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Today on Blu-ray - February 9th

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:40:11 -0500

Making his full-length feature directorial debut, Peter Billingsley (who will forever be known as "Ralphie" from A Christmas Story) couldn't have hopped for a better supporting team. On writing detail was popular funnyman Vince Vaughn and the driving force behind Iron Man, Jon Favreau. Both men joined Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell to compose a talented and veteran cast. Unfortunately, Couples Retreat - which is out today on Blu-ray - ended up being punching bag for critics, making the film much more interesting as a study in how a film set up so strongly could go so wrong, than as the comedy it was intended to be....

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Road to Perdition Blu-ray Coming Soon in Europe

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:38:03 -0500

Confirming earlier reports indicating that the Sam Mendes gangster movie Road to Perdition would come out on Blu-ray soon, British retailer HMV already has that title up for preorder, with a release date of May 24. No release details are available at the moment. The rights for this movie belong to 20th Century Fox in Europe and Paramount in the US....

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The Prowler on Blu-ray for Halloween

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:10:08 -0500

In an email newsletter from Blue Underground, the studio has informed that it is just now beginning work on the Blu-ray of the 1981 slasher movie The Prowler (also known as Rosemary's Killer) which "should be released by Halloween," completely uncut and uncensored. Other release details are still unavailable; an official announcement will be made in the coming months....

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Squeakquel Blu-ray Announced

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:50:53 -0500

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has officially announced Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, which will be available in a BD/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack on March 30. This sequel to Alvin and the Chipmunks, which sends the trio of high-pitch-voiced rodents to high school, was a huge theatrical hit, earning over $200 million at the box office....

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The Blind Side Blu-ray Detailed

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:28:15 -0500

Warner Home Video has revealed the edition details for The Blind Side, which, as reported when it was first announced, will include over an hour of BD-exclusive content. Last week, this sports drama was nominated for two Academy Awards: performance by an actress in a leading role (Sandra Bullock) and best picture....

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Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove Blu-ray Announced

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:33:59 -0500

Warner Home Video has announced Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove for release on a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack on March 23. In a departure from Warner's modus operandi with direct-to-video content, this movie starring Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Steve Irwin, "The Crocodile Hunter" will include a lossless audio track....

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Rumor: Remastered Gladiator Blu-ray Coming Up

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:40:30 -0500

The Digital Bits, quoting industry sources, is reporting that Paramount Home Entertainment, in cooperation with Universal Studios Home Entertainmment, will re-issue Gladiator on Blu-ray later this year, using a brand-new 1080p transfer that was just completed "a couple of months ago." Bill Hunt says this was done "after Paramount and Universal realized how bad the first one was, naturally."...

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An Education Blu-ray Announced

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:58:22 -0500

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has officially announced An Education for release on Blu-ray on March 30. This coming-of-age drama, about a teenage girl in 1960s suburban London whose life changes with the arrival of an older man, was nominated last week for three Academy Awards (best picture, performance by an actress in a leading role, and adapted screenplay)....

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K-19 Blu-ray Resurfaces, Escape from LA Breaks Out

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:50:45 -0500

On May 4, Paramount Home Entertainment will release John Carpenter's Escape from L.A. and Kathryn Bigelow's K-19: The Widowmaker. These two catalog titles were initially scheduled for September 2009, but were later postponed, along with 48 Hrs., The Firm and The Score. Audio on both titles is listed as Dolby TrueHD 5.1....

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Saving Private Ryan Blu-ray Announced

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:32:26 -0500

Paramount Home Entertainment has announced the Blu-ray release of the war movie Saving Private Ryan, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks, on May 4, just four days before V-E Day. This title will be part of Paramount's Sapphire Series; audio/video specifications and special features have not been officially listed yet....

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3-D Part of HDMI 1.4 Spec Made Public

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:39:59 -0500

HDMI Licensing, LLC, the agent responsible for licensing the HDMI specification, has announced, on behalf of the HDMI Founders, that it has made the 3-D portion of the HDMI Specification Version 1.4 available for public download on the HDMI Web site at the official HDMI site. This will make it possible even for non-HDMI licensees to access that part of the spec and make their products compatible with it....

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Battlestar Galactica Blu-ray Exchange Packaging for First-Edition Buyers

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:59:12 -0500

Some owners of the first edition of Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series had voiced their complaints to Universal Studios Home Entertainment about its bulky and unwieldy packaging. Now that a new edition with a slimmer packaging has been announced, Universal has emailed them back, offering to send the new packaging....

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Target-Exclusive New Moon Deluxe Edition Blu-ray (Update)

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:13:30 -0500

Last month Summit Entertainment informed that The Twilight Saga: New Moon would be available at all retailers when it releases on March 20 (yes, a Saturday). However, individual retailers are offering exclusive Blu-ray editions, with additional disc content, collectibles and packaging, notably Target's exclusive Two-Disc Deluxe Edition....

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BluFocus Launches 3-D Laboratory, Webinar

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:42:01 -0500

BluFocus Inc., an advanced testing and certification facility specializing in the assurance of quality media products and solutions, announced today the launch of their 3D-Focus Laboratory. This lab will provide services in the areas of 3-D testing, certification, consulting/advisement and also offer a THX Certified High Performance 3-D demonstration/testing environment for device manufacturers, content owners and producers to use as needed during their production process....

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True Blood Season 2 Blu-ray Announced

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:30:27 -0500

HBO, in conjunction with Warner Home Video, has officially announced True Blood: The Complete Second Season for release on Blu-ray on May 25. As previously reported, this season set will consist of five discs. Full special features are still pending, but they will include commentaries, featurettes, "and more."...

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Kamikaze Girls Blu-ray Coming Up

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:41:30 -0500

On February 8, Third Window Films is releasing Kamikaze Girls on Blu-ray, a Japanese movie described by The Sunday Times as "a wild, surreal speed-freak's walk on the kitsch side of pop culture obsessions." It tells the story of a Rococo-loving, fashion-victim Lolita who strikes an unlikely friendship with a biker girl....

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Disney Blu-ray Classics Reshuffled, Including Dumbo

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:11:17 -0500

Ultimate Disney is informing that the Blu-ray release of Dumbo (slated for last Tuesday) won't be released on Blu-ray until February 2011. Reportedly, there won't be any classic animated Disney titles on BD in the first half of the year. Beauty and the Beast is scheduled for October, and Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 are bumped from May to December. The Lion King is expected for October 2011....

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Warner to Increase Blu-ray Releases in 2010

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:08:20 -0500

Yesterday during an earnings call, Time Warner Inc. CFO John Martin said that Warner Home Video would increase the number of titles released in 2010, especially on Blu-ray, compared to last year. Martin mentioned the continued growth of "higher margin of Blu-ray" as one of the factors that will offset the "somewhat challenged" DVD sales....

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Blu-ray Sales, Jan. 25-31: Jackson is King of Blu (Update)

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:37:03 -0500

Michael Jackson: This Is It was easily the top-selling title on Blu-ray in the week ended January 31, according to Nielsen VideoScan, outselling second-ranking Surrogates by a rate of more than 3 to 1. The other major sales news was that a record 58% of the copies sold of the documentary WWII in HD were from its Blu-ray release. Update: overall sales figures added....

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Universal Announces Four Catalog Films on Blu-ray

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:06:11 -0500

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has announced that it will release four titles from its catalog (two of them new to high-definition disc) on Blu-ray on April 27: Dune, The Jackal, Out of Africa and Traffic. With the exception of Dune, they will be released in the now-familiar "flipper" DVD/BD two-sided combo disc....

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Gangs of New York Blu-ray Gets Video Overhaul

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:17:07 -0500

Quietly, without any official announcement or even a press release, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released yesterday a remastered Blu-ray edition of the Martin Scorsese movie Gangs of New York. Pending a full analysis, blu-ray.com reviewer Kenneth Brown confirms that this edition offers a "substantial improvement" in video quality over the 2008 release....

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Murdoch: Avatar Blu-ray Release by June

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:58:55 -0500

At a News Corp. earnings call, CEO Rupert Murdoch said yesterday that James Cameron's sci-fi megablockbuster Avatar will be released on Blu-ray during the company's fiscal year, which ends June 30. However, the studio is in no hurry to put the movie on store shelves just yet. We're not going to yank it out of theaters if it is doing $30 million a weekend, News Corp. president Chase Carey said....

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Michael Bolton Live Blu-ray Announced

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:19:30 -0500

Eagle Rock Entertainment has announced Michael Bolton: Live at the Royal Albert Hall for release on Blu-ray on May 4 (after airing on PBS in March), tying in with the release of Bolton's new CD, One World One Love. This concert was recorded at the famed London venue in October 2009, and offers an array of tunes, spanning Michael Bolton's 25-year career....

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Pierrot le fou Criterion Blu-ray Going Out of Print

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:51:02 -0500

The Criterion Collection has sent an email to its customers informing them that "a large group of titles from StudioCanal" will be out of print at the end of March, and among them the Blu-ray of Jean-Luc Godard's Pierrot le fou, which will suffer the same fate as The Third Man. Once it goes out of print, this title is expected to become increasingly hard to find....

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Apollo 13 Blu-ray Blasts Off in April

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:53:18 -0500

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has announced Apollo 13 for release on Blu-ray on April 13, just two days after the 40th anniversary of the launch of the NASA mission that nearly ended in disaster when an oxygen tank in the spaceship ruptured two hundred. This Blu-ray will exclusively include a U-Control track with a wealth of history and technology information. It will come in a non-flipper BD50 disc....

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The 82nd Oscars and Blu-ray: Nominations

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:13:47 -0500

Today, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for the 82nd Academy Awards. The Oscar race is led by James Cameron's Avatar and Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker, with nine nominations each. This year, ten movies fight for the best picture award, four of which are already out on Blu-ray and five others will be soon....

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Today on Blu-ray - February 2nd

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:14:03 -0500

Zombies are the speed bumps of the horror world. Inherently evil by design, they pose little more than an annoyance when only one is involved. But as they multiply, the danger increases exponentially (try managing a parking lot full of speed bumps without losing your sanity). The works of zombie guru George A. Romero are nothing short of legendary, but recent zombie spoofs, including today's Blu-ray release of Zombieland have proven to be just as (if not more) entertaining....

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Walmart Selling Pioneer Blu-ray Player for $108

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:32:16 -0500

Retail giant Wal-Mart is offering the Pioneer BDP-120 Blu-ray player for only $108 plus shipping, labeled as "rollback". Unlike other recent Blu-ray players on special sale, such as the Sylvania player in last Friday's Amazon Deal of the Day, the BDP-120 supports BonusView and BD-Live....

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GoodFellas 20th Anniversary Blu-ray Recycles 3-Year-Old Disc

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:10:07 -0500

Ever since Warner Home Video announced GoodFellas: 20th Anniversary Edition, many enthusiasts expressed their hope that WHV would use this opportunity to improve the audio or the video presentation of this major Martin Scorsese movie. However, site reviewer Kenneth Brown has taken a preliminary look at the 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray and, pending a full review, informs that the movie disc is identical to the GoodFellas Blu-ray released in early 2007....

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Old Dogs Blu-ray Announced and Detailed

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:14:03 -0500

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has revealed the release details for Old Dogs, which is coming out on Blu-ray on on March 9. This comedy starring John Travolta and Robin Williams will be available in two editions: a single-disc BD and a BD/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack....

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Warner Ends Blu-ray Replication Deal with Cinram, Goes with Technicolor

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:45:39 -0500

Warner Home Video has notified replication company Cinram that it has exercised an option to terminate its service agreements on July 31, 2010. The notice covers all Cinram entities globally and will directly impact operations in North America, Mexico, UK, France, Germany and Spain. This is a serious blow for Cinram: in 2009, WHV revenues represented approximately 28% of the total consolidated revenues of the replication company. Update: Warner alliance with Technicolor announced....

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Panasonic 3-D Authoring Center Up and Running

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:05:10 -0500

Panasonic unveiled its "fully operational" Blu-ray 3D Advanced Authoring Center located at Panasonic's R&D facility, Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory. The Advanced Authoring Center was recently upgraded and equipped with the latest 3-D technological innovations, based on standards developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA). It now offers studios and filmmakers image processing, interactive programming, authoring and disc certification services, which are capable of making Blu-ray 3D Discs commercially available as early as Spring 2010....

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Pirate Radio Blu-ray Announced

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:07:48 -0500

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has announced that it will release the British comedy Pirate Radio on Blu-ray on April 13. Note that this BD edition will only feature the U.S cut of the movie, 12 minutes shorter than the original version (titled The Boat That Rocked and released on Blu-ray in the UK in September 2009)....

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Battlestar Galactica Series Blu-ray Repackaged, Adds The Plan

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 04:21:24 -0500

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has announced Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series for release on April 6. The main change from the July 2009 edition (which is now discontinued) is that this new box set will include Battlestar Galactica: The Plan (released in October 2009). Additionally, it will come in slimmer packaging and the list price is lower....

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Broken Embraces Blu-ray Announced

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:36:40 -0500

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced Broken Embraces (Los abrazos rotos), the latest movie directed by Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, for Blu-ray release on March 16. Broken Embraces, starring Penélope Cruz, is a complex story of amour fou, jealousy, betrayal, and dark secrets revealed, going back and forth in time, and both behind the camera and in front of it....

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Armagedon and Tombstone on Blu-ray in Spring (Update)

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:23:18 -0500

Confirming previous rumors, an early announcement to retailers indicates that, on ~~May 4~~ April 27, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will release the Michael Bay sci-fi/action movie Armageddon and the western Tombstone on Blu-ray. No information on audio/video specifications or special features is available at this time. Update: date change....

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Lost Season 6 & Complete Collection Blu-ray Dated

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:48:22 -0500

The sixth season of the TV phenomenon Lost doesn't even premiere until next Tuesday, and it already has a Blu-ray release date. TV Shows on DVD (citing information posted on Ingram Entertainment's VideoETA website) is reporting that, on August 24, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will release both Lost: The Complete Sixth and Final Season and the mammoth Lost: The Complete Collection, with exclusive bonus content....

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Sherlock Holmes Blu-ray Gets Late March Date

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:16:19 -0500

Warner Home Video has announced Sherlock Holmes for release on a BD/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack on March 30. This kinetic reimagining of the character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle outraged purists but was a box office hit. The BD will feature the already-familiar "Maximum Movie Mode" with director Guy Ritchie....

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Restored Battleship Potemkin Blu-ray in April

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:14:40 -0500

Kino Video is set to release the classic of silent cinema Battleship Potemkin, directed by Sergei M. Eisenstein, on April 20. For this 1080p restoration, Kino has joined the Deutsche Kinematek in association with Russia's Goskinofilm, the British Film Institute, Bundesfilm Archive Berlin, and the Munich Film Museum. Dozens of missing shots have been replaced, and all 146-title cards restored to Eisenstein's specifications....

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Lightning Deal: The Who at Kilburn Blu-ray for $12.99 (Sold out)

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:04:38 -0500

Apart from the Blu-ray player featured in today's Deal of the Day, Amazon has now a BD-related Lightning Deal. For a very limited time, you can order The Who: Kilburn 1977 for only $12.99 (56% off MSRP). The price history for this title shows that it also hit that price briefly in late December 2009. This offer expires today at 2 p.m. PST, or when stock runs out. Update: all discounts have been claimed....

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February Advance Blu-ray Sale at Eureka

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:21:48 -0500

Eureka Entertainment is offering blu-ray.com readers the opportunity to buy the Masters of Cinema Blu-ray releases due out next month (F.W. Murnau's City Girl and Fritz Lang's M) and they will ship before February 15, well ahead of their official release date. Like in the previous advance sale, the distributor is offering free shipping worldwide....

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The Slammin' Salmon Blu-ray Announced

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:37:09 -0500

Anchor Bay Entertainment has announced the release on Blu-ray, on April 13, of 'The Slammin' Salmon', the latest work of Broken Lizard, the comedy troupe behind 'Beerfest' and 'Super Troopers. It stars Michael Clarke Duncan as a restaurant owner and ex boxing champ who, indebted to the Japanese mob, challenges his waiters to sell more food in one night than they've ever sold before or face a pummeling....

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City of the Living Dead, Django on Blu-ray from Blue Underground

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:23:03 -0500

Blue Underground has announced two movies for release on Blu-ray on May 25: the horror cult movie 'City of the Living Dead', directed by Lucio Fulci, and the spaghetti western 'Django', directed by Sergio Corbucci. Both of them have received new video transfers from the original camera negative....

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Deal of the Day: Sylvania Blu-ray Player for $89.99 (Expired)

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 03:15:17 -0500

This Friday, Amazon has a BD-hardware related deal of the day in its Gold Box. Up to midnight PST, you can buy the Sylvania NB530SLX for $89.99, or 55% off MSRP. Note that this model support BonusView (Profile 1.1), but not BD-Live (Profile 2.0), as made obvious by the lack of an Ethernet port. This offer is expired now....

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First 3D Blu-ray Player Up for Preorder

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:38:50 -0500

Everything with Blu-ray 3D is happening extremely fast. January isn't even over yet and Amazon already has a compatible player up for preorder: the Samsung BD-C6900, announced mere weeks ago at CES. At the time of writing, it appears as "temporarily out of stock", with no fixed availability date. It carries a price tag of $399.99....

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Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music Released on Blu-ray

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:59:35 -0500

The controversial 1975 Lou Reed album 'Metal Machine Music' (considered as either the ultimate conceptual punk album avant la lettre or a big musical joke) is set for a Blu-ray release in mid-February, to tie in with Reed's upcoming European minitour with a new experimental and improvisational outfit....

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Elvis Commemorative Blu-ray Editions Coming Soon

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:46:32 -0500

Spanish site ZonaDVD is reporting that Warner Home Video is preparing the Blu-ray release of five movies starring Elvis Presley to celebrate the 75th anniversary of his birth. At the moment there is no information on which specific titles might be included, or if they will be released separately or in a commemorative box set....

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Alone in the Dark II Blu-ray Best Buy Exclusive (Correcting and Replacing)

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:24:48 -0500

Without any previous announcement, Vivendi Visual Entertainment released 'Alone in the Dark II' on Blu-ray on January 26. This direct-to-video sequel of Uwe Boll's adaptation of the horror video game is an exclusive to ~~Amazon~~ Best Buy. There is no information whether this exclusivity is timed or not....

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Over 10% of Netflix Subscribers Pay for Blu-ray Option

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 05:58:47 -0500

As a part of the earnings conference call for the fourth quarter of 2009, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings announced: "Now over 10% of our subscribers are Blu-ray enabled." In other words, over 1.2 million Netflix subscribers now pay the $1-$9 Blu-ray access charge over their monthly subscription rate. This represents over 70% growth year-on-year, despite the 20% rate increase during 2009....

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Rumor: Jurassic Park Blu-ray in Late 2010

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 05:55:19 -0500

The Netherlands branch of Universal Studios Home Entertainment has listed Steven Spielberg's 'Jurassic Park' and 'The Lost World: Jurassic Park' as coming soon to Blu-ray, with a release date of November 4. 'Jurassic Park III' was not mentioned. No other release details or special features are known at this early stage....

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Buy Michael Jackson's This Is It and Another Blu-ray, Save $5

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:12:06 -0500

Amazon is having a special promotion linked to the Blu-ray release of 'Michael Jackson's This Is It'. If you buy it together with another qualifying Blu-ray title, a discount of $5 will be applied at checkout. At the time of writing, there are twenty eligible movies, all from Sony. This offer ends on February 8....

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Ninja Assassin Blu-ray Announced

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:56:15 -0500

Warner Home Video has announced 'Ninja Assassin' for release on Blu-ray on March 16 on a BD/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack. As has now become the norm for Warner BDs, audio will be presented in DTS-HD Master Audio. This R-rated martial-arts movie is co-produced by the Wachowski brothers and directed by James McTeigue....

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Blu-ray Sales, Jan. 18-24: Gamer is Winner (Update)

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:13:11 -0500

Gamer was the top-selling title on Blu-ray during the week ended January 24, according to Nielsen VideoScan First Alert. This science-fiction/action movie (which was far from a box office hit) benefited from Lionsgate's long-standing strategy of saving some appealing content for release after the holiday season. BD accounted for 31% of total disc sales of this title. Update: top 10 chart and BD sales percentages added....

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Warner Exec Confirms Hobbit Delay No Extended LOTR Blu-ray till 2012?

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 06:44:49 -0500

Warner Bros. COO Alan Horn (who also oversees New Line Cinema, which became a part of WB in early 2008) said that the most probable date for the theatrical release of 'The Hobbit' would be in the fourth quarter of 2012, thus confirming earlier reports. In that case, the theatrical version of the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy (due out on April 6) could be the only one available on Blu-ray for a long time....

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Warner Catalog Blu-ray Slate for 2010 Revealed

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 05:06:59 -0500

Veteran site DVD Town has published a post revealing the release dates for many titles that Warner Home Video intends to release on Blu-ray during all of 2010, including some bona fide classics, a comedy wave in August, science-fiction in September, a couple of Bogart movies, and more Blu-ray double features....

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Gentlemen Broncos Blu-ray Announced

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:15:04 -0500

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has announced 'Gentlemen Broncos' for Blu-ray release on March 2. This comedy, co-written and directed by Jared Hess ('Napoleon Dynamite'), was scheduled to open in theaters in October 2009, but poor reviews caused Fox Searchlight to scrap a wide theatrical release....

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Brothers Blu-ray Announced

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:49:23 -0500

Lionsgate Home Entertainment has announced 'Brothers' for Blu-ray release on March 23. This drama, directed by Jim Sheridan, tells the story of how two brothers (Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire) come to terms with issues of love, loyalty and manhood with the woman caught between them (Natalie Portman)....

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Anniversary Blu-ray for Fellini's La Dolce Vita

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:26:21 -0500

Independent distributor E1 Entertainment has announced that it has acquired all North American rights to 'La Dolce Vita', as well as other classic Italian films by Vittorio de Sica and Luchino Visconti. A theatrical re-release and a 50th Anniversary Blu-ray of Federico Fellini's 1960 masterpiece are planned for later this year....

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Today on Blu-ray - January 26th

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:03:50 -0500

To some, he was known as the King of Pop. To others, he was Wacko Jacko. But to most, Michael Jackson was one of the most gifted and influential singers of his time. His untimely passing while rehearsing for a comeback tour caused shock throughout the world, and for a brief moment in time, everyone ignored the controversy and mourned the loss of a man who had positively affected so many. For the release of 'Michael Jackson's This Is It', Sony compiled rehearsal footage to bring fans one last glimpse into what could have been one of the most memorable concerts of all time, and it is being released today on Blu-ray....

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The Princess and the Frog Blu-ray in March

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:52:39 -0500

Early retailer information indicates that Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has set a March 16 date for the Blu-ray release of its latest animated movie, 'The Princess and the Frog' the studio's return to 2D animation. Two editions will be available: a single-disc edition and a BD/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack....

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Piranha Blu-ray Delayed, More Corman Productions Announced

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:05:01 -0500

Shout Factory has informed that the Blu-ray release of the 1978 movie 'Piranha' is being pushed to August 3. The reason officially given for the delay is that more time was needed "to finalize the bonus content" although this comes just as the upcoming remake had its theatrical release postponed to August as well. Shout also set street dates for the Blu-ray editions of 'Death Race 2000' (June 22) and 'Starcrash' (September 7)....

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Coppola's Tetro Blu-ray in April

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:16:48 -0500

An early announcement to retailers indicates that Lionsgate Home Entertainment will release Francis Ford Coppola's 'Tetro' on Blu-ray on April 6. There is no information on disc details at the moment. 'Tetro' marks the first original screenplay for Coppola since 1974, and is a drama about the reunion of two long-lost brothers, set in Buenos Aires....

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Minority Report Announced on Blu-ray (Update)

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:29:04 -0500

Paramount Home Entertainment has announced 'Minority Report' on Blu-ray. This Steven Spielberg science-fiction thriller, based on a short story by Philip K. Dick and starring Tom Cruise, will be released on a two-disc edition on April 20. A "true 4K master" of the movie had been created in late 2009 by LaserPacific post production company. Update: specs and detailed special features listed....

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Armored Blu-ray Announced for March

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:47:43 -0500

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced the action thriller 'Armored' for release on Blu-ray on March 16. This movie stars Matt Dillon, Jean Reno and Laurence Fishburne, as a crew of officers at an armored transport security firm who embark on the ultimate heist against their own company....

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The Natural Blu-ray Announced

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:18:55 -0500

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced 'The Natural' for release on Blu-ray on April 6. This baseball movie, starring Robert Redford, was initially slated to come out three years ago, simultaneously with the director's cut DVD, but was pulled from the schedule. The Blu-ray will include the 138-minute theatrical cut of the movie....

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Did You Hear About the Morgans? Blu-ray in March

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:49:59 -0500

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced 'Did You Hear About the Morgans?' for Blu-ray release on March 16. This is a comedy about a New York estranged couple (played by Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant) who, after witnessing a crime, is forced to hide in a small town in Wyoming. It made $29 million at the box office....

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Oppo Unveils Sub-$300 Blu-ray Player (Update)

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 08:16:22 -0500

On Monday, January 25, Oppo Digital is launching the BDP-80, the "lower-cost" Blu-ray player model the company recently hinted at. It is a BD-Live (profile 2.0) player, based on the same decoder chipset and firmware as the acclaimed BDP-83. It also supports DVD-Audio and SACD playback, and multichannel analog audio output. It is priced at $289 and will soon be available for purchase on the Oppo web site. Update: the player is now available for purchase and in stock....

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Fallen Angels Blu-ray Announced

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 06:54:04 -0500

Kino International, a division of the newly-created Kino Lorber, has announced Wong Kar-Wai's 'Fallen Angels' (Duo luo tian shi) for release on Blu-ray on March 16. This movie was restored in late 2008, under Wong's strict supervision: scratches and dust spots were digitally removed and the film's color gradings were completely reviewed in this new transfer of the film....

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Highlander Seasons 2 & 3 Blu-ray Dated and Detailed

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 05:21:38 -0500

Davis-Panzer has set an "estimated" release date of April 30 for the Blu-ray editions of 'Highlander: Season Two' and 'Highlander: Season Three'. While video resolution is currently listed as 720p, the studio has informed TV Shows on DVD that there is "a very good chance that it will be in 1080p" (but still probably an upscale from standard-definition tape, and not a new transfer from film elements). Audio is also being upgraded to DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1....

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Disney Offers $10 Coupon for Surrogates Blu-ray

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 03:39:42 -0500

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has a printable $10 off coupon good for the purchase of the 'Surrogates' Blu-ray during its first week. This coupon is redeemable at participating retailers, and there are versions available for the US and the English-speaking provinces of Canada. This promotion expires on January 31....

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True Blood Second Season Blu-ray Dated

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 03:27:13 -0500

HBO has set May 25 as the release date of 'True Blood: the Complete Second Season' on Blu-ray, according to TV Shows on DVD, based on information from its sources at retail. Like the first season, this will be a five-disc set, with DTS-HD Master Audio sound, and all 12 episodes will have "True Blood Enhanced Viewing"...

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The Boondock Saints II Announced and Detailed

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:04:42 -0500

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced 'The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day' for release on Blu-ray on March 9. This sequel to the cult crime movie 'The Boondock Saints' was made possible by the home video success of the first film. In it, the MacManus brothers come out from hiding to avenge the death of a priest....

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Ong Bak Blu-ray Announced

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:28:20 -0500

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has announced the Blu-ray release of the Thai martial arts movie 'Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior' on February 2, thus tying in with the release of its prequel, 'Ong Bak 2: The Beginning', by Magnolia Home Entertainment. Audio will be presented in English and Thai DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks....

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Tromeo & Juliet, Class of Nuke 'Em High on Blu-ray

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 06:19:36 -0500

Troma Team Video is set to release two of its cult classics on Blu-ray very soon: 'Tromeo & Juliet' will come out on March 30, and 'Class of Nuke 'Em High' on April 27. Both will come in an unrated director's cut. Also on April 27, Troma will release a new title, the British thriller 'Dark Nature'....

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France: Family Movies on Blu-ray from Sony

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:04:16 -0500

The France branch of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has revealed a very family-friendly Blu-ray slate for March: 'Jumanji' and 'Zathura: A Space Adventure' will come out on March 10; and on March 22, the studio will release 'Stuart Little' and 'Stuart Little 2'. No other release details are available....

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Rumor: War of the Worlds Blu-ray in June

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:12:30 -0500

According to information posted at UK retailer HMV, Paramount Home Entertainment will release Steven Spielberg's 'War of the Worlds' on Blu-ray on June 14. No information on technical specifications or special features is available at this time. Note that this is unofficial until there is an announcement from the studio....

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Blu-ray Sales, Jan. 11-17: Hurt Locker Explodes (Update)

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:01:04 -0500

Summit Entertainment's 'The Hurt Locker' was the top-selling title on Blu-ray during the week ended January 17, according to Nielsen VideoScan First Alert. The top seller for the previous week, 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs', fell to seventh place, while 'The Hangover' showed impressive legs in its fifth week and was again number two. Update: Top 10, BD sales percentages and overall sales figures added....

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Gone with the Wind Single-Disc Blu-ray Goes Wide

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 03:45:46 -0500

Warner Home Video has announced that 'Gone with the Wind: 70th Anniversary Edition', the single-disc Blu-ray released on November 17, 2009 as a Target exclusive, will be available at all retailers from February 2. Contents are the same as for disc one of the Ultimate Collector's Edition (the only version widely available in the US so far). Hence, the only bonus feature included is a commentary by historian Rudy Behlmer....

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No Retailer Exclusivity for Twilight New Moon Blu-ray

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:04:13 -0500

Summit Entertainment has confirmed that the Blu-ray edition of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' will have a wide release to all retailers on Saturday, March 20. The first installment, 'Twilight', had been released on March 21, 2009, but initially was available in high definition only at Best Buy and Target for a period of six weeks....

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Sofatronic Bringing BD-J to Asia

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:50:53 -0500

Sofatronic's Kaleidoscope platform has been used by Hong-Kong based video production corporation Best & Original Production Ltd. to author the first BD-J title in Asia: Lu Chuan's 'City of Life and Death'. This (region-free) title, distributed by Mega Star (part of Media Asia), earned very positive reviews globally. Best & Original Production also authored the follow-up title 'The Founding of a Republic' and now solely use Kaleidoscope for all BD-J titles....

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The Kids Are Alright on Blu-ray

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:05:16 -0500

An early announcement to retailers indicates that, on March 2, Universal Music Group will release 'The Kids Are Alright', a famous documentary on the rock band The Who. At the moment there is no information on audio/video details or special features. Hopefully this BD edition will include all the contents from the discontinued 2003 special edition DVD by Pioneer....

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The Fantastic Mr. Fox Announced on Blu-ray

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:51:40 -0500

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has announced the Blu-ray release of the stop-motion animated movie 'The Fantastic Mr. Fox', which will be available in a BD/DVD/Digital Copy combo edition from March 23 (three weeks later than in the UK). 'The Fantastic Mr. Fox' is a reimagining of Roald Dahl's 1970 children's novel, directed by Wes Anderson....

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Today on Blu-ray - January 19th

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:14:51 -0500

At the time when Showtime was making efforts to expand their original programming line-up, 'Weeds' emerged as a shining star in an otherwise ignored schedule. The cannabis inspired drama quickly became a top performer on the premium channel, and has already completed its fifth season - which is out on Blu-ray today - and a sixth season is set to begin later this year....

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The Killer Blu-ray in March

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:29:51 -0500

Retail giant Wal-Mart has put up on its website a preorder page for John Woo's cult action classic, 'The Killer', which reportedly will be released on March 30 by Vivendi Entertainment, as part of the Dragon Dynasty label. It will have audio tracks in Cantonese, Mandarin and English, and subtitles in English and Spanish. Special features will consist of behind-the-scenes featurettes and interviews....

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Warner Announces The Blind Side on Blu-ray

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:09:54 -0500

Warner Home Video has announced 'The Blind Side' for Blu-ray release on March 23 on a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack. This sports drama, starring Sandra Bullock, was one of the biggest non-action theatrical hits of 2009, with a box office take of over $227 million. It will have "over an hour of Blu-ray exclusives."...

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Astro Boy Blu-ray Announced

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:41:47 -0500

Summit Entertainment has set March 16 as the release date for 'Astro Boy', the film adaptation of the classic manga and anime created in 1951 by the legendary artist Osamu Tezuka. Astro Boy (voiced by Freddie Highmore) is a young robot with incredible powers, created by a brilliant scientist named Dr. Tenma (Nicolas Cage), who embarks on a journey in search of acceptance....

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Men Who Stare at Goats Blu-ray Announced

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:29:19 -0500

Anchor Bay Home Entertainment has announced 'The Men Who Stare at Goats' for release on Blu-ray on March 23. 'The Men Who Stare at Goats' is a dark comedy about a reporter who meets a man who claims to be a former member of a US Army unit that employs paranormal powers in their missions....

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Chaplin Feature Films on Blu-ray from Kinowelt

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:52:45 -0500

Kinowelt Home Entertainment has unveiled its Blu-ray slate for April/May, which prominently features no fewer than five movies directed by and starring Charles Chaplin: 'The Kid', 'The Gold Rush', 'City Lights', 'Modern Times', and 'The Great Dictator'. At the moment it is not confirmed whether they'll be sold separately or in a movie set....

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Reviewers Find Oppo inside Lexicon Blu-ray Player

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 07:42:29 -0500

Veteran audio/video site Audioholics received the high-end, THX-certified Lexicon BD-30 Blu-ray player (which lists for $3,499) for review and has now published its product analysis, which will come as a shocker to many. After a thorough review, they conclude that Lexicon "simply lifted the Oppo BDP-83 and threw it into their own chassis."...

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Catalog Blu-ray Wave from Lionsgate in April

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:51:50 -0500

Lionsgate Home Entertainment has announced three catalog titles from the 1990s for release on April 6: the speculative military drama 'Flight of the Intruder', starring Willem Dafoe and Danny Glover; the erotic thriller 'Jade', starring David Caruso and Linda Fiorentino; and the sci-fi horror movie 'The Relic', starring Penelope Ann Miller and Tom Sizemore....

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Severin Announces Dogora on Blu-ray

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:02:17 -0500

Severin has acquired the non-verbal film 'Dogora', directed by Patrice Leconte ('The Hairdresser's Husband', 'Ridicule', 'The Perfume of Yvonne', 'The Girl on the Bridge'). It will be released on Blu-ray on April 27. For inclusion on the disc, a third part of the ongoing Leconte on Leconte interview series was recorded....

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Deal of the Day: Dollhouse Season 1 Blu-ray $25.49 (Expired)

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 03:52:39 -0500

This Saturday, Amazon has an interesting Blu-ray related deal of the day: up to midnight PST, you can order the television series 'Dollhouse: Season One' on Blu-ray for only $25.49 (64% off MSRP). This is the cheapest this season set has been, even better than the $27.99 it could be bought for during a lightning deal in early December. Update: this offer is expired now....

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Criterion Reveals April Blu-ray Slate

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:48:26 -0500

The Criterion Collection has announced three titles for release on Blu-ray in April. Olivier Assayas' 'Summer Hours' (L'heure d'été), voted 2009's best film in a poll of over 100 critics at indieWIRE, and the visually stunning New Wave Jean-Luc Godard masterwork 'Vivre sa vie', are set for April 20. A week later, Ang Lee's 'Ride with the Devil' will come out, reconstructed to the director's original vision, with 13 minutes of additional footage....

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Twilight: New Moon Blu-ray Dated (Update)

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:45:48 -0500

According to Summit Entertainment's Twitter page, the studio has officially set March 20 as the release date for 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon'. The second movie in this vampire franchise was panned by critics but was a huge box office hit, grossing nearly $100 million more than 'Twilight'. Only a special edition will be released for sale. Update: bonus features added....

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The Mentalist Season 1 Blu-ray Announced in Germany

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:54:13 -0500

The Germany branch of Warner Home Video has announced the release on Blu-ray of the first season of the successful crime/mystery TV series 'The Mentalist,' which had been released in late 2009 in standard definition only. This six-disc set will include the 23 episodes of the first season. There is no information regarding special features, and the English audio track will be Dolby Digital only....

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WB Planning Looney Tunes on Blu-ray

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:06:12 -0500

Animation expert and historian Jerry Beck, while speaking on his blog CartoonBrew of the recently announced 'Looney Tunes Super Stars' DVD line, was asked if there was any chance of seeing any Looney Tunes on Blu-ray. Beck replied, "Yes, there are plans for a Blu-Ray release of Looney Tunes. I can say no more."...

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James and the Giant Peach Blu-ray Coming Soon

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 06:35:19 -0500

A trailer has surfaced online to promote the upcoming release of the special edition Blu-ray of Henry Selick's animated movie 'James and the Giant Peach'. No other release details are given, other than the movie will be "restored and remastered". There is no specific release date either, but as it was produced by Tim Burton, it might tie in with the home video release of 'Alice in Wonderland'....

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Buy Toy Story 1 and 2 on Blu-ray, Get $10 Off

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 06:19:13 -0500

Amazon is having a special offer for those who preorder 'Toy Story: Special Edition' and 'Toy Story 2: Special Edition' on Blu-ray simultaneously. If you add both items to your cart, a $10 discount will be applied at checkout (no promotional code necessary). There is no information as to when this promotion will expire....

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Shinjuku Incident Blu-ray Announced

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:20:37 -0500

Cine Asia has announced 'Shinjuku Incident', a 2009 crime/action thriller starring Jackie Chan and set in Japan, for release on Blu-ray in the UK on February 22. Audio options will include the original language (Cantonese and Japanese) in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, as well as a 5.1 English dub track. There is no information regarding region coding....

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Universal Flipper Blu-ray Disc Test Run

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:40:19 -0500

Universal's latest Blu-ray-related initiative, called the "flipper disc" (the Blu-ray version of the controversial HD DVD combo discs, with hidef on one side of the platter and DVD on the other) was met wit skepticism by the enthusiast community. Upon receiving the first flipper BDs, Blu-ray.com reviewer Kenneth Brown tested them thoroughly and came back with the reassurance that the discs are well manufactured and work smoothly in a variety of players. Single-discs with artwork may be preferred for aesthetic reasons, but that is a relatively minor concern....

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