Has this film really been in theatres so long now that it’s already on the verge of being released on Blu-ray? This is almost depressing! I still haven’t found the free time to get out and see The Wolfman in the cinema and I’ve been pretty bummed about that. But now, seeing that the Blu-ray edition of the film is being listed for sale in the UK this coming June 14th, I feel it’s a pretty safe bet that it’ll turn up on this side of the Atlantic around the same date, guaranteeing that I’ll have a chance to check it out before Halloween 2010 rolls around.
Without an official release announcement of The Wolfman on Blu we can’t be certain about any details. But the Amazon.co.uk listing seems to suggest that the disc will contain two cuts of the film – the theatrical version and director Joe Johnston‘s preferred cut, which will run 16 minutes longer! I don’t know about you, but this is totally exciting for me. You see, I followed production reports on this film since before it went before the cameras. So, I’ve been well aware of the published details and rumours of the troubled production and the various personnel shifts which have resulted in alternate musical scores and edits of the film. I’m glad we’ll get to see at least one alternate version of the film. Let’s hope that the special features shed some light on the choices both Johnston and the studio made in seeing this film to fruition.
UPDATE: The HD Room has the US/Canada specs for The Wolfman disc and I’ve got to say, I’m pretty dissapointed. There doesn’t appear to be an alternate cut available here! That really sucks. That means I’m going to have to own two copies of this film on Blu, just to have all the bonus features. Or wait until Universal decides to issue a second edition of the film, with the additional 16 minutes of footage cut into it. The Wolfman will be released on Blu-ray in North America on June 1.
UPDATE 2: Blu-ray.com is now reporting that we WILL in fact get both cuts on the North American Blu-ray disc and that the “Unrated” Director’s Cut will run 119-minutes.
THE WOLFMAN (UK Edition)
(June 14, 2010 – MSRP £24.99, Steelbook £27.99)
Video: 1.85:1 MPEG-4 AVC 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Special Features:
- Theatrical Feature – 102 min
- Extended Feature – 118 min
- Werewolf Legacy, Lore & Legend
- Alternate Endings
- Deleted and Extended Scenes
- Return Of The Wolfman
- The Beast Maker
- Transformation Secrets
- The Wolfman Unleashed
- Pocket Blu
THE WOLFMAN (US/Canada Edition)
(June 1, 2010 – MSRP $39.98)
Video: 1.85:1 MPEG-4 AVC 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Special Features:
- Deleted and Extended scenes
- 2 Exclusive Alternate Endings
- Return of the Wolfman: See how Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and director Joe Johnston tapped into the tragic roots of the legend and cinematic lore to unleash a new terror
The Beast Maker: A detailed look at how legendary make-up wizard Rick Baker transformed a classic monster into a modern nightmare. - Transformation Secrets: Whether transforming werewolves, producing hallucinogenic nightmares or recreating the fog-covered streets of Victorian London, we’ll see how the visual effects team created a haunting world of moonlit monsters and unsettling thrills.
- The Wolfman Unleashed: The team behind the stunt and action units shares with us the physical challenges of bringing The Wolfman to life, including the climatic werewolf battle at Talbot Hall.
- Digital Copy (on a second disc)
- U-Control
-
- Take Control: Special Makeup Artist Rick Baker, Visual Effects Producer Karen Murphy-Mundel and Director of Photography Shelly Johnson ASC take control of the viewing experience by stepping inside the film to reveal details of the filmmaking process and offer a personal visual commentary.
- Werewolf Legacy, Legend and Lore: Take a virtual tour through over seventy years of Universal’s Wolf Man films and a thousand years of Werewolf mythology.
- BD Live
- Exclusive Content: Watch the first ever ONLINE STREAMING OF THE ORIGINAL 1941 WOLF MAN for a limited time only
- My Scenes, My Chat, My Movie Commentary
- pocket BLU and social BLU
Via: www.blurayfreak.com
Unfortunately for those of us who do not own High Definition TV’s and DVD players will be robbed of those special features, apparently Universal is doing this as a marketing strategy to get people to buy the equipment needed to view their Blu Ray discs since they are more expensive. It has been confirmed that there are many people who want the special features but do not own a Player that can play these Blu Ray discs, or even own a High Definition TV, all agree that this is unfair for Universal to do this. Some people who can play the Blu Ray’s have commented on Ripping those discs and offering them on popular Warez sites so that every one can enjoy the Special Features.