IRON MAN makes his debut on home video (both on Blu-ray and DVD), plus an Alan Moore (WATCHMEN) documentary, a DORA THE EXPLORER movie and more, all on DVD/Blu-ray today.
IRON MAN On DVD And Blu-ray
Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures' IRON MAN soars onto DVD and Blu-ray on September 30, 2008. Paramount Home Ent. presents the Ultimate Edition two-disc sets on both DVD and Blu-ray, as well as in a single-disc DVD. IRON MAN thrilled both critics and audiences around the world with its captivating story and stunning visual effects. The film features an all-star cast including Academy Award nominees Robert Downey Jr. (ZODIAC, CHAPLIN), Jeff Bridges (THE CONTENDER) and Terrence Howard (HUSTLE & FLOW) and Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow (SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE) and was directed by Jon Favreau (ELF).
The requirements on this movie were more demanding than the innovative on-set motion capture work ILM did for the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN films known as Imocap. On PIRATES, ILM captured actor Bill Nighy's performance on set and used the MoCap data as reference, eventually completely replacing the actor with a digital character that could deviate as needed from the MoCap data.
But to make the visible parts of Downey match with the CG parts of Iron Man required extremely accurate tracking. "On this, where you have a shot where Robert is walking around and it's basically his real head and we're adding the suit all over his lower body, it really had to be spot on or his head would slide around and it would look weird," ILM Animation Director Hal Hickel said.
In animating Iron Man, Hickel says they tried to give the armor a sense of weight and power without making the armor seem clumsy or slow. "If you built a suit like this, the point of which is to be kind of a battle machine, if it's actually physically restricting or slows the person down then it's kind of really not doing its job," he explains. "It really came down to the performer having the correct attitude, striking the right kind of poses and having the right kind of cool bad-ass sort of thing going on."
Earning north of $315 million in the domestic box office to date, IRON MAN lifts off with high-speed, high-flying action when jet-setting industrialist Tony Stark survives an unexpected attack in enemy territory and escapes by building a high-tech robotic suit of armor. When he uncovers a nefarious plot with global implications, he dons his powerful armor and vows to protect the world as Iron Man. Straight from the pages of the legendary comic book, IRON MAN is a hero who is built -- not born -- to be unlike any other.
The IRON MAN Ultimate Edition two-disc sets are super-charged with hours of explosive bonus features that take viewers inside the suit of self-made Super Hero Tony Stark and his invincible alter ego. The sets offer the ultimate IRON MAN experience with extensive explorations of the origins of the character in a six-part featurette, as well as a seven-part in-depth look at the making of the film, a revealing documentary on the stellar visual effects, Downey's original screen test, deleted and extended scenes, a photo gallery of concept art and behind-the-scenes images on the set and more.
DVD:
The IRON MAN Ultimate Edition two-DVD set is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, French 5.1 Surround and Spanish 5.1 Surround with English, French and Spanish subtitles. Total runtime is 125 minutes. Bonus features include:
Disc 1:--Feature film--Deleted/Extended Scenes
Disc 2:--I Am Iron Man*The Journey Begins*The Suit that makes the Iron Man*The Walk of Destruction*Grounded In Reality*Beneath the Armor*It's All in the Details*A Good Story, Well Told--The Invincible Iron Man*Origins*Friends & Foes*The Definitive Iron Man*Demon in a Bottle*Extremis and Beyond*Ultimate Iron Man--Wired: The Visual Effects of IRON MAN--Robert Downey Jr. Screen Test--The Actor's Process (scene rehearsal with cast)--THE ONION "Wildly Popular IRON MAN Trailer to be Adapted into Full Length Film"--Image Galleries
HD Features on Blu-ray:
The IRON MAN Blu-ray presentation offers even more exclusive content for an incredible entertainment experience including a "Hall of Armor" that allows fans to enter the Stark database to zoom in on any of the three Iron Man suits -- or Iron Monger. They can then activate the digital 3-D schematics to check out every weapon and the full high-definition renders let users fly around each suit to explore each of the armors in comprehensive detail.
The "Iron Man IQ" is a user-friendly Web application that lets users create and share new multiple choice quizzes based on clips from the film. Fans can also download other users' challenges via BD-Live.
The IRON MAN Ultimate Edition two-disc Blu-ray is presented in 1080p High Definition with English 5.1 Dolby True HD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese subtitles. Bonus features include:
Disc 1:--Hall of Armor--The Invincible Iron Man (HD)*Origins*Friends & Foes*The Definitive Iron Man*Demon in a Bottle*Extremis and Beyond*Ultimate Iron Man--Deleted/Extended Scenes (HD)--BD Live:*Iron Man IQ
Disc 2:--I Am Iron Man (HD)*The Journey Begins*The Suit that makes the Iron Man*The Walk of Destruction*Grounded In Reality*Beneath the Armor*It's All in the Details*A Good Story, Well Told--Wired: The Visual Effects of Iron Man (HD)--Robert Downey Jr. Screen Test (HD)--The Actor's Process (scene rehearsal with cast) (HD)--THE ONION "Wildly Popular IRON MAN Trailer to be Adapted into Full Length Film" (HD)--Theatrical Trailers (HD)--Image Galleries
Single-disc DVD:
The IRON MAN single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, French 5.1 Surround and Spanish 5.1 Surround with English, French and Spanish subtitles. Bonus features include the deleted and extended scenes.
Retail exclusives include:
**Circuit City -- Access to exclusive Marvel Digital Comics featuring the artwork of Adi Granov.**Best Buy -- Custom Lithograph created by Marvel artist Gerald Parel.**Target -- Target Deluxe Edition includes exclusive Mark III mask packaging. Available on both the Ultimate 2-Disc Edition and 2-Disc Blu-ray.**Costco -- Gift set includes the Ultimate 2-Disc Edition DVD and three Iron Man Bobbleheads, with all three Iron Man suits from the film. Gifts set includes the “Battle Damaged Mark II.”**Wal-mart -- Two exclusive SKUs. Ultimate 2-Disc Edition packed with an exclusive comic book chronicling the Nick Fury story. The single disc gift set has the first episode of the new IRON MAN animated series.**Kmart & Sears -- Save $5 on the Ultimate 2-Disc Edition with any $25 Craftsman purchase.**Trans World -- FYE and Suncoast Exclusive Steelbook Package available on the Ultimate 2-Disc Edition.
**Borders - On pack collectible book featuring original sketches by Bob Layton and the top 24 comic cover of Iron Man.
DAWN OF THE DEAD Unrated Director's Cut On Blu-ray
Whatever happened, however it started, overnight, the world has become a living nightmare of surreal proportions, with the planet's population hit by an inexplicable plague -- and the dead aren't staying dead. Corpses yearning for their next meal are now stalking the few remaining survivors in DAWN OF THE DEAD from director Zack Snyder and Universal Studios Home Ent., a re-envisioning of George A. Romero's apocalyptic horror classic.
After a terrifying escape from her suburban Wisconsin home on the morning after, Ana Clark (Sarah Polley) runs into a small group of the still-living, including: a stoic police officer, Kenneth (Ving Rhames); Michael, an unassuming electronics salesman (Jake Weber); a street-rough Andre (Mekhi Phifer) and his pregnant wife. Sealed off from the rest of what used to be the world, the survivors must learn to co-exist with each other in their fight to remain alive, and more importantly, human.
The film, originally released in 2004, has vfx by Mr. X, AFX Studios and Realities Studio.
Special features include (all in standard definition):
--Commentary with director Zack Snyder and producer Eric Newman--U-control picture-in-picture plays featurettes along with the film--"Director's Introduction" with Zack Snyder--"The Lost Tape" featurette--"Special Report: Zombie Invasion" featurette--Deleted scenes--"Splitting Headaches: Anatomy of Exploding Heads" featurette--"Raising the Dead" featurette
LAND OF THE DEAD Unrated Director's Cut On Blu-ray
In a modern-day world where the walking dead roam an uninhabited wasteland, the living try to lead "normal" lives behind the walls of a fortified city. A new society has been built by a handful of ruthless opportunists, who live in the towers of a skyscraper, high above the chaos on the streets below. Outside the city walls, an army of the dead is evolving, and with the survival of the city at stake, a group of hardened mercenaries is called into action.
This Universal Studios Home Ent. film was theatrically released in 2005 with vfx by SPIN VFX, Switch VFX, Ronin Visual Effects, Rocket Science VFX and Deluxe Sound & Picture.
Special features include:
--Audio commentary with director George Romero, producer Peter Grunwald and editor Michael Doherty--"When Shaun Met George" featurette--"Zombie Effects" featurette--Storyboards--Deleted scenes--"Scream Tests: Zombie Casting Call"--"Scenes of Carnage" montage--U-Control--"Undead Again: The Making of LAND OF THE DEAD" (HD)--"A Day with the Living Dead" (HD)--"Bringing the Dead to Life" (HD)--Bookmark favorite scenes for future access
DRAGON BLADE: THE BEGINNING On DVD
CG animated martial arts film DRAGON BLADE: THE BEGINNING combines breath-taking martial arts sequences (choreographed using some of mainland China's top martial artists), enjoyable storytelling and quirky humor, along with spectacular computer animation and visual effects. The film is a winner of the "Best Computer Animation Feature Film" Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Excellence Awards; winner "Special Achievement in a First Feature Film" for director Antony Szeto from the Australian Screen Directors Association; and nominated for "Best Animation Feature Film" at Taiwans's 42nd Golden Horse Awards.
DRAGON BLADE: THE BEGINNING will be released in North America on DVD September 30, 2008 from Eagle One Media.
This award winning film has the distinction of being the world's first 3D computer animated martial arts feature film and is the first feature length computer animated film to be wholly developed and produced in Hong Kong. The 85 minute film is produced by well-known and award-winning martial arts director Stanley Tong, the man behind such global hits as RUMBLE IN THE BRONX, Jackie Chan's FIRST STRIKE, and SUPERCOP. DRAGON BLADE: THE BEGINNING was directed by Antony Szeto and comes from the DCDC animation studio; the studio behind the widely successful BUTT-UGLY MARTIANS computer animated children television series.
Described as SHREK meets CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, DRAGON BLADE: THE BEGINNING is set in a fantastical version of the Chinese ancient Middle Kingdom. The film follows Lang, a teenage martial arts fanatic, who dreams of one day finding the legendary DragonBlade sword -- a weapon of ultimate power which may only be wielded by the pure of heart and noble of spirit. However, when an evil monster appears and threatens the people of his village, Lang, along with a cheeky fairy bird named Bali-Ba, embark on a heroic quest for the elusive blade whose power may be the only hope Lang has for saving his people and village.
The film will be released in widescreen format, its original English language version, and will feature additional computer animation footage not seen in the original theatrical release.
THE MINDSCAPE OF ALAN MOORE On DVD
As Comic-Con 2008 set records for attendance this summer, much of the buzz centered on Zack Snyder's eagerly anticipated, big screen adaptation of the Hugo Award-winning cult classic graphic novel WATCHMEN, authored by legendary comic book writer Alan Moore.
Now, in the first and only documentary in which the heretofore reclusive, visionary and innovative Moore participates, his hugely-devoted fan base and the soon-to-be-indoctrinated can enter the mind of the world's most famous comic book author, embarking on a fascinating and psychedelic journey through the life and career of the creator of WATCHMEN, FROM HELL, LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, CONSTANTINE and V FOR VENDETTA.
THE MINDSCAPE OF ALAN MOORE makes its DVD debut on September 30, only from The Disinformation Company.
Moore -- writer, artist and performer -- is the arguably the world's most critically acclaimed and widely admired creator of comic books and graphic novels, a true original responsible for many of the genre's iconic creations. In THE MINDSCAPE OF ALAN MOORE, viewers are granted a portrait of the artist as contemporary shaman -- someone with the power to transform consciousness by means of manipulating language, symbols and images. The award-winning film, from director DeZ Vylenz, leads the audience through Moore 's world with the writer himself as guide, beginning with his childhood background, following the evolution of his career as he transformed the comics medium, through to his immersion in a magical worldview where science, spirituality and society are part of t he same universe.
This two-disc collector's set, containing the extraordinary film on the life of this modern-day philosopher, artist and magician features three hours of extras that further illuminate the masterful mind of Moore, including:
--Interviews with Melinda Gebbie (LOST GIRLS), Dave Gibbons (WATCHMEN), David Lloyd (V FOR VENDETTA), Kevin O'Neill (LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN) and Jose Villarubia (PROMETHIA and MIRROR OF LOVE)--"Making of" featurette--Introduction to Alan Moore's work by Paul Gravett--Selected scene analysis with director's commentary--Interviews with director, composer and special make-up fx artist
SESAME STREET: ABBY IN WONDERLAND On DVD
Sesame Street's newest muppet, fairy Abby Cadabby, falls asleep and follows a Red Rabbit (Elmo) down a rabbit hole and in to a "Wonderland," where she encounters quirky and whimsical characters including Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum (Bert and Ernie) and The Cheshire Cookie Cat. She also attends a silly tea party presided over by a Mad Hatter (Grover) who also can be a "sad" hatter or a "glad" hatter with the change of a hat. Will Abby find her missing magic wand and be able to get back to Sesame Street, or does the Grouch of Hearts (Oscar) have other plans?
This new adventure from Sesame Workshop and Genius Products has a runtime of 45 minutes.
DORA THE EXPLORER: DORA SAVES THE SNOW PRINCESS On DVD
Available September 30 on DVD, DORA THE EXPLORER: DORA SAVES THE SNOW PRINCESS features Sanchez and the new cast in an original never-before-seen hour-long adventure. Dora, Boots and the Snowflake Fairy set off to save La Princessa Sabrina and her snowy forest from a mean witch who has locked the princess away in a tower. The trio seeks help from the pirate piggies to get across the icy ocean, and from Paj, an Inuit girl whose dog sled carries the group away from a polar bear. When they finally reach the tower, the Snowflake Fairy transforms Dora's clothes into a princess dress to fool the witch into giving back the snow crystal. Dora saves the day by smiling into the crystal just in time to stop the forest from melting.
Created by Nickelodeon Home Ent. and distributed by Paramount Home Ent., DORA THE EXPLORER: DORA SAVES THE SNOW PRINCESS also includes two new-to-DVD episodes ("Dora's Jack in the Box" and "Bark, Bark To Play Park") along with the "Snow Maze" game.
CLICK & CLACK: AS THE WRENCH TURNS On DVD
CLICK & CLACK: AS THE WRENCH TURNS from Paramount Home Ent., takes us behind the scenes of Car Talk, the world famous radio show from NPR, where "Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers" (aka Tom and Ray Magliozzi) answer listener's questions about their cars with humor, empathy, and occasional useful information.
The animated sitcom takes place in their garage, where they fend off disgruntled customers and do everything in their power to goof off more. They have help, if you can call it that, from their band of misfit mechanics, while their radio show producer fights a winless battle to get them to shape up and be more professional.
This two-disc set has 10 episodes that aired on PBS for a runtime of 300 minutes.
R. L. Stine's MOSTLY GHOSTLY On DVD
From R. L. Stine, creator of the hit book series GOOSEBUMPS and Universal Studios Home Ent., comes the newmovie: MOSTLY GHOSTLY, on DVD.
Max (Sterling Beaumon) is hardly a typical 11-year-old: he loves magic, detests sports, and can't seem to say a single word to his crush, Traci (Ali Lohan), the most popular girl in school. But when he's the only one who can see the ghosts haunting his house, two young spirits make him the deal of a lifetime: he'll help them solve the mystery of their parents' disappearance and battle a wicked ghoul, if they'll help him go from being invisible to the most talked-about kid at school.
Featuring an all-star cast including Madison Pettis (THE GAME PLAN), Ali Lohan (TV's LIVING LOHAN), Luke Benward (HOW TO EAT FRIED WORMS), Noah Cyrus (TV's HANNAH MONTANA) and Sterling Beaumon (FOUR CHRISTMASES), it's one spooky mishap after another in this haunted adventure.
