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Gavin Hood's 'Eye in the Sky' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]The thriller starring Helen Mirren and Aaron Paul is headed for Blu-ray this summer. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal will be releasing 'Eye in the Sky' on Blu-ray on June 28. Helen Mirren as Colonel Katherine Powell, a UK-based military officer in command of a top secret drone operation to capture terrorists in Kenya. Through remote surveillance and on-the-ground intel, Powell discovers the targets are planning a suicide bombing and the mission escalates from "capture" to "kill." But as American pilot Steve Watts (Aaron Paul) is about to engage, a nine-year old girl enters the kill zone triggering an international dispute, reaching the highest levels of US and British government, over the moral, political, and personal implications of modern warfare. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, lossless 5.1 audio, and supplements include two featurettes. You can find the latest specs for 'Eye in the Sky' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under June 28. Order the Blu-rayPosted Tue Apr 26, 2016 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
New and Improved 'Deadpool' Ultra HD Blu-ray -- Now With Supplements![teaser]See Ryan Reynolds the way he was meant to be seen -- in glorious 2160p! But wait...there's MORE! [/teaser]As previously reported, 20th Century Fox said 'Deadpool' will be pummeling Ultra HD Blu-ray on May 10. Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is a former Special Forces operative who now works as a mercenary. His world comes crashing down when evil scientist Ajax (Ed Skrein) tortures, disfigures, and transforms him into Deadpool. The rogue experiment leaves Deadpool with accelerated healing powers and a twisted sense of humor. With help from mutant allies Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand), Deadpool uses his new skills to hunt down the man who nearly destroyed his life. The release will include: Audio commentary with director Tim Miller and Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld; audio commentary with Ryan Reynolds and writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese; deleted and extended scenes with optional Miller commentary; Gag reel; From Comics to Screen... to Screen documentary; Galleries; Deadpool’s Fun Snack; and More! Suggested list price for the Ultra HD Blu-ray/Blu-ray/Digital HD combo pack is $39.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Deadpool' linked from our Ultra HD Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 10. Order the Ultra HD Blu-rayPosted Tue Apr 26, 2016 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Norbert Myles' 'The Daughter of Dawn' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]The 1920 silent film will be getting the Blu-ray treatment in July. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Milestone will be releasing 'The Daughter of Dawn' on Blu-ray on July 19. On October 17, 1920, audience members at the College Theater in Los Angeles were treated to a "sneak preview" of a new movie — a drama featuring a cast entirely made up of Native Americans. Motion Picture News called it "an original and breath-taking adventure." A year later, the film played in Topeka, Kansas to little fanfare — we only know about the engagement because the theater placed a few small ads in a local newspaper. These two showings are the only known screenings of THE DAUGHTER OF DAWN, a large-scale production of Comanche and Kiowa life created by Norbert Myles and the Texas Film Company. After that, the film disappeared for nearly a century—without a trace. Cinema, the twentieth century's great art form, proved to be a powerful means for preserving history even as it also perpetuated myths and stereotypes. Although fascinated with images of the "wild west," very few silent films ever attempted to capture Native American life with the active participation of tribe members. Instead, most films set in the west were centered on white settlers, cowboys and soldiers and Native Americans characters were often played by white actors. But the few films that were created with the cooperation of tribal members, such as In the Land of the Head Hunters [which Milestone will be releasing in a brand-new restoration in 2013] and The Silent Enemy remain invaluable documents of KwaKwaka'wakw and Ojibway life. Alhough created by white filmmakers for general release, these films recorded legends and cultural history as handed down by tribal elders. But time has not been kind to silent cinema. Only 78% of films made before 1929 still exist and independent films were especially vulnerable to destruction and loss. So it was a lucky day when a private detective who had received some nitrate film reels in exchange for payment contacted Brian Hearn at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. It turned out that his "fee" was an incredibly rare film, THE DAUGHTER OF DAWN, previously known only through articles and photos from the 1920s and a copy of the script at the Library of Congress. And miraculously, the film was complete and in excellent condition. The Oklahoma Historical Society with assistance of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian then acquired the precious film and set out to restore it. THE DAUGHTER OF DAWN is an 80-minute, feature silent film that was shot in May, June, and July of 1920 in the Wichita Mountains of southwest Oklahoma. The story, played by an all-Native American cast of 300 Kiowas and Comanches, includes a romantic rivalry, buffalo hunts, a battle, village scenes, dances, deceit, courage, hand-to-hand combat, and even a happy ending. The Native American actors, who in 1920 had been living on reservations for less than fifty years, brought with them their own tipis, horses, clothing, and material culture. White Parker, the film's male lead, and Wanada Parker, who appears in a supporting role, were two of the 25 children of legendary Comanche chief, Quannah Parker. Chief Parker has recently been profiled in two nonfiction bestsellers, S. C. Gwynne's Empire of the Sun and Glenn Frankel's The Searchers. Quannah Parker was a son of chief Peta Nocona and Cynthia Ann Parker, who like the character in the John Ford movie, was kidnapped as a young girl and later married and identified as a Comanche. The film was directed by a young director, Norbert Myles and written by Richard E. Banks who had spent 25 years living with various tribes. It is fascinating that, by accident or design, the film's plot hinges on story on a very similar to Quannah Parker's real encounter with his first wife. Restored by the Oklahoma Historical Society, Film Technology (35mm) and Modern Videofilm (2K), THE DAUGHTER OF DAWN proves to be a revelation. Subtly acted by the all-Native American cast, photographed beautifully, and directed without melodrama by Myles, this lost silent film stands with the best films of the period. Why it played only twice and was never officially released remains a mystery. To accompany the restored film, composer David Yeagley wrote an original score that was performed by the Oklahoma City University Orchestra. You can find the latest specs for 'The Daughter of Dawn' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 19.Posted Tue Apr 26, 2016 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Christina' Coming to Blu-ray this May![teaser]The erotic 1984 action comedy will charge onto Blu-ray next month. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Severin and Intervision Picture Corp says 'Christina' will arrive on Blu-ray on June 26. Famed B-movie vixen Jewel Shepard (HOLLYWOOD HOT TUBS, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD) stars as Christina Von Belle, the young heiress known as 'The Playgirl of The Western World'. But when Christina is kidnapped by a ruthless squad of lesbian commandos (led by Euro-starlet Karin Schubert of BLUEBEARD and BLACK EMANUELLE), she is forced into a shocking ordeal. For a frightened girl bound by more than desire, are there any limits? Ian Sera (PIECES) and former Miss Bahamas, Josephine Jacqueline Jones (BLACK VENUS) co-star in this saga from writer/producer Harry Alan Towers (LOVE CIRCLES, VENUS IN FURS, 99 WOMEN), now re-mastered in luscious high-definition for the first time ever! No other details have been revealed at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Christina' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under May 31. Order the Blu-rayPosted Tue Apr 26, 2016 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Rolling Stones: Totally Stripped' SD Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The legendary band will hit the stage on SD Blu-ray in June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Eagle Rock Entertainment is preparing 'The Rolling Stones: Totally Stripped' for Blu-ray on June 3. A Deluxe Edition will also be released on that same day. 'Totally Stripped' itself is a brand new version of the documentary of the same name, which tells the stories of the two studio sessions and three live shows (The Paradiso in Amsterdam in May 1995, L'Olympia in Paris and Brixton Academy in London in July 1995) that make up this project. Following the 'Voodoo Lounge' tour, The Stones released Stripped, an album of reconsidered, pared back renderings of some classic Stones tracks, and also a couple of carefully chosen covers. The album mixed new studio versions of tracks with some live songs. The tracks that made up Stripped were taken from two studio sessions that took place in Tokyo [March 3-5, 1995] and in Lisbon [July 23-26], and a trio of live shows in July 1995 at small concert venues in London, Paris and Amsterdam. Keith Richards commented, "There's something about playing these small venues, the immediacy of it. Also we can keep God out the band, because on big gigs he sometimes turns up as rain or wind". As Mick Jagger said at the time, the aim was to "Take the best element from [MTV] 'Unplugged', the intimate thing of it, without actually doing it completely unplugged". This collection is built on the power of lyric and melody, and the material here feels somehow simpler yet potent, as the songs stand on their individual timeless quality rather than on the production techniques and technical expertise that generally come as part and parcel of being the biggest band in the world. 'Totally Stripped' is the release that the fans have been waiting years for, a document that reveals the inner workings not only of The Rolling Stones themselves but also indeed some of their most loved tracks. Revealing, intimate and moving, Totally Stripped is unmissable. The Deluxe Edition comes packaged with a 60 page hard book set containing 5 discs which boasts hours of previously unavailable music (three complete shows made available for the first time ever) from this truly legendary act. Full specs and supplements have not been detailed yet, but the Blu-ray will feature upscaled 1080p video. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray/CD is $29.98. Suggested list price for the 4-Disc Blu-ray/CD Deluxe Edition is $109.98 You can find the latest specs for 'The Rolling Stones: Totally Stripped' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 3. Order the Blu-ray Order the Deluxe Edition Blu-rayPosted Mon Apr 25, 2016 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Stephen Chow's 'The Mermaid' Splashes to Blu-ray[teaser]The fantasy rom-com will arrive on Blu-ray in July. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony will be releasing 'The Mermaid' on Blu-ray on July 5. Xuan's estate project involving reclamation of the sea threatens the livelihood of the mermaids who rely on the sea to survive. Shan is dispatched to stop Xuan and this leads them into falling for each other. Out of his love for Shan, Xuan plans to stop the reclamation. Unfortunately, Shan and the other mermaids are hunted by a hidden organization, and Xuan has to save Shan before it's too late. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements include: The Making of The Mermaid; The Mermaid: Behind the Scenes; and Invincible Music Video. You can find the latest specs for 'The Mermaid' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under July 5. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Apr 25, 2016 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'Deadpool' Special Features Detailed[teaser]The bonus features for the hit film starring Ryan Reynolds have now been finalized. [/teaser] As previously reported, 20th Century Fox revealed 'Deadpool' will be pummeling Blu-ray on May 10. Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is a former Special Forces operative who now works as a mercenary. His world comes crashing down when evil scientist Ajax (Ed Skrein) tortures, disfigures and transforms him into Deadpool. The rogue experiment leaves Deadpool with accelerated healing powers and a twisted sense of humor. With help from mutant allies Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand), Deadpool uses his new skills to hunt down the man who nearly destroyed his life. The release will include: Audio commentary with director Tim Miller and Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld; audio commentary with Ryan Reynolds and writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese; deleted and extended scenes with optional Miller commentary; Gag reel; From Comics to Screen... to Screen documentary; Galleries; Deadpool’s Fun Snack; and More! You can find the latest specs for 'Deadpool' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under May 10. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Apr 25, 2016 at 08:00 AM PDT by:
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'Independence Day: 20th Anniversary Edition' to Invade 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray[teaser]Roland Emmerich's explosive film will be getting a 4K Blu-ray release in June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox will be releasing 'Independence Day: 20th Anniversary Edition' on Blu-ray on June 7. Experience the original OSCAR®-Winning* sci-fi epic that launched a new era in blockbuster filmmaking. Director Roland Emmerich, producer Dean Devlin and an all-star cast including Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman join forces to deliver the ultimate encounter between powerful aliens and the human race. When massive spaceships appear in Earth’s skies and blast destructive beams of fire down on cities all over the planet, a determined band of survivors must unite for one last strike against the invaders before it’s the end of mankind. The release will feature both the newly restored Special Edition and original Theatrical Cuts with a DTS:X soundtrack and supplements will include: All-new 30-Minute Documentary – Independence Day: A Legacy Surging Forward (Featured on Disc Two of Blu-ray); Commentary with Director Roland Emmerich and Producer Dean Devlin; Commentary with VFX Supervisors Volker Engel and Doug Smith; and Datastream Trivia Track. You can find the latest specs for 'Independence Day: 20th Anniversary Edition' linked from our Ultra HD Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 7.Posted Fri Apr 22, 2016 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
MPI's 'Emelie' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]The thriller starring Sarah Bolger arriving on Blu-ray in May has now been detailed. [/teaser] As previously reported, MPI is working on 'Emelie' for Blu-ray on May 3. As their parents head out for a date in the city, the three young Thompson children immediately take to their new babysitter, Anna (Sarah Bolger), who seems like a dream come true: she's sweet, fun, and lets them do things that break all of their parents' rules. But as Anna's interactions with them take on a more sinister tone, the kids realize that their caretaker may not be who she claims to be. Soon it's up to big brother Jacob to protect his siblings from the increasingly nefarious intentions of a very disturbed woman whose weapon is trust, and whose target is innocence. Featuring tour-de-force performances from Bolger and its three young leads, EMELIE is a multidimensional, nail-biting thriller that asks the question: how can you put an end to horror after you've already let it in? The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a lossless 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include a making-of featurette and a trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Emelie' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 3. Order the Blu-rayPosted Fri Apr 22, 2016 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Criterion's July 2016 Blu-ray Titles Now Available for Pre-Order![teaser]The distributor has revealed its upcoming slate of July releases, including Terrence Malick's 'The New World' and Alain Resnais' 'Night and Fog.' [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion is preparing 'The New World,' 'Night and Fog,' 'Muriel, or The Time of Return,' 'A Touch of Zen,' 'Carnival of Souls,' and 'The In-Laws' for Blu-ray throughout the month of July. 'The In-Laws' (July 5) - Peter Falk and Alan Arkin make for a hilarious dream team in this beloved American sidesplitter. Directed by Arthur Hiller from an ingenious script by Andrew Bergman, The In-Laws may at first seem like a generic meet-the-parents comedy, as Arkin’s mild-mannered dentist suspiciously eyes Falk’s volatile mystery man, whose son is engaged to his daughter. But soon, through a series of events too serpentine and surprising to spoil, the two men are brought together by a dangerous mission that takes them from suburban New Jersey to Honduras. Fueled by elaborate stunt work and the laconic, naturalistic charms of its two stars, The In-Laws deserves its status as a madcap classic—and has continued to draw ardent fans in the years since its release. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed English mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary from 2003 featuring director Arthur Hiller, actors Alan Arkin and Peter Falk, and writer Andrew Bergman; New interview with Arkin; In Support of "The In-Laws," a new interview program featuring actors Ed Begley Jr., Nancy Dussault, James Hong, and David Paymer; Trailer; PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by comedy writer Stephen Winer and a 2011 recollection of the making of the film by Hiller. Order the Blu-ray 'Carnival of Souls' (July 12) - A young woman in a small Kansas town survives a drag race accident, then agrees to take a job as a church organist in Salt Lake City. En route, she becomes haunted by a bizarre apparition that compels her toward an abandoned lakeside pavilion. Made by industrial filmmakers on a modest budget, the eerily effective B-movie classic Carnival of Souls was intended to have “the look of a Bergman and the feel of a Cocteau”—and, with its strikingly used locations and spooky organ score, it succeeds. Herk Harvey’s macabre masterpiece gained a cult following on late-night television and continues to inspire filmmakers today. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed English mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Selected-scene audio commentary featuring director Herk Harvey and screenwriter John Clifford; New interview with comedian and writer Dana Gould; New video essay by film critic David Cairns; The Movie That Wouldn’t Die!, a documentary on the 1989 reunion of the film’s cast and crew; The Carnival Tour, a 2000 update on the film’s locations; Excerpts from movies made by the Centron Corporation, an industrial film company based in Lawrence, Kansas, that once employed Harvey and Clifford; Deleted scenes; Outtakes, accompanied by Gene Moore’s organ score; History of the Saltair Resort in Salt Lake City, where key scenes in the film were shot; Trailer; More!; PLUS: An essay by writer and programmer Kier-La Janisse. Order the Blu-ray 'A Touch of Zen' (July 19) - "Visionary" barely begins to describe this masterpiece of Chinese cinema and martial arts moviemaking. A Touch of Zen by King Hu depicts the journey of Yang (Hsu Feng), a fugitive noblewoman who seeks refuge in a remote, and allegedly haunted, village. The sanctuary she finds with a shy scholar and two aides in disguise is shattered when a nefarious swordsman uncovers her identity, pitting the four against legions of blade-wielding opponents. At once a wuxia film, the tale of a spiritual quest, and a study in human nature, A Touch of Zen is an unparalleled work in Hu’s formidable career and an epic of the highest order, characterized by breathtaking action choreography, stunning widescreen landscapes, and innovative editing. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed Mandarin mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Documentary from 2012 about director King Hu; New interviews with actors Hsu Feng and Shih Chun; New interview with filmmaker Ang Lee; New interview with film scholar Tony Rayns; Trailer; PLUS: An essay by film scholar David Bordwell and notes by Hu from a 1975 Cannes Film Festival press kit. Order the Blu-ray 'Muriel, or The Time of Return' (July 19) - Alain Resnais’s Muriel, or The Time of Return, the director’s follow-up to Last Year at Marienbad, is as radical a reflection on the nature of time and memory as its predecessor. The always luminous Delphine Seyrig stars as an antique shop owner and widow in Boulogne-sur-Mer, whose past comes back to haunt her when a former lover reenters her life. Meanwhile, her stepson is tormented by his own ghosts, related to his service in France’s recently ended war in Algeria. Featuring a multilayered script by Jean Cayrol, and inventively edited to evoke its middle-class characters’ political and personal realities, the fragmented, emotionally powerful Muriel reminds viewers that the past is always present. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed French mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Excerpt from the 1980 documentary Une approche d’Alain Resnais, révolutionnaire discret; Excerpt from a 1969 interview with actor Delphine Seyrig; Interview with composer Hans Werner Henze from 1963; New interview with film scholar François Thomas, author of L’atelier d’Alain Resnais; Trailer; PLUS: An essay by film scholar James Quandt. Order the Blu-ray 'Night and Fog' (July 19) - Ten years after the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps, filmmaker Alain Resnais documented the abandoned grounds of Auschwitz and Majdanek inNight and Fog (Nuit et brouillard), one of the first cinematic reflections on the Holocaust. Juxtaposing the stillness of the abandoned camps’ empty buildings with haunting wartime footage, Resnais investigates the cyclical nature of humanity’s violence against humanity, and presents the devastating suggestion that such horrors could occur again. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed French mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Excerpt from a 1994 audio interview with director Alain Resnais; New interview with documentary filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer; Face aux fantômes, a 99-minute 2009 documentary featuring historian Sylvie Lindeperg that explores the French memory of the Holocaust and the controversy surrounding the film’s release; PLUS: An essay by film scholar Colin MacCabe. Order the Blu-ray 'The New World' (July 26) - This singular vision of early seventeenth-century America from Terrence Malick is a work of astounding elemental beauty, a poetic meditation on nature, violence, love, and civilization. It reimagines the apocryphal story of the meeting of British explorer John Smith (Colin Farrell) and Powhatan native Pocahontas (Q’orianka Kilcher, in a revelatory performance) as a romantic idyll between spiritual equals, then follows Pocahontas through her marriage to John Rolfe (Christian Bale) and her life in England. With art director Jack Fisk’s raw re-creation of the Jamestown colony, Emmanuel Lubezki’s marvelous, naturally lit cinematography, and James Horner’s soaring musical score, The New World is a film of uncommon power and technical splendor, one that shows Malick at the height of his visual and philosophical powers. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an Algonquin/English Theatrical DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, an Algonquin/English Near-Field DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, and three different versions of the film: the 172-minute Extended Cut; 150-minute First Cut; and 135-minute Theatrical Cut. Supplements will include: New interviews with actors Colin Farrell and Q’orianka Kilcher; New program about the making of the film, featuring interviews with producer Sarah Green, production designer Jack Fisk, and costume designer Jacqueline West; Making “The New World,” a documentary shot during the production of the film in 2004, directed and edited by Austin Jack Lynch; New program about the process of cutting The New World and its various versions, featuring interviews with editors Hank Corwin, Saar Klein, and Mark Yoshikawa; Trailers; PLUS: A book featuring an essay by film scholar Tom Gunning, a 2006 interview with Lubezki from American Cinematographer, and a selection of materials that inspired the production. Order the Blu-ray Suggested list price for each single-disc Blu-ray is $39.95. Suggested list price the 3-Disc release of 'The New World' is $49.95. You can find the latest specs for all of the titles listed above linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed throughout July.Posted Thu Apr 21, 2016 at 10:00 AM PDT by:
