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WHV Press Release: Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory 40th Anniversary UCE

post #1 of 37
7/14/11 at 6:04am
Thread Starter 

 wonkaset.jpg

 

 

Be Transported to a World of Pure Imagination as the Timeless & Magical Classic Family Film Debuts as…

WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY 40th ANNIVERSARY
ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION

 

New Limited and Numbered Blu-ray™/DVD Combo Packs with Tasty New Extras and Sweet Premiums

From Warner Home Video October 4

a7200b4b_a.gif

 

Burbank, Calif., July 14, 2011 – On October 4, fans of the perennial family classic Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory will scream “I want it now!” (like the character Veruca Salt) when the iconic film celebrates its 40th anniversary with a limited and numbered Ultimate Collector’s Edition from Warner Home Video.

 

The film Roger Ebert called a “genuine work of imagination,” starring Gene Wilder in one of his most famous roles, will now dazzle as a delectable Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD combo in double-wide giftset packaging, perfect for holiday gift-giving. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory 40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition will contain over an hour of extras, including Mel Stuart’s Wonkavision, a brand new interview with the director; a new-to-DVD featurette on author Roald Dahl; a 144-page production book reprint filled with production photos and notes, and archival letters. Sweet premiums like a retro Wonka Bar-shaped tin box with scented pencils and eraser and a limited time Golden Ticket Instant Win Game piece for a chance to enter and win a trip for 2 to Los Angeles, CA., to complete the tasty offering.  Just like in the movie, five (5) Grand Prize winners will receive a very special trip for themselves plus a guest.  In honor of the 40th Anniversary, 40 limited run posters of the original theatrical one-sheet will also be given away as Runner-up Prizes.  Fans can visit willywonkamovie.com for more details.

 

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 40th Anniversary Golden Ticket Instant Win Game

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Game runs Oct 4, 2011 – Jan 20, 2012 or while game pieces last, whichever comes first. Open to legal residents of 50 U.S., D.C. or Canada (EXCLUDING QUEBEC), 13+. Void where prohibited. Canada: Skill test req’d.  Grand Prize (5): 3-day/2-night trip for 2 to Los Angeles, CA and 2 tickets to the Warner Bros. VIP Studio Tour.  Must be able to travel between April 1, 2012 and April 15, 2012.  ARV: $3,000 (USD) based on sample [New York City] departure. Odds of winning 1:13,000. Runner-up Prizes (40): Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory Movie Poster. ARV: $60 (USD). Odds of winning 1:1,625. Limit: One (1) entry per person. For complete official rules, including information on how to obtain a free game piece, visit www.willywonkamovie.com.

 

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory 40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition will be available for $64.99 SRP. A single disc DVD with some bonus content and fun scratch ‘n sniff sticker sheets will also be offered for $12.97 SRP. Order due date for both is August 30.

 

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory will be available digitally On Demand and for download through online retailers including iTunes and Amazon On Demand

 

About the Film:

Directed by Mel Stuart, and starring Gene Wilder as the legendary Candy Man Willy Wonka, this splendiferous movie brings to the screen the endlessly appetizing delights of Roald Dahl’s cherished book. Coated with flavorful tunes and production designs that are a visual treat for the eyes, this effervescent musical never fails to enchant young and old. On a whirlwind tour of Willy’s incredible, edible realm of chocolate waterfalls, elfish Oompa-Loompas and industrial-sized confections, a boy named Charlie (Peter Ostrum) will discover the sweetest secret of all: a generous, loving heart. And viewers will rediscover all the timeless magic as it was meant to be seen.

 

Mouth-watering Special Features in the Ultimate Collector’s Edition:

  • Mel Stuart's Wonkavision NEW!
  • A World of Pure Imagination Featurette on author Roald Dahl NEW TO DVD!
  • Delicious documentary: Pure Imagination: The Story of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
  • Mouth-watering commentary with the Wonka Kids
  • Sing a-longs

*All enhanced content listed above is subject to change.

 

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory 40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition

Street Date: October 4, 2011

Order Due Date: August 30, 2011

Run Time: 100 Minutes (Feature Only)

Rated G

 

3-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo

Catalog #: 1000183516

Pricing: $64.99 SRP

 

Single Disc DVD

Catalog #: 1000183517

Pricing: $12.97 SRP

 

About Warner Home Video
With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a division of  Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc., commands the largest home entertainment distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video and New Line Cinema.

 

 

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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Willy Wonka & Chocolate Factory [Blu-ray]
post #2 of 37
7/14/11 at 6:10am

I think I'll stay with my digibook on this one.

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post #3 of 37
7/14/11 at 6:11am
Thread Starter 

I can see the reason for pushing this box of trinkets

to a Christmas-buying public -- however, without a

brand-new transfer (which I am doubting it is), there

doesn't seem to be much worth in repurchasing this

Ultimate Collector's Edition.

 

I mean, a Wonka tin box with scented pencils and eraser?!

 

Who are they marketing this for?  

 

I can see the inclusion of the book being nice (though it

could certainly be bought separately), but they could have

done a lot better with the stuff they put in here.  Maybe the

film's soundtrack on CD?  Maybe something collectable for

adults?

 

Sorry to be so negative on this.  This film is a favorite of

mine so certainly I am going to be a lot more vocal about

its release than I normally would be.  I am a fan of Warner

Brothers and I usually love the stuff that the studio does

with their classics -- except when it comes to these boxed sets

with silly trinkets inside and no significant upgrade for those of

us that have already purchased a wonderful digibook release

within the past year or two.

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post #4 of 37
7/14/11 at 7:00am

yeah, no reason to double dip..the commentary has been around for years and I already own the book, for $65 this is a definate pass. Never even use pencils anymore. 

 

And since the film opened the end of June 1971, it's already 4 months late eek.gif  ......Happy Anniversary

 

Lucy: "Ricky! You forgot our anniversary!

 

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post #5 of 37
7/14/11 at 7:11am
Perhaps if they threw in an Everlasting Gobstopper...
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post #6 of 37
7/14/11 at 9:09am

Have all of the previous Wonka Blu-ray releases gone out of print? I ask because if someone doesn't already have it, is buying this expensive box set the only way to get it?

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post #7 of 37
7/14/11 at 12:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MattH. View Post

Have all of the previous Wonka Blu-ray releases gone out of print? I ask because if someone doesn't already have it, is buying this expensive box set the only way to get it?


Unfortunately it seems so. I luckily bought the non-digibook edition before it went out of print. Shame that fans who may have just switched to Blu-ray can get it without buying the UCE. My question is if its a three disc combo, one of the discs being a DVD version of the film, will there be 2 Blu-ray discs since the press release says noting of a digital copy.
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post #8 of 37
7/14/11 at 12:34pm

Tough call for me. I have the digibook already.  I would like to see what the set looks like.

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post #9 of 37
7/14/11 at 1:00pm

A new transfer is the only way I would purchase this set. I own the DigiBook.

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post #10 of 37
7/14/11 at 1:06pm
Thread Starter 

 

 

Quote:
I would like to see what the set looks like.

 

 

You won't have to wait long....

 

 

You can view a trailer for the set here.

 

wonkaset.jpg

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post #11 of 37
7/14/11 at 1:12pm

That trailer looked rather nice, although it is compressed etc, it seemed like a new image, then again may look that way on about 3" screen

 

btw what exactly is that 3rd Disc?

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post #12 of 37
7/14/11 at 1:26pm
Thread Starter 

I am guessing this not a remaster.  If it was, Warner

would have been smart to advertise such in this press

release.

 

I am also guessing the 3rd disc is just bonus featurette

content since we have the film on Blu-ray (disc 1) and

DVD (disc 2).

 

Looking at the picture of the actual set, I am just not

impressed.  Outside of the book and production photos,

I am paying for a Wonka tin box, pencils and eraser?!!

 

My God, I love this film to death and I would be the first

person to purchase this set if it just had that bit of "oomph!"

that makes it worth the $64 pricetag.

 

Even at the Amazon price of around (what I am guessing)

$50, this still doesn't make for a tempting purchase.

 

How low did the prices go on the Gone With The Wind

and Wizard of Oz boxed sets on Amazon?   I might

consider buying this set if it went down to $40 or under.

 

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post #13 of 37
7/14/11 at 1:41pm
Citizen Kane went down to 39.99, so it's possible

Nevermind, confused it with another order.
Edited by JoHud - 7/14/11 at 2:37pm
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post #14 of 37
7/14/11 at 1:49pm



 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein View Post

I am guessing this not a remaster.  If it was, Warner

would have been smart to advertise such in this press

release.

 

I am also guessing the 3rd disc is just bonus featurette

content since we have the film on Blu-ray (disc 1) and

DVD (disc 2).

 

Looking at the picture of the actual set, I am just not

impressed.  Outside of the book and production photos,

I am paying for a Wonka tin box, pencils and eraser?!!

 

My God, I love this film to death and I would be the first

person to purchase this set if it just had that bit of "oomph!"

that makes it worth the $64 pricetag.

 

Even at the Amazon price of around (what I am guessing)

$50, this still doesn't make for a tempting purchase.

 

How low did the prices go on the Gone With The Wind

and Wizard of Oz boxed sets on Amazon?   I might

consider buying this set if it went down to $40 or under.

 


They each ended up eventually in the Gold Box for $35 (IIRC).
 

 

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post #15 of 37
7/14/11 at 1:52pm
That video is not very high resolution, but I think I can make out the text "The Movie" on two of the discs (one a Blu-ray and the othe a DVD, presumably), and "Special Features" on the third.
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post #16 of 37
7/14/11 at 2:08pm

Scented pencils?  Really?  THAT idea went through committee and was selected?

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post #17 of 37
7/14/11 at 4:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cafink View Post

That video is not very high resolution, but I think I can make out the text "The Movie" on two of the discs (one a Blu-ray and the othe a DVD, presumably), and "Special Features" on the third.


Whick means the BLU is the exact same one already released. :-(

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post #18 of 37
7/14/11 at 4:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein View Post

How low did the prices go on the Gone With The Wind

and Wizard of Oz boxed sets on Amazon?   I might

consider buying this set if it went down to $40 or under.

 

You can see Amazon.com price history graphs on Blu-ray.com.
http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Gone-with-the-Wind-Blu-ray/758/
http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Wizard-of-Oz-Blu-ray/6366/

Hold your mouse cursor on the graph icon next to list price.
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post #19 of 37
7/14/11 at 11:19pm
I see my asking about a 40th Anniversary was right now if only before the end of Dec. Disney can give us something for Bedknobs And Broomsticks.
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post #20 of 37
7/15/11 at 7:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnMor View Post

Scented pencils?  Really?  THAT idea went through committee and was selected?



John, don't you remember the part of the movie with the pencils?

 

 

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post #21 of 37
7/15/11 at 9:57am



 

Quote:
Originally Posted by GMpasqua View Post





John, don't you remember the part of the movie with the pencils?

 

 



laugh.gif  Absolutely!  And the eraser.  Don't forget the eraser.  That was the key to the whole scene. IMO.

 

 

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post #22 of 37
7/17/11 at 1:41pm

 

greg wka.jpg

Paris Themmen, (me) Denise Nickerson and Julie Dawn Cole

 

These kids were great - and a lot of fun

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post #23 of 37
7/17/11 at 5:44pm

Greg, I'm jealous!

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post #24 of 37
7/17/11 at 6:32pm
Thread Starter 

Greg,

 

Great photo!  Thanks so much for sharing that.

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post #25 of 37
7/17/11 at 8:20pm
As I already own the fantastic and compact digibook version, and there's no lickable wallpaper or rainbow drops included with this new set, I'll be passing on it.
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post #26 of 37
7/18/11 at 10:18am

Not even a toy Wonka boat - how cool would that have been.  Some marketing people was so uncreative - how do they keep their jobs?.

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post #27 of 37
7/18/11 at 10:23am

I'd love to have a job at one of the studios doing marketing or design. I have some great ideas!

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post #28 of 37
7/29/11 at 4:22am
Thread Starter 

wonkabox.jpg

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post #29 of 37
7/29/11 at 4:25pm
That set really boggles my mind.
Is there no one who can contact Warner and find out what the the thinking is on those pencils and erasers and why they think someone would make a decision on buying this set based on those items and some of the other things in there, or at least why they think anyone would want that stuff at all?
Edited by TonyD - 7/29/11 at 5:38pm
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post #30 of 37
7/29/11 at 5:21pm
Thread Starter 

Tony, I don't understand your post above.

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Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming Video and Digital Downloads › Blu-ray › WHV Press Release: Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory 40th Anniversary UCE