A giant of a title with Indiana ties has made its way to Ultra HD Blu-ray.
The one and only James Dean of Fairmount, Ind., stars in the 1956 reissue of “Giant,” the last film that Dean made before tragically dying in a road crash.
Also starring Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson, this epic film (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) involves a sweeping saga of jealousy, racism, and the clash of cultures to the backdrop of Texas oilfields. The film, which earned 10 Academy Award nominations and won George Stevens the Oscar for best director, poignantly touches on social change, generational conflict, and racial tolerance. The movie exposed the marginalization and segregation of Mexican Americans for the first time ever on the silver screen.
Don’t brush off this title, even if you own the DVD or Blu-ray Disc. The new 4K restoration was completed sourcing the original camera negatives and “protection RGB separation” master positives; the color was corrected using high dynamic range. The audio was sourced primarily from a 1995 protection copy of the original magnetic mono soundtrack.
So, why the big deal? Ultra HD showcases 4K resolution with high dynamic range and a wider color spectrum, enabling consumers to see brighter, deeper, and more lifelike colors.
A previously released commentary by George Stevens Jr., screenwriter Ivan Moffat, and film critic Stephen Farber is included.
More titles
Are you a fan of the “Watermelon,” “Man Fights Tiny Woman,” and “The Mormon Advantage” episodes of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”? You’re in luck, as “Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Complete Eleventh Season” (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) is now available on DVD. The two-disc set contains seven other episodes that stars Larry David as an over-the-top version of himself, seeking and dispensing his own brand of social justice. Ted Danson and Vince Vaughn co-star.
“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) is available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD. With a screenplay by J.K. Rowling and co-starring Jude Law, this wizard-themed film includes witches and a Muggle baker, all on a dangerous mission to encounter old and new beasts. The Blu-ray and 4K HD feature an astounding 13 bonus features.
“Family Camp” (Lionsgate) is a family comedy where two polar-opposite families must share a yurt at a rustic summer family camp and compete for the camp’s games trophy. Tommy Woodard and Eddie James star, and the DVD includes seven extra features.
“Fire in the Sky” (Scream Factory) is a 1993 biopic science fiction mystery film starring the wily James Garner and is available on Blu-ray for the first time in North America. Was there an alien abduction in northeastern Arizona in November 1975? D.B. Sweeney co-stars in the film; Blu-ray extras include a new 4K scan from the original camera negative and an interview with director Robert Lieberman.
“Caged Birds” (Corinth Films) is a crime drama based on a true story about a radical lawyer who joins forces with a notorious jail-breaker (seven escapes!) to fight Switzerland’s antiquated prison system in the 1980s.
“Ninja Badass” (Bay View Entertainment) features loads of explosions in a high-octane ode to 1980s B-movies. A hillbilly ninja tries to save the world, and weapons include a flying foot and exploding cows. Bonus features include a director’s commentary, blooper reel, deleted and extended scenes, and more.