Into the Blu

You know when you are getting old when you saw a movie celebrating its 45th anniversary during its original theatrical run. Such is the case with The Sound of Music which is the first movie I can really recall seeing as a kid with my parents. I was wowed by the scope and color of the film as a kid but have been disappointed with all of the previous home video releases of this classic. Thankfully, the first Blu-ray release of this film can only be described as spectacular, both visually and sonically. All I can say is that it is about time! Continue Reading

A large blockbuster of its time, much like Transformers is today, The Towering Inferno was released to theaters in December of 1974.  The award winning disaster film married large stars of the era and a well-known producer, Irwin Allen.  Disaster movies were becoming very popular in this time-period, especially after Irwin Allen’s own Poseidon Adventure came out in 1972.  The Towering Inferno went on to win Oscars for cinematography, editing, and Best Song in 1974, deservedly so.  And now…it lives on forever on the Blu-ray format! Continue Reading

Few stories are as profound as that of the diary that Anne Frank kept when she was 13 and 14 years old.  Anne was a Jewish girl hiding in the loft of a building with her family, trying to escape the persecution of the Nazis.  If you have been living in a cave for…well…forever, then let me just inform you that this is a true story that went on during World War II in Amsterdam, Holland.  It defines survival, family, fear and patience.  Continue Reading

I really hadn’t recognized the historical significance of the film, The Robe, prior to its release on Blu-ray. Oh, I knew it was an important film alright, but generally thought of it as the film that appeared all chopped up and panned and scanned on TV each December as Christmas approached. Continue Reading

High School Musical originally aired as a television film by Disney. Upon its release it was the most successful television film for Disney, and its popularity has since only risen. High School Musical has been dubbed as a modern day Romeo and Juliet, as the story centers around the blossoming love of two high school students in rival cliques. I think any self respecting Shakespeare fan would find that comment laughable. Comparing a literary classic to this is amusing, a tale of two lovers bound apart by feuding families and two high school students who can’t date because one is cool and the other isn’t. Laugh out loud. Alright, I’ve never seen the movie, and I’m not about to write it off just yet. Disney doesn’t't often disappoint, and I happen to like musicals, a lot. I’m just going to have to rewind my mindset about 10 years and watch it from a pre teens point of view, who knows I might just be surprised. Continue Reading

Young or old, and anywhere in-between Sleeping Beauty is commonly regarded as a childhood classic, a comfort film if you will. Like many other Disney films we remember the vintage animation, the songs, and the often compelling storylines. When Disney announced it would begin releasing its vaulted classics on Blu-ray fans met the news with an outmost enthusiasm and anticipation. For the first time ever classic films including Sleeping Beauty would be available in hi definition, with high expectations of crisp animation and solidified audio Disney had better dress to impress. So how does the Sleeping Beauty clean up after nearly fifty years of entertaining several generations of Disney fans? Continue Reading