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'King of Hearts: 50th Anniversary Edition' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The critically-acclaimed 1966 comedy is headed for the high-definition format later this year. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Cohen Media Group is working on 'King of Hearts: 50th Anniversary Edition' for Blu-ray sometime in 2017. One of the most popular foreign films of all time, playing continuously in some theatres for over five years, King of Hearts is a "bright, lilting, whimsical, lyrical" (Cue) comedy that cleverly satirizes the absurdity of war with a "message [that is] meaningful and entertaining" (Boxoffice). Bumbling Scottish Private Plumpick (Alan Bates) is sent to a village in the beautiful French countryside during World War I on a suicide mission to detonate explosives set by the retreating German army. The village, soon to be blown sky-high, has been abandoned by its inhabitants - and replaced with escapees from the local insane asylum. Now with the mentally challenged running the town, Plumpick is crowned King! But his new title brings him his first horrible decision: to carry out his deadly mission or join the ranks of the blissfully ignorant who know nothing about war. King Of Hearts is subtle, visually striking and, in short, the "ultimate display of madness" (Life)! Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but the release will feature a new master restored in 4K under the supervision of director of photography Pierre Lhomme. The restoration work was carried out at Technicolor Boulogne, France. You can find the latest specs for 'King of Hearts: 50th Anniversary Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under PENDING.Posted Mon Apr 10, 2017 at 10:47 AM PDT by: -
The Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band: Super Deluxe Edition' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The classic Beatles album is getting a Super Deluxe Blu-ray edition next month. [/teaser] Universal Music is rolling out the red carpet for The Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' with a Super Deluxe Edition on May 26. It was 50 years ago when The Beatles' John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr astonished and delighted the world, ushering in the Summer of Love with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, a groundbreaking masterwork that became popular music's most universally acclaimed album. The album is newly mixed by Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell in stereo, sourced directly from the four-track masters at Abbey Road Studios in London, and guided by the original, Beatles-preferred mono mix produced by his father, George Martin. This extensive collection gives an unprecedented insight into how The Beatles made their ground-breaking album. The box set features a new stereo version by Giles Martin and 33 tracks from the Sgt. Pepper sessions that place you in the studio as the group develop the songs. "It's crazy to think that 50 years later we are looking back on this project with such fondness and a little bit of amazement at how four guys, a great producer and his engineers could make such a lasting piece of art," says Paul McCartney in his newly-penned introduction for the 'Sgt. Pepper' Anniversary Edition. "'Sgt. Pepper' seemed to capture the mood of that year, and it also allowed a lot of other people to kick off from there and to really go for it," Ringo Starr recalls in the Anniversary Edition's book. For Record Store Day on April 22, Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe will release an exclusive, limited edition seven-inch vinyl single of The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane," among the first songs recorded during the 'Sgt. Pepper' sessions, which began in November 1966. Rather than being held for inclusion on the album, the two songs were released as a double A-sided single in February 1967. Amidst intense media speculation about the band's next move, the single bridged what was then considered a long gap between the Revolver album, released in August 1966, and 'Sgt. Pepper,' which followed 10 months later. This is the first time Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band has been remixed and presented with additional session recordings, and it is the first Beatles album to be remixed and expanded since the 2003 release of Let It Be… Naked. To create the new stereo and 5.1 surround audio mixes for 'Sgt. Pepper,' producer Giles Martin and mix engineer Sam Okell worked with an expert team of engineers and audio restoration specialists at Abbey Road Studios in London. All of the Anniversary Edition releases include Martin's new stereo mix of the album, which was sourced directly from the original four-track session tapes and guided by the original, Beatles-preferred mono mix produced by his father, George Martin. The set includes: 4 Audio CDs: A new stereo mix of the album by Giles Martin. Sgt. Pepper Sessions on 2 CDs with over 100 minutes of audio illustrating how the album was created. Newly mixed from the original four-track tapes, most of the material is previously unreleased. Also contains the original 1967 mono mix of the album and bonus tracks including three previously unreleased mixes. Blu-Ray/DVD: Fully restored 1992 documentary The Making of Sgt. Pepper, including interviews with Paul, George and Ringo and fascinating in-the-studio footage introduced by George Martin. Restored promotional films for 'A Day In The Life', 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and 'Penny Lane'. 2017 Giles Martin 5.1 surround sound mix and high-resolution stereo audio in 96KHz/24bit of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band plus 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and 'Penny Lane'. 144-page hardback book featuring an introduction by Sir Paul McCartney, comprehensive song-by-song details and recording information, in-depth essays about the design of the cover, the album's musical innovations and its historical context... and much more. Illustrations include photographs from the recording sessions, handwritten lyrics and Abbey Road documentation. Plus a replica of the original card insert and two bonus posters. Super Deluxe [4CD/DVD/Blu-ray boxed set] Tracklising: CD 1: 'Sgt. Pepper' 2017 Stereo Mix ('Sgt. Pepper' 2017 Stereo Mix) 1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 2. With A Little Help From My Friends 3. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds 4. Getting Better 5. Fixing A Hole 6. She's Leaving Home 7. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! 8. Within You Without You 9. When I'm Sixty-Four 10. Lovely Rita 11. Good Morning Good Morning 12. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) 13. A Day In The Life CD 2: Complete early takes from the sessions, sequenced in chronological order of their first recording dates 1. Strawberry Fields Forever [Take 1] 2. Strawberry Fields Forever [Take 4] 3. Strawberry Fields Forever [Take 7] 4. Strawberry Fields Forever [Take 26] 5. Strawberry Fields Forever [Stereo Mix - 2015] 6. When I'm Sixty-Four [Take 2] 7. Penny Lane [Take 6 – Instrumental] 8. Penny Lane [Vocal Overdubs And Speech] 9. Penny Lane [Stereo Mix - 2017] 10. A Day In The Life [Take 1] 11. A Day In The Life [Take 2] 12. A Day In The Life [Orchestra Overdub] 13. A Day In The Life (Hummed Last Chord) [Takes 8, 9, 10 and 11] 14. A Day In The Life (The Last Chord) 15. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [Take 1 – Instrumental] 16. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [Take 9 And Speech] 17. Good Morning Good Morning [Take 1 - Instrumental, Breakdown] 18. Good Morning Good Morning [Take 8] CD 3: Complete early takes from the sessions, sequenced in chronological order of their first recording dates 1. Fixing A Hole [Take 1] 2. Fixing A Hole [Speech And Take 3] 3. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! [Speech From Before Take 1; Take 4 And Speech At End] 4. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! [Take 7] 5. Lovely Rita [Speech And Take 9] 6. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds [Take 1 And Speech At The End] 7. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds [Speech, False Start And Take 5] 8. Getting Better [Take 1 - Instrumental And Speech At The End] 9. Getting Better [Take 12] 10. Within You Without You [Take 1 - Indian Instruments Only] 11. Within You Without You [George Coaching The Musicians] 12. She's Leaving Home [Take 1 – Instrumental] 13. She's Leaving Home [Take 6 – Instrumental] 14. With A Little Help From My Friends [Take 1 - False Start And Take 2 – Instrumental] 15. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) [Speech And Take 8] CD 4: 'Sgt. Pepper' and bonus tracks in Mono (Tracks 1-13: 2017 Direct Transfer of 'Sgt. Pepper' Original Mono Mix) 14. Strawberry Fields Forever [Original Mono Mix] 15. Penny Lane [Original Mono Mix] 16. A Day In The Life [Unreleased First Mono Mix] 17. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds [Unreleased Mono Mix - No. 11] 18. She's Leaving Home [Unreleased First Mono Mix] 19. Penny Lane [Capitol Records U.S. Promo Single - Mono Mix] DISCS 5 & 6 (Blu-ray & DVD) Audio Features (both discs): - New 5.1 Surround Audio mixes of 'Sgt. Pepper' album and "Penny Lane," plus 2015 5.1 Surround mix of "Strawberry Fields Forever" (Blu-ray: DTS HD Master Audio 5.1, Dolby True HD 5.1 / DVD: DTS Dolby Digital 5.1) - High Resolution Audio versions of 2017 'Sgt. Pepper' stereo mix and 2017 "Penny Lane" stereo mix, plus 2015 "Strawberry Fields Forever" hi res stereo mix (Blu-ray: LPCM Stereo 96KHz/24bit / DVD: LPCM Stereo) Video Features (both discs) You can find the latest specs for 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band: Super Deluxe Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under May May 26. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Apr 10, 2017 at 10:08 AM PDT by: -
Marvel Releases Teaser Trailer for 'Thor: Ragnarok'[teaser]The first official teaser for the latest Thor flick has been revealed.[/teaser] Marvel has released a teaser trailer for its upcoming film, Thor: Ragnarok. The movie stars Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, and Mark Ruffalo, and is set to hit theaters on November 3. In Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok, Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok – the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization – at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger – the Incredible Hulk! Check out the official teaser trailer below! The movie is directed by Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) and stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki. Additional cast members include Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson and Karl Urban, with Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange. Kevin Feige is on board as producer along with Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Victoria Alonso, Thomas M. Hammel and Stan Lee serving as executive producers. The screenplay is by Eric Perason from a story by Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost and Stephany Folsom. Beyond Thor: Ragnarok, other upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe flicks include Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 which is set to premiere on May 5 and Spider-Man: Homecoming which is set to premiere on July 7. Source: Marvel (YouTube)Posted Mon Apr 10, 2017 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Gore Verbinski's 'A Cure for Wellness' Blu-ray Bound[teaser]The 2017 psychological thriller from the visionary director of The Ring is bound for Blu-ray this June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox is set to release 'A Cure for Wellness' on Blu-ray on June 6. An ambitious young executive is sent to retrieve his company's CEO from an idyllic but mysterious "wellness center" at a remote location in the Swiss Alps. He soon suspects that the spa's miraculous treatments are not what they seem. When he begins to unravel its terrifying secrets, his sanity is tested, as he finds himself diagnosed with the same curious illness that keeps all the guests here longing for the cure. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements include: Meditations - Featurette; The Score - Featurette; and Deleted Scene: "It's Wonderful Here" (a.k.a. Embryonic Sequence). You can find the latest specs for 'A Cure for Wellness' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under June 6. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Apr 10, 2017 at 09:05 AM PDT by: -
'Grimm: Season Six' & 'Grimm: The Complete Collection' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The fantasy show's final season will arrive on Blu-ray in June.[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal is preparing Grimm: Season Six for Blu-ray on June 13. In addition, a Grimm: The Complete Collection box set will also be available that same day. Now that the nefarious forces of Black Claw have been silenced, Nick (David Giuntoli) faces an all too familiar foe in Captain Sean Renard (Sasha Roiz). Having gained a seat of power as the mayor-elect of Portland, Renard is poised to bring rise to his own brand of law and order. Nick must take a stand to protect his city and those closest to him, especially his child with Adalind (Claire Coffee). It will take the full force of Nick and his allies to find a way to bring peace. Meanwhile, Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) and Rosalee (Bree Turner) grapple with bringing a child into a new and tumultuous world, and Eve (Bitsie Tulloch) faces unsettling identity issues as her former self lurks below the surface. Own all 13 spine-chilling episodes of the final season of Grimm. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD MA soundtrack, and supplements will include: - Deleted Scenes- Directing Grimm: Behind the Scenes with David Giuntoli- Gag Reel- A Grimm Farewell- Wu's Views- A Grimm Journey Suggested list price for Grimm: Season Six is $59.98. Suggested list price for Grimm: The Complete Collection is $224.98. You can find the latest specs for Grimm: Season Six and Grimm: The Complete Collection linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under June 13. Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Apr 10, 2017 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Top 10 Disaster Movies on Blu-rayDisaster movies. Hollywood loves to put mankind on the brink of extinction. Whether we're all running from an asteroid, giant monsters, aliens or climate change, audiences love to soak in the rampant carnage and destruction splayed out over movie screens. While we certainly don't want any of these disastrous scenarios to actually happen, it is a heck of a lot of fun imaging what would happen. The good folks over at www.888poker.com in connection to their online poker site put together this amusing infographic depicting the odds of certain humanity-ending scenarios actually happening. Needless to say, this got us thinking about our favorites! [Teaser]Here are our Top 10 Disaster Movies on Blu-ray. What would you put on your list?[/Teaser] 1. The Day After Tomorrow - Climate Change Order the Blu-ray 2. War of the Worlds - Alien Invasion Order the Blu-ray 3. Armageddon - Asteroid Impact Order the Blu-ray 4. This Is The End - Judgement Day Order the Blu-ray 5. 28 Days Later - Zombies! Order the Blu-ray 6. San Andreas - Catastrophic Earthquake Order the Blu-ray 7. Godzilla - Gigantic Monsters Order the Blu-ray 8. Terminator 2: Judgement Day - Artificial Intelligence Order the Blu-ray 9. 2012 - Diabolical Calendar Dates Order the Blu-ray 10. The Mist - Inter-Dimensional Monsters Order the Blu-ray The disaster movie is a summer season staple. One year it's an earthquake, the next it's the weather, and the year after that it could be our recently departed dead reanimated by radiation from an exploded satellite. Whatever en vogue means of depicting humanity's destruction, you can count on audiences to unite together in darkened theaters with buckets of delicious buttery popcorn. If you want to know the odds of what's gonna get ya in the end - check out the 888poker.com infographic for yourself! Dis-Honorable Disaster Movie Mentions Include: Meteor, King Kong, Panic in Year Zero, I Am Legend, The Earth Dies Screaming, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Poseidon Adventure, Independence Day, The Core, The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno, The Matrix, Twister, Dante's Peak, Deep ImpactPosted Sun Apr 9, 2017 at 07:03 AM PDT by: -
Samsung Releases 2017 MU Series Ultra HD TVS with HDR, Prices Start at $549[teaser]Several new mid-range Ultra HD TV models are now available.[/teaser] Samsung has announced the launch of its 2017 MU Series 4K Ultra HD TV lineup. The collection includes the MU9000, MU8500, MU8000, MU7500, MU7000, MU6500 and MU6300 series. Models are now available through Amazon, Samsung.com, and other participating retailers. All of the TVs offer some level of HDR support, though exact performance depends on the specific model. Unfortunately, Dolby Vision capabilities are not included. The mid-range MU series now joins the company's more expensive flagship QLED collection which features more advanced picture technology, including quantum dots for stronger HDR and color performance, along with Ultra HD Premium certification. The MU 6 Series features Samsung's Smart TV user-interface and Smart Remote Control with voice interaction capabilities. Models will come in flat (6300) and curved (6500) editions with sizes ranging from 40-inches to 75-inches and prices starting at $549. Note: Below prices reflect current Amazon deals. 40-inch UN40MU6300 - $550 43-inch UN43MU6300 - $600 50-inch UN50MU6300 - $745 55-inch UN55MU6300 - $798 65-inch UN65MU6300 - $1,300 75-inch UN75MU6300 - $2,798 49-inch UN49MU6500 - $750 55-inch UN55MU6500 - $1,000 65-inch UN65MU6500 - $1,500 The MU 7 Series adds support for a wider color range with 4K Color Drive Pro. Models will come in flat (7000) and curved (7500) versions with sizes ranging from 40-inches to 65-inches and prices starting at $699. Note: Below prices reflect current Amazon deals. 40-inch UN40MU7000 - $699 49-inch UN49MU7000 - $798 55-inch UN55MU7000 - $1,070 65-inch UN65MU7000 - $1,637 49-inch UN49MU7500 - $984 55-inch UN55MU7500 - $1,298 65-inch UN65MU7500 - $1,866 The MU 8 Series adds 4K HDR Extreme, 4K Color Drive Extreme, Triple Black and MR 240. Models will come in flat (8000) and curved (8500) versions with sizes ranging from 49-inches to 82-inches and prices starting at $1,199. Note: Below prices reflect current Amazon deals. 49-inch UN49MU8000 - $1,199 55-inch UN55MU8000 - $1,498 65-inch UN65MU8000 - $2,198 75-inch UN75MU8000 - $3,799 55-inch UN55MU8500 - $1,698 65-inch UN65MU8500 - $2,398 The MU 9 Series adds Triple Black Extreme, an anti-reflective layer that reduces glare, and a sleek frame. Models will come in flat screens with sizes ranging from 55-inches to 75-inches and prices starting at $1,999. Note: Below prices reflect current Amazon deals. 55-inch UN55MU9000 - $1,999 65-inch UN65MU9000 - $2,699 Sources: Samsung via Home Theater Review, HD GuruPosted Fri Apr 7, 2017 at 04:15 PM PDT by: -
Screen Innovations Introduces Acoustically Transparent Projector Screen Material[teaser]The company's home theater screens are now available with acoustically transparent perforated material.[/teaser] Screen Innovations has announced the introduction of acoustic perforation technology material to its projector screen lineup. With Slate AT and Pure AT, customers will be able to hide their home theater speakers behind their screens without obstructing audio performance. Discussing SI's philosophy that the screen should not be a distraction for the viewer, Tom Nugent, SI’s Chief of Technology, stated, "Hiding your speakers behind the screen is another way that this is accomplished—allowing the sound to improve your viewing experience but not detract from your visual experience. It has not been easy. Perforating is difficult in its own right, but working with a 106-inch tall material is nearly impossible. We are perforating over 28000, .55mm holes for every square foot; clearly a daunting task." Screen Innovations Slate AT and Pure AT material has been tested by an industry-leading speaker manufacturer. The results indicated very little attenuation starting at about 1-2kHz, with typical impact on frequency response falling within the -3db range and a peak attenuation of -6db at 20kHz. Slate AT and Pure AT screens are now available to order in conjunction with all of the company’s screen form factors, including Zero Edge, Zero-G, Fixed, and Motorized. In addition to the new acoustic transparency, the SI Sate screen material offers ambient light rejecting properties for enhanced contrast and black levels. "We created Slate AT and Pure AT to give our customers the best of both worlds; the best picture and the best sound," said Ryan Gustafson, CEO of SI. Gustafson continued, "Pure, and Slate have solved the problem of image quality with the sharpest image reproduction in the market by managing the texture pattern down to 9 times finer than standard white or gray materials, maintaining image uniformity. Merging Slate and Pure with our acoustic perforation technology has truly created the best of both worlds, picture and sound. Imagine hiding your favorite LCR speakers behind a massive Zero Edge® screen with our popular Backlighting, even with the lights on thanks to Slate’s ALR properties." Source: Screen InnovationsPosted Fri Apr 7, 2017 at 02:20 PM PDT by: -
'Species: Collector's Edition' Blu-ray Dated [UPDATED][teaser]The 1995 horror film starring Ben Kingsley, Natasha Henstridge, and Forest Whitaker is getting a Collector's Edition Blu-ray this summer. [/teaser] As previously reported, Scream Factory is working on 'Species: Collector's Edition' for Blu-ray this summer, and now the date has been set for July 11. When a beautiful human-alien hybrid escapes from observation, scientist Xavier Fitch dispatches a crew of experts to find her before she is able to fulfill her horrific purpose: to mate with unsuspecting men and produce offspring that could destroy mankind. As her deadly biological clock ticks rapidly, Fitch and his team are hurled into a desperate battle in which the fate of humanity itself hangs in the balance! No other details have been revealed at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Species: Collector's Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under July 11. Order the Blu-rayPosted Fri Apr 7, 2017 at 09:52 AM PDT by: -
'Smurfs: The Lost Village' Ultra HD Blu-ray (3D Included) and Blu-ray Pre-Orders Live[teaser]The all-new animated adventure is up for pre-order at Amazon.[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony is preparing Smurfs: The Lost Village for Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray (Blu-ray 3D included). In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette and her friends Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty on an exciting race through the Forbidden Forest leading to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.99. Suggested list price for the Ultra HD Blu-ray is $45.99. You can find the latest specs for Smurfs: The Lost Village linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule and our Ultra HD Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under PENDING. Order the UHD + 3D Blu-ray Order the Blu-rayPosted Fri Apr 7, 2017 at 09:52 AM PDT by:
