Showing posts with label steven spielberg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label steven spielberg. Show all posts

14 January 2013

Cinematic Master Schindler's List To Get 20th Anniversary Blu-Ray Release

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Experience one of the most historically significant films like never before when Academy Award®-winning director Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List marks its 20th Anniversary with a Blu-ray™ including Digital Copy, UltraViolet™, more than one hour of Bonus Features and a 16 page companion booklet on 8 April 2013 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Schindler’s List 20th Anniversary Edition has been meticulously restored from the original film negative in pristine high definition, supervised by Steven Spielberg and includes bonus features that shed unprecedented light on the story of Oskar Schindler, a member of the Nazi party who risked his own life to save more than 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust.
 One of the most powerful films of our generation, Schindler’s List tells an extraordinary true story of courage and faith that continues to inspire. Spielberg personally supervised the extensive high-definition restoration of the film from the 35mm film original negative so that viewers can see this powerful story as never before. In addition to the Blu-ray™ the Digital Copy and UltraViolet™ features allow viewers to watch Schindler’s List anytime, anywhere on the platform of their choice for the ultimate, complete viewing experience.

With its initial release in 1993, Schindler’s List rapidly became one of the most honoured films of all time, garnering twelve Academy Award® nominations and taking home seven Oscars®, including Best Director and Best Picture for Spielberg.  The film also earned Oscars® for composer John Williams (E.T., Star Wars), screenwriter Steven Zaillian (Gangs of New York, Mission: Impossible) and director of photography Janusz Kaminiski, as well as art directors Allan Starski and Ewa Braun, editor Michael Kahn and producers Gerald R. Molen and Branko Lustig.

Liam Neeson (Taken, Gangs of New York) received a Best Actor Academy Award® nomination for his portrayal of Oskar Schindler. Ralph Fiennes’ (The English Patient, the Harry Potter series) star-making performance as the cruel Nazi commander, Amon Goeth, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, as was Oscar®-winner Ben Kingsley (Gandhi, Hugo) in the role of Schindler’s Jewish accountant, Itzhak Stern.



The Schindler’s List 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray™ includes:
  • Blu-ray™ disc unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring perfect hi-def picture and hi-def sound
  • Digital Copy provides consumers with a choice of formats from a variety of partners, including options to watch on iPhone®, Android™, computers and more
  • UltraViolet™ is a revolutionary new way for consumers to collect their movies and TV shows in the cloud. UltraViolet™ lets consumers instantly stream and download to tablets, smartphones, computers and TVs. Now available in both the United Kingdom and Ireland
A 16 page companion booklet with ‘behind the scenes’ information telling more about the incredible stories around Spielberg’s masterpiece

Bonus Features on Both the Blu-rayTM & DVD

  • Voices from the List:  Featuring documentary with testimonies from those who survived the Holocaust thanks to Oskar Schindler.
  • USC Shoah Foundation Story with Steven Spielberg: The director shows how filming Schindler’s List inspired him to establish the USC Shoah Foundation

The Blu-ray™ is also available to own in a Limited Edition Digibook format.
The Schindler’s List DVD is also released with Digital Copy, UltraViolet™ and a 16 page companion booklet

Pre-order/Buy: Schindler's List - 20th Anniversary Edition Digibook (Blu-ray + Digital Copy + UV Copy) [1993]

Synposis:Adapted from the novel by Thomas Keneally, Steven Spielberg’s masterful film tells the incredible true story of the courageous Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson). Initially a member of the Nazi party, the Catholic Schindler risks his career and life, and ultimately goes bankrupt, to employ 1,100 Jews in his crockery factory during the Holocaust. Schindler’s Jewish accountant (Ben Kingsley) serves as his conscience, as Schindler conducts business with an obstinate and cruel Nazi commander (Ralph Fiennes), who viciously kills Jewish prisoners from the balcony of his villa overlooking a prison camp. Filmed entirely in black-and-white on location in Poland, Schindler’s List does not downplay the faults of its magnanimous and unlikely hero, but relates a story of the triumph of the human spirit in the face of horrific devastation and tragedy.

FILMMAKERS
Cast:
Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, Jonathan Sagall, Embeth Davidtz
Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenwriter: Steven Zaillian, based on a novel by Thomas Keneally
Producers: Branko Lustig, Gerard R. Molen, Steven Spielberg
Co-Producer: Lew Rywin
Executive Producer: Kathleen Kennedy
Associate Producers:  Irving Glovin, Robert Raymond
Director of Photography: Janusz Kaminski
Production Designer: Allan Starski
Editor: Michael Kahn

TECHNICAL INFORMATION BLU-RAY™
Release Date: 8 April 2013
Copyright: 2013 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Cat Numbers: 8293637 (Blu-ray) / 8294037 (Digibook)
Running Time: 189 mins 64 secs (film) / 82 mins 4 secs (bonus)
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen, 1.85:1 (Disc 1) / various (Disc 2)
Certificate: 15 (UK & Ireland)

20 September 2012

Raiders of the Lost Ark IMAX Review

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★★★★★

Each Indiana Jones movie brought something to the franchise. Raiders, a fantastic sense of adventure; Temple of Doom, horror; The Last Crusade a brilliant sense of humour and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull... um... CGI gophers? Indestructible fridges? Shia Labeouf swinging through trees with monkeys?... I shouldn't be negative, for here I am reviewing Raiders of the Lost Ark, one of, if not the, best adventure films of all time.

Everything works in Raiders. The script is smashing, the performances perfect, and the direction dazzling; Spielberg at his best. After making two of the greatest blockbusters of the seventies with Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, he started the eighties by harnessing the novelty of the adventure serials of the 1930s, much as Star Wars had with science-fiction serials of the same period. The formula of falling from one bad situation into another works wonderfully here. The perfect example being the infamous opening with Jones going after a golden idol in South America, the moment he grabs it everything starts to go wrong.

The action throughout is quite amazing and is greatly helped by Harrison Ford's marvellous lead performance. He sells all the action through the genuine fear on his face. Never has a man looked more worried... well maybe Hans Gruber as he fell from Nakatomi Plaza. This ability of Ford's to look scared and vulnerable made all his classic action films far more relatable. But its not just Ford that makes this film, there is not a single weak performance. Karen Allen is great as the feisty love interest. Paul Freeman provides the best villain of the series and possibly the only one who doesn't play it like a character from Adams West's Batman (I'm looking at you Cate Blanchett). And both Denholm Elliott and John Rhys-Davies provide fantastic allies for Jones.

But everyone is a star here; in front of and behind the camera. John Williams composed one of the greatest soundtracks of all time. Costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis (John Landis' wife) created some iconic costumes and Douglas Slocombe's cinematography is gorgeous. This is to name just a few amazing contributions.

For this current release on IMAX Spielberg has enhanced the sound but made no other alterations. A testament to just how perfect the film is. Or maybe he and Lucas have just learnt to LEAVE THEIR FILMS ALONE!!! We love them already.

Harry Davenport

Rating:PG
Re-Release Date: 21st September 2012 (UK)
Directed by:Steven Spielberg
Cast:Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies, Alfred Molina, Ronald Lacey, Paul Freeman