Posted Tue Mar 12, 2013 at 08:00 AM PDT by Tom Landy
Two boxed sets of fantastic gangster films will be packing heat on Blu-ray this May!
In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers has slated 'The Ultimate Gangsters Collection Contemporary' and 'The Ultimate Gangsters Collection Classic' for Blu-ray on May 21.
The Contemporary Collection is a 5-disc set with five crime films that include Martin Scorsese’s 'GoodFellas,' 'The Departed' and 'Mean Streets;' 'Heat,' starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer; and Paramount’s 'The Untouchables' with Kevin Costner, De Niro and Sean Connery.
The four films in the Classic Collection have been remastered for their Blu-ray debuts. They include 'The Public Enemy' and 'White Heat' with the legendary performances of James Cagney; 'Little Caesar' with Edward G. Robinson as hoodlum Rico Bandello; and 'The Petrified Forest' starring Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis and Leslie Howard. The collection includes a feature-length documentary Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Drama which explores the development of the crime genre and the rise of Warner stars like Cagney, Bogart and Robinson. Also discussed are directors such as Walsh, Wellman and Curtiz; the films themselves; their influence on filmmakers worldwide; and Warner’s impact in establishing the genre.
These two collections are being released in tribute to the films that remain a cornerstone in the legacy of Warner Bros. Major Hollywood studios in the ‘30s and ‘40s were each known for their distinctive styles (MGM for its musicals, Universal for its horror films, etc.). Warner Bros. was best known for firmly establishing the genre which contained socially conscious themes and a simple visual look (low key lighting and sparse sets). Nowhere were these elements more prominent than in the films featured in the Classic Edition, with the Contemporary Edition showing how a new generation of crime drama has been established.
Both Ultimate Gangster Collection: Classic and Ultimate Gangster Collection: Contemporary will include 32-page booklets with images and additional information about each film. Each of the two Collections will be offered at $49.99 SRP. The titles in the Classic Collection will be available individually as well. Each single will sell for $19.98 SRP.
You can find the latest specs for 'The Ultimate Gangsters Collection Contemporary' and 'The Ultimate Gangsters Collection Classic' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under May 21.
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