-
'Sunset Boulevard' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]Billy Wilder's classic 1950 film-noir receiving the Blu-ray treatment in November has now been fully detailed. [/teaser] As previously reported, Paramount is preparing to release 'Sunset Boulevard' on Blu-ray on November 6. A fitting release to continue Paramount’s centennial celebration, Billy Wilder’s seminal classic continues to enthrall audiences with its bizarre and tragic tale of Hollywood’s dark side. Nominated for 11 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture, and winner for Best Writing, Best Art Direction and Best Music, 'Sunset Boulevard' was named by the American Film Institute as #12 on its list of the Greatest American Movies. William Holden, as a struggling young screenwriter, and Gloria Swanson, as an aging silent film queen, created two of the screen’s most memorable characters, delivering unforgettable performances amidst the dramatic light and shadow of John Seitz’s evocative cinematography. Not only a cinematic masterpiece, 'Sunset Boulevard' also captures some extraordinary moments in Hollywood history, including Cecil B. DeMille on the set of Samson and Delilah, which was erected in a soundstage still in use on the Paramount lot. Director Erich von Stroheim, who had directed Swanson previously in real life, appears as Norma Desmond’s butler and former director. Various notable figures make appearances in the film as themselves, including actors Buster Keaton, Hedda Hopper, Anna Q. Nilsson and H.B. Warner. And, of course, there are the iconic images of Hollywood itself, including the well-known shot of Paramount’s legendary gates. The main objective of the restoration effort was to remain faithful to the distinctive look created by the director and cinematographer.Stark shadows and darkness occasionally cut by the bright light of a film projector are themselves essential in telling the disturbing story of madness and obsession. The restoration team secured a vintage print made at the time of release from the Library of Congress to view and study the tones and extensively researched documentation from the production to accurately present the director’s original vision. Although none of the original nitrate materials survive, the restoration team conducted a worldwide search for the earliest generation elements, ultimately using an acetate 35mm duplicate negative as a primary source for scanning at 4K to create the highest picture quality possible. In addition, work done on the film’s original mono soundtrack back in 2001-2002 was expanded upon. As with the picture, no original sound materials survive, but a variety of source elements were analyzed, transferred, digitally cleaned and incorporated into the final restoration – including optical soundtrack negatives, music and effects tracks and partial music master materials. The 'Sunset Boulevard' Blu-ray boasts over two hours of in-depth bonus material that sheds light on the film, its origins and its path to becoming a classic. With featurettes on stars Gloria Swanson and William Holden, a look at renowned costume designer Edith Head, an exploration of the Paramount lot of the 50s, a Hollywood location map and much, much, more, the Blu-ray offers a comprehensive guide to this enduring cinematic treasure. In addition, the Blu-ray features a never-before-released deleted scene entitled “The Paramount-Don’t-Want-Me Blues”, which was obtained from the Academy Film Archive and features Academy Award-winning songwriters Jay Livingston and Ray Evans performing a comedic song that was cut for fear of being too Hollywood insider in 1950. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $26.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Sunset Boulevard' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 6.Posted Fri Aug 17, 2012 at 11:35 AM PDT by: -
Genelec Launches a Speaker Angle Configuation App for iOS[teaser]The app finds the exact right angles for your speakers, eliminating the guess work. [/teaser] Some people are content to set up their speakers once, assume everything’s fine and just kick back and enjoy. Others of us are tweakers – the type of people who keep making tiny adjustments to find the exact right placement. Genelec has released an app called SpeakerAngle to help out with that. The app works simply. Select your setup and then place the phone on top of the speaker you want to align. SpeakerAngle will tell you how far to turn the speaker and stop you when you’ve reached the right point. There’s also an included tutorial to make sure you’re getting it just right. You can pick up the app on iTunes at a price of $0.99.Posted Fri Aug 17, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
'Weekend (1957)' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]Jean-Luc Godard's 1967 satire is in the works for Blu-ray this November. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion says 'Weekend (1957)' is coming to Blu-ray on November 13. This scathing late-sixties satire from Jean-Luc Godard is one of cinema’s great anarchic works. Determined to collect an inheritance from a dying relative, a bourgeois couple travel across the French countryside while civilization crashes and burns around them. The Blu-ray will feature a 1080p digital transfer, a uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements include: New video essay by film critic Kent Jones; Archival interviews with actors Mireille Darc and Jean Yanne and assistant director Claude Miller; Excerpt from a French television program on director Jean-Luc Godard, featuring on-set footage of Weekend shot by filmmaker Philippe Garrel; Trailers; and a booklet featuring an essay by critic and novelist Gary Indiana. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Weekend (1957)' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 13.Posted Fri Aug 17, 2012 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Rumor: Coinstar is Negotiating a Buyout[teaser]According to sources of The Post, the negotiations with a private equity firm are getting pretty serious. [/teaser] Redbox has been doing incredibly well since it first launched, and the upcoming streaming partnership with Verizon has people excited – particularly one private equity firm that may end up buying the company. According to The Post, the folks at Coinstar are in serious talks with a private equity firm. This doesn’t mean they’ll be selling necessarily, but it’s an indicator that the possibility is there. Of course, if the firm doesn’t end up picking up Coinstar, there are a few companies who would certainly benefit from the acquisition. Just as with Hulu and Netflix sales rumors, analysts are calling for Amazon to pick up the company. Source: New York PostPosted Fri Aug 17, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Navigator' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]The 1924 Buster Keaton silent comedy classic heads to Blu-ray in September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Kino is working on 'The Navigator' for Blu-ray on September 4. Brilliantly exemplifying Buster Keaton's ability to mime rich humor from the inanimate, 'The Navigator' is a classic of the Golden Age of Comedy, centered on and about a single extraordinary prop: an immense five hundred-foot yacht. In a return to the ''pampered youth'' role he had played in 'The Saphead' (and would return to in 'Battling Butler'), Keaton stars as Rollo Treadway, an inexperienced lad of extraordinary wealth -- and surprisingly little common sense -- who finds himself adrift on ''The Navigator'' with no one else on board except an equally naive girl (Kathryn McGuire). After discovering each other's presence in an ingenious ballet of unintentional hide-and-seek, the couple resourcefully fashion a home for themselves aboard the derelict boat, in spite of their unfamiliarity with the tools of domesticity. They then embark on a series of misadventures on the ocean floor (where Rollo in a diving suit must parry the attacks of an aggressive swordfish) and upon the high seas, surrounded by a fleet of menacing cannibals, where the film reaches its explosively funny climax, with the aid of a crate of rocket flares. Beatifully remastered from new HD material. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include a featurette, written by film historian Bruce Lawton, about the making of the film and Keaton's fascination with boats as sources of comedy; an audio commentary by silent film historians Robert Arkus and Yair Solan; a photo gallery; and audio of a 1913 recording of "Asleep in the Deep", a popular song of the period referenced in the film. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.95. You can find the latest specs for 'The Navigator' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 4.Posted Fri Aug 17, 2012 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Heaven's Gate' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]Michael Cimino's epic (and legendary) 1980 western starring Kris Kristofferson rides to Blu-ray this winter. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion is preparing 'Heaven's Gate' for Blu-ray on November 20. A visionary critique of American expansionism, Heaven’s Gate, directed by Oscar winner Michael Cimino, is among Hollywood’s most ambitious and unorthodox epics. The 2-Disc Blu-ray set will feature a 1080p digital transfer, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: New illustrated audio interview with Cimino and producer Joann Carelli; New interviews with actor Kris Kristofferson, soundtrack arranger and performer David Mansfield, and second assistant director Michael Stevenson; The Johnson County War, a video interview with historian Bill O'Neal about the real-life conflict that inspired the film, and its resonance in popular culture; Trailer and TV spots; and a booklet featuring an essay by critic and programmer Giulia D'Agnolo Vallan. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $49.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Heaven's Gate' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 20.Posted Fri Aug 17, 2012 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'A Cat in Paris' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The acclaimed French animated film is getting the Blu-ray treatment in October. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, New Video Group is preparing 'A Cat in Paris' for Blu-ray on October 9. The Academy Award-nominated 'A Cat in Paris' is a beautifully hand-drawn caper set in the shadow-drenched alleyways of Paris. Dino is a cat that leads a double life. By day he lives with Zoe, a little girl whose mother is a detective in the Parisian police force. But at night Dino sneaks out the window to work with Nico a slinky cat burglar with a big heart, whose fluid movements are poetry in motion as he evades captors and slips and swishes from rooftop to rooftop across the Paris skyline. 'A Cat in Paris' is a delightful animated adventure perfect for both adults and children a witty and stylish "animated noir" with a jazzy soundtrack featuring Billie Holiday and a thrilling climax on top of Notre Dame cathedral. Specs have yet to be detailed, but supplements for the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack will include: "The Many Lives of a Cat" Video Flipbook; "Extinction of the Sabre-Toothed Housecat" Bonus Short Film; Alternate Original French Audio Track with English Subtitles; U.S. Trailer; and The Secret of Kells U.S. Trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.95. You can find the latest specs for 'A Cat in Paris' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 9.Posted Thu Aug 16, 2012 at 04:05 PM PDT by: -
'Bigfoot' and 'Shark Week' Blu-rays Announced[teaser]From the studio that brought you 'Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus' and 'Zombie Apocalypse' come two new action-thrillers in August. [/teaser] Two of TV’s most beloved child actors, Danny Bonaduce ("The Partridge Family") and Barry Williams ("The Brady Bunch") unite, assisted by Sherilyn Fenn ('Rude Awakening,' "Boston Public"), to make it through Bigfoot’s startling appearance at a music festival in North Dakota in 'Bigfoot.' And see who survives the shark-infested waters of an isolated island run by a rich madman, played by Patrick Bergin ('Patriot Games') in 'Shark Week.' Both projects successfully debuted on Syfy earlier this summer. Pick up a copy of these hits on Blu-ray™ or DVD for bonus features including a behind-the-scenes featurette “The Making of Bigfoot” and “The Making of Shark Week,” respectively. The films will be available on Blu-ray for $14.95 SRP. You can find the latest specs for 'Bigfoot' and 'Shark Week' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under August 14 and August 28.Posted Thu Aug 16, 2012 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
The TiVo Premiere 4 Offers Four Tuners and 500GB Storage[teaser]The new DVR comes in at $249 with a $14.99/mo commitment. [/teaser] TiVo has launched a new DVR that fits somewhere in the middle of its line, allowing you to get the four tuner experience without having to break the bank on the high-end XL4. It comes in at $249 with a one year commitment at $14.99 a month. The Premiere 4 is ready for future whole-house setups thanks to the inclusion of MoCA, and you’ll find two USB 2.0 ports, one eSATA port and an Ethernet input as well. There’s 500GB of recording space in the Premiere 4, which gives you around 75 hours worth of HD recording. You’re not going to be storing seasons of shows, but it’s a decent chunk of storage. The TiVo Premiere 4 is available now through TiVo or Best Buy Magnolia. Source: EngadgetPosted Thu Aug 16, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
'Goats' Blu-ray Announced and Detailed[teaser]The witty comedy based on a novel by Mark Jude Poirier arrives on Blu-ray in September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Image Entertainment has slated 'Goats' for Blu-ray on September 11. 'Goats' is a poignant and hilarious film that reverses the coming of age formula, creating a beautifully honest portrayal of life with its rough edges, awkward moments and non-endings. Starring Golden Globe® winner David Duchovny (“The X-Files”, “Californication”), Oscar® nominated actress Vera Farmiga ('The Departed,' 'Up in the Air'), Emmy winner Ty Burrell (“Modern Family”), Golden Globe® winner Keri Russell (“Felicity”), Golden Globe nominee Justin Kirk (“Weeds”) and Graham Phillips (“The Good Wife”) in a breakout role. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Moments: The Making of GOATS, The Mailman’s Lament, Home Movies, Deleted Scenes, and Trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Goats' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's now indexed under September 11.Posted Thu Aug 16, 2012 at 10:00 AM PDT by:
