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'Les Misérables' Announced and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]The acclaimed 2012 adaptation of the classic Victor Hugo story will be available on Blu-ray next month. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal is readying 'Les Misérables' for Blu-ray on March 22. The sweeping and spectacular musical extravaganza 'Les Misérables' has been seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries around the globe. Now the motion picture adaptation that grossed more than $340 million worldwide arrives on Blu-ray™. Critically acclaimed and star-studded, 'Les Misérables' is a stunningly realized interpretation of Victor Hugo’s epic tale of broken dreams, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the endurance of the human spirit. Directed by Academy Award® winner Tom Hooper ('The King’s Speech'), 'Les Misérables' features an all-star cast including Golden Globe® winner Hugh Jackman ('X-Men Origins: Wolverine,' 'The Prestige'), Oscar® winner Russell Crowe ('Gladiator,' 'A Beautiful Mind'), Golden Globe® winner Anne Hathaway ('The Dark Knight Rises,' 'The Devil Wears Prada'), Amanda Seyfried ('Mamma Mia!,' 'Dear John'), Eddie Redmayne ('My Week With Marilyn,' 'The Other Boleyn Girl'), Helena Bonham Carter ('Harry Potter' series, 'Sweeney Todd'), Golden Globe® winner Sacha Baron Cohen ('Hugo,' 'Borat') and newcomer Samantha Barks. Compelling and poignant, 'Les Misérables' has earned kudos from critics around the world, including Vogue’s Adam Green, who describes it as “a spectacular achievement” and Deadline.com’s Pete Hammond, who calls it “remarkably entertaining and powerful” and praises its “stunning imagery and performance.” 'Les Misérables' dominated the 2013 awards season, garnering eight Academy Award® nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, and sweeping the Golden Globes with awards for Jackman, and Hathaway, as well as the prize for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. The Blu-ray/DVD/Ultraviolet Digital Copy combo pack will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Les Misérables Singing Live: The star-studded cast and production team discuss how the daunting challenge of singing live rather than lip-syncing to pre-recorded tracks ultimately gave them the creative freedom to deliver nuanced, emotionally powerful performances. (Blu-ray Exclusive) Battle at the Barricade: Director Tom Hooper wanted the dramatic building of the barricade to be as visceral and intense as possible, so he had his actors build it in real time, literally hurling furniture out of windows to construct an actual barricade. This featurette takes an in-depth look at the creation and filming of all the action on this remarkable set. (Blu-ray Exclusive) The West End Connection: Meet the "godfather" of the original stage production of Les Misérables, renowned West End producer Cameron Mackintosh, who was deeply involved in the filming, as well as former Les Misérables, theatrical stars who were thrilled to appear in supporting roles in the current film. (Blu-ray Exclusive) Les Misérables on Location: Filming rather than staging Les Misérables presents the opportunity to shoot in real world locations: a massive dry dock on the coast of England, a beautiful underground chapel in the heart of London and the ancient city of Winchester. Members of the cast and crew talk about what it was like to find and work in these incredible locations. (Blu-ray Exclusive) The Stars of Les Misérables: Director Tom Hooper talks about casting the iconic characters, and the actors discuss why it was important to them to be a part of this groundbreaking version of Les Misérables. Creating the Perfect Paris: Production designer Eve Stewart created a massive Paris set featuring real cobblestones and running water. Take an intricate look into the detailed recreation of these Paris streets that no longer exist in today's world. The Original Masterwork: Victor Hugo's Les Misérables: This mini-documentary takes a look at the historical backdrop and universal themes of Hugo's classic, and how the filmmakers mined the novel to enrich the look and feel of the film. Feature Commentary with Director Tom Hooper. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Les Misérables' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 22.Posted Wed Feb 13, 2013 at 01:00 PM PST by: -
'Zero Dark Thirty' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]Kathryn Bigelow's Academy Award nominee for Best Picture debuts on Blu-ray in March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony will be bringing 'Zero Dark Thirty' to Blu-ray on March 19. For a decade, an elite team of intelligence and military operatives, working in secret across the globe, devoted themselves to a single goal: to find and eliminate Osama bin Laden. Zero Dark Thirty reunites the Oscar winning team of director-producer Kathryn Bigelow and writer-producer Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker) for the story of history's greatest manhunt for the world's most dangerous man. The Blu-ray/DVD/Ultraviolet Digital Copy combo pack will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: No Small Feat - Making Zero Dark Thirty; The Compound - Tour the film's rebuilt compound; Geared Up - Watch the cast train with authentic SEAL gear; and Targeting Jessica Chastain - A look at the role of Maya. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $40.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Zero Dark Thirty' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 19.Posted Wed Feb 13, 2013 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
'The Hudsucker Proxy' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The Coen Brothers' 1994 dark comedy will be available on Blu-ray at the end of the month. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Archive has set 'The Hudsucker Proxy' for Blu-ray on February 26. Paul Newman, Tim Robbins and Jennifer Jason Leigh star in filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen's darkly comic look at big business. When the founder of Hudsucker Industries leaps to his death from the 44th floor boardroom window the board of directors panics. But there is a plan: install a complete imbecile as president of the company and devalue the stock so the board can acquire a controlling interest for themselves. But where can they find such a guileless patsy? Enter Norville Barnes. Fresh off the bus from Muncie, Indiana, as a graduate of the 1958 class of the Muncie College of Business Administration, Norville is ready to start at the bottom and work his way up to the top of the corporate world ... he just never imagined it would happen so quickly. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 soundtrack, and supplements haven't been revealed yet. The Blu-ray is now available for pre-order here for $19.95. You can find the latest specs for 'The Hudsucker Proxy' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 26.Posted Wed Feb 13, 2013 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
'The Big Picture' Blu-ray Announced and Detailed[teaser]The French thriller from director Eric Lartigau is bound for Blu-ray in March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, MPI is working on 'The Big Picture' for Blu-ray on March 19. Paul Exben (Romain Duris) is a success story. He has a great job, a glamorous wife and two wonderful sons. Except that this is not the life he has been dreaming of. A moment of madness is going to change his life forever, forcing him to assume a new identity that will enable him to live his life fully… With an amazing supporting cast, including Catherine Deneuve, Marina Fois and Niels Arestrup, 'The Big Picture' is a fast paced thriller based on the best selling novel by Douglas Kennedy. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include the original theatrical trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Big Picture' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 19.Posted Wed Feb 13, 2013 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
Poll: Blu-ray on the Left or Right Side of the Case?We have a fun poll topic in the blog this week. When you buy a 2-disc Blu-ray set, does the primary feature film Blu-ray belong on the left side of the case or the right? Show us how OCD you can be about things like this by voting in our poll today!Posted Wed Feb 13, 2013 at 07:00 AM PST by: -
'Captain America: Collector's Edition' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]Albert Pyun's 1990 cult classic comes to Blu-ray in a Collector's Edition this May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Shout Factory is preparing to release 'Captain America: Collector's Edition' on Blu-ray on May 21. The Red Skull defeats Captain America in 1941, but the super hero is thrown into suspended animation. Captain America is revived 50 years later to face the Red Skull one more time. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $14.97. You can find the latest specs for 'Captain America: Collector's Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 21.Posted Wed Feb 13, 2013 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
'Gamer - 3D' Blu-ray 3D Dated and Detailed[teaser]The 2009 action flick will be downloaded to Blu-ray 3D in May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate says 'The Big Picture' will hit Blu-ray on May 7. With a powerhouse cast headlined by Gerard Butler ('300'), 'Gamer 3D' utilizes state-of-the-art SAMSUNG 3D technology to bring on the thrills in the action-packed futuristic adventure set in a prison where convicts fight to the death in a twisted, real-life video game. 'Gamer 3D' co-stars Michael C. Hall (Showtime's "Dexter"), Chris "Ludacris" Bridges ('Crash') and Golden Globe® winner Kyra Sedgwick (TV's "The Closer"). The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include "Inside the Game: Controlling Gamer" featurette. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $19.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Gamer - 3D' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 7.Posted Tue Feb 12, 2013 at 12:45 PM PST by: -
The Return of Monster Madness!High-Def Digest's Monster Madness tournament took a break for a few weeks as Aaron had his hands full covering the Sundance Film Festival. Readers who'd been following the epic monster battles in the blog have eagerly awaited the contest's return. Now Aaron is back to wrangle the competition. Which is more killer: Killer Tomatoes or Killer Birds? Can the Blob slime the Kraken? Your votes will decide the winners in these match-ups. Play along with us in the blog today!Posted Tue Feb 12, 2013 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
'Adventure Time' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The first two seasons of the hit Cartoon Network animated series will be available on Blu-ray this summer. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers has slated 'Adventure Time: The Complete First Season' and 'Adventure Time: The Complete Second Season' for Blu-ray on June 24. 'Season One' - What time is it? It's time for Adventure Time! Cartoon Network's #1 hit comedy show and Emmy-nominated series centers on the post apocalyptic adventures of Finn (voiced by Jeremy Shada), a human boy with a funny hat, and his friend Jake (John DiMaggio), a magic and mischievous dog. The Blu-ray includes all 26 episodes from Season 1 and tons of special features by Ward. The first season also comes packaged with a collectible slipcover and is a must have for any Adventure Time fan. 'Season Two' - It's one crazy adventure after another for human boy, Finn, and his best friend, Jake, a 28-year old dog with magical powers. They're out to have the most fun possible and they sure do find it exploring the Land of Ooo! Whether it's saving Princess Bubblegum (Hynden Walch), battling zombie candy, taunting the Ice King (Tom Kenny) or rocking out with Marceline the Vampire Queen (Olivia Olson), with Finn & Jake it's always Adventure Time. Specs have yet to be revealed, but each set will include behind-the-scenes featurettes, animatics, episode commentary, Fandemonium, The Wand, and music videos. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray sets is $32.07. You can find the latest specs for 'Adventure Time: The Complete First Season' and 'Adventure Time: The Complete Second Season'.linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under June 24.Posted Tue Feb 12, 2013 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
'Wuthering Heights' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The Golden Osella Award-winner at the Venice Film Festival arrives on Blu-ray in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Oscilloscope Pictures says 'Wuthering Heights' is coming to high-definition on April 23. Andrea Arnold's 'Wuthering Heights' is an excitingly fresh and distinct take on the classic novel by Emily Brontë. An epic love story that spans childhood well into the young adult years, the film follows Heathcliff, a boy taken in by a benevolent Yorkshire farmer, Earnshaw. Living in Earnshaw's home, Heathcliff develops a passionate relationship with the farmer's teenage daughter, Catherine, inspiring the envy and mistrust of his son, Hindley. When Earnshaw passes away, the now-grown characters must finally confront the intense feelings and rivalries that have built up throughout their years together. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but the release will be a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Wuthering Heights' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 23.Posted Tue Feb 12, 2013 at 08:00 AM PST by: