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Friday, 11 October 2013 14:33

Halloween & Blue Angel reviewed, plus Percy Jackson, Dr. Who, Wolverine update, NYCC & more!

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All right, our Hell Plaza Oktoberfest review for the day is Dr. Jahnke’s take on Anchor Bay’s new Halloween: 35th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray!  That’s also the Blu-ray title we’re giving away today over on the Jahnke’s Electric Theater page on Facebook, so be sure to head on over there for your chance to win (the giveaway is open from Noon to 3 PM Pacific)!

Also today, our own Joe Marchese has turned in a review of Kino Lorber’s new The Blue Angel on Blu-ray – a 1930 German classic from director Josef von Sternberg starring Marlene Dietrich.  Enjoy!  [Read on here…]

In announcement news today, 20th Century Fox has set Percy Jackson: Seas of Monsters for Blu-ray 3D Deluxe Edition, Blu-ray and DVD release on 12/17.  The 3-disc set will include the film in both 2D and 3D, along with a Tyson motion comic, collectible character cards and 3 featurettes (Back to Camp Half-Blood, It’s All in the Eye and Deconstructing a Demigod).

Also, we have an update for you on the configuration of Fox’s The Wolverine: Unleashed Extended Edition Blu-ray (due 12/3).  A lot of you have asked which versions of the film would be in 3D, so we asked Fox and have the answer for you.  You get a Blu-ray 3D disc featuring the Theatrical Cut, a Blu-ray 2D disc featuring the Theatrical Cut plus extras, a Blu-ray 2D disc featuring the Extended Cut plus audio commentary, and a DVD/Digital Copy hybrid disc.  So that’s 3D on the Theatrical Cut only.

Meanwhile, Severin Films has set Zulu Dawn for DVD only release on 11/12, featuring 3 featurettes (The History of the Zulu Wars, Recreating the War and A Visit to the Battlefield), outtakes and the film’s theatrical trailer.

Le Monde Productions and Elio Pictures Ltd. are releasing Momo: The Sam Giancana Story documentary on DVD and digital on 11/19.

Here’s something cool: The BBC has announced that several “lost” Doctor Who episodes from the 1960s have been recovered from a stash of BBC master tapes found in Nigeria, forming the stories The Enemy of the World and The Web of Fear.  They’ve been remastered and are now available on iTunes.  One expects they’ll be released on disc at some point – we’ve asked and we’ll let you know.

Here’s something interesting as well: Disney is offering a unique iPad “Second Screen Experience” screening for Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, starting on 10/18 in select theaters.  You simply down load the Second Screen Live: The Nightmare Before Christmas app from iTunes, then take your iPad to the theater and you can enjoy the Second Screen Experience as you watch the film.  More info is available here.

In other news, some of the “cast members” of Discovery Channel’s cancelled Storm Chasers TV series (specifically Reed Timmer and his team from Tornado Videos.net) have started their own show called Tornado Chasers, and they’ve just kicked off their second season.  The show is $24 for a “season pass” and you can either download the episodes or watch them on Roku.  More here.

Back on the subject of “lost” films being re-discovered, CBS News ran a story recently on Mary Pickford’s 1911 film Their First Misunderstanding, which was thought lost, was recently found in a New Hampshire barn and has now been restored for all to enjoy.  More here.

And finally, here’s something else that’s cool: The Kickstarter documentary Dear Mr. Watterson, on the history and impact of the Calvin & Hobbes newspaper comic strip, is going to be available for viewing On Demand starting on 11/15. It’s been getting great reviews at film festival screenings, so we sure hope an indie studio picks up the disc rights and gives us a DVD or Blu-ray at some point.  More here.  [Editor’s Note: Several sharp-eyed readers have informed us that the documentary is indeed available for pre-order on Blu-ray, DVD and digital on the site’s official store with a street date of 12/15.  Good news indeed!]

Here’s a look at the Blu-ray 3D art for the aforementioned Percy Jackson: Seas of Monsters, as well as Fox’s The Black Swan, North to Alaska, Desk Set, Jesse James and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (all due 12/3)…

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (Blu-ray 3D)    The Black Swan (Blu-ray Disc)    North to Alaska (Blu-ray Disc)

Desk Set (Blu-ray Disc)    Jesse James (Blu-ray Disc)    The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (Blu-ray Disc)

A special shout-out to all our friends walking the isles at New York Comic-Con this weekend!  Have a great time guys!

Back on Monday – stay tuned!

- Bill Hunt