During San Diego Comic-Con last week, many studios took advantage of the media and fan awareness to launch some major Blu-ray announcements. We got to see Predator 3D firsthand and I kept up with some others, as well as a few notices that dropped outside of Con. You’re going to want to clear some shelf space for these:
I’m on the press release calling this “The most original movie of the year,” from my interview with David Kwong. I stand by that. There were no other bank robbing magician movies this year. There’s at least a 50% chance Now You See Me can retain that title by the time it’s out on Blu-ray in September.
The Blu-ray promises an extended director’s cut that’s 16 minutes longer. I can’t imagine Louis Leterrier actually wanted the movie to be longer, but I liked the movie so I’ll compare the two versions. Other bonus features include commentary, two featurettes and deleted scenes. 16 minutes plus deleted scenes? That’s like swallowing the handkerchief and pulling out a string of handkerchiefs tied together, only the handkerchiefs in this case are cutting room trims.
The 60th anniversary of this classic film lands it on Blu-ray for the first time. Frank Sinatra, Montgomery Clift, Burt Lancaster, Donna Reed, Deborah Kerr and Ernest Borgnine star in a drama about the military just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Directed by Fred Zinnemann, From Here to Eternity has been regarded as better than Michael Bay’s Pearl Harbor, and you can quote me on that. You know it best as the movie where the lovers making out on the beach get washed over the waves.
This restored 4K scan should make the black and white film look glorious. Bonus features include a commentary from Tim Zinnemann (Fred’s son) and Alvin Sargent (screenwriter whose one acting credit is in this film), a making of documentary, a Zinnemann documentary and a comprehensive Graphics in Picture track that explores the film from beginning to end.
Fox Home Entertainment announced a collection of all six X-Men films that sold for pre-order in a Comic-Con exclusive Wolverine claw packaging. The release date is up in the air but I imagine it is whenever The Wolverine street date is announced after its summer box office run. That’s the four proper X-Men films and the two Wolverine spin-offs. Yes, you’ll have to own X-Men Origins: Wolverine to get the cool claw.
The set includes the six movies plus a bonus disc. Um, I hate to be a pooper here, but you know there’s a seventh X-Men movie coming out next year, right? This set will be current for about six months. Plus, I didn’t see the claw myself so I don’t know how much shelf space it will take up. We need to do more research on this one.
This is the big one from Comic-Con. Shout! Factory announced they would be putting out “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse,” the ‘80s Saturday Morning TV series built around Paul Reubens’ whimsical character. They are going to restore each episode from the original 35mm negative, like they did for the “Star Trek Original Series” and “Next Generation” Blu-rays.
Now that we know what old TV shows can look like, I’m thrilled to see that Playhouse set in all the detail they must have constructed. It was a surrealist fantasy that’s sure to look fabulous. I am making Shelf Space now just so I’m ready next year. Bonus features are to be announced, but there will be bonus features, and the plan is for a season by season rollout throughout the year.
The Digital Bits did some investigative reporting through their home video sources at Comic-Con, and confirmed that work was underway on putting two major TV series on Blu-ray: “The X-Files” and “Twin Peaks.” Interesting to note, some “X-Files” stock footage would require upconverting, because they must have used lots of generic footage of government buildings. Watch this space for official word.
Fred Topel is a staff writer at CraveOnline and the man behind Shelf Space Weekly. Follow him on Twitter at @FredTopel.
