News Desk - November


Monday November 12th 2007

Optimum HD / Blu Ray Releases

From 12th November 2007, Optimum are going to be stepping up their involvement in the expansion of the new high def formats, with the release of three key titles on both Blu Ray and HD DVD. The titles in question are the gritty, nerve-shredding Wolf Creek, comic-horror epic The Host, and the enchanting, Oscar-winning Pan's Labyrinth. Each will combine the crispest picture and sound, alongside a host of extras on each disc.

To date we have published four key catalogue titles on HD-DVD - The Pianist, Mulholland Drive, La Haine and The Deer Hunter – courtesy of Studio Canal's collaboration with Toshiba. Optimum are taking an agnostic stance in terms of the relative values of each format, so we are now in a position to extend the line-up to include the afore-mentioned key titles on both formats for the Christmas period.

Although we're remaining non-partisan about the result of the format war, we do recognize the need to support the evolution of DVD in the hope of restoring value to the market. Our release of these three titles is our response to the demand for a greater variety of product, which we are sure will increase considerably as the new wave of cheaper hardware appears this autumn.

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

Visionary director Guillermo del Toro brings his compelling and beautiful vision to the screen in Pan’s Labyrinth. Fresh from its massive UK box office and DVD sales success, this enchanting yet dark fairytale can be seen as a companion piece to the haunting The Devil’s Backbone and is del Toro’s most personal film yet.

Extras

  • Director’s Commentary
  • Director’s Prologue
  • The Power of the Myth featurette on DVD comics
  • El Fauno Y Las Hadas featurette
  • The Colour & The Shape featurette
  • Director’s Notebook (20 mins)
  • Storyboard Video prologue
  • Notebook Video Prologue
  • Storyboard / Thumbnail Comparisons
  • UK Theatrical Trailer
  • Picture galleries
  • Guardian/NFT interview with Guillermo del Toro
  • The Melody that Echoes the Fairy Tale featurette
  • Mercedes’ Lullaby Featurette
  • DVD Comic Sketches: The Pale, the Fairies, the Giant Toad and Pan
  • VFX Plate Compare: Guillermo Del Toro and the Green Fairy

The Host (2006)

From the director of Memories of Murder comes Bong Joon-Ho’s The Host, a fantasy monster movie, which expertly mixes humour and horror. On its release in its native Korea it broke box office records, taking the opening weekend record and the highest single-day admissions ever. Combining state of the art visual effects from the team behind Superman Returns, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Sin City with the dark and offbeat humour synonymous with Korean cinema, The Host is one of the most original monster movies to emerge for decades.

Extras

  • Making-of with director Bong Joon-Ho
  • Monster Gag Reel
  • Storyboards
  • Memories of the sewer – talking about the difficulties of shooting inside the sewer
  • Physical Special Effects – Interview with Assistant Director
  • The Creature Making Process
  • Designing the creature
  • Puppet animatronix
  • The Family: Main Cast Interviews
  • Training the actors – archery lessons, gun training etc
  • Creature animation – model-making and animation
  • Deleted scenes

Wolf Creek (2005)

Based on terrifying true events, Wolf Creek is unforgettable, shocking and genuinely scary. A cinematic hand grenade, Wolf Creek unites all the elements of classic horror movies to create a uniquely Australian ‘Boogieman" in Mick Taylor. Written and directed by Greg McLean, Wolf Creek is not based on any one story but echoes some of the elements of recent crimes of hideous unparalleled violence and brutality.

Extras

  • Commentary from director, Greg McLean, Matt Hearn, Cassandra McGrath and Kestie Morassi
  • Trailer
  • Making Of Documentary – 50 mins approx
  • Deleted Scenes – 7 mins approx
  • Meet Mick Taylor: An Interview with John Jarratt – 20 mins approx
  • Exclusive ‘Cry Wolf’ clip – 3 mins approx

Help support DVD365.net by ordering your HD / Blu Ray releases by clicking below:-
Buy "Pan’s Labyrinth" from Amazon.co.uk  Buy "The Host" from Amazon.co.uk  Buy "Wolf Creek" from Amazon.co.uk

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