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The Pride and the Passion has always been one of my favourite films since first seeing it theatrically in 1957. Olive released a Blu-ray in 2016 which looked barely better than the DVD and the framing at 1.75:1 was completely wrong with the picture seemingly zoomed in. I recently obtained a...

Like many others, In the early years of DVD I amassed a large number of discs in Warner Bros snapper cases. Over time most of these I've replaced with Blu-ray versions or have disposed of them when purging my collection. I did an inventory recently and was quite shocked to find that I now have...

Interesting British crime drama from the BFI with a good cast and well directed by Lewis Gilbert. The UK DVD was full frame but this early widescreen film is framed on Blu-ray at 1.66:1. Two versions of the film are included through seamless branching; the cut UK version and uncut overseas...

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Due for release in France next week is a new Blu-ray box set containing what are said to be new restorations of Rebecca, Spellbound, Notorious and The Paradine Case, plus book. Rather pricy though. https://www.amazon.fr/Alfred-Hitchcock-Selznick-%C3%89dition-Collector/dp/B074CPJRG4

I've just visited the National Cinema Museum in Turin, Italy. It's a wonderful museum with a remarkable number of exhibits, imaginatively presented. It includes a small 3D viewing theatre showing looped extracts from several 3D films. Most were familiar titles (e.g. DIAL M FOR MURDER) but there...

I see that Warner Bros is releasing Hitchcock's SUSPICION, THE WRONG MAN and I CONFESS on Blu-ray in Spain early May. This is very welcome news considering that so many (most?) Spanish catalogue titles are of suspect origin. Maybe Warner is trying to keep one step ahead of the bootleggers or are...

New UK label Signal One Entertainment has made an extremely promising debut with their initial Blu-ray releases licensed from Fox and MGM. The label's latest release - and from a new 4K restoration - is Richard Fleischer's excellent COMPULSION, a compelling film which, with its finely detailed...

I see that a Blu-Ray of UNDER THE VOLCANO is being released by Odeon Entertainment in the UK on July 20. Very good film with (as always) an excellent performance from Albert Finney. Must-buy for me. http://www.odeonent.co.uk/product/under-the-volcano-blu-ray

THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS (1956), one of my all-time favourite films, based on the true World War II plan "Operation Mincemeat" is now available on a UK Blu-ray from Odeon Entertainment. Picture quality provides a slight upgrade from the region 1 Fox DVD but it's not a dramatic improvement. Picture...

I have a 43" Pioneer plasma TV fixed to a wall mounted bracket which was installed professionally. I'd like some advice on how to remove the TV from the wall mounting bracket. The mounting has two screws at the top and two screws below. The two top screws can be freely moved i.e. they are loose...

I have many black and white films on DVD from the 30s, 40s and 50s, but too often the pictures seem to me to display different shades of grey instead of clearly defined black and white. My Pioneer plasma TV set has a Dynamic picture setting which boosts the colour and contrast. I never use it...

Digitalclassicsdvd is a U.K. label I've not heard of before but they have recently announced that they will be releasing the following Warner Bros titles in the UK: Lisztomania (1975), Green Mansions (1959), Petulia (1968) and Kaleidoscope (1966). As far as I know, this is the first time that...

It’s surely high time that The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1962) was issued on DVD. I know it bombed on release but I’ve always enjoyed the film, although it is years since I last saw it (it never seems to be on TV here in the UK). It is superbly dramatic with fine visual flair by Vincente...

At what aspect ratio was Hitchcock's DIAL M FOR MURDER originally projected? The Region 1 DVD is full frame 1.33:1 and every review which I have read claims that this is the original theatrical ratio, as it also says on the box. However the Region 2 & 4 DVD is 1.85:1 anamorphic and the box for...

According to a post on DVD Times Forum, Movies Unlimited say that Weinstein have acquired the rights to the Samuel Bronston epics Fall Of The Roman Empire, El Cid, 55 Days At Peking and Circus World and plan a mid-2007 DVD release. The rights for these films had been with Miramax for some...

Great news. UltimateDisney.com reports that four volumes of Walt Disney's True-Life Adventures will be released on December 5th under Walt Disney's new Legacy Collection. Each volume will be a two-disc set. Features include; The Living Desert (1953), The Vanishing Prairie (1954), The African...

I'm still waiting for two of my favorite films, Warner's LAND OF THE PHARAOHS and Fox's THE EGYPTIAN to be released on DVD. They are both marvellous examples of '50s spectacle with lavish sets, huge production values, great casts and wonderful music scores. What's the hold-up with these.

One thing I hate about documentaries and featurettes on DVDs is the fact that they always include numerous excerpts from the film under discussion. I enjoy having the views from filmmakers about a film but including numerous scenes form the film does not add anything - it simply pads out the...

I'm always reading what a great film and, in particular, what a great western The Wild Bunch is. Personally I've never liked the film. I disliked it when it was first shown theatrically and have not changed my opinion. It's typical of most Sam Peckinpah films; amoral, delighting in extreme...

Davisdvd reports that Warner Bros are releasing some early all-black films on DVD next January, namely Cabin the Sky, The Green Pastures and Hallelujah, all with commentaries and extras. These are all, I think, rarely shown, and again demonstrate Warners continuing committment to making classic...

In their review of the new version of The Great Escape, Widescreen Review state that "the remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 channel soundtrack sounds excellent" and that the remastered recording has "effective ambient audio effects mixed in both surround channels". This is one reason why I will not...

Just got Man of La Mancha which has good picture (anamorphic 1.85:1) and sound (5.1). The film certainly has a great music score. I saw the film when it first opened in London and curiously the entire 8 minute opening sequence with O'Toole being taken through the streets to the prison was cut -...

I do hope Fox will release The Egyptian soon. One of my favorite films, with a great cast, fascinating story and wonderful music. Also, I hope Fox will issue the restored version of The Robe.

Being in the UK I've not been able to obtain Sunrise. Some time ago I tried sending the mail-in certificate to Fox but they returned it saying they couldn't supply outside the UK. But....at last I've been able to buy it from the USA thanks to Fox now supplying it as a box set of Studio...

Does anyone know whether Disney's R1 Sleeping Beauty uses the same master that was used for the R2 French version ie is it worth upgrading?

Sources say that Warners will be releasing the 3 strip Cinerama film THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM in November in a 2 disc set with extras on the second disc. Sounds great if this is true.

I was very disappointed in the documentary “Memories of Giant” which is contained in Warner’s DVD of GIANT. It’s one of those documentaries in which everyone talks about how wonderful everyone was on the film. George Stevens was wonderful and everyone loved him. Carroll Baker, Earl Holliman...

Just got Inn of the Sixth Happiness which is one of my favorite films. Excellent commentary track by Nick Redman and others but unfortunately the promised Sean Connery screen test is nowhere to be found! Perhaps he declined to give permission for it to be shown. Picture is nicely restored but...

I really like the look of the Fox Studio Classics on my shelf. The white background gives them a distinctive, smart look quite unlike all my other DVDs. But.. horrors of horrors....not content to leave well alone, Fox have made a change to the spine!! Nos 1 to 6 in the series include the...