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'Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection' Announced and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]A mega boxed set featuring 15 films from the Master of Suspense is planned for Blu-ray in September! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal Studios is working on 'Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection' for a Blu-ray release on September 25. This set includes: Saboteur (1942) - Supplements will include Saboteur: A Closer Look behind-the-scenes featurette; Storyboards for the "Statue of Liberty" setpiece; Alfred Hitchcock's sketches; Production photographs; and Theatrical trailer. Shadow of a Doubt (1943) - w/Beyond Doubt: The Making of Hitchcock's Favorite Film behind-the-scenes featurette; Production drawings by art director Robert Boyle; Production photographs; and Theatrical trailer. Rope (1948) - w/Rope Unleashed behind-the-scenes featurette; Production photographs; and Theatrical trailer. Rear Window (1954) - w/Commentary with Hitchcock's Rear Window: The Well-Made Film author John Fawell; 5 Behind-the-scenes featurettes; Hitchcock-Truffaut interview excerpts; Production photographs; Theatrical trailers; and Re-release trailer narrated by James Stewart. The Trouble with Harry (1955) - w/The Trouble with Harry Isn't Over behind-the-scenes featurette; Production photographs; and Theatrical trailers. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) - w/The Making of The Man Who Knew Too Much behind-the-scenes featurette; Production photographs; and Trailers. Vertigo (1958) - w/Two audio commentaries (Associate producer Herbert Coleman, restoration team Robert A. Harris and James C. Katz, and other Vertigo participants, and Filmmaker William Friedkin); Obsessed with Vertigo: New Life for Hitchcock's Masterpiece; Partners in Crime: Hitchcock's Collaborators; The Vertigo Archives; Hitchcock-Truffaut interview excerpts; Foreign censorship Ending; 100 Years of Universal featurette: The Lew Wasserman Era; Theatrical trailer; and restoration theatrical trailer. North by Northwest (1959) - w/Commentary by screenwriter Ernest Lehman; 4 behind-the-scenes featurettes; Music-only audio track; Stills gallery; and Theatrical trailers and TV spot. Psycho (1960) - w/Commentary with Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho author Stephen Rebello; 3 Behind-the-scenes featurettes; Breakdowns of the "Shower Scene" setpiece; The Psycho Archives; Vintage newsreel: The Release of Psycho; Hitchcock-Truffaut interview excerpts; Posters and Psycho ads; Lobby cards; Behind-the-scenes photographs; Production photographs; Theatrical trailer; and re-release trailers. The Birds (1963) - w/All About The Birds; Vintage Universal International newsreels; The Birds Is Coming; Suspense Story: National Press Club Hears Hitchcock; Tippi Hedren's screen test; Hitchcock-Truffaut interview excerpts; Deleted scene; Original ending; Storyboards; Production photographs; 100 Years of Universal featurettes; Theatrical trailer; and Blu-ray exclusive The Birds: Hitchcock's Monster Movie. Marnie (1964) - w/The Trouble with Marnie behind-the-scenes featurette; The Marnie Archives feature; and Theatrical trailer. Torn Curtain (1966) - w/Torn Curtain Rising behind-the-scenes featurette; Selected scenes scored by Bernard Herrmann; Production photographs; and Theatrical trailer. Topaz (1969) - w/Alternate endings; Topaz: An Appreciation with film historian and critic Leonard Maltin; Storyboards for "The Mendozas" setpiece; Production photographs; and Theatrical trailer. Frenzy (1972) - w/The Story of Frenzy behind-the-scenes featurette; Production photographs; Theatrical trailer. Family Plot (1976) - w/Plotting Family Plot behind-the-scenes featurette; Storyboards for the chase scene; Production photographs; and Theatrical trailer. The boxed set will also include a 50-page book featuring storyboards, costume sketches, correspondence, and rare photographs. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 25.Posted Thu Jun 21, 2012 at 11:40 AM PDT by: -
8 Out of 10 Stream Content Through Their Blu-ray Players[teaser]That's a big jump over game console and connected TV users, who hover in the 60s. [/teaser] The NPD Group revealed an interesting statistic today – apparently 80% of those that own connected Blu-ray players use them to access streaming content. Compare that to the 69% of connected TV users that stream and 65% of game console owners and it's a significant number indeed! "Once primarily the domain of tech-savvy young male early adopters," says SVP Russ Crupnick, "downloading entertainment content to tablets, TVs and game consoles is now much more common among regular American moms, dads — and their kids, too." Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Thu Jun 21, 2012 at 11:30 AM PDT by: -
HDD Interviews Rising Star Alex Lombard of 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter'by Luke Hickman [teaser]When you get an email that says, "We'd love to set up an interview with you and the gorgeous, breakout star..." you say "yes."[/teaser] Meet Alex Lombard. If you've seen 'Inception,' then you've already seen her. She played a small role that's one level better than extra work. Her latest role in 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' gives her more to do (pun intended - you'll get it if you keep reading) than 'Inception,' but it's still not huge. We will have to wait a little longer to see exactly what she's capable of - but you're about to get the gist of where she's going in her career. I hadn't seen 'Abe Lincoln' prior to my chat with "American Beauty" Alex Lombard (that's how her publicist referred to her in the email invitation for this interview), but just as I expected from Lombard's responses, she plays a very small character here too. In fact, she deems that one of her scenes features her and Dominic Cooper in a "compromising position." The way she talks is as if she was in more than that one scene, but that is the only one that makes the final cut. Perhaps a director's/extended cut will reveal more . Based on what we see in 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,' it's hard to predict the future for Ms. Lombard - but from what you'll read in my interview, you'll see that she's doing more than her fair share to make it big in Hollywood. Enjoy. HDD – Luke Hickman: Alex, I haven't yet seen the movie, so what can I expect from 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter?' Alex Lombard:Oh, I think you can expect a really fun wild ride. I think you'll find it very entertaining and very interesting. HDD: Who exactly do you get to play in it? Alex Lombard: I play Dominic Cooper's girlfriend. He plays a 900-year-old vampire who takes the young Abraham Lincoln under his wing and teaches him the ways of the vampire world. HDD: How was it working with Dominic Cooper? Alex Lombard: He was fantastic. He was really charming and sweet. He made me feel very comfortable. My scenes with him were predominantly - (sigh) I wasn't wearing very much. (laughs) He really did everything to just make me feel super comfortable on set. I could tell that he takes his craft very seriously - but he's a lot of fun to be with and to work around. HDD: I hope this doesn't spoil what happens to your character, but were you around for much of the shoot? Alex Lombard: You know, I just have a small part. Abe Lincoln sort of finds Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper) and I in a couple of compromising positions when he very first comes to stay with him, so I really just have a little part when [Abe] sort of happens-upon Sturgess' house. HDD: I see that you were able to work with Christopher Nolan with your small role in 'Inception.' Now you've had the chance to work with – I know I'm going to butcher his name. Is it pronounced "tee-mer?" Alex Lombard: "Tee-more." HDD: Timur Bekmambetov. Thanks! You've gotten to work with some visionary directors. What was it like working with Timur? Alex Lombard: He's fantastic. He's wonderful. He gives you a lot of room to play and a lot of room to, sort of, find the character. I really can't say enough good things about him. He's really a great guy and he's not super controlling. He knows what he wants, but he also gives you, as an actor, a lot of room to experiment – which is always a good thing. HDD: Being a producer, was Tim Burton around for much of the shoot? Alex Lombard: Not when I was shooting, but I could definitely feel his presence. I mean, his work is so highly stylized and he's got such an iconic cinematic style that I could definitely feel his presence; as soon as I stepped foot on the set, I could tell, "Okay. This definitely has the thumbprint of Tim Burton." It was really cool to be around. HDD: Three years ago, did you ever think that you'd get to work in these huge films – 'Inception' and 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter?" Alex Lombard: I didn't, I didn't. I was so excited and thrilled to have these opportunities. You know, it's so amazing to be attached to such great projects with such amazing people. I'm really just beyond thrilled. HDD: Can you tell me a little bit about your background and how you got into acting? Alex Lombard: Well, I'm from Charleston, so I'm a southern gal. I pretty much knew that I wanted to act from the moment I could talk. But because I lived in a small town, you know, the professional acting opportunities weren't readily available for me. So I waited until I was a little bit older, then I came out to Los Angeles. I did a couple things behind the camera first, and then I finally made my way in front of the camera. HDD: Did you do any theater acting back in South Carolina? Alex Lombard: I actually did a lot of theater acting because that was really the only thing that was available to me. I was in the community productions, but not too much with my high school. I associated with my high school, but did most of my stuff throughout the community. It was fun. HDD: Well, I have an appreciation of small theater because that's what my wife does here in Salt Lake City. Alex Lombard: What has she been in? HDD: You know, it's been a while since she acted in anything because she's been devoting a lot of her time to directing. Alex Lombard: Good for her! That's the way to go. HDD: So, what can we expect from you next? Alex Lombard: I have a movie coming out this year called 'The Man Without A Head.' I'm really excited about that. It's starring Shannyn Sossamon. Taryn Manning is also in that. And then I'm just now wrapping up a pilot that I wrote. I'll be shopping that around this summer. I'm super excited about it because it's the first TV thing that I've written. And then I wrote a film that I hope to make this fall. I'll be directing and starring in that as well. HDD: So, you're doing everything - Alex Lombard: I am! HDD: - producting, writing, directing, acting? Alex Lombard: Yep! HDD: How has the process of making a television pilot been for you? Alex Lombard: As a writer? From what I know so far, you write your pilot, then you have to start pitching pitches with anybody and everybody will see you in hopes that somebody likes it enough to option your work – that someone likes it enough to buy it. HDD: Now, in researching you, I didn't find a thing about your pilot. Alex Lombard: I don't even think that's out there yet, so High-Def Digest is hearing it first! HDD: Awesome! Can you tell me about it? Alex Lombard: It's a fish-out-of-water story that's semi-autobiographical about my writing partner, a young high-school aged Eastern European kid who is escaping communism and lands as a foreign exchange student in the rural south. HDD: So the possibilities are endless. Alex Lombard: The possibilities are endless with the hijinks that ensue in that situation. Being a southerner, that's an idea that's so close to my heart. I'm so happy to be writing about the south; re-envisioning that world is really fun for me. HDD: So, I take it it's comedic. Alex Lombard: Well, it's sort of a dramedy – kind of in the vein of 'The Big C' or 'Weeds.' An HBO or Showtime type of series is how we envisioned it when we were writing it. HDD: Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. I look forward to seeing you on the big screen this weekend. Alex Lombard: And that you! And have a great summer! HDD: You too!Posted Thu Jun 21, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Pirates! Band of Misfits Announced for Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D[teaser]The stop-motion family adventure will sail to Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D in August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony will be bringing 'The Pirates! Band of Misfits' to high-definition in a Blu-ray/DVD/Ultraviolet Copy on August 28. 'The Pirates! Band of Misfits - 3D' will also be available on the same date. When the infamous Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) is shunned once again by his rivals Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek), he sets his sights to win the coveted Pirate of the Year Award. With his trusted dodo, Polly, and a ragtag crew at his side, the Pirate Captain will need to battle a diabolical queen (Imelda Staunton), save a young scientist (David Tennant), and never lose sight of what a pirate loves best: adventure. The Blu-rays will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Commentary with director Peter Lord, co-director Jeff Newitt, and editor Justin Krish; So You Want To Be A Pirate? short film; Peter Lord short films; 2 behind-the-scenes featurettes; 2 interactive games; and printable activity pages. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $40.99 and $45.99 for the Blu-ray 3D. You can find the latest specs for 'The Pirates! Band of Misfits and 'The Pirates! Band of Misfits - 3D' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under August 28.Posted Thu Jun 21, 2012 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
HDD Spotlight Bargain: 'The American' Blu-ray $6.96 at Amazon[teaser]Get a load of brooding Clooney for under $7 at Amazon! [/teaser] Amazon has reduced the price of 'The American' to $6.96 (74% off suggested list price). The film stars George Clooney as an assassin hiding out in Italy for one last assignment. So axe yourself if you like Blu-ray deals and if you do, then click here!Posted Thu Jun 21, 2012 at 08:14 AM PDT by: -
'Umberto D.' Comes to Blu-ray[teaser]Vittorio De Sica's 1952 film is planned for Blu-ray in September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, the Criterion Collection is preparing 'Umberto D.' for Blu-ray on September 4. This neorealist masterpiece by Vittorio De Sica follows the daily life of an elderly pensioner as he struggles to make ends meet during Italy’s postwar economic recovery. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: That's Life: Vittorio De Sica, a fifty-five-minute documentary made for Italian television in 2001; Video interview with actress Maria Pia Casilio from 2003; Trailer, and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Stuart Klawans and reprinted recollections by De Sica and Carlo Battisti, who plays Umberto D. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Umberto D.' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 4.Posted Thu Jun 21, 2012 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Klown: The Movie' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]Mikkel Nørgaard's Danish comedy is in the works for Blu-ray in September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Image Entertainment has slated 'Klown: The Movie' for Blu-ray on September 25. 'Klown' follows two wildly inappropriate friends (played by comedians Frank Hvam and Caspar Christensen) as they run amok through the Danish countryside plowing through social taboos, unspeakable debaucheries, and absurd sexual encounters. Misguided Frank kidnaps the nephew of his pregnant girlfriend in an eager attempt to prove his fatherhood potential while the sex-driven Caspar is determined to visit a world-renowned brothel. The Blu-ray/Digital Copy combo will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and there doesn't appear to be any supplements. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.97. You can find the latest specs for 'Klown: The Movie' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's now indexed under September 25.Posted Thu Jun 21, 2012 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Office: Season Eight' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]24 more episodes of the hit comedy series will hit home video in September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal will release 'The Office: Season Eight' on Blu-ray on September 4. Andy (Ed Helms, 'The Hangover') has taken over as manager and he will stop at nothing to win the affection of the Dunder Mifflin staff. Outrageous antics ensue as he works to balance the respect of his employees while going toe-to-toe with Robert California (James Spader, 'Secretary'), the enigmatic new CEO. Dwight (Rainn Wilson, 'Super') makes his own grab for power when he leads a team to Florida to work under Nellie Bertram (Catherine Tate, "Dr. Who"), who may be slightly out of her mind. The relationship of Jim (John Krasinski, 'Big Miracle') and Pam (Jenna Fischer, 'A Little Help') is put to the test when Pam goes on maternity leave and her replacement has eyes for Jim. The 5 BD-59 (Blu-ray/DVD flippers) disc set will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and bonus features will include: Extended producers' cuts of "Fundraiser" and "Angry Andy", Exclusive Office promos for the XLVI Football Championship, over 100 minutes of deleted scenes, blooper reel, The Office webisodes starring Mindy Kaling and Ellie Kemper, and Ultraviolet Digital Copies. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $59.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Office: Season Eight' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 4.Posted Wed Jun 20, 2012 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'Eating Raoul' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]Dinner will be served when Paul Bartel's 1982 black comedy hits Blu-ray in September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, the Criterion Collection is preparing 'Eating Raoul' for Blu-ray on September 25. A mix of hilarious, anything-goes slapstick and biting satire of me-generation self-indulgence, Eating Raoul marks the end of the sexual revolution with a thwack. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary featuring screenwriter Richard Blackburn, art director Robert Schulenberg, and editor Alan Toomayan; The Secret Cinema (1968) and Naughty Nurse (1969), two short films by director Paul Bartel; Cooking Up Raoul, a new documentary about the making of the film, featuring interviews with stars Mary Woronov, Robert Beltran, and Edie McClurg; Gag reel of outtakes from the film; Archival interview with Bartel and Woronov; Trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by film critic David Ehrenstein. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Eating Raoul' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 25.Posted Wed Jun 20, 2012 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Raid: Redemption' Announced and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]The action-thriller from director Gareth Evans will assault Blu-ray in August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony says 'The Raid: Redemption' will hit Blu-ray on August 14. Deep in the heart of Jakarta's slums lies an impenetrable safe house for the world's most dangerous killers and gangsters. Until now, the rundown apartment block has been considered untouchable. Cloaked under the cover of pre-dawn darkness and silence, an elite swat team is tasked with raiding the safe house in order to take down the notorious drug lord that runs it. But when a chance encounter with a spotter blows their cover and news of their assault reaches the drug lord, they find themselves stranded on the 6th floor with no way out. The unit must fight their way through the city's worst criminals to survive their mission. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include Commentary with writer/director Gareth Evans, Video blogs, 5 Behind-the-scenes featurettes, An Evening with Gareth Evans, Mike Shinoda, Joe Trapanese conversation, In Conversation with Gareth Evans and Mike Shinoda, Claycat's The Raid, and The Raid TV show ad (circa 1994), and an Ultraviolet Digital Copy. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $35.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Raid: Redemption' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 14.Posted Wed Jun 20, 2012 at 08:00 AM PDT by:
