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Thursday, 05 September 2019 17:38

New Blu-ray/Ultra HD reviews, plus Pan’s Labyrinth 4K official & Arrow’s new RoboCop: Limited Edition BD

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In announcement news today, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has just made Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth official for release on 4K Ultra HD (and 4K Digital) on 10/1. It looks like the set will include HDR10 high dynamic range and will carry over the previous Blu-ray extras (the video prologue, The Power of Myth, The Faun and the Fairies, The Color and the Shape, and The Director’s Notebook, and the audio commentary by Guillermo del Toro – the commentary will be on the 4K too). It doesn’t look like there’s a new audio mix, so assume it will be the same one on the previous Blu-ray. This isn’t new information, of course; we knew it was coming. But at least now it’s official.

Speaking of 4K Ultra HD, it appears that Universal is going to be releasing all three films in Edgar Wright’s Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World’s End) individually on the format on 11/5, after the trilogy set arrives next week (on 9/10). We’ve updated the 4K Ultra HD Release List here at The Bits accordingly.

And Arrow Video has announced a terrific new RoboCop: Limited Edition Blu-ray release that will be available from Diabolik DVD in November (set to street around 11/26). The 2-disc set will include:

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

  • 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by MGM, transferred in 2013 and approved by director Paul Verhoeven
  • Newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper
  • Director’s Cut and Theatrical Cut of the film on two High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray discs
  • Original lossless stereo and four-channel mixes plus DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound option on both cuts
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing on both cuts
  • Six collector’s postcards (Limited Edition exclusive)
  • Double-sided, fold-out poster (Limited Edition exclusive)
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
  • Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Omar Ahmed, Christopher Griffiths and Henry Blyth, a 1987 Fangoria interview with Rob Bottin, and archive publicity materials (some contents exclusive to Limited Edition)

DISC ONE – DIRECTOR’S CUT

  • Archive commentary by director Paul Verhoeven, executive producer Jon Davison and co-writer Ed Neumeier (originally recorded for the Theatrical Cut and re-edited in 2014 for the Director’s Cut)
  • New commentary by film historian Paul M. Sammon
  • New commentary by fans Christopher Griffiths, Gary Smart and Eastwood Allen
  • The Future of Law Enforcement: Creating RoboCop, a newly filmed interview with co-writer Michael Miner
  • RoboTalk, a newly filmed conversation between co-writer Ed Neumeier and filmmakers David Birke (writer of Elle) and Nick McCarthy (director of Orion Pictures’ The Prodigy)
  • Truth of Character, a newly filmed interview with star Nancy Allen on her role as Lewis
  • Casting Old Detroit, a newly filmed interview with casting director Julie Selzer on how the film’s ensemble cast was assembled
  • Connecting the Shots, a newly filmed interview with second unit director and frequent Verhoeven collaborator Mark Goldblatt
  • Composing RoboCop, a new tribute to composer Basil Poledouris featuring film music experts Jeff Bond, Lukas Kendall, Daniel Schweiger and Robert Townson
  • RoboProps, a newly filmed tour of super-fan Julien Dumont’s collection of original props and memorabilia
  • 2012 Q&A with the Filmmakers, a panel discussion featuring Verhoeven, Davison, Neumeier, Miner, Allen, star Peter Weller and animator Phil Tippett
  • RoboCop: Creating a Legend, Villains of Old Detroit and Special Effects: Then & Now, three archive featurettes from 2007 featuring interviews with cast and crew
  • Paul Verhoeven Easter Egg
  • Four deleted scenes
  • The Boardroom: Storyboard with Commentary by Phil Tippett
  • Director’s Cut Production Footage, raw dailies from the filming of the unrated gore scenes
  • Two theatrical trailers and three TV spots
  • Extensive image galleries

DISC TWO – THEATRICAL CUT

  • Archive commentary by director Paul Verhoeven, executive producer Jon Davison and co-writer Ed Neumeier (originally recorded for Theatrical version of the film)
  • Two Isolated Score tracks (Composer’s Original Mix and Final Theatrical Mix) in lossless stereo
  • Edited-for-television version of the film, featuring alternate dubs, takes and edits of several scenes (95 mins, SD only)
  • Split screen comparison of Theatrical and Director’s Cuts
  • RoboCop: Edited For Television, a compilation of alternate scenes from two edited-for-television versions, newly transferred in HD from recently-unearthed 35mm elements

Pretty impressive! Here’s a look at the expanded packaging and contents...

RoboCop: Limited Edition (Arrow Video Blu-ray Disc)

And that’s all for now. Stay tuned...!

-Bill Hunt

(You can follow Bill on social media at these links: Twitter and Facebook)