Tag Archives: Restoration

Winchester ’73 gets Criterion 4K and Blu-ray in January

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The 1950 film “Winchester ’73” is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray Disc on January 28th via The Criterion Collection. The film, directed by Anthony Mann, starred James Stewart, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea, Rock Hudson, Stephen McNally, Millard Mitchell, Charles Drake, John McIntire, and Will Geer.

The movie has received a new 4K digital restoration, “undertaken by Universal Pictures in collaboration with The Film Foundation.” The tech specs for the 4K release include a Black & White 2160p video presentation in the 1.35:1 aspect ratio with SDR (standard dynamic range) and uncompressed Mono sound. NOTE: This 4K release will NOT include HDR (high dynamic range). Tech specs for the Blu-ray include a 1080p HD Black & White video presentation in the 1.35:1 aspect ratio and uncompressed Mono sound. The 4K release will come as a “combo pack” with its Blu-ray counterpart included.

UPDATED: The 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray are now available for preorder at Amazon but stay tuned for an update. Also, you can preorder directly via the Criterion website. The following bonus material will be included with each of the releases.

  • Audio commentary featuring actor James Stewart and film historian Paul Lindenschmidt
  • New interview with film programmer Adam Piron on the portrayal of Native Americans in the Western genre
  • Lux Radio Theatre adaptation of the film from 1951
  • Trailer
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by critic Imogen Sara Smith
  • New cover by Gregory Manchess

The 1984 film Paris Texas gets Criterion 4K in December

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The 1984 film “Paris, Texas” is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray on December 3rd via The Criterion Collection. The film, directed by Wim Wenders, starred Harry Dean Stanton, Dean Stockwell, Nastassja Kinski, Bernhard Wicki, Aurore Clément, and Hunter Carson.

The movie has received a new 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Wim Wenders. The tech specs included a 2160p video presentation in the 1.66:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision and HDR10 forms of high dynamic range and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless surround sound. The release will come as a “combo pack” with its Blu-ray Disc counterpart included. You can now find the 4K UHD Blu-ray available for preorder at Amazon and directly via Criterion’s website. The bonus materials set to be included with the release are listed below.

  • Audio commentary featuring Wenders
  • Archival interviews with Wenders; cinematographer Robby Müller; composer Ry Cooder; actors Harry Dean Stanton, Dennis Hopper, Peter Falk, and Hanns Zischler; novelist Patricia Highsmith; and filmmaker Samuel Fuller
  • Interviews with filmmakers Allison Anders and Claire Denis
  • Deleted scenes and Super 8 home movies
  • Gallery of Wenders’ location-scouting photos
  • Behind-the-scenes photos by Robin Holland
  • Trailer
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by film critic Nick Roddick; interviews with Stanton, writer Sam Shepard, and actors Nastassja Kinski and Dean Stockwell; and excerpts from Wenders’ book of photos Written in the West
  • Cover by Neil Kellerhouse

1973 film Paper Moon on Criterion 4K and Blu-ray

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The 1973 film “Paper Moon” is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray Disc on November 26th via The Criterion Collection. The film, directed by Peter Bogdanovich, starred Ryan O’Neal, Tatum O’Neal, Madeline Kahn, John Hillerman, P.J. Johnson, and Jessie Lee Fulton.

The movie has received a new 4K digital restoration. The tech specs for the release include a 2160p Black & White video presentation in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision and HDR10 forms of high dynamic range and LPCM Uncompressed Mono sound. The 4K release will come as a “combo pack” with its Blu-ray Disc counterpart included. You can find the 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray available for preorder at Amazon or any other retailers but stay tuned for an update. The 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray are also available to preorder directly via Criterion’s website. The bonus materials set to be included with the releases are listed below.

  • Audio commentary featuring director Peter Bogdanovich
  • Introduction to the film by Bogdanovich
  • New video essay by Bogdanovich biographer Peter Tonguette
  • Three-part making-of documentary featuring Bogdanovich, production designer Polly Platt, associate producer Frank Marshall, and cinematographer László Kovács
  • Archival interview with Platt
  • Excerpts from a 1973 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson featuring Bogdanovich and actors Ryan and Tatum O’Neal
  • Trailer
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by critic Mark Harris
  • New cover by Raphael Geroni

1955 film The Ladykillers comes to 4K in September

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The 1955 film “The Ladykillers” is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray and Special Edition Blu-ray Disc on September 24th via KL Studio Classics. The film, directed by Alexander Mackendrick, starred Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, Cecil Parker, Danny Green, Jack Warner, and Katie Johnson.

The releases both come from a 2020 restoration by StudioCanal. The tech specs for the 4K release include a 2160p Black & White video presentation in the original 1.37:1 and 1.66:1 matted aspect ratios with Dolby Vision and HDR10 forms of high dynamic range and lossless Mono sound, on a 100 GB disc. Tech specs for the Special Edition Blu-ray include a 1080p HD Black & White video presentation in the original 1.37:1 and 1.66:1 matted aspect ratios with lossless Mono sound, on a 50 GB disc. The 4K release will come as a “combo pack” with the Blu-ray Disc counterpart included. UPDATE: You can now find the 4K UHD Blu-ray and Special Edition Blu-ray available to preorder at Amazon. The bonus materials set to be included with the releases are listed below.

  • 4K UHD Blu-ray:
    • NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian David Del Valle
    • Audio Commentary by Film Historian Philip Kemp
  • Blu-ray Disc:
    • NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian David Del Valle
    • Audio Commentary by Film Historian Philip Kemp
    • Forever Ealing: Documentary (49:37)
    • Interview with Allan Scott (10:30)
    • Cleaning Up The Ladykillers: Featurette (6:07)
    • Interview with Ronald Harwood (7:15)
    • Interview with Terence Davies (13:49)
    • Theatrical Trailer

1995 Terry Gilliam film 12 Monkeys arrives on 4K April

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The 1995 film “12 Monkeys” is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray for the very first time on April 26th via Arrow Video here in the United States.  The film, directed by Terry Gilliam, starred Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, David Morse, Christopher Plummer, and Brad Pitt.

The tech specs for the release include a 2160p video presentation in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio with HDR10 and Dolby Vision forms of high dynamic range and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround and 2.0 Stereo lossless sound mixes.  This is said to be using a “brand new restoration from a 4K scan of the original negative by Arrow Films, approved by director Terry Gilliam.”  

You can now find the 4K UHD Blu-ray available for preorder over at Amazon here in the US.  Also, the United Kingdom will be getting their 4K UHD Blu-ray release a day early, and on that note, here’s the Amazon UK preorder for that version.  The bonus materials set to be included with the release are listed below.

  • Audio commentary by Terry Gilliam and producer Charles Roven
  • The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of Twelve Monkeys, feature-length making-of documentary by Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe (Lost in La Mancha)
  • The Film Exchange with Terry Gilliam, a 1996 interview with Gilliam and critic Jonathan Romney, recorded at the London Film Festival
  • Appreciation by Ian Christie, author of Gilliam on Gilliam
  • The Twelve Monkeys Archives
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin
  • FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by Nathan Rabin and Ian Christie

Magnum P.I. The Complete Series on Blu-ray in March

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The 1980 original TV show “Magnum, P.I.: The Complete Series“ is coming to Blu-ray Disc in a box set on March 22nd, 2022 via Mill Creek Entertainment. The show, created by Donald P. Bellisario & Glen A. Larson, starred Tom Selleck, John Hillerman, Roger E. Mosley, and Larry Manetti. This will be the very first time that the show has been available on the Blu-ray format and it also has received a restoration, as noted on the back of the packaging (and below).

“… fully restored in high definition for the first time.”

Tech specs for the release include a 1080p HD video presentation in the 1.33:1 (4×3) aspect ratio and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Stereo sound, spanning across a 30-disc set. You can now find the Blu-ray set available for preorder over at Amazon. No bonus materials appear to be included with this release.

The Birds is getting a standard 4K and SteelBook in May

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The 1963 classic film “The Birds” directed by Alfred Hitchcock will be getting both an individual standard 4K UHD Blu-ray release (pictured above) and a 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook release (pictured below) on May 25th via Universal Studios Home Entertainment, according to retailers. The tech specs for the 4K release include a video presentation in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio with HDR10 form of high dynamic range and the original Mono in a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 sound mix.

This film itself was previously released on the 4K format last September as a part of a Hitchcock-themed 4K set. Hitchcock’s 1963 film starred Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy, and Suzanne Pleshette. Both the standard and the new 4K SteelBook will come in the form of a “combo pack” meaning they’ll include the Blu-ray Disc counterpart as well as a digital code (copy) of the film.

UPDATE: You can now find the standard 4K UHD Blu-ray listed as available for preorder over at Amazon, as well as over at the retailer Target. Stay tuned for an update on when Amazon or any other retailers get that listed. The 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook (pictured above), as mentioned, it appears is going to be exclusive to retailer Best Buy where it is currently listed as coming soon, and not yet a fully functional preorder listing. Just keep checking the page over there for an update. The bonus materials that are contained on both 4K and Blu-ray included with the release run rather lengthy, and because of that, you can find them along with full tech details about the release listed entirely below after the break.

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Psycho is getting a standard 4K and a new SteelBook in May

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The 1960 classic film “Psycho” directed by Alfred Hitchcock will be getting both an individual standard 4K UHD Blu-ray release (pictured above) and a new 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook release (pictured below) on May 25th via Universal Studios Home Entertainment, according to retailers. This will include 2 versions of the film with “Psycho Uncut” (an extended cut as seen originally in theaters) as well as the standard version mostly seen in TV broadcasts and for the theatrical re-releases and on previous releases on physical media. The tech specs for the 4K release include a Black & White video presentation in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio with HDR10 form of high dynamic range and DTS:X sound as well as the original Mono mix presented in 2.0 Dolby Digital.

This film itself was previously released on the 4K format last September as a part of a Hitchcock-themed 4K set, and it’s even worth noting that the film received an individual release via a previous 4K SteelBook as well that same September of 2020. Hitchcock’s 1960 film starred Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, and Martin Balsam. Both the standard and the new 4K SteelBook will come in the form of a “combo pack” meaning they’ll include the Blu-ray Disc counterpart as well as a digital code (copy) of the film.

UPDATE: You can now find the standard 4K UHD Blu-ray listed as available for preorder over at Amazon, as well as over at retailer Target. Stay tuned for an update on when Amazon or any other retailers get that listed. The new 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook (pictured above), as mentioned, it appears is going to be exclusive to retailer Best Buy where it is currently listed as coming soon, and not yet a fully functional preorder listing. Just keep checking the page over there for an update. The bonus materials that are contained on both 4K and Blu-ray included with the release run rather lengthy, and because of that, you can find them along with the full technical specs listed entirely below after the break.

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1974 cult-classic The Groove Tube comes to Blu-ray in May

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The 1974 cult-classic comedy “The Groove Tube” is finally coming to Blu-ray Disc on May 25th via Hen’s Tooth Video. The film, directed and co-written by Ken Shapiro, starred Chevy Chase, Richard Belzer, and Ken Shapiro. The tech specs for the release include a 1080p HD presentation in the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio from a new 4K restoration, as detailed and quoted below. No word yet on the audio configuration or format.

“Restoration by Gamma Ray Digital from a 4K scan of 35mm archival film materials in the collections of the Library of Congress.”

You can now find the Blu-ray available for preorder over at Amazon. Below, after the break, you can find the trailer for the film and details from the official listing over at HensToothVideo.com.

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