WHV Press Release: Heat, The Negotiator and Logan's Run (Blu-ray)

High Action in High Definition!

 

 

 

Burbank, Calif., July 20, 2009 – Prior to the recent opening of his well-received motion picture Public Enemies, director Michael Mann went back into the telecine facility to personally supervise a new high-definition transfer of Heat, the crime classic that starred powerhouse duo Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.The Negotiator and Logan’s Run join the high action in high definition -- all on November 3 from Warner Home Video. Special features for all three films include commentaries, documentary, deleted scenes and trailers.

 

Heat, The Negotiator and Logan’s Run will sell separately for $28.99 SRP each.

 

About The Films

 

Heat

An L.A. cop (Al Pacino) becomes fixated on a deadly thief (Robert De Niro) and his crew (Val Kilmer, Jon Voight) who are wreaking havoc on the streets of the city. This crime drama features one of the most spectacular shootouts in film history as De Niro and Kilmer rip through downtown Los Angeles with both guns blazing.

 

Special Features:

·   Commentary by Michael Mann

·   The Making of Heat

·   Pacino and De Niro: The Conversation

·   Return to the Scene of the Crime

·   Deleted Scenes

·   Theatrical Trailers 

The Negotiator

Starring Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey, the film is a taut tale of a former FBI hostage negotiator who, after being framed for murder, tries to clear his name by taking several people hostage in order to uncover the guilty party.

 

Special Features

• The Eleventh Hour: Stories From Real-Life Negotiators
• On Location: Why Chicago
• Theatrical Trailer

 

Logan’s Run

A sci-fi movie taking place in the 23^rd century, Logan’s Run stars Michael York (Logan) as a man living in a futuristic society who goes on the run to escape the required ceremonial death ritual for all citizens who reach the age of 30. With fine performances from Richard Jordan and Peter Ustinov, the film earned a special Oscar^® for visual effects, and was nominated for two Academy Awards^®- for Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography.

 

Special Features:

• Commentary by Michael Anderson, Michael York & Bill Thomas
• A Look Into the 23rd Century
• Theatrical Trailer

 

BD Action Promotion – Heat, The Negotiator and Logan’s Run

Street Date: November 3, 2009

 

Heat

Run Time: 171 Minutes

Rated R

$28.99 SRP

 

The Negotiator

Run Time: 139 Minutes

Rated R

$28.99 SRP

 

Logan’s Run

Run Time: 120 Minutes

Rated PG

$28.99 SRP

 

Edited by Ronald Epstein - 7/20/2009 at 02:00 pm GMT

Too bad on Logan's Run. Guess it is a barebones release for now.

It has a commentary and a featurette. It's not loaded with features, but it's not barebones, either.

Looking forward to Heat myself.

I still consider it bare knowing how much was left out. I'm pretty sure the DVD made long ago had those same features also.

I guess the disappointment about LOGAN'S RUN comes from the fact that this is essentially a direct port of the DVD except for the actual HD film.  I mean, that's fine.  I love the film and would like to see it in HD.  There are just so many deleted scenes from LOGAN'S RUN that were shot, that it's disappointing that the film is, once again, dumped onto the market.  Who knows?  Maybe they don't exist any longer.  In any case, $29.98 is pretty steep for a film that is available most places for $5 on DVD.  I seriously doubt that the film has been given much in the way of a cleaning up.  Ah, well.  I'll withhold judgment until I see it.  Yay for Netflix!

I hope it isn't a direct port. The source used for the DVD had a fair share of dirt, as you pointed out. As for the MSRP, it should be had for the same price that 2010 can be found for now.

I look forward to Heat in Blu-ray. I just pre-ordered it from Amazon. November is too long to have to wait.

I hope Heat sounds as good or better than the LD did!

Interesting. The two Logan's Run characters in that ad are from the TV series! Is this a tease from Warner Bros?

Yeah, that's pretty funny. I sure hope the transfer is an upgrade, the last DVD looks pretty bad now, and the features are the same. Can't say I'm much of a fan of the cover art either, but I guess I should be happy if we are getting a new HD transfer.

Good catch. I wouldn't mind seeing the TV series released, too.

I will be picking up all three of these titles, assuming the transfers are good.

Me neither. I haven't seen the show since it originally aired. It would be neat to see it again. And since it didn't last very long, it would be an affordable DVD set.

 Darn, was kind of hoping Heat was going to be a digibook. I like those. No question it's a buy for me anyways as it's in my top 5 all time list.
Probably will pass on The Negotiator as I have seen it a couple times on TBS and thought the movie was okay.
I have never seen Logan's Run but it looks intriguing. 
So for anyone that would care to comment - is it worth a blind buy? I loved Blade Runner if that is any point of reference.

Great news about Heat finally being officially announced for Blu-Ray, finally!
Although I have to admit that I was hoping that they would finally go ahead and do that director's cut that was talked about a while ago. 

Logan's Run and Blade Runner are very different films visually. While both are futuristic, Blade Runner has a very dark, dingy atmosphere, while Logan's Run presents the future with a much cleaner, stylistic look. Of course, both films do present  grim futures, though.

I have always liked Logan's Run, and also remember watching and enjoying the TV Series during its initial airing when I was growing up. I think Blade Runner is a better film, but Logan's Run is still well worth watching. Peter Ustinov has a wonderful supporting role.

Although I love it, I don't know that I would give a blanket recommendation for Logan's Run unless you are a fan of 1970s science fiction. As Scott says, it is very different from Blade Runner, not only visually, but in style. It is definitely worth renting though to see if it appeals to you.

Stylistically, BR and LR are almost 180 degrees apart. LR was released one year before Star Wars came along and radicalized movie sci-fi with the concept of a 'lived in' future. LR might as well have been made 20 years earlier as it still depicts the future all clean and shiny, with everyone wearing unitards ( or something close to it). On a very superficial level, if you don't have a fondness for that quaint, somewhat kitschy aesthetic, then the film probably will rub you the wrong way immediately.

OTOH, if you can get past the visual design or embrace it, the film is at the core a 'chase movie'. I'll probably sound very pretentious here,  but there is a primal appeal about chase stories that taps into our collective beginnings as hunter/gatherers. Most people can respond positively to a chase film, and on that level LR is a fairly fun ride.
Imho, of course. I really enjoy the film for that reason, along with the quaintness, now, of the conceptualized future. I was old enough to remember  LR being marketed as cutting edge, and then a year later to see SW came along and blew that concept all to hell. So the film will always hold a special place to people like me for that  last gasp of old school future-rama.

And of course even if it didn't have any of the above, it still has Jenny Agutter which would make it an essential purchase regardless

If I didn't know that only six years separated them, I'd swear that "Blade Runner" was made 30 years after "Logan's Run." Aside from a few anachronistic corporate logos, "Blade Runner" doesn't look dated at all. "Logan's Run" on the other hand, fairly screams the 70s.

Which anachronistic corporate logos would those be? ;)

I'm sorry, but in Blade Runner, some of the vehicles and the music scream the 80s to me too. Doesn't make it less good, or anything. A Clockwork Orange is very much a 70s film too, and that's still a great film. Films date, you can't do anything about it.

I'm a fan of Sci-Fi from every era, however I never warmed up to Logan's Run for whatever reason.  It is nice to see cult film's like that make it out to this format though.

I'm excited to get Heat but that's it from this batch.

I will definitely be getting Logan's Run.  I like the film, but like others, I don't think I could recommend it as a blind buy.  Renting it would be a better bet to see if you like it.

The funny thing is that I have never seen Heat.  From what I understand, I do believe that it is probably worthy of a blind buy, right?

well, if you don't like it you will likely be able to sell it off without any trouble.

I'm just the opposite of Jim. I always liked Logan's Run, but never was able to appreciate Heat the way many other people do.
It does have one bravura set piece- no question about that. But the film was hyped at the time for being the first time heavyweights Pacino and DeNiro act together in the same scenes. To that end I thought DeNiro was fine, but Pacino was so consistently hammy and over the top it made it difficult to stay in the movie. Deniro underplays to good effect and Pacino overplays to the films detriment (imo). Fine supporting cast though. 
I'll probably give it another chance via a rental at least when it comes out.

So many people like it Frank, so the odds are with you if you blind buy it.

It's impossible to recommend something to someone that I have no idea what their tastes are.

If renting is not an option and you like crime/heist films, DeNiro/Pacino and/or Michael Mann's directing style then yes it's a smart blind-buy.

"well, if you don't like it you will likely be able to sell it off without any trouble. "

Yeah, that's true.  I would probably just end up giving it to one of my children, though.   But you're right, the odds are with me.

"It's impossible to recommend something to someone that I have no idea what their tastes are."

That's a very good point.  I like suspense/crime drama.  So, I think it might be a good choice for me. 

Renting is a hit or miss thing where I live.  There is a video rental store close by.  It has a good choice of current movies and TV shows for rent, some even on BR, but the owners don't stock many older movies.  So, a lot of times I will blind buy a movie if it receives good reviews and/or is considered a classic.  I usually have a pretty good idea if the movie is likely to appeal to me or not before I buy it.  That does not mean that I have not bought a few clunkers, though. :)

Edited by Frank Ha - 7/23/2009 at 03:38 pm GMT

No doubt that this is one of many over-the-top Pacino performances however I found it added to the dynamic of the fire and ice character interaction between him and the cool, calculated, almost emotionless DeNiro.

I agree the "DeNiro/Pacino on screen together" hype was a bit much at the time, but I can't knock a quality film due to unfulfilled hype.  I'm also a huge admirer of Michael Mann's directing style, most especially Thief, Manhunter, Last of the Mohicans and Heat of course.


but as with any film, mileages vary accordingly.

I first saw Heat in VHS as a rental and vowed I would buy it when the DVD came out and I'll gladly shell out for the BD for the bank shoot-out scene alone, it is still my all time favorite demo and the movie among my top five.
Ron, any word on if they remastered the soundtrack?

yeah. I can see that as a valid interpretation.
I'll give it another shot on Bd- at least as a rental. It wouldn't be the first time my opinion changed or the material  clicked for me in a way it didn't originally.

Heat gets a NEW Cut on Blu-ray!!!

according to blu-ray.com heat will get a new cut with it's release on blu-ray.
i truly hope warner will release the original theatrical too. if not = NO BUY!!!

i'm getting tired of warner only releasing these new cuts (robin hood, jfk for example)