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Blu-rays Coming to All Redbox Kiosks by Fall[teaser]That’s a total of 23,000 kiosks, all stocking Blu-ray discs. Finally. [/teaser] For the last year or so, we've been reporting on Redbox Blu-ray availability, but there's been very little in the way of official word – it's all been speculation, rumor, and observation. Finally Redbox CEO Mitch Lowe has come out and let us know what's going on. Redbox is making the big Blu-ray push starting today. 13,300 kiosks should have them today, with the full 23,000 all sporting Blu-ray options by this fall. "Offering Blu-ray rentals is an exciting opportunity for Redbox," says Lowe. Selection will be a bit limited at first, since Blu-rays will have to compete with DVDs for the 630 disc space inside the machines. Among the Blu-ray launch titles are films like 'The Book of Eli,' 'Brooklyn's Finest' and 'Green Zone.' Source: PR NewswirePosted Tue Aug 3, 2010 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
'A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)' Blu-ray Box Art Revealed[teaser]Check out the packaging for the 2010 horror reboot hitting Blu-ray this October! [/teaser] As previously reported, Warner Brothers has announced the remake of Wes Craven's 'A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)' starring Jackie Earle Haley for the high-definition treatment on October 5. The 'original 1984 version' is already available on Blu-ray. Specs still have yet to be revealed, but the only supplement shared with the DVD release will be a featurette: Freddy Krueger Reborn. Exclusive to the Blu-ray will be Warner's Maniacal Movie Mode, alternate opening, alternate ending, and deleted scene, plus the release will be available in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. Here's a peek at the packaging: Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 5.Posted Tue Aug 3, 2010 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'StarCrash' Blu-ray Dated & Detailed[teaser]Another Roger Corman Cult Classic will be crashing onto the Blu-ray format this September![/teaser] Shout Factory will be bringing Luigi Cozzi's 'StarCrash' starring Joe Spinell, Caroline Munro, and Marjoe Gortner to Blu-ray on September 14. The film’s zesty, star-studded cast also includes People’s Choice Award winner David Hasselhoff ('Knight Rider,' 'Baywatch') in one of his first big-screen roles, noted screen tough guy Robert Tessier ('The Longest Yard,' 'The Cannonball Run') and legendary two-time Emmy® and Tony® Award winner, and Academy Award® nominee Christopher Plummer ('The Last Station,' 'Murder by Decree,' 'The Sound of Music') as The Emperor. Produced in Italy in the wake of 'Star Wars’ phenomenal success, StarCrash (also known as The Adventures of Stella Star in overseas territories) became an international blockbuster in its own right. This 1979 film became one of New World Pictures’ biggest box-office hits. Critics might have laughed, but so did audiences, who grooved to its campy humor, wildly imaginative special effects (some of them quite good!) and non-stop adventure. Where 'Star Wars' dared not go, StarCrash went -- at warp speed! The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements on the first disc will include: An Interview with writer/director Luigi Cozzi; StarCrash: the music of John Barry, a detailed analysis of the score by Mars of Deadhouse Music; 2 feature-length commentaries by StarCrash historian Stephen Romano; Behind-the-scenes image gallery, featuring storyboards, art, and rare, never-before-seen photos; Promotional art gallery, featuring photos, posters, lobby cards and early poster designs by Drew Struzan; Fan art gallery, featuring an exclusive look at the all-new, sexy Stella Star art from fantasy illustrator Robin Greenville Evans; Theatrical trailer with commentary by Eli Roth from Trailersfromhell.com and an all-new exclusive trailer commentary by filmmaker/editor Joe Dante!; And TV spots and radio Spots. A second disc will include: An Interview with actress Caroline Munro (60 min.); 17 Deleted and alternate scenes; The complete, original StarCrash screenplay, illustrated with original storyboards and early, full-color concept art; Exclusive 20-minute behind-the-scenes footage reel, with commentary; and The making of the special effects of StarCrash by Armando Valcauda with exclusive, never-before-seen special-effects footage. Suggested list price for the 2-disc Blu-ray set is $26.97. You can find the latest specs for 'StarCrash' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 14.Posted Mon Aug 2, 2010 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Nvidia is Bringing 3D to Professional Environments[teaser]Sure you've seen an ultrasound, but have you seen an ultrasound in 3D? [/teaser] Alright, fine. The cool new technology that we use for entertainment has practical purposes too. There's more to 3D than just watching blue aliens boogie down with Canis lupus. It can be used in the automotive, education, and even medical industries. Nvidia's latest 3D glasses are designed just for those purposes, but they're pretty cool as far as consumer viewing is concerned too. For starters, they don't use IR for communication, but RF, which means you can look away without losing synchronization. Among the uses Nvidia lists for the new tech is the viewing of 3D ultrasounds, which is a little unsettling to look at. Even creepier is the application of 3D to fetal face imagery. (Hit the link below for the video) It's definitely not as sleek and sexy as 3D gaming and movies. Nvidia's 3D Visio Pro solutions are hitting this October and are priced in the professional range. You can pick up the transmitter for $399, while each pair of glasses runs $349. Source: eCousticsPosted Mon Aug 2, 2010 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
'(untitled)' and 'The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Two independent romances are planned for high-definition release this September. [/teaser] Screen Media Films has announced Jodie Markell's 'The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond' based on a long lost Tennessee Williams' screenplay and starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Evans, and Will Patton is headed for Blu-ray on September 7. A beautifully realized vision of the previously unproduced work, 'The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond' is a lush and poetic romance with all the drama expected from the legendary writer. Two weeks later, Jonathan Parker's '(untitled)' (yes, that is apparently the actual title) starring Adam Goldberg, Marley Shelton, and Vinnie Jones will hit the format on September 21. A smart, romantic comedy, '(untitled)' brings together a brooding avant-garde music composer and the fashionably gorgeous owner of a trendy New York art gallery in this satirical commentary on the state of contemporary art. Specs and supplements haven't been revealed yet, but suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond' and '(untitled)' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under September 7 and 21 respectively.Posted Mon Aug 2, 2010 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Warner Teams with LG and Sony for Pack-In 3D Blu-rays[teaser]Mail in coupons for 3D IMAX films will come packed in with Sony and LG 3D products. [/teaser] By the time this whole 3D thing is up and running, you're going to have more free Blu-rays than you'll know what to do with. The agreement between Warner Home Video, LG, and Sony means you'll be getting Blu-rays with every piece of gear you pick up. The LG deal makes sense for consumers. Buy a BX580 or BX585 3D Blu-ray player before December 31st and get a mail-in coupon for a free copy of IMAX Under the Sea 3D . The 2D version was pretty slick, so bumping it up to 3D should be interesting. When it comes to Sony though, you'll be getting a coupon for IMAX Deep Sea 3D with the purchase of any 3D Blu-ray player, 3D TV, and set of 3D glasses. If you buy a full Sony package, you could end up with four or five coupons for the same movie. The reason for the choice of movies should be obvious, but as WB's Dorinda Marticorena puts it, "IMAX is simply the best in 3D and these visually stunning titles are perfect for consumers who want to take full advantage of and show off their new Blu-ray 3D home theater systems." Source: WarnerPosted Mon Aug 2, 2010 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Sezmi is Expanding its Markets – It's Available in 15 New Cities[teaser]This television company is taking a different approach, which just might work out nicely for some folks in Detroit, Portland, Orlando and Seattle among other cities. [/teaser] Sezmi is a pretty strange service as far as these things go. It's not exactly cable, but it's not quite OTA. It's got a little bit of video streaming mixed in for good measure, and it's dirt cheap. For $200 up front and $4.99 a month, with no contract required, you can get yourself a Sezmi unit with an incredibly capable DVR that can record up to 1,400 hours of programming. The channel selection is admittedly limited, consisting of the same locals that you could get over-the-air. If you kick that subscription fee up to $19.99 a month, you'll get access to a pretty strong lineup of cable channels. It's not going to compare to what you get from a cable or satellite company, but it's also a lot cheaper. The device also comes packed with access to web content like YouTube, and both free and paid On Demand programming. Source: SezmiPosted Mon Aug 2, 2010 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
'Apocalypse Now' Blu-rays Fully Detailed![teaser]The two editions of Francis Ford Coppola's classic 1979 war epic headed for Blu-ray this October have been fully detailed! [/teaser] As previously reported, Lionsgate has announced 'Apocalypse Now (2-Film Set)' and 'Apocalypse Now: Full Disclosure Edition' are coming to Blu-ray on October 19. "We are thrilled to be in business with Francis Ford Coppola, one of the greatest filmmakers of our time," said Lionsgate President and Co-Chief Operating Officer Steve Beeks. "Having directed, produced and written some of the most financially successful and critically acclaimed movies in U.S. cinematic history, Coppola is one of the masters of modern cinema. We are honored to add a selection of his most renowned and personal works to our library and look forward to releasing these titles on all formats." "With their expertise in the home entertainment marketplace, we consider Lionsgate to be the perfect partner to distribute some of my most enduring films," said Coppola. "We are excited to be collaborating with them and hope to continue to enthrall our existing fans while also reaching a whole new audience for these films by presenting them in the highest quality format available along with exceptional in-depth special features." Each release will include 'Apocalypse Now - The 1979 Cut' and 'Apocalypse Now Redux' sporting brand new 1080p transfers in the original theatrical aspect ratios supervised by Coppola, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtracks, and over nine hours of bonus features including: "A Conversation with Martin Sheen" interview by Francis Ford Coppola; "An Interview with John Milius" interview by Francis Ford Coppola; Complete Francis Ford Coppola interview with Roger Ebert at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival; Monkey Sampan "lost scene"; Additional Scenes; "Destruction of the Kurtz Compound" end credits with audio commentary by Francis Ford Coppola; "The Hollow Men," video of Marlon Brando reading T.S. Eliot's poem; The Synthesizer Soundtrack" article by music synthesizer inventor Bob Moog; and an assortment of featurettes -- The Birth of 5.1 Sound; Ghost Helicopter Flyover sound effects demonstration; A Million Feet of Film: The Editing of Apocalypse Now; The Music of Apocalypse Now; Heard Any Good Movies Lately? The Sound Design of Apocalypse Now; The Final Mix; Apocalypse Then and Now; The Color Palette of Apocalypse Now; PBR Streetgang; and The Color Palette of Apocalypse Now. The 'Full Disclosure Edition' will include all of that plus the documentary 'Hearts of Darkness' with optional audio commentary with Eleanor and Francis Ford Coppola; 48-page collectible printed booklet with special note from Francis Ford Coppola, never-before-seen archives from the set, behind the scenes photos and more; John Milius Script Excerpt with Francis Ford Coppola Notes; Storyboard Gallery; Photo Gallery, including images from photographer Mary Ellen Mark; and Marketing Archive. You can find the latest specs for 'Apocalypse Now (2-Film Set)' and 'Apocalypse Now: Full Disclosure Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under October 19.Posted Mon Aug 2, 2010 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
HDD Spotlight Bargain: 'Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series' Blu-ray $132.99 at Amazon[teaser]If you've been waiting patiently to jump in on this phenomenal sci-fi reimagining, now is the perfect time! [/teaser] Amazon has reduced the price on the reissued 'Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series' Blu-ray for $132.99 (56% off suggested retail price). This collection includes all four seasons, the miniseries, 'Battlestar Galactica: Razor,' as well as 'Battlestar Galactica: The Plan.' This offer is valid now through August 7. Click here to be linked to the offer.Posted Sun Aug 1, 2010 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
The HD Advisor Gives ThanksEditor's Note: Although our HD Advisor will be breaking from the normal format this week, he will return with more Questions & Answers soon. If you have home theater questions you need answered, send an email to [email protected]. If you've already sent a question and don't see it answered yet, please be patient as we work our way through them. To browse through previously answered questions, visit the main HD Advisor page. By Joshua Zyber As most of our regular readers know by now, I'm an advocate of 2.35:1 Constant Image Height Projection. A 2.35:1 projection screen eliminates (or nearly eliminates) the need for letterbox bars during movie playback, and restores the original intended theatrical experience in which "scope" movies are displayed larger and wider than movies of narrower aspect ratios. I use a CIH screen in my own home theater and will never go back. There's something really thrilling about watching a 2.35:1 movie on a 2.35:1 screen in the home that just can't be beat. See my earlier tutorial on this subject for more details. In practical terms, Constant Image Height projection poses its share of challenges and logistical inconveniences. I can't pretend that it's appropriate for every home theater. CIH users are, admittedly, a niche within the home theater hobby. Not that there should be anything wrong with that. Everyone I know who's made the commitment to Constant Image Height viewing has found that the advantages far outweigh the hassles of getting there. Unfortunately, since we are such a niche, the home video studios releasing their movies on Blu-ray rarely give any thought to the needs of CIH viewers. At times, this leads to immense frustration. One of the biggest obstacles in this regard involves the placement of subtitles on movies with foreign-language dialogue. When you go to a movie theater to see a foreign-language film, the subtitles are of course always projected right there on screen as part of the movie. That only makes logical sense. And yet, when it comes time to bring the same movie to home video, some studios choose to move those subtitles down into the letterbox bar on 2.35:1 pictures. While that's not a big deal when watching on a typical 16:9 HDTV screen, this poses a huge problem for CIH viewers who zoom the movie to fill a 2.35:1 screen, thus cutting off the letterbox bars. Now at least half (and sometimes all) of the subtitles are missing, which makes that movie unwatchable on the screen. Some studios – such as Universal, Paramount, Disney, and Criterion – are usually good enough to author their discs with all subtitles inside the movie image, so that they can be read on any home theater screen. Sadly, other studios routinely place subtitles in the letterbox bars. The biggest offenders in this regard have been Sony and Warner Bros., while 20th Century Fox is inconsistent. (Some Fox discs are CIH safe while others are not, with little rhyme or reason.) Just over a year ago, a representative for Sony Pictures agreed to take the issue under consideration. He hosted a poll on the subject which asked respondents to vote whether subtitle position should remain in the letterbox bar or be moved up into the active movie image. CIH viewers were very pleased and relieved when the results of that poll showed an overwhelming preference to have subtitles moved up into the movie image. The Sony representative assured us that this information would be passed up the chain, and that action would be taken. And then nothing happened. For months. And months. And months. The Sony representative claimed that discs already in the production pipeline prior to the poll couldn't be altered, but that a rolling production change would correct the issue on subsequent titles in the near future. That certainly sounded plausible and reasonable enough. And still nothing happened. For months. And months. And months. Keep in mind that this change we requested would cost the studio absolutely nothing to implement, and is literally as simple as pressing a few buttons on the console during disc authoring. Nonetheless, Sony continued to issue Blu-ray discs with subtitles in the letterbox bar all along – even for movies that hadn't even been released to theaters at the time of the poll (and thus couldn't have been in the production pipeline). Eventually, I gave up hope that anything meaningful would result from this poll, and resigned myself that the bureaucracy of major corporations suffered from too much inertia and too much resistance to change. But then, I made a very surprising discovery when reviewing the Sony Pictures title 'A Single Man' recently. This is a movie with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, and has one scene with Spanish dialogue that automatically triggers English subtitles. And those subtitles are inside the movie picture! One solid year later, the studio has finally taken the action it promised. At least, that's the case for this disc. I can only hope that this signals a true policy change for the studio and will affect all new titles going forward. Is 'A Single Man' truly the first Sony Blu-ray to make this change? I'm not certain. Perhaps there were earlier discs, but this is the first that I've personally come across. In any event, I say this not to chastise the studio for taking so long. (Although, I'll be honest, I've been pretty annoyed with the delays.) Instead, I'm posting this article to say a hearty THANK YOU, SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT! Thank you for listening to the needs of your consumer base, no matter how small a niche. And thank you for finally taking action. This may seem like a trivial matter to some, but this problem has been a huge burden for many home theater viewers. Please continue to author your subsequent Blu-ray discs in this fashion. Your attention to this matter is greatly appreciated. Now, who can tell me how to get the attention of someone at Warner Bros.? That studio needs a good talking to. Homework Assignment: You Be the Advisor The HD Advisor may not be answering any questions this week, but our readers still need help. If you can help to answer the following question, please post your response in our forum thread linked at the end of this article. Your advice and opinions matter too! Inexpensive Audio Solutions Q: So I just splurged and bought myself a PS3. The Blu-ray looks gorgeous but I have a less than ideal audio setup. Namely, I have it hooked up to stereo computer speakers. I am certainly aware of what a receiver does, but I'm not a rich person and I've already spent too much money. So I'm wondering if there is a more inexpensive solution to good quality audio than a full blown receiver? My ideal device would be something as simple as an HDMI switcher but that also has a 5.1 output that I could get a cheap home-theater-in-a-box to go along with. Does any such device exist or do any other inexpensive solutions? JZ: My inclination here is to suggest that you should probably go with a soundbar. Most of these are relatively simple all-in-one devices. You'll plug in an audio cable from the Blu-ray player, and it will do all decoding and amplification without a separate A/V receiver. You probably won't be able to attach surround speakers. However, many soundbars offer simulated surround modes, where they throw the audio in such a way that it sounds like it's coming from the back of the room. I have not used one myself, though. So I can't make any specific recommendations. I'll leave it to our readers to discuss that, or to offer alternate suggestions. Check back soon for another round of answers. Keep those questions coming. Joshua Zyber's opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of this site, its owners or employees.Posted Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 12:10 PM PDT by:
