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Ang Lee's 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' Supremes Cinema Series Blu-ray Announced and Detailed[teaser]The acclaimed action epic returns to Blu-ray in October. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony will be releasing 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: 15th Anniversary Edition' on Blu-ray on October 18. Named "Best Picture of the Year" by over 100 critics nationwide! Two master warriors (Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh) are faced with their greatest challenge when the treasured Green Destiny sword isstolen. A young aristocrat (Zhang Ziyi) prepares for an arranged marriage, but soon reveals her superior fighting talents and her deeply romantic past. As each warrior battles for justice, they come face to face with their worst enemy - and the inescapable, enduring power of love. Set against 19th-century China's breathtaking landscape, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is the action-packed, box office smash from acclaimed director Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility, The Ice Storm) featuring stunning martial arts choreography by Yuen Wo Ping (The Matrix). Nominated for 10 Academy Awards® and winner of four, including Best Foreign Language Film* CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON is presented with an all-new 4K restoration and exclusive Dolby Atmos® sound on both the Blu-ray and the 4K Ultra HD releases. The film was fully restored from the 35mm original camera negative, thereby utilizing in 4K the full resolution, detail and color depth inherent in the film. 4K Ultra HD brings the full power of this restoration into the home, featuring four times the resolution of high definition, high dynamic range (HDR)--which produces brilliant highlights, vibrant colors and greater contrast on compatible displays--and Dolby Atmos audio, remixed specifically for the home theater environment, delivering captivating sound that places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. The Blu-ray will also utilize this new restoration at HD resolution along with the Dolby Atmos audio. The CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON Blu-ray is loaded with all-new bonus content, including six never-before-seen deleted scenes, all-new retrospective interviews with director Ang Lee, producer James Schamus and editor Tim Squyres, an archival making-of featurette and the “A Love Before Time” music video. The new Blu-ray will be available as part of the Supreme Cinema Series, a premium, limited edition collection befitting beloved cinematic favorites and modern classics, featuring collector’s packaging with the acrylic “Clear Case.” The edition also includes a 24-page booklet of rare photos and behind-the-scenes detail that will only be available while supplies last. There will also be a Supreme Cinema Series “Clear Case” edition with the 4K Ultra HD disc, available exclusively at Amazon while supplies last. You can find the latest specs for 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: 15th Anniversary Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under October 18. Order the Blu-rayPosted Fri Aug 26, 2016 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Ridley Scott's '1492: Conquest of Paradise' Blu-ray Bound[teaser]The 1992 drama starring Gérard Depardieu, Armand Assante, and Sigourney Weaver will set sail to Blu-ray at the end of the year. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Kino is working on '1492: Conquest of Paradise' for Blu-ray later this year. In the late fifteenth century, Christopher Columbus persuades the Queen of Spain to fund his latest expedition to the East by searching out new trade routes on the way. Inadvertently arriving in the Americas, Columbus attempts to civilize the natives and live in harmony with them, but his efforts are sabotaged by a crew intent on plundering all the New World has to offer. No other details have been revealed at this time. You can find the latest specs for '1492: Conquest of Paradise' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under PENDING.Posted Fri Aug 26, 2016 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'Aliens: 30th Anniversary Edition' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]Full details are in for James Cameron's classic horror getting a 30th anniversary edition in September. [/teaser] As previously reported, 20th Century Fox will be releasing 'Aliens: 30th Anniversary Edition' on Blu-ray on September 13. In this action-packed sequel to Alien, Sigourney Weaver returns as Ripley, the only survivor from mankind's first encounter with the monstrous Alien. Her account of the Alien and the fate of her crew are received with skepticism - until the mysterious disappearance of colonists on LV-426 lead her to join a team of high-tech colonial marines sent in to investigate. Personally supervised by director James Cameron, this special edition includes scenes eliminated prior to the film's 1986 release which broaden the narrative scope and enrich the emotional impact of the film. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, lossless 5.1 audio, and supplements include: NEW – The Inspiration and Design of Aliens featurette; Deleted and Extended Scenes; Superior Firepower: Making Aliens and Making Aliens Enhancement; and Pre-Production Galleries. You can find the latest specs for 'Aliens: 30th Anniversary Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 13. Order the Blu-rayPosted Thu Aug 25, 2016 at 02:00 PM PDT by: -
Amazon Preps Streaming Series Based on 'The Departed'[teaser]The streaming platform is developing a show based on the Martin Scorsese movie. [/teaser] According to a report from Deadline, Amazon is developing a new series inspired by the 2006 Oscar-winning film, 'The Departed.' The show is being produced by Amazon Studios, Vertigo Entertainment, Initial Entertainment Group, and Plan B Entertainment in association with Warner Bros TV. Rather than a continuation or traditional remake, the series will offer a new interpretation of the film's plot, which itself was based on the earlier 2002 Hong Kong movie, 'Infernal Affairs.' Though the Scorsese version was set in Boston and focused on an undercover cop and criminal in the Irish mob, the Amazon show will be set in present day Chicago and follow two moles -- a cop undercover in a Latino gang and a gang member undercover with the police. The series is being written by Jason Richman ('Detroit 1-8-7') who will also serve as one of the show's executive producers. In addition to 'The Departed,' other upcoming Amazon shows include 'Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan,' 'The Kicks' on August 26, 'Transparent' season three on September 23, Woody Allen's 'Crisis in Six Scenes' on September 30, and 'The Man in the High Castle' season two on December 16. Likewise, the studio also recently released its 2016 Comedy Pilot Lineup, announced a new series titled 'Britannia' for 2017, greenlit a 13 episode documentary series called 'American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story,' and renewed 'Catastrophe' for a third and fourth season scheduled for 2017 and 2018 respectively. A current Amazon Prime subscription costs $99 per year or $11 per month. Likewise, Prime Instant Video is available as a standalone service for $8 per month. Source: DeadlinePosted Thu Aug 25, 2016 at 01:30 PM PDT by: -
Olive Films Readies 'The Quiet Man' & 'The Night of the Grizzly' for Blu-ray[teaser]Two new Olive Signature Blu-rays have been detailed for October. [/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Olive Films is preparing 'The Quiet Man' & 'The Night of the Grizzly' for Blu-ray on October 25 under its Olive Signature Series. 'The Quiet Man' - Sean Thornton (John Wayne, Sands of Iwo Jima), an American boxer with a tragic past, returns to the Irish town of his youth. There, he purchases his childhood home and falls in love with the fiery local lass, Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O Hara, Rio Grande). But Kate's insistence that Sean conduct his courtship in a proper Irish manner with matchmaker Michaleen Oge Flynn (Barry Fitzgerald, Going My Way) along for the ride as chaperone is but one obstacle to their future together; the other is her brother, Red Danaher (Victor McLaglen, Rio Grande), who spitefully refuses to give his consent to their marriage, or to honor the tradition of paying a dowry to the husband. Sean couldn't care less about dowries or any other tradition that might stand in the way of his happiness. But when Mary Kate accuses him of being a coward, Sean is finally ready to take matters into his own hands. The Quiet Man would go on to win two Academy Awards in 1953, including Best Director (John Ford) and Best Cinematography and received five more nominations including Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (McLaglen)." The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD MA mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary with John Ford biographer Joseph McBride Tribute to Maureen O'Hara with Ally Sheedy, Hayley Mills, and Juliet Mills; "Don't You Remember It, Seánín?: John Ford's The Quiet Man" - a visual essay by historian and John Ford expert Tag Gallagher; "Free Republic: The Story of Herbert J. Yates and Republic Pictures"; "The Old Man: Remembering John Ford" - an appreciation of the director with Peter Bogdanovich; and "The Making of The Quiet Man" – Written and hosted by Leonard Maltin. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. Order the Blu-ray 'The Night of the Grizzly' - Adventure is the name of the game in the action-packed, western-tinged The Night of the Grizzly. Clint Walker (The Dirty Dozen) stars as Big Jim"" Cole, a former lawman who trades his badge for rancher duds when he inherits land in Wyoming. But no sooner has the Cole family begun settling into their new life when nature in the form of a blood-thirsty grizzly bear rears its ugly head. Adding to the terror and tension are a group of envious neighbors who want the Cole property for themselves, and the unwelcome return of an outlaw from Big Jim s past who s out for revenge. Directed by Joseph Pevney (Man of a Thousand Faces), The Night of the Grizzly features a who's-who of great character actors including Keenan Wynn (Once Upon a Time in the West), Jack Elam (Hannie Caulder), Leo Gordon (Hondo) and Ron Ely (TV's Tarzan)." The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD MA mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio Commentary by film historian Toby Roan; "Blood on the Claw: How Cheyenne Bodie Became a Movie Star" - an essay by C. Courtney Joyner; "The Legend of Big Jim Cole" – interview with Clint Walker; The Night of the Grizzly World Premiere archival footage; and "At Home with Clint Walker and His Home Gymnasium" – archival interview. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. Order the Blu-ray You can find the latest specs for 'The Quiet Man' & 'The Night of the Grizzly' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under October 25.Posted Thu Aug 25, 2016 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Roku Adds AMC App to Streaming Channel Lineup[teaser]A new streaming channel has been added to Roku's media lineup. [/teaser] Roku has announced the latest addition to its streaming content library. The AMC channel is now available on Roku players and Roku TV models in the US. With the AMC channel, Roku customers can now watch full episodes and video extras from AMC original shows like 'The Walking Dead,' 'Preacher,' 'Fear the Walking Dead,' 'Better Call Saul' and more -- so long as they have an authenticated AMC subscription with a participating cable, satellite or telco provider. In-season full episodes are available for streaming the day after they air. In addition, all Roku users can enjoy behind-the-scenes interviews, exclusive extras, and trailers, even without an AMC subscription. The new AMC channel is now available in the "Movies & TV" category in the Roku Channel Store on Roku players and Roku TV models, including the company's flagship Roku 4 ($130). The Roku 4 is powered by a Quad-Core processor and features support for 4K Ultra HD playback at up to 60 fps, 4K upscaling of HD content, and audio support for up to Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 surround sound. HDCP 2.2 compliancy is integrated as well, along with 802.11ac MIMO dual-band wireless, 10/100 Base-T Ethernet, an Optical Audio Out, a microSD slot, and a USB port. Likewise, the device includes an enhanced remote with voice search, point anywhere use, a headphone jack, motion-control for gaming, and a speaker for Remote Finder alerts. In addition to AMC, Roku also recently added Discovery GO, Animal Planet GO, TLC GO, Sci GO, and ID GO to their library, offering access to several popular shows like 'Deadliest Catch' and 'Naked & Afraid.' Source: RokuPosted Thu Aug 25, 2016 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Hulu Casts Joseph Fiennes in Drama Series 'The Handmaid's Tale'[teaser]The actor will join Elisabeth Moss in the upcoming show. [/teaser] Hulu has announced the addition of Joseph Fiennes to the cast of 'The Handmaid's Tale.' The show is based on the novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood and will be produced by MGM Television. The Handmaid's Tale is the story of life in the dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was formerly part of the United States. Facing environmental disasters and a plunging birthrate, Gilead is ruled by a twisted religious fundamentalism that treats women as property of the state. As one of the few remaining fertile women, Offred (Elisabeth Moss) is a Handmaid in the Commander's household, one of the caste of women forced into sexual servitude as a last desperate attempt to repopulate a devastated world. In this terrifying society where one wrong word could end her life, Offred navigates between Commanders, their cruel Wives, domestic Marthas, and her fellow Handmaids – where anyone could be a spy for Gilead -- all with one goal: to survive and find the daughter that was taken from her. According to Variety, Fiennes is set to play Commander Fred Waterford, a powerful, high-ranking official who is a founding father of the totalitarian society of Gilead. Commander Waterford rules the household where Offred is a handmaid. The ongoing drama series is being created, executive produced, and written by Bruce Miller ('The 100'). Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, and Warren Littlefield ('Fargo') will also serve as executive producers. An exact release date has not been announced, but the 10-episode first season is set to premiere on Hulu in 2017. A current Hulu subscription starts at $8 per month with commercials. In addition, ad-free playback is available for $12 per month. Source: VarietyPosted Thu Aug 25, 2016 at 10:30 AM PDT by: -
'The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds Classic Album' Blu-ray Dated[teaser]The story behind the band's celebrated album will be revealed on Blu-ray in September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Eagle Rock Entertainment is preparing 'The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds Classic Album' for Blu-ray on September 23. The latest addition to the acclaimed & award winning Classic Albums series tells the story behind the making of The Beach Boys ground breaking album Pet Sounds, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Pet Sounds was recorded in late 1965 and early 1966, about a year after Brian Wilson had withdrawn from playing live with The Beach Boys in order to concentrate on composing and studio work. While the rest of the band were out on tour, Brian Wilson worked in the studio creating multi-layered compositions with painstaking attention to detail utilizing orchestration, sound effects and unusual instruments. When the band returned from tour they went into the studio to add their trademark complex vocal harmonies.The new direction of the music caused some consternation within the group and the program explores the band's relationship at this time as well as the creation of the music through interviews with all the surviving Beach Boys and others involved in the creation of the album. The US press didn't know what to make of the album at first, although it later became acknowledged as both important and influential. In the UK the album was immediately acclaimed and commercially successful, peaking at No.2 in the albums chart and remaining in the Top 10 for 6 months. Pet Sounds is now universally regarded as one of the finest albums of the sixties and thoroughly merits its place in the Classic Albums series. Sepcs have not been detailed yet, but supplements will include over 30 minutes of additional interviews not included in the broadcast version. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $21.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds Classic Album' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 23. Order the Blu-rayPosted Thu Aug 25, 2016 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Holy Cow! 'Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders' Blu-ray Announced![teaser]The animated movie starring the voices of Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar arrives in November. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers is working on 'Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders' for Blu-ray on November 1. Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment take Batman fans on a journey into the iconic past with the full-length animated Batman feature film – Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. The film features the vocal performances of Adam West (Batman), Burt Ward (Robin) and Julie Newmar (Catwoman). It's back to the 1960s as Batman and Robin spring into action when Gotham City is threatened by a quartet of Batman's most fiendish foes – Penguin, The Joker, Riddler and Catwoman. The four Super-Villains have combined their wicked talents to hatch a plot so nefarious that the Dynamic Duo will need to go to outer space (and back) to foil their arch enemies and restore order in Gotham City. It's a truly fantastic adventure that will pit good against evil, good against good, evil against evil … and feature two words that exponentially raise the stakes for both sides: Replicator Ray. Holy Multiplication Tables! Adam West steps behind the microphone to bring Batman to fully animated fruition. Burt Ward joins the fun as Batman's sidekick, Robin, giving The Boy Wonder his voice in animated form. And Julie Newmar, star of stage (Tony Award winner for The Marriage-Go-Round) and screen (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers), dons her feline ears to bring Catwoman to life. Specs have yet to be revealed, but the combo pack will include "Those Dastardly Desperados" featurette - Joker, Catwoman, Penguin and Riddler are impossible not to watch! Those Dastardly Desperados explores how these fiends became more than just antagonists in a Batman story; they became icons in American pop culture; and "A Classic Cadre of Voices" featurette - A new talented cast of actors join Adam West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar in Batman: Return of The Caped Crusaders. Go behind the scenes and witness the vocal techniques and timing needed to deliver a classic Bat-Comedy! You can find the latest specs for 'Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 1.Posted Thu Aug 25, 2016 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Gérard Kikoïne's 'Lady Libertine / Love Circles' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The double feature will be available in stores at the end of September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Severin and Intervision Picture Corp. is working on 'Lady Libertine / Love Circles' for Blu-ray on September 27. Lady Libertine - Famed French TV game show hostess Sophie Favier stars in this boldly sexy epic about a cross-dressing teenage orphan named Frank who is adopted by a handsome nobleman with his own strange urges. This 1984 Playboy production ignited an international controversy when Sophie Favier unsuccessfully sued to stop its long awaited re-release. Her court loss is a victory for fans everywhere! Also starring Christopher Pearson, Jennifer Inch, Alain Dumaurier, Emmanuel Karsen, April Hyde, and Eloïse Beaune. Love Circles - An International Odyssey - From Paris to Rome, Cannes to Hong Kong, and Los Angeles to New York City, the true universal language is lust! In this update of Max Ophüls' scandalous classic La Ronde, a bevy of international beauties complete a chain of liaisons. What is the ultimate act of love between sisters? Starring John Sibbit, Marie-France, Josephine Jacqueline Jones, Pierre Burton, Sophie Berger, Philippe Baronnet, and Michelle Siu. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements will include: Interview with director Gérard Kikoïne (French with English subs) and Gérard Kikoïne introducing Lady Libertine at the Fantasia Film Festival. You can find the latest specs for 'Lady Libertine / Love Circles' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under September 27. Order the Blu-rayPosted Thu Aug 25, 2016 at 08:00 AM PDT by: