Tag Archives: Howard Hawks

The 1940 film His Girl Friday on Criterion 4K

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The 1940 film “His Girl Friday“ arrives on 4K UHD Blu-ray this December 2nd via The Criterion Collection. Howard Hawks directed the movie. It starred Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy, Gene Lockhart, Porter Hall, Ernest Truex, and Cliff Edwards. EDITORIAL NOTE: This movie was previously released on the 4K UHD format as part of a box set from Sony [“Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection: Vol. 4“].

This features a new digital 4K restoration. The tech specs for the 4K UHD Blu-ray include a Black and White 2160p video presentation in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio featuring Dolby Vision and HDR10, accompanied by Uncompressed (Linear PCM) Mono sound. The 3-disc set will come as a “combo pack” with its Blu-ray Disc counterpart and a bonus disc. Those Blu-rays will also include the 1931 film “The Front Page” — “Lewis Milestone’s famous pre-Code adaptation of the same material.”

The 4K UHD Blu-ray is now available for preorder at Amazon. You can also preorder directly via the Criterion website. The bonus materials set to be included with this release are listed below and span across 3 discs (one 4K, two Blu-ray).

  • One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and two Blu-rays with the film, The Front Page, and the special features
  • 4K digital restoration of The Front Page, made from a recently discovered print of director Lewis Milestone’s preferred version, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
  • Interview with film scholar David Bordwell
  • Archival interviews with His Girl Friday director Howard Hawks
  • Featurettes from 1999 and 2006 about Hawks and actor Rosalind Russell
  • Radio adaptation of His Girl Friday from 1940
  • Program about the restoration of The Front Page
  • Program about playwright and screenwriter Ben Hecht
  • Radio adaptations of the play The Front Page from 1937 and 1946
  • Trailers
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • Plus: Essays on His Girl Friday and The Front Page by film critics Farran Smith Nehme and Michael Sragow
  • Cover by Randy Glass

The 1962 film Hatari! is coming to 4K in December

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The 1962 film “Hatari!” is coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray and Special Edition Blu-ray Disc on December 10th via KL Studio Classics. Howard Hawks directed and produced the film, which starred John Wayne, Hardy Kruger, Elsa Martinelli, Red Buttons, Gérard Blain, Bruce Cabot, Michèle Girardon, Valentin de Vargas, and Eduard Franz.

The movie has received a new 4K master from a 16-bit 4K scan of the 35mm original camera negative. The tech specs for the 4K release include a 2160p video presentation in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision and HDR10 forms of high dynamic range with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround and lossless 2.0 stereo sound, on a BD-100 disc. Tech specs for the Blu-ray Special Edition include a 1080p HD video presentation in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and lossless 2.0 stereo sound, on a BD-50 disc. The 4K release will come as a “combo pack” with its Blu-ray counterpart included.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray Special Edition are now available for preorder at Amazon. The bonus material to be included with the releases is listed by disc below.

4K UHD Blu-ray:

  • NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian/Writer Julie Kirgo and Writer/Filmmaker Peter Hankoff

Blu-ray:

  • NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian/Writer Julie Kirgo and Writer/Filmmaker Peter Hankoff
  • Theatrical Trailer

The 1932 film Scarface gets a 4K and Blu-ray via Criterion

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The 1932 film “Scarface” is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray Disc on November 12th via The Criterion Collection. The film, co-directed by Howard Hawks and Richard Rosson, starred Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak, Karen Morley, Osgood Perkins, C. Henry Gordon, George Raft, and Boris Karloff.

The tech specs for the 4K release include a 2160p Black & White video presentation in the 1.35:1 aspect ratio with SDR (standard dynamic range) and Uncompressed PCM Mono sound. Tech specs for the Blu-ray include a 1.35:1 aspect ratio and Uncompressed PCM Mono sound. The 4K release will come as a “combo pack’ with its Blu-ray Disc counterpart included. You can now find the 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray available for preorder at Amazon. It’s certainly worth noting that you can also preorder the 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray directly from Criterion’s website. The bonus materials set to be included with the releases are listed below.

  • Alternate ending, from the censored version of the film
  • New conversation between author Megan Abbott and actor Bill Hader
  • New interview with film scholar Lea Jacobs on director Howard Hawks’s innovative use of sound and editing
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by critic Imogen Sara Smith
  • New cover by Mark Chiarello

Original 1932 Scarface film comes to Blu-ray

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The classic 1932 original “Scarface“ film produced by Howard Hughes is finally coming to Blu-ray Disc – as an individual release – on November 19th via Universal MOD. The film, co-directed by Howard Hawks & Richard Rosson, starred Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak, Karen Morley, Osgood Perkins, C. Henry Gordon, George Raft, Vince Barnett, and Boris Karloff. This isn’t the first time this film has been available, as it was released (exclusively) as part of the “Scarface” 1983 4K UHD Blu-ray Limited Edition box set earlier this year. However, as mentioned, this will be the first time the film will be available on the Blu-ray format as an individual release. Speaking of which, this will be a MOD (manufacture on demand) Blu-ray title for Universal – as noted. This means that it will only be available online via Amazon and others. The tech specs for the release include 1080p HD Black & White video in the 1.37:1 aspect ratio with DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio Mono sound. You can find the Blu-ray now available for preorder over at Amazon. The bonus materials set to be included on the release are listed below.

  • Introduction by TCM Host and Film Historian Robert Osborne
  • Alternate Ending