-
Warner Plans Ten Blu-ray "Book" Releases for 2008[teaser]Adding a collectible spin to high-def packaging, Warner has revealed plans to release ten Blu-ray titles in "book"-like editions in the coming year.[/teaser] Home Media Magazine is reporting that with Warner's March 25 Blu-ray debut of 'Bonnie & Clyde,' the studio will kick off a new line of deluxe next-gen releases geared towards the collector's market. Sure to please film buffs, the slate of ten releases will wrap the high-def picture and sound in a handsomely bound volume containing rare and never-before-seen archival material. As previously reported details for 'Bonnie & Clyde' illustrate, the "book" houses the Blu-ray disc, and opens up to a full-color booklet with additional photographs, production notes, and vintage press kit excerpts. Future titles earmarked by the studio to receive the "book" treatment include 'Dirty Harry' (due June 3), as well as the as-yet-unscheduled 'Woodstock,' 'Gone with the Wind,' and 'North by Northwest.' Warner says it's also planning to re-issue some previously-released Blu-rays in "book" editions, including 'Blade Runner' and selections from the 'Harry Potter' series (dates TBA). Note that as 'Bonnie & Clyde' is due before Warner's May HD DVD transition cut-off, the studio will release an HD DVD version of the title in the same book-style configuration on April 15, three weeks after the Blu-ray. However, all subsequent "book"-style releases from the studio will be Blu-ray only. In anticipation of future announcements, we've added all of the Warner "book" titles previewed in the Home Media story to the "Release Dates Pending" section of our Blu-ray Release Schedule.Posted Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 01:00 PM PDT by: -
Mariah Carey's 'Mimi' Gets Blu-ray Emancipation This April[teaser]Mariah Carey's pop music alter-ego will make her high-def debut this April with the Blu-ray release of the live spectacular 'The Adventures of Mimi.'[/teaser] Captured entirely in high-definition, 'Mariah Carey: The Adventures of Mimi' is a 165-minute extravaganza of music, dance, and costume changes, spanning the chart-topping diva's 15-year career from such early hits as "Emotions" and "One Fine Day" to recent selections from her Emmy-winning comeback CD "The Emancipation of Mimi." Image Entertainment will debut the Blu-ray of 'Mimi' on April 15, day-and-date with a three-disc standard def DVD version. Image has so far only released the barest of specs, with the Blu-ray set to include 1080 video and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround audio. There are no supplement details as of yet, but the Blu-ray version is getting a full two discs, so there should be plenty of extras. We'll keep you posted. Image has set a suggested retail price of $29.98 for 'Mimi.' You'll find the latest specs for 'Mariah Carey: The Adventures of Mimi' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 15. We've also set up a dedicated thread for Ms. Carey's high-def debut in our Forums area -- click the following link to discuss the 'Mariah Carey: Adventures of Mimi' Blu-ray release.Posted Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 11:30 AM PDT by: -
'Fearless Planet' Headed to Blu-ray this June[teaser]Image Entertainment has announced a June Blu-ray release for the acclaimed Discovery Channel series 'Fearless Planet.'[/teaser] Captured entirely in high-definition by a team of the world's leading outdoor adventurers, 'Fearless Planet' is a six-part series that explores some of Earth's greatest wonders. Image has set a June 3 arrival for the Blu-ray (day-and-date with the standard DVD), as a two-disc set which will contain the entire six-part series (including the episodes "Grand Canyon," "Earth Story," "Great Barrier Reef," "Sahara Desert," "Hawaii," "Alaska"). Image has yet to issue the full announcement for 'Fearless Planet,' so tech specs and supplement details are still to be determined. We'll keep you posted. Suggested retail for the Blu-ray has been set at $34.98. You'll find preliminary specs for 'Fearless Planet' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 3. We've also set up a dedicated thread for Image Entertainment's latest in our Forums area -- click the following link to discuss the 'Fearless Planet' Blu-ray release.Posted Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Fox Details Two-Disc 'Patton' Blu-ray[teaser]Fox has announced specs and box art for the Blu-ray release of 'Patton,' which will hit high-def this May as the studio's first two-disc special edition.[/teaser] As we've previously reported, Fox announced a May 23 Blu-ray debut for the George C. Scott Oscar-winner, but stopped short of issuing any additional details. Now full specs are in, and due to the feature film's 170-minute runtime and the volume of supplemental features, it will take two discs just to contain it. Disc one is a BD-50 dual-layer disc with the main feature in 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video and English DTS-HD Losslesss Master Audio 5.1 Surround (48kHz/16-bit), plus English Dolby Digital 5.0 Surround and French and Spanish Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono (192kbps) dubs, and English and Spanish subtitles. Also on disc one is an Introduction by screenwriter Francis Ford Coppola, as well as a full-length audio commentary by Coppola. Disc two is a BD-25 single-layer disc containing hours of bonus material, including the documentary "The Making Of Patton," two featurettes ("History Through the Lens: Patton: A Rebel Revisited," "Patton's Ghost Corps"), a "Production Still Gallery" accompanied by Jerry Goldsmith's complete musical score, a second "Behind the Scenes Gallery" accompanied by an audio essay on the historical Patton, and the original theatrical trailer. Finally, Fox has revealed box art for the Blu-ray: As previously announced, Fox has set the suggested retail price for 'Patton' at $39.98. You'll find final specs for 'Patton' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 20. We've also set up a dedicated thread for Fox's latest in our Forums area -- click the following link to discuss the 'Patton' Blu-ray release.Posted Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
First Look: 'Orphanage' Blu-ray Box Art[teaser]With its release date approaching, New Line has unveiled the box art for the acclaimed Spanish chiller, 'The Orphanage.'[/teaser] As we've previously reported, the Guillermo del Toro-produced horror flick is due to hit Blu-ray day and date with the standard DVD on April 22. Extras shared across both the Blu-ray edition and the standard DVD include a suite of four featurettes ("When Laura Grew Up: Constructing The Orphanage," "Horror in the Unknown: Make-Up," "Rehearsal Studio," "About the Filmmakers"), a still gallery, and theatrical trailers. Tech specs for the high-def version include the film's original Spanish language audio in DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 7.1 Surround, Dolby Digital EX 5.1 Surround and Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround. English and Spanish subtitles are also planned. Solving one of the Blu-ray's mysteries, New Line has issued the eerie box art for 'The Orphanage': As previously announced, New Line has set the suggested retail price for the Blu-ray edition at $35.98. You'll find final specs for 'The Orphanage' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 22. We've also set up a dedicated thread for Warner's latest in our Forums area -- click the following link to discuss 'The Orphanage' Blu-ray release.Posted Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Fox Prepping New 'AvP' Blu-ray with BD-Live, PIP[teaser]There's no street date yet, but Fox says it is readying a Blu-ray re-issue of 'Alien vs. Predator' for the second half of 2008 that will include all-new PIP and BD-Live bonus features.[/teaser] When asked to comment on recent rumors that the studio has been plotting a re-issue of 'AvP' to coincide with the April 15 Blu-ray debut of its sequel, 'Alien vs. Predator: Requiem,' a Fox spokesperson confirmed to High-Def Digest that a retooled 'AvP' is indeed in the pipeline for high-def, but that the title won't hit stores until sometime later this year. Although the studio is still in the process of developing the supplements for the new version of 'AvP,' Fox VP of Worldwide Product Development and Production Sven Davison recently told Gizmodo that the title will be the studio's most technologically-advanced disc yet, making full use of the format's picture-in-picture and BD-Live interactive capabilities. The only extra confirmed so far, however, is 'Alien vs. Predator vs. You,' an interactive BD-Live-based game that will allow multiple users to battle each other online, with the game's narrative woven into the storyline of the film as it progresses. (As previously reported, Fox first previewed the 'Alien vs. Predator vs. You" at last January's Consumer Electronics Show, but stopped short of issuing any further specifics.) While this new version of 'Alien vs. Predator' marks the first confirmed BD-Live title from Fox, it's not likely to be the last, with the studio also telling Gizmodo that they are currently looking at three other major (but as-yet-unamed) franchises to receive a similar interactive-heavy treatment. We'll keep you posted on Fox's future plans for its new version of 'Alien vs. Predator' as soon as they are officially confirmed. In anticipation of an eventual announcement, we've added a new listing for 'Alien vs. Predator (Re-issue)' to our Blu-ray Release Schedule. Stay tuned!Posted Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 01:00 PM PDT by: -
First Look: 'Water Horse' Blu-ray Box Art (UPDATED)UPDATE (03/11/08): We've received word from Sony that the correct street date for 'The Water Horsse' is April 8. We've updated our database accordingly. [teaser]It's not due to surface on high-def until early April, but Sony has unveiled the Blu-ray art for 'Water Horse: Legend of the Deep.'[/teaser] As we've previously reported, Sony has set an April 1 Blu-ray arrival for the effects-laden family adventure, which will hit stores day-and-date with the standard-def DVD. Announced bonus features include a suite of six making-of featurettes ("Creating Crusoe," "Myths and Legends," "Setting the Scene," "The Characters," "The Story," "Water Works: Creating the Water Horse") and deleted scenes. Exclusive to the Blu-ray will be the "The Water Horse: Virtual Crusoe" BD-Java-based interactive game. Tech specs boast 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video, along with Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround audio in both English and French. Fox has now issued the box art for 'Water Horse,' which gives a closer look at the flick's titular monster: Retail for 'Water Horse' has been set at a suggested list of $38.95. You'll find complete specs for 'The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, indexed under April 1. We've also set up a dedicated thread for Sony's latest in our Forums area -- click the following link to discuss the 'Water Horse' Blu-ray release.Posted Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 11:30 AM PDT by: -
Warner Premieres 'Otis: Uncut' on Blu-ray this June[teaser]Raw Feed and Warner Premiere have just announced a June Blu-ray debut for their latest direct-to-video horror opus, 'Otis: Uncut.'[/teaser] Starring Daniel Stern, Kevin Pollack ,and Illeana Douglas, 'Otis: Uncut' is a chilling black comedy that chronicles an all-American family’s collision with the dark world of a serial killer. Warner Premiere will debut 'Otis' in unrated form on Blu-ray June 10, day-and-date with the standard DVD. (As 'Otis' arrives after the studio's May 30 HD DVD transition cut-off, there will be no HD DVD version released.) Extras shared across both versions include an audio commentary by director Tony Krantz and screenwriter Erik Jendresen, the "Twisted World of Otis" featurette, an alternate ending, and "Suite 16," aka "the home movie of Otis’ fantasies made by Otis himself." Tech specs include 1080p video and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and subtitle tracks in English and Spanish. Warner has set the suggested retail price for the Blu-ray edition at $28.95. You'll find specs for 'Otis: Uncut' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 10 We've also set up a dedicated thread for Raw Feed's latest in our Forums area -- click the following link to discuss the 'Otis: Uncut' Blu-ray release.Posted Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Warner Previews 'Dirty Harry' Blu-ray Details[teaser]Warner has unveiled early specs for its Clint Eastwood box set, and says it is also planning a stand-alone collectible edition of the original 'Dirty Harry.'[/teaser] As we previously reported, Warner announced a June 3 Blu-ray arrival for the highly-anticipated 'Dirty Harry: Ultimate Collection' (day-and-date with a new standard DVD re-issue), though no specs were available at press time. Now the studio has issued a preview of the extras on the 'Ultimate Collection,' which will see all five films in the vigilante franchise (including 'Dirty Harry,' 'Magnum Force,' 'The Enforcer,' 'Sudden Impact' and 'The Dead Pool') billed as "Deluxe Editions." Among the bonus features confirmed are an audio commentary with Clint Eastwood and Richard Schickel, the TV special "Clint Eastwood: The Man from Malpaso", two featurettes ("The Long Shadow of Dirty Harry," "Dirty Harry: The Original and Dirty Harry Way"), and an interview gallery. Tech specs are not yet available for any of the five films, but Warner tells us that the full press release is due in the coming days, so expect even more features to be announced. The studio also confirmed to us that they will release the original 'Dirty Harry' as a stand-alone Blu-ray on June 3 (the remaining four films will only be available in the box set). Full specs are still TBA, but the release will come housed in collectible "book" packaging (similar to Warner's upcoming high-def release of 'Bonnie & Clyde'), complete with a 40-page booklet with production notes, filmographies, and rare photos. We'll have further information on both 'Dirty Harry' and 'Dirty Harry: Ultimate Collection' (including the suggested retail price) as soon as it is made available to us. Needless to say, stay tuned! You'll find the latest specs for 'Dirty Harry' and the 'Dirty Harry: Ultimate Collection' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under June 3. We've also set up a dedicated thread for Dirty Harry's Blu-ray debut in our Forums area -- click the following link to discuss the 'Dirty Harry' Blu-ray releases.Posted Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Microsoft: “We’ll support Blu-ray”[teaser] Amid rumors that Microsoft is in talks to add Blu-ray support to its Xbox 360 game console, CEO Steve Ballmer has indicated the company’s intention to support the remaining high-def format.[/teaser] As reported by The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took part in an onstage conversation at the company’s Mix08 Internet conference in Las Vegas Thursday, where the topics discussed included Microsoft’s high-def plans following the discontinuation of Toshiba’s HD DVD format. Without offering specifics, Ballmer said the company will work to support Blu-ray. “We've already been working on, for example, in Windows, device driver support for Blu-ray drives and the like,” Ballmer stated. “I think the world moves on. Toshiba has moved on. We've moved on, and we'll support Blu-ray in ways that make sense.”Posted Fri Mar 7, 2008 at 12:00 PM PST by:
