Greeting, Bits-ers! Sorry I’ve been a little MIA here this week. I’ve had a couple unexpected things happening here over the last few days, not the least of which is that my longtime workhorse home theater projector—an Epson 5040UB—decided to die unexpectedly. It appears to be a problem with the mainboard, so I find myself in the position of either having to repair it (which I’m currently investigating) or replacing it (which I’m also researching). If I go with the latter option, it will almost certainly be one of the new JVC models, which I’ve been hearing raves about for a while now. But of course, given the challenges and expenses of running a website in the 21st century—especially at a time when everyone else seems to be publishing everything they do on the wildly passive-aggressive, unvetted information vortex that is social media—suffice it to say that equipment failure was not on my 2022 budgetary Bingo card.

In any case, while I deal with that, I’ve just gotten not only Prey 4K and Loki: The Complete First Season 4K for review, and I’ve already launched into work on a review of the former using my flat panel. So look for that to be posted very soon.

Also today, our very own Stuart Galbraith IV has just chimed in with a review of Imprint’s excellent new Film Focus: Gene Hackman box set, which includes I Never Sang for My Father (1970), Bite the Bullet (1975), March or Die (1977), and The Domino Principle (1977) all on Blu-ray. Enjoy! [Read on here...]

We’ve got a bunch of great title announcement news and “revels” to report today, so let’s get right to it...

First up, our friends at Kino Lorber Studio Classics have just revealed on their social media that they’re working on a new 4K Ultra HD release of Fred Dekker’s The Monster Squad (1987)! And we have street date: Look for it to arrive on 11/28, complete with a new 4K scan of the original camera negative with Dolby Vision HDR on a UHD-100 disc. The 3-disc set will also include the film remastered in 1080p HD on Blu-ray (which will also be available separately) and you’ll get a bonus disc with the Wolfman’s Got Nards (2018) documentary. Plus the set will include a ton of legacy special features. You can see the 4K cover artwork at left.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has also just revealed the Region A/US Blu-ray release of Ron Moore and Apple TV+’s fantastic alternate/near future science fiction series For All Mankind: Season One. Look for that to street on 11/14. Unfortunately, no 4K Ultra HD release is currently planned. Also, the cover artwork leaves a lot to be desired; it’s identical to the key art used on Dazzler’s UK release (which we reviewed here) but it shares nothing in common with the show’s actual logo or promotional artwork, causing a number of fans we’ve heard from to say it looks like a bootleg. In any case, it’s a great series—one of my favorites actually, along with Apple TV’s Foundation—and it’s great to finally have a legit US Blu-ray option. You can see the cover (with the Amazon pre-order link) below the break.

Sony has also just set FX’s Justified: City Primeval – Season One for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 11/14. And we’ve got that cover artwork for you below as well. [Read on here...]

• 1201      Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
• 1202      Lone Star
• 1203      Chantal Akerman Masterpieces, 1968–1978
• 1204      Trainspotting
• 1205      Mudbound
• 1206      Eric Rohmer’s Tales of the Four Seasons
• 1207      The Heroic Trio/Executioners
• 1208      The Roaring Twenties (BD)
• 1209      Nothing but a Man
• 1210      All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
• 1211      The Runner
• 1212      Saint Omer
• 1213      To Die For
• 1214      I Am Cuba
• 1215      Werckmeister Harmonies
• 1216      Dogfight (BD)
• 1217      Three Revolutionary Films by Ousmane Sembène
• 1218      Anatomy of a Fall
• 1219      Girlfight (BD)
• 1220      Bound (BD) (4K)
• 1221      Querelle
• 1222      Victims of Sin
• 1223      The Underground Railroad
• 1224      Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
• 1225      Black God, White Devil
• 1226      Perfect Days
• 1227      Risky Business (BD)
• 1228      Farewell My Concubine
• 1229      Brief Encounters/The Long Farewell: Two Films by Kira Muratova
• 1230      Not a Pretty Picture
• 1231      Real Life (4K)
• 1232      Mother
• 1233      Teen Apocalypse Trilogy (Totally F***ed Up, The Doom Generation, Nowhere)
• 1234      All of Us Strangers
• 1235      Happiness (BD)
• 1236      I Walked with a Zombie/The Seventh Victim: Produced by Val Lewton (4K)
• 1237      Demon Pond
• 1238      Gummo
• 1239      Scarface (1932) (4K)
• 1240      Funny Girl
• 1241      Paper Moon
• 1242      The Shape of Water
• 1243      No Country for Old Men (BD) (4K)
• 1244      Eastern Condors
• 1245      The Mother and the Whore
• 1246      The Grifters (BD)
• 1247      Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling
• 1248      Winchester ’73 (BD)
• 1249      King Lear (1987)
• 1250      Crossing Delancey
• 1251      Drugstore Cowboy
• 1252      Performance
• 1253      A Woman of Paris
• 1254      Godzilla vs. Biollante (4K)
• 1255      Night Moves (4K)
• 1256      Choose Me
• 1257      Jean de Florette / Manon of the Spring: Two Films by Claude Berri
• 1258      Prince of Broadway
• 1259      Anora
• 1260      Basquiat
• 1261      The Wind Will Carry Us (1999)
• 1262      Killer of Sheep (1978)
• 1263      The Three Musketeers (1973)/The Four Musketeers (1974) (4K)
• 1264      The Wiz
• 1265      Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser
• 1266      Midnight
• 1267      Sorcerer (4K) (BD)
• 1268      Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould
• 1269      The Big Heat
• 1270      Carnal Knowledge (BD)
• 1271      You Can Count on Me
• 1272      Shoeshine
• 1273      Cairo Station
• 1274      Compensation
• 1275      A Confucian Confusion / Mahjong: Two Films by Edward Yang
• 1276      Saving Face
• 1277      Born in Flames
• 1278      Flow
• 1279      The Beat That My Heart Skipped
• 1280      Read My Lips
• 1281      Isle of Dogs
• 1282      The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
• 1283      A History of Violence
• 1284      Altered States
• 1285      Deep Crimson
• 1286      Nightmare Alley
• 1287      House Party
• 1288      Hell’s Angels
• 1289      Él
• 1290      Eyes Wide Shut
• 1291      Return to Reason: Four Films by Man Ray
• 1292      Salaam Bombay!
• 1293      Pee-wee’s Big Adventure
• 1294      David Byrne’s American Utopia
• 1295      The Dead
• 1296      Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project No. 5
• 1297      Captain Blood
• 1298      Birth
• 1299      Kiss of the Spider Woman
• 1300      Network

Welcome to the new week, Bits-ers! We’re starting as always today with a trio of new disc reviews for you to check out...

Stuart has offered his thoughts on Andrei Konchalovsky’s Duet for One (1986) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Dennis has delivered a look at Renato Polselli’s Delirium (1972) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.

And Tim rounds things out with his review of George A. Romero’s Creepshow (1982) in 4K Ultra HD from Scream Factory.

We also have several more reviews currently in the works for the next few days, so be sure to keep checking back for them.

The big news this morning is that the Criterion Collection has just unveiled its December slate of titles, including one new 4K Ultra HD release. The slate includes an upgraded version of Allen Baron’s Blast of Silence (1961) (Spine #428 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 12/5, followed by The Red Balloon and Other Stories: Five Films by Albert Lamorisse (1951-1965) (Spine #1200 – Blu-ray and DVD – includes Bim, the Little Donkey, White Mane, The Red Balloon, Stowaway in the Sky, and Circus Angel) and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022) (Spine #1201 – 4K UHD + Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD) on 12/12.

You can see the cover art for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio at left and all three of them below the break. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got just a quick batch of announcements to catch up on this morning...

First of all, just as we first reported here at The Bits many weeks ago, Paramount has officially set Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One for Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release on 10/31, with the Digital version due on 10/10. Expect Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio on the 4K.

Extras on the disc will include audio commentary by McQuarrie and editor Eddie Hamilton, plus a Deleted Scenes Montage, and 7 featurettes (Rome, Venice, Freefall, Speed Flying, Train, and Editorial Featurette: The Sevastopol). Look for 2 4K SKUs... a regular Amaray version and a Steelbook version. You can see the cover artwork at left and also below.

Also today, Lionsgate has set Talk to Me for physical media release on 10/3. It appears that there will be multiple versions: 4K + Blu-ray + Digital, Blu-ray + DVD + Digital, Amazon-exclusive 4K + Blu-ray + Digital, and Walmart Blu-ray + DVD + Digital. [Read on here...]

All right, as mentioned earlier, we’ve got more release news to cover today here at The Bits. But first some new disc reviews...

Stephen has checked out Paul Verhoeven’s cult classic Showgirls (1995) on 4K Ultra HD from Vinegar Syndrome, which features the film in 4K UHD and Blu-ray, along with an additional Blu-ray full of special features. Stephen has also reviewed Peter Greenaway’s The Draughtsman’s Contract (1982) on Blu-ray from Zeitgeist Films and Kino Lorber.

Also today, Dennis has offered his thoughts on George Cukor’s Little Women (1955) and Abe Levitow’s animated Gay Purr-ee (1962), both new on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

And Stuart has taken a look at the Norwegian legal drama Aber Bergen: Complete Series from MHz Networks and Kino Lorber, as well as Inés Toharia Terán’s Film: The Living Record of Our Memory (2021) documentary from Kino Lorber, both of them on DVD, along with the Warner Archive Collection’s Tintin and the Mystery of the Golden Fleece (1961) and Tintin and the Blue Oranges (1964) double feature Blu-ray.

Now then, speaking of Warner, Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment and DC Studios have announced the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of the Netflix original series The Sandman: The Complete First Season on 11/18, with a Digital release expected on 9/18. Note that a second season of the series is already on the way from Netflix. The set will include all 11 episodes, along with a pair of featurettes (The Sandman: Behind the Scenes Sneak Peek and The World of The Endless). You can see the cover artwork at left and also below. [Read on here...]

We’ve got a bunch of ground to cover here at The Bits, so we’re going to post a couple of news updates here today. For the first one this afternoon, we’re going to talk about a new Disney release that was announced on Sunday of all days (naturally, when I was too busy doing a bunch of work around the house to see the press release in time). So let’s get right into it...

Disney has officially revealed a new Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection, featuring 100 animated films from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Pixar Animation Studios, which is set to street on 11/14. The box set—which will retail for the whopping price of $1,500—is only going available from Walmart.com, with pre-orders expected to start on 9/18. What’s more, this is obviously an extremely limited release, very likely with just a few thousand copies produced. So if you want it, don’t wait. It will likely sell out very quickly.

The question that must be asked, of course, is: Should you want it? And to help you answer that, we’ve got some exclusive additional details for you...

As announced, the box set will include all 100 films on Blu-ray Disc (more on that in a minute), along with Digital codes for each title, plus “a copy of the original theatrical poster art, a collectible lithograph from Disney Animation’s new musical comedy Wish, and a collectible crystal Mickey ears hat with exclusive Disney 100 engraving.” [Read on here...]

“The Animated Series was the first real demonstration that Star Trek had a life beyond The Original Series. It was the beginning of a huge period of Trek merchandise and fan interest that eventually paved the way for the Trek movies and subsequent TV shows, and it was an Emmy-winning program that brought some of Trek's sophistication to Saturday morning.” — Jeff Bond, co-author of Star Trek: The Motion Picture—Inside the Art & Visual Effects

The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the 50th anniversary of Star Trek: The Animated Series, the first “sequel” show to Gene Roddenberry’s legendary 1960s science-fiction series.

For the occasion, The Bits has reached out to several Treksperts and animation authorities and even an original Trek writer, each of whom reflects on the series, its virtues, and where it stands in the Trek franchise. [Read on here...]

We’ve got one more quick update for you today here at The Bits. But first, we have two new disc reviews from Stephen...

He’s taken a look at Thom Eberhardt’s Night of the Comet (1984) in 4K Ultra HD from Shout and Scream Factory. And he’s also reviewed Scott Walker’s The Tank (2023) on Blu-ray from Well Go USA Entertainment.

Now then, the quick bit of news we have to report today is a follow up on something we predicted was coming here at The Bits several months back, which is that Universal Studios Home Entertainment is officially releasing the next wave of Alfred Hitchcock 4K Ultra HD titles on 10/31!

You’ll get the next box set of five films—The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection: Volume 3—as well as 4K single-film SKUs of each of the films in the set, including Rope (1948), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), Torn Curtain (1966), Topaz (1969), and Frenzy (1972). You can see the cover art for the box at left, and the singles below the break. [Read on here...]

We’re back as promised this morning with another big announcement news round-up (and definitely be sure to check out our packed news update from yesterday evening as well, if you missed it)...

We’ll start with Barbie news (and there’s a phrase I officially never imagined I’d say): Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment has just set Greta Gerwig’s pink-hued box office bonanza for “Premium Digital” release on 9/12 (SRP $29.99). Extras will include 6 behind-the-scenes featurettes (Welcome to Barbie Land, Becoming Barbie, Playing Dress-Up, Musical Make Believe, All-Star Barbie Part, and It’s a Weird World). The physical media release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD will be announced at a later date (but our sources are still telling us to expect it on 10/3).

Also today, Kino Lorber Studio Classics has officially announced that Billy Wilder’s Stalag 17 (1953) is coming on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD on 11/21! Also coming that day on Blu-ray only is Clive Donner’s Babes in Toyland (1986), featuring both 1.33:1 and 1.78:1 aspect ratio versions. And coming on 11/14 on Blu-ray only will be Monte Markham’s Neon City (1991).

Stalag 17 will include a new 4K scan of the original camera negative with Dolby Vision HDR. The Blu-ray will also be mastered from the new 4K scan. Each disc will include new audio commentary with film historians Steve Mitchell and Steven Jay Rubin, as well as a second commentary with film historian Joseph McBride. You’ll also get the legacy commentary with Richard Erdman, Gil Stratton, and Donald Bevan, as well as 2 featurettes (Stalag 17: From Reality to the Screen and The Real Heroes of Stalag XVII B).

In terms of titles that are coming soon from KLSC, a 4K Ultra HD release of Clint Eastwood’s Play Misty for Me (1971) is in the offing. And the company has revealed that Kino Cult and Something Weird are working together on a Two Cult Classics by Betty Page Blu-ray double feature of Varietease (1954) and Teaserama (1955). Look for that to street sometime in 2024. [Read on here...]