USHE Press Release: Universal Studios Introduces Revolutionary New Blu-Ray Hi-Def and DVD "Flipper...

Universal Studios Home Entertainment GIVES CONSUMERS ULTIMATE CONTROL AND FLEXIBILITY WITH Revolutionary New Blu-ray™ hi-def and DVD “Flipper” Discs BEGINNING With the Releases of  

The Bourne Identity

The Bourne Supremacy

The Bourne Ultimatum 

Industry-Changing Dual-Format Technology Features Both 
Blu-ray™ and DVD Versions on One Disc 
 
Universal City, California, December 1, 2009 – In a move that is poised to elevate the Blu-ray™ Hi-Def format and provide consumers with the ultimate in convenience and viewing flexibility, Universal Studios Home Entertainment (USHE) announced the introduction of groundbreaking dual-format discs containing both Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD versions of some of Hollywood’s most iconic films.  An industry first, the new “flipper” discs will launch on January 19, 2010 with the blockbuster superspy thrillers The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, starring Matt Damon, premiering as individually packaged Blu-ray™ discs.

For the first time ever, consumers will have the ability to choose between Blu-ray™ and DVD formats, simply by flipping a single disc.  With complete utility in one convenient package, the revolutionary medium can be used on any DVD or Blu-ray™ compatible player, game platform or computer, making it ideal for anyone planning to upgrade to Blu-ray™ at a future date as well as current owners of both Blu-ray™ and DVD systems.  Each side of Universal’s flipper discs includes the entire movie as well as all available bonus features, with the Blu-ray™ side featuring exciting BD exclusives such as U-Control and BD-Live™.

“Universal’s flipper discs are the perfect way for consumers to future-proof their collections while still enjoying their favorite movies on all their existing DVD players,” said Craig Kornblau, President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment.  “The flipper disc offers an easy way for viewers to convert to Blu-ray now or at any time in the future, confident in the fact they will be able to experience their home entertainment purchases in the highest quality picture and sound when they do.”

The release will mark the first time the Bourne trilogy, one of the highest grossing action movie franchises in history, is available individually in Blu-ray’s™ renowned perfect picture and purest digital sound.  Each film is accompanied by an array of exciting bonus features that plunge viewers deeper in to the shadowy world of international espionage, including top-secret files, challenging strategy games,  fascinating filmmakers and actor profiles, commentary, deleted scenes and Universal’s renowned BD-Live™ functionality.

Riddled with deception, intrigue and high-octane thrills, each chapter of the globe-hopping search for Jason Bourne’s true identity raises the stakes another lethal notch as the undercover killer settles old scores and uncovers new secrets.  A commanding roster of acclaimed actors accompanies Damon on his quest, including Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox, Julia Stiles, Franka Potente, Joan Allen, David Strathairn and Albert Finney. 

CONTENT OVERVIEW & SYNOPSES:

THE BOURNE IDENTITY

FILM SYNOPSIS:
After being pulled from the sea with two bullets in his back, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) awakens on a fishing boat with no memory of his involvement in a top-secret, black ops arm of the CIA called Treadstone.  The only clue to his identity is the number of a Swiss bank account in which he discovers an array of passports and weapons, as well as a fortune in cash. As he struggles to regain his memory, his former employers dub him a rogue agent and target him for termination. When an equally deadly assassin codenamed “Professor” (Clive Owen) is sent to dispose of him, Bourne rediscovers his extraordinary survival skills, including hand-to-hand combat, martial arts and multiple languages and begins to understand who he really is.  As he struggles to unlock the secret of his own identity, Bourne has to deal with his past in order to ensure his own future. 
 
BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE: 
§  Exclusive U-Control: Universal’s exclusive signature feature U-Control allows viewers to delve into the making of the film with the click of the remote without ever leaving the movie. While you watch the movie, immerse yourself in the character dossiers and location analyses, and explore the technology behind the spy gadgets through visuals and 3-D animations.
o   Picture in Picture
o   Bourne Orientation
o   Bourne Card Battle Strategy Game 
o   Treadstone Files: Includes interactive Character Dossiers, Agent Status info and GPS features.
·      BD-Live™: Blu-ray™ and Playstation3 players with an Internet connection can access exclusive interactive applications that allow viewers to communicate with friends and family while watching the film:
o  My Scenes Sharing: Share your favorite clips with friends through BD-Live™ Internet discussions.
o  Bourne Card Battle Strategy Game.
·     Additional extras:
o   My Scenes
o   The Ludlum Identity: An extraordinary portrait of the best-selling author through archival interviews with friends, colleagues, family members and Ludlum himself. 
o   The Ludlum Supremacy:  Who is Jason Bourne? A revealing look at how Bourne was born. 
o   The Ludlum Ultimatum:  A fascinating examination of the Bourne character and his enduring audience appeal. 
o   The Birth of the Bourne Identity
o   Deleted and Extended Scenes  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o   Alternate Opening and Ending:  With an introduction by producer Frank Marshall, screenwriter Tony Gilroy and actor Brian Cox.  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  The Bourne Mastermind: Robert Ludlum: A fascinating new look at the late Robert Ludlum, the bestselling novelist who created the “Bourne” trilogy.  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  Access Granted: An exclusive interview with screenwriter Tony Gilroy on the challenges of adapting Ludlum's 500-page book for the screen.  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  From Identity to Supremacy – Jason & Marie: This feature includes exclusive interviews with Matt Damon and Franka Potente which explore the making of The Bourne Identity - and build a bridge to the spectacular sequel, The Bourne Supremacy.  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  The Bourne Diagnosis: Insights into the causes and effects of Jason Bourne’s struggle with amnesia from a UCLA psychologist.  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  Cloak and Dagger:  In this feature, CIA liaison officer Chase Brandon delivers a detailed, real-world analysis of the making of a super-spy.  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  Inside a Fight Sequence: Join Matt Damon on the set as he and the film’s Stunt Choreographer map out the explosive action-packed U.S. Embassy fight sequence.  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o   Moby “Extreme Ways” Music Video  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o   Feature Commentary with Director Doug Liman  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)

THE BOURNE SUPREMACY

FILM SYNOPSIS:
When his lover is murdered and he is framed for the assassination of a fellow agent, Jason Bourne finds himself on the run again.  But as he closes in on his girlfriend’s killers, he realizes his former handlers are back on his trail. After his fingerprints are found at the scene of a murder in Berlin, an ambitious CIA operative (Joan Allen) becomes determined to stop him once and for all.  Haunted by debilitating fragmented memories as he navigates the labyrinth of international espionage, Bourne (Matt Damon) must outwit, outmaneuver and outmuscle some of the most powerful forces in the world just to survive.
 
BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE: 
§  Exclusive U-Control: Universal’s exclusive signature feature U-Control allows viewers to delve into the making of the film with the click of the remote without ever leaving the movie. While you watch the movie, immerse yourself in the character dossiers and location analyses, and explore the technology behind the spy gadgets through visuals and 3-D animations.
o   Picture in Picture
o   Bourne Orientation
o   Bourne Card Battle Strategy Game 
o   Bourne Dossier
·      BD-Live™: Blu-ray™ and Playstation3 players with an Internet connection can access exclusive interactive applications that allow viewers to communicate with friends and family while watching the film:
o  My Scenes Sharing: Share your favorite clips with friends through BD-Live™ Internet discussions.
o  Bourne Card Battle Strategy Game.
·     Additional extras:
o  My Scenes
o  Scoring with John Powell:  A special look at creating the pulse-pounding score for the movie. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  The Bourne Mastermind: Robert Ludlum: A fascinating new look at the late Robert Ludlum, the bestselling novelist who created the “Bourne” trilogy.
o  The Bourne Diagnosis Part Two: Insights into the causes and effects of Jason Bourne’s struggle with amnesia from a UCLA psychologist.
o  Feature Commentary with Paul Greengrass (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  Explosive Deleted Scenes (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  Matching Identities: Casting – See what it took to land a key role in this major action hit.  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  Keeping It Real – A look at the edgy and kinetic visual style the filmmakers brought to Supremacy.  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  Blowing Things Up – Virtual isn’t always better. See how some of the film’s most awesome pyrotechnical sequences were created—without digital effects. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  On the Move with Jason Bourne – Travel the globe to visit the film’s exotic locations from India to Berlin to Moscow.  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  Bourne to Be Wild: Fight Training – Matt Damon didn’t become a lethal weapon overnight. Witness the action as the star and the movie’s fight trainer perfect the film’s thrilling hand-to-hand combat scenes! (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  Crash Cam: Racing Through the Streets of Moscow – Experience how stunt coordinators meticulously planned and executed the movie’s stunning, high-speed chase sequence. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  The Go-Mobile Revs Up the Action – Feel the rush of being in the driver’s seat with this revolutionary new vehicle used to capture Matt Damon’s high-speed exploits in the film’s jaw-dropping car chase sequences!  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  Anatomy of a Scene: The Explosive Bridge Chase Scene – Step onto the set and experience the tension and intense preparation as the filmmaking team plans and shoots one of the movie’s most demanding, dangerous and thrilling action scenes. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD) 

THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM

FILM SYNOPSIS: 
All he wanted was to disappear. Instead, Jason Bourne (Damon) is now hunted by the people who made him what he is.  Having lost his memory and the one person he loved, Bourne has only one objective: to go back to the beginning and find out who he was. Now, Bourne will hunt down his past in order to find a future.  He must travel from Moscow, Paris and London to Tangier and New York City as he continues his quest to uncover the truth behind his mysterious past—all the while trying to outwit a new generation of highly-trained assassins as well as the relentless CIA operatives who will stop at nothing to prevent him from learning his true identity.
 
BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE: 
§  Exclusive U-Control: Universal’s exclusive signature feature U-Control allows viewers to delve into the making of the film with the click of the remote without ever leaving the movie. While you watch the movie, immerse yourself in the character dossiers and location analyses, and explore the technology behind the spy gadgets through visuals and 3-D animations.
o   Picture in Picture
o   Bourne Orientation
o  Be Bourne Spy Training – Viewers test their skills to see if they’ve got what it takes to be a covert operative. 
o  Bourne Card Battle Strategy Game 
o  Blackbriar Files: While you watch the movie, immerse yourself in the character dossiers and location analyses, and explore the technology behind the spy gadgets through visuals and 3D animations.
·      BD-Live™: Blu-ray™ and Playstation3 players with an Internet connection can access exclusive interactive applications that allow viewers to communicate with friends and family while watching the film:
o  My Scenes Sharing: Share your favorite clips with friends through BD-Live™ Internet discussions.
o  Bourne Card Battle Strategy Game.
·     Additional extras:
o   My Scenes
o  Man on the Move: Jason Bourne – From Berlin to Tangier, see how the film’s exotic locations influenced the filmmaking process. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o   Rooftop Pursuit – Discover how state-of-the-art technology was used to film the incredible Tangier rooftop chase scene! (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  Planning the Punches – Matt Damon reveals his complex and rigorous fight training. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  Driving School – Join Matt Damon behind the wheel as he trains for the New York car chase scene. (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  New York Chase – An insider’s view on how the film’s heart-stopping chase sequences were filmed.  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o   Feature Commentary with Director Paul Greengrass  (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
o  Deleted Scenes (Available on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD)
 
TECHNICAL INFORMATION – NEED TO CONFIRM
Street Date:  January 19, 2010
Copyright: 2010 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Selection Number:

·     The Bourne Identity: 61113492

·     The Bourne Supremacy: 61113490

·     The Bourne Ultimatum: 61113491

Running Time: 

·     The Bourne Identity: 119:00 minutes

·     The Bourne Supremacy: 108:20 minutes

·     The Bourne Ultimatum: 115:09 minutes

Layers: BD-59

Aspect Ratio: 

·     The Bourne Identity: 2.35:1

·     The Bourne Supremacy: 2.35:1

·     The Bourne Ultimatum: 2.40:1

Rating: PG-13 

Technical Info:  English DTS-H Master Audio 5.1, French and Spanish DTS Surround 5.1, English SDH, French and Spanish Subtitles 
  

My opinion on this is that it's only a good idea IF...

* These are the only SKUs being offered, forcing the 
consumer to buy a BD copy alongside their DVD purchase.
That helps the growth of BD long-term.

* DVD and BD purchasers are not penalized in price
because two different formats are being included on one
disc.  In other words, this should not drive up the price
of what the DVD or BD would have cost in the first place
(though I understand there is a price difference anyway).
 

Double sided discs= no sale for me.

Too many techical problems. Look at what happened when HD-DVD tried. There are already enough problmens with some Blu-Ray dics not playing is some players (firmware issues). Image the problems these dual layer, double sided discs will cause. :(

Not to mention the scratch magnets that the double sided discs are.

"Revolutionary"? As we all know HD-DVD did this a long time ago with their Combo discs and it was PITA then. And Ron, when Blu-ray goes down this road I can practically guarantee you that flippers will be the only SKU produced for the high-def consumer on those titles that are distributed on them at first release. That's the whole point. Personally I'd rather see Blu-ray and SD releases remain separate and dsitinct product offerings.

Thumbs down from me.

If they really want to do some like this, they should copy Disney's model of having a copy of the Blu-ray and a separate copy of the DVD in the same package. I wouldn't boycott a double sided disc but if I had a choice between a single sided Blu-ray and a double sided DVD/Blu-ray, I'd always choose the single sided Blu-ray.

I do think this is good in the sense that these discs give a person who is currently DVD-only some incentive to pick up a Blu-ray player.

Bad idea. Art work on the disc is quite important.

I wonder if this system will be less expensive to produce than simply packing two discs together.  I'm guessing that preventing resales of the DVDs is a factor here.

Someday, maybe they'll figure out how to manufacture double-sided dual-format discs that are reliable. . .

I doubt that buying Blu-ray/DVD flipper titles will have much effect on a consumer's decision to purchase a player. It's a hardware cost issue, not a software issue. Player prices have been dropping, which is a good thing for the format. The other thing of course is that a lot of people are simply happy with standard def DVD and don't see a good reason to "upgrade".

I agree with you on the Disney model. That's the way to go IMO.

wow I thought Universal got their fill of consumer hatred for the flipper disc years back with DVDs and their TV show releases. They always had issues.

I buy the Blu-Ray for one reason for the HD image I won't ever use the DVD for anything, let alone a digital copy.

Is this why we never get any catalog titles from Universal on BD? Have they been spending all their time and money on this flipper disc? IF so that is too bad. Flipper discs are just a reason to have to rebuy a film again once it get ruined. No matter how well you take care of them these discs will have issues between player compatability etc.

I would add a third proviso to Ron's: hard coating would need to be applied to both sides of the disc. DVD data is way too fragile in its current state, especially when thrown on a "flipper".




I also think that the appropriate title to debut this "innovative" technology on would have been.....













(wait for it)













FLIPPER!!!!!!!!!


I can't resist a pun, no matter how bad.

Awesome news.  Of course Blu-ray/HD is the way I prefer to watch a movie, but there are still plenty of times when I want to watch a movie and that's not an option...in the car, on a plane, when visiting friends, etc.  That's why I've always liked the Blu-ray/DVD combo packs that include both discs (and wished that more releases were available in that configuration).  Putting both versions onto a single disc just makes things that much simpler and more elegant.  I'm kind of surprised to see such an adverse reaction to it.  What's the problem with this disc format?  Oh, yeah, "art work on the disc is quite important"!  Give me a break.

I really can't see this being an improvement, it is going to drive up the cost and increase the failure rate. Sure, the studios would only have to create one SKU, but I have very little faith that these discs will hold up in the long term - I have already seen a pretty high mortality rate for straight DVD, adding more layers is only going to make things worse.

I would also agree that artwork is important. It's already hard enough to figure out which disc of a multi-disc set you are choosing, let alone one with 4 point type on it.

i was gonna replace my bourne dvds when these came out but not now. I hate dvd flippers and im not about to get blu flips.

Artwork is important cause it gives you a side to hold on to when trying to take a disc out of the case (some of those plastic rings have a deathgrip on the disk), you know what side of the disc to put in without reading the tiny print on the inner ring of the disk and most of the time i still get it wrong, even if i end up turning all the lights in the house to see.

What do you mean by "mortality rate"?  Handled with even a modicum of care, a DVD lasts a long time.  I've been purchasing DVDs since 1997 and have yet to encounter a single problem with a disc that had previously worked.  Just a couple of months ago I watched the first DVD I ever purchased (Contact, right before the Blu-ray came out), and it played just as well as the day I purchased it.  What is everyone doing to their discs that causes them to become so paranoid?

The one issue with double-sided discs that I must concede is legitimate is with the size of the text on the inner ring specifying which side is which.  It doesn't bother me at all, but I can imagine someone with vision problems having a hard time with it.  Weren't there at least a couple of double-sided DVDs on which the text was printed on the disc's hub, instead of on the tiny strip between the hub and the data portion?  That would ameliorate most of the problem, I'd think.

The best example of something like this would be DualDiscs (CD-Audio one side, DVD on the other). These had large markings on the hub indicating which side was which.

Then buy the trilogy box.

You must have either never purchased any of Universal's double-sided discs a few years ago, or were one of the lucky few who had no problems with them.  I made the unfortunate mistake of buying several of these that didn't play right out of the box and there were dozens and dozens of similar reports on this forum alone.  Do a quick search on DVD-18 and you'll quickly find out what the concern is all about.

Hopefully Universal has solved the problems that plagued these earlier discs, but you can call me extremely skeptical.  Until I see some concrete data, I will avoid these at all costs.   Luckily, I have no interest in the Bourne titles. :)

I concur w/ most that this is a good idea only in theory, but almost certainly a bad idea in actual practice.

Carl,

I try to take care of my discs too, but many of us have (or will have) families -- and they are typically not nearly as anal about this stuff as we enthusiasts can be.  And there will be inevitable carelessness here and there.

And while I can read the tiny text just fine to determine which side is which, that doesn't mean it's actually a good thing though -- that just means it's a (likely barely) acceptable compromise for *some*.  I'd very much rather have the artwork on the top side and get an extra disc for the DVD itself (like being done by Disney so far w/ some others maybe following suit).  If I go on a roadtrip or someone else's house, I would then only need the DVD disc and not worry about damaging the BD, etc.

And honestly, although I like having the DVD version included, in truth, it really only matters all that much for kids/family-oriented movies as far as I'm concerned -- and even then, it's just a desirable extra, not a real need/must-have.  I certainly don't need something like the Bourne Trilogy (or most other non-kids/family-oriented titles) to include the DVD version.  And I don't want the durability/reliability of my BDs to be compromised w/ this kind of flipper implementation.  And if Universal (and whoever else) makes this their exclusive way to releasing BDs, then I will likely be more reluctant to buy their BDs.

_Man_

This was the main reason I never liked flipper DVD's. I always ended up with finger prints on the disc from trying to remove it from the case. I also found it difficult to read the tiny print on the hub to figure out which side to play.

While it would be nice to have a SD-DVD to play when a BD player is not available (travel, visiting non-BD households, etc.), I would still prefer single-sided discs over this solution. For travel, I have enough standard DVD titles to get us through a trip.

In more than a decade, I've probably played 3,000 or maybe even 4,000 different discs and out of those, I've had 3 bad discs and all 3 were Universal's DVD-18 flipper discs. It wasn't the player because a replacement copy worked each time. I don't care at all about the disc art and I have no problem putting the disc back in its case so the surface doesn't get smudged or scratched but Universal has shown that they have trouble manufacturing flipper discs in the past so I don't want to see them repeat the same mistakes.

Can anyone name some of the more popular of these allegedly-troublesome Universal DVD-18s?  If I have any of them, I haven't encountered any problems with them, yet.  Give me a couple titles; if I have them, I'd like to double-check those DVDs for myself.

For me, it was the extended cut of Dune, Dragnet: Season One and Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season One. Like I said, my replacement copies all worked so it's not like every copy is bad. Clearly, Universal recognized it as a problem since they started re-releasing most (or maybe even all) of their DVD-18 titles as single sided discs.

Coincidentally, I purchased Dragnet: Season 1 just this past weekend.  I haven't even torn open the shrinkwrap yet.  Is this a problem that was eventually worked out, so that all currently-available copies are likely to work fine, or should I expect to still find problematic copies for sale?

There were many titles released on this format of which many were television releases including Hitchcock, & Emergency.  There were also a number of classic film collections including (Abbott & Costello, Bela Lugosi, Mae West, Marlene Dietrich, etc...) most of which had reported failures.  Many of these sets have since been replaced by newer sets with single-sided discs and several of the Television sets changed over to single-sided discs for subsequent seasons (due the customer problems).  That is why it seems odd that Universal is launching a new initiative that seems like it's going backward.  As I stated before, hopefully Universal has tracked down what the core problem was and has solved it.

The first season or two of Murder, She Wrote used flippers and there were numerous problems in those sets.

On a side note: Are all players the same as far as which side is "up" when inserting a DVD/Blu-Ray disc?

Should the Text that says "Blu-Ray" face up when inserting if I want to watch the Blu-ray side?

I never could get this right for some reason on double sided dvds. I think it is because they started to put the text on the opposite side of the actual data. I hope I havn't completely lost you.

Oh dear. That is all.

The players are always the same, by convention.  The laser is situated beneath the disc, points up, and reads the data from below.  That's why the data side of a single-sided DVD or Blu-ray disc always faces down.  

Also by convention, the label on a double-sided disc is on the side opposite the data it describes.  This is so that double-sided discs work the same way as single-sided ones, whose label is obviously on the side opposite the data.  Whether single- or double-sided, the label for the side you want should always face up.

Could they not just assume that anyone who buys discs has already long-bought the DVDs if they wanted them? At cheap prices too. Do they really think including the DVD side makes the single-title editions more desirable? As opposed to offering single-title BD-only releases, or the box set at a more reasonable price? I don't see how these could possibly be cheaper than just plain ol' BDs, which is what we really want. Does it have something to do with rentals? Or is it giving us "extra" that we don't want to justify the higher margin? Since when have flippers of any sort been desirable or popular for the *buying* public? Are they announcing this to spur sales of the IMO over-priced boxed set? If the latter, it may be working...

Of course not.  I know that I, for one, am not able to afford to buy every Blu-ray or DVD that I want.  A lot of my Blu-ray purchases are catalogue titles that I've always wanted but never owned on DVD.