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'Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed[teaser]A boxed set of six outstanding films from around the world will arrive on Blu-ray in December. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, the Criterion Collection will proudly present 'Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project' on Blu-ray on December 10. Established by Martin Scorsese in 2007, the World Cinema Project expands the horizons of moviegoers everywhere. The mission of the WCP is to preserve and present marginalized and infrequently screened films from regions of the world ill equipped to provide funding for major restorations. This collector’s set brings together six superb films from various countries, including Bangladesh/India ('A River Called Titas'), Mexico ('Redes'), Morocco ('Trances'), Senegal ('Touki bouki'), South Korea ('The Housemaid'), and Turkey ('Dry Summer'); each is a cinematic revelation, depicting a culture not often seen by outsiders. The Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack will feature a new 1080p digital transfer, uncompressed monaural soundtracks, and supplements include: New introductions to the films by World Cinema Project founder Martin Scorsese; New interview programs featuring filmmakers Abderrahmane Sissako (on Touki bouki), Kumar Shahani (on A River Called Titas), Metin Erksan and Fatih Akın (on Dry Summer), and Bong Joon-ho (on The Housemaid); New visual essay on Redes by filmmaker and critic Kent Jones; New interview program on Trances featuring filmmaker Ahmed El Maânouni, producer Izza Génini, and musician Omar Sayed; and a booklet featuring essays on the films by Charles Ramirez Berg, Bilge Ebiri, Kyung Hyun Kim, Adrian Martin, Richard Porton, and Sally Shafto. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $124.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under December 10.Posted Wed Sep 18, 2013 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
AudioXperts Introduces Korners Speakers[teaser]The new speakers are designed to blend into your decor. [/teaser] The Korners series of home theater speakers from AudioXperts is aimed at offering buyers an attractive alternative to traditional, in-wall and ceiling speakers. The ultra-slim speakers are specially designed to blend unobtrusively in the corner of the room for seamless integration. The series includes loudspeakers for front and surround placement, a center channel, and a subwoofer. The 2-Way Ultra Loudspeakers ($1,000) measure 68-inches tall and 3-inches wide, and feature 1-inch tweeters and six 2-inch woofers with a frequency response of 90Hz-25kHz. The speakers can be mounted to corners and walls and there are optional floor stands as well. The 2-Way Ultra-Slim Center Channel ($1,000) measures 55-inches wide and 3-inches tall and also features a 1-inch tweeter and six 2-inch woofers. The frequency response is 120Hz-25kHz and the speakers are designed to be placed horizontally below or above the television. A base is included for tabletop positioning. Lastly, the company has also released a 300-Watt Peak Wireless-Ready Powered Subwoofer ($1,250) that measures 36-inches x 6.5-inches x 6.5-inches. The subwoofer includes six 4.5-inch SSHO woofers and has a frequency response of 40Hz-300Hz. An optional wireless transmitter is also available ($100), and like the speakers, the subwoofer features a slim design that can be placed vertically or horizontally. The Korners series of audio products is now shipping from AudioXperts and the company is expected to demo the lineup at the CEDIA Expo. Source: TWICE, AudioXpertsPosted Wed Sep 18, 2013 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Hunt' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The acclaimed Danish thriller from Thomas Vinterberg arrives on Blu-ray in December. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Magnolia will bring 'The Hunt' to Blu-ray on December 10. Mads Mikkelsen stars as Lukas, a recently-divorced primary school teacher locked in an acrimonious custody battle over his teenage son Marcus (Lasse Fogelstrøm). When five-year-old Klara (Annika Wedderkop), the daughter of Lukas's best friend Theo (Thomas Bo Larsen), tells the headmistress of the school - untruthfully - that Lukas has acted abusively towards her, the accusations quickly escalate and Lukas soon faces unanimous condemnation from everyone around him, including his closest friends. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Hunt' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under December 10.Posted Wed Sep 18, 2013 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
BlackBerry Details Z30 Smartphone[teaser]The new mobile device features a 720p touchscreen. [/teaser] Serving as the successor to the previous Z10, the BlackBerry Z30 has been officially revealed. The phone features an all-touch 5-inch AMOLED 720p display with 295ppi, and will run the company's latest BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2. The BlackBerry Z30 is powered by a dual-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro processor with 2GB of ram, and an integrated 2,880mAh battery. An 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera are also included, along with 16GB of storage and an Adreno 320 GPU. Other features include stereo speakers with Natural Sound technology, a microSD slot, an improved antenna, updated BBM, and BackBerry's Priority Hub which manages, prioritizes, and organizes your messages. "The new BlackBerry Z30 smartphone builds on the solid foundation and engaging user experience of the BlackBerry 10 platform with features like the powerful BlackBerry Hub, its exceptional touchscreen keyboard and industry leading browser," said Carlo Chiarello, Executive Vice President for Products at BlackBerry. "The smartphone rounds out the BlackBerry 10 portfolio and is designed for people looking for a smartphone that excels at communications, messaging and productivity. Having apps like the full Documents To Go suite that comes preinstalled, together with its 5" touch display, the BlackBerry Z30 smartphone gives you a best in class productivity experience on the go." An exact release date and pricing have not been detailed yet, but the BlackBerry Z30 is expected to launch in the UK and Middle East next week, and will then expand to select carriers globally this holiday season. Source: EngadgetPosted Wed Sep 18, 2013 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
HDD's First Look: 'The Wizard of Oz' in IMAX 3Dby Michael S. Palmer [teaser]Monday, HDD scored an invite to see the new 'The Wizard of Oz IMAX 3D' conversion, which will debut theatrically on 300 IMAX screens this Friday, September 20th, and run for one week only. Later, on October 1st, 'Oz' will make its Blu-ray 3D debut in a 75th Anniversary Collector's Edition as well as a two-disc Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + HD Ultraviolet edition. So look for those reviews shortly![/teaser] 3D Conversion and IMAX 3D I know some of our readers loathe 3D and/or 3D conversion. You want your cinema as pure as possible, with the filmmakers' artistic intentions held up above corporate profit. Hell, 3D doesn't even work for some of you and others have been disappointed by sloppy stereo conversions. I totally hear you. For me, I approach 3D on a film-by-film basis and don't really care whether or not it's native-3D or a conversion. First, conversions such as 'Titanic - 3D' and 'The Lion King - 3D' really impressed, so it can be done right. Second, and much more important, there's a very important thing to remember about 3D: There are a lot more conversions than you think. Every "native-3D" movie has converted material in it. Every single one. Why? Because shooting in 3D is infinitely more complex than 2D and if there are any imperfections, a shot won't work and you have to fix it. Another great example is Michael Bay on 'Transformers Dark of the Moon'. He didn't like how digital cameras made his actors look in extreme closeups, so he shot them on 35mm and had them converted. To be clear, I'm definitely pro shooting in native 3D because, when done right, filmmakers like Ang Lee and Martin Scorsese really enhance the medium. But I don't think we should ever close our minds to the possibility of loving a film (or film format) because someone did a bad job previously, and because it's not as clear cut what is actually been converted. Then again, once you've been burned, I can understand not wanting to spend extra money on something you don't enjoy. For 'The Wizard of Oz', Warner Bros. Home Entertainment went back to the original negatives to do an 8K scan. It's the same team behind the wonderful 70th Anniversary restoration, but I'm not sure if they did new scans or used the 2009 scans. Either way, the film was "cleaned up" -- removing scratches, etc. -- and given to a company called Prime Focus to do the 3D conversion. Prime Focus has done stereo conversion work on 'Gravity' (only trailers so far, but WOW!), 'World War Z', 'The Great Gatsby', 'Transformers Dark of the Moon', and many others. Prime Focus also does 2D and 3D visual effects work. After layering shots to put them in "proper 3D space," 3D elements returned to Warners for color correction in 3D. This entire 3D conversion process took about 16 months. 'Oz' then went through IMAX's DMR process, where hundreds of people "optimized and honed [the film], shot-by-shot, to bring out all of the detail and reduce the noise." The IMAX team also took Oz's current 5.1 mix (which, if you recall, was created in 2005, but released in lossless Dolby TrueHD sound for the first time in 2009), and tweaked the audio for IMAX's larger dynamic range and proprietary surround format. According to provided press materials, 'The Wizard of Oz' is the oldest film to ever be converted to 3D or IMAX 3D. The TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX Before I jump into my personal reactions to the conversion and IMAX 3D experience, I have to first talk about where I saw the film. Every IMAX auditorium is a little different. Some were first created for Science Museums that ran IMAX 15-perf 70mm film. Newer auditoriums are either native builds or retrofited Digital IMAX cinemas, which use dual 2K projectors for both 2D and 3D films and do not feature the astounding tall screens of the original IMAX cinemas. For this screening, which came one day after the film's IMAX 3D premiere, we saw 'The Wizard of Oz' at the legendary Chinese Theatre in the heart of Hollywood. The best part? 'Oz' originally premiered in this very same auditorium on August 15, 1939. The Chinese Theatre -- now officially called the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX -- was recently overhauled and converted to a digital IMAX cinema. It is now the largest IMAX in the world in terms of seating capacity (932 seats), and features the third largest IMAX screen in North America (94 feet wide, 46 feet tall). Here's a time-lapse video of the cinema's restoration: Pretty cool, right? No photograph or video can really do this historic landmark justice. The carvings and sculptures and paintings on the walls and ceilings are truly remarkable. If you ever find yourself in Los Angeles, try to see a movie here and come early so you can walk around, look up, and simply appreciate the artistry. As you can see in the video above, crews used a tent to protect the building's unique architecture -- because the Chinese is a historical landmark, the new owners were legally bound to preserve it. Instead of building UP, they dug down to create stadium seating where the auditorium's most drastic changes are noticeable. And while it's not the same curtain as before, this is the only IMAX cinema where a curtain will open and close with every screening. Though they were not used for this film because 'Oz' retains its original 1.37:1 aspect ration and was projected floor-to-ceiling, I could see some horizontal masking that will presumably be used for widescreen IMAX movies. Also, I don't believe the image took up the entire screen's width. It certainly went to the edge of the curtains, but I think the curtains could open a little bit more. Regardless, 'Oz' was HUGE from my position in the last row of the front seating section (there are now two -- the front is more stadium style, the rear second wider and with less slope). And, I'm very happy to say this is the very first Digital IMAX where I didn't suffer from the "screen door effect" -- aka didn't see a single pixel. Hazzah! My main complaint is the front section's center aisle. Not only does this, in my opinion at least, delete what could be some of the best seats -- a problem with the previous Chinese as well -- but the aisle's safety lighting was bright enough to bounce off the lower part of the screen. Another issue may be the back section's seats. It's definitely a big screen no matter where you sit, but I doubt for those people on the edges that it will "feel" like they're at a larger-than-life IMAX. 'The Wizard of Oz - IMAX 3D' 'Oz' -- no hyperbole here -- looks so absolutely gorgeous, you'd almost think it is native 3D. Sure, there are couple flaws we can nitpick -- and we will in a moment -- but overall, the film is bright and clear and colorful and, well, 'Oz'... the same movie that millions have loved and watched and re-watched over the last seventy-plus years. There's also something to be said about the film's editing and how camerawork and shot-length are inherently more receptive to a 3D conversion than a modern blockbuster like 'Star Trek Into Darkness'. What surprised me most was how much detail the film showed on the big screen. If you're only experience with 'Oz' is on Blu-ray or an old revival print from years ago, there's so much more to see and feel by checking out one of these IMAX 3D screenings. The tornado sequence is spectacular. The models and visual effects look great, and for the first time ever, I actually felt nervous despite knowing exactly what happens. Then look at the yellow brick road and count a few bricks. Or check out all the makeup effects. Sometimes, I think, you see a little too much, but the Scarecrow's burlap facial textures are incredible. Toto's fur looks good too and Dorothy has the most amazing little curls in her hair. And, also for the first time I can remember, the flying monkey models are truly formidable as they approach and descend out of the sky. You can see each one so, so clearly. Heck, the restoration team even managed to remove a huge scratch from the opening titles (that you can see in the current Blu-ray). In terms of the 3D, the movie opens with the MGM logo, along with all of the opening titles, floating right off the screen. That, and a few characters leaning forward, are the only "pop out" style 3D effects. Everything else extends behind the screen, creating that window into another world effect that's been so prominent in the modern 3D era. My favorite 3D effect was the matte paintings, which extend the backgrounds of nearly every location in the movie. When you watch 'Oz' in 2D, you can definitely tell that, in a few moments, if the actors took a step or two further away from the camera, they'd smash into the edge of a soundstage. In 3D, the conversion extends the paintings too so the entire world of Oz feels a little more deep and epic. Despite looking terrific, there are a few nitpicks we should discuss. I think purists are going to miss the amount of film grain that's been scrubbed away. Definitely less grain than the 70th Anniversary Blu-ray, which I am watching as I write this. I would also say, while most of the film is razor sharp -- more sharp than the Blu -- some of the faces seem artificially soft too (but let's be cautious about overreacting here because some shots are either intentionally or accidentally soft). The 3D itself has a few minor blemishes. Namely, there are one or two shots where a character's arm that is reaching out of the screen (towards the audience), hits the side of the frame, ruining the 3D effect. You can see this as Dorothy sings with Glenda in Munchkinland. Next, there are few shots where the 3D layers don't quite mesh with the matte paintings. For example, in the Poppy Field, as the camera pans to the left, some of the poppies are going left, and the others are going right. It's an odd sensation, but one most people will miss. And finally, dissolves are a little distracting -- this seems to be a result of two shots with opposing 3D depths come together. For a moment, it's harder to know where you should be looking. Should You See 'Oz' in IMAX 3D? It's important to note I have only seen the IMAX 3D version, which might look different than the forthcoming Blu-ray 3D release because the IMAX 3D prints received an extra layer of the DMR processing. That being said, I was shocked by how natural the film looked in 3D. Having re-watched the entire film while writing, I'm reminded how important it is to see films like this on the big screen. With IMAX 3D, everything is crisp, clear, colorful and the speakers are -- sadly -- much better than my home system. I believe, overall, the positives far out way the negatives, which were all pretty minor to my eyes. I raise them here because you're all informed viewers who have exacting quality standards. 'The Wizard of Oz IMAX 3D' is definitely recommended for anyone near an IMAX screen (assuming you don't hate 3D). And, if you're a Los Angeles area film buff and want to see 'Oz' in the very same theatre where it original premiered, the TCL Chinese Theatre Oz screenings are a must-see event for locals and those lucky enough to be visiting. After 'Oz' concludes its weeklong run, the Chinese Theatre will be showing 'Metallica: Through the Never', followed by 'Gravity'. Thanks again to Warner Bros. Home Entertainment for arranging this advanced press screening. To our HDD readers, hit up the forum below to let us know if you're planning to check out 'Oz IMAX 3D', pick up any of the new Blu-ray 3D editions, or -- after seeing either version -- what you thought of the conversion. It'll be great to hear about your reactions too.Posted Wed Sep 18, 2013 at 08:45 AM PDT by: -
'Dream Theater: Live at Luna Park' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The progressive metal band will hit the stage on Blu-ray in November. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Eagle Rock is preparing 'Dream Theater: Live at Luna Park' for Blu-ray on November 5. A Deluxe Edition with a 60 page hardback photobook containing the Blu-ray, two DVDs and three CDs will also be available the same day. Dream Theater began their mammoth "A Dramatic Tour Of Events" world trek in July 2011 with the final leg in South America taking place in August 2012. It was here at the Luna Park Arena in Buenos Aires, Argentina, that they decided to film the two nights that make up this Blu-ray release. The Live At Luna Park band line-up for this show is James LaBrie (vocals); John Petrucci (guitar); Jordan Rudess (keyboards); John Myung (bass); and Mike Mangini (drums) – this was Dream Theater's first tour and album with their new drummer and all the tracks from that album, A Dramatic Turn Of Events, are included in either the main show or the bonus performances. Technical specs have not been detailed yet, but supplements will include: Live versions of six great tracks -- "These Walls," "Build Me Up, Break Me Down," "Caught In A Web," "Wait For Sleep," "Far From Heaven," and "Pull Me Under"; A documentary; The trailer for the cinema release of the film; A "Behind The Scenes" feature; The cartoon intro that ran on big screens prior to the band taking to the stage in Buenos Aires; and 6 multi angle options on "Outcry." Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $19.97. Suggested list price for the Deluxe Edition has not been revealed yet. You can find the latest specs for 'Dream Theater: Live at Luna Park' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 5.Posted Wed Sep 18, 2013 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Poll: Do You Still Watch TV Shows on a TV?It stands to reason that most home theater fans prefer to watch movies on a big screen display. However, does the same hold true for TV shows? Do you watch most of your TV shows on an actual TV, or is a smartphone or tablet screen good enough for that? Let us know your preference in this week's blog poll.Posted Wed Sep 18, 2013 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
'Sorcerer' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]William Friedkin's 1977 suspense infused thriller is to explode on Blu-ray next April. [/teaser] According to Director William Friedkin's Facebook page, Warner Brothers will be releasing 'Sorcerer' on Blu-ray on April 14. Set on the edge of a South American jungle, a desperate four-man team, led by Roy Scheider, must transport a volatile cargo of nitroglycerine over 200 miles of treacherous terrain in order to stop a potentially disastrous oil fire. Featuring a beautiful soundtrack by Tangerine Dream. Also starring Francisco Rabal, Amidou, Bruno Cremer, Ramon Bieri, and Joe Spinell. Specs and supplements haven't been revealed yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is also still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Sorcerer' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 14.Posted Wed Sep 18, 2013 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion' and 'Nashville' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Two 1970s classics will be getting the Criterion treatment in early December. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion is preparing the 1970 French crime thriller 'Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion' for Blu-ray on December 3. The provocative Italian filmmaker Elio Petri's most internationally acclaimed work is this remarkable, visceral, Oscar-winning thriller. Petri maintains a tricky balance between absurdity and realism in telling the Kafkaesque tale of a Roman police inspector (Gian Maria Volonté, in a commanding performance) investigating a heinous crime—which he committed himself. Both a penetrating character study and a disturbing commentary on the draconian crackdowns by the Italian government in the late 1960s and early '70s, Petri's kinetic portrait of surreal bureaucracy is a perversely pleasurable rendering of controlled chaos. The Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack will feature a 1080p transfer, uncompressed monaural soundtrack, and supplements will include: New 4K digital restoration by the Film Foundation, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray; Archival interview with director Elio Petri, conducted by critic and filmmaker Alexandre Astruc; Elio Petri: Notes About a Filmmaker (2005), a ninety-minute documentary on the director's career, featuring interviews with friends, collaborators, and filmmakers; New interview with film scholar Camilla Zamboni; Investigation of a Citizen Named Volonté (2008), a fifty-minute documentary about actor Gian Maria Volonté; Music in His Blood, an interview with composer Ennio Morricone from 2010, conducted by film critic Fabio Ferzetti; Trailers; and a booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Evan Calder Williams and excerpts from a 2001 book by author and screenwriter Ugo Pirro. Robert Altman's 'Nashville' will also be available on Blu-ray on the same date. This cornerstone of 1970s American moviemaking from Altman is a panoramic view of the country's political and entertainment landscapes, set in the nation's music capital. Nashville weaves the stories of twenty-four characters—from country star to wannabe to reporter to waitress—into a cinematic tapestry that is equal parts comedy, tragedy, and musical. Many members of the astonishing cast wrote and performed their own songs live on location, which lends another layer to the film's quirky authenticity. Altman's ability to get to the heart of American life via its eccentric byways was never put to better use than in this grand, rollicking triumph, which barrels forward to an unforgettable conclusion. The Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack will feature 1080p video, a lossless 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary featuring director Robert Altman; New documentary on the making of the film, featuring interviews with actors Keith Carradine, Michael Murphy, Allan Nicholls, and Lily Tomlin; assistant director Alan Rudolph; and screenwriter Joan Tewkesbury; Archival interviews with Altman; Behind-the-scenes footage; Demos of Carradine singing his songs from the film; Trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Molly Haskell. Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion' and 'Nashville' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under December 3.Posted Tue Sep 17, 2013 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Netflix Takes its Lead from Pirates[teaser]According to a new interview, the streaming service decides what programs to acquire based on what viewers like to steal. [/teaser] Netflix celebrated its launch in the Netherlands this week, promising to bring its increasingly varied and comprehensive library of programming to the new region. But just how does the company decide what shows to purchase? Well, the answer may surprise you. It turns out that in order to gauge viewer interest in potential content, Netflix actually turns to online pirates. "With the purchase of series, we look at what does well on piracy sites," said Kelly Merryman, Vice President of Content Acquisition, in an interview with the Dutch technology website Tweakers. She also added that their recent purchase of the television show 'Prison Break' was partly based on its popularity among BitTorrent users. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings elaborated on the topic in a separate interview, stating, "Certainly there’s some torrenting that goes on, and that’s true around the world, but some of that just creates the demand." Aimed at being a legal alternative to unlawful pirating, Netflix hopes that by offering the same kind of in demand content through the convenience of their user friendly service they can somehow sway pirates away from stealing. "Netflix is so much easier than torrenting. You don’t have to deal with files, you don’t have to download them and move them around. You just click and watch," said Hastings. While I'm sure the irony of this strategy isn't lost on anyone involved, it may actually be working. According to another interview with Hastings conducted in May, BitTorrent traffic in Canada has gone down substantially since the introduction of Netflix. Of course, if this keeps up, how will the streaming service figure out how to purchase new shows in the future? Walmart DVD thefts? Sources: TorrentFreak via CNETPosted Tue Sep 17, 2013 at 11:30 AM PDT by:
