I've recently started digitizing my mother-in-law's collection of home movies. What I would love is some recommendations or tweaks I can do to improve the quality and remove any combing or minimize static. I am not particularly concerned with audio quality, but I'll list it below as well.

And so far I'm enjoying the processes. It's really fun to see old videos and to learn a bit about video formats and encoding. I'm an amateur when it comes to these kinds of things so I'm learning as I go along. Each tape I make the picture clearer and the file size smaller!

Recording

• Sony Handycam (DCR-TRV27)
• Various DV 60/90 cassette tapes
• Seemingly ran in standard recording mode (tapes are 60 minutes)

VCR

• Elgato USB Analog Video Capture Device
• Handycam's VCR mode connected via S-Video Cable and 3.5mm audio jack*

* I have ordered a A/V to RCA cable which is the manufacturer's recommended connection, but unsure about the effects on quality

Software

• OBS for recording the VCR feed
  • Downscale Filter: Bicubic (Sharpened scaling, 16 samples)
  • Deinterlace - Linear 2x
  • 720x540 @ 29.97 FPS (NTSC) (upscaled from 720x480)
  • "Indistinguishable Quality, Large File Size"
    • .mkv format with H.264 encoder
  • Audio Encoder AAC
  • Audio 48khz steroe
• Handbrake for re-encoding
  • 720x480 @ 29.97 FPS
  • H.264 (x264) MKV format
  • No additional deinterlacing
  • "Constant Quality" set to 20
  • Audio Encoder AAC

With optical media production winding down, and many people seemingly happy to get rid of their disc collections, there's never been a better time to pick up used media for your collection, but I'm still somewhat particular about used discs no matter how low their price!

They are:

• How Bad Are the Scratches?
• Cloudiness or Edge Infiltration
• Is the Disc Flat?
• Signs of a Fake!
• Can My Player Play It?

Sorry, the post was too long to replicate here.

Follow the link for details on new versions of:

• Trick 'R' Treat
• Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment
• J-Horror Rising (Shikoku, Isola: Multiple Personality Girl, Inugami, St. John’s Wort, Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman and Noroi: The Curse, and Persona)
• Exorcist II: The Heretic
• The Exorcist III

How many times has Hellraiser been released on Blu-ray now? Feels like one of those films that gets released every few years because they've found something new to stick in the extras!

Air America is coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

by Simon Brew | July 26, 2024

• 4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY

1990's Air America, starring Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr, is coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in the UK this October.

An early film from the careers of Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr, 1990's Air America was a solid hit around the time of release, even if it never really set the world on fire. Sold heavily as an action comedy, it's set in the Vietnam War, and has a bit more weight to its message than the marketing may have initially put across. Roger Spottiswoode (Tomorrow Never Dies) directs the film.

Still, it was never particularly well received on its initial release, even though the fighting sequences were singled out for praise. Now though, you get to assess or reassess the movie, depending on whether you've seen it before, thanks to a new 4K remaster.

Air America will be making its debut on the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format on 7th October in the UK. You can find more information on the release, and order yourself a copy, right here.

The disc will come with extra features, presumably courtesy of the Blu-ray that's also bundled in the box.

The extra features read as follows...

Revisiting Air America

Short Interviews with Cast and Crew

The Storyboards of Air America

Feature Clips

Flight Log

Making of Featurette

Theatrical Trailer

Trailer 2024

Commentary by screenwriter John Eskow

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray of *Air America *is available to preorder now, and we'll leave you with the synopsis for the movie...

Set in the 1960s, Billy Covington (Robert Downey Jr.) is a big-city chopper pilot who reports traffic conditions for a radio station but ends up losing his license due to a traffic incident on the freeway. Longing to do some real flying, Billy is recruited by the government for a secret and safe (he thinks) civilian airline in Laos. Knowing that by agreeing to do it he'll get his license back, he signs up. Upon arrival in Laos, he soon befriends ace pilot Gene Ryack (Mel Gibson) and realises that Air America isn't quite what it seems, instead of transporting civilians, it's food, money, ammunition and napalm that are the real cargo and the pilots are risking their lives daily.

Both 4K and blu-ray releases see quite an uptick this week. Not going to see it as a scorcher, but it's definitely a hot week.

Welcome to Volume 5 Episode 8 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of July 21st - July 27th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Black and Chrome Edition 4K Blu-ray

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release on 4K Bu-ray Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Black and Chrome Edition. The release is scheduled to arrive on the market on August 13.

The studio will release Mad Max 5-Film Collection 4K Collection on September 24.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Black & Chrome Edition is a version of the theatrical film which has the color removed in favor of a black a chrome aesthetic. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Black & Chrome Edition will feature an introduction by director George Miller.

The Mad Max 5-Film 4K Collector's Edition will include 1979's acclaimed post-apocalyptic action film Mad Max, 1981's Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, 1985's Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road and 2024's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. In addition to the 5 films, the Collector's Edition also includes special features from the five films along with the Black & Chrome Editions of Mad Max: Fury Road and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

As the world fell, young Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel presided over by The Immortan Joe. While the two Tyrants war for dominance, Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.

Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth star in Academy Award-winning mastermind George Miller's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, the much-anticipated return to the iconic dystopian world he created more than 40 years ago with the seminal Mad Max films. Miller now turns the page again with an all-new original, standalone action adventure that will reveal the origins of the powerhouse character from the multiple Oscar-winning global smash Mad Max: Fury Road. The new feature from Warner Bros. Pictures is produced by Miller and his longtime partner, Oscar-nominated producer Doug Mitchell (Mad Max: Fury Road, Babe), under their Australian-based Kennedy Miller Mitchell banner.

As the world fell, young Furiosa is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel presided over by The Immortan Joe. While the two Tyrants war for dominance, Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.

Taylor-Joy stars in the title role, and along with Hemsworth, the film also stars Tom Burke and Alyla Browne.

Miller penned the script with Mad Max: Fury Road co-writer Nico Lathouris. Miller's behind-the-scenes creative team includes first assistant director PJ Voeten and action designer Guy Norris, director of photography Simon Duggan (Hacksaw Ridge, The Great Gatsby), composer Tom Holkenborg, supervising sound editor Robert Mackenzie, editor Eliot Knapman, visual effects supervisor Andrew Jackson and supervising colorist Eric Whipp. The team also includes other longtime collaborators: production designer Colin Gibson, editor Margaret Sixel, production sound Ben Osmo, costume designer Jenny Beavan and hair and makeup designer Lesley Vanderwalt, each of whom won an Oscar for their work on Mad Max: Fury Road.

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents A Kennedy Miller Mitchell Production, A George Miller Film, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. The film is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures. |

|

A Quiet Place: Day one has been a big hit at the box office, and if you're looking to bring the sci-fi thriller home, preorders are now open for its upcoming Blu-ray release. Like most major releases, you'll be able to choose between A Quiet Place: Day One steelbook Blu-ray or a regular release, and for an extra-special version, Walmart is offering its own steelbook version that's slightly different from the one on Amazon. Walmart has "Stay quiet, stay alive" written on its Blu-ray steelbook cover, and who knows, that extra touch could make this extra-collectible.

The Fall Guy delivers an impressive 2160p UHD 4K image with Dolby Vision. The streaming version looks amazing, however, this physical copy allows more room to breathe with its wide gamut of colors and detail.

The colors are bold and rich from the start inside the tall building where Gosling is about to fall multiple stories for a stunt. The primary colors stand out with green plants outside the building contrast nicely with the black and gold leather suits and the amber paint in the lobby. As the film cuts into the near future, wonderful neon signs light up the night sky with red, maroon, and blue-tinted street lights. Once the action unfolds on location, the sandy dunes mix well with the bright blue skies. Inside the posh hotel, a warmer palette of orange, yellow, black, and gold lines the walls where certain characters wear bright blue clothing that looks amazing. The Dolby Vision enhances the action beats outside where the gray and darker colors of roads and vehicles leave room for the brighter wardrobe color pops. And that bright orange musical car at the beginning of the film looks pitch-perfect inside the cooler-looking parking garage. Even the nightclub scene where Gosling's bright neon yellow jacket looks amazing with the purple and blue backlighting. Black levels are very inky and rich and the skin tones are always natural.

The detail is sharp and vivid with excellent closeups that reveal the actor's individual hairs on their faces, facial pores, beads of blood and sweat, practical makeup applications, and textures in the clothing, weapons, and vehicles. Metallic and leather objects look particularly good here. When explosions are applied, the dirt, sand, and debris can be easily seen flying across the screen without pixelation. The bigger action sequences are never soft and provide a ton of depth in both the foreground and the background. There is never a dull moment in the film. There are no problems with aliasing, banding, or video noise either. This video presentation is a step above the streaming version and is the ultimate way to watch this action movie.

...

Extended Cut (UHD, 146 Mins.) - The extended cut has its own 4K Disc and is twenty minutes longer than the theatrical cut. There are more sequences with supporting characters that allow for more character development along with some different editing that makes the movie play without going back and forth in time. This extended cut is the better option.

...

The Fall Guy has risen to be one of the biggest and best action flicks in years. The amount of fun, heart, soul, and the ability to finally pay homage to the impressive stunt people throughout the years is fantastic. This 4K image with Dolby Vision looks excellent and is a definitive upgrade from the 1080p version and even the 4K streaming option. The Dolby Atmos track is demo-worthy. The bonus features are a ton of fun to watch as well. MUST-OWN.

Many people were first made aware of the value of some Blu-ray and 4K UHD discs last year when they heard about the price people were paying for Best Buy exclusive steelbook versions of Oppenheimer. Or maybe they saw the Lawrence of Arabia 4K steelbook selling for 5x retail

If you happen to have one of those, you probably already know that it's valuable, but here are some lesser known rare Blu-rays and 4K releases:

DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray sales appear to be on the up at HMV, after a positive first half of the year.

Some very welcome good news for fans of physical media, with the HMV chain reporting that sales of DVDs, Blu-rays and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs are on the rise. Given the hammering that physical media had been taking over the last few years, this is the signs of a turnaround that had been hoped for and spectulated.

According to HMV’s managing director, Phil Halliday, “when streaming first came out I think a lot of people saw it as cheap and with huge breadth of choice, but I’m not sure people see it like that now … People are willing to pay for a physical copy of shows or films they know they will rewatch.”

Sales of what HMV describes as its ‘visual category’ are up by 5% in the first half of 2024 already. The driver for that growth is high definition disc formats, presumably 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.

HMV’s story isn’t reflective elsewhere, on the flipside of that. Overall, the numbers suggest that physical media sales continue to decline, and that’s been the case year on year for well over a decade now. HMV, as physical media fans very well know, is about the only chain – along with its sister chain, Fopp – to stock a good range of catalogue DVDs, Blu-rays and 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays, with many stores backing away from even selling the biggest titles too.

Still, there’s an element of if you build it, they will come to all of this. What HMV has discovered is if you offer people a selection of physical media to choose from, they tend to be interested in it. And if the sales numbers being reported are anything to go, they’re willing to put their hands in their pockets too.

Here’s to more nice physical media sales numbers over the next year or two. We’ll keep you posted…

Top 20 Disc Sellers

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

*Units Sold Compared to No. 1 Title

**Re-entered the Top 200

† Percentage of Overall Disc Sales in a 3D format; 3D is considered a Blu-ray version and is also part of the BD Share for each title.

†† Percentage of Overall Disc Sales in a UHD BD format; UHD is considered a Blu-ray version and is also part of the BD Share for each title.

Top 20 Selling Blu-ray Discs

1. Civil War
2. The Boy and the Heron
3. Abigail
4. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
5. Twister
6. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
7. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
8. Boy Kills World
9. Unsung Hero
10. Dune: Part Two
11. Challengers
12. Doctor Who: Tom Baker - Complete Season Four
13. Ghostbusters 2-Movie Collection: Afterlife/Frozen Empire
14. Taxi Driver
15. Starship Troopers
16. The Beekeeper
17. Monkey Man
18. Oppenheimer
19. Coraline
20. Mars Attacks!

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Top 20 Selling 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs

1. Civil War
2. Twister
3. The Boy and the Heron
4. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
5. Boy Kills World
6. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
7. Taxi Driver
8. Starship Troopers
9. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
10. Dune: Part Two
11. The Fifth Element
12. Coraline
13. Point Break
14. Oppenheimer
15. Purple Rain
16. Le Samourai
17. The Guyver
18. Heavy Metal/Heavy Metal 2000
19. Star Wars: Andor - The Complete First Season
20. Monkey Man

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Further reading:

• Top 20 Disc Sellers for Week Ended 2024-07-13
• Top 20 Selling Blu-ray and 4K Discs for Week Ended 2024-07-13
• Top HD Formats Disc Share Per Title for Week Ended 2024-07-13
• Blu-ray Sales: July 7-13: Civil War Battles to the Top of the Charts

NOTE I'm guessing Tank Girl is a UK only release as Shout Factory have already released it in the US.

Eureka Entertainment Announces October Releases

Posted July 18, 2024 05:52 PM by

[

PRE-ORDER NOW

](https://www.blu-ray.com/link/click.php?id=366300&c=7)

Eureka Entertainment has announced its October batch of Blu-ray releases. They are: Tank Girl (1995) and Broken Oath (1977).

Broken Oath

A Hong Kong take on Japan's Lady Snowblood, Broken Oath is an action-packed tale of righteous vengeance directed by Jeong Chang-hwa (King Boxer) and starring the first lady of kung fu cinema: the inimitable Angela Mao!

Orphaned and angry, Lotus (Mao) is raised by Buddhist nuns before she is exiled for her violent ways -- and skipping classes to improve her martial arts skills. Finding herself alone in the world, she quickly comes to discover the truth of her past: that her father was once a respected member of the Imperial Court who was murdered in cold blood, and that her mother gave birth to her in a jail cell after being unjustly imprisoned for killing one of the culprits. With revenge on her mind and a newfound accomplice in tow (Bruce Leung, Magnificent Bodyguards), she sets out to track down the men responsible for tearing her family apart -- armed with both her considerable martial arts prowess and a nest of scorpions with which to poison her enemies.

Made at the height of her fame following roles in Hapkido, Lady Whirlwind, Enter the Dragon and When Taekwondo Strikes, Broken Oath is one of Angela Mao's very best films -- and boasts action choreography orchestrated by Hsia Hsu (Drunken Master) and Yuen Woo-ping, one of the most respected stunt coordinators in both Hong Kong (The Magnificent Butcher) and Hollywood (The Matrix). Eureka Classics is proud to present the film on Blu-ray for the first time anywhere in the world from a brand new 2K restoration.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• NEW 2K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
• Original Mandarin audio and optional English dub tracks (original mono presentations)
• Optional English subtitles, newly translated for this release
• Brand new audio commentary by East Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
• Brand new audio commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
• Brand new interview with actor Bruce Leung (The Dragon Lives Again)
• Patrick Macias on Lady Snowblood -- new appreciation by film writer Patrick Macias
• Trailer
• A collector's booklet featuring new writing on Broken Oath by East Asian cinema expert Gina Marchetti and Kung Fu Cult Masters author Leon Hunt [2000 copies]
• Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju) [2000 copies]

U.S. AND CANADA STREET DATE: OCTOBER 22.
UK STREET DATE: OCTOBER 21.

Tank Girl

Brought to the screen by director Rachel Talalay (Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare) and starring Lori Petty (Point Break) in its title role, Tank Girl is a slice of post-apocalyptic science fiction -- and a bonafide cult classic -- adapted from the hit comic strip created by Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett.

The year is 2033, and the people of Earth have been suffering through a drought for over a decade. The planet's water supply is now controlled by megalomaniac businessman Kesslee (Malcolm McDowell), the owner of the Water & Power corporation. But in Australia, at least, there is resistance. If Kesslee wants to take control of the last water well in the Outback, he'll need to contend with the Rippers -- mutant hybrids of human and kangaroo -- and Rebecca Buck, alias Tank Girl (Petty): a woman with a tank, a bad attitude, and a determination to rescue the world from the brink of oblivion.

First published by the British comics magazine Deadline in 1988, Tank Girl began life as a comic strip before becoming a cult phenomenon in the 1990s. In 1995, the central character starred in a new run of stories under DC Comics' Vertigo imprint and this big-screen adaptation, which formed one part of a boom in comic book movies that also included The Shadow, Judge Dredd and The Phantom. Eureka Classics is proud to present this limited edition of the film on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• 1080p HD presentation
• 5.1 DTS-HD MA and LPCM 2.0 audio options
• Optional English SDH
• Not a Bedtime Story -- A new interview with artist Greg Staples on Tank Girl from page to screen
• Audio commentary with director Rachel Talalay and actress Lori Petty
• Girl U Want -- A new appreciation of Tank Girl with film scholar and fan Lindsay Hallam
• A plethora of archival interviews with cast and crew, including Rachel Talalay, Lori Petty, Catherine Hardwicke, and more
• Making Tank Girl -- 1995 featurette
• Theatrical Trailer
• Limited Collector's Edition Box Set
• Limited Edition Hardbound Slipcase featuring new artwork by Tank Girl cover artist Greg Staples
• A limited edition 60-page collector's booklet featuring new writing on Tank Girl by genre film experts Stacey Abbott and Kieran Foster

UK STREET DATE: OCTOBER 28.

Collector's Edition - $150.00

The 4K UHD Collector’s Set of Arcane: League of Legends Season One serves as the definitive showcase for the award-winning series, presenting all nine episodes in glorious 4K resolution and mastered in Dolby Vision HDR. In addition to the 4K UHD version, the Collector's Edition includes standard Blu-ray discs. This limited-run set comes packed with extras inspired by the world of Arcane that you won’t find anywhere else, fit for the ultimate fanatic.

Includes:

• Episodes 1 – 9 in 4K UHD and Blu-ray Formats
• 3+ Hours of Bonus Features
• Original Artwork
• Exclusive “Hexcore” Oversized Metal d20
• 7 “Hex Crystal” Liquid Core Resin Dice
• Velvet Dice Pouch
• Double Sided Progress Day Poster with Original Jinx Graffiti
• 6 Art Cards Featuring Powder's Drawings
• Caitlyn's Piltover Map (Fabric)

SteelBook - 4K UHD Edition - $44.96

This exclusive 4K UHD Steelbook edition of Arcane: League of Legends features a stunning Jinx-themed outer design. Get episodes 1 – 9 in the highest possible quality while repping Zaun’s own demolition diva.

Includes:

• Limited Edition Jinx-Themed Steelbook Casing
• Episodes 1 – 9 on Three (3) 4K UHD Discs
• 3+ Hours of Bonus Features on Blu-ray Disc

SteelBook - Blu-ray Edition - $42.96

The Vi-themed Steelbook edition of Arcane: League of Legends contains all nine episodes of Season One across three Blu-ray discs. Featuring exclusive outer design and casing based on Zaun’s lost daughter, this edition can face off against the Jinx 4K UHD version or stand alone in a collection.

Featuring:

• Limited Edition Vi-Themed Steelbook Casing
• Episodes 1 – 9 on Three (3) Blu-ray Discs
• 3+ Hours of Bonus Features

Standard Blu-ray - $34.96

If you’re just looking for the essentials, there’s plenty to love in the Arcane: League of Legends Season One standard edition. You’ll get all nine episodes on Blu-ray for the first time ever, all-new Bonus Features, and original cover art featuring Piltover and Zaun’s iconic cast of characters.

Featuring:

• Original Artwork
• Episodes 1 – 9 on Three (3) Blu-ray Discs
• 3+ Hours of Bonus Features

Pre-order: GKIDS

Jaws 3 might be the worst 4K ever released as of this very moment. It's that bad and that horribly butchered with AI and awful DNR/Color Timing. The 2D version always looked a bit off due to the way that the film was shot specifically for 3D but with this abysmal 4K transfer it's limitations and issues are blown up and become glaringly obvious. Then on top of that you have AI interperetation the likes not even god has seen.

The film legitimately looks like it was created with Midjourney on more than one occasion. Or entire frames look like the washed out color tone SNL bumpers. Remember those from the 70's and 80's that used to show the host for the night? Entire sequences of the film look like that. No film should look like that in 4K. People look like paper cut outs in more than one frame. This is abhorrent.

– Vindicator89 on Blu-ray.com

I said this in another comment thread but will post here too:

The bigger question is why is the upscale suddenly so much worse than it was before?

Plenty of films finished at 2K had 4K UHD discs put out that were nothing more than upscales with HDR grades applied, but they were never this bad. It's like AI upscales became a thing and the studios tossed out whatever previous methods they used, that seemingly worked JUST FINE, in favour of new technology that has GLARING flaws such as this.

– /u/adamschoales on Reddit

Top 20 Disc Sellers

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

*Units Sold Compared to No. 1 Title

**Re-entered the Top 200

† Percentage of Overall Disc Sales in a 3D format; 3D is considered a Blu-ray version and is also part of the BD Share for each title.

†† Percentage of Overall Disc Sales in a UHD BD format; UHD is considered a Blu-ray version and is also part of the BD Share for each title.

Top 20 Selling Blu-ray Discs

1. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
2. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
3. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
4. Ghostbusters 2-Movie Collection: Afterlife/Frozen Empire
5. Dune: Part Two
6. Taxi Driver
7. Monkey Man
8. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
9. Point Break
10. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
11. The Beekeeper
12. The Guyvre
13. UHF
14. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
15. The Chosen: Season 4
16. Twister
17. Mars Attacks!
18. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
19. Oppenheimer
20. Coraline

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Top 20 Selling 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs

1. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
2. Taxi Driver
3. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
4. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
5. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
6. Point Break
7. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
8. UHF
9. Dune: Part Two
10. The Guyver
11. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
12. Forrest Gump
13. Saw X
14. Coraline
15. Blown Away (1994)
16. Team America: World Police
17. Purple Rain
18. Monkey Man
19. Rango
20. The Meg

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Further reading:

• Top 20 Disc Sellers for Week Ended 2024-07-06
• Top 20 Selling Blu-ray and 4K Discs for Week Ended 2024-07-06
• Top HD Formats Disc Share Per Title for Week Ended 2024-07-06
• Blu-ray Sales: June 30-July 6: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Chills in Second Week

cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/14808909

The Criterion Collection has revealed their October 2024 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray slate. This wave includes: I Walked with a Zombie / The Seventh Victim: Produced by Val Lewton, Masahiro Shinoda's Demon Pond, and Harmony Korine’s Gummo - all three on both 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray, plus G. W. Pabst's Pandora's Box only on Blu-ray.

Tech specs at Blu-ray.com

Coming on 4KUHD and Blu-ray!

Brand New HDR/DV Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative!

UFOria (1984) Starring Cindy Williams, Harry Dean Stanton, Fred Ward & Harry Carey Jr. – Shot by David Myers (THX 1138) – Music by Richard Baskin (Welcome to L.A.) – Written & Directed by John Binder (Endangered Species, The Lazarus Man).

From Facebook

IMDb

Tech specs at Blu-ray.com

Radioland Murders will be getting a special 30th anniversary 2K restoration Blu-ray from Kino Lorber

The George Lucas scripted film that developed a cult following will be turning 30 and celebrates with a new physical media release.

By EJ Tangonan

July 15th 2024, 10:11am

The cult classic and lesser-known work of Star Wars creator George Lucas, Radioland Murders, starring Brian Benben and Mary Stuart Masterson, will be celebrating its 30th anniversary with a brand new special Blu-ray release, according to Blu-ray.com. The 1994 film was directed by Mel Smith and the screenplay was penned by Lucas with Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz, Jeff Reno and Ron Osborn. The movie was also produced by Star Wars: Special Edition and Star Wars Episode I-III producer Rick McCallum.

The description reads,
"The secretary at radio station WBN, Penny Henderson (Mary Stuart Masterson) is frantically trying to keep things in order as a broadcast goes on the air. Chaos breaks loose, however, when a series of murders occurs in the building, accompanied by an enigmatic voice over the airwaves. Penny's writer husband, Roger (Brian Benben), tries to deduce who the killer is, but he also happens to be the prime suspect. As he evades the law, Roger gets closer to uncovering the identity of the murderer. NEW 2K RESTORATION."

The ensemble cast also includes Ned Beatty, George Burns, Scott Michael Campbell and Brion James. There has not been much in the vein of special features that have been announced. However, the technical details read:
Video
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio
TBA
Subtitles
English SDH
Discs
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD-50)

Playback
2K Blu-ray: Region A

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/17467015

It's sensible for businesses to shift from physical media sales. Per CNBC's calculations, DVD sales fell over 86 percent between 2008 and 2019. Research from the Motion Picture Association in 2021 found that physical media represented 8 percent of the home/mobile entertainment market in the US, falling behind digital (80 percent) and theatrical (12 percent).

But as physical media gets less lucrative and the shuttering of businesses makes optical discs harder to find, the streaming services that largely replaced them are getting aggravating and unreliable. And with the streaming industry becoming more competitive and profit-hungry than ever, you never know if the movie/show that most attracted you to a streaming service will still be available when you finally get a chance to sit down and watch. Even paid-for online libraries that were marketed as available "forever" have been ripped away from customers.

When someone buys or rents a DVD, they know exactly what content they're paying for and for how long they'll have it (assuming they take care of the physical media). They can also watch the content if the Internet goes out and be certain that they're getting uncompressed 4K resolution. DVD viewers are also less likely to be bombarded with ads whenever they pause and can get around an ad-riddled smart TV home screen (nothing's perfect; some DVDs have unskippable commercials).

The Hitcher 4K and Blu-ray release coming from Second Sight in September

The 4K and Blu-ray release of The Hitcher from Second Sight Films has been given a September street date and pre-orders are available

It's been a few years in the making, but now Second Sight Films is finally ready to send their 4K and Blu-ray release of the 1986 classic The Hitcher (watch it HERE) out into the world! A release date of September 30th has been announced for the limited edition 4K / Blu-ray set and the standard edition 4K and Blu-ray releases. Copies are available for pre-order through the Second Sight website.

A press release informs us that "the Limited set is presented in a stunning collector's package with new artwork by Adam Stothard and a 200-page hardback book. All three versions come complete with a truckload of special features including new interviews and a new commentary plus tons of archive material, two short films and much more."

Directed by Robert Harmon from a screenplay by Eric Red, The Hitcher has the following synopsis: While transporting a car from Chicago to San Diego, Jim Halsey picks up a hitchhiker named John Ryder, who claims to be a serial killer. After a daring escape, Jim hopes to never see Ryder again. But when he witnesses the hitchhiker murdering an entire family, Jim pursues Ryder with the help of truck-stop waitress Nash, pitting the rivals against each other in a deadly series of car chases and brutal murders.

The film stars C. Thomas Howell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Jeffrey DeMunn, with the late, great Rutger Hauer delivering one of his best performances as the title character.

The Second Sight 4K and Blu-ray releases of The Hitcher come with the following special features:

• A new 4K restoration by Second Sight Films from the original camera negative supervised and
  approved by director Robert Harmon
• UHD presented in HDR with Dolby Vision
• Features Dolby Atmos and original stereo audio mixes
• New audio commentary by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
• Audio commentary with Robert Harmon and writer Eric Red
• Scene-specific audio commentary with Robert Harmon, Eric Red, Executive Producer Edward S
  Feldman, Composer Mark Isham, Director of Photography John Seale and Actors Rutger Hauer and C
  Thomas Howell
• The Projection Booth Podcast: featuring Robert Harmon and Rutger Hauer
• Bullseye: a new interview with Robert Harmon
• Penning the Ripper: a new interview with Eric Red
• Doomed to Live: a new interview with C Thomas Howell
• The Man from Oz: a new interview with John Seale
• A Very Formative Score: a new interview with Mark Isham
• Duel Runner: Leigh Singer on the evolution of The Hitcher and Rutger Hauer
• China Lake: a short film by Robert Harmon newly restored
• The Calling Card: Robert Harmon on China Lake
• Telephone: a short film by Eric Red
• The Hitcher: How do these movies get made?
• Trailers

Here are the specs on the limited edition:

• Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Adam Stothard
• 200-page hardback book with exclusive Robert Harmon interview by Lou Thomas, exclusive Eric Red
  interview by Matt Thrift, new essays by Heather Drain, David Kittredge, Craig Ian Mann, Rebecca
  McCallum, Meagan Navarro and Jon Towlson
• Eric Red's original screenplay book
• Six collectors' art cards

Top 20 Disc Sellers

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

*Units Sold Compared to No. 1 Title

**Re-entered the Top 200

† Percentage of Overall Disc Sales in a 3D format; 3D is considered a Blu-ray version and is also part of the BD Share for each title.

†† Percentage of Overall Disc Sales in a UHD BD format; UHD is considered a Blu-ray version and is also part of the BD Share for each title.

Top 20 Selling Blu-ray Discs

1. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
2. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
3. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
4. Monkey Man
5. Ghostbusters 2-Movie Collection: Afterlife/Frozen Empire
6. Dune: Part Two
7. Purple Rain
8. Team America: World Police
9. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
10. The First Slam Dunk
11. The Beekeeper
12. Blue Velvet
13. The Boys in the Boat
14. The Chosen: Season Four
15. The Hunger Games 5-Film Collection
16. Mars Attacks!
17. Forrest Gump
18. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
19. Digimon Adventure 2: The Beginnig
20. The New Adventures of Batman: The Complete Series

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Top 20 Selling 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs

1. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
2. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
3. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
4. Purple Rain
5. Team America: World Police
6. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
7. Monkey Man
8. Dune: Part Two
9. Blue Velvet
10. Forrest Gump
11. Godzilla/Kong MonsterVerse 5-Film Collection
12. Matinee
13. Ghostbusters 2-Movie Collection: Afterlife/Frozen Empire
14. Oppenheimer
15. Lawrence of Arabia
16. Point Break
17. RoboCop 2
18. The Meg
19. Star Wars: Andor - The Complete First Season
20. Bad Lieutenant

Source: Circana VideoScan (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Further reading:

• Top 20 Disc Sellers for Week Ended 2024-06-29
• Top 20 Selling Blu-ray and 4K Discs for Week Ended 2024-06-29
• Top HD Formats Disc Share Per Title for Week Ended 2024-06-29
• Blu-ray Sales: June 23-29: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Puts the Competition on Ice

In an alternate world history set in 1985, the murder of a government sponsored superhero draws his outlawed colleagues out of retirement and into a mystery that threatens to upend their personal lives and the world itself.

The back cover reveals that the voice cast includes Matthew Rhys, Katee Sackhoff, and Titus Welliver. A full trailer will release tomorrow.

Pre-order: GRUV.com

At the risk of making some readers feel a little old, there are now several generations of people who have probably never used or handled optical discs. Add to that, modern Blu-ray discs are much more robust than CD or DVD technology, and there's a good chance you either don't know how to handle or store them, or you've forgotten.

This wouldn't matter much if physical media weren't relevant anymore, but as we've argued in the past, physical media have several advantages over streaming, and if we rely on online, cloud-based services alone for access to content, then we'll lose some forever, or at least for long stretches at a time.

So, if you've been convinced that it makes sense to collect and preserve content on disc, let's talk about how you can make those discs last as long as possible.