Dan Curtis' Dracula Blu-Ray Review

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Dan Curtis' Dracula Blu-Ray Review


Synopsis: The definitive Count Dracula... as flesh-crawling an experience as you ve ever had. Los Angeles Times

Academy Award® winner* Jack Palance stars in this terrifying adaptation of Bram Stoker s classic vampire legend written for the screen by sci-fi/horror master Richard Matheson and produced by the legendary Dan Curtis (Dark Shadows). Palance is Count Dracula, whose centuries-old existence is threatened after he attacks the lovely Lucy Westenra (Fiona Lewis) and her fiancĂ© (Simon Ward, The Tudors) calls in famed vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing (Nigel Davenport) to investigate.  Filmed on location in England and Yugoslavia, DAN CURTIS DRACULA has been transferred and restored in 2K High Definition from the original 35mm camera negative and presented here on Blu-Ray for the first time!

*Best Supporting Actor 1992  - City Slickers

Special Features: Interviews, Trailer, Alternate Ending


Review: There are so many versions of Dracula spanning so many decades, how do you choose one to watch?  Well, there are the classics, but there is also this fantastic adaptation from 1973 starring Jack Palance as the prince of the undead.   This blu-ray release is a really fun watch and one that I hadn't seen in decades!  It was made by Dan Curtis, of Dark Shadows fame (the show not the Burton film!).  I had all but forgotten this version until this blu-ray came out.  The film looks amazing in high-definition and its a lot spooier than I remember, I was very impressed.  This is a must-have for any horror fan!

Interest Range: Horror

Toy Story Of TERROR comes to Blu-ray 8/19

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The “Toy Story” Gang’s Frightfully Fun AdventureReleasing for the First Time on Blu-ray™ & DVD!
                                                                                          
On Blu-ray + Digital Copy, DVD, Disney Movies Anywhere, and Digital HD August 19th
Never-Before-Seen Bonus Features Include Parody Vintage Toy Commercials, Deleted Scenes, Audio Commentary, and Much More!  


Burbank, Calif., May 16, 2014 – Everyone’s favorite Toys are back in Disney•Pixar’s frightfully fun adventure “Toy Story OF TERROR!” available for the first time ever on Blu-ray + Digital Copy, DVD, Digital HD, and Disney Movies Anywhere August 19th.  Reuniting after the events of the blockbuster smash “Toy Story 3,” Buzz, Woody and the gang join new friend Combat Carl for a spooky tale full of mystery and humor that’s a must-own for “Toy Story” and Disney•Pixar fans this summer! 



“Toy Story OF TERROR!” makes its in-home debut loaded with never-before-seen bonus features, including three Vintage Toy Commercials, which can be viewed as act breaks during the film or separately with Director Introductions. Additional all-new bonus features include Audio Commentary, Deleted Scenes with Editor Introductions and “Team of Specialists,” in which director Angus MacLane goes deep behind the scenes to introduce the team of specialists required to make this fun-filled “Toy Story” adventure!
Additional in-home special features include three “Toy Story Toons” shorts: “Small Fry,” “Partysaurus Rex” and “Hawaiian Vacation” – each with Audio Commentary; and the rarely seen, especially spooky teaser created for the D23 fan conference. Also available only on Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) is a new short piece about film references featuring Mr. Pricklepants and a Bonus Deleted Scene with Editor’s Introduction.

 Written and directed by Angus MacLane, animator on such Disney•Pixar classics as “Finding Nemo,” “Monsters, Inc.” and “Toy Story 2 & 3” and produced by Galyn Susman, “Toy Story OF TERROR!” features an original score by composer Michael Giacchino (“Ratatouille,” “Up,” “Cars 2”).
What starts out as a fun road trip for the Toy Story gang takes an unexpected turn for the worse when the trip detours to a roadside motel. After one of the toys goes missing, the others find themselves caught up in a mysterious sequence of events that must be solved before they all suffer the same fate in this Toy Story OF TERROR!
“Toy Story OF TERROR!” features the voice talents of original “Toy Story” cast members Tom Hanks as “Woody,” Tim Allen as “Buzz Lightyear,” Joan Cusack as “Jessie,” Timothy Dalton as “Mr. Pricklepants,” Don Rickles as “Mr. Potato Head,” Kristen Schaal as “Trixie” and Wallace Shawn as “Rex,” along with series newcomer Carl Weathers as “Combat Carl/Combat Carl Jr.”

Bonus Materials for This Product: Blu-ray + Digital CopyIncludes:·       “Toy Story Toons” Shorts:o   Hawaiian Vacation o   Small Fry o   Partysaurus Rex ·       Audio Commentaries:o   Toy Story of T

error!, Hawaiian Vacation, Small Fry, and Partysaurus Rex·       Team of Specialists  - Director Angus MacLane goes deep behind the scenes to introduce the team of specialists required to make Toy Story OF TERROR! ·       3 Deleted Scenes + Editor Introductions o   Pencil Topper Trilogy o   Travel Brochures o   Road Trip Roulette ·       Vintage Toy Commercials + Director Introductionso   Old Timer o   Combat Carl o   Transitron·       D23 Teaser 
 

Bonus Materials for This Product: DVD Includes:·       “Toy Story Toons” Shorts:o   Hawaiian Vacation (5:50)o   Small Fry (7:07)o   Partysaurus Rex (6:31)·       Audio Commentaries:o   Toy Story OF TERROR!, Hawaiian Vacation, Small Fry and Partysaurus Rex·       Team of Specialists - Director Angus MacLane goes deep behind the scenes to introduce the team of specialists required to make Toy Story OF TERROR! ·       Vintage Toy Commercials + Director Introductionso   Old Timer o   Combat Carl o   Transitron ·       D23 Teaser                    

Bonus Materials for This Product: DMA (Disney Movies Anywhere)Includes:·       A new short piece about film references featuring Mr. Pricklepants ·       Deleted Scene – Bob's Boatyard w/Editor’s Introduction (2:00)

Digital HD for This Product Also Includes:·       Toy Story Toons Shorts*:o   Hawaiian Vacationo   Small Fryo   Partysaurus Rex·       Vintage Toy Commercials + Director Introductionso   Old Timero   Combat Carlo   Transitron
Digital HD Bonus Materials for This Product**:·       Team of Specialists - Director Angus MacLane goes deep behind the scenes to introduce the team of specialists required to make Toy Story OF TERROR!·       3 Deleted Scenes + Editor Introductionso   Pencil Topper Trilogyo   Travel Brochureso   Road Trip Roulette·       D23 Teaser

Sleeping Beauty Diamond Edition Releases October 7th


Sleeping Beauty awakens for the first time on Diamond Edition Blu-ray, Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on October 7th! All-new Diamond Edition special features, never-before-seen deleted scenes and characters make this a must-own for every family's classic collection!

Beauty Awakens for the First Time on Diamond Edition Blu-ray,
Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere October 7, 2014!
All-New Magical Bonus Features Includes 3 Never Before Seen Deleted Scenes and more!
BURBANK, Calif. May 9, 2014 – Finally releasing from the Disney Vault, Disney's ultimate princess fairytale classic “Sleeping Beauty” will be available for the first time on Diamond Edition Blu-ray, Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on October 7, 2014. Experience all of the pageantry and power of this wondrous tale on Blu-ray - and for the first time on Digital HD - with incredible high definition picture, thrilling, soaring sound, and all-new Diamond Edition special features that make this a must-own for every family’s classic collection!
Creating the ultimate at-home viewing experience, Disney’s 2-Disc Diamond Edition Blu-ray Superset (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) contains digitally restored picture and sound, a digital copy of the film, and a variety of magical new bonus features, including “Once Upon A Parade,” in which “Modern Family” star Sarah Hyland tells us the tale of Walt Disney World’s new Festival Of Fantasy Parade, “Art of Evil: Generations Of Disney Villains,” a legacy piece spotlighting Disney’s favorite villain animator and Maleficent creator Marc Davis, and “@DisneyAnimation: Artists in Motion,” in which Walt Disney Animation Visual Development artist Brittney Lee goes through the process of creating a three dimensional sculpture of Maleficent, completely out of paper.  
Additional all-new bonus features include never-before-seen deleted scenes “The Fair” (with Deleted Character The Vulture,) “The Curse is Fulfilled” and “Arrival Of Maleficent,” plus the Beauty-Oke sing-along to “Once Upon A Dream.” The Blu-ray Superset also includes classic DVD bonus features and more!
“Sleeping Beauty” tells the wondrous tale of a princess cursed by an evil fairy, protected by three loving fairies and, ultimately, saved by “true love’s kiss.” Featuring the voice talents of renowned opera singer Mary Costa as Sleeping Beauty and Disney stalwart Eleanor Audley as the evil fairy, Maleficent, the film’s vibrant visuals were created by a team that included Milt Kahl and Ollie Johnston, two of Disney’s legendary Nine Old Men and an Academy Award®-nominated score, 1959, adapted from the incandescent music of Peter Tchaikovsky. “Sleeping Beauty” is the sixteenth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon and was the last animated feature produced by Walt Disney to be based upon a fairy tale. It is the tenth film released as part of Disney’s prestigious Blu-ray Diamond Collection.
“Sleeping Beauty” awakens to spectacular new life in the following home entertainment formats, with new and classic bonus features included below:
Bonus Materials Overview for These Products:
2-Disc Blu-ray Superset with Digital Copy (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) and select Digital Retailers
Includes:
·       ‘Once Upon A Parade’ (Starring Sarah Hyland) - Behind every attraction, event and parade at the Magic Kingdom is a unique story.  Join Sarah Hyland from ABC’s “Modern Family” as she tells us the tale of Walt Disney World’s new Festival Of Fantasy Parade.  This magical “in world” short film goes behind the scenes of the new parade and shows how the residents and characters of Fantasyland created this parade to tell their stories.
·       Art of Evil: Generations Of Disney Villains – This legacy piece spotlights Disney’s favorite villain animator, Marc Davis and his infamous creations of characters such as Maleficent and Cruella.  Throughout the piece, we will talk to modern day animators like Andreas Deja and also the new generation of Animators (Lino DiSalvo Animation Director of FROZEN) on how Marc’s designs and characters influenced what they do today.
·       @DisneyAnimation: ARTISTS IN MOTION (Extended Edition) - Join Walt Disney Animation Visual Development artist Brittney Lee as she goes through the process of creating a three dimensional sculpture of Maleficent, completely out of paper. In this extended edition, go deeper into Britney’s process
·       Never Before Seen Deleted Scenes:
o   The Fair (With Deleted Character – The Vulture) – In this version of the story, the fairies do not take the Princess to live with them in the forest.  Convinced that King Stefan's order to burn all the spinning wheels in the kingdom will not prevent Maleficent's curse, the good fairies put a magic circle around the castle and cast a spell:  "No evil thing that walks or flies or creeps or crawls can ever pass these castle walls."
o   The Curse is Fulfilled - The three good fairies have just returned Aurora to the castle and give her a crown.  They leave the room to give Aurora some time alone…but Maleficent pays her a visit.
o   Arrival Of Maleficent (Alternate Scene) – Maleficent arrives uninvited to the christening of the Princess Aurora.
·       BEAUTY-OKE “Once Upon A Dream” - Sing along to this kinetic text video of Aurora’s signature song.
·       Classic DVD Bonus Features Include:
o   The Sound Of Beauty: Restoring A Classic - This featurette covers the creation of the 7.1 mix of the score of Sleeping Beauty that was done for Blu-ray, using the source tapes from the original recording sessions resulting in an audio experience of superior quality with greater detail and fidelity that you have ever heard before.
o   Picture Perfect: The Making Of Sleeping Beauty - Discover the behind-the-scenes magic that transformed a beloved fairy tale into a cinematic work of art. Legendary Animators, actors and film historians reveal the secrets behind Disney’s masterpiece.
o   Eyvind Earle: A Man And His Art - Early in his career, renowned American Artist Eyvind Earle worked as a background painter at the Walt Disney Studio. Walt Disney liked his work so much that he entrusted him with the assignment to be the Art Director for Sleeping Beauty. This was the first time that one artist was given the responsibility for the entire look on one of Disney’s animated features. This piece follows Earle’s development as an artist and his years at the Studio.
o   Audio Commentary by John Lasseter, Andreas Deja and Leonard Maltin
Bonus Materials Overview for These Products:
DVD
Includes:
·       Never Before Seen Deleted Scenes:
o   The Fair (With Deleted Character – The Vulture) – In this version of the story, the fairies do not take the Princess to live with them in the forest.  Convinced that King Stefan's order to burn all the spinning wheels in the kingdom will not prevent Maleficent's curse, the good fairies put a magic circle around the castle and cast a spell:  "No evil thing that walks or flies or creeps or crawls can ever pass these castle walls."
o   The Curse is Fulfilled - The three good fairies have just returned Aurora to the castle and give her a crown.  They leave the room to give Aurora some time alone…but Maleficent pays her a visit.
o   Arrival Of Maleficent (Alternate Scene) – Maleficent arrives uninvited to the christening of the Princess Aurora.

Bonus Materials Overview for These Products:
Disney Movies Anywhere
Includes:
·       Artists In Motion - Join Walt Disney Animation Visual Development artist Brittney Lee as she goes through the process of creating a three dimensional sculpture of Maleficent, completely out of paper.
·       Classic DVD Bonus Features
o   Alternate Opening, Live Action Reference, and 4 Deleted Songs.
                 
Disc Specifications:
Street Date:                                             October 7, 2014 (Direct Prebook: 8/12/14; Distributor Prebook: 8/26/14)
Suggested Retail Pricing:                2-Disc Blu-ray Superset with Digital Copy (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) = $36.99 US / $40.99 CAN

DVD = $29.99 US / $32.99 CAN

Digital HD & SD = please check with your television provider or favorite digital retailer for pricing
Feature Run Time:                             Approximately 75 minutes
Rated:                                                         G in U.S. & Canada (Bonus materials are not rated)
Aspect Ratio:                                         2.55:1 formatted for 16x9 TV screens
Sound:                                                        Blu-ray: 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (English); 5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix, Dolby® Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Languages:                                               English, French and Spanish
Subtitles:                                                  English SDH, French and Spanish
To learn more visit:                          Our Facebook page @ www.Facebook.com/DisneySleepingBeauty
Follow us on Twitter at @DisneyPictures / #SleepingBeauty
Film Synopsis:
Beauty, wonder and adventure spin together in a grand legend that transcends time as Maleficent, one of animation’s most spectacular villains, sends the kingdom’s beloved Princess Aurora into an enchanted sleep. In a majestic story that awakens all your senses, Good Fairies arm brave Prince Phillip to defeat a fearsome fire-breathing dragon and rescue Aurora. But success in battle may not be enough, for the only way to awaken the Princess is with True Love’s kiss!
About Disney’s Blu-ray Diamond Collection:
ABOUT DISNEY MOVIES ANYWHERE (DMA): 
Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) is a cloud-based digital movie service that offers a hassle-free way for consumers to buy, watch, and manage Disney digital content across platforms and devices via the easy-to-use DMA app or at DisneyMoviesAnywhere.com. A DMA-eligible digital title purchased from iTunes or redeemed in DMA will be accessible in a user’s DMA and iTunes lockers. There are currently over 400 films from Disney’s rich history available through DMA for streaming and download, including Disney Branded Animation, Disney Live-Action, Pixar, and Marvel titles, along with exclusive, original content. For more information or to redeem Digital Copy codes to build your library and earn Disney Movie Rewards for digital purchases, visit www.disneymoviesanywhere.com.
About The Walt Disney Studios:
For 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures, the banner under which live-action films from DreamWorks Studios are distributed. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live

Sofia the First: The Enchanted Feast out 8/5

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Join Sofia on another adventure in, SOFIA THE FIRST: THE ENCHANTED FEAST, on Disney DVD August 5th! Enjoy Snow White make a special appearance, four additional episodes and a FREE enchanted mirror!

 

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