Today’s update is a quick one, but we do have some good catalog news to share with all of you...

First up, Scream Factory has just officially revealed that they’re releasing Paul W. S. Anderson’s sci-fi/horror film Event Horizon (1997) as a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray on 9/29 (that street date is tentative, as the pandemic is causing a little turmoil with their release schedule). The good news is, it will be mastered from a new 4K scan of the film and there will be new extras.

Also newly revealed: Scream will be releasing a Ghost Ship: Collector’s Edition on 9/22, and will be reissuing the original The Vincent Price Collection Blu-ray package on 9/22. This will include the same films, but due to rights issues the original vintage introductions have to be removed. However, Scream is apparently creating some new content to ease the loss.

With GKids, Shout! Factory is also releasing a pair of Japanese anime titles on Blu-ray in September, including Makoto Shinkai’s Weathering With You (on 9/15—note that Shinkai is also the director of the popular Your Name) and Hayao Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises (on 9/22). [Read on here...]

We’re kicking off a new week with a pair of 4K Ultra HD reviews from Sony’s terrific new Columbia Classics 4K Collection: Volume 1 box set, which streets on June 16th. Now available for your reading pleasure are my thoughts on Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove (1964) and David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia (1962). Both look and sound better than ever. Before you ask, these films are ONLY available in this box set for now, and it does not appear that Sony has any plans to release them individually this year (though it’s certainly possible that could change later in 2020 or 2021).

Also up here at The Bits today is a review of Dorothy Arzner’s Dance, Girl, Dance (1940) on Blu-ray from Criterion by Dennis, and my own look at Kino Lorber’s animated The Inspector (1965-69) on Blu-ray—part of a larger series of reviews on the DePatie-Freleng Collection I hope to post over the coming weeks.

In other news today, Arrow Films has announced a UK only release of David Fincher’s The Game for Blu-ray on July 24th (SRP £44.99). It’s limited to 3K units and will include a 200-page hardback book. On this side of the Pond, Universal controls the title, so we’ll have to wait and see if Arrow Video has licensed it for release here in the States at some point. [Read on here...]

We’re kicking things off today with a new Blu-ray review from Dennis...

He’s taken a look at Jon Avnet’s Three Christs (2017) now on disc from IFC Films and Shout! Factory. The film stars Richard Gere, Peter Dinklage, Bradley Whitford, and Walton Goggins. Do give it a look.

Meanwhile today, Arrow Video US has announced its June 2020 Blu-ray slate, which is set to include François Reichenbach’s American as Seen by a Frenchman on 6/2, Harley Cokeliss’ Dream Demon and Tomu Uchida’s The Mad Fox on 6/23, and a new Limited Edition of Sergio Corbucci’s Django on 6/30.

From Arrow’s announcement: “The film is presented here in an exclusive new restoration with a wealth of extras including the newly restored bonus feature Texas Adios, which also stars Franco Nero, and was released as Django 2 in several territories.” [Read on here...]

Well... what a fu@%ing year the last week has been here in the States. Here’s hoping the new week fares a little better.

We begin it with a little bit of 4K Ultra HD release news, and some new reviews too.

Let’s get to the reviews first...

Our very own Tim Salmons has checked out Michael Curtiz’s King Creole (1958), a classic Elvis title now on Blu-ray from Paramount. Sounds like this one is a little better than To Catch a Thief was, but it does seem that the Paramount Presents line is off to a bit of a rough start. Here’s hoping the studio gets it together on these.

Tim has also posted reviews of John Hughes’ Sixteen Candles (1984) on Blu-ray from Arrow Video and Norman Z. McLeod’s Alice in Wonderland (1933) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Do give them a look. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a little surprise for you all today...

Arrow Video has just joined Team 4K! They’ve apparently licensed the North American rights from Studio Canal to Flash Gordon (1980) in the US and Canada and are delivering the film on both Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD in August. Each will be available in both regular and Limited Editions.

They’ve also licensed the rights (from Universal) to David Twohy’s Pitch Black (2000) on Blu-ray and 4K in North America and the UK and are bringing that title out in August as well!

Additional Blu-ray only titles coming in August from Arrow Video are a double feature of Yasuzo Masumura’s Black Test Car (1962) and The Black Report (1963) and Richard Driscoll’s The Comic (1985). The Comic will also be available in regular and Limited Editions. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got one new disc review for you today: Tim has taken a look at John Hughes’ Sixteen Candles on Blu-ray from Arrow Video. Sounds like it’s a pretty nice release, so do check out his thoughts here.

In announcement news today, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has just set DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Fifth Season for release on Blu-ray on DVD on 9/22. You’ll get all 15 episodes along with deleted scenes, a gag reel, and the DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Season 5 Post Production Theater featurette. As is the case with many of Warner’s recent DC live action releases, you’ll also get the Blu-ray bonus disc with all 5 episodes of the DC Crossover Event Crisis on Infinite Earths plus additional extras.

he big catalog 4K news today is that Second Sight in the UK has just finally revealed the specs of—and launched the pre-orders for—their long awaited 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray restoration of George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead. But there’s good news and bad news. [Read on here...]

Afternoon, folks! Hope you all had a great long weekend—at least those of you here in the States. And for the rest of you, I hope this post finds you all safe and sound.

We’ve got a couple of interesting items for you today.

First though, I wanted to let you all know that I’m currently working on my review of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws in 4K Ultra HD. The 4K restoration is terrific. And I hope to have that review up for you later this afternoon or early this evening, so be sure to watch for it then.

Meanwhile, Tim and Dennis have turned in a couple new Blu-ray Disc reviews, including Tim’s take on Kevin Connor’s From Beyond the Grave (1974) from the Warner Archive Collection, as well as Dennis’ thoughts on David Miller’s Lonely Are the Brave (1962) from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, and also his look at Leigh Whannell’s recent take on The Invisible Man (2020) from Universal and Blumhouse. Enjoy! [Read on here...]

We’ve got some good stuff for you here at the site today! So let’s get right into it.

First of all, we’ve posted a trio of new 4K Ultra HD reviews...

Late last night, I posted my in-depth thoughts on John Landis’ The Blues Brothers, new in 4K Ultra HD from Universal. I love this film and the good news is that it’s never looked and sounded better. Check it out here.

Also today, Tim has posted reviews of Blue Underground’s new 4K Ultra HD editions of William Lustig’s Maniac (1980) and Lucio Fulci’s Zombie (1979). These too have never looked better, but do be aware that the cover artwork pictured here on The Bits is NOT the final artwork.

We have to censor the cover art on some of these horror titles or Google flags them as offensive, which crushes our advertising. And we need advertising to survive, so there it is. Anyway, enjoy the titles! Blue Underground does great work. [Read on here...]

“The Empire Strikes Back should be remembered as one of the greatest films of all time!” — Skywalking through Neverland co-host Richard Woloski

The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the 40th anniversary of the release of The Empire Strikes Back, the middle act of George Lucas’s original Star Wars trilogy and one of the most celebrated and beloved sequels of all time.

The Empire Strikes Back (aka Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back) was directed by Irvin Kershner (The Flim-Flam Man, Eyes of Laura Mars) and starred Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, reprising their popular roles of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia, respectively.

As well, Empire featured returning cast members Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), David Prowse (Darth Vader), and an uncredited James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader. Newly introduced in Empire were Lando Calrissian (played by Billy Dee Williams) and Yoda (performed by Frank Oz and a team of muppeteers). [Read on here...]

All right, we’re working on FOUR more 4K Ultra HD reviews for the next couple of days, at least of the first of which we hope to have posted later this afternoon.

In the meantime, we’ve just launched our second giveaway on The Digital Bits’ Facebook page, offering readers the chance to win one of Paramount’s three new Tom Cruise 4K Ultra HD titles – Top Gun, Days of Thunder, or War of the Worlds. All you have to do to enter is follow The Bits’ Facebook page and reply to this post (linked here) with your answer to the question you’ll find. Entries will be accepted until 11 AM Pacific tomorrow (Thursday, May 21). The contest is open to US residents only (due to COVID shipping restrictions—sorry!). THREE winners will be selected at random from the list of those who enter and will be announced tomorrow afternoon. Good luck!

Meanwhile today, we have a bit more announcement news... [Read on here...]