Sony announced the release of Prom Night on Blu-ray Disc, scheduled for release on August 19th, day and date with DVD and UMD. This is the 2008 version of the film.

This release will feature Dolby True HD Lossless Audio, Deleted Scenes, Alternate Ending, Gag Reel, four featurettes and a Commentary with Director Nelson McCormick, Brittany Snow and Johnathon Schaech. Taking advantage of advanced Blu-ray features, the disc will also boast a Bonus View Picture-in-Picture Storyboard Track and BD-Live content.

Great to see Sony going all out on this release.

Retail has been set at $38.96, frugal shoppers will find it at Amazon for only $26.95.

Looks like Warner has been busy in Germany, adding a number of new titles including a couple of steel book releases.

First up though I wanted to mention the release of Anamorph - Die Kunst zu töten from Koch Media on July 11th, 2008. This title features Willem Dafoe, Scott Speedman and Peter Stormare and is a psychological thriller based on the concept of anamorphosis, a painting technique that manipulates the laws of perspective to create two competing images on a single canvas. Sounds kind of interesting.

Back to Warner - coming up in steel book editions, we see 10.000 BC from Warner Home Video on July 7th, 2008 and Keinohrhasen on August 22nd, 2008. There will also be a version of Keinohrhasen with 2 Blu-ray Discs and a DVD on August 22nd.

Other Warner releases coming to Germany include Zodiac on August 22nd, 2008 (a Paramount title in the USA), The Perfect Storm and The Wild Bunch are also on August 22nd, Fool’s Gold on August 29th, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest on August 20th, 2008.

Germans have quite a wait for Juno, which will be released by Twentieth Century Fox Home on December 31st, 2008.

Others with a weakness for ’80s movies will be happy to see that The Lost Boys has been freshly listed for pre-order by Warner Home Video, scheduled for a July 29th, 2008 release. According to DVD Times this title will have Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio, deleted scenes, director commentary and a number of featurettes.

The retail price is $28.99, you can get it at Amazon for only $19.95.

Warner Home Video also has the sequel Lost Boys: The Tribe coming to Blu-ray on July 29th, 2008. Retail has been set at $35.99, frugal buyers will find it at Amazon for only $24.95.

Amazon has listed a new Dirty Dancing Collectors Edition, apparently to be released by Lions Gate on August 12th, 2008. This title was already released just over a year ago, so it is not out of the question that a new version could be coming. The retail price is $19.98, you can pre-order it at Amazon for $13.95.

Platinum Disc has announced some pairings of their movies for release on July 29th, 2008. Firstly Salvage & Mortuary is set at $28.98 retail, pre-order at Amazon for $25.50. Artie Lange’s Beer League & The Big White will also be at Amazon for $25.50.

The girls just keep on going wild - Girls Gone Wild: The Perfect Pair will be released by Mantra Films on August 12th, 2008. The retail price will be $24.95, pre-order at Amazon for $16.95.

Beetlejuice has been freshly listed by Warner Home Video, scheduled for a September 16th, 2008 release.

Well, actually it was listed a while ago, except it was listed as a DVD and as such the auto tracking for Amazon releases on the home page did not display it! In any case, it seems to be a great year for Tim Burton classics, with The Nightmare Before Christmas coming in August also.

The disc will feature Dolby TrueHD audio and will be packaged in a special lenticular sleeve. Extras include a music only track, theatrical trailer and three Beetlejuice cartoons from the TV series.

Retail is set at $34.99, pre-order at Amazon for only $23.95.

A lot of new releases showed up for Blu-ray Disc today.

One that we have all been waiting for, Batman Begins, will be released July 8th, 2008. This title will feature TrueHD lossess audio and a Bonus View Picture in Picture feature. There is a Limited Edition Gift Set with retail at $49.99, $34.95 at Amazon, or the standard edition with retail at $28.99, at Amazon for $19.95. The Limited Edition features a Batman Begins motion art lenticular, a 32-page Dark Knight booklet with script pages, exclusive photos and storyboards, five collectible Batman Begins postcards, an exclusive DC Comic Book Adaptation to the upcoming sequel The Dark Knight, plus $7.50 in Movie Cash towards buying a Dark Knight ticket.

Miramax / Disney is releasing the Martin Scorcesse film Gangs of New York on July 1st, 2008. This film featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis will retail for $34.99, and can be pre-ordered for only $23.95 at Amazon.

Back to Warner, they are releasing the BBC Television series Robin Hood: Season One on July 29, 2008. Retail will be $99.98 for this four disc box set. Amazon have it for pre-order at $69.95. I hope that this means we will get a US release of Torchwood soon also!

Lionsgate has also announced a new Television release for Blu-ray Disc. The AMC original series Mad Men - Season One is scheduled for a July 1st release with retail at only $49.99. This three disc set is at Amazon for $34.95.

Lionsgate also has some movie titles coming. A remake of the Hong Kong cult hit Jian Gui, The Eye is due June 3rd, 2008. This title featuring Jessica Alba will retail at $39.99 ($27.95 at Amazon). If you like to Git ‘er Done, Larry the Cable Guy will be in Witless Protection on June 10th for $39.99 ($27.95 at Amazon). Lastly the surfing documentary Step Into Liquid due for release on June 24th priced at $29.99 ($19.95 at Amazon).

We close the list of new releases with a Blue Man Group title coming from Rhino / Wea. How to Be a Megastar Live scheduled for May 20th carries the budget price of $19.98, of course even cheaper at Amazon, only $13.95.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment have been busy with catalogue releases in the UK. On June 02, 2008 the studio will release the Denzel Washington title The Bone Collector [1999], followed by Barry Sonnenfeld’s ‘Smith and Jones’ title Men In Black [1997] and Mike Meyers in So I Married An Axe Murderer [1993] on June 16th. I expect that Men in Black will get a US release, sincerely hope that Axe Murderer does and highly doubt that we will see Bone Collector on Blu-ray in the USA any time soon since it is a Universal Studios property here.

For UK types, Sony will also bring Rambo [2008] on June 23rd, along with The Water Horse - Legend Of The Deep [2007] on June 30th, 2008

From other studios, on July 07, 2008 Warner will release The Bucket List [2008] and expect music titles Korn - Live At Montreux 2004 on June 30th, and Andrea Bocelli - Vivere - Live In Tuscany [2007] on April 14th, 2008.

MGM is bringing The Princess Bride to Blu-ray. This wonderful Rob Reiner title staring Cary Elwes and Mandy Patinkin is certainly a favorite for many. Amazon is listing a retail price of $38.69 while their price is $27.95. Oddly enough they are accepting pre-orders without specifying a release date - I am not sure that I have seen them do that before. And remember, never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!

Sony has announced The Professionals for Blu-ray release June 10th, 2008. This classic western starring Burt Lancaster and Lee Marvin will include two featurettes about the film and a Burt Lancaster profile. The retail $28.95, get it at Amazon for $19.95

There were a large number of titles added for pre-order today covering a variety of franchises.

From Lionsgate the Rambo franchise sees the latest edition Rambo released, as well as the second and third installments. Rambo is listed on Amazon for 30% off at $27.95, and features a digital copy which contains a standard-definition iTunes Digital Copy of the movie, enabling viewers to watch it on portable devices. It also features a Bonus View picture-in-picture video commentary with Stallone. Rambo - First Blood Part II and Rambo III have the very nice price of $13.95. There is also the Rambo 1-3 Boxset of the first three movies for $34.95. All are scheduled for release May 27th, 2008.

Also made available today is the Dirty Harry Boxset from Warner. The Dirty Harry (Ultimate Collector’s Edition) is listed for $90.95 at Amazon and features Dirty Harry, Magnum Force, The Enforcer, Sudden Impact and The Dead Pool, along with a bonus disc with the documentary: “Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows”. The box also features a 40-page hardcover book, a wallet with metal badge and removable laminated I.D. card, five 5”x 7” Reproduction Lobby Poster Cards plus an exclusive UCE card, Scorpio Portrait of a Killer Poster-Sized (19” x 27”) map of San Francisco detailing Harry’s hunt for the killer and Never-Before-Seen Production Correspondence. This is a ‘must have’ item for me!

Warner has a couple more items in the ‘direct to hi-def’ category. The animated release Batman - Gotham Knight is set for release July 8, 2008, and is available for pre-order for $23.95. Also the feature film Otis, which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, will hit Blu-ray June 10th, 2008 - apparently skipping a theatrical release. This title is available at the typical catalogue price level of $19.95.