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'The Marine 2' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]As reported previously, another wrestler will take down terrorists in high-definition this December. [/teaser] 20th Century Fox is releasing 'The Marine 2' starring WWE superstar Ted DiBiase Jr. (son of The Million Dollar Man) on Blu-ray on December 29. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and the same supplements found on the DVD, including: behind-the-scenes footage of climactic fight scenes; making of terrorist siege sequence; profile of Ted DiBiase including interviews with Ted DiBiase Sr. and brother Brett; inside look at the Thailand film shoot; and deleted and extended scenes. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Marine 2' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under December 29.Posted Tue Sep 29, 2009 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Disney Details 'G-FORCE' Blu-ray[teaser]As previously reported, Disney/Buena Vista is bringing the family film 'G-FORCE' to Blu-ray on December 15. [/teaser] The Guinea pig infested release will feature 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and tons of supplements including: Audio Commentary with director Hoyt H. Yeatman, Jr.; Blasters Boot Camp—Blaster (Tracy Morgan) gives viewers a high-energy, high-tech orientation into the elite world of the G-Force; G-Force Mastermind—Hollywood legend Jerry Bruckheimer and CG effects whiz Hoyt H. Yeatman, Jr. reveal the inspiration for this exciting adventure; G-Farce: Bloopers—A collection of light-hearted flubs from the set that prove to err is not only human; Deleted Scenes; and Three Music Videos: (“Jump” by Flo Rida featuring Nelly Furtado “Ready To Rock” by Steve Rushton, and “Go G-Force”). Exclusive to the Blu-ray are few additional features: Cine-Explore with Darwin, Blaster and their Creator—Darwin, Blaster and director Hoyt H. Yeatman reveal the secrets behind G-Force covert operations and the groundbreaking computer graphic work that brought this elite team of Guinea pigs to life; Bruckheimer Animated—A retrospective of groundbreaking computer graphic effects in the work of Jerry Bruckheimer, plus an inside peek into the top-secret creation of G-Force's state-of-the-art visual magic; and Access Granted: Inside the Animation Lab—Director and computer graphic master Yeatman Jr., takes viewers on an exclusive tour of the high-security facility and shows how the G-Force was animated from initial sketches to completed performances. The release will also include a DVD and digital copy of the movie. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $44.99. You can find the latest specs for 'G-FORCE' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under December 15.Posted Tue Sep 29, 2009 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
'Gremlins' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]As reported last week, one of the most memorable films of the 80s is available TODAY exclusively at Target stores, and we now have full details.[/teaser] Warner Brothers' 'Gremlins' will be available on Blu-ray only at Target for $22.99. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack, and all of the supplements will be ported over from the DVD including: over ten minutes of additional scenes; a making-of featurette; an audio commentary with Director Joe Dante, Zack Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Dick Miller and Howie Mandel; a second audio commentary with Director Joe Dante, producer Michael Finnell and special effects artist Christ Walas; a photo/storyboard gallery; and a theatrical trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has beens et at $28.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Gremlins' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 29.Posted Tue Sep 29, 2009 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
'Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels' is Coming to Blu-ray[teaser]Another Guy Ritchie film is gunning for high-definition home video in December.[/teaser] Universal Studios is releasing the critically-acclaimed 'Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels' starring Nick Moran, Jason Flemyng, Vinnie Jones, and Jason Statham on Blu-ray on December 1. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p/VC-1 video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: One Smoking Camera press; Lock, Stock, and Two F**king Barrels; and BD-Live.Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still TBA. You can find the latest specs for 'Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under December 1.Posted Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
HDD Spotlight Bargain: 'Bullitt' Blu-ray $8.49 at Amazon[teaser]The 1960s Steve McQueen classic with "the mutha of all car chases" according to Peter Bracke can be yours for a steal of a deal. [/teaser] Amazon is selling 'Bullitt' on Blu-ray for $8.49 (71% off the suggested list price). Click here to put the pedal to the metal and snatch up this title, and don't miss Peter Bracke's recommendations in his review here.Posted Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 10:30 AM PDT by: -
'I Love You, Beth Cooper' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]As reported back in August, 20th Century Fox is bringing 'I Love You, Beth Cooper' to Blu-ray in November. [/teaser] The Chris Columbus directed comedy starring Hayden Panettiere and Paul Rust is heading to high-definition on November 3. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Alternate Ending; Deleted Scenes; “I Love You, Larry Doyle;” “We Are All Different But That's A Good Thing” – behind the scenes with the cast; “Peanut Butter Toast” – improvised song by Paul Rust; FOX Movie Channel Presents in Character with Hayden Panettiere; and FOX Movie Channel Presents in Character with Paul Rust. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $39.99. You can find the latest specs for 'I Love You, Beth Cooper' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 3.Posted Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Mel Brooks Collection' Blu-rays Detailed[teaser]As previously reported, 20th Century Fox has scheduled 'The Mel Brooks Collection' for Blu-ray on December 15, and now we have full details on the product. [/teaser] The set will include nine films from the comic filmmaker, including: 'Blazing Saddles,' 'High Anxiety,' 'History of the World Part 1,' 'Robin Hood: Men in Tights,' 'Silent Movie,' 'Spaceballs,' 'To Be or Not to Be,' 'Twelve Chairs,' and 'Young Frankenstein.' The Blu-rays will feature 1080p video and a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack. Supplements are as follows: Disc One: 'Blazing Saddles' will include additional scenes, scene specific commentary with Mel Brooks, Back in the Saddle, Intimate Portrait: Madeline Kahn, Black Bart: 1975 Proposed Series Spinoff pilot episode, and a trailer. Disc Two: 'Spaceballs' will include a commentary by Mel Brooks, Spaceballs: The Documentary, In Conversation: Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan, John Candy: Comic Spirit, Watch the movie in Ludicrous Speed, Still galleries, film flubs, and storyboards. Disc Three: 'Young Frankenstein' will have a commentary by Mel Brooks, Inside the Lab: Making Young Frankenstein, deleted scenes, It's Alive: Creating a Monster Classic, Making FrankenSense of Young Frankenstein, Transylvania Lullaby: The Music of John Morris, the Franken-Track trivia track, outtakes, and an isolated score track. Disc Four: 'High Anxiety' includes Hitchcock and Mel: Spoofing the Master of Suspense, the "Am I Very, Very Nervous?" Test, Don't Get Anxious Trivia Track, and an isolated score track. Disc Five: 'History of the World Part 1' will have Musical Mel: Inventing "The Inquisition," Making History: Mel Brooks on Creating the World, The Real History of the World Trivia Track, and an isolated score track. Disc Six: 'Robin Hood: Men in Tights' will include Funny Men in Tights: Three Generations of Comedy, HBO Special: The Legend Had It Coming, Laser Disc Commentary by Mel Brooks, and an isolated score track. Disc Seven: 'Silent Movie' includes Silent Laughter: The Real Inspirations of Silent Movie and Speak Up Historical Hollywood Trivia Track. Disc Eight: 'To Be Or Not To Be' will have Brooks and Bancroft: A Perfect Pair, How Serious Can Mel Brooks Really Get?, Profiles of Mel Brooks, Anne Bancroft, and Charles Durning, To Be Or Not To Be: That is the Trivia - Trivia Track, and an isolated score track. Disc Nine: 'Twelve Chairs' doesn't seem to have any supplements unfortunately. The collection also features an exclusive book created in conjunction with Mel Brooks, highlighting his remarkable life and unforgettable films. In addition to having three of his films ranked in the Top 20 on the American Film Institute's list of the Top 100 comedy films of all-time, Brooks is also a member of a short list of creative artists with the distinction of earning multiple award categories, including an Emmy®, Oscar®, Grammy® and Tony®*. Adding to that list, it was recently announced that Brooks will be receive a Kennedy Center Honor 2009 at the 32nd annual national celebration of the arts on Dec. 29. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray set is $139.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Mel Brooks Collection' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under December 15.Posted Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Original 'Toolbox Murders' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Blue Underground will throw a monkey wrench into the high-definition market when the cult horror 'Toolbox Murders' hits Blu-ray early next year. [/teaser] The Blu-ray will be available on January 25 and will feature 1080p video, likely a lossless audio track (still unconfirmed), and supplements will include: Audio Commentary with Producer Tony DiDio, Director of Photography Gary Graver and Star Pamelyn Ferdin; I Got Nailed In THE TOOLBOX MURDERS – Interview with Star Marianne Walter; Theatrical Trailer; TV Spot; and Radio Spots. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still unknown at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Toolbox Murders' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 25.Posted Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
HD Advisor 29Editor's Note: Each Friday, High-Def Digest's own HD Advisor will answer a new round of questions from our readers. If you have home theater questions you need answered, send an email to [email protected]. If you've already sent a question and don't see it answered yet, please be patient as we work our way through them. To browse through previously answered questions, visit the main HD Advisor page. Answers by Joshua Zyber Digital Editing in Filmmaking Q: I know that the transition from old-fashioned film editing to digital editing took a while and occurred towards the late '80s/early '90s. Are there any movies from the early stages of digital editing that could have been scanned for editing at a resolution lower than 1080p, thus making the master less than Blu-ray quality? A: Digital editing, in itself, doesn't necessarily have any effect on the final image quality of the movie. In its simplest form, the process works like this: After a director shoots his movie on 35mm film, the raw footage will be scanned to create digital files that can be fed into a digital editing workstation (such as Avid or its competitors). The resolution or picture quality of those files isn't really important. The movie's editors will then work their magic. Once complete, the workstation produces a list of frame numbers and time codes, which is then given to a Negative Cutter, who will conform the original 35mm film negative into the movie's final cut. No video is ever output from the editing workstation itself. The final assembly, color timing, etc. are all performed in the photochemical realm, just as they have been for over a century of filmmaking. That's assuming that this is a traditional film production chain, which is what would have been in place during those early days of digital editing that you describe (and is still quite commonly used today). However, the introduction of a Digital Intermediate stage complicates matters. When a DI is used, color timing and final assembly are performed digitally, and then the product is output back onto film. In this instance, you're correct that the quality of the digital scan and processing will limit the quality of the final motion picture image. Digital Intermediates did not become commonly used in the film industry until the beginning of this decade. 'Amelie' and 'O Brother, Where Are Thou?' were two of the first films to have all post-production performed in the digital realm. (Previously, some movies may have utilized a DI for selected scenes, but not the entire feature.) While those early DIs may not have been quite up to modern standards, the film still would have been scanned at least at 2k resolution, which is slightly higher than Blu-ray offers and has superior color quality. At least theoretically, those movies should still be fit for eventual Blu-ray transfers. Watching 'The Dark Knight' on a 2.35:1 Screen Q: I'm planning to install a 2.35:1 wide screen in my basement. Right now, I'm using 16:9 screen. How can I adjust the screen when I'm watching 'The Dark Knight' on Blu-ray after I install the 2.35:1 screen? The movie switches back and forth between IMAX scenes and regular wide screen. I'm planning to upgrade my projector and will get an anamorphic lens for it. A: I touched on this issue in my 2.35:1 Constant Image Height Tutorial a few months ago. When 'The Dark Knight' was photographed, director Christopher Nolan knew that only the IMAX theatrical prints would have a shifting aspect ratio. The standard 35mm prints seen in the majority of theaters were projected at a constant 2.35:1 aspect ratio. In order to accommodate this, Nolan framed the IMAX footage loosely enough that it would function at either ratio. Both versions of the movie are valid. When it comes to home video, only the Blu-ray edition of the movie attempts to mimic the IMAX effect. The regular DVD is letterboxed throughout. If using a projector with anamorphic lens attachment, I recommend simply zooming the movie to fill your 2.35:1 screen. Although you'll lose some picture off the top and bottom during the IMAX scenes, you won't be missing anything critical. An argument can be made that you're still complying with the director's intent -- just that it's his intent for the 35mm prints rather than the IMAX prints. I've watched 'The Dark Knight' Blu-ray this way, and it's a perfectly satisfying experience. PAL Content on Blu-ray Q: I'd like to know why store bought foreign editions (particularly from Canada) of Blu-rays will play the movie but not the special features. I have a Sony BSP-S350 and the two movies I have from Canada are 'All the Boys Love Mandy Lane' and 'Black Sheep'. Is there a way to get them to work? A: You may have bought those two discs in Canada, but 'Black Sheep' and 'All the Boys Love Mandy Lane' are both UK video releases that must have been imported to that country. While the discs may not be region coded and the movies themselves are both encoded in the same 1080p24 format used here in North America, the bonus features on those discs are encoded in standard-def PAL format. Your Blu-ray player does not support PAL. Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do about this, short of buying a different Blu-ray player that is compatible with PAL (and can convert the 50 Hz frame rate to 60 Hz, preferably). The OPPO BDP-83 would be a good candidate, if it's really that important to you. Homework Assignment: You Be the Advisor Some questions that the HD Advisor receives are best answered with a consensus of opinions from our readers. If you can help to answer the following question, please post your response in our forum thread linked at the end of this article. Your advice and opinions matter too! Blu-ray Playback on a PC Q: I was wondering if you could help me with my configuration. I am currently using Arcsoft Total Media Theater to play Blu-rays on my PC. I have Logitech Z-5500 speakers that are connected using both a Toslink cable and the standard analog speaker connections. I have been using the Toslink to get DTS and Dolby Digital sound from my Blu-rays, and the sound is fantastic. But when I was reading your column called Blu-ray and HD DVD Audio Explained, I noticed that Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA can be decoded by the player and sent out using multi-channel analog, while Toslink cables can't support the bandwidth for them. Should I continue getting DTS/DD sound using the Toslink and letting my Z-5500 receiver decode the signals, or can TMT decode the signals and give me the full sound quality through the analog connections? Any help would be greatly appreciated. JZ: Unfortunately, at this time, I still don't have Blu-ray playback on my own PC. Perhaps one of our readers more familiar with this configuration can chime in? Check back soon for another round of answers. Keep those questions coming. Joshua Zyber's opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of this site, its owners or employees.Posted Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'Funny People' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Judd Apatow's latest comedy, starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen, is headed for high-definition in two months.[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal Studios has revealed they will bring 'Funny People' to Blu-ray on November 24. Specs and supplements are still unknown, but the suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $39.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Funny People' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 24.Posted Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 11:30 AM PDT by:
