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New Blu-ray Boasts Fringe, Creepshow, Catwoman –Plus, Bedknobs on DVD

Fringe, Creepshow, Catwoman, Bedknobs among new films on DVD and Blu-ray this week.

BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS (DVD)Disney/1971/117min/Rated G/SRP $29.99Director: Robert StevensonCast: Angela Lansbury, Roddy McDowellVfx: Pacific Title & Art Studio (Opticals/restoration)

Format: Color, DVD, NTSCLanguage: EnglishRegion: 1 (U.S. and Canada only)Aspect ratio: 1.66:1 Discs: 1

Summary: In the English village of Pepperinge Eye, three cockney orphans are sent to live with Eglantine Price, who is studying to become an apprentice witch.

Special Features:* THE WIZARDS OF SPECIAL EFFECTS (7min): a new featurette hosted by WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE star, Jennifer Stone. We learn how the sodium vapor screen process used on BEDKNOBS differs from the green screen effects of WAVERLY PLACE.

* MUSIC MAGIC/The Sherman Brothers (11min): a retrospective with songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman. They reveal how the project's seeds were planted with P.L. Travers' second thoughts about letting MARY POPPINS be made and proceed to discuss production with respect to specific BEDKNOBS songs, including a deleted one. There is also archival behind-the-scenes footage and comments by Angela Lansbury.

* “A Step in the Right Direction" (4min): Angela Lansbury's recording of the song is heard, while a slideshow of still photographs gives us a good idea of how the Lansbury/broom number would have looked.

* "Portobello Road" David Tomlinson’s video the recording session: Clean-shaven Tomlinson delivers a single slow verse for conductor Irwin Kostal.

* Four theatrical trailers are preserved (90sec to 4min range)* WIZARDS actors Dylan and Cole Sprouse and their TV mom (Kim Rhodes) discuss Blu-ray.* Preview trailers for SNOW WHITE, THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG and SANTA BUDDIES.

PRINCESS ENCHANTED TALES: Follow Your Dreams (DVD)Disney/2007/56min/Rated G/SRP $29.99Director: David BlockVoice cast: Erin Torpey, Corey Burton, Gilbert GodfriedFormat: AC-3, Animated, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, WidescreenLanguage: EnglishRegion: Region 1Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1Discs: 2

Summary:This new Limited Edition features beloved princesses from two of Disney's most revered films: Jasmine, from ALADDIN and Aurora, from SLEEPING BEAUTY.

Special Features:* THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG sneak peek.* "Happiness Was Made To Shine" Video With Cinderella.* "Working for a Dream" Music video with Mulan.* "Aurora Dress-Up" -- Help Aurora mix and match her wardrobe to create a magnificent outfit for the royal banquet.* "Find Sahara" -- The Sultan's favorite horse, Sahara, has escaped from the stable. Take a magic carpet ride. Follow the clues and help Jasmine find him.* "You'll Never Lose This Love" a music video featuring Belle.

POWER RANGERS RPM, Vol. 2: RACE FOR CORINTH (DVD)Disney/115min/Unrated/SRP $19.99Directors: Jonathan Brough, Vanessa Alexander, Charlie HaskellCast: Eka Darvill, Ari Boyland, Rose McIver, Milo Cawthorne, Dan EwingFormat: Color, NTSCLanguage: English   Region: 1Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1Discs: 1Summary:RPM takes place in the future when the Earth is ruled by machines.  Pollution has forced the last surviving humans to retreat into the last surviving city, the doomed Corinth.

CRANK 2: HIGH VOLTAGE (Blu-ray)Lionsgate/2009/96min/Rated R/SRP $39.99Directors: Mark Neveldine and Brian TaylorCast: Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Dwight YoakamVfx: Duran Duboi, Sub/par PixTinsley Transfers

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVCAspect ratio: 1.85:1English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1French: Dolby Digital 5.1Discs English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (less)Discs: 2/50GB Blu-ray Disc

Summary:Hitman Chev Chelios is kidnapped by a mysterious Chinese mobster. Three months later, he wakes up to discover his nearly indestructible heart has been surgically removed and replaced with a battery-operated ticker. After a dangerous escape from his captors, Chev is on the run again.

Special Features:* Crank'd Out Commentary -- available in both a "Traditional" and  "High Voltage" mode -- is a picture-in-picture feature that sees Neveldine/Taylor and several other participants discussing the film in both a serious and playful tone.

* Making Crank 2 -- is an extensive piece that looks at the process of bringing this sequel to life, starting with the studio's desire to produce a sequel; Neveldine/Taylor's involvement in writing/directing the picture.

* Crank 2: Take 2 -- is a brief extension piece that looks at the guerilla-style shooting method that captured the action in CRANK 2 and showcases some of the accidents that are often captured on-camera.

* Wrap Party Gag Reel -- look at some of the lighter moments from the set. This disc also features "LG Live" which offers "LG Gadgets" that place news, local weather and a clock on the menu screen; Twitter/Facebook Integration; Ringtones; and Wallpapers.

* CRANK 2: High Voltage trailer – and HiDef previews for MORE THAN A GAME, TRANSPORTER 3, CRANK, PUNISHER: War Zone, and RAMBO.

* Disc two of this set contains a digital copy of CRANK 2: High Voltage.

FRINGE: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray)Warner Bros./2008-09/1028min/Unrated/SRP $79.98Cast: Josh Jackson, John Noble, Anna TorvCreator: J.J. AbramsVfx: Rocket Science VFXAspect ratio: 1.78:1English: Dolby Digital 5.1Subtitles: English SDHDiscs: 5/50GB Blu-ray Disc

Summary:Fringe revolves around three unlikely colleagues – a beautiful/determined FBI agent (Anna Torv), a brilliant/eccentric scientist (John Noble), and his mysterious son (Joshua Jackson) – who team to investigate a series of peculiar deaths and disasters (The Pattern).

Special Features:* Audio Commentaries: includes a trio of fast and funny commentaries.  Series creators Alex Kurtzman, Robert Orci, and J.J. Abrams discuss the "Pilot," delving into the series inspirations, its debt to director David Cronenberg's cinematic canon, the techniques used to draw in an audience, special effects, the title sequence and score, casting, and more.

* Deciphering the Scene (SD, 34min total): Each episode features a brief piece that provides an overview of the makeup applications, creatures, death scenes, computer vfx, chase sequences, transformations and weapons unique to that episode.

* Dissected Files (SD, 10min): A collection of deleted and extended scenes, FRINGE’s "Dissected Files" offer an interesting mix of revealing character interactions, additional lab sequences, and other cuts.

* The Massive Undertaking (SD, 21 min): These streamlined EPKs dig into the visual effects, set construction, production work, and challenges presented by the series' pilot episode, "The Ghost Network," "The Transformation," and "There's More Than One of Everything."

* Spoilerific Production Featurettes (SD, Discs 4 & 5, 44 min): These three mini-docs are packed to the brim with series spoilers, so much so that a warning has been added to each one to ward off viewers who haven't finished the season. "Evolution: The Genesis of Fringe" give the creators another opportunity to describe the attributes that make the show so unique, "Behind the Real Science" looks at the blurred lines between science fiction and science fact in FRINGE, "Visual Effects" unravels the series' more complicated VFX, and "The Casting of Fringe" provides an overview of the casting process.* Robert Orci's Production Diary (SD, 13min): Series co-creator Robert Orci takes viewers on a tour of Season one locales.

* Unusual Side Effects (SD, 5min): Torv, Jackson, and Noble break scene for this gag reel.

* Gene the Cow (SD, 3min): A cow is one of FRINGE’s secret weapons. Actually three different bovines, this cute featurette looks at the Harvard lab's resident mascot.

* FRINGE Pattern Analysis (HD, Disc 5, 25 minutes): A bevy of field experts and scientists weigh-in on six scenes and concepts from the series.

* BD-Live Functionality: Trailers plus FRINGE’s online suite includes a bonus audio commentary for the season finale with writers Jeff Pinker, J.H. Wyman, Akiva Goldsman and Bryan Burk.

CATWOMAN (Blu-ray)Warner/2004/104min/Rated PG-13/SRP $28.99Director: PitofCast: Halle Berry, Sharon Stone, Benjamin BrattVfx: ESC Ent., Tippett Studio, Matte World Digital, Meteor Studios, Circle-S Studios Inc., Pacific Title and Art Studios)Aspect ratio: 2.39:1English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1Subtitles: English SDH, French, SpanishDisc: 1/ 25GB Blu-ray Disc

Summary:When Patience (Halle Berry) inadvertently happens upon a dark secret her employer is hiding, she finds herself in the middle of a corporate conspiracy. In a mystical twist of fate, she is transformed into a woman with the strength, speed, agility and ultra-keen senses of a cat.

Special Features:* Additional Scenes* Alternate Ending* The Many Faces of CATWOMAN featurette* Behind-the-Scenes Featurette* Theatrical Trailer

FREDDY Vs. JASON (Blu-ray)New Line/2003/97min/Rated R/SRP $28.99Director: Ronny YuCast: Robert Englund, Ken KirzingerVfx: Cinesite, Pixel Magic, Digital Dimension, Digiscope

Aspect ratio: 2.40:1Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1Subtitles: English SDH, SpanishDiscs: tbd

Summary:Freddy resurrects Jason Voorhees, the equally iconic madman and the perfect means for Freddy to once again instill fear on Elm Street, creating a window of opportunity for him to emerge from his purgatory.

* 3D Animated Menus.* Alternate endings: Alternate opening and Ending.* Audio Commentary: Commentary with Director Ronny Yu, Actors Robert Englund & Ken Kirzinger.* Comparison Scenes.* DVD ROM Features.* Deleted Scenes: 18 scenes with commentary from Dir. Ronnie Yu and Exec Prod Douglas Curtis.* Behind the scenes:  Coverage of screenwriting, set design, make-up, stunts and principle photography.* Visual effects exploration featurette.* Full Screen Version: Both full screen and Widescreen on one disc.* Interviews* Music Video: Ill Nino "How Can I Live"* Storyboards* TV Spots:* Theatrical Trailer

CREEPSHOW (Blu-ray)Warner Bros./1982/120min/Rated R/SRP $28.99Director: George A. RomeroCast: Hal Holbrook, Leslie Nielsen, Fritz WeaverVfx: David Stipes Productions

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD 2Subtitles: English SDH, FrenchDiscs: 1/25GB Blu-ray Disc

Summary:In this collaboration with Stephen King, director George Romero assembles a distinguished cast and pays vividly hued homage to the E.C. horror comics of the 1950s with five stories. Five creepy tales are strung together by a framing story involving a young boy being punished by his father for reading the gruesome, titular comic book.

* Father's Day:  A family patriarch exacts beyond-the-grave revenge on the daughter who murdered him.* The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill: A Maine hayseed is overtaken by a meteor-based plant growth.* Something to Tide You Over:  A husband exacts watery revenge on his cheating wife and her lover in.* The Crate:  A hairy beast in a box is used for nefarious purposes at a university.* They're Creeping Up on You:  A New York germ-a-phobe has a disturbing run-in with cockroaches.

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