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'Nanook of the North / The Wedding of Palo' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]A collection of extraordinary Eskimo films is getting the Blu-ray treatment in February. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay is working on 'Nanook of the North / The Wedding of Palo' for Blu-ray on February 26. Robert Flaherty made this wonderful film of Eskimo (Inuit) life following six years as an Arctic explorer for the Canadian Northern Railway. During journeys often lasting months at a time with only one or two Inuit as companions, he developed a deep regard for these indigenous people and after two unsuccessful filming attempts, Flaherty seized upon the idea of structuring his movie around characters who reenacted episodes of their lives and participated in the shaping of the film. He was not trained as an anthropologist, but Flaherty wisely guides our discovery of the people and their activities, and ninety years later, Nanook remains as completely engaging as it was in 1922, a huge influence on many ethnographic films that followed. This edition is mastered in high definition at the visually correct speed from the painstaking 35mm restoration of 1972, with a lovely orchestral score composed, compiled and conducted by Timothy Brock. Selected for the National Film Registry, 1989. 'The Wedding of Palo' ('Palos Brudefaerd') (1934), Nanook's obvious successor, is the last beautiful work of the famed Danish polar explorer and anthropologist Dr. Knud Rasmussen. Filmed in sound with an Inuit cast from the Angmagssalik district of east Greenland, Palo, like Nanook, documents a vanished lifestyle and uses Flaherty s device of an appealing narrative; in this case, a story of two men who desire the same woman as wife. It is mastered in high definition and digitally restored from an original 35mm nitrate print in the collection of George Eastman House. Specs have yet to be revealed, but Nanook Revisited (Saumialuk) by Claude Massot, made in the same locations used by Flaherty, shows how Inuit life changed in the intervening decades (it s not that different from ours), how Flaherty consciously depicted a culture which was then already vanishing, and how Nanook is used today to teach the Inuit their heritage. Nanook Revisited was produced in 1988 on standard definition video for French television; Houses of the Arctic (1928) is the igloo-building sequence of Nanook re-edited and re-titled as an educational film; Arctic Hunt (1913) and extended excerpts from Primitive Love (1927) are by Arctic explorer Frank E. Kleinschmidt; and Eskimo Hunters of Northwest Alaska (1949) by Louis de Rochemont shows many activities seen in Nanook thirty years after, and Face of the High Arctic (1959) depicts the ecology of the region. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $44.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Nanook of the North / The Wedding of Palo' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 26.Posted Wed Jan 9, 2013 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
Sony Ups the Ante with a 56 Inch OLED UHDTV[teaser]Two new types of TVs are about to be battling for consumer attention, and Sony's combined them. [/teaser] There are two paths that early adopters will be able to take this year when picking out a fancy new television – OLED and 4K. Up until now, they've been separate options, but Sony has changed that with the reveal of a 56 inch OLED UHDTV. Sony says that they had to overcome several issues before they were able to make this new set, but that they were able to take them on in the creation of their prototype. The big question at this point isn't whether UHD OLEDs can be done, but how much money they're going to cost. Sony has no pricing info or release plans as of yet, as this is just a prototype. A lot changes in a year though, so we have high hopes that we'll see something released before the next CES rolls around. Source: EngadgetPosted Tue Jan 8, 2013 at 12:31 PM PST by: -
'All Superheroes Must Die' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]The superhero flick from writer/director Jason Trost ('The FP') hits Blu-ray at the end of the month! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Image Entertainment has slated 'All Superheroes Must Die' for Blu-ray on January 29. 'All Superheroes Must Die' follows four masked avengers – Charge (Jason Trost), Cutthroat (Lucas Till), The Wall (Lee Valmassy) and Shadow (Sophie Merkley) -- who find themselves stripped of their powers by their arch-nemesis (James Remar), whom they defeated years earlier … or so they thought. When the sinister mastermind puts the heroes through a series of brutal challenges that are virtually impossible to overcome, they must battle the clock – and even each other – in a race to stop a deadly countdown that could mean total destruction. Will the superheroes prevail, or will they be forced to meet their demise as mere human beings? The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and there don't appear to be any supplements for this release. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.97. You can find the latest specs for 'All Superheroes Must Die' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's now indexed under January 29.Posted Tue Jan 8, 2013 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
Samsung Shows an 85 Inch UHDTV with a Unique New Stand[teaser]The strange TV stand may be the new shape Samsung was talking up. It's a little lame, but the TV that sits on it sure isn't. [/teaser] When we heard about Samsung bringing an "unprecedented new shape" to TVs we were skeptical, but definitely interested. The reveal of their 85 inch UHDTV may be what they were talking about, and it's pretty disappointing. The set features a unique stand that, well, someone has to like. It's definitely not the kind of thing that's going to sit well with everyone. Of course, there's more to the set than just an oddball stand. The new S9 UHDTV boasts 2.2 channel audio with 120 watt sound so you'll get a better audio experience than you would through a normal TV. We're going to go ahead and assume that if you're shelling out for this thing, you can afford some speakers, but it's nice to have. You'll also find a screen equipped with Precision Black Pro tech and a fully LED backlit screen that utilizes hundreds of blocks of LEDs. Samsung hasn't released information on pricing or timing, but they do say that they have even larger UHD sets in the works. Source: EngadgetPosted Tue Jan 8, 2013 at 10:30 AM PST by: -
'Nature Calls' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]The adventure comedy will hit Blu-ray in a few weeks. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Magnolia says 'Nature Calls' is coming to Blu-ray on January 22. Determined to honor his father’s scouting legacy and mount one last comeback for his dwindling troop, Assistant Scoutmaster Randy Stevens (Patton Oswalt) pays a visit to his business-minded brother Kirk (Johnny Knoxville), who is throwing a television-themed slumber party for his newly adopted 10-year-old son at his McMansion. Randy pressures the boys to secretly ditch the party and join him on a weekend scout trip. Pursued by Kirk and his security guard (Rob Riggle), the adventure lands the crew in trouble at every turn, pits them against angry parents and park rangers, yet ultimately turns the group of sheltered kids into a troop to be reckoned with. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements will include an audio commentary, theatrical trailer, and a featurette. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Nature Calls' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 22.Posted Tue Jan 8, 2013 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
Netflix Gets Rights to New Shows from Warner[teaser]According to the deal, Netflix gets rights to eight different shows, including those not yet airing. [/teaser] One of the big reasons that people trend towards Netflix is the ability to catch up on shows they've missed, or to sit back and power through an entire season of a show in a day – essential when you're sick. Netflix knows where their bread is buttered and has made it a point to secure more Shows covered in the deal include the upcoming J.J. Abrahms drama "Revolution," the USA network miniseries "Political Animals," and ABC's "666 Park Avenue." It's not clear just how soon episodes will be available, but they'll definitely be coming quicker than they have in the past. From the quotes, it sounds like some may even be next-day. "SVOD has become an important window for our serialized dramas, allowing viewers a chance to discover a series that before might have been intimidating to tune into mid-run," says Warner Bros. president Bruce Rosenblum. "We continue to adapt our business models to include SVOD when it makes sense for the long-term value of each show and are thrilled to have Netflix as one of our distribution partners." Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Tue Jan 8, 2013 at 09:15 AM PST by: -
HBO and Universal Renew Pay Window Deal Until 2022[teaser]Streaming services may be popular, but Universal is sticking with the traditional approach. [/teaser] HBO has had rights to Universal's movies during the pay TV window – that's the point between Blu-ray release and the point that the movie is able to be put on TV – for some time now. Earlier this week, the company confirmed that this is going to keep on going. The deal now extends to 2022. "With HBO’s far-reaching network of premium services, ranging from the traditional in-home experience to its mobile applications, we are pleased to continue this relationship," says Universal chairman Rick Finkelstein. "With our upcoming slate of films, HBO will continue to offer outstanding film content to their already vast library of movies, specials and award-winning original programming." Source: New York PostPosted Tue Jan 8, 2013 at 09:00 AM PST by: -
'Shadow People' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The supernatural thriller from the producer of 'The Devil's Rejects' and 'Capote' is bound for Blu-ray in March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay is working on 'Shadow People' for Blu-ray on March 19. Back in the 1970s several patients in an experimental sleep study reported seeing shadowy intruders. These patients - and hundreds of others - died in their sleep soon after. Doctors called the phenomenon 'Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome'. They refused to discuss the shadows. Now a struggling late-night radio host (Dallas Roberts of 'The Grey' and "Rubicon") and a skeptical CDC investigator (Alison Eastwood) have begun researching a disturbing new outbreak of shadow sightings and sleep fatalities. Could this be a case of paranoid hallucination or are these victims literally being scared to death by actual nightmare creatures? Anne Dudek ("Covert Affairs" "House M.D.") and Mariah Bonner ('The Social Network') co-star in this supernatural thriller based on true events documenting the authentic existence of 'Shadow People.' Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.97. You can find the latest specs for 'Shadow People' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 19.Posted Tue Jan 8, 2013 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
Panasonic Opts to Stick with HD Sets Under 70 Inches[teaser]The company has decided to pass on the UHDTV trend for now. [/teaser] While a good chunk of television makers have decided to start pushing ultra high definition sets, Panasonic has decided to stick with the kinds of sets that got them to where they are now. They're bringing Plasmas and LCDs, primarily of the 1080p variety. Panasonic's new plasmas max out at 65 inches, while their largest LCD is 55 inches. They don't measure up to the 80-plus inch UHDs, but they definitely win out in terms of practicality. Your average consumer might actually pay for one of these. Just because they're sticking with HD doesn't mean there's nothing new from Panasonic. The company has upgraded Swipe & Share to make smartphone and tablet interaction even easier, and they've added voice controls through a remote or your phone. They've also created the Touch Pen, which allows you to write on the screen Madden style. Source: EngadgetPosted Tue Jan 8, 2013 at 07:00 AM PST by: -
Blu-ray Highlights for January 8th, 2013This week's Blu-ray release slate brings us a bunch of movies that either underperformed or outright bombed at the box office last year. Some of these are just plain junk, but a few might be worth your attention anyway. Check out our rundown of the week's new titles in the blog today.Posted Tue Jan 8, 2013 at 07:00 AM PST by:
