• 'Sully' Blu-ray & Ultra HD Blu-ray Pre-Orders Live

    Posted Mon Sep 26, 2016 at 01:00 PM PDT by
    sully news

    The Clint Eastwood drama starring Tom Hanks is soaring toward Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray.

    Continue Reading
  • 'Batman: Return to Arkham' Launches in October

    Posted Tue Sep 6, 2016 at 06:49 AM PDT by
    Batman: Return to Arkham News

    The Asylum has never looked better.

    Continue Reading
  • Amazon Preps Streaming Series Based on 'The Departed'

    Posted Thu Aug 25, 2016 at 01:30 PM PDT by
    departed amazon

    The streaming platform is developing a show based on the Martin Scorsese movie.  

    Continue Reading
  • 'Suicide Squad' Blu-ray & Ultra HD Blu-ray Pre-Orders Live!

    Posted Thu Aug 18, 2016 at 10:00 AM PDT by
    suicide squad news

    The ragtag team of supervillains will assemble on Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray later this year.  

    Continue Reading
  • AMC & Dolby Announce Plans to Launch 100 Dolby Cinema at AMC Sites by End of 2017

    Posted Wed Aug 10, 2016 at 02:30 PM PDT by
    Dolby Cinema at AMC logo

    The companies have accelerated their installation plans for more Dolby Cinema locations.  

    Continue Reading
  • Free 'LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens' DLC Explains C-3PO's Phantom Limb

    Posted Tue Aug 9, 2016 at 10:51 AM PDT by
    Star Wars The Force Awakens Phantom Limb DLC

    It's free for PS4 and PS3 owners.

    Continue Reading
  • 'BarberShop: The Next Cut' Starring Ice Cube Dated for Blu-ray

    Posted Thu Jul 14, 2016 at 12:30 PM PDT by
    barber news

    The latest film in the 'BaberShop' franchise will arrive on Blu-ray in July.  

    Continue Reading
  • 'The Deadly Trackers' Starring Richard Harris Bound for Blu-ray

    Posted Thu Jul 7, 2016 at 08:00 AM PDT by
    deadly tracker news

    The western is riding out for vengeance on Blu-ray in July.

    Continue Reading
  • 'The 100: The Complete Third Season' Blu-ray Detailed

    Posted Wed Jul 6, 2016 at 10:00 AM PDT by
    100 s3 news

    The third season of the science fiction series will hit Blu-ray in July.  

    Continue Reading
  • Netflix & the CW Team Up for Exclusive US Streaming Deal

    Posted Wed Jul 6, 2016 at 08:00 AM PDT by
    supergirl news

    The streaming service is now the exclusive U.S. subscription television platform for CW programming.  

    Continue Reading
  • HDD Quick Look: 'The Legend of Tarzan' in Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos

    Posted Wed Jun 29, 2016 at 04:00 PM PDT by
    The Legend of Tarzan in Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos

    Most of my days are spent hunched over a laptop working on my carpel tunnel and twisting my back in ways I'm going to regret in ten to twenty years.

    Then there are days when I go to movie premieres.

    Last Monday, Warner Bros and Dolby kindly hosted the world premiere for its latest feature, 'The Legend of Tarzan'. Walking into the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood California is an odd experience. First, it's in a mall. Literally. A high end shopping center with restaurants and jewelry stores and huts hawking sunglasses as tourists snap pictures from passing buses. But it's also this extravagant venue for musicals and, of course, home to the Academy Awards.

    In that sense, the Dolby Theatre is a magical palace of movie geekdom where you get a free popcorn and soda and the fleeting chance to see your favorite filmmakers and stars. The other great thing is the collective sense of buzz. While celebrities fill some seats, you're generally amongst the people who, in one way or another, devoted time to this production, or are in the middle of their own endeavors. That is to say premieres are generally warm rooms where the thrills chill and the jokes land.

    Like I said, an odd experience, but a special one I've very grateful to attend.

    Since Dolby took over the naming rights from Kodak several years ago, they set their genius pro cinema engineers to an impossible task -- make a venue that was in no way designed for cinema look and sound as good as it can. Today that means a Dolby Vision dual-4K projection system capable for 31fL in 2D (and 14fL in 3D) coupled with a custom Dolby Atmos setup. Dual 64-channel arrays (and processors) are necessary to run overhead and surround speakers for floor, mezzanine, and balcony seating. To be fair, it's not the best Dolby room in town, and some seats are more acoustically placed others, but given the restrictions faced, I'm always impressed.

    Dolby Theatre

    THE MOVIE ITSELF


    Let me begin by saying I have a huge amount of respect for the folks who made this movie. David Yates absolutely crushed his work in the 'Harry Potter' universe. Craig Brewer is an versatile writer-director (I'm not familiar with the other screenwriter's work). Alexander Skarsgård was unforgettable on 'True Blood'. Margot Robbie stood toe-to-toe with Leo in 'The Wolf of Wall Street' in a star-making performance. Christoph Waltz is one of the best all-time screen villains. Samuel L. Jackson is great in everything (even this). And Djimon Hounsou has an unmatched commanding presence.

    But, man, I just couldn't get into 'The Legend of Tarzan'. Dramatically. Emotionally. Tonally. It was all a miss for me.

    The basic plot revolves around Tarzan returning to the Congo at the invitation of Belgian's King Leopold II because England is hoping to broker a deal for mineral rights. Tarzan, or John Clayton (Skarsgård) as he likes to be called now, doesn't want to go back for reasons unknown, but his wife Jane (Robbie) very much wants to see her friends in the local tribe. Add in George Washington Williams (Jackson), an American Civil War vet who suspects Leopold might be enslaving the peoples of the Congo, and Tarzan has no choice but return to his past.

    Shortly after said reluctant return, the villainous Leon Rom (Waltz) kidnap Jane in hopes of luring Tarzan to his death. Tarzan, understandable pissed off, then sets off across the plains and the jungles with Williams to confront his past, rescue his wife, and possibly save the Congo from slavery.

    Much like the most recent Edgar Rice Burroughs adaptation, 'John Carter', 'Tarzan' manages to thrill at times with some wonderful action and beautiful photography -- Tarzan is effectively a 19th Century super hero -- but the filmmakers opted to treat characters' emotional-motivations as secrets rather than clear driving forces. In that sense, this film also features a flashback structure with all the origin story beats we've seen before, and where the scenes themselves are less engaging than the present day narrative and slow the film's overall pacing. There are also some odd tonal choices (Sam Jackson wondering if he should lick a gorillas testicles) and even though Jane has been modernized and she says she's no damsel, Ms. Robbie's character is woefully underwritten. Honestly, if it were my cinema dollars, I'd probably go see 'The Jungle Book' again or just Netflix Disney's animated 'Tarzan' (which admittedly has its own flaws).

    That said, if you're curious, completely disagree, or simply wish to stare at Skarsgård's abs for two hours... do yourself a favor and click HERE to find a list of Dolby Cinema locations where you're going to see and hear the best possible version of this film.

    Alexander Skarsgard

    DOLBY VISION


    'The Legend of Tarzan' swings into Dolby Cinemas with Dolby Vision high dynamic range graded in the (I believe) DCI P3 cinema color space. While much of the movie has a muted and gritty color pallet -- jungles and Greystoke manner soaked in oppressive mist -- Dolby Vision has such good contrast and black levels that it makes the whole experience much more vivid than conventional digital cinemas. You can see the rich costume colors even in the darkness. Day time sequences are vivid in their own right. The on-location areal photography is some of the most eye-dropping I've seen since the original 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. Cascading waterfalls dumping into jungle-lined river basins. It's a paradise. And the grassy plains seem to extend outward infinitely. Pay special attention to the brighter skies, where you'll glimpse more clouds and other details that will be washed out in standard dynamic range.

    In comparison to other Dolby Vision titles, 'Tarzan' is somewhat limited by its intended color palette (the warmer, saturated 'The Jungle Book' is more classically demo material), but it looked quite good to my eyes.

    Tarzan and Dolby posters

    DOLBY ATMOS


    'The Legend of Tarzan' Dolby Atmos mix doesn't evolve the format in any way, but succeeds in implementing Atmos' inherent strengths to bolster the film's technical merits. Surround placement, including bullets and character voice panning, is above average. The Dolby Theatre auditorium is a vast space, but I knew at all times where the characters were going (and what threats were hunting them). Gorilla roars were guttural and deep. And I enjoy the sensation of movement as characters swing through dense jungles. My favorite aural sequence involves rain drenching your senses from the overhead speakers; it was quite effective, even if overall overhead usage is only moderately aggressive. If I had any suggestions, I wish there was a little less epic orchestral music and more jungle environment sonic nuances. Small note. Overall, though, this is a pretty good Dolby Atmos mix and I enjoyed its sonic flourishes more than 'Captain America: Civil War'.

    Margot Robbie

    FINAL THOUGHTS


    While 'The Legend of Tarzan' wasn't for me, personally, it is a beautifully photographed film with a few thrilling set-pieces. If you're going to see it, I feel no regret in suggesting a Dolby Cinema auditorium. This type of color grading could easily find itself awash in grey-like black levels. Not so in Dolby Vision, which pushes the blacks and brings out dimensional colors even within the sometimes-muted pallet. Bright skies also resolve well. And, though not life-changing, the Dolby Atmos mix is quite good too, offering bursts of action and rain-soaked environmentals that make for an immersive experience. It should make for a nice Ultra HD Blu-ray and streaming experience.

    Another plus: after seeing what David Yates did with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos the first time out, I can't wait to see how 'Fantastic Beasts' looks and sounds.

    Are you going to see 'The Legend of Tarzan'? If so, where?

    Continue Reading
  • Warner Bros. Announces 'Shameless: The Complete Sixth Season' for Blu-ray

    Posted Wed Jun 29, 2016 at 08:00 AM PDT by
    shameless s6 news

    The sixth season of the Showtime series will hit Blu-ray in August.  

    Continue Reading
  • 'The Big Bang Theory: Season 9' Blu-ray Detailed

    Posted Tue Jun 28, 2016 at 12:00 PM PDT by
    big bang 9 news

    The latest season of the hit CBS comedy is coming to Blu-ray in September.  

    Continue Reading
  • 'Supernatural: The Complete Eleventh Season' Blu-ray Dated

    Posted Tue Jun 14, 2016 at 01:00 PM PDT by
    supernatural news

    The latest season of the long running CW series is headig to Blu-ray in September. 

    Continue Reading
  • Philips Bundles 'Creed' with Upcoming Ultra HD Blu-ray Player, MSRP Set for $400

    Posted Mon Jun 13, 2016 at 04:30 PM PDT by
    philips ultra hd blu-ray

    The Ultra HD Blu-ray player will come packaged with a copy of Warner Brothers' 'Creed.'  

    Continue Reading
  • 'Supergirl: The Complete First Season' Blu-ray Detailed

    Posted Mon Jun 13, 2016 at 01:00 PM PDT by
    supergirl news

    The CBS show is soaring toward Blu-ray in August. 

    Continue Reading
  • 'Person of Interest: The Complete Fifth and Final Season' Blu-ray Announced

    Posted Mon May 23, 2016 at 10:00 AM PDT by
    person s5 news

    The final season of the CBS series will hit Blu-ray in July.  

    Continue Reading
  • 'LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Gotham City Breakout' Blu-ray Dated

    Posted Wed May 4, 2016 at 08:00 AM PDT by
    lego gotham news

    The Justice League will save the day on Blu-ray in June.  

    Continue Reading
  • Stephen King's '11.22.63' Bound for Blu-ray

    Posted Tue May 3, 2016 at 12:00 PM PDT by
    11.22.63 news

    The sci-fi mini-series starring James Franco is heading to Blu-ray in August.  

    Continue Reading
  • 'Rick and Morty: The Complete Second Season' Blu-ray Dated for June

    Posted Wed Mar 30, 2016 at 08:00 AM PDT by
    rick and morty s2 news

    Rick and Mory will get schwifty on Blu-ray in June. 

    Continue Reading

LATEST NEWS BLU-RAY

The Game Of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection, Vol.1 Blu-ray Limited Edition Box Set Available for Pre-order!

View All

ULTRA HD

Blue Underground Reveals 'Goodbye Uncle Tom' Restored and Uncut 4K UHD & Blu-ray April 23rd

View All

HD GEAR

Got A Spare Grand? Hot Toys Reissues 1989 Batman 1/6 Figure and Batmobile

View All

THE BONUS VIEW

Sorry, We’re Closed

View All