70 HD DVD Title Releases Slated
By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 3/29/2007
Los Angeles — Studios backing the HD DVD high-definition disc format demonstrated that they are still in the fight by announcing a full slate of movie titles they plan to release in the format this spring and early summer.
Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Warner Home Video, Paramount Home Entertainment, The Weinstein Company, Genius Products and Eagle Rock Entertainment collectively unveiled plans to deliver more than 70 titles through July.
Among the key titles will be “Smokin’ Aces,” “The Complete Matrix Trilogy” and “DreamGirls.” In addition, a number of discs will be released in the combo HD DVD/DVD flipper format, and some will have day-and-date release windows with the DVD versions.
Additional titles for the remainder of 2007 will be announced this summer, the studios said.
Meanwhile, the HD DVD Promotions Group said the attach rate of software to players continues to exceed the rival Blu-ray Disc format, which also recently announced a slate of blockbuster releases this week.
Toshiba also recently announced that it has cut player pricing, effective April 1.
“The spring is ramping up well for HD DVD, with an incredible list of movies and the best priced hardware on the market,” stated Ken Graffeo, Universal HD Strategic marketing executive VP. “The consumer base continues to buy movies at rates that outpace DVD in its early years, which shows the willingness of consumers to make the transition to high definition.”
“HD DVD continues to perform exceptionally well for Warner, and we see this continuing as more titles from the HD roll out and more hardware hits the market,” said Steve Nickerson, Warner worldwide market management senior VP. “Fans of high definition have a lot more to choose from with the release of long-awaited blockbusters like 'The Complete Matrix Trilogy' on HD DVD.”
“As hardware prices continue to fall, this is a great time to experience HD DVD,” stated Chris Saito, Paramount marketing VP. “Our HD DVD line-up for spring and summer 2007 has something for every audience, with hits ranging from “Dreamgirls” to “Flags of Our Fathers.”
The following lists the announced HD DVD titles in order of the month of release:
March:
"Children of Men"
“Happy Feet”
“March of the Penguins”
“National Geographic: Relentless Enemies”
April:
“The Good Shepherd” (combo disc)
“Smokin’ Aces” (combo disc)
“Payback: Straight, The Director’s Cut”
“A Scanner Darkly”
“Dog Day Afternoon”
“School for Scoundrels”
“The Game”
“The Jerk”
“Feast”
“Freedom Writers”
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
“Nutty Professor”
"Failure to Launch”
May:
“The Ultimate Matrix Collection”
“The Complete Matrix Trilogy”
“Dreamgirls”
“The 40-Year Old Virgin Unrated”
“Flags of Our Fathers: Special Collector’s Edition”
"The Hitcher” (combo disc)
“Mission: Impossible”
“Mission: Impossible 2”
“Black Christmas” (2006)
“Harsh Times”
“The Battle of the Bulge”
“The Road Warrior”
“The Fountain”
“Smokey & The Bandit”
“Alpha Dog” (combo disc)
“The Skeleton Key”
“The River”
“Midnight Run”
“The Frighteners”
“Dragonheart”
“The Big Lebowski”
“Lost in Translation”
June:
“Bruce Almighty”
“Liar Liar”
“Coming To America”
“Born on the 4th of July”
“Daylight”
“Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life”
“Freedom: Vol.1”
“Yes Live in Montreux”
“Santana: Hymns for Peace”
“Deep Purple: They all Came Down to Montreux”
“Sneakers”
“Trading Places”
“Meet Joe Black”
“Being John Malkovich”
“Mystery Men”
“American Me”
“The Watcher”
“Bulletproof”
“Mallrats”
July:
“Shaun of the Dead”
“Billy Madison”
“The Cat in the Hat”
“The Untouchables
“The Warriors”
“Dante’s Peak”
“The War”
“The Wedding Date”
“The Bourne Identity”
“In Good Company”
“Streets of Fire”
“Nutty Professor 2”
“Scent of a Woman”
"Darkman”
“Sea of Love”
“Deliver Us From Eva”
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I love the picture quality and the price but agree with many of the other letters that instead of re-releasing old titles we need new pictures released and shot in HD that come out right at their regular 480p versions do. This would be especially true of action and sci-fi movies which have special effects that make HD really come alive. I can see releasing movies like Matrix or Lord of the rings, star wars ... ect but is a slow moving story like eternal sunshine of the spotless mind really worht the time?? Also the players need to have digital optical and digital coxaxial 7.1 connections (both) and not make you buy a new amplifier to hear this. I have a $1500 HARMON KARDON digital amp which has 7.1 why should I have to buy a new one with HDMI sound when the optical will already handle that???? Like the product but need these revisions if you want to outdo blue ray!!!
Jeff Lindstrom - 2007-24-5 10:43:00 EDT -
The person in charge of these desicions about titles to release in HD apparently have no knoledge of what they suppose to do. What about so may good movies in these studio vaults? I would not give one cent for the entire list they are planning to release in comming months. Thank You, but No Thank You!
Roman Cecilia - 2007-23-5 20:22:00 EDT -
I just bought an HD DVD player and was out shopping for a dvd to try on it. I was disappointed to see that most of the movies available are old. I did notice that blue ray has alot more newer movies out. HD DVD your going to have to step up to the plate and start putting out the new movies if you want to keep my business.
Tim Wolfe - 2007-21-5 13:21:00 EDT -
Winning the Blu-Ray vs. HD DVD battle is simple and goes to the company
that releases the most HD DVDs. HD DVD cannot take off without product
and so far it is in a very limited supply on both sides and with very few
titles that are worth having in my collection. Out of the 70 titles I have
what I want on DVD and I don't want to spend money again on the HD
format. Start releasing ALL new features to HD and I will buy. The HD
format is incredible, so if the film is not in HD I don't buy, so guys wake
up start releasing titles like THE MISSION; who cares to see Army of
Darkenss (sorry)But most of all start releasing all future films in HD DVD.
Jorgen W. Toft - 2007-14-5 14:39:00 EDT -
Most theatrical releases continue to be shot on film, but unless the film stock is particularly cheap (and grainy), this shouldn''t make a difference when viewing them on hi-definition discs. Film is actually a higher resolution medium than hi-def video, and most films are shot at a 24fps rate. As for whether the films use HDMI v1.3(???), disc players, TVs and various other home theater components use HDMI to send digital signals around a home theater system. HDMI is generally not part of the film production process.
Greg Tarr - 2007-27-4 07:59:00 EDT
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