Space:1999 comes to Blu Ray

Don your flares, set your ray guns to stun and prepare to take off on a High Definition journey on the Eagle transporter with the Blu-ray debut of Space 1999 - The Complete First Series.

The cult Gerry Anderson live action series telling the adventures of Moonbase Alpha will be available to own as a 7-disc set on 1st November 2010.

This is the first time that the series is available in High Definition anywhere (a new DVD release has also been announced) and this set comes packed with several special features - although, not, sadly any of John M. Burns superb strips published in the 1970s comic Look-In.

September 13th, 1999... A nuclear waste dump on the moon unexpectedly detonates, blasting the moon out of orbit and taking the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha on a fantastic (although, we have to say, scientifically ludicrous) voyage of discovery to the stars, fraught with danger at every turn. Martin Landau, Barbara Bain and Barry Morse star in this memorable fantasy series filmed at Pinewood Studios.

Gerry Anderson's third live action series, Space:1999 sprang from plans for a second season of UFO, which was unexpectedly not renewed despite strong ratings in the US. The first season is a gritty, if often downbeat saga, with critics bemoaning its at times pessimistic storylines when it first aired in the UK.

Like UFO, it suffered from a lack of a co-ordinated network airing across ITV (unlike Gerry Anderson's puppet series, such as Thunderbirds) and ran for just two seasons - the second revamped to bring in an alien shapeshifter, Maya, played by Hungarian actress Catherine Schell, who first guest starred on the show in another role in  Guardian of Piri.

Although not featured on this release, Space:1999 spawned comic strips on both sides of the Atlantic. Look-In (a title today owned by IPC, although it is no longer published) ran a two-page strip for 81 issues, amongst other strips based on popular tv series featured on ITV, alongside sport and pop articles. Written by Look-In's editor Angus Allan, artwork was largely provided by John M Burns and Mike Noble, with covers by Arnaldo Putzu. Mirroring the key date of the series itself, the first episode appeared in Issue 38, cover dated 13th September 1975 and ran for 20 issues.

The strips are regarded by fans as the best Space:1999 comic incarnation, which included a monthly comic published by Charlton Comics in the US featuring early art by John Byrne and in the Italian Farinas-Cardona comics (republished in Zack magazine in Germany).

Special features unique to this Blu-Ray release include digitally restored from new High Definition transfers; a restoration of Metamorph (which saw the debut of Maya) from season 2; Gerry Anderson commentary on Dragon's Domain, one of the scarier episodes of the first season; trailers for Alien Attack and Journey Through the Black Sun; SFX plates and deleted SFX scenes - with music track; a 'Concept and Creation' featurette starring Gerry Anderson, Christopher Penfold and Barry Morse, Christopher Penfold, Brian Johnson and Keith Wilson; and a Special effects and design featurette.

Also included is a "Clapperboard" two-part special on the work of Gerry Anderson from 1975 and "Guardian of Piri Remembered" in which Catherine Schell remembers her time working on the series one episode.

• SPACE 1999 - THE COMPLETE FIRST SERIES (PG) 
• Releasd by Network DVD
• Release Date: 1st November 2010
• RRP: £79.99
• Discs: 7
• Running Time:1200 minutes (approximately)
• Screen Ratio:1.33:1 colour. Dolby 5.1
• Catalogue No:7957007

Web Links


• Space: 1999 in Look-In - Overview
• Space: 1999 Look-In Stories Checklist
• Space: 1999 Comics Gallery
• Gerry Anderson Complete Comic History - Space:1999

Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Blu-Ray, DVD Details

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is coming to DVD and three-disc Blu-ray on November 30 2009 from Paramount Home Entertainment in the UK.

From director Michael Bay and executive producer Steven Spielberg, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen delivers non-stop action and fun, featuring out-of-this-world heroes in the form of the mighty Autobots and a malevolent and powerful villain known as The Fallen, the film boasts some of the most sensational – and complex – visual effects in film history.

In addition to audience favourites Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, the film’s human stars have returned to help save the world including Shia LaBeouf (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), Megan Fox (How to Lose Friends & Alienate People), Josh Duhamel (Las Vegas), Tyrese Gibson (Four Brothers) and John Turturro (The Good Shepherd).

The Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen three-disc Blu-ray and 2-disc Special Edition DVD both feature over three hours of in-depth, immersive special features that let viewers further explore the world of the legendary ‘robots in disguise’.

Among the engrossing content is a multi-chapter documentary, including interviews with the cast and crew, that chronicles the entire making of the film, from development and design to filming in locations around the globe, working with the U.S. military, creating the groundbreaking visual effects and putting it all together to produce one of the biggest films of the year.

The discs also include an all-access featurette following renowned director Michael Bay through an entire day, a comprehensive exploration of the ‘confidential files’ on a dozen of the Transformers characters featured in the film, multi-angle breakdowns of some of the most sensational action sequences and much, much more.

The three-disc Blu-ray and 2-disc Special Edition DVD packages will also feature augmented reality technology that will allow people to interact with a holographic image of Optimus Prime by using a webcam and a special website.

As an added bonus, the Blu-ray will include an exclusive interactive feature that gives viewers the ability to customise their own robot characters and get a glimpse at a rogue robot. Out of all the available permutations, one will unlock an exclusive interview with Michael Bay about his plans for the next adventure.

• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is available to buy on DVD & 3-disc Blu-ray with Digital Copy on 30th November 30 2009 from Paramount Home Entertainment: Buy it from Amazon.co.uk

TECHNICAL DETAILS – SINGLE DISC DVD



Title: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Release date: November 30 2009

Discs: 1 Disc Set

RRP: £19.99

Cert: 12A

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Running time: TBC

Special features

• Commentary by Michael Bay, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman

• Buy Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen from amazon.co.uk

TECHNICAL DETAILS – 2 DISC SPECIAL EDITION DVD



Title: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Release date: November 30 2009

Discs: 2 Disc Set

RRP: £24.99

Cert: 12A

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Running time: TBC

Special features

Disc 1: Commentary by Michael Bay, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman

Disc 2:

The Human Factor: Exacting Revenge of the Fallen

• Seeds of Vengeance - Development and Design

• Domestic Destruction – Production: United States

• Joint Operations – Production: Military

• Wonders of the World – Production: Middle East

• Start Making Sense - Editing

• Under the Gun – Visual Effects

• Running the Gauntlet – Post-Production and Release

• A Day with Bay: Tokyo

• 25 Years of TRANSFORMERS

• NEST: Transformer Data-Hub

• Deconstructing Visual ‘Bayhem’ with Commentary by Pre-Vis Supervisor Steve Yamamoto

• Extended Scenes

• Music Video: Linkin Park’s “New Divide”

• Buy Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen from amazon.co.uk

TECHNICAL DETAILS – 3-DISC BLU-RAY WITH DIGITAL COPY


Title: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Release date: November 30 2009

Discs: 3 Disc Set

RRP £29.99

Cert: 12A

Picture: 1080p High Definition

Sound: TBC

Running time: TBC

Special features

Disc 1:

• Commentary by Michael Bay, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman

Disc 2:

• The Human Factor: Exacting Revenge of the Fallen:

• Seeds of Vengeance – Development and Design

• Domestic Destruction – Production: United States

• Joint Operations – Production: Military

• Wonders of the World – Production: Middle East

• Start Making Sense – Editing

• Under the Gun – Visual Effects

• Running the Gauntlet – Post-Production and Release

• A Day with Bay: Tokyo

• 25 Years of TRANSFORMERS

• NEST: Transformer Data-Hub

• Deconstructing Visual ‘Bayhem’ with Commentary by Pre-Vis Supervisor Steve Yamamoto

• Extended Scenes

• Music Video: Linkin Park’s “New Divide”

BLU-RAY EXCLUSIVE:


• The ALLSPARK Experiment: Viewers get their chance to unleash the power of the recently recovered ALLSPARK shard on Earth vehicles. Begin by selecting and customising a vehicle with a selection of parts and accessories. Then apply the ALLSPARK to this creation and watch what happens. Applying the ALLSPARK to certain custom combinations enables four new robot characters with special powers. If viewers discover all four, they unlock a fifth vehicle, which reveals a top secret message about the future of the TRANSFORMERS movie franchise

• NEST: Transformer Data-Hub: A database of some of the TRANSFORMERS characters that appear in the new film, offering users access to each robot’s confidential file including:

• Innovative 3D spin galleries of each robot

• A timeline for each TRANSFORMERS character charting its origins, back story and design evolution from toys to animated series to comics and finally feature films

• Giant Effing Movie: A very personal look at the making of the movie

• The Matrix of Marketing: An archive of the film’s promotional media including trailers, posters and television spots

• Buy Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen from amazon.co.uk

• Please note special features subject to change

Dave Gibbons to launch Watchmen 3D Graffiti Art Instillation

To celebrate the UK DVD & Blu-ray release of Watchmen, London’s Southbank will stage an art exhibition with a difference on Tuesday 28th July with the comic's artist Dave Gibbons and acclaimed graffiti artist Chu.

Chu will showcase his artistic talents, as he and Dave Gibbons work alongside each other giving fans a one-off Watchmen experience to remember.

London’s Southbank will be transformed into the Watchmen world as Chu unveils his Watchmen masterpiece, and brings to life a selection of cult scenes and characters from the film in his own unique 3D comic book style.

With a running commentary from Dave Gibbons as Chu re-creates key scenes from the film in 3D comic book style, this one-off event will be an amazing launch for the DVD and Blu-ray release.

• The event takes place at the Skate Park, below London’s Southbank Centre, London SE1 8XX between 2.00pm and 5.00pm on Tuesday 28th July 2009

• Watchmen is available to buy on DVD & Blu-ray with Digital Copy on 27th July 2009 from Paramount Home Entertainment

• Buy the Watchmen - 2 Disc Limited Edition DVD from amazon.co.uk

• Buy the Blu-Ray Watchmen (2 Disc + Digital Copy - Exclusive to the UK) Limited Edition from amazon.co.uk

Watchmen Gets DVD, Blu-Ray Date

Paramount Home Entertainment has announced that Watchmen will be available to purchase on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK on 27th July 2009.

Directed by Zack Snyder (300), Watchmen is a based on the 1986-1987 comic book limited series Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Listed in Time magazines "All-Time 100 Novels", the film adaptation stars Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Patrick Wilson.

• Watchmen will be available to buy on 1 Disc DVD, 2 Disc Limited Edition DVD & 2 Disc Blu-ray which also includes Digital Copy