Viz Announces It's First Blu-Ray Release - DEATH NOTE COLLECTION

Source: MediaLab

VIZ Pictures will debut the Blu-ray Death Note Collection on August 24th, 2010. The 3-disc set includes 2 feature films – Death Note and Death Note II: the Last name – as well as a bonus disc containing more than two hours of all new behind-the-scenes footage. Both films feature Japanese audio with English subtitles as well as an English dubbed dialogue track. MSRP for the Death Note Collection is $39.98 U.S. / $57.99 CAN.

To celebrate the new release, VIZ Pictures will hold a special screening of both films at VIZ Cinema, located inside NEW PEOPLE in San Francisco’s Japantown (1746 Post St., San Francisco, CA 94115) on Saturday, September 4th. Death Note plays at 12:00 noon and Death Note II screens at 2:30pm. Special combo tickets are available for $35.00 and include passes for the screenings, the Blu-ray release and a poster. Regular combo tickets are $15.00 for tickets for both shows (no Blu-ray or poster), while general admission for one screening is $10.00. Tickets and information are available at http://www.vizcinema.com/.

As a special offer to U.S. and Canadian Death Note fans, VIZ Pictures will award three lucky winners posters for Death Note and Death Note II along with an autograph from one of the three lead actors – Tatsuya Fujiwara (who played Light), Erika Toda (Misa) and actor Kenichi Matusyama (L/Ryuzaki), one of the most promising actors in Japan, who can also be seen in films such as NANA (2006), Linda Linda Linda (2005) and Detroit Metal City (2008). The campaign runs until September 24th. For more details about the campaign, visit http://www.viz-pictures.com/.



“Death Note is an intense psychological crime thriller and we’re very proud to debut both films in a special new collection on Blu-ray,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of VIZ Pictures. “Death Note established a new benchmark for Japanese anime, manga, and film and we invite domestic fans to savor all the tension and imaginative supernatural drama of this exciting new release from VIZ Pictures!”

Death Note is a battle of wits based on the acclaimed manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata (published in North America by VIZ Media, rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens). Law student Light is upset with the justice system and when he finds the Death Note dropped by a Shinigami death god, he vows to rid the world of evil. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies. As criminals all over the world begin to perish mysteriously, a world-renowned detective known only as ‘L’ is put on the case to stop this serial killer that the public calls ‘Kira.” The battle between Light and L continues in Death Note II: the Last name as Light joins the investigation team. L suspects Light of being Kira while Light attempts to learn L’s real name. Time becomes even more crucial with the appearance of a second Kira. Whose name will be the last written in the Death Note?

For more information on Death Note or other VIZ Pictures titles, please visit http://www.viz-pictures.com/.

See Also: Viz Brings Death Note L Change The World To US Theaters / Viz Brings Death Note II The Last Name To DVD In The US / Viz And NCM Fathon Bring Death Note 2 To Theaters In The US This October / The Surprise Hit Detroit Metal City May Be Heading To The US / Viz And NCM Fathom Partner To Bring Death Note 2 The Last Name To US Theaters / Viz To Screen Death Note In Canadian Theaters Eh / Viz To Release New Death Note, Bleach, And Naruto DVDs This Fall / Viz Showcases New Anime At The Licensing International Expo / Viz Pictures Brings Death Note To US Theaters For A Special Two Night Event / Viz Brings Manga To Australia And New Zealand /

StarCrash Coming To DVD And Blu-Ray From Shout! Factory

Source: Shout! Factory (Press Release)

A couple of weeks back I broke the story that Shout! Factory was going to be releasing "StarCrash" on DVD and Blu-Ray as part of their "Roger Corman's Cult Classics" line.

From the press release below, it really looks as if the video distributor has gone all-out on this one, which shout make the fans of this cult-classic, and the ultra-sexy Caroline Monro, absolutely ecstatic.

STARCRASH

Starring Caroline Munro, David Hasselhoff, Christopher Plummer,
Joe Spinell and Marjoe Gortner

2-DISC SPECIAL-EDITION BLU-RAY™ AND DVD
Digitally Remastered and Presented in Widescreen for the First Time with a Galaxy’s Worth of Special Features!

Crashing Home Entertainment Shelves Nationwide September 14, 2010 From Shout! Factory

One of the most eagerly awaited inter-galactic science-fiction adventures, released by Roger Corman’s New World Pictures, will finally be made available for the first time to the home entertainment shelves as StarCrash, directed by Luigi Cozzi, will debut September 14, 2010 on 2-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray and DVD from Shout! Factory, in association with New Horizons Picture Corporation. An adventure like no other, the StarCrash 2-Disc Special Edition contains anamorphic widescreen presentation of the movie with DTS HD 5.1 surround sound (Blu-ray), a reversible cover featuring vintage art for original movie posters and a payload of bonus content including all-new interviews and commentaries with cast and crew, rare behind-the-scenes footage and much more! A must-have for loyal fans of Roger Corman and Luigi Cozzi, science fiction enthusiasts and collectors, StarCrash 2-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray and DVD mark the latest installments from the popular ROGER CORMAN’S CULT CLASSICS home entertainment series from Shout! Factory. Each Special Edition Blu-ray and DVD is sold separately. Blu-ray is priced to own at $26.97; and DVD is available at $19.93.

Produced in Italy in the wake of Star Wars’ phenomenal success, StarCrash (also known as The Adventures of Stella Star in overseas territories) became an international blockbuster in its own right. This 1979 film became one of New World Pictures’ biggest box-office hits. Critics might have laughed, by so did audiences, who grooved to its campy humor, wildly imaginative special effects (some of them quite good!) and non-stop adventure. Where Star Wars dared not go, StarCrash went -- at warp speed!

The lasting peace of the galaxy is threatened by the diabolical and relentless Count Zarth Arn (cult icon Joe Spinell, Rocky, The Godfather and The Godfather - Part II), who is determined to take the universe for himself and make each planet his plaything, each inhabitant his slave. There is no question that the Count is evil, given his propensity for cackling at every opportunity.

Can anyone save the universe from this megalomaniacal madman? Indeed there is, and she’s quite a beauty.

Brave, bikini-clad star warrior Stella Star (Caroline Munro, The Spy Who Loved Me, At the Earth’s Core) and her co-pilot Akton (child evangelist-turned-actor Marjoe Gortner, Food of the Gods, Mausoleum) are pressed into service to thwart the evil Zarth Arn’s plot. If they succeed, galactic peace will be achieved. If they fail, the universe will fall into decay and destruction at the hands of its sadistic new overlord.

Have no fear, because Stella Star is here!

The film’s zesty, star-studded cast also includes People’s Choice Award winner David Hasselhoff (Knight Rider, Baywatch) in one of his first big-screen roles, noted screen tough guy Robert Tessier (The Longest Yard, The Cannonball Run) and legendary two-time Emmy® and Tony® Award winner, and Academy Award® nominee Christopher Plummer (The Last Station, Murder by Decree, The Sound of Music) as The Emperor.

StarCrash was written and directed by fan favorite Luigi Cozzi (AKA Lewis Coates), whose other cult masterworks include Alien Contamination (an “homage” to Alien) and the unforgettable Lou Ferrigno vehicle Hercules (an “homage” to Conan the Barbarian). The film also boasts a rousing score by five-time Academy Award® winner John Barry (Dances With Wolves, Out of Africa, 10 James Bond films).

Alas, StarCrash would prove to be the only big-screen Stella Star adventure ... but as its worldwide legion of fans will attest, it was one to remember!

STARCRASH 2-DISC SPECIAL EDITION BLU-RAY and DVD BONUS CONTENT

New Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer (1.85:1) and DTS HD 5.1 Surround Sound (Blu-ray), Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (DVD)

Disc One:

• Interview with writer/director Luigi Cozzi
• StarCrash: the music of John Barry, a detailed analysis of the score by
Mars of Deadhouse Music
• 2 feature-length commentaries by StarCrash historian Stephen Romano:

Commentary 1: the history of StarCrash, the making of the film and its importance in 1970s fantastic cinema.

Commentary 2: StarCrash scene-by-scene: production trivia, anecdotes and critical analysis.

• Behind-the-scenes image gallery, featuring storyboards, art, and rare, never-before-seen photos!
• Promotional art gallery, featuring photos, posters, lobby cards and early poster designs by Drew Struzan
• Fan art gallery, featuring an exclusive look at the all-new, sexy Stella Star art from fantasy illustrator Robin Greenville Evans
• Theatrical trailer with commentary by Eli Roth from Trailersfromhell.com and an all-new exclusive trailer commentary by filmmaker/editor Joe Dante!
• TV spots and radio Spots

DISC TWO
• Interview with actress Caroline Munro (60 min.)
• 17 Deleted and alternate scenes
• The complete, original StarCrash screenplay, illustrated with original storyboards and early, full-color concept art
• Exclusive 20-minute behind-the-scenes footage reel, with commentary
• The making of the special effects of StarCrash by Armando Valcauda with exclusive, never-before-seen special-effects footage

Shout! Factory will continue to present ROGER CORMAN’S CULT CLASSICS home entertainment releases on a monthly basis. Upcoming highlights include The Slumber Party Massacre collection, The Evil, Twice Dead, The Warrior and The Sorceress, Barbarian Queen, Not of This Earth, Terror Within, Streets, Angel in Red, Lady in Red, Crazy Mama, Big Bad Mama, among others.

Independent filmmaker-producer Roger Corman’s storied career ranks as one of Hollywood’s most amazing success stories. Having produced more than 350 films and directed 50 others, his influence on American film goes far beyond his own energetic, creative low-budget movies. He is arguably one of Hollywood’s most gifted and masterful filmmakers. In 2009 he was the recipient of an honorary Academy Award for his contribution to the medium of film.

Noted for his keen ability to spot young talent, Corman’s most lasting legacy will undoubtedly be the legion of producers, directors, writers and actors he has fostered, among them: Jack Nicholson, Francis Ford Coppola, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, Ron Howard, Peter Fonda, Jonathan Demme, Gale Anne Hurd, Diane Ladd, Tommy Lee Jones, William Shatner, Sandra Bullock, Bruce Dern, Talia Shire, Charles Bronson, Joe Dante, Carl Franklin, Jonathan Kaplan, Bill Paxton, Dennis Hopper, Curtis Hanson, Peter Bogdanovich, John Sayles, David Carradine and Sally Kirkland.

Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company’s audio catalogue boasts GRAMMY®-nominated boxed sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations. These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. With its fingers on the pulse of pop culture, Shout! Factory continues to impact the entertainment media landscape through acquisition of top quality programming for home entertainment releases. Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit http://www.shoutfactory.com/

See Also: Starcrash And Gamera DVD News / B Movie Queen Caroline Monro To Make A Special UK Appearance / Starcrash (1979)

The Original KING KONG Comes To Blu-ray September 28th!

Source: Warner Bros (Press Release)

Warner Brothers presents...
KING KONG (1933) — Fully Restored Blu-ray Book Special Edition (with 32-page booklet of rare photography and trivia)
— Available September 28

On September 28, 2010, the original 1933 RKO classic KING KONG makes its long awaited debut on Blu-ray Disc. Suggested retail price is $34.99.

Presented by Warner Home Video, the newly remastered King Kong features extensive bonus content, including a collectible Blu-ray Book written by renowned film historian Rudy Behlmer; a feature length documentary on Kong creator Merian C. Cooper, directed by acclaimed filmmakers Kevin Brownlow and Christopher Bird; commentary by Ray Harryhausen and Ken Ralston with Merian C. Cooper and Fay Wray; and a seven-part documentary that delves deeply into just about every aspect of the making of the film (see detail list of extras below).

With 32 pages of rare photography and trivia, the captivating Blu-ray Book, written by Rudy Behlmer, centers around the vision of director, Merian C. Cooper and his larger than life persona that brought the story of King Kong to the screen. A prolific film researcher and historian, Behlmer personally interviewed Cooper and has written numerous books and contributed to a wide variety of documentaries, videos, DVDs and LaserDiscs about Hollywood's Golden Age.

In this very special Blu-ray release, the newly remastered film is presented in its 1933 entirety and includes scenes that were originally considered too shocking for the 1938-1956 re-releases. With equal parts adventure, horror and old-fashioned romance, King Kong is a milestone of movie-making that has endured for more than seven decades.

Named as one of the "100 Best Films of All Time" by Time Magazine, King Kong premiered in New York City in 1933. The film was an instant success, breaking box-office records to become one of the top moneymakers of the 1930s.

King Kong's state-of-the-art visual effects, entertaining story and touching conclusion captivated audiences and started a worldwide love affair with the giant ape. The film has also been included in seven of the American Film Institute's Top 100 lists, including the "100 Years...100 Movies" list.

A film ahead of its time, King Kong defied the technological limitations of the 1930s. Special effects pioneer Willis O'Brien's revolutionary stop-motion animation was not only technically brilliant but also highly imaginative and continues to impress even in today's era of computer-generated wizardry.

Directed and produced by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, with a rousing score by Max Steiner (who also scored Gone with the Wind), King Kong stars Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot and Fay Wray, whose memorable performance as damsel in distress Ann Darrow cemented her place in pop culture and earned her the nickname "The Queen of Scream."

"It wasn't the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast." —Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong)

In addition to its Blu-ray debut, King Kong will be available On Demand from cable and satellite providers, and for permanent download and digital rental through iTunes, Amazon Video On Demand, PlayStation Store and Xbox LIVE Zune Video Marketplace.

Blu-ray Book BONUS FEATURES:
• Commentary by Ray Harryhausen and Ken Ralston, with Merian C. Cooper and Fay Wray
• Merian C. Cooper Movies Trailer Gallery
• I'm King Kong! The Exploits of Merian C. Cooper (2005 documentary)
• Creation Test Footage with Commentary by Ray Harryhausen
• RKO Production 601: The Making of Kong, Eighth Wonder of the World --
a. The Origins of King Kong
b. Willis O'Brien and "Creation"
c. Cameras Roll on Kong, The Eighth Wonder
d. A Milestone in Visual Effects
e. Passion, Sound and Fury
f. The Mystery of the Lost Spider Pit Sequence
g. King Kong's Legacy


EXCERPT: At first blush "King Kong" may seem outmoded, with its exaggerated histrionics, its stilted dialogue, and its wooden acting, but then there's Kong, and how can you not still love him? When he falls from the Empire State Building, he takes us all with him. Yet we know, thanks to the magic of movies, that he'll be back, again and again, better than ever, whenever we want to see him once more. He wasn't called "King" for nothing.

—> Visit Warner's Official KONG site »
(currently contains details on the DVD editions)

"The joy is seeing the 1933 original, complete with Max Steiner's classic score and once-censored scenes."
—Peter Travers (Rolling Stone)

"It's still the quintessential pulp saga, capable of popping eyeballs 70-odd years later without the help of computers."
—Michael Atkinson (Movieline's Hollywood Life)

"The black-and-white granddaddy of beast-on-the-loose movies... The movie looks improved over earlier video and TV copies, and still packs a wallop."
—Steve Daly (Entertainment Weekly)

"What makes KONG unique is its mix of hokum, horror, and peculiar poetry."
—Glenn Kenny (Premiere)

Film Synopsis:
A Monster of creation's dawn breaks loose in our world today!
The legendary classic about a giant ape that is brought to New York City, and wreaks havoc!

A masterpiece and one of the top moneymakers of the 1930s. Fortune-hunters travel to Skull Island in search of the fabled giant ape "King Kong." Enticing him with the lovely Fay Wray they capture him and bring him back to New York where he escapes and ransacks the city searching for her.

Film director Carl Denham and actress Ann Darrow arrive on a prehistoric island in the hope of capturing a giant ape, worshipped as a god by the local inhabitants. The mighty Kong shows his sensitive side by falling for Ann, and, after his transportation to New York, rampages across the city in search of his new love.

Robert Armstrong stars as movie producer Carl Denham who travels to a mysterious, uncharted island in search of material for his next film. Also aboard are unemployed actress Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) and adventurer Jack Driscoll (Bruce Cabot).

Once the crew reaches Skull Island they discover it is home to prehistoric beasts including Kong, a giant ape who becomes obsessed with the crew´s blonde starlet.

King Kong teems with memorable moments, from the audience´s first glance at the giant ape to his last stand atop the Empire State Building.

Theatrical release: March 2, 1933 (New York).
KING KONG was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 1991. The story originated with writer Edgar Wallace, who died before the film's 1933 release.

Despite Kong's apparent death at the end of the 1933 classic, the tale of a giant ape set loose on the modern world has been retold many times since. The quickie sequel, SON OF KONG, was released in 1933 and shared director Ernest B. Schoedsack, special effects man Willis O'Brian and star Robert Armstrong with the first film. Armstrong joined Helen Mack and Victor Wong on a trip back to Skull Island, where they discover Kong's young son.

In 1949, Schoedsack, O'Brian, and Armstrong went back to the well once more and retrieved MIGHTY JOE YOUNG, about another giant monkey. O'Brian shared effects duties with Ray Harryhausen this time out and Armstrong was joined in the cast by Terry Moore, Ben Johnson, Frank McHugh, and "Mr. Joseph Young."

Japanese director Inoshira Honda produced a pair of mid-1960s KONG movies, KING KONG ESCAPES and KING KONG VS. GODZILLA. Dino de Laurentiis produced an extravagant and largely unsuccessful remake of KING KONG in 1976. It was directed by John Guillermin with effects by Rick Baker. Jeff Bridges, Charles Grodin, John Randolph, and Rene Auberjonois starred in the film, which also featured the film debut of model Jessica Lange.

De Laurentiis and Guillermin also produced a 1986 sequel that was aptly titled KING KONG LIVES, which starred Brian Kerwin, Linda Hamilton, John Ashton, and Peter Michael Goetz. In this film, a pair of scientists find the resurrected gorilla a giant mate and battle those who would destroy the beast.

Before KING KONG, Willis O'Brian worked on the 1925 film THE LOST WORLD. Based on the Arthur Conan Doyle tale, this silent classic tells the story of a group of scientists who stumble on a prehistoric world of dinosaurs and other presumably extinct creatures while on a museum outing. It was directed by Harry Hoyt and starred Bessie Love, Wallace Beery, and Lewis Stone.

Stop-motion animation was used to create the 50-foot Kong out of six 18-inch models. These models were constructed out of rubber and rabbit fur over a metal skeleton. For close-ups, the filmmakers created a full-scale hand and 20-foot model of Kong's head and shoulders and covered them in bear hides.

See Also: The Top Ten Hottest Monsters Of 2009 / "Kong: King Of Skull Island" - New Artwork For The Graphic Novel / Kong: King Of Skull Island - The Mighty Ape Sequel / 3D Animation Bonanza - King Kong And Killer Beans / Steve Bissette Creates Special Artwork For New Hampshire Screening Of King Kong vs Godzilla / King Kong And Godzilla Invade The London Subway / King Kong vs Godzilla (1962)(Toho) / Nerdoh Is Producing Movie Inspired T-Shirts In The UK / King Kong, Godzilla And The Creature From The Black Lagoon At The Rose Parade / King Kong vs Godzilla: Trailer / Universal Fire: King Kong & Godzilla Up In Smoke? / Kingukongu no gyakushu / King Kong Escapes (1967)