“Death of the what? DVD is not dead, at all,” Kevin Costner said. “That’s what they’d have you believe. Maybe it’s not making the same amount of money, but just try to go ask for that from the studio. They won’t give that up. A lot of people that like my movies, they can’t get to a theater, and they’re waiting for that moment. You can’t make your film for the opening weekend. You have to make it for its life.“

There doesn't appear to be any new special features. It has Dolby Vision, but no Atmos.

Pre-order: Amazon · Barnes & Noble · Deep Discount · Walmart

The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee features interviews with friends, family members and famous directors.

Jon Spira, from Headington, Oxford, had access to Lee's scrapbooks and 100 interviews from the British Film Institute's library.

The filmmaker tells the BBC the actor's life was an "incredible story" waiting to be told.

Lee starred in more than 250 films across eight decades, including the Hammer Horror, James Bond, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars franchises.

But as Spira's film explains, he had a military career during World War Two still shrouded in mystery, and helped track down Nazi war criminals.

"Because he could speak fluently a range of different languages he got pulled into the secret service doing missions of which the facts have never fully come out," Spira explains.

"His cousin was Ian Fleming and a lot of people think the character of James Bond was based on him.

"He certainly didn't do anything to disavow people of that.

"You could almost do this as two films. That's why we called it The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee, because his life is one story and his career is another."

...

The documentary also takes some flights of fantasy.

It is narrated by a string puppet of Christopher Lee made by the team behind Wes Anderson's animated movies, and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz.

A stop-motion sequence is directed by Sandman illustrator Dave McKean.

Spira is crowdfunding for its Blu-ray release because he believes less effort has been made with physical media of late.

He said: "There's a whole market of people who are being forgotten that really love film, want to own it, and maybe don't trust that these things will always be streaming."

He has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise £40,000 "to do something really special" for collectors.

Kickstarter

The Guyver is a 1991 flick loosely based on a Japanese Manga, which was initially put out (in a heavily truncated version) by New Line Cinema on home video. It did well enough to get a sequel, Guyver: Dark Hero, but it’s a movie that hasn’t been super easy to see over the years – until now that is.

Unearthed Films, the same that rescued Martin Campbell’s awesome No Escape, is putting out The Guyver in fresh 4K edition packed with extras. Here’s the details:

...

The 4K UHD + Blu-ray + CD Soundtrack Limited Collector’s Edition includes new commentary with co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang, a new interview with producer Brian Yuzna and co-director Screaming Mad George, outtakes with commentary by co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang, a new gag reel, a new production and artwork gallery, an alternate title sequence, trailers, and The Guyver soundtrack, composed by Matthew Morse.

The Guyver hits 4K disc on June 25th.

NOTE: The picture above is of the Walmart-exclusive SteelBook. The regular 4K release will not look like this.

Special Features

Extras include commentary by director Adam Wingard and multiple featurettes that delve into the histories and origins of these Titans. Journey deep into the heart of our world to discover the spectacular Hollow Earth and meet the new characters, get an inside look at the film's epic battles, and go behind the scenes with Wingard and the cast and crew.

And yes, the disc will have Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, but there will be no IMAX aspect ratio.

Pre-order: Amazon (US) · Amazon (UK) · GRUV · Walmart

My The Abyss upgrade arrived and i’m very happy with it!

Top 20 Selling Blu-ray Discs

1. The Beekeeper
2. Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part Two
3. The Departed
4. The Abyss
5. Nostalghia
6. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
7. The Iron Claw
8. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
9. Oppenheimer
10. Dune: Part One
11. Wonka
12. The Marvels
13. Migration
14. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
15. Lisa Frankenstein
16. Wish
17. Lars Von Trier's The Kingdom Trilogy
18. Avatar: The Way of Water
19. The Cat and the Canary
20. Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part One

Source: NPD VideoScan First Alert (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Top 20 Selling 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs

1. The Departed
2. The Abyss
3. Nostalghia
4. The Beekeeper
5. Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part Two
6. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
7. Oppenheimer
8. Rolling Thunder
9. Steel Magnolias
10. Dune: Part One
11. True Lies
12. Major League
13. The Marvels
14. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
15. Prey
16. I Am Cuba
17. Planet Earth III
18. Wonka
19. Goodbye Uncle Tom
20. Blade Runner 2049

Source: NPD VideoScan First Alert (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

https://www.mediaplaynews.com/research/top-20-selling-blu-ray-and-4k-discs-for-week-ended-4-27-24/

I find this decision strange and confusing. Hoprfully this won't impact the box office too much.

Pre-order: Amazon (US) • Amazon (UK) • GRUV • Zavvi

So, I’ve just started looking at @ParamountMovies ’ ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST #4K #UltraHD disc, and I can tell right away (and I’m sad to report) that it’s going to be divisive. And if you’ve seen the film in 4K Digital version on Vudu, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. (It’s been available there since mid-2022.)

I believe the most recent work was done in 2018 by Paramount’s remastering team, working with L’Immagine Ritrovata and The Film Foundation. The 4K disc includes the 165-minute extended edition of the film, reportedly sourced from the original 35m Techniscope camera negative, and its supposedly been graded to honor “the 2007 Film Foundation photochemical restoration overseen by legendary director Martin Scorsese by matching its build and color palette.” But this 4K HDR grade looks a good deal warmer to me than the 2011 Blu-ray sourced from that work. Highlights are more natural here and shadows are deeper, as you’d expect from HDR, but some fine detail has definitely been lost to noise reduction that’s obviously been employed to reduce grain. What grain remains is a vague digital swirl, and the underlying image looks softer now overall compared to the previous Blu-ray. The 4K image is obviously “cleaner” in its appearance, and to some novice cinephiles that will automatically mean “better.” (You know the type: The folks who write breathless reviews on Amazon and social media saying: “Don’t trust the haters!”)

But this is a film that should look a little gritty and it doesn’t. (Note that the new Blu-ray included in this package is based on the 4K remaster—it’s not the same disc as before.) Some additional notes: The 4K disc is a UHD-66, with video data rates around 35-40Mbps. Audio options are 5.1 DTS-HD MA and original mono in lossy Dolby Digital.

Personally, I would love to see what Paramount’s 2018 raw scan looks like. Because had someone had a lighter touch on the remastering, this might be a very nice UHD release. As it is, if you’re on the fence I would suggest spending $14.99 on the 4K Digital version first, to see if you’re okay with the image enough to spend $40 on the disc. That’s not a recommendation you’ll hear me make often, but there it is.

I’ll share my full review of this title on @TheDigitalBits website in the next day or two.

https://twitter.com/billhuntbits/status/1785867281496760417

If you want to jump straight to the picture, here ya go.

SPECIAL FEAUTERES:

• Dolby Atmos soundtrack
• The Legacy of Twister - Taken by the Wind: Director Jan de Bont discusses the groundbreaking film.
• Commentary by Director Jan de Bont and Visual Effects Supervisor Stefen Fangmeier
• Featurettes:
  • Chasing the Storm: Twister Revisited
  • Anatomy of a Twister
  • HBO® First Look: The Making of Twister
• Van Halen "Humans Being" Music Video

Pre-order: Amazon · GRUV.com

I love this film, but I really don't want pointless gubbins, just the film. Long story short, no word on what the extras are, and it's listed at $130! FFS!

Flip to Channel 62: UHF gets 4K release for 35th anniversary

Shout! Factory is giving UHF all the 4K bells, whistles and scratch and sniff cards it deserves later this year.

By Mathew Plale

April 30th 2024, 8:29am

This means something...This is important. That's right, a beloved favorite of decades past is coming to 4K -- no, not Close Encounters of the Third Kind but Weird Al's UHF, the cult staple that marked Yankovic's first major big screen appearance and writing credit. And to celebrate the 35th anniversary of UHF, Shout! Factory has put together one of the most fun releases in recent memory. So grab your mop and head on over to Uncle Nutzy's Clubhouse!

This UHF 4K comes with two 18" x 24" posters (one for the original artwork and another with an exclusive design); a retro prism sticker modeled after vending machine stickers of the '80s and '90s; a Spatula City fridge magnet; a stress relief toy modeled after an old school remote; and a Smell-O-Vision sticker set, with scents timed to match with sizzling burgers, Stanley's mop and, yes, the Wheel of Fish.

While the magnet and stress remote are capped at 1,000 units, things get more limited when it comes to other goodies that Shout! Factory has lined up for this UHF 4K release. Shout! has teamed up with the great Gutter Garbs for a set of five collectible pins and keepsake box which is limited to just 500 units -- well, 499 at most as of publication...

"Weird Al" Yankovic has seen a major resurgence in his popularity over the past few years, which is pretty impressive since he hasn't put out a new album in close to a decade. But his social media presence, legion of fans and biopic spoof -- which you could see on Roku or anywhere you illegally download movies -- have further cemented him as an icon whose appeal knows no limits. Certainly this UHF 4K release will be one that's snatched up by fans faster than George Newman's Oscar.

UHF stars Yankovic as Newman, "a daydreamer who becomes the manager of a small TV station that's losing money as quickly as it's losing viewers. Before long, he's programming shows like "Stanley Spadowski's Clubhouse," "Wheel Of Fish" and "Raul's Wild Kingdom." But can Channel 62's new popularity save it from sinister forces? To find out ... don't touch that dial!" UHF flips to 4K on July 2nd.

THIS JUST IN - Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy 20th Anniversary 4K UHD Arriving July 2

Posted Mon Apr 29, 2024 at 10:46 AM PDT by Tom Landy

Adam McKay's hilarious directorial debut featuring an all-star cast including Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner, and Fred Willard will be making its 4K UHD Blu-ray debut in a 20th Anniversary Edition on July 2.

Paramount's 4K Blu-ray edition presents the Theatrical and Extended versions of the film branched, plus loads of legacy bonus content.

There was a time before cable when the local anchorman reigned supreme....Enter the hard-hitting world of the 1970s local TV news, where Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and his loyal Channel 3 News Team (Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner) are San Diego's #1 rated news source. All is well in their male-dominated world of news until beautiful, rising-star reporter Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) turns it all upside down. Sparks don't just fly, they ignite an all-out war between the two perfectly coiffed anchorpersons. In a job where it pays to keep a straight face, Anchorman is the comedy that makes it almost impossible to stop laughing.

***Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy - 20th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray ***

Blu-ray Disc 1

• Theatrical and Extended versions of the film branched
• Commentary by Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Lou Rawls, Andy Richter, Kyle Gass, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, and Christina Applegate
• Deleted & Extended Scenes
• Bloopers
• "Afternoon Delight" Music Video
• ESPN SportsCenter Audition -- Ron Burgundy

Blu-ray Disc 2

• Wake Up Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie
• Intro-Commentary with Will Ferrell and Aaron Zimmerman
• PSA
• Award Speech
• Raw Footage "Good Takes"
• "Afternoon Delight" Recording Session
• Interviews
• Specials
• Cast Auditions
• Table Read 6/2/03
• Rehearsals
• Playback Video
• Commercial Break
• Trailers

I first saw The Abyss on Sunday, 24th January 1993 on Channel 4 in the UK. They mistakenly broadcast the film uncut for which the governing body, OFCOM, slapped their wrists.

Not long after, the Special Edition had a UK release on VHS, which I would snap up instantly. Although, I would be amazed at the terrible editing used to hide the rat in the infamous scene where they force it to breathe oxygenated liquid.

In 2000, I would import the two disc DVD from the US which was fantastic, but the only setback was the picture was non-anamorphic. This didn't worry me too much at the time because I was watching on a 14-inch portable.

Finally, after waiting over two decades, I finally have the film in HD and 4K! It's been so long, it's skipped a generation. 😁 Plus, I had to import the film from the Netherlands as it isn't getting a release here in the UK!

Your presence is requested.

SPECIAL FEATURES

• English and Japanese Dolby Atmos soundtrack
• Feature-Length Storyboards
• Interview with Composer Joe Hisaishi
• Interview with Producer Toshio Suzuki
• Interview with Supervising Animator Takeshi Honda
• Drawing with Takeshia Honda
• “Spinning Globe” Music Video
• Teasers & Trailers

Pre-order: Amazon · Crunchyroll Store

Arrow Video is hitting the genre game in a big way this summer, releasing 4K editions of sci-fi favorite The Last Starfighter and Guy Ritchie’s adaptation of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. in July.

While Arrow Video has released The Last Starfighter on 4K in North America just last year, this U.K. release will definitely be worth seeking out for our friends across the pond. On the transfer, the label wrote: “Now newly restored from a 4K scan of the original negative and featuring a 4.1 mix originally created for the film’s 70mm release – never included on previous home video formats – The Last Starfighter arrives loaded with brand new and archival bonus features. Strap yourself in: the Blu-ray adventure of a lifetime is about to begin!”

Special features for Arrow Video’s The Last Starfighter included two commentaries, as well as in-depth looks at the score, the special effects, the screenplay, and the namesake game. It also has a collectible booklet and a limited edition slipcover. This release comes out on July 15th.

...

Arrow Video’s 4K release of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. will feature a brand new critics commentary, as well as a wealth of new interviews and featurettes, including one on the original TV series, which aired from 1964-1968. Also included is a double-sided fold-out poster, an illustrated booklet and a reversible sleeve with brand new artwork. Expect to see it in the U.S. and Canada on July 30th and in the UK one day prior.

Other releases from Arrow Video in July include a box set of the works of Greek filmmaker Nico Mastorakis (Sky High in Blu? Yes, please!), the James Caan-starring racecar actioner Red Line 7000 and last year’s Loop Track. Considering Arrow’s track record of how they treat their 4K releases, there’s no doubt that these titles will be worth checking out.

Tech specs at Blu-ray.com

Top 20 Selling Blu-ray Discs

1. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
2. Star Trek: Lower Decks - Season 4
3. The Iron Claw
4. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
5. Oppenheimer
6. The Abyss
7. Dune: Part One
8. Wonka
9. Lisa Frankenstein
10. Migration
11. The Marvels
12. Aliens
13. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
14. Wish
15. Night Swim
16. The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy
17. True Lies
18. Berserk: The Complete 1997 TV Series
19. Anyone But You
20. Suzume

Source: NPD VideoScan First Alert (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Top 20 Selling 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs

1. The Abyss
2. Aliens
3. Oppenheimer
4. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
5. Dune: Part One
6. True Lies
7. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
8. Wonka
9. Planet Earth III
10. Guardians of the Galaxy
11. Paprika
12. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
13. Werckmeister Harmonies
14. The Avengers
15. Frozen Planet II
16. King Kong (1976)
17. The Green Planet
18. Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard
19. Godzilla vs. Kong
20. The Marvels

Source: NPD VideoScan First Alert (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

https://www.mediaplaynews.com/research/top-20-selling-blu-ray-and-4k-discs-for-week-ended-4-20-24/

So I managed to find several titles today (including the James Bond film Skyfall, but I had to bin that one as the Blu-ray was missing, but all the money is for charity so no worries.)

The Cable Guy I just fancied watching again. Haven't seen it since I borrowed someone's VHS copy.

I love Neil Marshall's Dog Soldiers and Descent, so why not blind buy Centurion.

Terminator: Genisys. Only seen this once. I actually checked my watch halfway through because I was bored but when it's so damn cheap, my OCD kicks in, and I buy it to complete the franchise set at home. Just need Rise of the Machines and Dark Fate to complete the set.

I have never seen La Planete Sauvage (aka Fanastic Planet) but it looks so intriguing. A French animation where strange blue aliens keep humans as pets.

To be honest, my collecting instinct kicked in first. I was more excited over the content rather than what the film actually is! (blame autism. 😁) There are loads of extras, 56-page booklet, the Blu-ray and a DVD.

4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10/compatible)
• Original lossless Dolby Atmos sound
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Brand new audio commentary by critics Bryan Reesman and Max Evry
• The Hollywood Way – brand new interview with co-writer/producer Lionel Wigram
• A Lineage of Bad Guys – brand new interview with actor Luca Calvani
• Legacy of U.N.C.L.E. – brand new featurette celebrating the original 1960s TV series and its influence on the 2015 movie, featuring Helen McCarthy, David Flint and Vic Pratt
• Cockneys and Robbers – brand new featurette exploring director Guy Ritchie’s oeuvre, featuring Kat Hughes, Hannah Strong and Josh Saco
• Spy Vision: Recreating 60s Cool, A Higher Class of Hero, Metisse Motorcycles: Proper and Very British, The Guys from U.N.C.L.E. and A Man of Extraordinary Talents – five archival featurettes exploring the making of the film
• U.N.C.L.E.: On-Set Spy – four archival, bite-sized featurettes going behind the scenes on the film set
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery
• Double-sided fold-out poster, featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dare Creative
• Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Barry Forshaw, and a reprinted article from CODEX Magazine on the film’s cinematography Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dare Creative

Pre-order: Arrow Video (US)

Andor was captured digitally by cinematographers Adriano Goldman, Frank Lamm, and Damián García in the X-OCN ST codec (in 16 bits and 6K resolution) using Sony Venice cameras with Panavision C and G-Series anamorphic lenses. It was finished at the 2.39:1 scope ratio for its streaming and physical release, and is presented here on 4K Ultra HD with HDR10 high dynamic range. As you might expect, the image quality is a major improvement over the Disney+ stream. With video data rates consistently in the 80-90 Mbps range (encoded for 100 GB discs), the result is much greater clarity and fine detail, a notably richer color palette, and an image of far more depth and dimensionality. There’s none of the banding and artifacting sometimes visible in the Disney+ stream. Notably, the HDR experience on disc is more of what you expect from this format, with deeply detailed shadows and more naturally bright and eye-reactive highlights. Perhaps best of all—and unlike The Mandalorian and other recent Star Wars series—Andor has actually been shot on large practical sets and out in the real world, so none of the limitations of the StageCraft Volume are in evidence. This is a fantastic 4K image, absolutely rock solid at all times and full of nuance.

Primary audio on these discs is offered in English Dolby Atmos. And unlike the compromised sound experience on the Disney+ stream, the uncompressed Atmos mix really shines. All the dynamics are present, with pleasing LFE and immersive use of the height and surround channels. The soundstage is nicely wide, with subtle atmospherics all around the listener. Dialogue is clean and readily discernible, while movement is smooth and buttery. Stand-out moments include the warehouse firefight at the end of Reckoning, the stunning Eye of Aldhani, Rael’s escape from an Imperial Arrestor Cruiser aboard the Fondor, and of course the Rix Road funeral procession and Maarva’s stirring holographic speech, all of which take full advantage of the overhead channels. This certainly isn’t an aggressive or blustery surround mix, but it serves the visuals well and—again like the imagery—is a nice improvement over the streaming experience. Additional sound options include English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, as well as French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital. Subtitles are available in English for the Hearing Impaired, French, and Spanish.

One of America's biggest retail chains has announced it will stop selling DVD and Blu-ray discs in-store by 2025. Target, which sells everything from daily groceries to clothes and electronics, has confirmed rumours that it will sell DVDs, Blu-rays and 4K Blu-rays only at specified times of the year as well, as stocking limited new releases for short periods.

Rumours began surfacing last week, when X (formerly Twitter) user President of Physical Media (we approve of the name) dropped an 'exclusive' bombshell that the retailer will drop physical media sales by 2025, alongside an image of an empty shelf where it presumably stocks its DVDs and Blu-rays.

Online gaming and entertainment publication IGN followed up by reaching out for comment, to which a Target spokesperson responded. Here is what they had to say:

"Based on our guests' shopping patterns and broader industry trends, we're transitioning the limited assortment of DVDs we carry in our stores to Target.com, where guests will continue to find thousands of titles," the spokesperson said. "Moving forward, we'll offer select DVDs in stores when they are newly released or during key times throughout the year when they are more popular, like for gift giving during the holidays."

...

It's certainly becoming more evident that the days of disc-based media are numbered, especially in the US. While Amazon remains a key supplier of DVDs, Blu-rays and 4K Blu-rays to the masses, the options to browse in person are becoming slimmer and slimmer. Thankfully, this is less of an issue in the UK as, alongside dedicated retailers such as HMV and Fopp, most large supermarkets continue to stock physical discs.

More details will be posted when more information comes in.

Pre-order: Barnes & Noble · Target · Walmart