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The Complete Scream Collection Blu-ray Disc Review

Brenden — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:45:40 +0000

THE COMPLETE SCREAM COLLECTION (1996, 1997, 2000, 2011, Blu-ray released October 4, 2011 – MSRP CDN$ 76.99)

MOVIE:	★★★★½
VIDEO:	★★★★☆
AUDIO:	★★★★☆
EXTRAS:	★★★★☆
BLU-RAY:	★★★★☆

More often than not, we Canadians get the shaft. Some of you folks below the 49th have taken to referring to our country as “Can’t-ada”, which is actually not that far off the mark, considering how many film releases and services we miss out on, up here. But sometimes things actually work out in our favour. Like in the case of The Complete Scream Collection Blu-ray Disc set, which includes all four feature films along with an extra disc containing two feature-length docs. With the films split between US distributors down south, this is a package that can only happen way up here in the great white north!

A few weeks back, Lionsgate and Miramax released the Scream: Five Film Set in the US, a 4-disc Blu-ray set that includes the first three films in the series as well as a couple of docs. That’s right – the “Five Film Set” doesn’t include the latest film in the franchise, Scream 4, as it’s distributed by Anchor Bay and is only available on its own. Here in Canada, we have the good fortune of being able to get the whole kit-and-kaboodle in one 5-disc Blu-ray set from Alliance, that replicates the transfers and features from all of the available US discs and throws in a Ghostface mask for good measure!

I’ll be honest, until cracking into this bad boy, I was the furthest thing from a fan of these Wes Craven horror/comedy films as can be. I recall having seen the first one in the theatre way back in the day and recall having enjoyed it well enough. But the hype surrounding it and the onslaught of sequels wore down any goodwill or interest I had in the franchise and I managed to steer clear of all of it for the ensuing fifteen-years or so. Well, damn, if I’m not ecstatic to have had the opportunity to make up for lost time with this Blu-ray set. This is a truly wonderful series of films, from beginning to end, with very few egregious missteps along the way.

Scream, the original flavour, holds up as a smart, genre-transforming effort full of humour, gore and superstar performers. I could do with a whole lot less of over-the-top Matthew Lillard but what are you going to do. The sequel, Scream 2, is almost a miracle, in that it continues the A-plot from the original – eternal victim, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is at the heart of a mystery that involves a psycho killer with a knife and a lot of dead bodies – while further bending the genre in upon itself and commenting on horror films and Scream‘s effect on them. Incredible! These first two films form a flawless one-two punch that, fifteen years on maintains its power as a force to be reckoned with.

If the franchise were to have a black eye, though, it would be the very silly, tonally awkward and structurally challenged Scream 3. The film isn’t terrible, by any stretch of the imagination. It maintains the horror and the fun of the originals but adds a goofy Scooby Doo-like tone and a handful of wink-at-the-camera cameos that take the audience out of the picture. The biggest problem with the film, however, is the fact that the main protagonist is absent for a good deal of the run-time. Apparently, Neve Campbell was committed to a number of productions at the time and was only able to shoot Scream scenes for a few weeks, leaving the filmmakers to find a way to craft the story around her absence. And that difficulty is up there on screen, with co-stars Courtney Cox and David Arquette busily trying to distract the audience from the missing plot.

The latest film, Scream 4, which was released in theatres earlier this year, is something of a return to form, with original screenwriter Kevin Williamson back at the word processor, after skipping out on the doomed second sequel. 4 isn’t perfect either – the formula and the returning cast are all a bit tired now – but returning to the setting of the original film and focusing on teenagers and parties is certainly a move that will make the film appeal to a younger generation of movie-goers. And I challenge anyone to see the twist ending coming. There’s no way you’ll guess who is under that Ghostface mask this time!

The Blu-ray set is technically a mixed bag, which I’m sure comes as no surprise to you, seeing as how we’re talking about four films made over fifteen years here. But there’s nothing here that’s short of pretty great. Scream 4, of course, looks the best, afforded a pristine, damn near perfect, high-bitrate transfer on a dual layer disc. The previous three films are identical to the single disc releases from earlier in the year – all single layer discs encoded at a modest bitrate, looking slightly uneven but mostly great, considering the sources used. All soundtracks are presented in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and sound fantastic, across the board.

Supplements are plentiful when you take the whole 5-disc set into account but no single Blu-ray contains an overwhelming collection of extras. Each disc sports a commentary track featuring director Craven and various members of the cast and crew as well as deleted scenes and outtakes on all but the original Scream. The two new documentaries found on the fifth disc run around 90-minutes each and are, for the most part, exceptional and informative. Scream: The Inside Story, a doc created for the Biography Channel, tends to ignore the sequels and focus solely on the original while Still Screaming takes the whole series into account, giving each chapter its due. Both are presented in 1080p.

I really can’t say enough about this collection of discs. The films are fun, they all look and sound great on Blu-ray, there are enough supplements to keep you busy for days and, if you’re so inclined, you can watch the whole thing while wearing the authentic Ghostface mask included in the package.

Recommended!

Special features include:

Disc 1: Scream

Audio commentary by director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson
Production featurette
Behind the Scenes:

On the Scream set
Drew Barrymore

Q&A with the cast and crew
Theatrical trailer

Disc 2: Scream 2

Audio commentary by director Wes Craven, producer Marianne Maddalena and editor Patrick Lussier
Deleted scenes with optional commentary by Craven, Maddalena and Lussier
Outtakes
Featurette
Theatrical trailer

Disc 3: Scream 3

Audio commentary with director Wes Craven, producer Marianne Maddalena and editor Patrick Lussier
Deleted scenes and alternate ending with optional commentary by Craven, Maddalena and Lussier
Outtakes
Behind-the-scenes montage
Theatrical trailer

Disc 4: Scream 4

The Making of Scream 4: Featurette
Alternate Opening
Extended Ending
Deleted/Extended Scenes
Gag Reel

Disc 5

Scream: The Inside Story
Still Screaming

[VIDEO] Jackie Brown Blu-ray trailer

Brenden — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:48:39 +0000

We’re a couple of weeks out from finally getting our hands on Blu-ray versions of Tarantino‘s Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown. Lionsgate posted their humourous Pulp Fiction trailer a couple of weeks ago and have now made available the one above, pimping the Jackie Brown disc. I’ve got my fingers crossed that these discs are going to deliver, with modern, film-like transfers and thumping clear lossless DTS tracks. We’ll know for sure on October 4th!

JACKIE BROWN
(October 4, 2011 – MSRP $19.99)
Video: 1.85:1 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Special Features:

Critic’s Corner: Then and Now – (New)
Jackie Brown: How It Went Down featurette
“A Look Back at Jackie Brown” – Interview with Quentin Tarantino
Chicks With Guns Video
Siskel & Ebert “At the Movies”- Jackie Brown review
Jackie Brown on MTV
Theatrical Trailer and TV Spots
Stills Gallery

[VIDEO] Funny Pulp Fiction Blu-ray trailer

Brenden — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:49:52 +0000

We, the ticket and Blu-ray buying audience, always appreciate seeing that the studios understand how we feel about their films. With that in mind, it’s nice to see this new video from Lionsgate, which accurately sums up our feelings about the obscenely long wait for Quentin Tarantino‘s Pulp Fiction to finally make its Blu-ray debut (in stores October 4th.) Check it out!

PULP FICTION
(October 4, 2011 – MSRP $19.99)
Video: 2.39:1 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Special Features:

Retrospective Cast Interviews (New)
Critics Corner: Then and Now (New)
Pulp Fiction: The Facts featurette
Deleted Scenes
Behind the Scenes Montages
Production Design featurette
Siskel and Ebert “At the Movies” – The Tarantino Generation
Independent Spirit Awards
Cannes Film Festival – Palm d’Or Acceptance Speech
Charlie Rose Show – Interview with Quentin Tarantino
Theatrical Trailers and TV Spots
Stills Gallery

The Crow Blu-ray announced and detailed

Brenden — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:14:50 +0000

Despite being a comic book nerd, I was never a huge fan of Alex Proyas‘ 1994 film The Crow, adapted from James O’Barr‘s books of the same title. The movie looks great and there’s no denying the awesomeness of the late star of the film, the tragically-taken-too-soon Brandon Lee, but at its core this simplistic revenge story is just a little thin. That said, it’s become a cult classic and one of the films from the Miramax catalogue that folks have been dying to own on Blu-ray. Lionsgate will be releasing it in the US on October 18th, while Alliance will deliver the film to Canadian fans a few weeks earlier on September 27th. I’m sure both discs will be close to identical but I don’t have any confirmed details of the Alliance version yet, outside of the CAN $25.99 suggested retail. Details and package art below are for the US release.

THE CROW
(October 18, 2011 – MSRP $19.99)
Video: 1.85:1 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Special Features:

Audio commentary with producer Jeff Most and screenwriter John Shirley.
Behind-the-Scenes Featurette
Extended/Deleted Scenes
Storyboards
Photo Galleries

Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown heading to Blu-ray

Brenden — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:22:54 +0000

It’s happening. It’s really happening. The two Quentin Tarantino films you never thought you’d see on a domestically released Blu-ray (well, not anytime soon that is) will finally be arriving in stores this coming October. Jackie Brown and Pulp Fiction will make their high-def debuts sporting newly remastered transfers complete with lossless audio (format yet to be revealed) and most, if not all, of the previously available special features. Sounds pretty great!

PULP FICTION
(October 4, 2011 – MSRP $19.99)
Video: 2.39:1 1080p
Audio: TBA

Special Features:

Retrospective Cast Interviews (New)
Critics Corner: Then and Now (New)
Pulp Fiction: The Facts featurette
Deleted Scenes
Behind the Scenes Montages
Production Design featurette
Siskel and Ebert “At the Movies” – The Tarantino Generation
Independent Spirit Awards
Cannes Film Festival – Palm d’Or Acceptance Speech
Charlie Rose Show – Interview with Quentin Tarantino
Theatrical Trailers and TV Spots
Stills Gallery

JACKIE BROWN
(October 4, 2011 – MSRP $19.99)
Video: 1.85:1 1080p
Audio: TBA

Special Features:

Critic’s Corner: Then and Now – (New)
Jackie Brown: How It Went Down featurette
“A Look Back at Jackie Brown” – Interview with Quentin Tarantino
Chicks With Guns Video
Siskel & Ebert “At the Movies”- Jackie Brown review
Jackie Brown on MTV
Theatrical Trailer and TV Spots
Stills Gallery

Top New Blu-ray releases for the Week of July 19

Brenden — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 22:33:02 +0000

Well, here you go. This past week’s new Blu-ray release post, almost a full week late and a little short on quality reviews. The tardiness is due to a trip out of town, followed by my family coming for a visit and then many a day and night spent at the Fantasia Festival here in Montreal. The lack of serious disc reviews is due to the fact that I didn’t receive screeners for most of the Blu-ray releases of this past week. I know, cry me a river, right? But there it is.

As always, clicking the Blu-ray package art will zip you over to Amazon where every purchase you make through our links helps the site stay on its feet. We appreciate every single click and thank you again for continuing to read The Blu-ray Blog.

1. THE MUSIC ROOM

With The Music Room (Jalsaghar), Satyajit Ray brilliantly evokes the crumbling opulence of the world of a fallen aristocrat (the beloved actor Chhabi Biswas) desperately clinging to a fading way of life. His greatest joy is the music room in which he has hosted lavish concerts over the years—now a shadow of its former vivid self. An incandescent depiction of the clash between tradition and modernity, and a showcase for some of India’s most popular musicians of the day, The Music Room is a defining work by the great Bengali filmmaker.

Before getting my hands on the new Criterion Blu-ray disc of The Music Room, I had never seen the film. But it’s quickly weaseled its way onto a short list of my favourite movies of all time. I picked up director Satyajit Ray’s Apu Trilogy on DVD years ago (found them all in the used bin of my local Blockbuster – yeah, I know how lucky I was then), quickly falling in love with his style – impeccably well rounded characters shot with a quiet, ruminating camera. But The Music Room is so much more. As wonderful as the three Apu films are, The Music Room just seems more intimate and at the same time, more universal than his previous films (to be fair, he’d only completed two films in the Trilogy when he made The Music Room but the third, The World of Apu, maintains the feel of the previous entries in the series.) The camera work is sensitive but, and I have to say that I’m sure this was not the intent but I find it exhilarating nonetheless, in moments of harsh lighting, it reminds me of old Universal films from the ’30s. To be specific, there are shots that remind me strongly of The Bride of Frankenstein – one of the best films ever made, if you ask me.

I understand, however, that a lot of the visual elements that bring those older films to mind is due to the fact that The Music Room was shot black and white and hasn’t been kept in the best shape through the years. With that in mind, the restoration presented here by Criterion is an absolute marvel. Thank God for film preservationists. The work done here is nothing short of a miracle and if you have any doubt, just check out the DVD and Blu-ray screenshot comparison on DVDBeaver. In addition to the restoration performed on the film being miraculous, the transfer to Blu is absolutely stunning – textured and rich, with deep blacks, prominent grain and tons of detail. One of the most impressive discs I’ve seen this year. Audio sounds dated but clean, clear and effective.

The special features on the disc are plentiful and truly a treat to watch. The 1984 Shyam Benegal doc about the director runs over two hours and paints a clear and full picture of Ray’s life and career. It’s almost worth the price of the disc on its own. I also found the Andrew Robinson and Mira Nair interviews to be informative and quite moving. It’s quite clear that they both feel deeply about the man and his work.

Highest possible recommendation!!

Special Features:

New digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
Satyajit Ray (1984), a feature documentary by Shyam Benegal that chronicles Ray’s career and includes interviews with the filmmaker, family photographs, and extensive clips from his films
New interview with filmmaker Mira Nair
New interview in which Ray biographer Andrew Robinson discusses the making of The Music Room and the film’s cultural significance
Excerpt from a 1981 French roundtable discussion with Ray, film critic Michel Ciment, and filmmaker Claude Sautet
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Philip Kemp as well as reprints of a 1963 essay by Ray and a 1986 interview with the director about the film’s music

AMAZON: $28.99

2. AMELIE

The City of Lights sparkles in this “delightful and original” (Boston Globe) quirky comedy that garnered 5 Academy Award® nominations. At a tiny Parisian café, the adorable yet painfully shy Amelie accidentally discovers a gift for helping others. Soon Amelie is spending her days as a Cupid, guardian angel and all-around do-gooder. But when she bumps into a handsome stranger, will she find the courage to become the star of her very own love story? Audrey Tatou (The Da Vinci Code) shines in this “lighthearted fantasy” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times) that stole the hearts of audiences and critics worldwide.

Oh God, I effing love this film. Amelie is probably my second favourite film of all time. And writer/director Jean-Pierre Jeunet‘s clear best work to date. And though I haven’t seen this new Miramax/Lionsgate Blu-ray edition of the film (I have the Alliance disc from Canada) I feel comfortable recommending it. It features all the goodies from the previous DVD editions of the film (and the Canadian Blu) and, from what I can ascertain from early reviews and forum posts, the best transfer the film has seen yet.

AMAZON: $13.99

3. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Jean Cocteau’s sublime adaptation of Mme. Leprince de Beaumont’s fairy-tale masterpiece—in which the pure love of a beautiful girl melts the heart of a feral but gentle beast—is a landmark of motion picture fantasy, with unforgettably romantic performances by Jean Marais and Josette Day. The spectacular visions of enchantment, desire, and death in Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bête) have become timeless icons of cinematic wonder.

Here’s another one of my great cinematic loves, newly available on Blu. I discovered Cocteau’s incredibly gorgeous, imaginative Beauty and the Beast via my old Criterion Collection Laserdisc edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, wherein director Francis Ford Coppola sites, via his exceptional commentary track and featurettes, as well as in text supplements, this work as one of the most influential on the tone and imagery of his 1992 film. So, of course, I had to seek it out. And, of course, I immediately fell in love with it. What a beautiful, masterful imagining of the classic tale.

Those who already own the Criterion DVD won’t see too much of an uptick in detail but contrast is more dynamic and the whole thing is just overall more film-like. All the supplements have been ported over and are quite substantial. If you don’t own the DVD this is a blind buy.

AMAZON: $29.99

4. BOYZ ‘N THE HOOD

“Boyz N The Hood” is the critically acclaimed story of three friends growing up in a South Central Los Angeles neighborhood, and of street life where friendship, pain, danger and love combine to form reality. “The Hood” is a place where drive-by shootings and unemployment are rampant. but it is also a place where harmony coexists with adversity, especially for three young men growing up there: Doughboy (Ice Cube), an unambitious drug dealer; his brother Ricky (Morris Chestnut), a college-bound teenage father; and Ricky’s best friend Tre (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), who aspires to a brighter future beyond “The Hood.” In a world where a trip to the store can end in death, the friends have diverse reactions to their bleak surroundings. Tre’s resolve is strengthened by a strong father (Larry Fishburne) who keeps him on the right track. But the lessons Tre learns are put to the ultimate test when tragedy strikes close to home, and violence seems like the only recourse.

Boyz N The Hood is a ’90s classic and the film that made director John Singleton’s career. It was also one of the final films to star good ol’ Cowboy Curtis, “Larry” Fishburne, soon to be replaced by his doppleganger, Morpheus, better know as “Laurence” Fishburne. The film also made stars of the likes of Angela Bassett, Morris Chestnut and Cuba Gooding Jr. among others, as well as proving that rapper Ice Cube has some acting chops. Yeah, Boyz N The Hood is kind of a big deal. And now you can get it on Blu. Sony didn’t send me a screener so I can’t tell you how it looks in high-def but knowing them, I’m sure it’s worth the upgrade from DVD.

AMAZON: $13.99

5. POTICHE

Set in 1977 in a provincial French Town, Potiche is a witty and charming comedy starring Catherine Deneuve as Suzanne Pojol, a housebound ‘trophy housewife’ (or potiche) who steps in to manage the umbrella factory run by her tyranical husband after the workers go on strike. To everyone’s surprise, Suzanne proves herself to be a competent and assertive woman of action. Gerard Depardieu plays a union leader and Suzanne’s ex-beau who still holds a flame for her. With Potiche, acclaimed writer-director Francois Ozon (Swimming Pool, 8 Women) has created a satrical and hilarious take on the sexes and classes.

Deneuve and Depardieu directed by Ozon. That should be enough for you to run out and grab up a copy of this bad boy right there. Having only seen as much as the trailers for the film, I think it looks like a pretty entertaining retro-romp. The Music Box Films Blu-ray release has received fairly average marks over at Blu-ray.com but, it should be noted, represents the processed vintage look of the film accurately. Extras are lite, including a lengthy “making-of” doc, costume tests and a couple of trailers.

AMAZON: $34.99

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:

Cinema Paradiso announced for Blu-ray

Brenden — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 12:29:31 +0000

When my girlfriend and I started going out several years ago there were three movies, she said, that I absolutely needed to add to my Blu-ray collection. As they’ve become available over the years, I’ve picked up Stardust and Oldboy. But the third title has eluded me, just as it has eluded a domestic release on Blu. Well, come October 4th, all can be put to right. Sort of.

Miramax, through their deal with Lionsgate, are releasing Cinema Paradiso on Blu-ray in a few months, with the low, low suggested retail price of only $14.99 (Currently, only $10.49 at Amazon.) Youch! That really doesn’t bode well for this disc. Generally speaking, when any effort is put forth in the creation of a Blu-ray, said effort is reflected in the price. The studio hasn’t released any further details yet but one can safely assume, with a price point as rock-bottom low as this, there won’t be much of note on this disc. Expect to see the theatrical cut of the film, maybe a trailer, and nothing more. What a shame.

CINEMA PARADISO
(October 04, 2011 – MSRP $14.99)
Video: 1.66:1 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Special Features:

TBA (but don’t expect much of anything!)

New Trainspotting Blu-ray in September

Brenden — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:48:20 +0000

Trainspotting is one of my favourite films of all time. It’s probably in my Top 10. I know, I know, it’s a lot of style-over-substance with a forced third act but I don’t care. I think it’s amazing. One of Danny Boyle‘s best. The film has been out on Blu-ray in the UK for a couple of years now and we’ve had a fairly crap Alliance version available here in Canada since April of 2009. And now, at long last, the US is to finally receive its own version from Miramax and Lionsgate this coming September 13th. While details don’t exactly make it clear what cut of the film will be on the disc or if all the previously available special features will be present, I think it’s safe to say we’ll get a pretty decent transfer on this one, easily superior to the Canadian disc and at least on par with the UK.

TRAINSPOTTING
(September 13, 2011 – MSRP $19.99)
Video: 1.85:1 1080p
Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio

Special Features:

Audio commentary from director Danny Boyle, star Ewan McGregor, producer Andrew McDonald, and screenwriter John Hodge
Deleted scenes
Making of featurette
Interviews with Boyle, Hodge, McDonald, and Trainspotting novelist Irvine Welsh
A film retrospective
Digital copy

Blu-ray Picks for the Week of February 2

Brenden — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:12:57 +0000

Okay, this is just ridiculous. I can’t afford all of these discs in one week! I had no idea that February would be such a big release month. I thought March was going to be my bank-breaker and that I’d have another month to save up for the big titles but this week is going to make me reevaluate. As always, we appreciate any Amazon purchase you make through our links. Your clicks help keep the site on its feet!

ZOMBIELAND! This is such a fun movie and you’re really doing yourself a disservice if you don’t check it out. It’s a great little horror/teen-comedy/action mash-up that looks and sounds fantastic on Blu. I’ll have my full review up for you later in the week. Don’t miss this one if you can help it!

Amazon: $23.99

Tony Jaa is our generation’s Bruce Lee. This guy is incredible! And Ong Bak, available today on Blu from Fox, is the movie that introduced him to the world. I’m picking this one up as soon as possible. Here’s hoping the transfer does the 2003 Thai hit film justice!

Amazon: $15.99

More Tony Jaa!!! Ong Bak 2: The Beginning, the 2008 sequel is set in the past and Jaa plays a totally different character so there’s no need to see Ong Bak before this film. It might not be quite as strong as the original but Ong Bak 2 is so well shot and the fight scenes are so stunning it’s definitely worth checking out.

Amazon: $14.99

Did you see The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus? Awesome. I mean, it’s not perfect but it felt like a bit of a return to form for Terry Gilliam. I enjoyed it. And I also really enjoy Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, released on Blu-ray today. I don’t count it among Gilliam’s finest but it’s so bat-shit crazy, filled with amazing imagery and performances it can’t be ignored. This Blu-ray doesn’t include the awesome extras form the Criterion DVD but the 1080p transfer makes it worth adding to your collection.

Amazon: $18.99

Today is the day that Disney rights their wrongs and apologizes to Martin Scorsese and cinematographer Michael Ballhaus for the visual butchery of the initial Gangs of New York Blu-ray release with this brand new, remastered edition. Check out this screenshot comparison of the two Blu-ray releases to see just how improved this new edition is!

Amazon: $25.99

House of the Devil is a retro-style horror film, crafted to feel like something straight out of the 80s. The studio has even gone so far as to promote it by sending out VHS copies of the film to the press (which you can now order for yourself in this limited collector’s edition DVD/VHS bundle!) Reviews and word of mouth have been pretty good on this one and I’m anxious to get my hands on the Blu-ray to see what all the hype has been about.

Amazon: $21.99

Speaking of scary movies with great word of mouth, Triangle is the story of a group of friends who go sailing on a yacht and come upon a seemingly deserted ocean liner during a storm in the Bermuda Triangle. They soon realize they’re not alone. The premise doesn’t sound electric to me but a million positive reviews can’t be wrong. Worth a look!

Amazon: $18.99

I’m not a big Doctor Who fan (the psychological scars it inflicted on me as a child have yet to heal) but I know this show is kind of a big deal. In addition to this Blu-ray box collection of the Complete Specials, BBC is releasing all of them (The Next Doctor / Planet of the Dead / The Waters of Mars / The End of Time Parts 1 and 2) in individual editions!

Amazon: $44.99

What’s that? You love Casablanca but you didn’t want to buy that big, overpriced Blu-ray box set of goo-gahs and crap it was previously packaged in? Well, today is your lucky day! The beautiful Blu-ray disc edition of the film is now available all on its own at a really great price. You owe it to yourself to own this film on Blu if you’re a film lover.

Amazon: $16.49

And speaking of films you love now in a cheaper package, Paramount has made both Godfather and Godfather Part 2 available in individual Blu-ray releases under their premium Sapphire label. These are the same discs from the previously available boxed set and look and sound brilliant! Full reviews coming this week.

Amazon: Godfather – $23.99
Godfather Part 2 – $22.99

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:

Gangs of New York Remastered Blu-ray Screenshot Comparison

Brenden — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:09:06 +0000

I was elated when I heard the announcement of the new, remastered edition of Martin Scorsese‘s Gangs of New York Blu-ray but there remained the question of how much of an improvement that disc would be over the original, brutally flawed release. Well now, thanks to the AVS Forum‘s Xylon we have the answer. Check out these screenshot comparisons for proof!

Xylon seems thoroughly impressed with this new, remastered Blu-ray. From his posts on AVS Forum:

“When I was watching this last night I was just flabbergasted how much of the picture quality … has been lost and altered in the original version. At the same time I am thinking about other Blu-ray/HD DVD titles that has been infected with with the same PQ issues namely DNR and EE. From Patton to Dark City to Gladiator what if they were done right the first time? Could it be that they can look as good as this? Our answer to that is of course! And why not? … Excessive use of DNR (Digital Noise Reduction), EE (Edge Enhancement) and poor recycled old masters has no place in our modern home theater.”

I couldn’t agree with Xylon more. And his screenshots speak for themselves. This new edition of Gangs looks fantastic! I hope this is a sign that the studios are beginning to come to their senses are realize that their catalogue films deserve the best treatment possible.

Via: Land of Whimsy

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