This is Kubrick day. There’s no doubt about it. As much as I love a lot of these other releases hitting shops today, it’s all about the Kubrick. Check out the unboxing video above, made by the fine folks over at DVDTown to see for yourself what all the fuss is about. That’s a damn beautiful set!

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1. STANLEY KUBRICK FILMS

“9 Groundbreaking Movies. 10 Discs. One Visionary Moviemaker.
SPARTACUS (1960) The genre-defining epic tale of a bold gladiator (Kirk Douglas) who leads a triumphant Roman slave revolt.
LOLITA (1962) Academic Humbert Humbert (James Mason) is obsessed with a blithe teen (Sue Lyon) in a dark comedy from Vladimir Nabokov’s novel.
DR. STRANGELOVE (1964) “Accidental” nuclear apocalypse, anyone? Peter Sellers heads the cast of one of the most blazingly hilarious movies of all time.
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968) “The most awesome, beautiful and mentally stimulating science-fiction film of all time” (Danny Peary, Guide for the Film Fanatic).
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE: 40th Anniversary Edition (2-Discs) (1971) Future world neo-punk Malcolm McDowell becomes the guinea pig for a government cure of his tendency toward “the old ultraviolence.”
BARRY LYNDON (1975) The visually spellbinding tale of an 18th-century Irish rogue’s (Ryan O’Neal) climb to wealth and privilege.
THE SHINING (1980) In a macabre masterpiece adapted from Stephen King’s novel, Jack Nicholson falls prey to forces haunting a snowbound mountain resort.
FULL METAL JACKET (1987) Marine recruits endure basic training under a leather-lunged D.I., then plunge into the hell of Vietnam.
EYES WIDE SHUT (1999) A wife’s admission of unfulfilled longing plunges a Manhattan doctor into a bizarre erotic odyssey. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman star. “

Oy. Where do I start? This is one monster boxed set. One of the most significant Blu-ray collections that will be released all year. And for the most part, it’s a killer. A must-own. If you don’t have a bunch of the included discs in your collection already.

This 9-film, 10-disc collection of the works of director Stanley Kubrick includes his entire oeuvre, short of the pre-1960 works (Fear and Desire, still unavailable on home video, Killer’s Kiss and The Killing coming to Criterion Blu-ray on August and Paths of Glory which you can grab on an awesome Criterion Blu right now.) The films themselves are beyond reproach, say what you will about Eyes Wide Shut. Every title in the collection is a classic. Sadly, not every classic is treated equally in the boxed set.

As you’re no doubt aware by this point, most of the discs in the set have been appropriated from previously released editions, with Spartacus and Dr. Strangelove making appearances here in this Warner Home Video set thanks to their home studios, Universal and Sony, respectively. Sony’s disc is balls-out awesome, with a great transfer and tons of extras. Universal’s disc sucks, with a crappy looking picture and an anemic selection of bonus stuff (I’m still crossing my fingers that Criterion will win back the license to release the definitive Blu-ray edition of Spartacus, a high-def upgrade of their amazing DVD from 2001.) The rest of the films, the 7 titles under Warner’s control, never suffer as much on Blu as the waxy-looking Spartacus does, with most transfers appearing quite spectacular (I’m looking at you, you handsome, reference-quality 2001: A Space Odyssey Blu-ray!) Eyes Wide Shut is afflicted with a relatively noisy, inconsistent presentation and A Clockwork Orange, despite being available in a new 40th Anniversary Edition is still far from perfect (it’s the same VC-1 transfer from the previously available 2007 Blu-ray) but most everything here is roses. The old transfers for The Shining and Full Metal Jacket are all-around quite nice and the brand spanking new editions of Barry Lyndon and Lolita are gorgeous. Actually, I’d go so far as to say that they’re nearly perfect. While devoid of bonus features, these are the Blu-ray editions of the films that you’ve been hoping for.

If you already own a bunch of these discs separately, you’ll probably want to avoid picking up the Collection set, as it only offers you a couple of films new to Blu that you can now purchase in individual releases (Amazon exclusives, at the moment.) The tenth disc in the set features the docs Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (142 minutes but still in SD) and O Lucky Malcolm! (an 86 minute, HD feature about Malcolm McDowell) and is also available in the new A Clockwork Orange: 40th Anniversary set.

The book-like packaging of the entire Collection is handsome, however, and much nicer to have on your shelf than separately packaged discs. Have I mentioned how much I love this type of packaging? It’s the same sort of gorgeous hardcover, thick digi-book that Warner used for their fantastic Deadwood Blu-ray set. It’s so nice, it’s almost worth ditching your old discs for the upgrade.

Either way, if you’re a Kubrick fan or a film fan in general, you’ll want to pick up these films on Blu, whether all together in the set, or simply the stunning new editions of Lolita and Barry Lyndon on their own. You can’t go wrong.

AMAZON: $104.99

NEWLY AVAILABLE:

BARRY LYNDON

“How does an Irish lad without prospects become part of 18th-century English nobility? For Barry Lyndon (Ryan O’Neal) the answer is: any way he can! His climb to wealth and privilege is the enthralling focus of this sumptuous Stanley Kubrick version of William Makepeace Thackeray’s novel. For this ravishing, slyly satiric winner of 4 Academy Awards, Kubrick found inspiration in the works of the era’s painters. Costumes and sets were crafted in the era’s designs and pioneering lenses were developed to shoot interiors and exteriors in natural light. The result is a cutting-edge movie bringing a historical period to vivid screen life like no other film before or since. “

Like I said above, this is the Blu-ray edition of Barry Lyndon you’ve been waiting for. It’s stellar all around. The transfer is soft, as you’d expect from this candle-lit picture, but all-around stunning and accurate to the source. The mono audio source has been expanded to an impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, though remains quite front-heavy in execution. Sadly, the only special feature is the theatrical trailer.

AMAZON: $13.99

LOLITA

“Newly arrived in Ramsdale, New Hampshire, European émigré Humbert Humbert is smitten. He plans to marry Charlotte Haze. That way he’ll always be close to his dear one – Charlotte’s precocious daughter! Filmmaker Stanley Kubrick explores the theme of sexual obsession (a subject he would revisit 37 years later in Eyes Wide Shut) with this darkly comic and deeply moving version of Vladimir Nabokov’s novel. James Mason plays devious, deluded Humbert: wedded to needy Charlotte (Shelley Winters); rivaled by the ubiquitous Clare Quilty (chameleonlike Peter Sellers); and enraptured to his gelatinous core by the blithe teen (Sue Lyon) with that “lovely, lyrical, lilting name” – Lolita. “

Again, if you’ve been praying to the home-video Gods for a faithful, impressive release of Lolita on Blu, your wish has been granted. The image is everything you’ve been hoping for – a film-like presentation completely accurate to the source material. The DTS-HD Master Audio track doesn’t expand beyond the original audio this time and sounds great, for what it is. There are no extras of which to speak on this disc, beyond the standard-def trailer.

AMAZON: $14.99

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE: 40th Anniversary Edition

“Stomping, whomping, stealing, singing, tap-dancing, violating. Hooligan Alex (Malcolm McDowell) has a good time – at the tragic expense of others. His journey from amoral punk to brainwashed proper citizen and back again forms the dynamic arc of Stanley Kubrick’s future-shock vision of Anthony Burgess’ novel. Controversial when first released, A Clockwork Orange won New York Film Critics Best Picture and Director Awards and earned four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Its power still entices, shocks and holds us in its grasp. “

The individual release of the 40th Anniversary A Clockwork Orange Blu-ray is an upgrade from the 2007 edition in that it includes a couple of new HD bonus features, a second disc with excellent docs on Kubrick and lead actor Malcolm McDowell and a handsome digibook package. The only other difference from the old disc is that a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track takes the place of the earlier uncompressed LPCM mix. To my ear, however, they sound identical.

Special Features:

• Commentary by Malcolm McDowell and historian Nick Redman
• Malcolm McDowell Looks Back: Malcolm McDowell reflects on his experience working with legendary director Stanley Kubrick on one of the seminal films of the 1970s (new)
• Turning like Clockwork: the film’s ultra-violence and its cultural impact (new)
• Still Tickin’: The Return of Clockwork Orange
• Great Bolshy Yarblockos!: Making A Clockwork Orange
• Theatrical Trailer
• Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures: Kubrick’s career comes into sharp focus in this compelling documentary narrated by Tom Cruise. Fascinating footage glimpses Kubrick in his early years, at work on film sets and at home, augmented by candid commentary from collaborators, colleagues and family (new to Blu-ray)
• O Lucky Malcolm!: Documentary about the life and career of actor Malcolm McDowell produced and directed by Jan Harlan

AMAZON: $25.99

2. ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST

“Sergio Leone‘s monumental picture, here in its original form, ranks among his most admirable achievements. In the dying days of the Old West, a struggle to control water in a dusty desert town embroils three hard-bitten gunmen in a epic clash of greed, honor and revenge. Henry Fonda stars in his most sinister role as Frank, a hired killer who ruthlessly slays an entire family. Jason Robards plays Cheyenne, an infamous bandit framed for slaughter. And Charles Bronson is The Man, a mysterious loner determined to exact vengeance for a grudge he refuses to divulge. An influence on countless directors, Leone’s masterpiece is considered among the greatest Western’s ever made.“

On any other week, Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West would’ve been a shoe-in for the number one slot. This is a classic film, most would agree that it’s the director’s best, presented now in a gorgeous new Blu-ray edition from Paramount. Detail is astounding here, in a picture that offers greater depth than you’d expect from a film of its age. Colours are vivid and sun-ravaged and blacks imposing and deep. Slight print damage survives the digital restoration and some unobtrusive wobble is present but nothing that will distract from this otherwise excellent presentation. This is what a studio can do with a classic film when they really put their minds to it.

Paramount have included the original mono soundtrack for purists but you’ll want to check out the more dynamic, yet still tasteful, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. Subtle ambient effects inform the sonic environment without compromising the original sound design of the film. Excellent work.

Special features have been carried over from the previously available DVD edition of the film and are, for the most part, well worth a look. The most impressive feature of the disc, however, is the fact that the studio has included two different cuts of the film for your viewing pleasure – the original theatrical 165-minute version as well as the 166-minute restoration.

Highly recommended!!

Special Features:

• Feature Film: Restored Version
• Feature Film: Theatrical Version
• Commentary with contributions by directors John Carpenter, John Milius and Alex Cox, film historians Sir Christopher Frayling and Dr. Sheldon Hall, cast and crew
• An Opera of Violence
• The Wages of Sin
• Something to do with Death
• Railroad: Revolutionizing the West
• Locations Then & Now
• Production Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer

AMAZON: $15.99

3. TRUE BLOOD: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON

“The Maenadian reign of terror may be over, but Sookie Stackhouse and the townspeople of Bon Temps face a new calamity that makes the bacchanalian evils of Maryanne Forrester seem tame by comparison. In Season 3, Sookie desperately tries to locate her fiancé, ending up in a netherworld of human and undead interlopers, among them the powerful Vampire King of Mississippi, Russell Edgington. “

Oh my God, True Blood is addictive. I only just received the Complete Third Season boxed set the other day and have been blasting through its 12-episodes ever since. While I haven’t finished it yet, as of this writing, I have to say that I think it’s the most compelling season yet. But not always for the best reasons. Watching True Blood feels a lot like how I would imagine reading a dirty, yet well crafted romance novel would make one feel. I know I’ve been sucked into pulpy, low-class fare full of naked skin, spilled blood and creatures of the night but damn, I just can’t stop watching. And I don’t feel guilty about it, either. Much like the previous two seasons, the writing is strong and unpredictable, production design is pulpy, sweaty and dark and performances are solid across the board.

HBO and Warner deliver another fang-tastic Blu-ray transfer (sorry) with True Blood: The Complete Third Season. If you’ve seen the first two seasons on Blu, you know what I’m talking about. Blacks are deep and striking, colours are vivid and detail abounds. I did note some compression issues in the blacks but unless you’re watching an improperly calibrated LCD from off-centre, you’ll never notice. The sound track is beyond reproach, with every neck bite and howl to the moon perfectly reproduced in ambient, dynamic DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1.

This third season features the best collection of extras for the series to date, with every episode awarded its own picture-in-picture ‘Enhanced Viewing Experience‘ and short ‘Post Mortem‘ follow-up. There are 6 commentary tracks, an 11-minute “Anatomy of a Scene” breakdown, an interactive guide to the characters, previews, recaps and a music video.

AMAZON: $34.99

4. BIUTIFUL

“Academy Award® nominee Javier Bardem is Uxbal, a man on the wrong side of the law who struggles to provide for his children on the dangerous streets of Barcelona. As fate encircles him, Uxbal learns to accept the realities of life, whether bright, bad — or biutiful — in this unforgettable Academy Award®-nominated film from director Alejandro González Iñárritu (Amores Perros, 21 Grams and Babel). “

Finding this pre-summer weather a tad too cheery for your liking? Why not take it down a notch with the dour, depressing, yet quite outstanding Oscar nominated Biutiful? At over 2 1/2-hours long, this blow to your emotional core can be pretty tough to take but if you’re the type of film-goer who enjoys a challenge, and genuinely moving work from gifted filmmakers and performers, then this one might just win you over. The Blu-ray looks impressive, with beautiful photography captured in two different aspect ratios – 2.40:1 and 1.85:1, both exhibited on the Blu-ray. Deep blacks and lush colours are the highlights here. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio track is also impressive. There are over 20-minutes of the director’s video and audio “notes”, a 4-minute long look at the various talents of the crew and 8-minutes worth of interviews.

AMAZON: $22.99

5. AMERICAN GRAFFITI

“From director George Lucas (“Star Wars”) and producer Francis Ford Coppola (“The Godfather”), “American Graffiti” is a classic coming-of-age story set against the 1960s backdrop of hot rods, drive-ins and rock n’ roll. Starring Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips and Suzanne Somers in their breakout roles, this nostalgic look back follows a group of teenagers as they cruise the streets on their last summer night before college. Nominated for five Academy Awards(R), including Best Picture and Best Director, “American Graffiti” features the howling sounds of Wolfman Jack and an unforgettable soundtrack with songs by Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, The Beach Boys and Bill Haley & His Comets.“

Ok, don’t kill me, but I still haven’t seen George Lucas’ American Graffiti. I know, I know. What business do I have including it in the Top 10 list then? Well, I thought it’s a significant enough release of an important film that it should live somewhere around the middle. Now, I was dying to get my hands on this bad boy until I read early reviews of the disc which claim it suffers from an awful lot of edge enhancement. Why Universal can’t do right by their catalogue releases is a mystery to me. Special features are carried over from the DVD. A George Lucas U-Control Video Commentary and The Music of American Graffiti are new picture-in-picture features, created especially for the Blu-ray.

AMAZON: $19.99

6. RIO LOBO

“A classic action-filled John Wayne western is set into motion with a spectacular robbery of a Union pay train by Confederate guerrillas. The train’s colonel (Wayne) jails the enemy leaders but the three men later become friends when the war ends. Together they seek the Union traitors responsible for a string of Confederate train robberies, a mission that culminates in a rousing shoot-em up finale. “Rio Lobo” was the fifth collaboration over a 22-year period between John Wayne and the legendary director Howard Hawks.“

I’m certain that Paramount is unleashing a host of westerns on Blu-ray in anticipation of their big True Grit remake release coming up next week. Rio Lobo doesn’t receive the same kind of love that Once Upon a Time in the West gets from the studio, nor does it particularly deserve to. By that I mean it’s just not as much of a classic. It’s another John Wayne/Howard Hawks film that milks the tried and true cowboy formula perfected in movies like Rio Bravo and El Dorado. But does so with considerably less vigor. That’s not to say that Rio Lobo isn’t a good film. It’s just not as extraordinary and fun as previous Wayne/Hawks dusters.

The Blu-ray disc looks fine but far from exemplary. There’s no untoward use of digital tools here, unlike previous catalogue westerns from the studio, so the results are far more film-like. However, this isn’t the most detailed Blu-ray disc you’ll ever see, looking overall like it was minted from an older high-def transfer. There’s nothing wrong with it, per se, it’s just not going to knock your socks off. Soundtracks are offered in both DTS-HD Master Audio stereo and 24-bit 5.1 surround and sound more impressive than they deserve to. There are no bonus features of any kind on the disc.

AMAZON: $15.99

7. LEGEND

““Legend”, from director Ridley Scott (“Blade Runner”, “Gladiator”), is a visually stunning fantasy-adventure in which pure good and evil battle to the death amidst spectacular surroundings. Set in a timeless mythical forest inhabited by fairies, goblins, unicorns and mortals, this fantastic story stars Tom Cruise as a mystical forest dweller, chosen by fate, to undertake a heroic quest. He must save the beautiful Princess Lily (Mia Sara) and defeat the demonic Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry) or the world will be plunged into a never-ending ice age.“

Another Blu-ray disc I haven’t had the opportunity to screen this week but one I’m just itching to get my hands on. Despite its weaknesses, I’ve always been a big fan of Legend. I think it has a lot to do with a combination of the production design, Tim Curry’s badass portrayal of the villain, the Lord of Darkness and the impressionable age at which I first saw the film. Being from Canada, I grew up with the shorter cut of the film, with the Tangerine Dream synth score and only saw the longer “International Cut” with Jerry Goldsmith‘s music a few years ago on DVD. What a difference! Nevertheless, without the shorter cut and the rethink of the music, I never would have discovered Bryan Ferry (whose track ‘Is Your Love Strong Enough’ plays over the end credits in the US cut) and his band Roxy Music. For that, I’ll always be thankful.

AMAZON: $14.99

8. A MAN CALLED HORSE

“Richard Harris stars in this carefully documented epic that attempted to realistically portray the life of the American Sioux in the early 19th century. When an English lord is captured by a Sioux Indian tribe, he is given to the chief’s aging mother as a servant. Gradually, he embraces the tribe’s way of life and falls in love with the Chief’s sister. But before he can be accepted with honor as an equal member of the tribe, he must endure the Sun Vow – a savage ritual far beyond the realm of anything dreamed of in the civilized world. To recreate authentic Indian costumes for the film’s accuracy, the production designer met with real American Indians only to discover their notion of Indian clothing was based on the costumes designed by Hollywood studios.“

A Man Called Horse is surprisingly stunning on Blu-ray. I mean, the film – based on a story of the same name by Dorothy M. Johnson – is lovingly well-shot to begin with, sporting gorgeous colours and breathtaking vistas. The shock here is that without too much intrusion on Paramount’s part, the transfer to video has avoided being watered down in any way. It looks great! This is most likely not a brand new transfer but it certainly manages to remain eye-catching. The print is so clean here, you’d almost think this was the product of a costly restoration. Much like Rio Lobo, two audio tracks have been provided but you’ll want to try out the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 over the uncompressed stereo. It’s a bit more aggressive and fun to listen to. There are no bonus features on this disc.

AMAZON: $16.99

9. BIG JAKE

‘In this action-filled western, John Wayne stars as Big Jake McCandles, a husband who hasn’t seen his wife (Maureen O’Hara) in over 18 years. But he returns home after his grandson is kidnapped by a vicious outlaw gang. While the law gives chase in rickety automobiles, Jake saddles up with an Indian scout (Bruce Cabot) and a box of money – even though paying a ransom isn’t how Jake plans to exact good old frontier justice. Spiced with humor and first-class gunfights, this is a vivid depiction of the last days of the wild frontier. “Big Jake” was a family affair for John Wayne. His oldest son produced it and two other sons, Patrick and John Ethan, appear in it. The film also marks the second time Richard Boone and John Wayne worked together and the fifth time Wayne worked with Maureen O’Hara.”

Big Jake is a lesser version of The Searchers, produced fifteen years later by a far less celebrated director. Once again, the Duke finds himself on the trail of a kidnapped child but this time, the hunt takes only days instead of years, and the villains are thugs instead of a band of Comanche. On its own, the film is a fun ride and looks pretty decent on Blu but can’t hold a candle to its predecessor.

This appears to be another catalogue title from Paramount that hasn’t received any restoration but also hasn’t suffered the ugly hand of digital tampering. Luckily, the source appears in good health here, resulting in an image that’s colourful and rich, with a nice, overall film-like appearance. Again, Big Jake features a couple of solid audio tracks in the form of a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround track and one in lossless stereo. There are no extras on the disc.

AMAZON: $15.99

10. THE CAT O’ NINE TAILS

“When a simple robbery at a research institute leads to a series of brutal murders, a blind puzzle maker (Academy Award(r) winner Karl Malden of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE) and a tenacious reporter (James Franciscus of BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES) begin their own investigation of the crimes. With nine different clues to follow, they uncover a shocking web of twisted genetics and dark sexual secrets that will finally lead them to a shattering climax of violence and suspense.

Originally released in 1971, THE CAT O’NINE TAILS secured the international reputation of director Dario Argento as ‘The Italian Hitchcock.’ This is the definitive version of Argento’s masterful second film, presented completely uncut and uncensored in a brand-new High Definition transfer from its original camera negative!”

It’s another classic Argento on Blu from Blue Underground!! This time around, though, I’m a bit torn about the resulting quality of the new HD transfer. Taken on its own, it appears bright and film-like, with seemingly accurate colours and solid blacks. But the colour timing is vastly different from previous releases and, when viewed back to back, seems a bit blown out. There appears to be a loss of detail from cranked up whites, with colours maybe a bit hotter than they should be across the board. I’m no expert on this film and would love to hear from someone who has had more experience with it theatrically. But from what I can see, this transfer, while solid, appears to misrepresent Argento’s original intent where the photography is concerned.

The audio is DTS-HD Master 2.0 and is clean and clear throughout. BU also includes the original mono track in lossless audio. Special features include ‘Tales of the Cat‘ – 14-minutes worth of interviews with Argento, co-writer Dardano Sacchetti and composer Ennio Morricone, radio interviews, TV and radio spots and a couple of trailers.

AMAZON: $14.99

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:

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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.

READ MORE: Alien Anthology Blu-ray Boxed Set Officially Announced and Detailed

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I don’t know if I should be excited or upset about this but it looks like Universal is planning on releasing Ridley Scott‘s visually arresting, narrative-challenged 1985 film, Legend on Blu-ray. Amazon has posted a listing for the disc as well as the (truly garish, floating-heads) cover art, which you can see below, claiming that it will be released on May 31st. No further details are available and the studio hasn’t made a peep about the disc as yet, which doesn’t bode well for the transfer, if you ask me.

With a few notable exceptions, Universal has been dumping their catalogue titles to Blu with pretty lackluster image quality (Spartacus, anyone?), seemingly dusting off old masters to make a quick buck and I’m afraid that’s what we’ll see here. The Amazon listing states, however, that this release of Legend will be an “Ultimate Edition” so I’m assuming we can expect to see most of the DVD features ported over. Whether or not the U.S. version of the film, confirmed for inclusion in this release by the cover art, will be in HD remains to be seen.

(UPDATE: From the MSR price point quoted on Amazon, I would guess that this will be a single BD50 disc, therefore making the inclusion of an additional 90-minute film in HD, on top of the 114-minute HD feature-plus-extras a highly unlikely proposition. Ideally, this would be a 2-disc presentation, like the previously issued DVD, giving both versions of the film room to breathe but I don’t see that happening here.)

I’ll keep on top of this and give you an update as soon as the studio makes their official announcement.

(UPDATE 2: Well, will you look at that. Mere hours after publishing this post online, Universal officially announced Legend for release on Blu-ray on May 31st. I’ve updated the special features list and audio details but as you’ll see below, the Blu-ray will mimic the DVD in almost every way.)

LEGEND (1985)
(May 31, 2011 – MSRP $26.98)
Video: 1080P Widescreen
Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD MA

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Theatrical & Director’s Cut Versions
• 1080P Widescreen
• English 5.1 DTS-HD MA
• English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles
• Isolated Music Score by Tangerine Dream (Theatrical Cut only)
• Feature Commentary With Ridley Scott (Director’s Cut only)
• Lost Scenes
• Creating A Myth: The Making Of Legend
• Bryan Ferry “Is Your Love Strong Enough”
• Theatrical Trailers
• TV Spots
• Photo Gallery
• BD-Live / My Scenes / Pocket BLU App

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Weeks like this kind of tear me up inside. You see, I’m often torn between whether to present a Top 5 list that represents my personal feelings about the Blu-ray discs being released or whether to outline the most popular new titles of the week. I know…first-world problems. Anyway, as usual, I’ve followed my own passions and assembled this weeks list based on the films that excite me the most. As a result, it’s four-fifths catalogue releases, with potentially popular recent Hollywood fliks like the I Spit on your Grave remake, Paranormal Activity 2 and the rom-com, Life as We Know It not making the cut.

As always, clicking the Blu-ray package art will zip you over to Amazon where every purchase made 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. AMARCORD

Any week that brings another Fellini film to Blu-ray is a pretty good week. And you just know that any Fellini film released on Blu-ray by The Criterion Collection is a worthwhile purchase, sight unseen. Amarcord is no exception.

“This carnivalesque portrait of provincial Italy during the fascist period, the most personal film from Federico Fellini, satirizes the director’s youth and turns daily life into a circus of social rituals, adolescent desires, male fantasies, and political subterfuge, all set to Nina Rota’s classic, nostalgia-tinged score. The Academy Award–winning Amarcord remains one of cinema’s enduring treasures.”

For those who don’t already own Amarcord on DVD this new Blu-ray edition should be a blind-buy. You won’t regret it. Those with the DVD already in your collection will find this a beautiful upgrade, with richer colours and more detail. Gone are the digital artifacts of standard-def, replaced here with a beautiful film-like grain structure. The original Italian audio is presented in a full, resonant lossless track. Special features are carried over from the previous DVD edition and are, as you’d expect from Criterion, fantastic.

Highly recommended!

Special Features:

• All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer
• Audio commentary by film scholars Peter Brunette and Frank Burke
• American release trailer
• Deleted scene
• Optional English-dubbed soundtrack
• New and improved English subtitle translation
• New 45-minute documentary, Fellini’s Homecoming, on the complicated relationship between the celebrated director, his hometown, and his past
• Video interview with star Magali Noël
• Fellini’s drawings of characters in the film
• “Felliniana,” a presentation of ephemera devoted to Amarcord from the collection of Don Young
• Audio interviews with Fellini, his friends, and family by Gideon Bachmann
• New restoration demonstration
• PLUS: A book featuring a new essay by scholar Sam Rohdie, author of Fellini Lexicon, and the full text of Fellini’s 1967 essay, “My Rimini"

AMAZON: $27.99

2. STILL WALKING

It’s another two-Criterion Blu-ray week to break the bank! The second title is one of the premiere Japanese films to be released in 2008, directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda (After Life, Air Doll).

“The lyrical, profoundly moving Still Walking (Aruitemo aruitemo) is contemporary Japanese master Hirokazu Kore-eda’s most personal work to date. Created as a tribute to his late mother, the film depicts one day in the life of the Yokoyamas, gathered together for a commemorative ritual whose nature only gradually becomes clear. Rather than focus on big dramatic moments, Kore-eda relies on simple gestures and domestic routines (especially cooking) to evoke a family’s entire life, its deep regrets and its daily joys. Featuring vivid, heartrending performances and a gentle naturalism that harks back to the director’s earlier, documentary work, Still Walking is an extraordinary portrayal of the ties that bind us.”

Special Features:

• New high-definition digital transfer, approved by director Hirokazu Kore-eda and director of photography Yutaka Yamazaki (with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
• New video interviews with Kore-eda and Yamazaki
• Making “Still Walking”
• Trailer
• New and improved English subtitle translation
• PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film critic Dennis Lim and recipes for the food prepared in the film

AMAZON: $27.99

3. TAMARA DREWE

Tamara Drewe is an odd duck. Both the character and the film. It’s an adaptation of the comic book by Posy Simmonds, which, in turn is something of an adaptation of Thomas Hardy‘s nineteenth century novel Far from the Madding Crowd. Having not read either book, I entered into the film version with only my expectation of seeing new work by Stephen Frears (Dangerous Liaisons, The Queen) and all that entails. Well, this is like no Frears film I’ve ever seen. It is witty but plays very much like a soap-opera, with selfish, deceitful characters who are difficult to empathize with. When the credits rolled, I felt like I had just sat through a new episode of Coronation Street, or something of its ilk. But I have to admit, it stuck with me. The more I think back on Tamara Drewe, the more affection I have for this strange little country film, with it’s collection of quirky, needy, duplicitous characters. I have a feeling that this is a Blu-ray disc that’ll see a few more spins in my player.

As we’ve all come to expect from Sony, the Blu-ray disc looks spectacular. This studio can do no wrong, when it comes to transfers these days. It’s a crisp, clean, bright image that’s a pleasure to look at from beginning to end. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 is no slouch either, but given the conversational nature of the film, there are few bells and whistles to impress here. Stars Gemma Arterton and Luke Evans provide a fun, if not lite commentary track and there are a couple of decent, short featurettes.

AMAZON: $26.99

4. THELMA & LOUISE: 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

“Directed by action master Ridley Scott (Hannibal, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down) from an Oscar-winning screenplay by Callie Khouri, Thelma & Louise is an “exhilarating” (The Washington Post), full-throttle adventure hailed as one of the best road movies of all time! Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis star as accidental outlaws on a desperate flight across the Southwest after a tragic incident at a roadside bar. With a determined detective (Harvey Keitel) on their trail, a sweet-talking hitchhiker (Brad Pitt) in their path and a string of crimes in their wake, their journey alternates between hilarious, high-speed thrill ride and empowering personal odyssey even as the law closes in.”

I love the films of Ridley Scott but couldn’t bring myself to see Thelma & Louise when it was released. I’m older now, and somewhat wiser, but still haven’t seen the film. Much like my recent experience with the Dances with Wolves: 20th Anniversary disc, I’m looking forward to discovering a gem on this new Blu-ray release.

AMAZON: $13.99

5. UNCLE BUCK

It’s John Candy starring in one of his finest, funniest rolls! Uncle Buck is one the great John Hughes films of the 80s and if you haven’t seen it you really owe it to yourself to hunker down with a big bowl of popcorn and dig in (to both the corn and the flik). I haven’t seen the disc itself but, c’mon, it’s only ten bucks on Amazon. Can’t really lose with this one!

AMAZON: $9.99

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:

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• Criterion announces February Blu-ray titles: Senso, Sweet Smell of Success, Fish Tank, Still Walking, Amarcord, The Double Life of Véronique (1)
• [UPDATED] Taxi Driver Blu-ray announced, includes Criterion commentary track (1)
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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.

READ MORE: Criterion Collection America Lost and Found: The BBS Story Blu-ray set contains Easy Rider, Last Picture Show, Five Easy Pieces

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!!

READ MORE: Alien Anthology Blu-ray Boxed Set Officially Announced and Detailed

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.)

READ MORE: The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray officially announced and detailed

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.

READ MORE: New Harry Potter: Ultimate Edition Blu-ray sets announced for Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire

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!

READ MORE: Back To The Future Trilogy Blu-ray Boxed Set Officially Announced

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.

READ MORE: Robocop Trilogy Blu-ray Disc Review

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.

READ MORE: Goonies: Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray coming in November

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…

READ MORE: Apocalypse Now, Hearts of Darkness doc coming to Blu-ray

AMAZON: $37.99

MORE GIFT IDEAS:

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

Related posts

• Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of November 23 (1)
• Criterion Collection America Lost and Found: The BBS Story Blu-ray set contains Easy Rider, Last Picture Show, Five Easy Pieces (3)
• [VIDEO] Fox Blu-ray Demo features Alien Anthology, Sound of Music, Moulin Rouge and more! (1)
• [VIDEO] The Sound of Music (45th Anniversary Edition) Blu-ray Trailer (3)
• Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of November 2 (1)

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.

Related posts

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• [VIDEO] Fox Blu-ray Demo features Alien Anthology, Sound of Music, Moulin Rouge and more! (1)
• [VIDEO] Alien Anthology Blu-ray Trailer (2)
• [VIDEO] Alien Anthology Blu-ray Teaser (4)
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Just a bit of fun from our friends at Fox as we approach Halloween!

There are a lot of great films showcased in the trailer above – many of which can be grabbed up at discount prices. Here’s a list of current Amazon deals: