-
'The Perfect Game' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed[teaser]The baseball flick based on an inspiring true story will throw its first pitch in high-definition this August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Image Entertainment is prepping 'The Perfect Game' for Blu-ray on August 2. They were called "los pequeños gigantes": the little giants. In 1957, a team of impoverished baseball-loving kids from Mexico achieved the impossible. Standing tall against hardships no child should face - poverty, intolerance – they crossed the border to achieve a dream: compete in the Little League World Series. Rated by the prestigious family-friendly Dove Foundation with five out of five “doves,” 'The Perfect Game' is a heart-warming story in the tradition of 'Rudy' and 'Hoosiers,' taken from the book that Gossett Jr. himself has called “more than an instant sports classic – it is a heroic tale for the ages.” The Blu-ray 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 'The Perfect Game' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under August 2.Posted Thu Jun 30, 2011 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
HDD Spotlight Bargain: '13 Assassins' Blu-ray $17.99 at Amazon![teaser]Save forty percent on the samurai epic from legendary Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike ('Audition')! [/teaser] The online retailer is selling '13 Assassins' for $17.99 (40% off suggested list price). The film was nominated for ten Awards of the Japanese Academy including Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Film and won four - Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Lighting, and Best Sound.Takashi Miike was also nominated for the Golden Lion at the 2010 Venice Film Festival. So if you liike Miike, then click here!Posted Thu Jun 30, 2011 at 08:49 AM PDT by: -
'Skateland' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The acclaimed nostalgic drama is bound for Blu-ray this August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox is planning to release 'Skateland' on Blu-ray on August 30. Ashley Greene ('Twilight' saga) and Shiloh Fernandez ('Red Riding Hood') co-star in this powerful coming-of-age drama that took the film festival circuit by storm. For Ritchie Wheeler (Fernandez), a carefree teenager growing up in a small Texas town, Skateland is more than just a local roller rink...it's a fading symbol of friendship and good times. Now, everything's changing and the only thing Ritchie can hang on to is his budding romance with the sweet and beautiful Michelle (Greene). But one fateful night will force Ritchie to face the future and make the most important decision of his life. Nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, 'Skateland' paints a stunning picture of the economic and social stresses of the early 1980s. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and only the Blu-ray will have supplements in the form of deleted scenes. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Skateland' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under August 30.Posted Thu Jun 30, 2011 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Hesher' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The acclaimed independent black comedy is going Blu this September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate says 'Hesher' is coming to Blu-ray on September 13. Joseph Gordon-Levitt ('Inception') leads the dark comedy in the title role, an unconventional loner who is more interested in pyromania than finding a job. Also starring Rainn Wilson (TV's "The Office"), Devon Brochu ('In the Valley of Elah') and Oscar® winner Natalie Portman (Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, 'Black Swan'), this dark comedy meets fairy tale was a film festival favorite - an Official Selection of South by Southwest, and nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in 2010. Hailed as a "delectably anarchic black comedy...refreshingly original" (New York Post), the film features the music of Metallica. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements include deleted scenes, outtakes, cast and crew interviews, a sketch gallery. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Hesher' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 13.Posted Thu Jun 30, 2011 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Others' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]A 10th anniversary edition of Alejandro Amenábar's compelling thriller will haunt Blu-ray this fall. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate is working on 'The Others' for Blu-ray on September 20. This chilling horror film stars Academy Award® winner Nicole Kidman ('The Hours'), one Emmy® winner Fionnula Flanagan ('Four Brothers') and Christopher Eccleston (TV's "Heroes"). Written and directed by Alejandro Amenábar ('The Sea Inside'), audiences are presented with the story of two photo sensitive children and their mother, who believes that her family home is haunted. The film earned a Golden Globe® nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) for Nicole Kidman. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include a behind-the-scenes documentary and a number of featurettes that take a look at the director, the visual effects and an examination of the disease portrayed in the film. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $14.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Others' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 20.Posted Wed Jun 29, 2011 at 03:20 PM PDT by: -
HDD Learns About DVD and Blu-ray Liquidation: Physical Media Still Winningby Michael S. Palmer Last week, we took a few minutes to explore current state of high definition streaming video, collectively known in the industry as Video On Demand. Basically, it was time to see how far we've come and if The Cloud is really a viable option for everyone. Forum Members had some great insights about limitations and personal experiences; for example, I had little experience with how expensive broadband (and therefore HD streaming) can be in Canada. After talking to a few of you, and during the process of researching what was available, these early years of The Cloud seem more like a first draft. Some of the services are better than others, some are even super convenient, but bandwidth is the current limitation linchpin for all video content (for some, it's too expensive, or too time consuming, or not available). On the flipside, we have physical media like Blu-ray Disc. Still King in terms of bandwidth, and perhaps more important to consider, still King in terms of what matters most to movie studios sales. Is it smart to plan for a future where the disc has gone the way of the dodo as sales figures for physical media continue to drop? Of course, but for now, each and every week, most people still buy (or rent) DVDs and Blu-rays. This is no real surprise to regular High-Def Digest readers, as we gather to talk about the week's latest and greatest (and most controversial) Blu-ray releases. We are known to race out each week for brand new, hot-off-the-presses, super-mega collector's editions. But have you ever given a moment's thought to what happens to a DVD or a Blu-ray if it doesn't immediately fly off the shelf of your local big box store? [teaser]High-Def Digest recently got a chance for a quick chat with Ryan Kugler, the president of DVA (Distribution Video and Audio), a liquidation and wholesale company that has been specializing in home entertainment products for over 20 years. Ryan's company specializes in buying up older Blu-rays and DVDs, and reselling them; for him, the physical media business has never been better.[/teaser] WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR HOME VIDEO VOLUME IS BLU-RAY? I think it's turning more and more into Blu-ray. The studios are trying to phase out DVD because Blu-ray is the new medium, and they're really trying to say, when a movie comes out, they prefer it to come out on Blu-ray. Period. As Blu-ray takes over the market, we're buying more and more, and it's growing many percentage points month to month. But as far as our overall Blu-ray versus DVD purchases, in terms of our inventory, I would say it's about 25 percent Blu-ray. AS MORE OF A BEHIND-THE-SCENES PLAYER IN THE HOME ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS DVA DOES BY TAKING US THROUGH YOUR WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION PROCESS. When a movie comes out on DVD and Blu-ray, it goes to Target and Best Buy and whatever's left of Blockbuster, and other major retailers like Walmart, Kmart, Sears, Toys R Us, etc. Once it's done its run for a few months, retailers [call DVA] and say, "Hey we have some excess inventory of the DVD or the Blu-ray." Or sometimes the studio calls about product that did not sell because the movie didn't sell as many as they had hoped. Or the retailer wants to change out for another movie. And then they would call us (the retailer, the distributor, or the studio) and say, "Hey we have this excess inventory of this particular product, are you interested in buying it?" Our company buys that inventory from anywhere on the food chain -- from the producer, studio, manufacturer, to the distributor, retailers, to the secondary retailer. We then bring it into our warehouse and put it in inventory. We then turn around and make assortments for other retailers. Discount dollar stores, flea markets, truck stops, where when you walk into a retail location, you see a bin in the front of the store or near the cash register that says "$4.99 Movies" and it's a mixture of movies, not in alphabetical order. It's just kind of like a treasure hunt type value bin where you go through it. Our business is really supplying those value bins to the retailer. So one of your readers might have bought a movie from us, indirectly, through one of those value bins. A retailer will usually have their section of New Releases and A-Z Movies, but they'll also have another section of this area where you can just sort through stuff. DO YOU SELL MANY BLU-RAY VALUE BINS? No, we really haven't. When we buy Blu-ray and we re-sell it, it's for a customer specifically looking for it, whether it's a video store or a retailer who is looking to do a special section of Blu-ray or to fill some inventory. Internet Retailers is another big area that we sell to. They're basically people who sell on different "marketplaces," like Amazon and eBay and Half.com. They buy the product, turn around, and sell it on another person's site called a marketplace, or they sell it on their own site. THE DWINDLING DVD MARKET SEEMS TO BE HURTING MOST BUSINESS MODELS, BUT DVA IS EXPANDING. HOW DOES THAT WORK? Well, we actually started expanding because of the dwindling CD market. We do CD music as well, and we do books. All CDs, DVDs, and books can be downloaded now. CDs, obviously, are going a little quicker because you can download a CD in 30 seconds and, as an example, I just downloaded a movie yesterday for my son because we're going to be getting on a plane, and it took three freakin' hours. So the downloading of digital [movies] isn't going to be as broad as the CD world because it's still easier just to go to a store and buy it. It's basically as long as it takes to watch it, it takes to download it. So we're expanding into other areas buying excess inventory. Those areas include buying actual Blu-ray players, DVD players, iPods, TVs. WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF PHYSICAL MEDIA? HOW LONG WILL IT BE A PART OF YOUR BUSINESS MODEL? I've been doing this for about 20 years, and when I started 20 years ago, I remember hearing, at the time it was called the Super Highway which we now call the Internet, there was threat of the movie business going away to the Super Highway. So I've been hearing this for 20 years that the movie business was going to go away due to people just downloading it. Currently, the downloading of movies is less than 10 percent of movie consumption, whereas the downloading of CD music is actually right around 50 percent. So physical media is still bought and sold, still needed, still used, and I think to a certain extent, there will always be something physical that you can buy to get a movie, book, or CD on. Whether it's a disc that we've been using for, what, the last 30-something years, that'll probably change to who knows, a chip, a pen, a watch. But I think there will be physically something that you can always buy to get what you want. And we will always be distributing that product. My father always said this line, "the Buggy Whip business isn't as big as it was 150 years ago, but there's still one company selling Buggy Whips." So if we're the last company selling DVDs, then so be it and I look forward to it. I HEARD YOU WERE AT E3 THIS YEAR; CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR APPEARANCE THERE? We were at E3. We are in the video game business. Anything entertainment related, that's pretty much what we buy. The video game business is doing very well. The video game business can, again, be done online, but physical sales are much greater than online sales, and we've been doing it for probably around 10 years now, maybe 15. If you look at Xbox or NDS or whatever, you have all these different physical formats, and with what Wii is doing with their new console, there's ever-changing formats. So anytime the game business changes and goes through an evolution, we can tag along on the new format, but when retailers are done distributing the old physical format, there's still some retailers that want it. Small Mom N Pop chains or dollar discount chains out in Middle America where the demographics aren't as up-to-date with new change and therefore there's always one retailer -- like there's someone always selling Buggy Whips -- that wants to sell that product that's no longer widespread, or known, or used. Any time a format goes away, we take the last leg of it. WHAT'S NEXT FOR DVA? Small electronics. We've been doing a lot of iPods, a lot of TVs. Anything that emits or transmits or is the next phase of entertainment, we'll go with. It's a fun business, and it's been good to us. We've grown in the last couple years despite the recession -- up about $5 million in sales, so it's been going good for us. THANKS TO RYAN FOR TAKING A FEW MINUTES TO TALK TO US ABOUT DVA AND THE CURRENT STRENGTH OF PHYSICAL MEDIA. FEEL FREE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DVA BY HEADING OVER TO THEIR WEBSITE, WHICH HAS DIFFERENT SECTIONS FOR CONSUMERS, RETAILERS, AND DISTRIBUTORS. AND AS ALWAYS, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CURRENT STATE OF PHYSICAL MEDIA? I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE DIE HARD PHYSICAL-FANS, BUT HOW LONG WILL IT LAST? ALSO, I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE HIGH-DEF JUNKIES (AS AM I), DO YOU STILL HIT UP THE DVD VALUE BINS, OR IS EVERYTHING NOW "1080P OR BUST?" HIT UP THE FORUMS TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS.Posted Wed Jun 29, 2011 at 12:45 PM PDT by: -
'Tom and Jerry: The Golden Collection - Volume One' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Fans of the crazy cat and macho mouse can look forward to a boxed Blu-ray set of animated shorts this October. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers is preparing 'Tom and Jerry: The Golden Collection - Volume One' for Blu-ray on October 25. The release will arrive on 2 BD-50 discs with 1080p video, a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, and 37 shorts including: • PUSS GETS THE BOOT/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • THE MIDNIGHT SNACK/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRITMAS//Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • FRAIDY CAT/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • DOG TROUBLE/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • PUSS N’ TOOTS/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • THE BOWLING ALLEY CAT/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • FINE FEATHERED FRIEND/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • SUFFERIN’ CATS/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • THE LONESOME MOUSE/ Tom and Jerry Deluxe Anniversary Collection • THE YANKEE DOODLE MOUSE/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • BABY PUSS/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • THE ZOOT CAT/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • THE MILLION DOLLAR CAT/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • THE BODY GUARD/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • PUTTIN ON THE DOG/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • MOUSE TROUBLE/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • THE MOUSE COMES TO DINNER/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • MOUSE IN MANHATTAN/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • TEE FOR TWO/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • FLIRTY BIRDY/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • QUIET PLEASE!/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • SPRINGTIME FOR THOMAS/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • THE MILKY WAIF/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • TRAP HAPPY/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • SOLID SERENADE/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • CAT FISHIN’/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • PART TIME PAL/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • THE CAT CONCERTO/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • DR. JEKYLL AND MR. MOUSE/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • SALT WATER TABBY/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • A MOUSE IN THE HOUSE/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #3 • THE INVISIBLE MOUSE/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • KITTY FOILED/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • THE TRUCE HURTS/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #1 • OLD ROCKIN’ CHAIR TOM/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 • PROFESSOR TOM/Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection #2 Special features will include nine commentaries by animation experts and a brand new retrospective featurette Vaudeville Slapstick and Tom and Jerry. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Tom and Jerry: The Golden Collection - Volume One' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 25.Posted Wed Jun 29, 2011 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]Oom-pa... Loom-pa... Do-ba-dee-do, we've got an-o-ther Blu-ray for you! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers is preparing 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' for Blu-ray on October 4. This remake starring Johnny Depp and directed by Tim Burton was released on HD DVD back in the fall of 2006. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: In-Movie Experience viewing option with Tim Burton; Commentary with Burton; 2 previsualizations - Augustus Gloop dance and Mike Teavee dance; Dolby TrueHD music-only track; European club reel; Theatrical trailer; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Chocolate Dreams; Different Faces, Different Flavors; Designer Chocolate; Under the Wrapper; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Sweet Sounds; Becoming Oompa-Loompa; Attack of the Squirrels; and Fantastic Mr. Dahl. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is likely $19.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 4.Posted Wed Jun 29, 2011 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
HDD Spotlight Bargain: 'When Harry Met Sally' Blu-ray $10 at Wal-Mart![teaser]Pre-order Rob Reiner's hit 1989 romantic comedy on Blu-ray for half price and only at Wal-Mart! [/teaser] The Wal-Mart exclusive 'When Harry Met Sally' starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan is only $10 (50% off suggested list price). The film received an Oscar nomination for its screenplay written by Nora Ephron. Click here to order this fan-favorite available on July 5. Other exclusive titles available for the same price include 'A Fish Called Wanda,' 'Legally Blonde,' 'Throw Momma From The Train,' and 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.'Posted Wed Jun 29, 2011 at 08:12 AM PDT by: -
'In a Better World' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed[teaser]The acclaimed Danish film is planned for Blu-ray this August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony says 'In a Better Worldis in the works for Blu-ray on August 30. The movie won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film and is directed by Susanne Bier ('Things We Lost in the Fire'). The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include an interview with Susanne Bier. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is set at $45.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Legend of the Millennium Dragon' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under August 30.Posted Wed Jun 29, 2011 at 08:00 AM PDT by:
