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Warner Announces 'Woodstock' Director's Cut for Blu-ray[teaser]In an unusually early announcement, Warner says it is planning to bring painstakingly-restored director's cut version of the documentary 'Woodstock' to Blu-ray in July 2009. [/teaser] One of the definitive documentaries of its time, 'Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music' was previously released on standard DVD in 1997, but has since been placed on moratorium for several years. Warner will lift the embargo on July 28, 2009, when it debuts the Blu-ray day-and-date with a new standard DVD re-issue. Culled from newly-found elements under the supervision of director Michael Wadleigh, the Blu-ray will feature a nearly four-hour version of the film which has been remastered and scanned in at 2K resolution and will be presented in 1080p video. A new Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround audio mix has also been created with the participation of original chief engineer Eddie Kramer. Supplements announced for the release include an audio commentary with the filmmakers, the 40-minute documentary "The '60s and the Woodstock Generation," and rare archival documents featuring handwritten notes from festival attendees, studio archive letters, and souvenir collectibles. Suggested retail price for the Blu-ray has not yet been set, but we'll keep you posted. You'll find the latest specs for 'First Sunday' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 28, 2009.Posted Wed Aug 6, 2008 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Best Buy to Offer Exclusive 'Police: Live in Buenos Aires' Blu-ray (UPDATED)[teaser]In an exclusive pre-sale, Best Buy has announced it will release the Police's first-ever high-def concert film 'Certifiable' on Blu-ray in early October. [/teaser] On August 7th, Best Buy (as a sponsor of the band's reunion tour) will stream a portion of the legendary farewell concert at Madison Square Garden, in an exclusive webcast of the final three songs of the show's encore. Designed to tie-in with the webcast, Best Buy.com will also begin taking pre-orders for 'The Police: Certifiable - Live in Buenos Aires,' which will be made available exclusively through the retailer two months later on October 7, day-and-date in both DVD/CD and Blu-ray/CD configurations. There are no tech specs or supplement details available yet for 'Live in Buenos Aires,' but watch this space for further information as soon as it comes to us. Best Buy has set a suggested list price of $39.98 for the Blu-ray. You'll find preliminary specs for 'The Police: Certifiable - Live in Buenos Aires' indexed in our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is listed under October 7.Posted Wed Aug 6, 2008 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Ben Stein Gets 'Expelled' on Blu-ray[teaser]Bringing the intelligent design debate to high-def, Vivendi Visual has announced an October Blu-ray release for Ben Stein's controversial documentary 'Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.'[/teaser] Drawing lines in the intelligent design versus evolution debate (with Stein falling squarely on the side of the former), 'Expelled' was praised by religious leaders and condemned by scientists in equal measure. Released through the Vivendi Visual Entertainment label, the company has set a October 21 Blu-ray release for the incendiary doc, day-and-date with the standard DVD. There are no announced tech specs or supplement details as of yet, but we'll keep you posted. Suggested retail price for the Blu-ray has been set at $34.95. You'll find preliminary specs for 'Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 21.Posted Wed Aug 6, 2008 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Next Wave of 'Dragon Ball Z' Coming to Blu-ray[teaser]FUNimation has announced its next round of Dragon Ball Z, with a double-header of 'Tree of Might' and 'Lord of Slug' planned for Blu-ray this September.[/teaser] Like the company's previous Dragon Ball Z double-feature releases, 'Dragon Ball Z: Tree of Might/Lord of Slug' will present both full-length animes on a single BD-50 dual-layer disc. FUNimation has set a September 16 street date for 'Tree of Might/Lord of slug.' There were no tech specs or supplemental details available for the release at press time, but the previous double-feature releases have boasted full 1080p video, DTS audio and extras, so FUNimation's latest 'Dragon Ball' double-header is expected to include similar features. We'll keep you posted. As with past 'Dragon Ball Z' releases, suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $34.95. You'll find preliminary specs for 'Dragon Ball Z: Tree of Might/Lord of Slug' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 16.Posted Wed Aug 6, 2008 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'Band of Brothers' Blu-ray Gets November Launch[teaser]Following months of rumors, HBO has set a mid-November Blu-ray arrival date for the epic mini-series 'Band of Brothers.'[/teaser] Though HBO first revealed their intention to bring the Tom Hanks & Steven Spielberg-produced war drama to Blu-ray earlier this year, they stopped short of confirming an exact street date. The studio has now issued an early alert to retailers pegging a November 11 release for the Emmy-winning series, which will come to high-def as a deluxe multi-disc box set. As we're still awaiting the full press details for 'Band of Brothers' there are no tech specs or supplemental details available as of yet, though a set of extras comparable to the previous standard DVD release is expected. As always, we'll let you know as soon as further information comes to us. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $99.98. You'll find preliminary specs for 'Band of Brothers' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 11.Posted Tue Aug 5, 2008 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Sony to Bring 'Standard Operating Procedure' to Blu-ray[teaser]In what is bound to be one of the most controversial Blu-ray releases of the year, Sony Pictures has set a date for the incendiary Abu Ghraib documentary 'Standard Operating Procedure.'[/teaser] From Academy Award-winner Errol Morris and winner of the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, 'Standard Operating Procedure' tells the real story of the Abu Ghraib prison photos that shocked the world. Sony will debut the polarizing documentary on Blu-ray October 14, day-and-date with the standard DVD. Extras shared between both versions include audio commentary with Morris, plus nine deleted scenes. Exclusive to the Blu-ray are nearly two hours of additional interviews, a Los Angeles Premiere Q&A with Morris, and two Berlin Press Conference panels held with the filmmakers. Tech specs for the Blu-ray feature a BD-50 dual-layer presentation with 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video and Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround audio. As previously announced, Sony has set the suggested retail price at $38.95. You'll find the latest specs for 'Standard Operating Procedure' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 14.Posted Tue Aug 5, 2008 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'Poltergeist' to Haunt Blu-ray this October[teaser]They're here and in high-def: Warner has announced a long-delayed October Blu-ray bow for the classic chiller 'Poltergeist.'[/teaser] Though Warner first hinted last year that it was planning a high-def release for 'Poltergeist' to tie-in with a 20th Anniversary DVD Edition, no next-gen versions ever materialized. Now, fans of the Steven Spielberg-produced favorite can mark October 14 on their calendars, as Warner has finally slotted the date for a first-ever Blu-ray version. Extras are minimal on the release however, including only the same two-part featurette "They Are Here: The Real World of Poltergeist Revealed" found on the DVD. No tech specs are available as of yet, but we'll keep you posted. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $28.95. You'll find the latest specs for 'Poltergeist' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 14.Posted Tue Aug 5, 2008 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Warner Bringing 'Interview With The Vampire' to Blu-ray[teaser]In an early retail announcement, Warner is planning to bring the horror hit 'Interview with the Vampire' to Blu-ray in early October.[/teaser] Based on the Anne Rice best-seller and starring Tom Cruise, 'Vampire' earned much buzz and big box office during its original theatrical release and has gone on to be a top seller on video. Warner will issue a first-ever Blu-ray version on October 7 (a special edition DVD version was released back in 2000). Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $28.95 You'll find preliminary specs for 'Interview with the Vampire' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 7.Posted Tue Aug 5, 2008 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
New Line Unveils Specs, Adds Extended Cut for 'Sex and the City' Blu-ray[teaser]New Line has confirmed specs for the late-September Blu-ray release of 'Sex and the City,' which will come to high-def in an all-new extended version. [/teaser] As previously reported, New Line first alerted retailers to a September 23 Blu-ray bow (day-and-date with the DVD) for the $150 million-grossing box office smash. The studio has now confirmed the date, and unveiled specs for the release that will see an extended version of the film spread across a BD-50 dual-layer disc, presented in 1080p video and DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 7.1 Surround. Extras shared between both versions include the featurette "Fabulous Fashion of Sex and the City," plus Intimate Conversations" interviews with Sarah Jessica Parker, director Michael Patrick King, and singer Fergie. Also offered on a separate standard DVD disc is a Digital Copy of the film playable on PCs and other portable video devices (though it is not compatible with video iPod and Apple-brand devices). Exclusive to the Blu-ray will be a pair of interactive but as-yet-unnamed interactive features. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $39.95. You'll find the latest specs for 'Sex and the City' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 23.Posted Mon Aug 4, 2008 at 01:00 PM PDT by: -
'You Don't Mess with the Zohan' Coming to Blu-ray[teaser]Sony Pictures has announced it is bringing the Adam Sandler comedy 'You Don't Mess to the Zohan' to Blu-ray this October. [/teaser] Though not as big a hit as most of Sandler's other recent comedies, 'Zohan' still managed to clear nearly $100 million at the domestic box office during its theatrical run earlier this summer. Sony has set an October 7 release for the Blu-ray, day-and-date with the standard DVD. Extras shared between both versions include audio commentary with director Dennis Dugan, a spate of featurettes ( "Laughing is Contagious," "Disco Break," "Shooting Baja for Tel Aviv," "Getting Sticky," "Look Who Stopped By," "Zohan's Doubles," "All American Redneck," "Dugan: The Hand's on Director," "The Stunts of Zohan," "Dugan Espanol?," "Zohan vs. The Phantom," "From Guns to Scissors," "The Robot"), plus deleted and alternate scenes. Exclusive to the Blu-ray is a "Translating the Zohan" graphics-in-picture track. Tech specs boast a BD-50 dual-layer presentation with 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround audio. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $38.95. You'll find the latest specs for 'You Don't Mess with the Zohan' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 7.Posted Mon Aug 4, 2008 at 11:30 AM PDT by:
