Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly roundup of notable Blu-ray and DVD releases. I know it will be hard to top last week's Avengers, but try to keep an open mind. There is a little of something for everybody this week, and while it may not be exciting (at least for this guy), there is still plenty to choose from; not every week has to be epic. The two most notable titles are Tim Burton's newest misfire, Dark Shadows, and an above average family dramedy, People Like Us. As per usual, there are some classics getting the hi-def treatment, as well.
Actors: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley
Director: Tim Burton
Writers: Seth Grahame-Smith, John August
Producers: Johnny Depp, Richard D. Zanuck, Graham King, Christi Dembrowski, David Kennedy
Format: AC-3, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: Portuguese (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles: French, Spanish, Portuguese
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Warner Home Video
Run Time: 113 minutes
Maximum Movie Mode
Focus Points
Deleted Scenes
Taco Talk
Deleted Scenes
Bloopers
Actors: Robert De Niro, Sigourney Weaver, Cillian Murphy, Elizabeth Olsen, Toby Jones
Director: Rodrigo Cortes
Format: NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Language: English
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: R
Studio: Millennium
Run Time: 113 minutes
Actors: Chris Massoglia, Nathan Gamble
Director: Joe Dante
Format: Widescreen
Language: English
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Big Air
Run Time: 90 minutes
Actors: Vincent D'Onofrio, Jake Weber, Eamon Farren, Julia Ormond
Director: Jennifer Lynch
Format: Widescreen
Language: English
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Number of discs: 2
Rated: R
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
Run Time: 94 minutes
Format: NTSC, Widescreen
Language: English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: R
Studio: MPI Home Video
Run Time: 92 minutes
Making of Featurette
Original Trailer
Actors: TJ Trinidad, Rhian Ramos, Carmina Villaroel, Marvin Agustin, Barbie Forteza
Director: Yam Laranas
Format: Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
Number of discs: 1
Rated: R
Studio: Freestyle Digital Media
Run Time: 110 minutes
Actors: Dolph Lundgren, Christina Pickles, Billy Barty, Chelsea Field, Courteney Cox Arquette
Directors: Gary Goddard
Writers: David Odell
Producers: Edward R. Pressman, Menahem Golan, Yoram Globus
Format: NTSC, Widescreen
Language: English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: PG
Studio: Warner Home Video
Run Time: 106 minutes
Actors: Brian Narelle, Dre Pahich, Dan O'Bannon, Cal Kuniholm
Directors: John Carpenter, Assistant Director: J. Stein Kaplan
Format: Dolby, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Language: English
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: G
Studio: VCI Entertainment
Run Time: 83 minutes
Dracula (1931, 75 min.)
Frankenstein (1931, 71 min.)
The Mummy (1932, 74 min.)
The Invisible Man (1933, 71 min.)
The Bride of Frankenstein (1935, 75 min.)
The Wolf Man (1941, 70 min.)
The Phantom of the Opera (1943, 93 min.)
The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954, 79 min.)
Disc 1: Dracula and DrĂ¡cula
Hit the jump for this week's releases!
-Special Features are for Blu-ray editions only-
Dark Shadows (BLU/DVD)
Actors: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley
Director: Tim Burton
Writers: Seth Grahame-Smith, John August
Producers: Johnny Depp, Richard D. Zanuck, Graham King, Christi Dembrowski, David Kennedy
Format: AC-3, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: Portuguese (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles: French, Spanish, Portuguese
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Warner Home Video
Run Time: 113 minutes
-Special Features-
Maximum Movie Mode
Focus Points
Deleted Scenes
People Like Us (BLU/DVD)
Actors: Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks
Format: Color, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: English (DTS-HD High Res Audio), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles: French, Spanish, English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Dreamworks Video
Run Time: 113 minutes
Language: English (DTS-HD High Res Audio), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles: French, Spanish, English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Dreamworks Video
Run Time: 113 minutes
-Special Features-
Audio Commentaries
Number One With A Bullet: The Story Behind People Like UsTaco Talk
Deleted Scenes
Bloopers
Red Lights (BLU/DVD)
Actors: Robert De Niro, Sigourney Weaver, Cillian Murphy, Elizabeth Olsen, Toby Jones
Director: Rodrigo Cortes
Format: NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Language: English
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: R
Studio: Millennium
Run Time: 113 minutes
-Special Features-
Not yet announced
The Hole (BLU/DVD)
Actors: Chris Massoglia, Nathan Gamble
Director: Joe Dante
Format: Widescreen
Language: English
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Big Air
Run Time: 90 minutes
-Special Features-
Featurettes
Extra Footage
Still Gallery
Chained (BLU/DVD)
Actors: Vincent D'Onofrio, Jake Weber, Eamon Farren, Julia Ormond
Director: Jennifer Lynch
Format: Widescreen
Language: English
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Number of discs: 2
Rated: R
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
Run Time: 94 minutes
-Special Features-
Audio Commentary
Alternate/Unrated version of "Mary's Murder"
Theatrical Trailer
Peace, Love & Misunderstanding (BLU/DVD)
Actors: Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener, Elizabeth Olsen
Director: Bruce BeresfordFormat: NTSC, Widescreen
Language: English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: R
Studio: MPI Home Video
Run Time: 92 minutes
-Special Features-
Original Trailer
The Road (BLU/DVD)
Actors: TJ Trinidad, Rhian Ramos, Carmina Villaroel, Marvin Agustin, Barbie Forteza
Director: Yam Laranas
Format: Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
Number of discs: 1
Rated: R
Studio: Freestyle Digital Media
Run Time: 110 minutes
-Special Features-
Not yet announced
The Princess Bride: 25th Anniversary Edition (BLU)
Actors: Wallace Shawn, Chris Sarandon, Mandy Patinkin, Cary Elwes, Christopher Guest
Format: AC-3, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: English
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: PG
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)Run Time: 98 minutes
Format: AC-3, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: English
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: PG
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)Run Time: 98 minutes
-Special Features-
True Love: The Princess Bride Phenomenon (Pts. 1 & 2)
Audio Commentaries
As You Wish: The Story of The Princess Bride
Cary Elwes Video Diary
Miraculous Makeup
The Dread Pirate Roberts: Greatest Pirate of the Seven Seas
Love is Like a Storybook
The Princess Bride The Untold Tales featurette
The Art of Fencing featurette
Fairytales and Folklore featurette
Original theatrical trailer
Easter Eggs
Audio Commentaries
As You Wish: The Story of The Princess Bride
Cary Elwes Video Diary
Miraculous Makeup
The Dread Pirate Roberts: Greatest Pirate of the Seven Seas
Love is Like a Storybook
The Princess Bride The Untold Tales featurette
The Art of Fencing featurette
Fairytales and Folklore featurette
Original theatrical trailer
Easter Eggs
Masters of the Universe (BLU/DVD)
Actors: Dolph Lundgren, Christina Pickles, Billy Barty, Chelsea Field, Courteney Cox Arquette
Directors: Gary Goddard
Writers: David Odell
Producers: Edward R. Pressman, Menahem Golan, Yoram Globus
Format: NTSC, Widescreen
Language: English
Region: Region A/1
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: PG
Studio: Warner Home Video
Run Time: 106 minutes
-Special Features-
Not yet announced
Dark Star: Thermostellar Edition (BLU)
Actors: Brian Narelle, Dre Pahich, Dan O'Bannon, Cal Kuniholm
Directors: John Carpenter, Assistant Director: J. Stein Kaplan
Format: Dolby, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Language: English
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: G
Studio: VCI Entertainment
Run Time: 83 minutes
-Special Features-
Let There Be Light: The Odyssey of Dark Star The Extended Version
Interview with Sci-Fi author Alan Dean Foster
3D Guide to the DARK STAR ship
Audio commentary
Double Impact (BLU)
Actors: Geoffrey Lewis, Jean-Claude Van Damme
Format: Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: English
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Run Time: 110 minutes
Format: Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: English
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Run Time: 110 minutes
-Special Features-
Not yet announced
Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection (BLU)
Dracula (1931, 75 min.)
Frankenstein (1931, 71 min.)
The Mummy (1932, 74 min.)
The Invisible Man (1933, 71 min.)
The Bride of Frankenstein (1935, 75 min.)
The Wolf Man (1941, 70 min.)
The Phantom of the Opera (1943, 93 min.)
The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954, 79 min.)
-Special Features-
- Dracula: The Restoration
- DrĂ¡cula (1931) Spanish Version
- Audio Commentaries
- Alternate Score Track
- The Road to Dracula
- Lugosi: The Dark Prince
- Dracula Archives
- Trailer Gallery
- Monster Tracks
- The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster
- Karloff: The Gentle Monster
- Universal Horror
- Audio Commentaries
- 100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics
- Boo!: A Short Film
- Frankenstein Archives
- Trailer Gallery
- Monster Tracks
- Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed
- He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce
- Audio Commentaries.
- 100 Years of Universal: The Carl Laemmle Era
- Unraveling the Legacy of The Mummy
- The Mummy Archives
- Trailer Gallery
- Now You See Him: The Invisible Man Revealed
- Audio Commentary
- 100 Years of Universal: Unforgettable Characters
- Production Photographs
- Trailer Gallery
- She's Alive! Creating the Bride of Frankenstein
- Audio Commentary100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics The Bride of Frankenstein Archive
- Trailer Gallery
- Monster by Moonlight
- Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr.
- He Who Made Monsters: The Art and Life of Jack Pierce
- Audio CommentaryFrom Ancient Curse to Modern Myth
- 100 Years of Universal: The Lot
- The Wolf Man Archives
- Trailer Gallery
Disc 7: Phantom of the Opera
- The Opera Ghost: A Phantom Unmasked
- Audio Commentary
- 100 Years of Universal: The Lot
- Production Photographs
- Theatrical Trailer
- Back to the Black Lagoon
- Audio Commentary
- 100 Years of Universal: The Lot
- Production Photographs
- Trailer Gallery
I'm really looking forward to this Universal Monster set, but probably won't purchase until the price is right. Other than that, most of these will be rentals for me. What about you?
Check back next week for more DVD and Blu-ray releases!