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'What Dreams May Come' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Robin Williams dies and Cuba Gooding Jr. shows him the heaven on Blu-ray this May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal is preparing 'What Dreams May Come' for a Blu-ray release on May 3. The 1998 film was nominated for two Oscars, winning Best Effects/Visual Effects. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements are expected to include: Feature Commentary with Director Vincent Ward; About the Visual Effects; "Making of" Featurette; Alternate Ending; Photo Gallery; Cast and Filmmakers; Production Information; and a Theatrical Trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $26.98. You can find the latest specs for 'What Dreams May Come' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under May 3.Posted Tue Jan 18, 2011 at 04:45 PM PST by: -
"High-Def Digest-Digest" - January 18, 2011[teaser]The first few weeks of January have been huuuuuge, thanks in part to CES 2011. New gear was announced, 3D technology was pushed further forward, and we got what might be the biggest Blu-ray announcement of all time!!! Not sure what we're talking about? That's what the High-Def Digest-Digest is for.[/teaser] Blu-ray News 'Star Wars' Announced for Blu-ray! If you didn't hear about this one then you're really out of the loop. The trilogy everyone's been waiting for and the trilogy everyone wants to forget about are hitting Blu-ray on September 18th. 'The Lion King' & 'Beauty and the Beast' Announced for Blu-ray 3D Disney's going 3D with some of their classics, including 'The Lion King' and 'Beauty and the Beast.' Even more titles are rumored, including 'Nightmare Before Christmas.' 'The Incredibles' Blu-ray Dated It's always exciting when a Pixar movie goes HD, and we couldn't be more excited for the Blu-ray release of 'The Incredibles' on April 12. 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' Criterion Announced For Blu-ray If you're a 'Fear and Loathing' fan, you'll be happy to know that the Criterion Collection Blu-ray will be hitting shelves on April 26. We're still trying to get Drew Taylor to stop giggling and clapping his hands together maniacally. 'The Ten Commandments' Blu-rays Detailed The Cecil B. Demille classic will be hitting Blu-ray on March 29th along with documentaries, commentary and more. Blu-ray Director’s Panel – CES 2011 Oliver Stone, Baz Luhrmann, and Michael Mann sat down to talk about Blu-ray and what it means to them. The State of Blu-ray At CES 2011 There weren't very many big Blu-ray player announcements at CES 2011 - Dick Ward says that's a good sign. Other News Samsung Roundtable – CES 2011 Samsung holds a roundtable to discuss the present and future of the company with some of its top execs and a few members of the press. High-Def Digest is there. Philips Announces World's First Wireless HDMI Blu-ray Player Aside from the power cord, you can go wireless with the new Philips player, giving you freedom to put the player anywhere you want - within 100 feet of course. Japan Gets First 3D Series, And It's a Drama! Adventure? Excitement? A Japanese 3D audience craves not these things. Even if they do want it, they're getting a drama about air traffic controllers instead. Netflix Buttons Are Coming to Remotes Everywhere Netflix fans with connected TVs and Blu-ray players will have an even easier time getting to their favorite streaming content thanks to the addition of Netflix specific buttons. Goodbye Component - From Now On Only HDMI Will Do HD Analog video users are out of luck thanks to the new standard. Starting in 2013, Blu-ray players won't even offer component outputs. The Bonus View The Year in Review: The Best Films of 2010 Drew Taylor takes a look at the year's best and inspires controversy with 'Piranha 3D.' How Soon is Too Soon for a Remake? The impending remake of 'Total Recall' makes Josh Zyber ask - is twenty years too soon? My Latest Addiction: 'Game Dev Story' Dick Ward is hooked on an iPhone game - and he doesn't even have an iPhone. 'Game Dev Story' is the game worth borrowing your rommate's phone to play. Worst Weekend Ever Josh Zyber hates on Vampire Weekend, or at least one song in particular in his rant about the music used in TV commercials.Posted Tue Jan 18, 2011 at 12:03 PM PST by: -
'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' Criterion Blu-ray Announcement Corrected[teaser]As previously reported, Terry Gilliam's wacky adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's work is getting a Criterion double dip this April. This time we have the correct supplements cut and paste! [/teaser] The Criterion Collection has announced 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' starring Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro for a Blu-ray release on April 26. The movie has already been released by Universal and is reviewed here. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, and supplements include: Audio commentary with Terry Gilliam; Hunter Goes to Hollywood, a short documentary by filmmaker Wayne Ewing; A look at the controversy over the screenwriting credit; Profile of Oscar Zeta Acosta, the inspiration for Dr. Gonzo; Collection of artwork by illustrator Ralph Steadman; Audio excerpt from the 1996 spoken-word CD Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, featuring filmmaker Jim Jarmusch and actor Maury Chaykin; Fear and Loathing on the Road to Hollywood, a 1978 BBC documentary with Thompson and Steadman; Storyboards, production designs, stills gallery, theatrical trailer, and TV spots; A booklet featuring an essay by critic J. Hoberman and two pieces by Thompson; Audio commentary with Stars Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro and producer Laila Nabulsi; Audio commentary with Author Hunter S. Thompson; Deleted scenes, with optional commentary by Gilliam; and Selection of Thompson correspondence, read on camera by Depp. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under April 26.Posted Tue Jan 18, 2011 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
'White Material' and 'Le Cercle Rouge' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Criterion slates up Denis and Melville films for Blu-ray this April. [/teaser] Criterion has revealed the 2009 drama 'White Material' for Blu-ray on April 12. In White Material, the great contemporary French filmmaker Claire Denis, known for her restless, intimate dramas, introduces an unforgettably crazed character. Played ferociously by Isabelle Huppert, Maria is an entitled white woman living in Africa, desperately unwilling to give up her family’s crumbling coffee plantation despite the civil war closing in on her. Created with Denis’ signature full-throttle visual style, which places the viewer in the center of the maelstrom, White Material is a gripping evocation of the death throes of European colonialism and a fascinating look at a woman lost in her own mind. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio, and supplements include: New interviews with Clare Denis and actors Isabelle Huppert and Isaach de Bankolé; Short documentary by Denis on the film's premiere at the Écrans Noirs Film Festival 2010 in Cameroon; Deleted scene; Theatrical trailer; and a booklet featuring a new essay by film writer Amy Taubin. On the same day, Criterion will also be bringing 'Le Cercle Rouge' to Blu-ray. Alain Delon plays a master thief, fresh out of prison, who crosses paths with a notorious escapee and an alcoholic ex-cop (Yves Montand). The unlikely trio plot a heist, against impossible odds, and then a relentless inspector and their own pasts seal their fates. Le cercle rouge, from Jean-Pierre Melville, combines honorable antiheroes, coolly atmospheric cinematography, and breathtaking set pieces to create a masterpiece of crime cinema. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed soundtrack, and supplements will include: Excerpts from Cinéastes de notre temps: "Jean-Pierre Melville"; Video interviews with assistant director Bernard Stora and Rui Nogueria, the author of Melville on Melville; Thirty minutes of rare on-set and archival footage, featuring interviews with director Jean-Pierre Melville and stars Alain Delon, Yves Montand, and André Bourvil; Original theatrical trailer and 2003 Rialto Pictures rerelease trailer; and a booklet featuring essays by film critics Michael Sragow and Chris Fujiwara, excerpts from Melville on Melville, a reprinted interview with composer Eric Demarsan, and an appreciation from director John Woo. Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'White Material' and 'Le Cercle Rouge' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under April 12.Posted Tue Jan 18, 2011 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
'Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould' Blu-ray Dated[teaser]The acclaimed documentary on the classical musician is going Blu this March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lorber Films is preparing 'Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould' for Blu-ray on March 1. The film includes interviews with Petula Clark, Cornelia Foss, Roxolana Roslak, Vladimir Ashkenazy, among others and will be the director's cut containing footage not seen in theatres. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements will include deleted scenes and extra interviews. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 1.Posted Tue Jan 18, 2011 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
'Harry Connick, Jr.: In Concert on Broadway' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The crooner is bringing his two-week Broadway show to high-definition this March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony Music is prepping 'Harry Connick, Jr.: In Concert on Broadway' for a Blu-ray release on March 1. PBS will also broadcast the concert as part of their "Great Performances" series. There's no word on tech specs yet, but supplements will include: A Conversation with Harry. A full track listing can be viewed here. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Harry Connick, Jr.: In Concert on Broadway' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 1.Posted Tue Jan 18, 2011 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
'Kes' and 'Sweetie' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser] Loach and Campion get the Criterion treatment this April. [/teaser] Criterion has revealed the 1969 drama 'Kes' for Blu-ray on April 19. Named by the British Film Institute as one of the ten best British films of the century, Ken Loach’s Kes, is cinema’s quintessential portrait of working-class Northern England. Billy (an astonishingly naturalistic David Bradley) is a fifteen-year-old miner’s son whose close bond with a wild kestrel provides him with a spiritual escape from his dead-end life. Kes established the sociopolitical engagement and artistic brilliance of its filmmaker, and pushed the British “angry young man” film of the sixties into a new realm of authenticity, using real locations and nonprofessional actors. Loach’s poignant coming-of-age drama remains its now legendary director’s most beloved and influential film. The Blu-ray will feature a 1080p transfer and supplements include: Making "Kes," a new documentary featuring Loach, Menges, producer Tony Garnett, and actor David Bradley; The Southbank Show: "Ken Loach" (1993), a profile of the filmmaker, featuring Loach, Garnett, directors Stephen Frears and Alan Parker, and other Loach collaborators; Cathy Come Home (1967), a feature directed by Loach and produced by Garnett, with an introduction by film writer Graham Fuller; Original theatrical trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by Fuller. Criterion will also be bringing 'Sweetie' to Blu-ray on the same date. Though she went on to create a string of brilliant films, Jane Campion will always be remembered for her knockout debut feature, Sweetie, which focuses on the hazardous relationship between the buttoned-down, superstitious Kay and her rampaging, devil-may-care sister, Sweetie—and on their family’s profoundly rotten roots. A feast of colorful photography and captivating, idiosyncratic characters, Sweetie heralded the emergence of this gifted director, as well as a renaissance of Australian cinema, which would take the film world by storm in the nineties. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary featuring Jane Campion, director of photoraphy Sally Bongers, and screenwriter Gerard Lee; "Making "Sweetie," a video conversation between stars Genevieve Lemon and Karen Colston; Campion's early short films An Exercise in Discipline: Peel, Passionless Moments, and A Girl's Own Story; Jane Campion: The Film School Years, a 1989 video conversation between Campion and critic Peter Thompson; Gallery of behind-the-scenes photos and production stills; Original theatrical trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Dana Polan. Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Kes' and 'Sweetie' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under April 19.Posted Tue Jan 18, 2011 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
'Blow Out' Announced For Blu-ray[teaser]Brian De Palma's 1981 crime thriller will be available for the first time in high-definition this April. [/teaser] The Criterion Collection has announced 'Blow Out' for a Blu-ray release on April 26. In the enthralling 'Blow Out,' brilliantly crafted by Brian De Palma, John Travolta gives one of his greatest performances as Jack, a movie sound-effects man who believes he has accidentally recorded a political assassination. He enlists the help of Sally (Nancy Allen), a possible eyewitness to the crime who may be in danger herself, to uncover the truth. With its jolting stylistic flourishes, intricate plot, profoundly felt characterizations, and gritty evocation of early-1980s Philadelphia, 'Blow Out' is an American paranoia thriller unlike any other, as well as a devilish reflection on the act of moviemaking. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, and supplements include: New hour-long interview with De Palma, conducted by filmmaker Noah Baumbach; New interview with star Nancy Allen; Cameraman Garrett Brown on the Steadicam shots featured in the film within the film; Select on-set photos from photographer Louis Goldman; Original theatrical trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Michael Sragow and Pauline Kael's original New Yorker review. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Blow Out' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under April 26.Posted Mon Jan 17, 2011 at 02:30 PM PST by: -
Save $5 on 'Resident Evil: Afterlife' Blu-ray[teaser]Save $5 on either the 2D or 3D Blu-ray with the purchase of another Sony title at Amazon! [/teaser] Amazon is running a promotion to save $5 on 'Resident Evil: Afterlife' or 'Resident Evil: Afterlife - 3D' on Blu-ray. Simply add one of the 'Resident Evil: Afterlife' movies to your shopping cart along with another qualifying Sony Blu-ray and automatically receive the discount when checking out. Click this link to access to the sale page for the qualifying titles and complete details on the promotion.. This offer runs from now through January 27th.Posted Mon Jan 17, 2011 at 01:30 PM PST by: -
'Arthur' Double Feature Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The 1980s Dudley Moore/Liza Minnelli romantic comedies will be putting Blu-ray on the ritz this April! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers has revealed the double feature 'Arthur/Arthur 2: On the Rocks' for Blu-ray on April 5. 'Arthur' was nominated for four Oscars and won two -- Best Supporting Actor (John Gielgud) and Best Original Song ("Best That You Can Do"). Both films will be housed on a BD-50 Blu-ray disc with 1080p video, a Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack, and no supplements have been revealed thus far. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Arthur/Arthur 2: On the Rocks' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 5.Posted Mon Jan 17, 2011 at 12:00 PM PST by:
