Battle Royale: The Complete Collection coming to Blu-ray first time ever on March 20th

Anchor Bay Entertainment has announced their plans to release the highly anticipated Battle Royale: The Complete Collection for the first time on Blu-ray in North America. The first Battle Royale and a highly collectible complete box set will arrive in stores on March 20, 2012. Below is the full official press release:

"ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMS IN HISTORY FINALLY ARRIVES!"



BATTLE ROYALE



Available for the first time in North America on Blu-ray™, DVD and digital download on March 20th from Anchor Bay Entertainment

A title that has shocked, thrilled and unnerved audiences. A film whose fiendishly simple premise has inspired many imitations, including the upcoming The Hunger Games motion picture. Based on the 1999 global best-seller by Koushun Takami, the futuristic tale first came to the screen in 2000, directed by the legendary Kinju Fukasaku. Authors, filmmakers and film fans the world over consider the film and its 2003 sequel Battle Royale II: Requiem sacred cinematic classics. And now, fans can own them on high-definition Blu-ray™ and DVD!



On March 20th, Anchor Bay Entertainment proudly brings the Battle Royale: The Complete Collection to Blu-ray™ and DVD for the first time in North America. Featuring state-of-the-art HD transfers, hi-res audio and a wealth of bonus features that delve deep into this truly international phenomenon - the three disc Blu-ray™ plus bonus DVD set has an SRP of $49.99 and an SRP $44.98 for the four disc DVD. Battle Royale will also be released separately on Blu-ray™ for an SRP of $29.99 and DVD for an SRP of $24.98. Battle Royale will be available digitally via select outlets including iTunes® and Xbox LIVE®.



42 students, Three days, One survivor – No Escape. Welcome to the world of Battle Royale!



Battle Royale

In the near future, the economy has collapsed, unemployment has soared and juvenile crime has exploded. Fearful of their nation’s youth, the Japanese government passes The BR Law: Each year, a 9th grade class is sent to a remote island where they will be locked into exploding neck collars, given a random weapon, and forced to hunt and kill each other until there is only one survivor left. Chiaki Kuriyama (Kill Bill) and screen legend Takeshi Kitano (Boiling Point, Brother) star in the movie that has been argued, acclaimed and banned around the world. More than a decade later, it remains one of the most savage, shocking and emotionally powerful films of all time. Now experience the complete Director’s Cut of Kinji Fukasaku’s uncompromising masterpiece – nominated for 10 Japanese Academy Awards® – available uncensored and unrated for the first time ever in America.



Battle Royale: The Complete Collection

In 2000, director Kinji Fukasaku unleashed Battle Royale, his violently poetic epic about an innocent group of Junior High students forced by the government to hunt and kill their classmates for sport. It was nominated for 10 Japanese Academy Awards®, launched a global phenomenon, and banned from screens by frightened civic groups and distributors across America. Three years later, the equally disturbing sequel – featuring a new class, new rules, and a brutal terrorist plot by the first film’s young survivors – triggered its own tragic firestorm around the world. Now for the first time ever, you can see it all: Experience the entire Battle Royale saga on 4 discs that forever blasts open one of the most potent, shocking and savagely influential sagas in motion picture history.



Battle Royale: The Complete Collection’s four disc set in collectible high-end packaging will include:

* Battle Royale Director’s Cut with both Japanese and English language tracks and English subtitles

* Battle Royale Theatrical Cut with both Japanese and English language tracks and English subtitles

* Battle Royale II with Japanese language and English subtitles

* Battle Royale Bonus Content with Japanese language and English subtitles



SPECIAL FEATURES:

* The Making Of BATTLE ROYALE

* BATTLE ROYALE Press Conference

* Instructional Video: Birthday Version

* Audition & Rehearsal Footage

* Special Effects Comparison Featurette

* Tokyo International Film Festival 2000

* Battle Royale Documentary

* Basketball Scene Rehearsals

* Behind-The-Scenes Featurette

* Filming On-Set

* Original Theatrical Trailer

* Special Edition TV Spot

* TV Spot: Tarantino Version



The Battle Royale single release will include:

* Director’s Cut with Japanese and English language and English subtitles



With impeccable direction by three-time ‘Director of the year’ Kinji Fukasaku, and featuring high-quality acting performances from every angle, Battle Royale: The Complete Collection is as cunning as it is ruthless, offering a unique and brutal depiction of what people are capable of when imminent death is everywhere you look.

Disc 1 – Battle Royale Director’s Cut:

Run Time: 122 minutes

Rating: Not Rated

Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)

Audio: Japanese Dolby TrueHD 7.1 and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1

Subtitles: English



Disc 2 – Battle Royale Theatrical Cut:

Run Time: 113 minutes

Rating: Not Rated

Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)

Audio: Japanese and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1

Subtitles: English



Disc 3 – Battle Royale II: Revenge Director’s Cut:

Run Time: 133 minutes

Rating: Not Rated

Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1)

Audio: Japanese Dolby TrueHD 5.1

Subtitles: English



Disc 4 – Battle Royale Special Features DVD:

Run Time: 194 minutes

Rating: Not Rated

Format: Full-Frame (1.33:1)

Audio: Japanese Dolby Surround 2.0

Subtitles: English

UFC: Best of 2010 coming to Blu-ray March 29

Anchor Bay Entertainment has announced their plans to release UFC: Best of 2010 on a 2-Disc Blu-ray set March 29, 2011. Below is the official press release:

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® produced one of the most action-packed years of all-time in 2010. With epic performances by Brock Lesnar, Anderson Silva and Rashad Evans, UFC® firmly cemented itself as the fastest-growing sport in the world.



Now relive the excitement of the hardest hits and unpredictable outcomes! On March 29, Anchor Bay Entertainment will release UFC®: Best of 2010, a formidable 2-disc collection of the most memorable fights, the most spectacular rivalries, the moves and mastery from last year that fans will want to remember forever. The set also includes bonus fights, Blu-ray™ with 25 extra battles and DVD with 10. Both formats contain special features that include a tribute to UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes and a breakdown of fast-rising contenders to watch. UFC®: Best of 2010 will be available on Blu-ray™ for an SRP of $29.99 and DVD for an SRP of $19.98.



UFC®: Best of 2010 features the most electrifying fights of the year, including:



Lesnar vs. Carwin

Rampage vs. Evans

Leben vs. Akiyama

Silva vs. Sonnen


And many more!



The year was historic and here are the hottest confrontations and most shocking upsets, the ones that spurred fans into a frenzy all year long! This is the year that some of the greatest UFC® superstars took on their most spectacular battles. This is the action that separated the champions from the contenders, this is the best, this is unforgettable - this is the UFC®: Best of 2010!

I Spit On Your Grave (1978) - Blu-ray Disc Review

***SYNOPSIS***

UNCUT. UNCENSORED. AND STILL UNPRECEDENTED.

Some condemned it as 'vile', 'depraved' and 'degenerate entertainment'. Others acclaimed it as 'disturbing', 'misunderstood', and 'the ultimate feminist movie'. Now more than 30 years later, re-experience one of the most hated, debated and controversial movies of all time: Camille Keaton stars as Jennifer Hills, an attractive city woman who rents a backwoods cabin to begin writing her first novel. She is soon attacked by a group of local lowlifes - including one who is mentally disabled - and dragged screaming into a nightmare of rape, sodomy and violence. Left for dead, she devises a horrific plan for revenge. These men will be cut, chopped, broken and burned beyond recognition...but no jury in America would ever convict her. You may be shocked, outraged or even disgusted. Yet you will never forget the raw impact of the original I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE.



***VIDEO QUALITY***
I Spit On Your Grave arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer in the aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Anchor Bay really surprises with a solid transfer for such a grimy cult film. Colors were decently saturated with some lush greens of the forest really standing out. Fine detail was fairly good when looking close at clothing textures and the cabin that Jennifer stays in but other shots were soft. There is a layer of grain that is visible throughout that helps to boost the gritty feel of the film. For a movie made on a shoestring budget this is a great presentation. 7.5/10



***AUDIO QUALITY***
Audio is provided by a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track. This is an adequate if underwhelming track. Basically front heavy with some instances of environmental sound effects panning across the front channels. Dialogue was a little muffled in some scenes but for the most part was very clean. Surround usage was basically nil besides the rare atmospheric effect. There was no LFE to speak of really. There is only so much that can be done with original source from such a low budget horror film. 6/10



***SPECIAL FEATURES***

* Audio Commentary - Writer/Director Meir Zarchi loves to think that his film was brilliant and he boasts his feelings on that matter several times. When he isn't though he does provide listeners with a wealth of information from the start of the production on.
* Audio Commentary - This is the same excellent track from the Millennium Edition DVD featuring Author/Historian Joe Bob Briggs. This is without a doubt on of the best audio commentaries ever and worth the price of the Blu-ray alone. He is very insightful and voices his opinion of the film.
* The Values of Vengeance: Meir Zarchi Remembers I Spit on Your Grave (29min, SD) - This is a newly recorder interview and it is strange that is not presented in HD. Meir Zarchi is always a fun entertaining listen but a lot of the subjects that he touches upon on the commentary are discussed here. Still worth a watch.
* Alternate Main Titles (16sec, HD).
* Trailers (SD) - Includes trailers for the following: Day of the Woman (2min41sec), Day of the Woman -Spanish (3min23sec), I Spit On Your Grave #1 (2min55sec), and I Spit on Your Grave #2 (2min58sec)
* TV Spots (SD) - The following TV spots are included : Day of the Woman (37sec), I Spit on Your Grave #1 (30sec), and I Spit on Your Grave #2 (30sec)
* Radio Spots (HD) - The following Radio Spots are included: Day of the Woman #1 (31sec), Day of the Woman #2 (29sec), and Day of the Woman #3 (29sec)
* Poster & Still Gallery (HD)

Law Abiding Citizen - Blu-ray Disc Review

***SYNOPSIS*** - Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is an upstanding family man whose wife and daughter are brutally murdered during a home invasion. When the killers are caught, Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), a hotshot young Philadelphia prosecutor, is assigned to the case. Over his objections, Nick is forced by his boss to offer one of the suspects a light sentence in exchange for testifying against his accomplice. Fast forward ten years. The man who got away with murder is found dead and Clyde Shelton admits his guilt. Then he issues a warning to Nick: Either fix the flawed justice system, or key players in the trial will die. Soon Shelton follows through on his threats, orchestrating from his jail cell a string of spectacularly diabolical assassinations that can be neither predicted nor prevented. Only Nick can stop the killing and finds himself in a desperate race against time facing a deadly adversary who seems always to be one step ahead.


***VIDEO QUALITY*** - "Law Abiding Citizen" comes to Blu-ray in full 1080p utilizing the AVC MPEG-4 codec in the original 2.40:1 aspect ratio.Details are very good especially when it comes to close-ups.Blacks are rock solid throughout.Due to the the visual tone that was selected for the film the color palette is subdued but does highlight some occasionally bold primary colors.Fleshtones were always natural.I noticed no artificial enhancement with this transfer and no flaws to account for.A solid performer, this title earns a 9/10.


***AUDIO QUALITY*** - "Law Abiding Citizen" features a well done, robust Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track.The best part of this track it's sense of space and ambient effects. Ambiance in particular was exceptional and goes to great lengths to immerse you as the listener into several environments without overwhelming your senses. Bass was tight and strong throughout with multiple explosions and scenes of machine gun fire coming at you from around the soundstage and are complemented with a powerful thud from the LFE channel.As is the norm dialogue was crisp and clean, never overwhelmed by the action on screen.This was an excellent presentation and earns a well deserved 9.5/10


***SPECIAL FEATURES*** -

**Disc One**:

* UNRATED "Director’s Cut" of the film (HD,118min)
* Audio Commentary Featuring Producers Lucas Foster & Alan Siegel
* "The Justice of Law Abiding Citizen" (HD,6min)
* "Law in Black and White:Behind the Scenes" (HD,15min)
* "Preliminary Arguments:Visual Effects of Law Abiding Citizen" (HD,7min)
* "The Verdict:Winning Trailer Mash-Up" (HD,1min5sec)
* Theatrical Trailer (HD,2min26sec)

**Disc Two** -

* Theatrical R-Rated Version of the film (HD,108min)
* Audio Commentary Featuring Producers Lucas Foster & Alan Siegel