Upcoming Releases

[filmlover]

from Blu-ray.com:

 

In a recent announcement, Hammer Films revealed that 2012 will see the first results of a significant effort to restore popular titles in the Hammer library. Spearheaded by Studio Canal, the restoration initiative includes Anolis Entertainment, Pinewood Studios, illuminate Hollywood fka HTV, Warner Brothers, and Cineimage; over the next few years, more than thirty movies will receive newly remastered and restored Blu-ray editions.

 

Currently, the United Kingdom will benefit most significantly from this news - Studio Canal has already planned the first wave of Hammer Blu-rays in the UK. On March 5th, the distributor will release Blu-rays of Dracula: Prince of Darkness, The Reptile, and The Plague of the Zombies.

 

In addition, Hammer's press release also indicated upcoming Blu-rays for the following titles:

* The Devil Rides Out

* Rasputin the Mad Monk

* The Mummy's Shroud

* The Curse of Frankenstein

* Dracula (AKA Horror of Dracula)

* The Mummy

Concerning the aforementioned six titles, no further details - including technical and supplementary specifications as well as release dates - are known. The press release does claim that all Hammer films in this initiative will boast "fully-restored HD picture and restored sound...[and|http://forums.tcm.com/] a host of newly-filmed extras, including interviews with cast members. These documentary extras are being produced by Hammer expert and historian, Marcus Hearn – author of the recent The Hammer Vault."

 

Of particular note are the plans regarding the Dracula (AKA Horror of Dracula) restoration. The press release claims that "recently-discovered footage...originally cut from the British version...has been restored...courtesy of The National Film Center at The Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. The Japanese footage features an extended and particularly gruesome death scene for Dracula, as well as a moment considered too erotic by the censors of the day (1958)."

 

Hammer hopes that similarly themed cut material will surface for other pictures and is calling on private collectors in possession of rare Hammer film footage to contact any company involved with this project.

 

For greater reference, Hammer has started a "Restoration Blog" to chart the ongoing work done in service of their catalog; this link leads directly to the blog:

 

http://blog.hammerfilms.com/

 

Again, as of now, the more specific Blu-ray release plans only apply in the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, the press release suggests that the restoration involvement of US companies Warner Brothers Motion Picture Imaging and Thought Equity Motion bodes well for North American Hammer aficionados in the near future.

[filmlover]

A reminder that Tuesday is a special day for Blu classic releases:

 

Wings

Notorious

Spellbound

Rebecca

Annie Hall

Manhattan

The Apartment

 

[edgeciff]

THE RED HOUSE which stars Edward G. Robinson and Judith Anderson is set for BR release on April 24. This is a great film nor but is also a film that has fallen into public domain and prints currently available are horrendous so it will be interesting to see what this Blu Ray will look like. Unless they go back to the original source print I am skepical about this release by a company called Film Chest.

[filmlover]

from blu-ray.com

 

Eureka Entertainment (UK) have revealed their upcoming Blu/DVD titles for the months of April, May, and June 2012. There will be seven new releases added to the Masters of Cinema series: Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity and The Lost Weekend; Hitchcock's Lifeboat, plus Island of Lost Souls, Ruggles of Red Gap. In addition, Kenji Mizoguchi's (1954), as well as one non-Masters of Cinema release,Takashi Miike's Yatterman (2009).

 

Eureka Entertainment also continues its ongoing association with Bounty Films (responsible for the UK release of The Human Centipede) with the release of Yûdai Yamaguchi's Deadball (DVD only).

 

Note: Eureka Entertainment have also revealed that they have acquired the rights for Carl Theodor Dreyer's classic The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928).

 

It is unknown at this point but they will more the Blus will be Region B (Europe) only. The DVDs will be PAL only.

 

*April 23*

Lifeboat Dual Format and a Steelbook edition will be available.53 classic Gion Bayashi.

Yatterman (DVD and Blu)

Deadball (DVD only)

Ugetsi Monogatan (dual format edition)

Sansho dayu (dual format edition)

 

*May 28*

Island of Lost Souls dual format Steelbook available

Ruggles of Red Gap dual format

 

June 25

Double Indemnity Blu, steelbook available

The Lost Weekend Bou, steelbook available

[filmlover]

As has been mentioned previously, *The Magnificent Ambersons* DVD is coming out separate from the Citizen Kane exclusive from Amazon. Release date is Jan. 31st. List price is $14.96.

 

Edited by: filmlover on Jan 25, 2012 10:44 PM

[filmlover]

Criterion Collection releases for May 2012.

 

Titles include Mathieu Kassovitz's [La Haine|http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/La-Haine-Blu-ray/38677/], Spike Jonze's [Being John Malkovich|http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Being-John-Malkovich-Blu-ray/30658/], Abbas Kiarostami's [Certified Copy|http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Certified-Copy-Blu-ray/38678/], and two features from Ingmar Bergman - [Summer Interlude|http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Summer-Interlude-Blu-ray/38675/] and [Summer with Monika|http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Summer-with-Monika-Blu-ray/38676/].

 

Of those, La Haine is the only previously available Criterion entry receiving a Blu-ray upgrade; the rest are new to the Criterion Collection.

 

La Haine (May 8th, 2012) — Blu-ray

* Restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised by director Mathieu Kassovitz

* 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack

* English-language audio commentary by Kassovitz

* Introduction by actor Jodie Foster

* Ten Years of La haine, an eighty-minute documentary that brings together cast and crew a decade after the film's landmark release

* Featurette on the film's banlieue setting, including interviews with sociologists Sophie Body-Gendrot, Jeffrey Fagan, and William Kornblum

* Production footage

* Deleted and extended scenes, each featuring an afterword by Kassovitz

* Gallery of behind-the-scenes photos

* Trailers

* New essay by film scholar Ginette Vincendeau and an appreciation by acclaimed filmmaker Costa-Gavras

Being John Malkovich (May 15th, 2012) — DVD and Blu-ray

* New high-definition digital restoration

* 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack

* New selected-scene audio commentary featuring filmmaker Michel Gondry

* New behind-the-scenes documentary by filmmaker Lance Bangs

* Conversation between John Malkovich and humorist John Hodgman

* Director Spike Jonze discusses Being John Malkovich via photos from its production

* Two films within the film: - 7½ Floor Orientation \ - American Arts & Culture Presents John Horatio Malkovich, "Dance of Despair and Disillusionment"

* An Intimate Portrait of the Art of Puppeteering, a documentary by Bangs

* Trailer and TV spots

* Booklet featuring a conversation between Jonze and pop-culture critic Perkus Tooth

Certified Copy (May 22nd, 2012) — DVD and Blu-ray

* New high-definition digital restoration

* 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack

* New interview with director Abbas Kiarostami

* Let's See Copia conforme, an Italian documentary on the making of Certified Copy, featuring interviews with Kiarostami and actors Juliette Binoche and William Shimell

* Trailer

* New English subtitle translation

* Booklet featuring an essay by film critic Godfrey Cheshire

Summer Interlude (May 29th, 2012) — DVD and Blu-ray

* New high-definition digital restoration

* Uncompressed monaural soundtrack

* New English subtitle translation

* Booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Peter Cowie

Summer with Monika (May 29th, 2012) — DVD and Blu-ray

* New high-definition digital restoration

* Uncompressed monaural soundtrack

* Introduction by director Ingmar Bergman

* New interview with actress Harriet Andersson, conducted by film critic Peter Cowie

* New interview with film scholar Eric Schaefer about Kroger Babb and Babb's distribution of Monika: Story of a Bad Girl as an exploitation film

* Images from the Playground, a half-hour documentary by Stig Björkman with behind-the-scenes footage shot by Bergman, archival audio interviews with Bergman, and new interviews with actresses Bibi Andersson and Harriet Andersson

* Trailer

* New English subtitle translation

* Booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Laura Hubner, a 1958 review by filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, and a publicity piece from 1953 in which Bergman interviews himself

 

Eclipse Series 33: Up All Night With Robert Downey, Sr. - DVD only May 22nd

 

 

 

 

 

[JonasEB]

It's a shame Criterion didn't do more with Certified Copy. After such a long delay and at $40 SRP it would have been beneficial to include another early feature film (as Close-up did) or some of Kiarostami's short films (although a box set of the Koker films may be coming soon, so I assume they're saving many for that project.)

 

And that cover - it's modeled on the male lead's book briefly seen in the film but...I don't like it.

 

Hopefully another substantial feature is added, otherwise I can't recommend this edition over the already stellar Region Free (and cheap - currently less than $10) U.K. Artificial Eye Blu-ray (or alternatively, this DVD-only Artificial Eye box - http://www.artificial-eye.com/film.php?dvd=ART519DVD - in each case superior to the corresponding Region 1 edition and, again, less expensive.)

[filmlover]

Walmart is going to have an exclusive on a pair of upcoming John Wayne Blu-rays, *The Big Trail* and *The Barbarian and the Geisha*. Barbarian will be a combo pack (Blu/DVD), uncertain at this moment if Big Trail will be. Also unknown at this moment is if The Big Trail will feature both the widescreen and the 35mm versions. These will released May 8th.

 

 

 

 

[edgeciff]

 

Filmlover, is this a FOX release. I thought BARBARIAN was an exclusive from Screen Archives. BTW, the person who bought ONE EYED JACKS still can't get it to work. Any other suggestions? Don't know what to tell him!

 

 

[filmlover]

These are Fox releases.

 

Where did you get the info about Barbarian being part of TT?

 

As to One-Eyed Jacks, I have no idea what else to tell you. When he goes to the Blu menu, does he have SETUP on there? If so, it should have the audio possibilities.

 

Edited by: filmlover on Mar 1, 2012 3:18 PM

[edgeciff]

I though BARBARIAN was an announced once, but I guess I was wrong since FOX is releasing this one. Btw, its very odd ONE EYED JACKS won't play on the guy's machine. I will have to refund his money and re sell it as a used copy which is unfortunate.

[filmlover]

Why don't you check it yourself when you get it back and go through my instructions and see if you can play the audio. If you can, then maybe tell him how you did it, since you yourself will have viewed it.

 

By the way, he is specidfically talking about the audio, isn't he? I know the German Blu I played has the opening titles (you know, title, cast and crew) in German, and, of course, those cannot be changed over to English. And I am wondering since the American release came from the German Blu release, is he is referring to the opening titles that he can't get changed to English, not the audio? You might ask him that.

[edgeciff]

Don't know what he is talking about. Maybe you right and will check again with him before he sends the disc back. Thanx

[edgeciff]

filmlover, thanks for all your help re ONE EYED JACKS. In my opinion the guy who bought the disc from me is cracked. He is sending it back. This gives me a chance to check the BR out.

[edgeciff]

Two more Audrey Hepburn releases are due on BR:

 

SABRINA

FUNNY FACE

 

Unfortunately they will only be available in France. Hopefully the USA release won't be far behind.

[filmlover]

Edgecliff, I'd read about them but held off mentioning them for the time being since they were French releases.

 

But since we're discussing foreign releases, here is some more Blu news:

 

A UK distribution firm called Channel 4 is releasing the James Ivory film, *A Room With A View* on June 4th. An American release is out of print and is now selling for more than $50. Uncertain if the new release will be region free.

 

The German branch of Warner Bros. will be releasing Hitchcock's *Stranger On A Train* for May 11th. No U.S. release announced yet.

 

 

 

For American release:

 

Paramount has announced the *Complete Indiana Jones Collection*, featuring all 4 movies in the series. Release date will be in the Fall.

 

Walmart will have an exclusive release (at least, at first) of *The Poseidon Adventure* on April 3rd.

 

And, lastly, I cannot recall is it has been mentioned here but there is a restored release of Frank Capra's *Lady For A Day*, which has several minutes added that was missing from the last DVD release, coming out on DVD and on Blu-ray on March 20th. The Blu was rated excellent in a recent review on Blu-ray.com.

[TripleHHH]

I didnt see any post for this but Twilight Time is releasing on BluRay this May & June

# *Journey to the Center of the Earth - (James Mason)*

# *The Big Heat ( great Noir ! )*

# *The Wayward Bus*

# *As Good As It Gets*

Im very much looking forward to the first two

 

[filmlover]

In addition to the previously mentioned The Red House coming out on Blu from Film Chest Media, they also have another public domain film coming out, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, on May 29th. I don't hold out much hope for the quality of either.

[Arturo]

didnt see any post for this but Twilight Time is releasing on BluRay this May & June

# *Journey to the Center of the Earth - (James Mason)*

# *The Big Heat ( great Noir ! )*

# *The Wayward Bus*

# *As Good As It Gets*

 

Im very much looking forward to the first two

 

I've been looking forever for THE WAYWARD BUS. I thought there must have been a rights issue or something, because I don't think that FMC has ever aired it.

 

 

Question- Since I don't have Blu-Ray, will these have a regular DVD release as well?

 

 

[filmlover]

Arturo,

 

Journey, Big Heat, and As Good As It Gets are already available on DVD from their respective studios. All can be had from from Amazon.

[filmlover]

New Blu news:

 

*Hondo* is coming from Paramount in June 5th. No word has been given if there will be a 3D edition. One can only hope.

 

Kino has announced a May 1st release on DVD and Blu of David O. Selznick's *Bird of Paradise*.

[edgeciff]

filmlover, I received the ONE EYED JACKS disc back and I cannot play it in English. I thought this was subtitled and you switch to no titles. Since this is dubbed its different. However, when I switch to English I cant get the movie to start. It will freeze on English. Something seems goofed up. Amazon will send a replacement disc to me. The BR print looks mostly horrendous. UGH. I hope THE RED HOUSE does not look like this, although that one is B&W.

[TripleHHH]

I will add Journey to the Center of the Earth is also available on DVD from Fox.

[filmlover]

Hi, Triple,

 

I mentioned that one in my list of what is available on DVD (I shortened it to just "Journey").

[filmlover]

More Blu news:

 

Since the release with Friedkin remastering his The French Connection was received so badly, there is a new not-so-bungled version that hearkens more back to the original on sale exclusively at Best Buy right now.

 

Kino has revealed that they are preparing for Blu-ray release three films by Italian director Lina Wertmuller: The Seduction of Mimi (1972), Love and Anarchy (1973), and All Screwed Up (1974). All three releases will be available for purchase on June 12th.

 

There is an impressive 4 min. restoration demonstration of Children of Paradise here:

 

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=8336