[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 another pair of Blu-ray reviews for you today, including Tim’s in-depth look at Michael Mann’s Manhunter: Collector’s Edition BD, which is now available from Scream Factory. And I’ve just posted my thoughts on the Coen Brothers’ latest film, the classic Hollywood screwball comedy Hail, Caesar! which streets on 6/7 from Universal. Do give them a look.  [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 a pair of new reviews for you to start off the week: Our own Tim Salmons has turned in his thoughts on Universal’s Krampus and Jim Hemphill has taken a look at Shout! Factory’s Bad Influence, both of them on regular Blu-ray. Tim’s review also kicks off a new edition of Pick-Ups, in which he’ll have a new review for you each day this week. Do give them all a look.

Meanwhile today, we have a few new announcements...  [Read on here…]

Welcome to a new edition of Pick-Ups!

Thank you for tuning in. Sorry for my absence, but I’ve been on a bit of a vacation. My Mom came down to visit with us, so our focus was on spending some time with her.

While she was here, we did manage to catch Keanu and Captain America: Civil War at the theater. Both were enjoyable and definitely going out and seeing if you haven’t yet (I’m sure most of you have seen the latter movie by now). [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.]

All right, we’ve got a couple things for you today...

First up, as you may have noticed, my review of Fox’s Deadpool on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format went live yesterday afternoon. You can find that here, and I’ll have more on the subject in just a moment. The 4K disc looks and sounds absolutely fantastic, and the included Blu-ray is actually quite a surprisingly nice little special edition too. Don’t miss it.

Also here at the site today, we’ve got a new Blu-ray review from Jim Hemphill, featuring his thoughts on Mike Hodges’ A Prayer for the Dying (1987), now available on disc in HD from Twilight Time. Do check it out.  [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.]

I’ll have more of a daily column post here at The Bits tomorrow, with some pictures and comments on that Fox 4K event I attended yesterday. Meanwhile though, here’s my review of Deadpool on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.  [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.]

Here at The Bits this afternoon, I’ve just turned in a new regular Blu-ray review of Disney’s The Finest Hours, which streets next Tuesday (5/24). It’s a better film that I expected, even if it’s still pretty standard for Disney live-action dramatic fare, but the disc itself is rather bare extras-wise. Anyway, do give it a look.  [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…]

“Up there with the best of the best.”

The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective article commemorating the 30th anniversary of the release of Top Gun, the popular military action-drama starring Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, and Anthony Edwards.

Top Gun, directed by Tony Scott (The Hunger, Crimson Tide) and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer (Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop), opened 30 years ago this week.

To mark the occasion, The Bits features a compilation of box-office data that places the movie’s performance in context, passages from vintage film reviews, a list of the 70-millimeter “showcase” presentations, and, finally, an interview segment with documentarian and Tony Scott associate, Charles de Lauzirika.  [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.]

All right, it’s a bit of a slow day news-wise, but we do have a little bit of announcement news for you...

First up, Cinelicious Pics has announced that they’re releasing Eiichi Yamamoto’s Japanese animated classic Belladonna of Sadness (1973) on Blu-ray on 7/12 (SRP $39.99). It features a new 4K restoration of the film, a new video interview with the director, vintage interviews with the art director and composer, several trailers, and a 16-page booklet. The film has never been released in the States before – think of it in the vein of Fantastic Planet, Heavy Metal, or Wizards. Note that this is an underground film, however, and is definitely not for children. There’s explicit sexuality and brutal violence, but also extraordinary animation for its time. You can read Glenn Kenny’s review of the current revival screening here at The New York Times (it opens today in L.A. through Cinefamily).  [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.]

Afternoon, folks. We’ve got a bit of new announcement news to report today...

First though, we’ve confirmed with Fox that The Martian: Extended Edition on Blu-ray and 4K will include both the theatrical version of the film as well as the new Extended Edition. Just FYI. We’ve asked for confirmation as to whether there are any 3D plans going forward and will let you know when we hear back.

Also here at the site today, our own Russell Hammond has posted the weekly update of the Release Dates & Artwork section with all the latest Blu-ray and DVD cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, a portion of anything you order from Amazon after clicking through our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits and we really do appreciate it.  [Read on here…]