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Paramount Combines Home Entertainment Divisions[teaser]The company is hoping to take a more global approach thanks to the changes. [/teaser] The folks at Paramount have made a big change to their company. Instead of having separate divisions for digital licensing, television licensing, and home entertainment, it's all been packed into one called Worldwide Home Media Distribution. One of the big points of the move is to put digital entertainment into the loop, rather than keeping it separate. "Integrating digital licensing with home entertainment and television licensing makes sense in the current marketplace and for the future," says Paramount's Rob Moore. "Marketing and distribution have become seamless global businesses and we need our structure to better reflect that evolution," he adds. "This new configuration allows us to be more flexible and to best capitalize on all opportunities across the breadth of the studio." Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Thu Sep 29, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Art of Getting By' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed[teaser]The touching and unconventional tale of teen romance is bound for Blu-ray in November. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox has slated 'The Art of Getting By' for Blu-ray on November 29. Get caught up in the story of an aspiring young artist and a “popular” girl who find themselves in a charming yet unconventional high school romance. A Sundance Film Festival favorite, 'The Art of Getting By' is a delightful coming-of-age film set against the backdrop of New York City. George (Freddie Highmore, 'Golden Compass,' 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'), a lonely and fatalistic teen who’s made it all the way to his senior year without ever having done a real day of work, is befriended by Sally (Emma Roberts, 'It’s Kind of a Funny Story,' 'What’s Wrong with Virginia'), a popular but complicated girl who recognizes in him a kindred spirit. 'The Art of Getting By' features stellar performances by an all-star supporting cast, including Michael Angarano ('Almost Famous'), Rita Wilson ('Jingle All the Way'), Sam Robards ('American Beauty'), Alicia Silverstone ('Clueless'), Elizabeth Reaser ('Twilight: Breaking Dawn'), and Blair Underwood (“Dirty Sexy Money”). The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary with director Gavin Wiesen, New York Slice of Life featurette, On Young Love featurette, Fox Movie Channel featurette - In Character with Freddie Highmore, HBO First Look - The Making of The Art Of Getting By, and Theatrical trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'The Art of Getting By' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 29.Posted Thu Sep 29, 2011 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Netflix Co-Founder Thinks Qwickster is a Good Idea[teaser]Well, at least somebody out there does... [/teaser] Netflix has been upsetting customers left and right. Most recently that has been in the form of a new pricing scheme and then a complete split between the physical and digital media parts of the company. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is taking a lot of flak over the choice, but co-founder Marc Randolph says it's a great idea. He mentions that back when Netflix first started, they sold DVDs as well, but ended up having to cut that part of their business despite the customers it would alienate. "By trying to run a business that did two things well, we inevitably were forced to make an endless series of compromises that resulted in us doing neither of them well," he says. "Not having to worry about compatibility between the services makes it infinitely easier to optimize every decision around the real prize, which is clearly streaming." Source: NewTeeVeePosted Thu Sep 29, 2011 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
'The First Nudie Musical: 35th Anniversary Edition' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed[teaser]We've got the full scoop on Mark Haggard and Bruce Kimmel's 1976 R-rated musical comedy coming to Blu-ray in November! [/teaser] As previously reported, Kritzerland has revealed they are working on 'The First Nudie Musical: 35th Anniversary Edition' for a Blu-ray release and now the date looks to be November 5. The film starring Stephen Nathan, Cindy Williams and Bruce Kimmel will be mastered from the internegative (unfortunately the original camera negative is lost), however the quality is reportedly "terrific." The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio Mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary with Cindy Williams, Stephen Nathan and Bruce Kimmel; Audio commentary with Nick Redman and Bruce Kimmel; Retrospective documentary with audio commentary featuring Nick Redman, Michael Rosendale, and Bruce Kimmel; Deleted scene; Two deleted musical numbers (one audio only); Two theatrical trailers and radio spot; Costume tests; and Stills gallery. The first 100 pre-orders at Kritzerland's site will also have their Blu-rays signed by Bruce Kimmel and Cindy Williams. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The First Nudie Musical: 35th Anniversary Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under November 5.Posted Thu Sep 29, 2011 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
High-Def Digest-Digest: September 28thby Dick Ward [teaser]We've announced plenty of interesting new Blu-rays in the past few weeks. We've also interviewed the cast and crew of 'Jurassic Park,' taken a look at some new gear, and covered the incredibly fast moving world of streaming content. That's a lot to read in just 14 days, so we've compiled the greatest news hits of the last few weeks into one simple digest.[/teaser] Blu-ray News HDD Interviews the Cast and Crew of 'Jurassic Park' That's right, our own Michael S. Palmer got to talk to some of the people behind the scenes on one of the biggest movies ever made, including CGI master Dennis Murren and Ariana Richards who played Lex in the first two films. 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2' Blu-ray Announced and Detailed The incredibly patient fans - or the ones who don't mind double dipping on some of the movies they own - can pick up the second part of the final installment on November 11th. Disney Will Make All The Blu-ray Money It Can! Disney has been pretty consistent with Blu-ray releases and the company isn't planning to stop any time soon. CFO Jay Rasulo says that physical media won't last forever, but Disney's going to embrace it while it's around. 'Captain America: The First Avenger' Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D Dated and Detailed! The best superhero movie of the summer hits Blu-ray in standard and 3D formats on October 25th along with commentary, features and cast interviews. 'Super 8' Blu-ray Date, Details, and Box Art Revealed J.J. Abrams wrote one hell of a love letter to Steven Spielberg with 'Super 8.' As you might expect, a blockbuster film like this comes with plenty of bonus features. You'll be able to pick it up on November 22nd. 'Jet Li Collection' Announced for Blu-ray 'The Legend,' 'Fist of Legend,' and 'Tai Chi Master' all in one collection for a MSRP of $24.99. Not a bad setup for Jet Li and martial arts fans. Get it on October 11th. Gear and Industry News Dish Network Launches the Blockbuster Movie Pass Streaming Service The two companies have launched one of the most impressive streaming services around and it's just $10 a month. The downside? For now, you have to be a Dish Network subscriber to get it. Logitech Harmony Link Makes your iPad or Smartphone a Universal Remote The new device from Logitech lets you use your touchscreen device as a remote for your home theater. There are a few extra bonuses in store for iPad users. Xbox TV is Coming for Christmas You'll be able to get TV directly to your Xbox starting at the end of this year. Full details are yet to be announced, but with the right price structure this could be enormous. Best Buy Earnings Fall Dramatically Things aren't looking great for the retail giant thanks to decreasing sales. The installation of more than 100 new mobile stores offset that number a bit, so things may not be as dire as they seem. Netflix CEO Apologizes for Changes, Then Makes Renting More Complicated Oh Netflix. We have such a love/hate relationship, but this move is really trying our patience. DVD/Blu-ray content has been split off into a company called Qwickster, which means you'll have to subscribe to two services instead of just one. Great.Posted Wed Sep 28, 2011 at 02:00 PM PDT by: -
'Star Trek: The Next Generation' Blu-ray Bound in 2012![teaser]Paramount and CBS will be boldly bringing the classic sci-fi series to Blu-ray starting in 2012! [/teaser] "Star Trek: The Next Generation" will be released in high-definition Blu-ray, starting with 'Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Next Level' - a Blu-ray sampler including the episodes "Encounter at Farpoint," "The Inner Light," and "Sins of the Father" on January 31, 2012 followed by a season-one set to be released later on in the year, and subsequent seasons beaming down after that. Each of the 178 episodes spanning The Next Generation's seven seasons will be transferred to true high-definition 1080p for release in the Blu-ray format and, eventually, for runs on television and digital platforms in the U.S. and across the world. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" will, as fans know, be celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2012. "Fans have been clamoring for a high-definition release of "Star Trek: The Next Generation,"" Ken Ross, Executive Vice President and General Manager of CBS Entertainment, said in a statement. "Transferring the series to high-definition presented difficult technical challenges, but our team has come up with a process to create true 1080p HD masters with true HD visual effects. We can’t wait to show fans how pristine the series looks and sounds with our upcoming Blu-ray releases." CBS is, in fact, returning to the original film negatives, a mother lode of material encompassing 25,000-plus reels of footage, and editing the episodes together precisely as they were when they originally aired between 1987 and 1994. Visual effects will not be upconverted from videotape, but instead will be recompositioned. The freshly cut film will ultimately be transferred to high definition with 7.1 DTS Master Audio. And all of the work is being done in conjunction with respected, longtime Star Trek figures Denise and Michael Okuda, who are on board as consultants." Suggested list price for the sampler Blu-ray is $21.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Next Level' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 31, 2012.Posted Wed Sep 28, 2011 at 12:25 PM PDT by: -
'One Day' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The 2011 romance from Lone Scherfig ('An Education') is coming to Blu-ray in November. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal Studios says 'One Day' will have a Blu-ray release on November 29. The film spans twenty years following the lives and relationship of two people (stars Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess) on the same day each year and is based on David Nicholls' novel. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements haven't been revealed yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.98. You can find the latest specs for 'One Day' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's now indexed under November 29.Posted Wed Sep 28, 2011 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'Another Earth' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed[teaser] The winner of the Special Jury Prize & Alfred P. Sloan Film Prize at the Sundance Film Festival is coming to Blu-ray in November. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox has slated 'Another Earth' for Blu-ray on November 29. On the night a mirror Earth emerges in the sky, two lives are intertwined in a dramatic incident that will change them both forever. In his directorial debut, Mike Cahill brings this provocative indie sci-fi film to life with outstanding performances from newcomer Brit Marling ('Sound of My Voice') and William Mapother (TV’s “Lost,” 'World Trade Center'). This "deeply emotional...extraordinarily profound" (USA Today) film became a must-see sensation at the Sundance Film Festival. "Beautiful, bright and fearless" (Associated Press) newcomer Brit Marling and fan favorite William Mapother (TV's “Lost”) star as Rhoda and John, two people whose worlds collide after a tragic accident. Their intimate drama plays out against the astounding discovery of Earth 2, a parallel world that poses provocative and fascinating possibilities. Does a new Earth mean a chance at another life? Another destiny? Another self? “'Another Earth' is science-fiction at its best" (The Hollywood Reporter) -- with a mind-bending surprise ending that you will never forget. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Deleted Scenes; Music Video: “The First Time I Saw Jupiter” by Fall On Your Sword; The Science Behind Another Earth; Creating Another Earth; and Fox Movie Channel presents “Direct Effect with Mike Cahill,” “In Character with Brit Marling,” and “In Character with William Mapother.” As an added bonus, consumers will receive two tracks from the band Fall On Your Sword, who provided the soundtrack to the film. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Another Earth' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 29.Posted Wed Sep 28, 2011 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
HDD Cool Stuff: 'Ben-Hur' Blu-ray Best Buy Exclusive w/Figurine[teaser]The Charlton Heston classic is one of the best releases of the year and there's an exclusive version available only at Best Buy. [/teaser] Warner Brothers is releasing 'Ben-Hur' this week, and Best Buy has an exclusive version that also includes a figurine. Directed by William Wyler, the winner of 11 Oscars (including Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Picture) tells the tale of a Jewish prince (Charlton Heston) who is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend and not only regains his freedom, but also comes back for revenge. The Blu-ray release contains two BD-50 Blu-ray discs (or five DVDs in the standard-definition version shown at the end of this article) and loads of special features including the brand new Charlton Heston & Ben-Hur A Personal Journey -- a feature length documentary chronicling the life of the actor while making the film. The feature is composed of behind-the-scenes footage, rare Heston home movies, and much more. Other bonuses include: Ben-Hur, A Journey Through Pictures: An audiovisual re-creation assembled using stills, storyboards, sketches, music, dialogue and other archive materials; Ben Hur: The 1925 Silent Film; 2005 Documentary, Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema; 1994 Documentary, Ben-Hur: The Making of an Epic; Original Screen Tests; Vintage Newsreel Gallery; Highlights from the 4/4/60 Academy Awards Ceremony; and a Theatrical Trailer Gallery. Inside the package are two collectible books, with the first being "Charlton Heston: The Ben-Hur Diaries" -- an in-depth look at the actor's experiences during filmmaking with personal photos and some of Charlton Heston's sketches. A second book is packed with rare photographs, production artwork, and reproductions from the original theatrical press book. Pricing on the Best Buy edition is $59.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Ben-Hur: Ultimate Collector's Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 27.Posted Wed Sep 28, 2011 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Bonus View Digest - TV Coverage Part 1Fall is in full effect. This is evidenced by the numerous new shows hitting the airwaves. Some will be canceled, others may find some traction and finish out their seasons, and a slim few just may get the nod for subsequent seasons. Yes, it's that time of year again where the TV landscape throws a bunch of new pilot episodes at us to see what sticks. Don't worry if you can't catch them all though, because at The Bonus View we're striving to cover as much TV as humanly possible this week and next. [teaser]We're covering as many shows as possible so that you, esteemed High-Def Digest reader, will know which shows are worth your time and which shows are a waste of time.[/teaser] Josh started things off with his take on the first episode of 'Ringer .' What's better than one Sarah Michelle Gellar? Two, obviously. Duh! In this campy CW drama, Bridget (Gellar) takes the identity of Siobhan (also Gellar) after she dies. Like any CW show it's full of pretty people, melodramatics, and irritating pop song montages. Aaron reviewed the pilot episode of Zooey Deschanel's new comedy on Fox called 'New Girl .' He said that this was one of the best sitcoms to premiere this season, and hopefully it will just get better. The pilot episode seemed just a little on the dull side due to the hindrance that came from it being more of an origin story than anything else. Still, the show showed a lot of promise. Hopefully it can keep the funny coming. Josh then went on to review a whole slew of new dramas. 'Revenge ' is another cheesy show on ABC that isn't campy enough to be a guilty pleasure and isn't good enough to be interesting. 'Person of Interest ' stars Michael Emerson and Jim Caviezel. It was created by Christopher Nolan's brother Jonathan. While the show has a lot of promise, the pilot episode failed to live up to the expectations. Josh hopes that it will get better from here on out. If those don't do it for you, maybe you'll want to watch a remake of 'Charlie's Angels .' Yeah, I'm not kidding, they remade the series. Did anyone really ask for this? According to Josh this was one boring hour of television. Now you know to stay away from it. Finally, we have a brand new cop show (what would fall be without a few new generic cop shows, anyway?) called 'Prime Suspect ' starring Maria Bello. This American adaption of the British show has Josh intrigued. He liked the first episode and will stick with the series for now. New shows aren't the only thing we're covering over on the blog. Along with these new series, are season premieres of perennial fan favorites. Check out our coverage of the season premieres for 'Fringe ,' 'Castle ,' and 'Glee.' Don't worry, there's even more to come later this week. As the networks continue rolling out their new shows we'll continue to cover them, and make sure to stay tuned for Aaron's Sitcom Scorecard coming later this week. Aaron's watched each new sitcom and has given each a letter grade. See which ones pass and which ones fail miserably. We hope to see you around The Bonus View all this week as we continue to cover the onslaught of new TV.Posted Tue Sep 27, 2011 at 01:55 PM PDT by:
