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'American Gangster' to Get Two Cuts, Exclusives on Blu-ray[teaser]Coming eight months after the HD DVD, Universal has announced a mid-October Blu-ray bow for the Oscar-nominated crime epic 'American Gangster.'[/teaser] Previously released on HD DVD earlier this year to middling reaction, that release featured only the theatrical cut of the film and a limited selection of extras. Universal appears to be righting past next-gen wrongs with the October 14 Blu-ray release, which will see both the extended unrated and theatrical versions presented on a single BD-50 dual-layer disc, and include hours of bonus and exclusive material. Tech specs feature 1080p video (codec TBA) and an English DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround track (48kHz/24-bit). Extras shared with the previous two-disc DVD edition include audio commentary with director Ridley Scott and screenwriter Steven Zaillian (theatrical cut), three featurettes ("Fallen Empire: Making American Gangster," "Case Files," "Hip-Hop Infusion Featuring Common and T.I."), a pair or TV special excerpts ( "The BET Special: The Making of American Gangster," "Dateline NBC: American Gangster First Look"), deleted scenes, two music videos, and the original theatrical trailer Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a picture-in-picture (Bonus View) commentary on the unrated cut featuring additional cast & crew interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. Suggested list price for the BLu-ray has been set at $34.95. You'll find the latest specs for 'American Gangster' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 14.Posted Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Rumor Patrol: 'Wall•E' to Get November Blu-ray Bow?[teaser]Disney has yet to officially announce it, but a new trade ad has revealed the studio appears to be planning a mid-November bow for the Pixar hit 'Wall•E.'[/teaser] Opening to rhapsodic reviews (with many critics hailing it as an instant classic) and a box office gross now topping $200 million (and counting), 'Wall•E' is one of the most highly-anticipated Blu-ray releases of the year. Though we are still awaiting an official announcement, retailers have reported receiving a trade ad touting a November 18 Blu-ray arrival for 'Wall•E,' day-and-date with the standard DVD. No tech specs or supplemental details are available at this early juncture, though the ad does tout the Blu-ray as a two-disc set, which certainly bodes well for extensive extras. There's also no suggested list price, but we'll keep you posted. As we await further word, you'll find preliminary specs for 'Wall•E' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 18.Posted Fri Aug 15, 2008 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
MGM Exorcises Extras from 'Amityville,' 'Carrie' Blu-rays[teaser]MGM has announced specs -- or rather, the lack of them -- for the Blu-ray releases of 'Amityville Horror' and 'Carrie,' which will both hit high-def sans any supplemental features.[/teaser] As previously reported, MGM has set an October 7 release date for the original '70s versions of 'Carrie' and 'The Amityville Horror,' marking the first-ever next-gen releases for the horror classics. The studio has now unveiled the complete specs, and though both were previously released as DVD special editions to positive acclaim, MGM has decided to drop all bonus features and release the titles in bare-bones versions. Tech specs for each will see a BD-25 single-layer presentation with 1080p/MPEG-2 video and English DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 51. Surround (48kHz/16-bit) tracks. (Optional English, French and Spanish Dolby Digital 51. Surround and subtitle tracks are also provided.) Suggested retail prices for the Blu-rays have been set at $39.98 a pop. You'll find complete specs for 'The Amityville Horror (1979)' and 'Carrie (1976)' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under October 7.Posted Fri Aug 15, 2008 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Vivendi Brings 'Speed and Angels' to Blu-ray[teaser]Vivendi Visual Entertainment is planning to bring the acclaimed military documentary 'Speed and Angels' to Blu-ray in mid-September.[/teaser] In 2003, director Peyton Wilson was granted unprecedented access to the world of U.S. Navy fighters, and captured the most intimate film ever made on military pilots. Vivendi will release 'Speed and Angels' on Blu-ray on September 16, day-and-date with a standard DVD version. Tech details for the high-def version include a BD-25 single-layer presentation and 1080p video (no audio information is available as of yet, but stay tuned). There are currently no announced supplements, but we'll keep you posted as we receive future spec updates. Suggested retail for the Blu-ray has been set at $29.98. You'll find complete specs for 'Speed and Angels' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 16.Posted Fri Aug 15, 2008 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Disney Planning 'Sin City,' 'From Dusk 'Til Dawn' Blu-rays for October (UPDATED)UPDATE 08/15/08: We've received word from Disney that despite retailer reports, the studio has now pushed back the Blu-ray release date for 'Sin City' to sometime in early 2009. We've updated our database accordingly. [teaser]Early word has come from retailers that Disney is planning to bring a Robert Rodriguez double-header to Blu-ray this October, with the simultaneous bow of the cult hits 'Sin City' and 'From Dusk 'Til Dawn.'[/teaser] Long-awaited by Blu-ray fans, both Rodriguez's 'From Dusk 'Til Dawn' and 'Sin City' (the latter co-directed by Frank Miller with "special guest director" Quentin Tarantino) have finally been given a retail date of October 21. (Both titles were previously-released on standard DVD in extensive special edition versions.) As Disney has yet to formally announce either title, there are no tech specs or supplemental details as of yet. As always, we'll keep you posted. Suggested retail price for each Blu-ray is $34.95 a pop. As we await an official announcement, you'll find preliminary specs for 'Sin City' and 'From Dusk 'Til Dawn' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under October 21.Posted Fri Aug 15, 2008 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
National Geographic to Go 'Extreme' on Blu-ray[teaser]National Geographic has announced an early-November Blu-ray debut for the IMAX feature 'Extreme.'[/teaser] Captured entirely in the IMAX large-screen format, 'IMAX: Extreme' displays some of the most incredible feats of extreme sporting ever seen on film, including astonishing displays of snowboarding, windsurfing, and rock climbing. Distributed via Warner Home Video, 'Extreme' will debut on Blu-ray November , day-and-date with the standard DVD. Tech details for the high-def version include a BD-25 single-layer presentation, with 1080p/VC-1 video and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround audio and subtitles (in English, French and Spanish). There are currently no announced supplements, but we'll keep you posted as we receive future spec updates. Suggested retail for the Blu-ray has been set at $28.95. You'll find complete specs for 'IMAX: Extreme' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 4.Posted Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
First Alert: 'Prince Caspian' Headed to Blu-ray this November[teaser]Disney has yet to announce it, but early word is coming from retailers that the studio is planning a late-November bow for the fantasy hit 'The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.'[/teaser] Though considered somewhat of a disappointment thanks to a "mere" $140 million Domestic gross (one that fell far short of the nearly $300 million haul taken in by its predecessor 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'), Disney will nevertheless roll out the Blu carpet for 'Prince Caspian' when it releases the film on high-def November 25 (day-and-date with the standard DVD). There's been no formal media announcement made by the studio as of yet, but retailers are beginning to report a special edition release of the film, so extensive extras are expected. As always, we'll keep you posted. As we await further word, we've added a listing for 'The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian' to our Blu-ray Release Schedule, indexed under November 25. Stay tuned!Posted Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Universal Adds Exclusives, Digital Copy to 'Sarah Marshall' Blu-ray[teaser]Universal has announced full specs for the September Blu-ray release of 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall,' which will get the full special edition treatment with hours of bonus features and exclusive content.[/teaser] As originally reported, Universal has set a September 30 street date for the $60 million-grossing 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' on Blu-ray, day-and-date with the standard DVD. (It will also join the Judd Apatow-directed smashes 'Knocked Up' and 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin' on the same day as part of the 'Ultimate Unrated Comedy Collection,' featuring all three stand-alone Blu-ray releases in one bundle.) Full specs were previously scarce, but Universal has now issued the full press details, which will see a mammoth two-disc set that may be the studio's most extensive yet. Presented in both its unrated and R-rated versions on a BD-50 dual-layer disc (via seamless branching), tech specs include 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video and a DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround track. (A Digital Copy of the film in standard-definition will also be included on a separate disc.) Supplements shared between the next-gen and standard DVD versions include a visual commentary with cast and crew, additional audio commentary (on both the unrated and R-rated versions), the featurette "A Taste for Love," additional video diaries, no less than two hours of deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel, karaoke function, a mock music video, additional outtakes, three montages ("Line-O-Rama," "Drunk-O-Rama," "Sex-O-Rama") and the film's original "Red Band" theatrical trailer. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a picture-in-picture video commentary (with director Nick Stoller, executive producer Rodney Rothman, producer Shauna Robertson, writer/star Jason Segel and cast members Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, and Jack McBrayer), a "My Scenes Sharing" online bookmark function, and additional BD-Live features (TBA). Finally, Universal has issued the final box art for 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall': As previously announced, Universal has set the suggested retail price at $39.95. You'll find complete specs for 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 30.Posted Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Rumor Patrol: Warner Announces 'Gremlins,' 'Goonies' Blu-rays for Japan; U.S. Next?[teaser]Warner Japan has announced an October Blu-ray release for 'Gremlins' and 'Goonies,' fueling speculation that the studio is also planning a domestic debut for the '80s classics.[/teaser] Two of the most beloved hits of the decade, Warner Japan has set a simultaneous October 8 bow for 'Gremlins' and 'The Goonies' on Blu-ray, with each enjoying remastered 1080p video and extensive supplemental features. At press time, Warner Home Video had yet to announce any U.S. Blu-ray versions of either title, nor have any domestic retailers yet listed them on their upcoming pre-order lists. However, the overseas release of both 'Goonies' and 'Gremlins' bodes well for a future U.S. release, and we'll certainly keep you posted as this story develops. In the meantime, we've added 'Gremlins' and 'The Goonies' to the "Release Dates Pending" section of our Blu-ray Release Schedule. Stay tuned!Posted Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Lionsgate Prepping 'Universal Soldier' for Blu-ray[teaser]In an early alert to retailers, Lionsgate is planning to bring the 1992 sci-fi adventure 'Universal Soldier' to Blu-ray in early November.[/teaser] Directed by Roland Emmerich and widely considered to be one of Jean-Claude Van Damme's best action flicks, 'Universal Soldier' will receive its first-ever next-gen release on November 4. As Lionsgate has yet to officially announce the title for Blu-ray, there are no tech specs or supplement details available as of yet. Further details are expected shortly, however, so as always we'll keep you posted. Suggested retail price for the Blu-ray has been set at $29.98. As we await the full announcement, you'll find preliminary specs for 'Universal Soldier' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 4.Posted Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 12:00 PM PDT by:
