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Lionsgate Press Release: February 2nd and 16th 2010 Titles (Blu-ray) (includes RAN)

post #1 of 33
Thread Starter 

Lionsgate is proud to announce the upcoming DVD release of the LeBron James documentary More Than a Game on February 2nd.
 
Later that month arriving on February 16th, Lionsgate also releases Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever and From Mexico with Love coming to DVD, and the original Cabin Fever and StudioCanal Collection film classics Ran, The Ladykillers and Contempt coming to Blu-ray Disc.
 
February 2nd
More Than a Game
More Than a Game documents the incredible true story of basketball superstars LeBron James and the Akron Fab Five from their humble beginnings to national acclaim.   They may have been the best high school basketball team ever.  NBA superstar LeBron James, along with boyhood friends Sian Cotton, Dru Joyce III and Willie McGee began a journey that would take them from their local hometown streets to the world stage.  Joined by Romeo Travis in high school, the five fused their talents and, with the help of dedicated coach Dru Joyce II, rewrote Ohio basketball history.  More Than a Game chronicles the inspiring trials, tribulations and triumphs of five young men who became more than a team.
 
Critics have declared More Than a Game a slam dunk declaring it "a moving tribute to enduring friendship" (USA Today), "a knockout of a sports documentary" (Los Angeles Times), "exhilarating" (Vibe.com), "fascinating" (Wall Street Journal) and "heartwarming and amazing...we recommend this movie to everyone" (Newsday).  The DVD has a locker room full of exciting bonus materials including a film festival Q&A with the team, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the documentary, a featurette that examines the psychology of team sports, the original pitch trailer for the film and features music from Jay-Z, Kanye West, Eminem, T.I. and Lil' Wayne. 
Pricing: DVD and Digital Download $27.98
            
February 16th
Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever
Cabin Fever delivered terror in the flesh but now your flesh will crawl with Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever, the bloodcurdling sequel to the hit horror film.  Days after a killer virus consumed his friends; Paul emerges from a ditch by a river.  Though his body has been ravaged by the virus, he is determined to survive and to warn others of the danger.  However, a water bottling plant has already distributed contaminated water to the local high school.  The school's students are excitedly preparing for the prom, unaware they're about to have a grisly date with death.  The DVD contains bloody good bonus materials including an audio commentary with actors Mark Borchardt and Giuseppe Andrews, a "blood gag" reel and a special effects makeup featurette.  An Official Selection of Screamfest L.A., Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever will be available as an unrated DVD and digital download on February 16, 2010, coinciding with the Blu-ray debut of the original film.
Pricing: DVD and Digital Download $26.98
 
Cabin Fever Blu-ray Disc
Eli Roth's feature film directorial (and acting) debut, the new horror classic Cabin Fever, finally makes its Blu-ray Disc debut from Lionsgate in a never-before-seen unrated director's cut.  As a last hurrah after college, friends Jeff, Karen, Paul, Marcy and Bert embark on a vacation deep into the mountains. With the top down and the music up, they drive to a remote cabin to enjoy their last days of decadence before entering the working world.  Then somebody gets sick.  Karen's skin starts to bubble and burn as something grows inside her, tunneling beneath her flesh.  As they debate about how to save her, they look at one another and realize that any one of them could also have it.  What began as a struggle against the disease soon turns into a battle against friends, as the fear of contagion drives them to turn on each other.  The Blu-ray is presented in 7.1 DTS HD Master Audio and 1080P High Definition (2.40) Widescreen, and features "infect"-ious bonus materials including a new audio commentary with the director and cast members, the featurette "Beneath The Skin: The Making of Cabin Fever" and more.  The Cabin Fever Blu-ray Disc crawls onto store shelves on February 16, 2010, coinciding with the home entertainment release of the sequel Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever.
Pricing: Blu-ray Disc $19.99
 
From Mexico With Love
Hot up-and-coming Latin star Kuno Becker (GOAL!) lights up the screen in From Mexico with Love, an action-packed boxing drama from director Jimmy Nickerson, a veteran stunt coordinator and fight choreographer for such iconic bare-knuckle films as Raging Bull, Rocky and Fight Club. Struggling migrant farm worker Hector (Becker) spends his days in the fields and his nights as a part-time prizefighter. But when Hector discovers the rich rancher has slashed his mother's wages, he pays the ultimate price for brawling with the boss' thugs: a one-way ticket back over the Mexican border. Beaten up, broke and jobless, Hector joins forces with an old-school trainer and sets his sights on the rancher's boxer son for the ultimate David-and-Goliath faceoff. 
 
"An inspiring tale" (Variety) that "mixes cultures (and film genres) with an eye toward knocking down borders both cultural and contemporary" (Austin Chronicle), From Mexico with Love delivers a knockout punch on DVD and digital download!
Pricing: DVD and Digital Download $19.98
 
StudioCanal Collection on Blu-ray Disc
The Ladykillers
Contempt
Ran
Lionsgate proudly presents the first three releases in the StudioCanal Collection - a new series of acclaimed and influential films debuting on Blu-ray Disc with superior picture and sound quality plus unique special features.  The films include Ran the Academy Award®-winning classic (Best Costume Design, 1985) from acclaimed director Akira Kurosawa (The Seven Samurai); The Ladykillers starring Academy Award® winner Alec Guinness (Best Actor, The Bridge on the River Kwai, 1957) and two-time Academy Award® nominee Peter Sellers (Best Actor in a Leading Role, Being There, 1979, Best Actor, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb,1964); and Contempt (Le Mépris) from acclaimed director Jean-Luc Godard (Aria) and starring Brigitte Bardot (Viva Maria!). Each film will be accompanied by a 20-page collectible booklet.
 

Ran Synopsis:
Akira Kurosawa's brilliantly conceived re-telling of Shakespeare's King Lear magically mixes Japanese history, Shakespeare's plot and Kurosawa's own feelings about loyalty in this epic masterpiece that was named one of Empire Magazine's "500 Greatest Movies of All Time."  Set in 16th century Japan, an aging ruler, Lord Hidetora announces his intention to divide his land equally among his three sons.  Hidetora's decision to step down unleashes a power struggle between the three heirs when he falls prey to the false flattery bestowed upon him by the two older sons and banishes the youngest for speaking the truth.  That ruthless betrayal ultimately drives Hidetora insane, destroying his entire family and kingdom. Deep human emotion and outstanding acting combine to create one of the most acclaimed foreign films of all time that was hailed as "a great, glorious achievement" by the Chicago Sun-Times and "as close to perfect as filmmaking gets" by the San Francisco Chronicle.  The Blu-ray Disc is presented in 1080P High Definition Widescreen format with Japanese, English, Spanish, French, German and Italian DTS Master Audio.  Special features on the disc include "A.K." - the acclaimed feature-length documentary on the making of the film, "Akira Kurosawa: The Epic and the Intimate" - documentary on the director, a Portrait of Akira Kurosawa by Japanese cinema expert and interpreter Catherine Cadou, "The Samurai" - documentary on Samurai art, "Art of the Samurai" - an interview with a Japanese art of war expert plus BD-Live and a 20-page collectible booklet.
 
The Ladykillers Synopsis:
Called "one of the greatest comedies ever made" by Entertainment Weekly, The Ladykillers showcases Guinness in one of his most unforgettable performances as Professor Marcus, mastermind of a gang of vicious bank robbers who rent a room from an elderly widow.  However, when the dear old woman begins to meddle in their "perfect crime," the crooks decide that she might pose the biggest threat of all.  Co-starring Sellers in his first major screen role, The Ladykillers remains one of the most ruthless black comedies of all time and was nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Screenplay (William Rose, 1956).  The Blu-ray Disc is presented in 1080P High Definition Widescreen format with English, Spanish, French and German DTS Master Audio.   Special features include an introduction by filmmaker Terry Gilliam, "Forever Ealing" - a documentary on the famed British studio, audio commentary with film historian Philip Kemp, interviews with British filmmakers Allan Scott and Terence Davies and writer Ronald Harwood on the film, BD-Live (that includes a bonus interview with British filmmaker James Mangold) and a 20-page collectible booklet.
 
Contempt Synopsis:
The iconic Brigitte Bardot heats up the screen in this subversive drama about marriage, motive and the motion picture industry from French director Jean-Luc Godard, named the #4 "most influential director of all time" by Moviemaker Magazine. Called "a great movie" by Entertainment Weekly, this film within a film is, on the surface, about a director whose wife Camille falls out of love with him while he is rewriting an adaptation of Homer's "Odyssey" for an American producer.   However, underneath this tragic tale of a doomed romance lies the true subject: the commercial film industry, which Godard shows his contempt for in a directing performance that is slyly subversive, darkly comic and completely original.  The Blu-ray Disc is presented in 1080P High Definition Widescreen format with French, English, Spanish and German DTS Master Audio. Special features on the disc include an introduction by British film producer and Godard expert Colin MacCabe, a "making-of" documentary "One Upon a Time There Was...Contempt," a documentary on Godard's legacy in film "Contempt...Tenderly," a discussion between Godard and director Fritz Lang "The Dinosaur and the Baby," the theatrical trailer, BD-Live and a 20-page collectible booklet.

 
Pricing: Blu-ray Disc $39.99 each

 

Final product is not yet available for these titles.  We will be sending a reminder email approximately one month before street date, so feel free to request product at that time.  If you have a longer lead time, please respond to this email with your screener requests.   
 

post #2 of 33
Well, let's hope the fact that Lionsgate gets to release Ran and Contempt instead of Criterion works out OK. The European release of Contempt turned out well, so it this one should be identical. And Ran should be the same source material as the Criterion DVD. Personally, I'll get Ran and The Ladykillers if they prove worthy of purchase (not enough of a fan of Contempt to pick it up.)
post #3 of 33
I hope Lion's Gate irons out the problems they've been having with Blu-rays so Cabin Fever doesn't suffer.
post #4 of 33
RAN, Contempt and The Ladykillers are going to be the exact same discs as those released in the UK/Germany/France.  Which means that RAN is going to look pretty bad and Contempt will be decent, but not great. (Don't think The Ladykillers is out yet, so I've not read any reviews.)

God, I hate StudioCanal.
post #5 of 33
=(. i was hoping for good PQ on Ran =(.
post #6 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by JediFonger View Post

=(. i was hoping for good PQ on Ran =(.

Same here. The PQ on my SD-DVD copy is quite poor, even by DVD standards. I was looking forward to upgrading.
post #7 of 33
I own the Australian StudioCanal BDs of Contempt and The Deer Hunter.

Whilst it would have been great if Criterion had released their initially announced BD of Contempt, I think that Canal have done an excellent job. Apart from a fairly grimy opening sequence, it looks fabulous. The later scenes in a sunny Capri are stunning. The extra features are extremely valuable, particularly the first English-subtitled release of Antoine de Gaudemar's excellent documentary Il était une fois... Le mépris. As mentioned elsewhere, the disc starts with a choice of countries, including a USA option that leads to the Lionsgate logo. The disc is encoded for regions A and B.

The Deer Hunter also starts with a country menu, but there is no USA choice. (The disc is still encoded for regions A and B though....)

Reviews and screencaps of both these discs are up at DVDBeaver.
post #8 of 33
The Ladykillers will be a must have for me (as long as the PQ isn't butchered).

I'll probably hold off on Ran to see what the consensus is.

No interest in owning Contempt.
post #9 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by Derrick King View Post

RAN, Contempt and The Ladykillers are going to be the exact same discs as those released in the UK/Germany/France.  Which means that RAN is going to look pretty bad and Contempt will be decent, but not great. (Don't think The Ladykillers is out yet, so I've not read any reviews.)
 

Does this mean they will also have the same digibook-style packaging as the European editions - or will they be in regular Blu-ray cases?
post #10 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_K View Post

The Ladykillers will be a must have for me (as long as the PQ isn't butchered).

 

Same here. I had to watch this several times to wash away the bad taste left by the remake. I love the Coen Bros., but.......
post #11 of 33
I imagine that they will be in the same digibook-style cases.
post #12 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by Will*B View Post

The Deer Hunter also starts with a country menu, but there is no USA choice. (The disc is still encoded for regions A and B though....)

That's because Universal has the US rights to The Deer Hunter.
post #13 of 33
Bad news - The Ladykillers is presented in unmatted 1.33:1 rather than it's theatrical 1.66:1.

So, the first batch of three titles include:

- A poor transfer of Ran that is barely better than the Criterion DVD
- An OK transfer of Contempt. Serviceable but not great.
- A wrong OAR release in The Ladykillers

Shame
Edited by Brandon Conway - 2/5/10 at 2:40pm
post #14 of 33
Don't panic. IMDB is far from ultra-reliable about these things.

Over on another forum the BFI's Michael Brooke says:

"For what it's worth, I've just checked the aspect ratio of the clips on Screenonline, which were sourced from the BFI National Archive's viewing print - and the OAR would have been requested at the time of telecine, which I imagine the operator would have sourced from the markings on the cans... ...and it's 1.33:1."

Europe was far slower on the widescreen uptake than the US, so it would come as no surprise to learn that it was shot with both ratios in mind - at 1.66:1, though it's okay, it's always looked a tad tight to me on DVD.
post #15 of 33
No panic here.  I suspected that might be the case as I also thought the framing was tight on the Anchor Bay DVD. 

I see no reason to cancel my pre-order.
post #16 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Hodson View Post

Don't panic. IMDB is far from ultra-reliable about these things.

Over on another forum the BFI's Michael Brooke says:

"For what it's worth, I've just checked the aspect ratio of the clips on Screenonline, which were sourced from the BFI National Archive's viewing print - and the OAR would have been requested at the time of telecine, which I imagine the operator would have sourced from the markings on the cans... ...and it's 1.33:1."

Europe was far slower on the widescreen uptake than the US, so it would come as no surprise to learn that it was shot with both ratios in mind - at 1.66:1, though it's okay, it's always looked a tad tight to me on DVD.

Thank you for at least provided some possible evidence that 1.33:1 may be OK. On the other boards I'm being lambasted for being concerned that 1.33:1 is not the intended theatrical aspect ratio.

I'm gonna send a PM to Mr. Harris and maybe he'll be able to provide a more definitive answer, or have a source that would.

EDIT: And to be absolutely clear - nobody's panicking. It's a video release. That's the context here.
Edited by Brandon Conway - 2/6/10 at 1:30pm
post #17 of 33
The Beaver on The Ladykillers.
post #18 of 33
Seems a bit bright, but then many of the Beaver's BD captures seem a bit brighter than they actually are.

In other news, Mr. Harris' response to my inquiry: "Ladykillers is a 1955 production, which should be replicated at 1.66:1. Many theaters ran at at 1.37. My statement is based upon informed opinion. Nothing more."

Everyone can do with that information what they desire.
post #19 of 33
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare2/ran.htm

Having now seen the Ran comparison, it is nowhere near the disaster I had been led to believe. I was thinking Gangs of New York bad. This is definitely not that situation. Ideal? Maybe not. Best yet home video version of the title? Most likely.
post #20 of 33
Further helpful info on The Ladykillers via Jeff at criterionforum.org:

" Philip Kemp was involved in the Blu-ray release, and no film scholar knows more about Mackendrick or Ealing than him, so I'm taking it as definitive."

That may be the most solid statement in regards to this film yet.

Furthermore: "There is a restoration demo on the new disc indicating that some substantial work has been done. Surely they consulted someone on what it should look like. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic there."

And MichaelB is in contact with Mr. Kemp and has sent him an inquiry. If there is indeed a response from Mr. Kemp, that could finalize all of this.
post #21 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Hodson View Post


Europe was far slower on the widescreen uptake than the US, so it would come as no surprise to learn that it was shot with both ratios in mind - at 1.66:1, though it's okay, it's always looked a tad tight to me on DVD.

I have not seen the film, but did look at the screen captures at DVD Beaver. I would agree that with the captures at 1.66:1, the framing looks too tight and somewhat unnatural. The framing at 1.33:1 looks much better to me. I am keen to pick this one up when it reaches the land of Oz.
post #22 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Hodson View Post


Europe was far slower on the widescreen uptake than the US, so it would come as no surprise to learn that it was shot with both ratios in mind - at 1.66:1, though it's okay, it's always looked a tad tight to me on DVD.

I have not seen the film, but did look at the screen captures at DVD Beaver. I would agree that with the captures at 1.66:1, the framing looks too tight and somewhat unnatural. The framing at 1.33:1 looks much better to me. I am keen to pick this one up when it reaches the land of Oz.
post #23 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by bugsy-pal View Post




I have not seen the film, but did look at the screen captures at DVD Beaver. I would agree that with the captures at 1.66:1, the framing looks too tight and somewhat unnatural. The framing at 1.33:1 looks much better to me. I am keen to pick this one up when it reaches the land of Oz.


Very disappointed in this. I saw the film when it was first released and I'm sure it was 1.66:1. In 1955 I never saw any films in the UK (in mainstream circuit cinemas) projected at anything less than 1.66:1. Even when reissues of pre-1953 films were shown they were projected (incorrectly of course) at 1.66:1 to suit the new wide screens.
post #24 of 33
The 1.33:1 framing does look much better on the Beaver caps, imho.
post #25 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by ReggieW View Post

The 1.33:1 framing does look much better on the Beaver caps, imho.


Whether it looks better or not is a matter of opinion. I don't happen agree that it does look better.....just look at all that space at the top and bottom of the frames. But, more to the point....... it is the wrong OAR.
post #26 of 33
Renowned Mackendrick / Ealing authority Philip Kemp has this to say in response to a question from the BFI's Michael Brooke at the Criterion forum:

"I've never seen TLK screened in anything but Academy ratio. In fact as far as I know, only one Ealing movie was ever made in widescreen - the late and rather feeble comedy Davy, which was shot in Technirama. So 1.66:1 would distort Sandy's film rather badly."

My view is that Mackendrick and his cinematographer Otto Heller probably favoured Academy while taking some care that it could be screened in 1.66:1 (if they hadn't, it would have harmed the US market). Dunkirk and Nowhere to Go were also filmed in Metroscope, a cheap and cheerful wide process.

I'm quite happy, personally with the framing of the current BD as seen on the Beaver's 'caps, though I'll be happier when I actually see it myself.
post #27 of 33
Now that's a statement I consider definitive. I'm glad my initial concern has been addressed.

Many thanks to both Michael Brooke and Mr. Kemp.

Between this and Ran seemingly not being the disaster I had assumed, promise is restored, for me, to the StudioCanal Collection line.
Edited by Brandon Conway - 2/8/10 at 2:36pm
post #28 of 33
 I'm not concerned about the aspect ratio issue with the LadyKillers - it looks like 1.33:1 will be just fine.

I do find the color changes to the DVD to be a bit shocking - the last capture of the old lady looks particularly washed out on blu.

Hopefully these captures don't tell the whole story, and we will be pleasantly surprised when people start getting this disc in their hands.
post #29 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Hodson View Post

Don't panic. IMDB is far from ultra-reliable about these things.

Over on another forum the BFI's Michael Brooke says:

"For what it's worth, I've just checked the aspect ratio of the clips on Screenonline, which were sourced from the BFI National Archive's viewing print - and the OAR would have been requested at the time of telecine, which I imagine the operator would have sourced from the markings on the cans... ...and it's 1.33:1."

Europe was far slower on the widescreen uptake than the US, so it would come as no surprise to learn that it was shot with both ratios in mind - at 1.66:1, though it's okay, it's always looked a tad tight to me on DVD.


According to Kine Weekly of 10 February 1955 (as reported in Allen Eyles book "Odeon Cinemas"), Rank, who distributed The Ladykillers in the UK, had converted 450 cinemas to wide screen, with 92 to follow. The Ladykillers was premiered in December 1955 and would therefore have been seen by most people during 1956 by which time no doubt every Rank cinema would have been converted to wide screen. Few, if any, cinemas would therefore have shown The Ladykillers in 1.33:1.    
post #30 of 33
Probably, maybe...perhaps. Personally, I'm comfortable with things as they stand. Douglas - just hit the zoom button...
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Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming Video and Digital Downloads › Blu-ray › Lionsgate Press Release: February 2nd and 16th 2010 Titles (Blu-ray) (includes RAN)