-
'Not Forgotten' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]Starz/Anchor Bay is preparing the well-received thriller for a high-definition release in two months. [/teaser] Starz/Anchor Bay Entertainment will bring 'Not Forgotten' starring Simon Baker from 'The Mentalist' to Blu-ray on November 3. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements including an audio commentary, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and a theatrical trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $34.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Not Forgotten' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 3.Posted Wed Sep 2, 2009 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Disney Acquires Marvel in Four Billion Dollar Deal[teaser]In the biggest media deal this year, Walt Disney Co agreed to purchase Marvel Entertainment for the princely sum of $4 billion.[/teaser] While it was a higher price than many might have expected -- 37 times Marvel’s estimated earnings in 2009 -- Disney sees the addition as an important step. Industry analyst David Joyce suggests that Disney is attempting to woo back boys and young men who have been a demographic missing from the company. “This helps give Disney more important exposure to the young male demographic that they have sort of lost some ground with in recent years,” said Joyce. No word is out yet on how this will affect current Marvel properties or upcoming DVD and Blu-ray releases, but Disney says they have no interest in changing Marvel, and wish to keep the brand intact. The change in ownership could certainly be beneficial for both, with Marvel making up for Disney’s lost boys, and Disney promoting and utilizing Marvel’s lineup of over 5,000 characters like Marvel was never able to.Posted Wed Sep 2, 2009 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'Easy Rider' Blu-ray Announced and Detailed[teaser]Sony has announced and revealed details for 'Easy Rider' coming to high-definition this October. [/teaser] The classic film starring Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda, and Jack Nicholson will motor onto Blu-ray on October 20. The high-definition release will feature 1080p video, a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements including: Audio commentary with Dennis Hopper; Shaking the Cage featurette with Hopper and Fonda; MovieIQ via BD-Live, and digibook-style packaging. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $38.96. You can find the latest specs for 'Easy Rider' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 20.Posted Tue Sep 1, 2009 at 01:00 PM PDT by: -
HDD Spotlight Bargain: 'Mad Men: Season Two' Blu-ray $23.49 at Amazon[teaser]Get season two of the critically-acclaimed series on Blu-ray for under $24. [/teaser] 'Mad Men: Season Two' is now available at Amazon for $23.49 (53% off suggested list price). It is unknown how long this sale will last, so be sure to click here and take advantage of the savings while you can.Posted Tue Sep 1, 2009 at 12:30 PM PDT by: -
'Fight Club' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]As previously reported, 20th Century Fox has scheduled 'Fight Club' starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton for a November 17 release, and now details are finally in. [/teaser] The Blu-ray will feature 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 (2.40:1) video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Four Audio Commentaries (David Fincher; Fincher, Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter; Novelist Chuck Palahniuk and screenwriter Jim Uhls; crew members Alex McDowell, Jeff Cronenweth, Michael Kaplan, and Kevin Haug); Edward Norton Interview; Deleted Scenes; Trailers; TV and Internet Spots; Public Service Announcements; Music Video; and Promotional and Art Galleries. Exclusive content includes: Insomniac Mode: I Am Jack's Search Index and A Hit In The Ear: Ren Klyce and the Sound Design of Fight Club (viewers can remix four scenes with the help of the sound designer). Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $34.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Fight Club' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 17.Posted Tue Sep 1, 2009 at 12:20 PM PDT by: -
Blu-ray Prices Dropping – Retailers Call For More[teaser]Encouraged by increasing sales, many retailers are calling for a further reduction in Blu-ray prices. [/teaser] Newly released Blu-ray discs cost an average of 12 percent less than they did a year ago according to Rentrak data. More excitingly, pricing on older “catalog” titles has dropped 33% to an average of $17.23. With prices down and profits up, retailers are encouraged and asking for more. Steve Torr of InMotion Entertainment loves the new trend, but suggests that it might not be moving fast enough. “I’m of the opinion that Blu-ray pricing needs to go down faster,” he says. “I think a Blu-ray title should be $2 to $3 more than a DVD. The film buffs get it, but the everyday consumer just isn’t seeing the value in Blu-ray yet.” According to Torr, online retailers only see catalog titles move when they are discounted significantly. He believes that a cut in the price of catalog titles would make those sales steadier, rather than coming only when the title is on sale. An unidentified studio source told Video Business that “There is an overall industry attitude to pull the gap together between standard-def and Blu-ray catalog… everyone is trying to make it a little bit easier on the consumer. We want Blu-ray growth.”Posted Tue Sep 1, 2009 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Answer Man' on Blu-ray[teaser]Find out all the answers in the romantic comedy slated for high-definition release this November. [/teaser] Magnolia Home Entertainment will bring the film 'The Answer Man' starring Jeff Daniels and Laurel Graham to Blu-ray on November 3. There's no word on tech specs as of yet, but supplements will include an audio commentary, a behind the scenes featurette, and deleted scenes. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $34.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Answer Man' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 3.Posted Tue Sep 1, 2009 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Best Buy Given Head Start In Blu-ray Sales[teaser]Like Blu-ray? Get used to liking Best Buy[/teaser] In a deal with Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Best Buy has secured an exclusive window of sales for Blu-ray releases of both “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz”. Both were released at Best Buy stores nationwide on August 25th, but won’t be available in other locations until at least September 22nd. Similarly, “Grace”, from Starz Entertainment, has been available at Best Buy stores on Blu-ray since August 25th, but won’t be available elsewhere until September 15th. Interestingly enough, the exclusivity only seems to apply to Blu-ray, as “Grace” is available on DVD at other locations. No comments are available from either studio on the deals at this time, but Susanne Ault of Video Business surmises that the Universal offerings, both staring cult sensation Simon Pegg may be just the films to gear specifically towards Best Buy’s target audience. She writes, “The chain’s key fanboy consumer demographic also matches well with the cult hit status of [the films].”Posted Tue Sep 1, 2009 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Toto' Rocks Blu-ray[teaser]Eagle Rock has announced 'Toto: Falling In Between Live' for Blu-ray release in October.[/teaser] The concert filmed at Le Zenith in Paris in March 2007 will be released on Blu-ray on October 20. There's no word on tech specs or extras as of yet, but a full track listing can be viewed here. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $24.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Toto: Falling In Between Live' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 20.Posted Tue Sep 1, 2009 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Is the PS3 Slim Better for watching Blu-ray discs?[teaser]Well, that all depends...[/teaser] In a recent hardware review, the folks over an Engadgetdid a great deal of studies on the PS3 Slim’s performance, and in most cases it out performed the older ‘fat’ PS3. For those buying PS3s primarily for Blu-ray though, there’s a bit of a conundrum. Over a series of tests, the PS3 Slim outperformed the older model except for one: Blu-ray load speed. Starting a Blu-ray movie took an average of five seconds longer on the PS3 Slim than on the standard model. The difference was as low as two seconds for “Air Force One” and as high as ten seconds for “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. Of course, the PS3 Slim does do one thing the standard model doesn’t that should make home theater enthusiasts think twice about it. Sony’s new system is able to bitstream lossless TrueHD and DTS-HD MA audio, making it the better choice for those with higher end audio requirements.Posted Mon Aug 31, 2009 at 03:25 PM PDT by:
