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Sony Bringing Pair of Luc Besson Favorites to Blu-ray[teaser]Sony Pictures has announced it will release a pair of Luc Besson films to Blu-ray in early December, 'La Femme Nikita' and 'The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc.' [/teaser] Both the cult classic 'Nikita' and Besson's ill-received 'Joan of Arc' update will receive a concurrent next-gen street date of December 2. (Sony has previously released special edition DVD versions of both titles.) There are no tech specs or supplement details as of yet, but 1080p video and some high-res audio are expected, as well as an extras package comparable to the DVD editions. We'll keep you posted. Suggested retail price for each Blu-ray has been set at $28.95. You'll find the latest specs for 'La Femme Nikita (1990)' and 'The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under December 2.Posted Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Amazon Offering Sony BDP-S300 for Under $200[teaser]Amazon is offering the Sony BDP-S300 for just under $200 while supplies last.[/teaser] We haven't been given any specifics on this deal or how long it will last (assuming the players don't all fly off the shelves in the next hour), but folks in the market for some early holiday bargains may want to check out the special pricing Amazon has just rolled out on the Sony BDP-S300 Blu-ray player. According to the Amazon page, tech specs on the player include the following: Full HD 1080/60p and 24p True Cinema Video Output, DVD Upscaling to 1080p via HDMI, BRAVIA Theatre Sync (HDMI-CEC), BD/DVD/CD playback(4) and AVC-HD with x.v.Color output, and Multi-channel Linear PCM & Dolby Digital Plus Decoding. This one looks like a pretty good deal. What else is there to say? It's less than 200 bucks! Check it out here!Posted Mon Sep 22, 2008 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Fox to Unbox 'Apes' Films for Blu-ray[teaser]Fox has confirmed that in addition to bringing all five classic 'Planet of the Apes' films to Blu-ray this November in a box set, it will also make each available as individual stand-alone releases.[/teaser] As previously reported, Fox has set a November 4 street date for the ambitious six-disc 'Planet of the Apes: 40-Year Evolution Collection' box set, which will feature all five 'Apes' films plus a sixth bonus platter with extensive bonus features and all-new exclusive material. In addition, Fox will also bringing each of the five films -- the original 1968 'Planet of the Apes,' 'Beneath the Planet of the Apes,' 'Escape from the Planet of the Apes,' 'Conquest of the Planet of the Apes' and 'Battle for the Planet of the Apes' -- to Blu-ray on the same day, each with identical specs and bonus features to the individual versions found in the box set. (The sixth disc of additional supplemental material will only be available on the 'Evolution Collection.') Exclusive to the Blu-ray releases will be a slew of bonus materials. Included on all five films will be an isolated score in DTS-MA 5.1 Surround audio, while the original 'Planet of the Apes' also gets a Bonus View (Profile 1.1) picture-in-picture track dubbed "Science of the Planet of the Apes," which explores the scientific background of the series. Additional exclusives include a new HD featurette for each film ("Evolution of the Apes," "Impact of the Apes," "The Secret Behind Escape," "Riots and Revolutions: Confronting the Times," "End of an Epic: The Final Battle"), the BD-Java interactive game "Beyond the Forbidden Zone," and a PSA from NASA. Tech specs for each are identical, with BD-50 dual-layer presentations featuring 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfers (2.35:1) and English DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround audio. Suggested retail price for each individual Blu-ray has been set at $34.99. You'll find the latest specs for all six titles in Fox's 'Planet of the Apes' saga linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under November 4.Posted Mon Sep 22, 2008 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
ESPN Kickstarts Blu Support with 'Dale Earnhardt Story'[teaser]Next-gen newcomer ESPN has announced their first Blu-ray release, setting a mid-November debut for the telefilm '3: The Dale Earnhardt Story.'[/teaser] Starring Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated Barry Pepper as Earnhardt, the acclaimed biopic of the racing legend will mark ESPN's first Blu-ray release when it hits stores on November 11 (ESPN previously released a standard DVD version last year). There are no tech specs or supplement details as this early date, but ESPN does promise a collector's edition so we expect lots of extras. As always, we'll keep you posted. Suggested retail price for the Blu-ray has been set at $34.95. You'll find the latest specs for '3: The Dale Earnhardt Story' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 11.Posted Mon Sep 22, 2008 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Sony Music Brings Sara Bareilles 'Live At The Filmore' to Blu[teaser]In an early alert to retailers, Sony Music has announced it will bring Sara Bareilles' debut high-def release 'Between the Lines' to Blu-ray in late October.[/teaser] Filmed at Philadelphia's legendary Filmore theater during a stop on the chanteuse's recent world tour, 'Between the Lines: Sara Bareilles Live at the Filmore' was captured entirely with HD cameras and features a setlist culled largely from Bareilles' recent "Little Voice" CD. Sony will release the Blu-ray on October 28, day-and-date with the standard DVD. The studio has yet to announce tech specs or supplement details, but we'll keep you posted. Suggested retail price for the Blu-ray has been set at $29.98. You'll find the latest specs for 'Between the Lines: Sara Bareilles Live at the Filmore' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 28.Posted Mon Sep 22, 2008 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Fox Sets December Bow for 'Super Troopers' Blu-ray[teaser]Fox has announced an early-December high-def release for the cult comedy 'Super Troopers,' which will hit Blu-ray with all-new exclusive content.[/teaser] The first film from the Broken Lizard comedy troupe, 'Super Troopers' didn't make a big mark at the box office but has since gone on to become a cult fave on home video. Fox will debut the film on Blu-ray December 9. Supplements carried over from the previous DVD release include audio commentary with Broken Lizard, 15 deleted/extended scenes, a featurette and theatrical trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray will be a new picture-in-picture commentary, plus the "Stupor Trooper" interactive drinking game. (Gulp!) Tech specs will see a BD-50 dual-layer presentation with 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video and English DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround audio. Suggested retail price for the Blu-ray has been set at $39.95. You'll find the latest specs for 'Super Troopers' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under December 9.Posted Fri Sep 19, 2008 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Memorex Announces Blu-ray Player For Less than $300[teaser]Memorex has announced a new entry-level Blu-ray player at an affordable price.[/teaser] In a press release yesterday, Memorex announced a new Blu-ray player which the company says offers a broad range of format features for the suggested price of $269. The player is expected to arrive in retail locations by November. "Our customers want products that bring entertainment into their homes, but at a family-friendly price," Carla Pihowich, Memorex brand director said. "With this in mind, we have introduced a Blu-ray Disc player that offers consumers the full High-Definition viewing experience, but at a price that almost anyone can afford." According to the press release, the new player will feature 1080p video resolution, 24p and 60p frame rates, and Bonus View 1.1. Audio features include Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio decoding and bit stream output, and Master Audio bit stream output. Outputs include 7.1 HDMI digital audio output and 5.1 analog audio output. Compatible video formats include BD-ROM, DVD+ROM, DVD-R/DVD-RW, DVD+R/DVD+RW, CD-ROM, CD-R/CD-RW and JPEG on DVD/CD recordable media.Posted Fri Sep 19, 2008 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Classic 'Day the Earth Stood Still' Blu-ray Due December[teaser]Just in time for the big-screen remake, Fox has announced it will bring the science fiction classic 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' to Blu-ray in early-December.[/teaser] Coinciding with the December theatrical debut of the big-budget Keanu Reeves update, Fox will release the original Robert Wise adventure on Blu-ray on December 2. (An extensive special edition was previously released on standard DVD in 2001.) There are no tech specs or supplement details available as of yet, but we expect the full media announcement in the coming days so we'll keep you posted. Suggested retail price for the Blu-ray has been set at $34.95. You'll find preliminary specs for 'The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under December 2.Posted Fri Sep 19, 2008 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Dodgeball' to Hit Blu-ray this December[teaser]After a delay of over a year, an early-December Blu-ray release has been announced for the comedy smash 'Dodgeball.'[/teaser] The $100 million-plus-grossing Ben Stiller-Vince Vaughn blockbuster was originally earmarked by the studio for a March 2007 next-gen, bare-bones release, but was then unceremoniously bumped from its schedule with no new date in sight. Fox has now re-set 'Dodgeball' for Blu-ray on December 9, and the studio is making the wait worth it for fans by adding a host of bonus features. Mirroring the previous standard DVD special edition, the Blu-ray will now include audio commentary with director Rawson Thurber and cast, a trio of featurettes, deleted scenes, bloopers and a gag reel. Tech specs will see a BD-50 dual-layer presentation with 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video and English DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround audio. Suggested retail price for the Blu-ray has been set at $39.95. You'll find the latest specs for 'Dodgeball' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under its new date of December 9.Posted Fri Sep 19, 2008 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'Journey to the Center of the Earth' to get 3-D, 2-D Blu-rays[teaser]New Line has announced a late-October high-def release for 'Journey to the Center of the Earth,' which will come to Blu-ray in 2-D and 3-D versions.[/teaser] The Brendan Frasier-starrer turned into the sleeper hit of the summer, crossing the $100 million mark thanks to a wide 3-D release in multiplexes and IMAX theaters. Making a speedy trip to video, New Line in conjunction with Warner Home Video will debut the film on Blu-ray October 28, day-and-date with the standard DVD. Released as a limited edition, the Blu-ray set will include both 3-D and 2-D versions, and come with four pairs of 3-D glasses. Once supplies are depleted, future Blu-ray copies will include the 2-D version only. Supplements shared between the Blu-ray and DVD will include audio commentary with Frasier, a trio of making-of featurettes and the "Adventure at the Center of the Earth Challenge" interactive game. Exclusive to the Blu-ray will be a Digital Copy of the film (in 2-D and standard-def only). (In keeping with New Line's current Digital Copy strategy, the disc will not be Mac compatible.) Suggested retail price for the Blu-ray has been set at $39.95. You'll find the latest specs for 'Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 28.Posted Thu Sep 18, 2008 at 12:00 PM PDT by:
