture and sound upgrade of this film on disc. If you go back and compare its image to the 2008 Blu-ray release, I think you’ll really be surprised at how much of a difference the new 4K remaster makes.

Also today, Dennis has turned in a look at Reed Morano’s The Rhythm Section (2020) on Blu-ray, also from Paramount.

Note that reviews of War of the Worlds and Days of Thunder 4K are coming later this week as well, along with several more regular Blu-ray reviews. So be sure to watch for them.

Now then... in announcement news, Criterion has just announced an amazing 15-disc, 39-film Blu-ray box set for release on 8/11: The Complete Films of Agnès Varda! [Read on here...]

We’ve got a couple of new Blu-ray reviews for you today...

Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Alex Wolff’s The Cat and the Moon (2019) on Blu-ray from MDV Visual Entertainment.

He’s also offered his thoughts on Roy William Neill’s Black Angel (1946) on Blu-ray from Arrow Academy.

And more new reviews are in the offing all this week.

In announcement news today, RLJE Films has set the zombie comedy One Cut of the Dead for release on Blu-ray Steelbook and DVD on 6/2.

Well Go USA has set the western A Soldier’s Revenge for release on Blu-ray and Digital on 6/16. [Read on here...]

We’re starting today with more new Blu-ray reviews, including Dennis’ take on Roy William Neill’s Black Angel (1946) from Arrow Academy.

Tim has also posted his thoughts on Jacques Tourneur’s The Leopard Man (1943) on Blu-ray from Shout! and Scream Factory. Enjoy!

In announcement news today, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has just set The CW’s Batwoman: The Complete First Season for Blu-ray and DVD release on 8/18. The 5-disc set will include all 20 episodes, plus a “limited edition bonus disc” that features all 5 episodes of the DC Crossover Event Crisis on Infinite Earths and “6 Crossover Bonus Features.” Extras on the main set will include On the Set, The Best of DC TV’s Comic-Con Panels San Diego 2019, deleted scenes, and a gag reel. You can see the cover artwork at left. [Read on here...]