The Blu-ray Blog » David Fincher

All 4 Alien films on individual Blu-ray discs

Brenden — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:27:51 +0000

It’s tough for me to believe but some of you out there haven’t yet grabbed up the Alien Anthology Blu-ray boxed set. Weird. It’s only, like, the most killer set released in the last year, you know! Anyway, in all honesty, I actually get it – not everyone can validate paying for a box of four films when they’d only ever watch two. Cool. I’m a completest, meaning I don’t roll that way, but those of you who do will be happy to know that you can now pick and choose your fav Alien films as they’re now all available on individual Blu-ray discs (released last Tuesday, May 10th)!

Be warned, you’re not going to get all the goodies from the boxed set – a good deal of the special features are on the bonus discs in the box, not on the film discs themselves. But, at the end of the day, it’s the films that matter, right? And they’ve never looked and sounded better. And each individual Blu-ray disc will still feature a couple of cuts of each film, commentary tracks and more. So, if you only grab one or two of these discs, you’ll get your monies worth. If you think you’ll spring for three of the four movies, might as well cave and pick up the whole boxed set.

Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of January 11

Brenden — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:53:43 +0000

It’s not a particularly overwhelming week in terms of sheer numbers of discs hitting the shops but damn, are there ever some amazing new titles coming out today, including a Blu-ray that could potentially be one of the best releases of the year! You read that right, it’s only the second week of 2011 and we may already have one of the best Blu-ray discs of the year on our hands. And it’s not even from Criterion!!

1. THE SOCIAL NETWORK

I can’t really even put into words what a classy affair Sony‘s The Social Network Blu-ray release is. Do you see that package art above? Yeah, that’s not even the actual sleeve. It’s a little bit of paper folded over the package, detailing its contents. When you buy The Social Network Blu-ray disc, unwrap the plastic and peel back the paper slip-cover, what’s revealed is a gorgeous, waxy, jet-black paper sleeve, with the film’s tagline embossed into it. Nothing else. Just classy and simple. And gorgeous in every way. The two Blu-ray discs themselves are within and just as nice to behold.

And then there’s the movie itself. Without question, one of the finest of 2010. It tells the tale of the men (the boys) who built Facebook, sharply written and smartly directed by the superstar creative team of Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher, respectively. The Social Network Blu-ray is beyond reproach, arriving in a 2-disc set that allows the encode of the film to breathe, alone but for a couple of commentary tracks on a dual-layer disc. It looks and sounds fantastic! The second disc is crammed full of wonderful bonus content including a very watchable and informative feature length doc.

Highly recommended!

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Two audio commentaries:

David Fincher
Writer Aaron Sorkin and cast

How Did They Ever Make a Movie of Facebook?: a feature-length documentary in four parts
David Fincher and Jeff Cronenweth on the Visuals
Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter and Ren Klyce on Post
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and David Fincher on the Score
Ruby Skye VIP Room: Multi-Angle Scene Breakdown
In the Hall of the Mountain King: Reznor’s First Draft
Swarmatron

AMAZON: $34.95

2. ARMY OF SHADOWS and ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS

It’s another one of those killer double-Criterion days, where our favourite boutique home video studio releases more than one new Blu-ray disc at a time, squeezing another couple of twenty-dollar bills from our already hemorrhaging wallets! The first Criterion discs of 2011 make an odd couple indeed – a gripping film about the French resistance in their battle against the Nazis and a somewhat psychedelic, colourful ’60s adventure of an astronaut stranded on Mars. It goes without saying that both discs, upgrades from previously issued DVDs, look and sound much better than ever before, in their stunning, high-def debuts. Army of Shadows benefits from a somewhat famous 2006 restoration (the 1969 Jean-Pierre Melville film had gone unseen on this side of the Atlantic before then) while Robinson Crusoe on Mars‘s move to 1080p reveals the limitations of old-school optical effects.

Both discs come highly recommended!

Army of Shadows Special Features:

High-definition digital transfer of the 2004 restoration, supervised by director of photography Pierre Lhomme with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
Optional DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
Audio commentary featuring film historian Ginette Vincendeau
Interviews with Lhomme and editor Françoise Bonnot
On-set footage and excerpts from archival interviews with director Jean-Pierre Melville, cast members, writer Joseph Kessel, and real-life Resistance fighters
Jean-Pierre Melville et “L’armée des ombres” (2002), a short program on the director and his film
Le journal de la Résistance (1944), a rare short documentary shot on the front lines during the final days of German-occupied France
Film restoration demonstration by Lhomme
Theatrical trailers
PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by critic Amy Taubin and historian Robert O. Paxton, as well as excerpts from Rui Nogueira’s Melville on Melville

Robinson Crusoe on Mars Special Features:

Restored high-definition digital transfer with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
Audio commentary featuring screenwriter Ib Melchior, actors Paul Mantee and Victor Lundin, production designer Al Nozaki, Oscar-winning special effects designer and Robinson Crusoe on Mars historian Robert Skotak, and excerpts from a 1979 audio interview with director Byron Haskin
Destination Mars, a video featurette by filmmaker and space historian Michael Lennick detailing the science behind the film
Music video for Lundin’s song “Robinson Crusoe on Mars”
Stills gallery
Theatrical trailer
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by Lennick as well as Melchior’s “Brief Yargorian Vocabulary” (a glossary of original alien dialect) and a list of facts about Mars, both from his original screenplay

AMAZON: $39.95 each

3. DANCES WITH WOLVES

I’ve been waiting years to finally see Dances With Wolves and now, with this new Blu-ray release I might finally get my chance. I haven’t gotten my hands on a review copy yet but I understand that despite the films extended 4-hour run-time, it looks incredible on Blu-ray. By all accounts, Fox/MGM have delivered another winner here, in a 2-disc set that carries over most, if not all of the special features from the previously available DVD edition of the film, while adding a couple of new, Blu-ray exclusive interactive extras and a featurette.

AMAZON: $29.99

4. RAGING BULL

If you missed out on the 2009 release of Raging Bull on Blu-ray, this new 30th Anniversary Edition presents the perfect opportunity to grab up this amazing Martin Scorsese/Robert DeNiro classic in gorgeous 1080p. It includes over 50-minutes of brand new special features along with the same acclaimed high-def transfer afforded the film in its previous edition.

AMAZON: $29.99

5. ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA

Another DeNiro classic! Sergio Leone‘s complex, flawed gangster epic, Once Upon a Time in America makes its Blu-ray debut today, presented in an edit closer resembling the director’s vision, shifting through time via flashbacks (as opposed to the US distributor’s chronological cut). Sadly, the nearly 4-hour film is crammed onto a single disc and, encoded at a fairly low bitrate, looks all the lesser for it. The Blu-ray is still a clear improvement over the previously issued DVD, and carries over most of its special features.

AMAZON: $24.98

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

The Social Network coming to Blu-ray

Brenden — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:44:47 +0000

Sony isn’t wasting any time bringing their Facebook drama The Social Network to Blu-ray, announcing it for a January 11th release. The David Fincher film comes to Blu in a fairly robust 2-disc “Collector’s Edition” that should make fans and film lovers happy.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK
(January 11, 2011 – MSRP $34.95)
Video: 2.40:1 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Two audio commentaries:

David Fincher
Writer Aaron Sorkin and cast

How Did They Ever Make a Movie of Facebook?: a feature-length documentary in four parts
David Fincher and Jeff Cronenweth on the Visuals
Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter and Ren Klyce on Post
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and David Fincher on the Score
Ruby Skye VIP Room: Multi-Angle Scene Breakdown
In the Hall of the Mountain King: Reznor’s First Draft
Swarmatron

Blu-ray Holiday Gift Guide 2010: Gift Sets

Brenden — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 14:52:46 +0000

Winter is upon us, the snow is falling and the holiday shopping season is well under way. Now, more than ever, we’re faced with such a vast selection of amazing Blu-ray discs packaged in special collector’s multi-disc sets that it can be tough to know just what to add to your wish list or what to buy for that special Blu-ray loving someone. Hopefully this list will provide you a nice place to start.

Tomorrow: TV on Blu-ray!

MORE GIFT IDEAS:

* TV ON BLU
* ANIMATION
* CLASSICS
* THE BEST OF THE YEAR

If you follow The Blu-ray Blog at all, you’ll know of my deep, sincere love for pretty much everything that comes out of the Criterion Collection. It’s easy to be a fanboy when damn near every disc they release features a picture-perfect presentation and is packed to the gills with extras. But this seven film box set aptly named America Lost and Found: The BBS Story is really something special. The studio has gone above and beyond here, releasing their biggest and best Blu-ray boxed set to date. All the films from the famous (Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, The Last Picture Show, The King of Marvin Gardens) to the less well know (Head, Drive He Said, A Safe Place) are handled with equal skill – each looking and sounding better than ever before and loaded with special features. Each film is housed in its own beautifully designed slipcase, complemented by the box packaging and the incredible 112-page illustrated book of essays on the films.

I can’t recommend this boxed set highly enough. It might very well be the release of the year.

AMAZON: $87.99

The Alien Anthology Blu-ray set is such a beautiful thing. Nevermind that it includes all four of the original films, two of which (the two that really matter) look mind-blowingly good, but the set also includes more special features than you’ll probably ever be able watch and listen to unless you’re as obsessive-compulsive about the films you love as I am. After spending time with this 6-disc set (one for each film and two for extras) I almost feel like each individual component is worth the price of the box on its own. I’m particularly knocked out by the extremely candid and thorough documentaries included in the set. The Alien 3 piece is such a revelation it might just knock you on your ass. All six discs are housed in a hardcover book (the discs are slipped within very firm pages with nested trays) which slips into a shiny, creepy Alien box package.

Highest possible recommendation!!

AMAZON: $69.99

I’ve got two admissions to make here. The first is that I’ve never cared for The Sound of Music. The second is that this new Blu-ray edition of the film blew my mind and made me a fan. It’s true! Swear to God. The Sound of Music is, hands down, the best looking restoration of the year. Want to impress your friends with your home video setup? Got a couple of jerks in your circle of pals who insist that there’s no point in buying older films on Blu? Pop in The Sound of Music and make their eyes jump out of their heads. The edition you see pictured above is the full-on gift set, complete with soundtrack, books and goo-gahs. The film is also available in a simple 3-disc combo-pack (Amazon: $18.99.)

AMAZON: $59.99

One Flew over the Cukoo’s Nest was previously released in a nice, hardcover digibook edition Blu-ray. Warner’s newest release of the film features a very similar presentation but extends the “making of” documentary. Sadly, the audio is still only presented in the compressed version found on the previous disc. Still, this is an amazing film in a beautiful box that contains playing cards, posters, character cards, pre-production correspondence and movie trivia.

AMAZON: $34.49

Oh. Em. Gee. Do you remember how I went off about the Harry Potter Ultimate Edition Box sets last year? Well, get ready for another barrage of praise, this time tempered with a hint of disappointment.

Both The Prisoner of Azkaban and The Goblet of Fire get the full-on, Ultimate Edition Blu-ray treatment this year, joining the wonderful Philosopher Stone and Chamber of Secrets sets of 2009. Both films carry over their nearly-perfect high-def presentations and extras from previously issued discs while adding a host of brand new special features and collectibles all housed in magnetically latched box packaging. ‘The World of Harry Potter‘ 8-part documentary continues with parts three and four in these sets and is, once again nearly worth the price of purchase alone. The accompanying hardcover books are a nice compliment to each part of the doc. Missing from the Ultimate sets this time around are alternate cuts of the films (both directors have gone on record stating that the theatrical cuts are the only ones they care to present) and the picture-in-picture tracks.

AMAZON: $33.99 each

This toy box of Toy Story is a really great gift for those who haven’t picked up any of the individual Blu-ray releases from the series. It’s essentially just a bundling of the combo-pack discs from each film with nothing new added aside from the handsome box. So, if you’ve already got the 3-disc Toy Story and Toy Story 2 and the 4-disc Toy Story 3, there’s not much to see here. But if you’ve been holding out for whatever reason, or if you know someone who has, now is the time to dive in to the toy box!

AMAZON: $64.99

I still haven’t managed to get my hands on the Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary boxed set but by all accounts this is one of the best Blu-ray releases of the year. I understand that the new high-def transfers are gorgeous and the 2-hours of brand new special features are worth watching. I’ve got this one on my list and hope to see it under the tree in a couple of weeks!

AMAZON: $49.99

I’m not personally a big fan of the Shrek films but my four-year old niece certainly is. This Shrek: The Whole Story Boxed Set is like a dream come true for her, packaging together all of the films with over 7-hours of special features.

AMAZON: $39.99

I’m a huge, unabashed fan of Robocop – the film, not the franchise. So, this boxed set is a bit of a bittersweet release. I was hoping for a better transfer of the first film and the special features from the 2-disc DVD set but alas, the set only features bare-bones editions of the films. It’s a great gift for fans of the character or the series as a whole, as this is the first time the sequels are available in high-def and they both look and sound pretty great.

AMAZON: $36.49

Here’s another set on my wish list this year – the Goonies: 25th Anniversary set comes jam-packed with a lot of collectibles I’m not interested (ok, maybe I’d play that Goonies board game once or twice over the holiday season) but I genuinely love this film and remain excited to see it in high-def.

AMAZON: $34.99

Oh boy. If Santa brings me anything this year, I hope it’s a stocking full of Apocalypse! I’ve been longing for this 3-disc deluxe ‘Full Disclosure Edition‘ set ever since we caught wind of it earlier this year and I swear, I’m buying it on boxing day if I don’t unwrap it the day before. It contains both cuts of Apocalypse Now, the Hearts of Darkness documentary and a crap-ton of special features. Drool drool drool…

AMAZON: $37.99

MORE GIFT IDEAS:

* TV ON BLU
* ANIMATION
* CLASSICS
* THE BEST OF THE YEAR

Blu-ray Boxed Set of the Week: Alien Anthology $70.49

Brenden — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 18:59:28 +0000

Did you pick up a copy of the Alien Anthology on Blu-ray yet? If you answered no or if you plan on buying the boxed set this holiday season for someone you love, you need to sit up, pay attention and order yourself some Blu-rays this week while this exceptional discount applies!

The Alien Anthology is on sale this week for a mere $70.49 at Amazon.com. That’s 50% off the regular price!! It’s also come to light that a promotional discount of $20 still applies at the checkout if you purchase BOTH The Alien Anthology and The Last of the Mohicans together! That’s a cost of $70.49 for Alien + $14.99 for Mohicans with a $20 discount applied at checkout, which will give you a total of $65.48 – LESS than the Alien deal alone!

$70.49 + $14.99 – $20 = $65.48.

The Alien Anthology will be on sale all week. No word on how long the additional discount will be in effect.

Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of October 26

Brenden — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:23:11 +0000

You know it’s a massive week of important Blu-ray releases when there are two new titles from Criterion and neither is in the number one position on our Top 5 list! Shocking! We’ve had some big weeks lately but this might just be the most incredible one of all. Hope you’ve been saving up.

1. THE ALIEN ANTHOLOGY

The brand new Alien Anthology Blu-ray set from Fox is perhaps the finest collection of films and supplemental material ever assembled in a single home video package! Special Edition disc producer Charles de Lauzirika, the genius behind the endlessly impressive ultimate Blade Runner set from a few years back, has really outdone himself here. In addition to brand new, stunning high-def transfers of the first two films, de Lauzirika has reassembled and recreated sound elements for the Alien³: Special Edition audio track, including re-recording dialogue with the original actors from those unfinished scenes that were inserted into the cut, to deliver an experience far more akin to a polished, final release film than has ever been seen before. Oh, and did I mention that each film is afforded two different cuts? And did I mention that there are over 60 hours of extras spread over the 6-discs? And did I mention that this is probably the best boxed set, perhaps even the best Blu-ray title of the entire year?

Yeah, the Alien Anthology Blu-ray set is pretty much the best thing ever. You need to grab it up today. Right now. Get going!!

The special features are too voluminous to list here. For full details, read our breakdown of the set: Alien Anthology Blu-ray Boxed Set Officially Announced and Detailed

Amazon: $89.99

2. BACK TO THE FUTURE: 25TH ANNIVERSARY TRILOGY

If this Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy Blu-ray set had been released on any other day of the year, it most likely would have won the crown and taken the top spot on my Top 5 list. But competing against the juggernaut that is the Alien Anthology, Marty McFly and Doc Brown will have to settle for number two. Universal won’t send me a review copy, so I’m relying on the reviews of others here, to recommend this set on anything other than the fame of the films alone. But for all intents and purposes, it looks like this set is a pretty good one, featuring all new high-def transfers for the three films and a crap-load of new special features.

Amazon: $47.99

3. HOUSE

Without the two killer boxed sets of popular films warring it out for the top slots, this would easily have been my number one pick of the week. As I said in the Top 10 New Blu-ray Discs for Halloween 2010 list, it feels like I’ve been awaiting the Criterion Collection edition of House for almost a year now. It’s not a particularly scary film for modern audiences but it is incredibly imaginative and super-fun for a horror film. Criterion has, of course, pulled out all the stops here, delivering a stunning, cleaned up transfer and crisp, clean audio, along with a host of brand new special features that are sure to please any fan.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

New, restored high-definition digital transfer (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
Constructing a House, a new video piece featuring interviews with director Nobuhiko Obayashi, story scenarist and daughter of the director Chigumi Obayashi, and screenwriter Chiho Katsura
Emotion, a 1966 experimental film by Obayashi
New video appreciation by director Ti West (House of the Devil)
Theatrical trailer
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: An essay by Chuck Stephens

Amazon: $34.99

4. PATHS OF GLORY

I don’t think I really need to push Paths of Glory too hard on any film fans out there. This is a brand new Criterion Blu-ray disc of a classic Stanley Kubrick film starring Kirk Douglas. That should be enough hot button keywords right there to tell you that you need to grab this one up as soon as possible! As per Criterion’s usual treatment, the film has never, ever looked this brilliant and vivid and has never been afforded so many insightful special features as on this Blu-ray disc. Paths of Glory is a must for every film fan!

SPECIAL FEATURES:

New, restored high-definition digital transfer (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
New audio commentary by critic Gary Giddins
Television interview from 1979 with star Kirk Douglas
New video interviews with Kubrick’s longtime executive producer Jan Harlan, Paths of Glory producer James B. Harris, and actress Christiane Kubrick
Excerpt from a French television program about real-life World War I executions similar to the events dramatized in Paths of Glory
Theatrical trailer
PLUS: An essay by Kubrick scholar James Naremore

Amazon: $29.49

5. STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS – THE COMPLETE SEASON TWO

I’d really love to say that I’m so over Star Wars, after the years of suffering through the dreadful prequel films but damn, if these animated Clone Wars episodes don’t keep me coming back for more! Why can’t I quit you, Star Wars?! Why?!

This new Complete Season Two boxed set picks up directly from the Season One set we reviewed last year, with fantastic transfers in the never-before-seen, director approved aspect ratio, amazing digi-book packaging full of artwork and a ton of great special features.

Amazon: $41.99

WARNER DIRECTOR COLLECTIONS: Oliver Stone Collection, Martin Scorcese Collection

Warner is releasing two new Director Collections today, featuring three films each from Oliver Stone and Martin Scorsese. At a discount, both are a good value for the money. Each box consists of a single Blu-ray case with three trays inside. The discs are all re-packaged from previous releases. I’ve only gotten my hands on the Scorsese set so far and can confirm that Goodfellas, The Departed and The Aviator all match up to the versions already in stores, with the same transfers and all the special features intact. I’ll update the post when I get a look at the Stone set in the near future.

If you already own any of these films, you’ll probably want to give these sets a pass and pick up the remaining titles on a holiday sale or something. If you don’t have any three in either box and you can find a good deal on a set, grab it up!

Amazon: $42.49, $54.99

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

[VIDEO] Fox Blu-ray Demo features Alien Anthology, Sound of Music, Moulin Rouge and more!

Brenden — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:46:03 +0000

If you’re reading The Blu-ray Blog, you most likely don’t need to be sold on the benefits of the technology. And if you follow us at all, you most likely don’t need to be sold any further on Fox‘s amazing slate of recent and upcoming releases on the format. We’ve published a crap-ton of articles on the Alien Anthology, The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition, Moulin Rouge and The Rocky Horror Picture Show Blu-ray discs. Having just received them a couple of days ago, I can personally speak to the outstanding quality of the Moulin Rouge and Rocky Horror releases on the format. I’m simply blown away by the high-standard of the transfers, extras and packaging of these discs and can easily place them amongst the finest of the year.

As to the video above, well, clearly there’s a little something lost in the translation from the high-bandwidth, high-def Blu-ray presentation to the crunched down, compressed YouTube stream you see here. But hey, you get the point, right? Blu-ray rocks! High five!

Via: Bleeding Cool

Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of September 14

Brenden — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:58:41 +0000

Just scroll down this page quickly, and take a look at all the discs being released today. Crazy, isn’t it?! I don’t have actual numbers to back this up but September 2010 seems like it’s the most balls-out bonkers Blu-ray disc extravaganza on record! Making it super tough to pick only the five best titles of the week. Well, as you’ll see when you take a closer look, I’ve cheated a little bit. What you’ll also note is that the title that will most likely be the best-seller of the week, Prince of Persia didn’t rate anywhere near the top of the list. Honestly, there’s no way that modern CGI pablum like that can compete with one of the best films of all time or one of the best TV shows of all time, nevermind classic Fincher, Jeunet or 80s sci-fi/horror! This weeks Top 5 features some pretty amazing stuff!

I’m going to be a whole lot poorer when the day is done…

1. BREATHLESS

Professor of Film, Dudley Andrew writes, “Breathless is the definitive manifesto of the New Wave.” This is the film that broke all the rules. That marked the birth of a movement. The point at which nothing would ever be the same again for film and for filmmakers worldwide. I know there’s a lot of shiny new titles on Blu today – titles that will look a lot slicker, vibrant and detailed on your big-screen, high-def display – but Godard‘s Breathless is hands-down the most critical buy of the week. Yes, it’s grainy, it’s black and white and it’s raw. But if you’re at all a film fan, you’re going to absolutely love this new Criterion Collection release.

From the package:

There was before Breathless, and there was after Breathless. Jean-Luc Godard burst onto the film scene in 1960 with this jazzy, free-form, and sexy homage to the American film genres that inspired him as a writer for Cahiers du cinéma. With its lack of polish, surplus of attitude, anything-goes crime narrative, and effervescent young stars Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg, Breathless helped launch the French New Wave and ensured cinema would never be the same.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Restored high-definition digital transfer, approved by director of photography Raoul Coutard (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
Archival interviews with director Jean-Luc Godard and actors Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg, and Jean-Pierre Melville
New video interviews with Coutard, assistant director Pierre Rissient, and filmmaker D. A. Pennebaker
Two video essays: filmmaker Mark Rappaport’s Jean Seberg and critic Jonathan Rosenbaum’s “Breathless” as Criticism
Chambre 12, Hôtel de Suède, an eighty-minute French documentary about the making of Breathless, with members of the cast and crew
Charlotte et son Jules, a 1959 short film by Godard featuring Belmondo
French theatrical trailer
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by scholar Dudley Andrew, writings by Godard, François Truffaut’s original treatment, and Godard’s scenario

Amazon: $29.99

2. DELICATESSEN

The top two films on Blu-ray this week are French!! How about that?

They might share the same country of origin but Jeunet and Caro‘s Delicatessen couldn’t be further from Godard’s new wave masterpiece. It’s a colourful, neo-futuristic fantasy that serves as the stylistic precursor to Jeunet’s later hit Amelie. This Studio Canal Collection Blu-ray disc serves as a welcome upgrade from all previously available home video incarnations. It looks fantastic, sounds great and has just enough special features to keep you out of trouble.

Amazon: $28.49

3. THE TWILIGHT ZONE: SEASON 1

If all the early reviews of this Twilight Zone boxed set are accurate, it’s in the running for Blu-ray release of the year. Sporting absolutely stunning new high-def transfers of the first season episodes and more bonus features than you can shake a stick at, The Twilight Zone: Season 1 is a must-buy for all fans of the popular black and white series and of tv-on-blu releases in general.

Read all about it here: The Twilight Zone: Season One comes to Blu-ray

Amazon: $69.99

4. SE7EN

Are you one of those unfortunate souls who picked up the Canadian Blu-ray release of Se7en? Yeah, we got hosed with that one – bad transfer, incorrect framing and no extras. Well, thank the good lord for New Line who, today are finally releasing their director approved, feature packed edition of the film, correctly framed in a sparkling new transfer that might just border on perfection. Four commentary tracks, alternate/deleted/extended scenes, title sequence exploration and more all a dual-layer disc bound in a beautiful hardcover digibook package.

Drool.

Amazon: $24.99

5. THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD and INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS

Okay, here’s where I really cheated. I couldn’t just pick one of these new MGM horror/sci-fi Blu-ray disc releases, so I went for both!

Before the 1985 Return of the Living Dead, no zombie had ever moaned the word “Brains!” Or articulated any word, for that matter. Director Dan O’Bannon‘s send-up of Romero‘s famous zombie films doesn’t take itself too seriously, set to a pounding 80s rock score and featuring more loquacious walking dead than any film before or since. It’s such a fun ride that it has since become a cult classic.

Conversely, the 1978 remake of the classic 50s Invasion of the Body Snatchers couldn’t take itself more seriously. As a child, I actually found this adaptation starring Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum and Leonard Nimoy to be rather terrifying. That final scene with Sutherland and frightened Brooke Adams gave me nightmares and still sticks with me today. What an ending!!

Amazon: $18.99, $16.99

BLU-RAY 3D: Monster House 3D

I don’t even know how to talk about the upcoming onslaught of 3D Blu-ray releases. I don’t have a 3D display and don’t plan on getting one. Personally, I feel this is a big misstep by the home entertainment industry. One that I’m hoping won’t snap back and bite Blu-ray on the ass.

My feelings on the tech aside, Monster House is a great little animated film. And early reviews of the disc note that its 3D presentation is spectacular. Those who have yet to upgrade but are considering it in the future can feel confident picking up this disc as it also contains the 2D version of Monster House. Good move, Sony!

Amazon: $27.99

TV ON BLU

WHV DOUBLE FEATURES

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

Alien Anthology Blu-ray Screen Captures

Brenden — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 17:21:42 +0000

We haven’t gotten our hands on Fox‘s upcoming Alien Anthology Blu-ray disc set yet but after seeing these screen grabs from the films, the verdict is in, as far as I’m concerned – this is the must-have boxed set of the season!

There are a hell of a lot more shots to see over at TechRadar.com’s Home Cinema Choice site but the images below will give you a taste of what you’re in for on October 26th, when these discs hit the streets (for full details on the Alien Anthology Blu-ray boxed set, read our previous post here.)

Click on the images below to see them in all their detailed high-def glory:

ALIEN:

ALIENS:

ALIEN 3:

ALIEN RESURRECTION:

[VIDEO] Alien Anthology Blu-ray Trailer

Brenden — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 13:37:10 +0000

You’ve got to know by now that I’m just bursting to get my hands on Fox‘s upcoming Alien Anthology Blu-ray boxed set. Well, this new trailer promoting the discs might not provide any new information but it has managed to ramp up my anticipation ten-fold. October 26th can’t come soon enough, if you ask me!

For full details on the 6-disc set read our article here: Alien Anthology Blu-ray Boxed Set Officially Announced and Detailed

Also, check out the previously released teaser trailer here: [VIDEO] Alien Anthology Blu-ray Teaser

And finally, if you have any interest in the $199.99 “Guardian” collector’s set, the limited edition version of the Alien Anthology featuring a sculpt by Sideshow with the discs hidden inside the base of an Alien egg, you’ll want to have a gander at the little visualization below, which provides a good look at how the statue works as packaging. Pretty cool, but I think I’ll stick to the modest box pictured above.

The Blu-ray Blog » David Fincher

All 4 Alien films on individual Blu-ray discs

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