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'Dragonwolf' is Coming to Blu-ray[teaser]Two hitmen will turn against each other in this Thai action flick exploding on Blu-ray in July. You can pre-order the movie now. [/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Well Go USA is preparing 'Dragonwolf' for Blu-ray on July 29. The Devil's Cauldron, a city where depravity and violence has forged a society in which only the lethal and callous can survive, two young men who possess the intellect and ferocity to flourish, carve a name for themselves as the most efficient and unstoppable hit men. Side by side, these two brothers are the deadliest killers, feared by even the most evil criminals. But when a woman of rare beauty mysteriously enters the brother’s lives she blinds them with her sweet promises and turns them against each other, resulting in an epic battle that threatens to bring the Devil's Cauldron to the brink of destruction. Specs and supplements have not been announced yet, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98.You can find the latest specs for 'Dragonwolf' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 29.Posted Mon Apr 21, 2014 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'Rigor Mortis' Blu-ray Bound[teaser]The Hong Kong horror flick will slay Blu-ray in July. You can pre-order it now. [/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Well Go USA is preparing 'Rigor Mortis' for Blu-ray on July 8.A weary ex-vampire hunter moves into a run-down housing estate, and contends with a ghoulish collection of bloodsuckers, ghosts, and zombies in this stylist tribute to the popular "Geung Si" horror films of the 1970's, '80s, and '90s. Once upon a time, Chin Siu-ho (Siu-ho) was a famous actor who slew vampires on the side. These days Chin's bank account is empty, and his family won't talk to him. Deeply despondent, he checks into room 2442 of a dilapidated tower block with the full intention of taking his own life. Chin's suicidal ambitions are quickly thwarted, however, when he crosses paths with his eccentric new neighbors, which include a powerful Taoist exorcist (Anthony Chan), a deeply-troubled housewife (Kara Hui) and an old lady (Paw Hee-ching) with a morbid flair for interior design. It doesn't take Chin long to realize that something terrible is unfolding before his frightened eyes, and as the dead begin to rise, the battle against the forces of darkness begins. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98.You can find the latest specs for 'Rigor Mortis' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 8.Posted Mon Apr 21, 2014 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Walking Dead: The Complete Fourth Season (Limited Edition)' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]Mark your calendars, because the fourth season of AMC's hit zombie series is headed for Blu-ray in a limited edition set at the end of August. Pre-orders are now available here! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay is preparing 'The Walking Dead: The Complete Fourth Season (Limited Edition)' for Blu-ray on August 26. In the new season, we see Rick and the group of survivors fostering a thriving community in the safe haven of the prison only to have it short-lived as the group loses everything, their home, family, and friends to the threat of the walkers, outside threats and the hidden dangers brewing inside the fences. The group of survivors are broken apart and sent on divergent paths, unsure of everyone else's fate as they are exposed to new dangers, new enemies, and heartbreaking choices. They will have their faith thoroughly tested -- a faith that breaks some of them and redeems others. Specs and supplements have not been announced yet, but the limited edition set will include a special "Tree Walker" package designed by MacFarlane Toys. The Tree Walker's head and arm move when you remove the Blu-ray set from the base. Suggested list price for the 5-disc Blu-ray collection is $129.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Walking Dead: The Complete Fourth Season (Limited Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 26.Posted Mon Apr 21, 2014 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Kill Zombie!' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]Prepare for another zombie comedy bound for Blu-ray this summer. Preorder here. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Well Go USA will be releasing 'Kill Zombie!' on Blu-ray on June 10. A Russian Space station crashes in Amsterdam, releasing a deadly virus that turns everyday citizens into flesh-craving psychopaths. Aziz (Yahya Gaier), his brother Mo (Ouled Radi) and several strangers emerge from jail, oblivious to the mayhem until they team up with a local police officer (Gigi Ravelli). After receiving a desperate call for help, this unlikely band of heroes sets out on an insane rescue mission - and it's going to take a seriously crazy plan if they want to get out alive... Specs and supplements haven't been revealed yet, but the suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Kill Zombie!' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under June 10.Posted Mon Apr 21, 2014 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
HDD Gear Deal Spotlight: HP HD Tablets[teaser]For a limited time, Amazon is offering up to 36 percent off select HP tablets! [/teaser] As part of the online retailer's ongoing electronics sales and promotions, Amazon is running limited time deals on three HP HD tablets, including the HP Slate S 7-3400US 7-Inch Tablet, the HP Slate S10-3500US 10-Inch Tablet, and the HP Slate 10 HD 3600US 10-Inch Tablet. All three models feature 1280x800 screens, 1.2 GHz Dual-Core CPUs, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and the Android 4.2 operating system. HP Slate S 7-3400US 7-Inch Tablet - Currently $190 (36 percent off its retail price of $297). HP Slate S10-3500US 10-Inch Tablet - Currently $260 (33 percent off its retail price of $387). HP Slate 10 HD 3600US 10-Inch Tablet - Currently $300 (34 percent off its retail price of $452). As always, these deals will only be active for a limited time while supplies last. Make sure to stay tuned to High-Def Digest for more sales and special promotions!Posted Fri Apr 18, 2014 at 02:30 PM PDT by: -
Criterion Announces July Titles[teaser]The distributor has revealed its upcoming slate of July releases, including David Cronenberg's 'Scanners' and Lawrence Kasdan's 'The Big Chill.' [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion is preparing 'Pickpocket,' Scanners,' 'Insomnia (1997),' 'The Essential Jacques Demy', and 'The Big Chill' for Blu-ray throughout the month of July. 'Pickpocket' (July 15) - This incomparable story of crime and redemption from French master Robert Bresson follows Michel, a young pickpocket who spends his days working the streets, subway cars, and train stations of Paris. As his compulsive pursuit of the thrill of stealing grows, however, so does his fear that his luck is about to run out. A cornerstone in the career of this most economical and profoundly spiritual of filmmakers, 'Pickpocket' is an elegantly crafted, tautly choreographed study of humanity in all its mischief and grace, the work of a director at the height of his powers. The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed French mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary by film scholar James QuandtIntroduction by writer-director Paul Schrader; The Models of 'Pickpocket,' a 2003 documentary by Babette Mangolte that features actors from the film; Interview from 1960 with director Robert Bresson, from the French television program Cinépanorama; Q&A on Pickpocket from 2000 with actor Marika Green and filmmakers Paul Vecchiali and Jean-Pierre Améris; Footage of the sleight-of-hand artist and Pickpocket consultant Kassagi from a 1962 episode of the French television show La piste aux étoiles; Trailer; and A booklet featuring an essay by novelist and critic Gary Indiana. 'Scanners' (July 15) - With 'Scanners,' David Cronenberg plunges us into one of his most terrifying and thrilling sci-fi worlds. After a man with extraordinary—and frighteningly destructive—telepathic abilities is nabbed by agents from a mysterious rogue corporation, he discovers he is far from the only possessor of such strange powers, and that some of the other "scanners" have their minds set on world domination, while others are trying to stop them. A trademark Cronenberg combination of the visceral and the cerebral, this phenomenally gruesome and provocative film about the expanses and limits of the human brain was the Canadian director’s breakout hit in the United States.. The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: The 'Scanners' Way, a new documentary on the film’s special effects; New interview with actor Michael Ironside; The Ephemerol Diaries, a 2012 interview with actor and artist Stephen Lack; Excerpt from a 1981 interview with Cronenberg on the CBC’s The Bob McLean Show; Stereo (1969), Cronenberg’s first feature film; Trailer; and A booklet featuring an essay by critic Kim Newman. 'Insomnia (1997)' (July 22) - In this elegantly unsettling murder mystery, Stellan Skarsgård plays an engimatic Swedish detective with a checkered past who arrives in a small town in northern Norway to investigate the death of a teenage girl. As he digs deeper into the heinous killing, his own demons and the tyrannical midnight sun begin to take a toll. Erik Skjoldbjærg’s chilling procedural anticipated the international hunger for Scandinavian noirs and serial killer fictions, and features one of Skarsgård’s greatest performances. The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack will feature 1080p video, a Norwegian 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, and supplements will include: New conversation between director Erik Skjoldbjærg and actor Stellan Skarsgård; Trailer and TV spot; and A booklet featuring an essay by critic Jonathan Romney. 'The Essential Jacques Demy' (July 22) - French director Jacques Demy didn’t just make movies—he created an entire cinematic world. Demy launched his glorious feature filmmaking career in the sixties, a decade of astonishing invention in his national cinema. He stood out from the crowd of his fellow New Wavers, however, by filtering his self-conscious formalism through deeply emotional storytelling. Fate and coincidence, doomed love, and storybook romance surface throughout his films, many of which are further united by the intersecting lives of characters who either appear or are referenced across titles. Demy’s films—which range from musical to melodrama to fantasia—are triumphs of visual and sound design, camera work, and music, and they are galvanized by the great stars of French cinema at their centers, including Anouk Aimée, Catherine Deneuve, and Jeanne Moreau. The works collected here, made from the sixties to the eighties, touch the heart and mind in equal measure. The set includes: 'Lola,' 'Bay of Angels,' 'The Umbrellas of Cherbourg,' 'The Young Girls of Rochefort,' 'Donkey Skin,' and 'Une chambre en ville'. The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack will feature 1080p video, an LPCM Mono sountrack for 'Lola' and 'Bay of Angels' and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 sountracks on 'The Umbrellas of Cherbourg,' 'The Young Girls of Rochefort,' 'Donkey Skin,' and 'Une chambre en ville.' Supplements will include: Two documentaries by filmmaker Agnès Varda: The World of Jacques Demy (1995) and The Young Girls Turn 25 (1993);French television interview from 1962 with actor Jeanne Moreau on the set of Bay of Angels; Once Upon a Time . . . “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg,” a 2008 documentary; French television program about the making of Donkey Skin; 'Donkey Skin' Illustrated, a video program on the many versions of Charles Perrault’s fairy tale; 'Donkey Skin' and the Thinkers, a video program on the themes of the film, featuring critic Camille Tabouley; New video conversation with Demy biographer Jean-Pierre Berthomé and costume designer Jacqueline Moreau; New interviews with author Marie Colmant and film scholar Rodney Hill; Four short films by director Jacques Demy: Les horizons morts (1951), Le sabotier du Val de Loire (1956), Ars (1959), and La luxure (1962); Jacques Demy A to Z, a new visual essay by film critic James Quandt;Two archival interviews from French television with Demy and composer Michel Legrand, one on The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and the other on The Young Girls of Rochefort; Q&A with Demy from the 1987 Midnight Sun Film Festival, as well as an audio Q&A with him from the American Film Institute in 1971; Archival audio recordings of interviews with Demy, Legrand, and actor Catherine Deneuve at the National Film Theatre in London; Interview with actor Anouk Aimée conducted by Varda in 2012; Interview from 2012 with Varda on the origin of Lola’s song; Video programs on the restorations of Lola, Bay of Angels, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, and Une chambre en ville; Trailers; and A booklet featuring essays by critics Ginette Vincendeau, Terrence Rafferty, Jim Ridley, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Anne Duggan, and Geoff Andrew, and a postscript by Berthomé. 'The Big Chill' (July 29) - After the shocking suicide of their friend, a group of thirtysomethings reunite for his funeral and end up spending a weekend together, reminiscing about their shared pasts as children of the sixties and confronting the uncertainty of their lives as adults of the eighties. Poignant and warmly humorous in equal measure, this 1983 baby boomer milestone made a star of writer-director Lawrence Kasdan and is perhaps the decade’s defining ensemble film, featuring memorable performances by Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly, and JoBeth Williams. And with its playlist of hit songs from the sixties, 'The Big Chill' all but invented the consummately curated soundtrack. The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed mono and DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Reunion with cast and crew, including Kasdan, actors Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly, and JoBeth Williams, from the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival; Documentary from 1998 on the making of the film; Deleted scenes; Trailer; and A booklet featuring an essay by writer, director, and actor Lena Dunham. Suggested list price for 'Pickpocket,' Scanners,' 'Insomnia (1997),' and 'The Big Chill' is $39.95 for each Blu-ray. Suggested list price for 'The Essential Jacques Demy' is $124.95.You can find the latest specs for all of the titles listed above linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed throughout the month of July.Posted Fri Apr 18, 2014 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'The Lego Movie' Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D Dated and Detailed![teaser]The fun-filled animated movie is officially Blu-ray bound in June! [/teaser] As previously reported, Warner Brothers is preparing 'The Lego Movie' Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack and 'The Lego Movie: Everything is Awesome Edition' Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD combo pack for release later this year, and the date has been set for June 17. The LEGO Movie stars Chris Pratt as the voice of Emmet, an ordinary LEGO minifigure, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder, and Will Ferrell as the voice of President Business, aka Lord Business, an uptight CEO who has a hard time balancing world domination with micro-managing his own life. Voicing the members of Emmet's rebel crew on this heroic mission are Morgan Freeman as the ancient mystic Vitruvius; Elizabeth Banks as tough-as-nails Wyldstyle, who mistakes Emmet for the savior of the world and guides him on his quest; Will Arnett as the mysterious Batman, a LEGO minifigure with whom Wyldstyle shares a history; Nick Offerman as the craggy, swaggering pirate Metal Beard, obsessed with revenge on Lord Business; Alison Brie as the sweet and loveable Unikitty and Charlie Day as Benny, the 1980-something Spaceman. Each combo pack will feature 1080p video, a lossless 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Feature Audio Commentary; Batman: A True Artist; Michelangelo and Lincoln: History Cops; Enter the Ninjago; Bringing LEGO to Life; "Everything is Awesome" Sing-Along; See it! Build it!; Stories from the Story Team; Fan-Made Films: Top Secret Submissions; Outtakes and Deleted Scenes; Alleyway Test. The Everything is Awesome Edition will add Dream Job: Meet The LEGO Builders, a collectible photo, and an exclusive figurine. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is set at $35.99 and the Blu-ray 3D is $59.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Lego Movie' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 17.Posted Fri Apr 18, 2014 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Amazon Expands Fire TV Voice Search[teaser]The online retailer is integrating a slew of new apps into its voice search feature. [/teaser] After making its debut earlier this month, the Amazon Fire TV is now set to receive a very welcome upgrade to its popular voice search function. As noted by Mike Flacy in our full review, the streaming media player features a handy voice search option with impressive accuracy, but the launch software only offers full support for Amazon Instant Video search results. Thankfully, the company is now preparing to remedy this limitation. Soon Hulu Plus, Crackle, SHOWTIME ANYTIME, and VEVO will all be fully integrated into the Fire TV's voice search, allowing customers to search through their full catalogs by speaking their selections. The expanded voice search support is expected to launch this summer. In addition, Amazon also teased new Fire TV videogames and apps in development from companies like Telltale Games, Halfbrick, Pixowl, Disney Interactive, Minority Media, Paradox Interactive, Gaiam, AllRecipes, and Twitch. Likewise, a Fire TV smartphone and tablet app is on the way as well, allowing users to play touch-enabled games. Finally, the online retailer also announced several more upcoming features, including a New Prime browse for easier access to the Prime Instant Video library, and Amazon FreeTime and Amazon MP3 services via a future free software update. "We're excited and energized by the momentum we're seeing with Fire TV," said Dave Limp, Vice President, Amazon Devices. "Customers are telling us they love it, developers are building for it, and we’re working hard to expand existing features and build new ones. We're thrilled to have Hulu Plus, Crackle, and SHOWTIME integrating their full selection of movies and TV shows into Fire TV’s unified voice search." The Amazon Fire TV is now available for $99. Source: AmazonPosted Fri Apr 18, 2014 at 09:30 AM PDT by: -
'Chaplin's Mutual Comedies' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]A dozen silent comedy classics have been meticulously restored and will be released on Blu-ray in Steelbook packaging this July. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Flicker Alley is preparing 'Chaplin's Mutual Comedies' for Blu-ray sometime later this year, and now the date has been set for July 29. In the comedies Charlie Chaplin created for the Mutual Film Corporation, Chaplin sometimes played an inebriate, a fireman, or a prop man in a movie studio; but most of all, he further explored and developed his celebrated Little Tramp character that would soon join Falstaff and Don Quixote in the pantheon of immortal comic characters. Flicker Alley and The Blackhawk Films Collection are proud to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Little Tramp with the premiere of Chaplin's Mutual Comedies, a 5-disc Blu-ray/DVD box set, presented for a limited time in a collector's edition SteelBook case. The collection features 12 newly restored films (The Floorwalker, The Fireman, The Vagabond, One A.M., The Count, The Pawnshop, Behind the Screen, The Rink, Easy Street, The Cure, The Immigrant, and The Adventurer) , all scanned under the aegis of Association Chaplin at a resolution of 2,000 lines from original 35mm prints gathered from archives all over the world, then digitally assembled and restored, a collaborative effort of Lobster Films in Paris and L'Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, Italy. Each film offers the option of either improvised piano accompaniment or a full orchestral score. Among the many well-known composers and musicians featured are Eric Beheim, Neil Brand, Timothy Brock, Antonio Coppola, Carl Davis, Stephen Horne, Robert Israel, the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra, Maud Nelissen, Donald Sosin, and Gabriel Thibaudeau. This set will include: A 34-page booklet with rare, behind-the-scenes images, and an extensive essay by film historian and author Jeffrey Vance (Chaplin: Genius of Cinema); The home-video premiere of a 52-minute documentary by Serge Bromberg and Eric Lange, The Birth of the Tramp, which chronicles Chaplin's rise to stardom in concordance with early cinema's growth from fairground attraction into an international industry; and Chaplin's Goliath by Academy Award winner Kevin Macdonald, which tells the story of Charlie's nemesis Eric Campbell, who achieved screen immortality with his appearances in eleven of these comedies. You can find the latest specs for 'Chaplin's Mutual Comedies' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under July 29.Posted Fri Apr 18, 2014 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Longmire: The Complete First and Second Seasons' Blu-ray Dated & Detailed[teaser]The first two seasons of A&E's crime series based on Craig Johnson's novels will arrive at the end of May and are now up for Blu-ray pre-orders. [/teaser] As previously reported, Warner Archive is preparing 'Longmire: The Complete First and Second Seasons' for Blu-ray sometime later this year, and now the date has been set for May 27. Longmire follows Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor), the Sheriff of the fictional Absaroka County, Wyoming, as he returns to work after the death of his wife. With the help of his daughter Cady (Cassidy Freeman), his new deputy Vic (Katee Sackhoff) and his best friend Henry Standing Bear (Lou Diamond Phillips), Walt must investigate a series of major crimes in his jurisdiction while preparing to run for re-election against Branch Connally (Bailey Chase), a young deputy in the department who wants the Sheriff's job. The 6-disc set will feature 1080p video, a lossless 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: The Camera's Eye: Realizing the World of Longmire; Longmire Justice: Exploring the Cowboy Detective; Testing Courage: The Storm Defines the Man; and Extended Episodes: "Sound and Fury" & "Election Day" Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $59.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Longmire: The Complete First and Second Seasons' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under May 27.Posted Fri Apr 18, 2014 at 06:00 AM PDT by:
