High Definition – Harry Potter, Spiderman Set, Blade Runner, and more!

Hey Everyone, I’m finally getting around to starting that new HD column. Let’s start by saying at the moment I’m platform agnostic, I don’t particularly see much difference between Blu-Ray or HD-DVD. I actually have both, I use my PS3 to play Blu-Ray and a Toshiba A3 and X-Box HD-DVD Drive for my HD-DVD Player. When I have to choose formats, I generally select the HD-DVD version because I think the PS3 isn’t that great of a player and I do like the navigation features on HD-DVDs. The drawback to the 360 HD is the lack of HDMI support, no DVD upscaling and the fact that the 360 is loud as heck. A way to minimize the noise on the 360 is to make sure there’s no disk in the 360 itself. You still notice the sound, but it’s tolerable.  But I love the 360 remote, it glows in the dark, nice big buttons and it has, gasp, a power off button. I’m mixed on the Toshiba, it’s certainly thinner and lighter than that monstrosity that was the A2, it takes about 30 seconds to load a disk and requires a firmware upgrade right out of the box – but I can’t get the damn thing to connect to the internet for the update. It came packed with 300 and Bourne Identity, two great films that truly show off the format. I am pissed at the miss-advertising, supposedly you get 5 free DVDs in the mail with a purchase. I bought my 360 HD-DVD in August and haven’t received squat, now I’m getting ready to fill out the forms for my 5 free HD-DVDs for my Toshiba purchase and am not holding my breath. To start this column off right, we have some great titles starting with. This amazing Harry Potter HD-DVD set from Warner Brothers.

Harry Potter Years 1 – 5 HD-DVD Movie Collection

Warner Brothers is releasing the ultimate Harry Potter movie collection. This set includes all five films in glorious HD and features a ton of extras including Special Trunk Packaging,Two-Disc Editions of Harry Potter 1-5,Harry Potter Interactive DVD Game,5 Collectible Bookmarks and16 Collectible Trading Cards. When are they going to finally include commentary tracks? This is a great set, but I wish they included the extended versions that were shown on TV. The movies already look amazing in standard def, so I fully expect to be blown away by the HD version and both the Blu-Ray and HD copies include true High-Def sound quality.

Spiderman Blu-Ray Trilogy Set

 

I hated the first Spiderman film, LOVED the 2nd one, and thought the 3rd was a really nice way to end the series. Now for the first time you can own all three in glorious high-def. I actually rented Spiderman 3 on Blu-Ray and compared it to my upscaled standard def version. I didn’t see much of a difference between the two versions, they both looked absolutely stunning. Like the Harry Potter series, this is another set that you can use to showcase your new Home entertainment center with. Unfortunately for HD-DVD fans, it’s only available on Blu-Ray. Each disk includes tons of extras including commentary tracks, featurettes, music videos and more.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

Once again, I think I’m alone on my Island. I absolutely despised the first two Pirates films and walked out of the 2nd one – and I actually paid for that ticket! So I had absolutely no interest in the final installment, in fact, I would have rather gouged my eyes out than sit through it. But a funny thing happened, I absolutely loved this installment and actually think it’s one of the top 10 films of this year. Now it’s available in Blu-Ray, but no HD-DVD love as Disney is backing Blu exclusively. The funny thing is Pirates 2 got rave reviews, and Pirates 3 got a lot of “meh,” love. Disney has released all 3 films onto the Blu-Ray format but no box set version.

Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector’s Edition) HD-DVD

I have never been able to sit through Blade Runner, but I am looking forward to watching this set and maybe finally understand what all the fuss is about. This five disk HD-DVD set sounds amazing. In celebration of Blade Runner‘s 25th anniversary, director Ridley Scott has gone back into post production to create the long-awaited definitive new version. Blade Runner: The Final Cut, spectacularly restored and remastered from original elements and scanned at 4K resolution, will contain never-before-seen added/extended scenes, added lines, new and improved special effects, director and filmmaker commentary, an all-new 5.1 Dolby® Digital audio track and more. Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Edward James Olmos, Joanna Cassidy, Sean Young, and Daryl Hannah are among some 80 stars, filmmakers and others who participate in the extensive bonus features. Among the bonus material highlights is Dangerous Days, a brand new, three-and-a-half-hour documentary by award-winning DVD producer Charles de Lauzirika, with an extensive look into every aspect of the film: its literary genesis, its challenging production and its controversial legacy. The definitive documentary to accompany the definitive film version.

 

Disc One
RIDLEY SCOTT’S ALL-NEW “FINAL CUT” VERSION OF THE FILM
Restored and remastered with added & extended scenes, added lines, new and cleaner special effects and all new 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio. Also includes:

 

• Commentary by Ridley Scott
• Commentary by executive producer/co-screenwriter Hampton Fancher and co-screenwriter David Peoples; producer Michael Deely and production executive Katherine Haber
• Commentary by visual futurist Syd Mead; production designer Lawrence G. Paull, art director David L. Snyder and special photographic effects supervisors Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich and David Dryer

Disc Two
DOCUMENTARY DANGEROUS DAYS: MAKING BLADE RUNNER
A feature-length authoritative documentary revealing all the elements that shaped this hugely influential cinema landmark. Cast, crew, critics and colleagues give a behind-the-scenes, in-depth look at the film — from its literary roots and inception through casting, production, visuals and special effects to its controversial legacy and place in Hollywood history.

Disc Three
1982 THEATRICAL VERSION
This is the version that introduced U.S. movie-going audiences to a revolutionary film with a new and excitingly provocative vision of the near-future. It contains Deckard/Harrison Ford’s character narration and has Deckard and Rachel’s (Sean Young) “happy ending” escape scene.

1982 INTERNATIONAL VERSION
Also used on U.S. home video, laserdisc and cable releases up to 1992. This version is not rated, and contains some extended action scenes in contrast to the Theatrical Version.

1992 DIRECTOR’S CUT
The Director’s Cut omits Deckard’s voiceover narration and removes the “happy ending” finale. It adds the famously-controversial “unicorn” sequence, a vision that Deckard has which suggests that he, too, may be a replicant.

Disc Four
BONUS DISC – “Enhancement Archive”: 90 minutes of deleted footage and rare or never-before-seen items in featurettes and galleries that cover the film’s amazing history, production teams, special effects, impact on society, promotional trailers, TV spots, and much more.

 

 

• Featurette “The Electric Dreamer: Remembering Philip K. Dick”
• Featurette “Sacrificial Sheep: The Novel vs. The Film”
• Philip K. Dick: The Blade Runner Interviews (audio)
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Cover Gallery (images)
• The Art of Blade Runner (image galleries)
• Featurette “Signs of the Times: Graphic Design”
• Featurette “Fashion Forward: Wardrobe & Styling”
• Screen Tests: Rachel & Pris
• Featurette “The Light That Burns: Remembering Jordan Cronenweth”
• Unit photography gallery
• Deleted and alternate scenes
• 1982 promotional featurettes
• Trailers and TV spots
• Featurette “Promoting Dystopia: Rendering the Poster Art”
• Marketing and merchandise gallery (images)
• Featurette “Deck-A-Rep: The True Nature of Rick Deckard”
• Featurette “–Nexus Generation: Fans & Filmmakers”

Disc Five
WORKPRINT VERSION
This rare version of the film is considered by some to be the most radically different of all the Blade Runner cuts. It includes an altered opening scene, no Deckard narration until the final scenes, no “unicorn” sequence, no Deckard/Rachel “happy ending,” altered lines between Batty (Rutger Hauer) and his creator Tyrell (Joe Turkell), alternate music and much more. Also includes:

 

• Commentary by Paul M. Sammon, author of Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner
• Featurette “All Our Variant Futures: From Workprint to Final Cut”