Blu-Ray Best Of The Best - for discussing releases only

[Lyris]

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/0/9B70A39BD136BCD38025660B003A6760?OpenDocument

21 seconds missing apparently.

The UK cinema version was cut by 12 secs by the BBFC to edit some strong language in order to receive a 15 certificate with the profanity being overdubbed and replaced by the distributors themselves. For example: "**** you, Joe" became "Go away, Joe", and "Ten blocks, you ****ing kidding me?" became "Ten blocks are you really kidding me?" amongst many others.

Although I'm not interested in this specific film, this is an example of why I refuse to buy any Region B Blu-ray equipment so long as region locking is in place.

(edit: forum's replaced the word which means "to make love to" with ****s)

[JP]

Sony Spices Up Blu-ray Line-Up With Anime Title 'Paprika'

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced it will release the anime title 'Paprika' this November.

Directed by Satoshi Kon ('Perfect Blue,' 'Tokyo Godfathers'), 'Paprika' is based on a 1991 story by legendary Japanese writer Yasutaka Tsutsui about a beautiful young psychotherapist whose alter-ego enters people's dreams in order to understand their subconscious thoughts.
Hailed by critics, the film enjoyed a long run in limited US theatrical release, first hitting theaters in late May of this year, and was still playing on sixteen screens as recently as last weekend.

[Kotatsu Neko]

I saw Paprika a few months ago and enjoyed it. It's weird, really weird (even for Satoshi Kon), but looks nice and Megumi Hayashibara is outstanding in the title role. The transfer I saw was pretty lukewarm though, and in MPEG 2.

[dvdmike]

seemed alright to me when I watched it at the cinema

The scene in the lift is more violent and the girl sidekick with the knife in the neck move is miles worse

[JP]

Planet Earth - Bly-ray at Play.com £39:99 (29/10/07)

I've been wanting to get this for a while as it's so highly recommended! The UK version is out shortly and a little cheaper than some of the US shops.

If you're wanting it then it may be worth waiting a few weeks to buy it in the UK.

[RLench]

The US version doesn't have Richard Attenborough narrating so I was never going to import it. Definitely buying the UK version then as it's only £40

Some more good news...all Anchor Bay releases will be region-free

http://www.anchorbay.co.uk/forum/showpost.php?p=206597&postcount=76

[Number45]

There are two US versions, one of them does have the full BBC commentary.

[JP]

Yeah, I think the Sigourney Weaver cut was a limited re-release by the BBC's US partners or something like that?

EDIT:
Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series
Planet Earth (US Version)
It seems that The Discovery Channel released the 2nd version...

[RLench]

There are two US versions, one of them does have the full BBC commentary.

Oh ok, I was wrong then. I thought it was just the Discovery Channel version (with Sigourney Weaver) that was available in America

I think I'd rather get the UK version though as there's not much difference in price. The UK version might even be a little bit cheaper

[JP]

Some new announcements:

Details for HD editions of 'Harry Potter Years 1-5' Gift Set

As we've previously reported, earlier this month Warner announced that it would release the five-movie box set alongside 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' in a cross-format bow on December 11. But while specs for 'Order of the Phoenix' were included in that original release, details for the box set have been sketchy until now.

According a new press release from the studio, both the HD DVD and Blu-ray versions of 'Years 1-5' will span seven discs -- five HD-30s on the HD DVD, and five BD-50s for the Blu-ray for each of the films, plus two additional standard-def discs with exclusive bonus content.

Each of the first four movie discs will replicate the same bonus materials as found on their respective two-disc standard-def DVD counterparts, including audio commentaries, multiple featurettes, deleted scenes and more. (Tech specs remain TBA, but we'll keep you posted.)

No surprise to see that the HD-DVD versions are being split over 2 discs.

EDIT:
Just read through all this again and felt that I should point out that the HD-DVD versions of Harry Potter are NOT split over two discs before people go mad and start threatening me!


Bandai Visual Brings 'Jin-Roh' to Blu-ray

Bandai Visual has announced the high-def debut of the anime classic 'Jin-Roh,' which will hit Blu-ray this November in a deluxe collectible edition.

From creator Mamoru Oshii and director Hiroyuki Okiura (the minds behind the wildly popular 'Ghost in the Shell'), the seminal 1998 anime 'Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade' will make its first-ever appearance in high-def when Bandai releases the film exclusively to Blu-ray on November 27.
Specs include remastered 1080p video and both 5.1 audio and subtitles tracks in Japanese and English (exact audio format TBA).

Though video-based extras are slim with only Theatrical Trailers included, Bandai will be packaging 'Jin-Roh' in a highly collectible set, featuring a 20-page booklet with a new interview with Okiura, as well as an exhaustive 552-page tome with the film's complete storyboards.

It's good to see the HD anime being released by Bandai.


'Spider-Man 3' Blu-ray to Receive Unique Cross-Platform Promo Campaign

The top grossing film of the year, Sony plans to out the red carpet for the debut of 'Spider-Man 3' on both standard-def DVD and Blu-ray.

Among the planned activities for the disc's home video debut are a huge online campaign, several spidey-themed sweepstakes, and a series of unique tie-ins with Papa John's Pizza, Pringles, Jolly Time Popcorn, and Nutella.

Of most interest to high-def fans, 'Spider-Man 3' will also be incorporated into Sony Electronics' "HDNA" ad campaign for its high-definition products, including specific promotion of the Blu-ray disc in national outdoor and newspaper advertising.

Spider Man 3 Nutella??? Just as bad as all that Halo 3 crap that's been appearing over the past few weeks!!


Sony Says 'I Know Who Killed Me' on Blu-ray

The now-legendary Lindsay Lohan bomb will hit Blu-ray this November, in a special edition that bravely includes additional footage not seen in theaters.

An instant camp classic, 'I Know Who Killed Me' was DOA when it hit theaters this past July, buried under the weight of star Lohan's tabloid traumas, grossing a measly $15 million at the domestic box office.
Sony will give the lurid thriller another shot on video when it debuts the film day-and-date on DVD and Blu-ray November 27.

Featuring five minutes of additional footage not in the theatrical version (thanks to an "extended strip dance sequence"), other extras include an alternate opening and ending, theatrical trailers, and a blooper reel.

Never heard of this one and I'm grateful for that...

[Keith]

Anyone watched the Saw films on BR? What's the quality/sound like?

[RLench]

I've seen Saw and Saw 3. Both sound much better than the DVD releases (Saw has DTS5.1 @ 1.5mbps and Saw 3 has DTS-HD). They didn't look fantastic though. There's a lot of grain and the image looked very soft. There's some close-up shots that show lots of detail but both films looked a little disappointing, IMO.

[JP]

They seem fairly cheap in MovieTyme but I think I saw Saw III for about ?24 on Play!!

I wouldn't be too surprised to see the Saw series get some sort or remastered box set a couple of years down the line.

[Keith]

I've seen Saw and Saw 3. Both sound much better than the DVD releases (Saw has DTS5.1 @ 1.5mbps and Saw 3 has DTS-HD). They didn't look fantastic though. There's a lot of grain and the image looked very soft. There's some close-up shots that show lots of detail but both films looked a little disappointing, IMO.

Cheers - more interested in sound quality at the moment tbh, since I'm still breaking in my new rig.

[RLench]

If you're doing it for a sound upgrade then I'd probably say it's worth it. Saw/Saw 2 are only about ?12.99 on Movietyme's website. Saw 3 is region-locked though and ridiculously expensive