Tag Archives: Black & White

1942 classic Casablanca comes to 4K in November

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The classic 1942 film “Casablanca” is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray on November 8th via Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.  The film, directed by Michael Curtiz, starred Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Dooley Wilson, and Claude Rains.  It also is worth noting that it won a total of 3 Academy Awards (“Oscars”), including “Best Picture.“

The movie has received a new 2022 4K restoration, from Warner’s Motion Picture Imagine labs, as described below [taken from the press release]:

“The new Casablanca 4K Ultra High-Definition image was restored and remastered from a 2022 4K 16bit film scan of the best-surviving nitrate film elements. The 4K-scanned digital images went through an extensive digital restoration process to clean and repair the picture for an unprecedented and pristine ultra-high-resolution presentation.  The restored images were then graded in High Dynamic Range for today’s premium 4K display experience, providing the highest fidelity in image contrast and detail retention.  This work was meticulously handled by Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging.  The original theatrical mono audio has also been newly restored as well, providing a richer and broader frequency response than previously possible.”

UPDATE #1: Tech specs for the release include a 2160p video Black & White video presentation in the 1.37:1 aspect ratio with HDR10 form of high dynamic range and a restored DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono sound mix.  The release will come in the form of a “combo pack” meaning that it will have its Blu-ray Disc counterpart and include a digital code (copy) of the film.

UPDATE #2:  You can now find the 4K UHD Blu-ray available for preorder over at Amazon.  The bonus materials set to be included with this release of the film are listed below.

  • Commentary by Roger Ebert [on 4K and Blu-ray]
  • Commentary by Rudy Behlmer [on 4K and Blu-ray]
  • Introduction by Lauren Bacall [on 4K and Blu-ray]
  • Warner Night at the Movies
    • Now, Voyager trailer
    • Newsreel
    • Vaudeville Days (1942 WB short)
    • The Bird Came C.O.D. (1942 WB cartoon)
    • The Squawkin’ Hawk (1942 WB cartoon)
    • The Dover Boys at Pimento University (1942 WB cartoon)
  • Great Performances: Bacall on Bogart (1988 PBS special)
  • Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You’ve Never Heard Of
  • Casablanca: An Unlikely Classic
  • You Must Remember This: A Tribute to Casablanca (1992 TEC documentary)
  • As Time Goes By: The Children Remember
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Outtakes
  • Who Holds Tomorrow? (1955 “Casablanca” TV episode)
  • Carrotblanca (1955 WB Cartoon)
  • Scoring Stage Sessions (audio only)
  • Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater Radio Broadcast – 4/26/43 (audio only)
  • Vox Pop Radio Broadcast – 11/19/47 (audio only)
  • Trailers

Further below, after the break, you can find the full details about this upcoming 4K release of the film.

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1944 Billy Wilder film Double Indemnity on 4K in May

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The 1944 film noir “Double Indemnity” is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray Disc on May 31st via The Criterion Collection.  The film, directed and co-written by Billy Wilder, starred Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, and Edward G. Robinson.

This release comes from a new 4K restoration.  The tech specs for the 4K UHD Blu-ray include a 2160p Black & White video presentation in the 1.37:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision and HDR10 forms of high dynamic range and an uncompressed LPCM Mono sound mix.  Tech specs for the Blu-ray include a 1080p HD Black & White video presentation in the 1.37:1 aspect ratio and LPCM Mono sound.  The 4K release will come in the form of a “combo pack” with its Blu-ray Disc counterpart included.  You can now find the 4K UHD Blu-ray and the Blu-ray from Criterion available for preorder over at Amazon.

Bonus materials set to be included with the releases are listed below.

  • Audio commentary featuring film critic Richard Schickel
  • New interview with film scholar Noah Isenberg, editor of Billy Wilder on Assignment
  • New conversation between film historians Eddie Muller and Imogen Sara Smith
  • Billy, How Did You Do It?, a 1992 film by Volker Schlöndorff and Gisela Grischow featuring interviews with director Billy Wilder
  • Shadows of Suspense, a 2006 documentary on the making of Double Indemnity
  • Audio excerpts from 1971 and 1972 interviews with cinematographer John F. Seitz
  • Radio adaptations from 1945 and 1950
  • Trailer

Kenneth Branagh film Belfast on Blu-ray in March

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The 2021 film “Belfast“ is officially coming to Blu-ray on March 1st via Universal Studios Home Entertainment.  The film, written & directed by Kenneth Branagh, stars Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Morgan, and Jude Hill.  It is most certainly worth noting, at the time of writing, this film is “Certified Fresh” over at Rotten Tomatoes.

The tech specs for the Blu-ray include a Black & White 1080p HD video presentation in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless surround sound on a BD-50 disc.  The release will come with a digital code (copy) of the film compatible with Movies Anywhere.  You can now find the Blu-ray available for preorder over at Amazon.  The bonus materials that are set to be included with this release are listed below.

  • Alternate Ending featuring Kenneth Branagh – Commentary with Writer/Director Kenneth Branagh
  • Deleted Scenes – Commentary with Writer/Director Kenneth Branagh
  • A City of Stories: The Making of BELFAST – Go behind the scenes of BELFAST with cast and crew to learn more about the characters, filming location and Kenneth’s childhood in Ireland.
  • Everyone’s Inner Child – Kenneth Branagh, Jamie Dornan, Caitríona Balfe, Ciarán Hinds, and Judi Dench reminisce about their childhoods.
  • Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Kenneth Branagh

Further below, after the break, you can find the trailer for the film and the full announcement regarding the home video release(s).

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1960 Billy Wilder film The Apartment on 4K in March

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The 1960 Academy Award-winning film “The Apartment“ is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray on March 8th via KL Studio Classics.  The movie won 5 “Oscars” (Academy Awards) including “Best Picture” out of the 10 awards it was nominated for.  Directed and co-written by Billy Wilder, the film starred Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, and Edie Adams.

The tech specs for the 4K UHD Blu-ray release include a 2160p Black & White video presentation in the 2.39:1 aspect ratio and lossless 5.1 surround and the original 2.0 Mono sound mixes on a BD-100 disc.  NOTE:  This release appears that it will be presented in SDR (standard dynamic range) and lack HDR (high dynamic range).  The release will come in the form of a “combo pack” with its Blu-ray Disc counterpart featuring the same aspect ratio and audio mixes.

UPDATE:  You can now find the 4K UHD Blu-ray available for preorder over at Amazon.  You also can find the 4K UHD Blu-ray available for preorder directly via Kino Lorber’s website.

It’s most certainly worth noting that there will also be a Blu-ray “Special Edition” released (by KL Studio Classics) on March 8th as well, which is included in this set.

The full set of bonus materials that will be included with the two discs of the 4K UHD Blu-ray release are listed below.

4K UHD Disc 1:

  • NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Joseph McBride, Author of Billy Wilder: Dancing on the Edge
  • Audio Commentary by Film Historian Bruce Block

BLU-RAY Disc 2:

  • NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Joseph McBride, Author of Billy Wilder: Dancing on the Edge
  • Audio Commentary by Film Historian Bruce Block
  • Inside The Apartment: Documentary (29:36)
  • Magic Time: The Art of Jack Lemmon (12:47)
  • Theatrical Trailer

1958 Orson Welles film Touch of Evil on 4K in February

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The 1958 film noir “Touch of Evil“ is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray on February 15th, 2022 via KL Studio Classics, according to a social media post. The film, co-written & directed by, plus co-starring Orson Welles, starred Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Joseph Calleia, Akim Tamiroff, and Joanna Moore.

This has received a new 4K restoration of the original Theatrical Cut, the “Reconstructed Cut,” and the “Preview Cut.” The tech specs for the release include a Black & White 2160p video presentation in Dolby Vision and HDR10 forms of high dynamic range. Each version of the film should theoretically be receiving a lossless Mono sound mix — although they have not been detailed. Also, the aspect ratio has not been specified if it will be in the 1.37:1 negative or the 1.85:1 intended ratios. Stay tuned for an update on all of that hopefully soon? The release will span across a 3-disc set with one BD-100 (triple-layer 100 gigabytes) disc for each version of the film.

UPDATE: You can now find the 4K UHD Blu-ray available for preorder over at Amazon. Also, you can find the 4K UHD Blu-ray and the Special Edition Blu-ray available for preorder directly over at Kino Lorber’s site. The bonus materials set to be included on the 4K release are listed below, for each of the three discs.

DISC 1
  • Brand New Dolby Vision HDR Master of the Theatrical Cut
  • NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Tim Lucas
  • Audio Commentary with Writer/Filmmaker F.X. Feeney
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Optional English Subtitles
  • Triple-Layer UHD100 Disc
DISC 2
  • Brand New Dolby Vision HDR Master of the Reconstructed Cut
  • NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Imogen Sara Smith
  • Audio Commentary by Stars Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh with Reconstruction Producer Rick Schmidlin
  • EVIL LOST AND FOUND: Featurette
  • Optional English Subtitles
  • Triple-Layer UHD100 Disc
DISC 3
  • Brand New Dolby Vision HDR Master of the Preview Cut
  • Audio Commentary with Orson Welles Historians Jonathan Rosenbaum and James Naremore
  • BRINGING EVIL TO LIFE: Featurette
  • Optional English Subtitles
  • Triple-Layer UHD100 Disc

A Hard Day’s Night with The Beatles on 4K in January

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The 1964 film “A Hard Day’s Night“ starring rock group The Beatles is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray on January 18th, 2021 via The Criterion Collection. The film, directed by Richard Lester, starred John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and Wilfrid Brambell. It’s most certainly worth noting that this was the first feature-length major motion picture that the band made during their legendary career.

The movie has received a new 4K restoration, which has been approved by the director Richard Lester. The tech specs for the 4K UHD Blu-ray include a 2160p video presentation, in Black & White, in the 1.75:1 aspect ratio with HDR10 and Dolby Vision forms of high dynamic range and 3 audio mixes [supervised by sound producer Giles Martin] with 1.0 Mono, and 2.0 Stereo mixes both uncompressed in linear PCM, and a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound mix. The release will come in the form of a “combo pack” meaning that it will include its Blu-ray Disc counterpart.

You can now find the 4K UHD Blu-ray available for preorder over at Amazon and directly via Criterion’s website. The bonus materials set to be included with the release are detailed below along with the full technical specifications and info regarding the restoration and audio mixes.

  • New 4K digital restoration, approved by director Richard Lester, with three audio options—a monaural soundtrack as well as stereo and 5.1 surround mixes supervised by sound producer Giles Martin at Abbey Road Studios—presented in uncompressed monaural, uncompressed stereo, and DTS-HD Master Audio on the 4K UHD and Blu-ray
  • In the 4K UHD edition: One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
  • Audio commentary featuring cast and crew (dual-format and 4K UHD only)
  • In Their Own Voices, a program featuring 1964 interviews with the Beatles with behind-the-scenes footage and photos
  • “You Can’t Do That”: The Making of “A Hard Day’s Night,” a 1994 documentary by producer Walter Shenson including an outtake performance by the Beatles
  • Things They Said Today, a 2002 documentary about the film featuring Lester, music producer George Martin, screenwriter Alun Owen, and cinematographer Gilbert Taylor (dual-format and 4K UHD only)
  • Picturewise, a program about Lester’s early work, featuring a 2014 audio interview with the director (dual-format and 4K UHD only)
  • The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film (1960), Lester’s Oscar-nominated short (dual-format and 4K UHD only)
  • Anatomy of a Style, a 2014 program on Lester’s methods (dual-format and 4K UHD only)
  • Interview from 2014 with Beatles biographer Mark Lewisohn (dual-format and 4K UHD only)
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by critic Howard Hampton and excerpts from a 1970 interview with Lester (dual-format and 4K UHD only)
  • New cover by Rodrigo Corral

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Stanley Kubrick film Dr. Strangelove gets a 4K in July

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According to Amazon, the 1964 film “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb“ is finally getting an individual 4K UHD Blu-ray release on July 6th via Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The reason I say finally getting an individual release for this title is that it was previously exclusively part of the “Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 1“ released back in June of 2020, and now long OOP (out of print). The film, directed by Stanley Kubrick, starred Peter Sellers (in numerous roles), George C. Scott, Keenan Wynn, Slim Pickens, Peter Bull, James Earl Jones, Tracy Reed, and Sterling Hayden. The tech specs for the 4K release include a Black & White 2160p video presentation in the 1.66:1 aspect ratio with HDR10 form of high dynamic range and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 as well as DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 Mono lossless sound mixes. The release will come in the form of a “combo pack” meaning that it will include its Blu-ray Disc counterpart as well as a digital code (copy) of the film. You can now find the individual 4K UHD Blu-ray available for preorder over at Amazon. No official announcement regarding this release has been made yet by the studio [Sony] but stay tuned for an update and confirmation on that. The bonus materials set to be included on both the 4K UHD Blu-ray Disc and the Blu-ray Disc are listed below, accordingly.

4K UHD Blu-ray Disc Extras:

  • NEW: “Stanley Kubrick Considers the Bomb” Featurette
  • Mick Broderick Interview
  • Joe Dunton and Kelvin Pike Interview
  • Richard Daniels Interview
  • David George Interview
  • Rodney Hill Interview
  • Archival Stanley Kubrick Audio Interview
  • The Today Show Clips featuring Peter Sellers and George C. Scott
  • Exhibitor Trailer
  • Theatrical Trailer

Blu-ray Disc Extras:

  • The Cold War Feature-Length Picture-in-Picture Track
  • Inside Dr. Strangelove
  • No Fighting in the War Room
  • An Interview with Robert McNamara
  • Best Sellers
  • The Art of Stanley Kubrick
  • Split-Screen Interviews with Peter Sellers and George C. Scott

Below, after the break, you can find the first 10 minutes of the film (an extended preview) from Sony on YouTube as well as the trailer for the original “Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 1“ box set that the 4K UHD Blu-ray first appeared on as an exclusive.

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It’s A Wonderful Life is getting a 4K SteelBook

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The 1946 classic Frank Capra film “It’s A Wonderful Life“ starring James Stewart is getting a 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook release on November 17th, via Paramount. This film has previously been released, last year, on the 4K format. You can find 4K screenshots of it here.

UPDATE: The release date for this 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook of the film has been pushed back by a total of two weeks from its originally slated release. To avoid confusion, I’ll only be mentioning the new updated release date here.

The film co-starred Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers, and Beulah Bondi. The tech specs for the release include Black & White restored 2160p 4K video with Dolby Vision and HDR10 forms of High Dynamic Range and Dolby TrueHD Mono sound. The release will come with a Blu-ray Disc of the colorized version of the film, and a digital code (copy) of the film. You can now find the 4K SteelBook is available for preorder over at Amazon. The bonus materials set to be included on the release are identical to those on the original 2019 4K and consist of the following on the 4K UHD Blu-ray Disc:

  • “Restoring a Beloved Classic” [in 4K]
  • “Secrets from the Vault”
  • “It’s A Wonderful Wrap Party”

Below, you can find a glimpse at the contents of this limited edition 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook version of the film which includes a mini reproduction of a vintage film poster.

its_a_wonderful_life_4k_steelbook

Further below, after the break, you can find the official announcement regarding this SteelBook release of the film on 4K UHD Blu-ray, as well as info about the restoration the film originally received.

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