Home Video (VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, 4k)

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On Reddit we have r/dvdcollection, r/boutiquebluray, r/4kbluray, r/steelbook, r/vhs, etc but let's start simply with a community to cover all the forms of home video collecting.

So, do you feel nostalgic for a format? Are you looking forward to a release? Heard any exciting news? Want to show us your shelves? Then post away.

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Alex Garland's Civil War just hit theaters on April 12, but preorders are already open for the 4K UHD version of the film. In fact, two different versions are up for grabs--an Amazon-exclusive version and a standard version, each with unique artwork. We're still waiting for an official release date, but we can't imagine it'll launch for several months.

The Amazon exclusive version of Civil War includes both a 4K UHD copy and Blu-ray copy, as well as a digital version of the film. Unfortunately, that's everything we know for now, as no details about special features or whether a steelbook is included have been revealed (though it certainly looks like it's packaged in a steelbook). It does, however, come with exclusive cover art depicting a close-up shot of the Statue of Liberty. Expect to learn more in the coming weeks.

If you're not a fan of the cover art on the Amazon-exclusive edition, the Civil War standard edition is also available to preorder. It's actually more expensive at the moment ($42), but it includes the same formats: 4K UHD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and digital. Its cover art is a sprawling shot of New York Harbor.

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Top 20 Selling Blu-ray Discs

  1. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
  2. Lisa Frankenstein
  3. The Iron Claw
  4. King Kong (1976)
  5. Oppenheimer
  6. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
  7. Wonka
  8. Night Swim
  9. Migration
  10. Dune: Part One
  11. The Abyss
  12. Wish
  13. Berserk: The Complete 1997 TV Series
  14. Anyone But You
  15. Aliens
  16. The Marvels
  17. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part One
  18. Ferrari
  19. Godzilla vs. Kong
  20. True Lies

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

Top 20 Selling 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs

  1. King Kong (1976)
  2. Oppenheimer
  3. The Abyss
  4. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
  5. Aliens
  6. True Lies
  7. Planet Earth III
  8. Dune: Part One
  9. Guardians of the Galaxy
  10. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
  11. Wonka
  12. Godzilla vs. Kong
  13. The Avengers
  14. Major League
  15. Godzilla (2014)
  16. Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard
  17. Alien
  18. Dredd
  19. 3 From Hell
  20. Terminator 2: Judgement Day

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-4-13-24/

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While VHS is pretty much a dead medium now, there are special editions of certain tapes that can fetch ridiculous amounts of money. Because VHS tapes are hardly made anymore, there are some movies which are incredibly difficult to find in the format, with just a few hundred copies to their names. For example, due to the controversial nature of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, its VHS distribution was slim. These days, copies of the film on VHS fetch around $300 or more. That’s a lot of money to watch a movie in a low-quality format…

While that sounds like a lot, that’s nothing compared to the most coveted and expensive VHS tapes of all time. Coming in at third place is a Black Diamond release of the Disney classic Beauty and the Beast, which can be purchased for no less than $10,000. If you fancy spending $30,000 more than that, you can find a rare copy of E.T the Extra-Terrestrial. With a starting price of $40,000, this version of Steven Spielberg’s movie can be found listed as the ‘20th Foil Holographic Anniversary Limited Edition’.

Taking the top spot, however, is a surprising movie. The Goonies, a beloved family-friendly classic, has the ability to reel in a ridiculously large sum of money when purchased on VHS. An unopened copy of the film was once available on eBay with an asking price of $125,000, which seems to make it the most expensive VHS of all time.

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Get the greatest fairytale never told with all 4 Shrektacular films featuring the voice talents of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy! A hilariously hideous ogre rescues a feisty princess in Shrek, meets his royal in-laws in Shrek 2, rules the kingdom in Shrek the Third, and finds his world turned upside-down in Shrek Forever After. It's an ogre-sized collection of fun!

Bonus Content:

Disc 1 - Shrek:

  • Includes 4K UHD, Blu-ray and a digital copy of Shrek 4-Movie Collection (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.)
  • Features High Dynamic Range (HDR10) for Brighter, Deeper, More Lifelike Color
  • Shrek's Interactive Journey
  • Spotlight on Donkey
  • Secrets of Shrek
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Shrek in The Swamp Karaoke Dance Party
  • Baha Men, "Best Years of Our Lives"
  • Smash Mouth "I'm a Believer"
  • Shrek The Musical "What's Up Duloc?"
  • Commentary with Director Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson and Producer Aron Warner

Disc 2:

  • Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Party
  • Far Far Away Idol
  • Puss in Boots: The Three Diablos
  • The Ghost of Lord Farquaad
  • Scared Shrekless
  • Thriller Night
  • The Pig Who Cried Werewolf
  • Shrek the Halls
  • Donkey's Caroling Christmas-tacular
  • Shrek's Yule Log
  • The Adventures of Puss in Boots Episode 1: Hidden
  • The Adventures of Puss in Boots Episode 2: Sphinx
  • The Adventures of Puss in Boots Episode 3: Brothers
  • The Adventures of Puss in Boots Episode 4: Duchess
  • The Adventures of Puss in Boots Episode 5: Adventure

Disc 3 - Shrek 2:

  • Features High Dynamic Range (HDR10) for Brighter, Deeper, More Lifelike Color
  • Spotlight on Puss in Boots
  • Secrets of Shrek 2
  • Far Far Away Idol
  • Music Videos
  • Commentary by Producer Aron Warner and Editor Mike Andrews
  • Commentary by Directors Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon

Disc 4 - Shrek the Third:

  • Features High Dynamic Range (HDR10) for Brighter, Deeper, More Lifelike Color
  • Spotlight on Fiona
  • Secrets of Shrek the Third
  • Deleted Scenes
  • How To Be Green
  • Music Videos

Disc 5 - Shrek Forever After:

  • Features High Dynamic Range (HDR10) for Brighter, Deeper, More Lifelike Color
  • Spotlight on Shrek
  • Secrets of Shrek Forever After
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Conversation with the Cast
  • The Tech of Shrek Forever After
  • Shrek the Musical
  • "Darling I Do" Music Video
  • Holiday Bonus
  • Feature Commentary with Director Mike Mitchell, Head of Story Walt Dohrn and Producers Gina Shay and Teresa Cheng

Pre-order: Amazon

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South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut:

DISC ONE:

  • 4K Ultra High Definition
  • Dolby Vision
  • Widescreen
  • English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD
  • French 5.1 Dolby Digital
  • Subtitles: English SDH, French

DISC TWO:

  • Blu-ray 1080p High Definition
  • Widescreen
  • English 5.1 TrueHD
  • Subtitles: English, English SDH
  • Special Features:
  • Commentary by Matt Stone and Trey Parker
  • "What Would Brian Boitano Do" Music Video
  • Theatrical Trailers

Pre-order: AmazonWalmart

Team America: World Police:

  • 4K Ultra High Definition (Theatrical Cut Only)
  • Dolby Vision
  • Widescreen
  • English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
  • French 5.1 Dolby Digital

Pre-order: Amazon (US)Amazon FranceWalmart

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From WB Shop UK:

Celebrate 65 years of Alfred Hitchcock's legendary North by Northwest with a brand new 4K restoration and Ultimate Collector's Edition featuring a Steelbook with new key art, theatrical poster lenticular, and other vintage premiums.

Features In-Pack:

  • Film on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-Ray
  • Steelbook (Artwork TBC)
  • Rigid Slipcase with Detachable Lenticular (Artwork TBC)
  • Matchbox Capacity Envelope

Paper Premiums:

  • A3 Double-Sided Vintage Poster
  • Double-Sided Vintage Art Card
  • Double-Sided Vintage Bookmark
  • 3x Double-Sided BTS Art Cards
  • 40 Page Booklet

On-Disc Special Features

4K:

  • TBC

BD:

  • Commentary by Screenwriter Ernest Lehman
  • New 2009 Documentary Reveals The Master's Touch: Hitchcock's Signature Style
  • Explore in Depth the Movie's Innovations and Influences in the New North by Northwest: One for the Ages
  • Vintage 2000 Documentary Destination Hitchcock: The Making of North by Northwest
  • Stills Gallery
  • Theatrical Trailers & TV Spot
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Top 20 Selling Blu-ray Discs

  1. The Iron Claw
  2. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
  3. Major League
  4. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
  5. Wonka
  6. Oppenheimer
  7. Migration
  8. Guardians of the Galaxy
  9. Wish
  10. The Avengers
  11. Doctor Strange
  12. Dune: Part One
  13. Aliens
  14. Black Panther (tie)
  15. True Lies (tie)
  16. Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard
  17. The Abyss
  18. The Marvels
  19. Anyone But You
  20. Ferrari

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

Top 20 Selling 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs

  1. Major League
  2. Guardians of the Galaxy
  3. The Avengers
  4. Doctor Strange
  5. Aliens
  6. Oppenheimer
  7. Black Panther
  8. True Lies
  9. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
  10. Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard
  11. The Abyss
  12. 3 From Hell
  13. Total Recall
  14. Spiral: From the Book of Saw
  15. Sicardo: Day of the Soldado (tie)
  16. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (tie)
  17. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
  18. Saw
  19. Wonka
  20. Dune: Part One

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-4-6-24/

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A man shuffles along a royal blue carpet and props himself up against a stacked shelf of videos. Reeling off a list of films, he is handed three store-branded DVD cases. In return? A crisp fiver – plus his thoughts on South Korean horror flicks without any dialogue. This isn’t a sepia-tinged flashback from the past. Nor is it all just a dream. It is 2024 and the transaction is taking place at Snips Movies, one of the UK’s last video rental stores, tucked away in a town in Wirral since 1995. The odd passerby does a double take, staring back at the shop’s welly-green facade to confirm its reality.

Snips’ owner, Dave Wain, is part of a small cast of movie mavericks refusing to let video rental fade to black. Alongside Snips, just two other original video rental stores still stand. There’s TVL Allstar Video in Haverhill, opened in 1984, a detached brick video and print shop that’s barely changed in the last 40 years. Then there’s 20th Century Flicks in Bristol, which manager Dave Taylor says began as a “slightly piratical enterprise knocking out dubious copies of ET”, and has a focus on queer and arthouse cinema. Another, For Your Eyes Only in Forest Hill, south London, survived until November last year. A few months earlier, a parked car rolled down a hill and smashed through the shop window. Stranger Still, this literal block-buster was also a sequel – the exact same thing had happened before. A local fundraiser tried to save the business, but the damage had been done and owner Gulam Charania was forced to close after 25 years.

For the next generation, there’s VideOdyssey, which was opened by journalist and Tarantino enthusiast Andy Johnson in Liverpool in 2018, offering an immersive movie experience, VCR hire and an arcade. While the original rental crew may be sceptical of a non-original shop trying to tap into a video revival, it proves that there’s an audience for new stores. Hackney’s film emporium Ümit & Son, too, deserves a special mention. While not really dealing in video rental any more, it does rent out its micro-cinema. Owner Ümit Mesut and film-maker Liam Saint-Pierre run a cult film club, Ciné Real, screening films with a 16mm projector in its red-curtained back room to cool young things who believe film-on-film is anything but hackneyed. Then, there’s Close-Up, a film centre and cafe in Shoreditch, which hosts arthouse events and lets members borrow films and books from its 25,000-strong library of movies and related cinema paraphernalia.

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cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/10437589

Speculation has arose that Killers of the Flower Moon may not see a physical release…at least not anytime soon.

As per one social media user who may have some knowledge on the situation: “BTW, I haven’t seen it announced on here, but we got word through one of our library media fulfillment companies: They have at the very least indefinitely postponed (very likely canceled) the physical media release of KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON…And no, I’m not making this up, this was, “Patron holds are being canceled, temp MARC listings are pulled from library catalog, please inform patrons if they ask.””

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submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) by Emperor to c/homevideo
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Paramount's slate of upcoming films includes new entries in popular franchises, a Bee Gees biopic from Ridley Scott, and much more

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Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has announced that it will release on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two (2024), starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, and Austin Butler. The two releases will be available for purchase on May 14.

Description: Dune: Part Two explores the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

Dune: Part Two is directed by three-time Academy Award nominee Denis Villeneuve ("Arrival," "Blade Runner 2049") from a screenplay he and Jon Spaihts wrote, based on the seminal bestselling novel of the same name written by Frank Herbert.

The expanded all-star international ensemble cast features returning and new stars, including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet ("Wonka," "Call Me by Your Name"), Zendaya ("Spider-Man: No Way Home," "Malcolm & Marie," "Euphoria"), Rebecca Ferguson ("Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning"), Oscar nominee Josh Brolin ("Avengers: End Game," "Milk"), Oscar nominee Austin Butler ("Elvis," "Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood"), Oscar nominee Florence Pugh ("Black Widow," "Little Women"), Dave Bautista (the "Guardians of the Galaxy" films, "Thor: Love and Thunder"), Oscar winner Christopher Walken ("The Deer Hunter," "Hairspray"), Léa Seydoux (the "James Bond" franchise and "Crimes of the Future"), Souheila Yacoub ("The Braves," "Climax"), with Stellan Skarsgård (the "Mamma Mia!" films, "Avengers: Age of Ultron"), with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling ("45 Years," "Assassin's Creed"), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem ("No Country for Old Men," "Being the Ricardos").

The film is produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Villeneuve, Tanya Lapointe and Patrick McCormick. The executive producers are Joshua Grode, Jon Spaihts, Thomas Tull, Herbert W. Gains, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Kim Herbert, Richard P. Rubinstein and John Harrison, with Kevin J. Anderson serving as creative consultant.

"Dune: Part Two" was filmed on location in Budapest, Abu Dhabi, Jordan and Italy. The film was released on March 1, 2024 worldwide from Warner Bros. Pictures.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

  • DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO TRACK
  • Chakobsa Training
  • Creating the Fremen World
  • Finding the Worlds of Dune
  • Buzz Around the New "Thopter"
  • Worm-Riding
  • Becoming Feyd
  • A New Set of Threads
  • Deeper into the Desert: The Sounds of the Dune
  • Subtitles: English SDH, Canadian French, Parisian French, Latin Spanish

Pre-order:

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They are:

  • Zu Warriors (2001)
  • Hero (20012)
  • The Wandering Earth II (2023)

Limited to 1,500 copies each.

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Top 20 Selling Blu-ray Discs

  1. The Iron Claw
  2. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
  3. Aliens
  4. Berserk: The Complete 1997 TV Series
  5. Wonka
  6. True Lies
  7. Migration
  8. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
  9. Wish
  10. Oppenheimer
  11. The Abyss
  12. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - Part 1
  13. Dune: Part One
  14. When Evil Lurks (tie)
  15. Trolls Band Together (tie)
  16. Anyone But You
  17. Ferrari
  18. The Marvels
  19. Suzume
  20. Poor Things

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

Top 20 Selling 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs

  1. Aliens
  2. True Lies
  3. The Abyss
  4. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
  5. Oppenheimer
  6. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
  7. Dune: Part One
  8. Wonka
  9. Primal Fear
  10. To Die For
  11. Paint Your Wagon
  12. Godzilla vs. Kong
  13. Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard
  14. Creepshow
  15. Dredd
  16. Night of the Blood Monster
  17. Men in Black: International
  18. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
  19. American Psycho
  20. Total Recall

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-3-30-24/

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A couple of upgrades from dvd in the giallo box but the spanish ones are new to me.

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The Lawnmower Man Collection Blu-ray


British label 101 Films has announced that it will release on Blu-ray The Lawnmower Man Collection (1992-1996). The release is scheduled to arrive on the market on June 10.

Label description: 101 Films presents groundbreaking 90s sci-fi The Lawnmower Man (1992) and its sequel, Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace (1995) on Blu-ray in the UK for the very first time. Presented in a 3-disc set including both the theatrical and director's cuts of The Lawnmower Man, in limited edition packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork, and complete with a booklet with new writing on the film.

Originally conceived as an adaptation of a Stephen King short story, Brett Leonard and Gimel Everett's vision deviated so far from the original source that a legal battle ensued. Instead of a bizarre tale of grass eating and sacrifices via lawnmower, Leonard and Everett produced a sci-fi classic that stunned audiences upon its release in 1992 with its then state-of-the-art special effects and CGI sequences. The Lawnmower Man ended up being on the one hand a cautionary tale of the dangers of man playing God and on the other a camp and massively over the top sci-fi romp which provides a fascinating insight into where people saw virtual reality taking humanity 30 years ago.

Title 036 on the 101 Films Black Label, this 3-disc limited-edition release includes both the theatrical and director's cuts of The Lawnmower Man and is packed with fantastic additional content, including fascinating commentaries with writer/director Brett Leonard and writer/producer Gimel Everett on both cuts of the film, behind the scenes featurettes, cast interviews, deleted scenes and much more. Enclosed in a rigid box with the follow up Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace, our release features brand new artwork for both titles and also features a limited-edition booklet with new writing on the The Lawnmower Man 'Grassroots and Cyber Suits: Variations of The Lawnmower Man' by Rich Johnson and 'This Diseased Mainframe: The Abject Horror of Bodily Digitisation in The Lawnmower Man' by Andy Marshall-Roberts.

THE LAWNMOWER MAN

Dr. Lawrence Angelo (Pierce Brosnan) is a brilliant scientist obsessed with perfecting virtual reality software. When his experiments on animals fail, he finds the ideal substitute - Jobe Smith (Jeff Fahey), a slow-witted gardener. Dr. Angelo's goal is to benefit his human guinea pig and ultimately mankind itself, but evil lurks in the guise of "The Shop", a shadow group that seeks to use the technology to create an invincible war machine. When the experiments change the simple Jobe into a superhuman being, the stage is set for a Jekyll-and-Hyde struggle for control of Job's mind and the future of the world.

LAWNMOWER MAN 2: BEYOND CYBERSPACE

Enter the deadly world of virtual reality, where information is the key to world domination. Picking up where the original Lawnmower Man ended, Jobe (Matt Frewer - Max Headroom) has become a hostage in futuristic hell. But when he discovers a computer chip that will give him the key to the ultimate revenge, the battle for world control begins. With stunning special effects, Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace takes you into a world where only the hardwired dare to journey.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

The Lawnmower Man - Theatrical cut:

  • Cybergod: Creating The Lawnmower Man
  • Audio commentary with writer/director Brett Leonard and writer/producer Gimel Everett
  • Deleted scenes
  • Original electronic press kit with cast interviews and behind-the-scenes footage
  • Edited animated sequences
  • Theatrical trailer
  • TV spot

The Lawnmower Man - Director's cut:

  • Audio commentary with writer/director Brett Leonard and writer/producer Gimel Everett
  • Conceptual art and design sketches
  • Behind-the-scenes and production stills
  • Storyboard comparison

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submitted 8 months ago by Emperor to c/homevideo
 
 

cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/9936197

They are:

  • Cronos
  • Following
  • Stalker
  • Diabolique
  • The Piano Teacher
  • Blow Out
  • Paris, Texas
  • Days of Heaven
  • On the Waterfront
  • Quadrophenia
  • Pale Flower
  • Woman in the Dunes
  • La Haine
  • My Life as a Dog
  • Naked
  • Do The Right Thing
  • Brazil
  • Cries and Whispers
  • The Passion of Joan of Arc
  • Le Samourai

It's a solid eclectic mix but what are your favourites?

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A selection of Guillermo del Toro films, including Cronos, Blade II and Mimic, will be getting the 4K treatment.

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Forget it Jake, it's 4K - Chinatown 50th Anniversary - Paramount Presents 4K UHD Coming June 18

Tom Landy

3--4 minutes


Posted Mon Apr 1, 2024 at 12:18 PM PDT by

Paramount celebrates the 50th anniversary of the classic noir Chinatown starring Jack Nicholson with a limited edition 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release on June 18. Pre-orders are now available.

Chinatown was nominated for 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture and is now preserved in the U.S.'s National Film Registry at the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant." This limited-edition release not only includes Chinatown fully restored on 4K UHD Blu-ray, but also the sequel - The Two Jakes on Blu-ray as well as new and legacy content.

Jack Nicholson is unforgettable as private eye Jake Gittes, living off the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-war Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite (Faye Dunaway) to investigate her husband's extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together for one, unforgettable night.

Chinatown 50th Anniversary - Paramount Presents 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Chinatown 50th Anniversary - Paramount Presents 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray + Digital Limited Edition release presents the fully restored Chinatown in 4K, plus the film's sequel, The Two Jakes, on Blu-ray. The release also includes new and legacy supplements as follows:

Newbonus content is detailed below:

  • A State of Mind: Author Sam Wasson On Chinatown -- Sam Wasson, film historian and bestselling author of The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years Of Hollywood, on the importance of the film and its legacy.   
  • Chinatown Memories --Legendary producer Hawk Koch shares stories from his time as assistant director on the film.  
  • **The Trilogy That Never Was **-- Sam Wasson discusses the planned third installment of what would have been a trio of movies featuring the character Jake Gittes. 

Additional legacy bonus content:

  • Commentary by screenwriter Robert Towne with David Fincher

  • Water and Power

  • The Aqueduct

  • The Aftermath

  • The River & Beyond

  • Chinatown: An Appreciation

  • Chinatown: The Beginning and the End

  • Chinatown: Filming

  • Chinatown: Legacy

  • Theatrical Trailer

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RoboCop 2, which some fans consider an underrated sequel, is finally getting a 4K release, alongside the 2014 RoboCop reboot.

Robocop 2, Yay. Robocop (2014), oh, thanks, I'd forgotten that had existed. Sigh.

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Top 20 Selling Blu-ray Discs

  1. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
  2. Aliens
  3. True Lies
  4. Wish
  5. The Abyss
  6. Wonka
  7. Oppenheimer
  8. Migration
  9. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
  10. Dune: Part One
  11. Anyone But You
  12. Ferrari
  13. Poor Things
  14. Suzume
  15. The Marvels
  16. Trolls Band Together
  17. The Ring Collection
  18. The Color Purple
  19. Rick and Morty: Season 7
  20. Barbie

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

Top 20 Selling 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs

  1. Aliens
  2. True Lies
  3. The Abyss
  4. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
  5. Oppenheimer
  6. The Ring Collection
  7. Dune: Part One
  8. Wonka
  9. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
  10. Wish
  11. Creepshow
  12. Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard
  13. American Psycho
  14. Total Recall
  15. K-19: The Widowmaker
  16. Dredd
  17. Spiral: From the Book of Saw
  18. Rosemary's Baby
  19. The Batman
  20. Sicario: Day of the Soldado

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-3-23-24/

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However, only some people think the restorations are bad, and now they have a surprising advocate – noted film preservationist Robert Harris. Harris is the man behind the famous restorations of Lawrence of Arabia, Spartacus, The Godfather trilogy and many more. In a post to Home Theatre Forum, he acknowledged how different they look, but also explained that’s not necessarily a bad thing. On True Lies, “Shot 35 and blown up to 70, the visuals of the new 4k UHD are absolutely not what the film was upon release, but the secret sauce works, and allows a presentation that appears far better than it might without it.”

In a post about Aliens, he elaborated a bit more on why these restorations have his approval. “Original prints were on the grainy side, as a higher speed stock was used. I always thought it looked fine, as that was the look. No problem. But there were those who felt that it was too grainy. Enter the new 4k UHD from Disney via Fox, and it has an entirely new look. And it’s a look that I like. Very much! The image has been de-grained, with zero loss of resolution, which if anything as been slightly heightened. Color are meticulously reproduced. And there’s an overall clarity that is new to the film.”

As far as Harris is concerned, these restorations have been done the right way, and there is a lot of logic behind what he says. Cameron always favoured shooting his film in a process called Super 35, as it allowed him to print a larger film frame on the stock that would make the home video releases look better. In True Lies or Titanic, he was able to show the films in 2:35:1 scope theatrically. Then, when reformatted to 1:33:1 (the standard TV ratio in the era before widescreen TVs), he could reveal more of the frame at the top and bottom, avoided the pan-and-scan look common at the time, making the films play better at VHS. The downside was Super 35 was grainy. This wasn’t super noticeable on DVD and even 1080p Blu-rays, but it proved problematic on 4K, hence the restoration.

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