Home Media Magazine - August 19-25, 2007 - (Page 12)

HIGH-DEF BRIEFS I LG CUTS PLAYER PRICE In anticipation of a $1,049 dualformat HD DVD/Blu-ray player from Samsung this fall, LG Electronics reportedly will reduce the price of its BH 100 dual-format player by $200 to $999. The Samsung BDP-UO5000 is slated to support separate format interactive features BD-Java and HDi, according to High-Def Digest. – Erik Gruenwedel www.homemediamagazine.com Sony: Blu-ray Sales Soar Overseas By Chris Tribbey lthough piracy is rampant in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, Blu-ray Disc sales are on the rise there and in Eastern Europe, South Africa and the Middle East, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) reported Aug. 13. Since the format’s retail launch in those areas in April, Blu-ray sales accounted for 10% of Sony’s business there, and the studio reported a 21% increase in Blu-ray orders in June. “It is extremely positive to see an increase in volume of BD software sales in these markets where piracy has previously ravaged the DVD business,” said SPHE International SVP T. Paul Miller. ‘Galactica’ Launches on HD DVD By John Latchem niversal Studios Home Entertainment will release the first season of the new “Battlestar Galactica” TV series on HD DVD Dec. 4. Orders are due Oct. 30. The show depicts a fleet of spacefaring humans searching for Earth. The $99.98 six-disc set includes the original 2003 miniseries and the 13 episodes from the 2005 debut season, with episode commentaries, deleted scenes and all the featurettes from the DVD version. Exclusive to the Battlestar Galactica: Season One HD DVD set will be “Encyclopedia Galactica,” an interactive guide to the series’ spaceships, characters, locations and tactics. Also included is a picture-inpicture behind-the-scenes look at the miniseries. The fourth and final season of “Battlestar Galactica” is slated to debut on Sci Fi Channel early next year. First up, however, is the special “Galactica” TV movie Razor, which hits DVD Dec. 4 (see story, page 16). A U Sony is the only studio providing Blu-ray software in stores in many of those areas, the company added. Topselling titles include Casino Royale, Black Hawk Down, Ghost Rider and Open Season. “This news underscores not only the demand for premium content in these markets, but also the need for a home entertainment format with an impenetrable content protection system like Blu-ray’s,” said SPHE International EVP Matt Brown. I AMAZON HAS HD DVD DEAL Amazon.com is offering two additional HD DVD movies to the five free titles consumers get when purchasing Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Elite video game console and Xbox 360 HD DVD player add-on. The $599.99 high-def bundle promotion includes Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s King Kong and Warner Home Video’s 300, in addition to five HD DVD titles from a selection of 15. – Erik Gruenwedel Landscapes In High-Def By Angelique Flores DEnvironments.com is keeping its sights on highdefinition disc. The company is rolling out a collection of videos featuring high-definition footage of nature shot around the world. The Living Landscapes Collection is available on HD DVD ($149.95) and features nine discs: Fall in New England, Bali, Olympic Rainforest, Sacred I LARGEST PLASMA TV OUT The world’s largest flat-screen HD plasma TV is available exclusively at Ken Crane’s stores in California. The 103-inch Panasonic plasma weighs 485 pounds and has nearly 4,500 square inches of display area on a 1080p HD screen. It retails for $70,000, plus delivery and installation. Panasonic uses a specialized lift to remove the TV from its packaging. – Kyra Kudick H and will continue to street every other month thereafter. The content was specifically shot and Canyons of the American Southwest, Pa- produced in high-def and intended for cific Coast, Hawaii, Rocky HDTV picture frames, said Mountains, California RedMichael Heumann, executive woods and Costa Rica. producer of the series. The The titles also are being refootage covers such scenes as leased individually, starting volcanic coasts, waterfalls and Sept. 9 with Hawaii, Rocky rainforests, with 12-track auMountains, California Redwoods and dio of the footage and music. Costa Rica on HD DVD ($24.95 each) All the titles in the “Living Landand Blu-ray Disc ($34.95 each). scapes” collection also are available on The next batch will arrive in October DVD at $19.95 each. TOP 10 HIGH-DEF SELLERS TOP 10 HIGH-DEF SELLERS H I G H-D E F S E LLE R S Week ended August 12, 2007 TITLE FORMAT LABEL INDEX H I G H-D E F S E LLE R S Aggregate by Title Week ended August 12, 2007 TITLE FORMAT LABEL INDEX Immortal Beloved H I G H-D E F CO M I N G U P STREETING THIS WEEK Immortal Beloved Sony Pictures Van Wilder: Unrated Lionsgate Perfect Stranger Sony Pictures The Lives of Others Sony Pictures PREBOOKING Blu-ray Street Date: 8/21 Blu-ray Street Date: 8/21 Blu-ray Street Date: 8/21 Blu-ray Street Date: 8/21 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 300 300 Disturbia TMNT Hot Fuzz Disturbia TMNT The Bourne Identity Planet Earth: The Complete … Shooter Blu-ray HD DVD/DVD Blu-ray Blu-ray HD DVD/DVD HD DVD HD DVD HD DVD Blu-ray Blu-ray Warner Warner Para./DreamWorks Warner Universal Para./DreamWorks Warner Universal BBC Video Paramount 100.00 40.51 18.47 16.07 9.19 9.05 7.52 7.13 6.60 6.11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 300 Disturbia TMNT Planet Earth: The Complete … Shooter Hot Fuzz The Bourne Identity Casino Royale Blue Planet The Departed BD & HD DVD/DVD Blu-ray & HD DVD BD & HD DVD/DVD BD & HD DVD BD & HD DVD HD DVD/DVD HD DVD Blu-ray Blu-ray & HD DVD BD & HD DVD/DVD Warner 100.00 Para./DreamWorks 19.59 Warner 16.79 BBC Video 8.19 Paramount 7.73 Universal 6.54 Universal 5.08 Sony Pictures 3.49 Warner 3.28 Warner 3.24 Source: Nielsen VideoScan First Alert data Source: Nielsen VideoScan First Alert data TOP 5 HIGH-DEF B LU-R AY D I S C Week ended August 12, 2007 LABEL INDEX TOP 5 HIGH-DEF H D DVD Week ended August 12, 2007 LABEL INDEX The Invisible Blu-ray Disney/Hollywood Pre: 8/21, Street: 10/16 Black Book Blu-ray Sony Pictures Pre: 8/21, Street: 9/25 Tekkonkinkreet Blu-ray Sony Pictures Pre: 8/21, Street: 9/25 Meet the Robinsons Blu-ray Disney Pre: 8/28, Street: 10/23 TITLE TITLE 1 2 3 4 5 300 Disturbia TMNT Planet Earth: The Complete Series Shooter Warner 100.00 Paramount/DreamWorks 18.47 Warner 16.07 BBC Video 6.60 Paramount 6.11 Source: Nielsen VideoScan First Alert data 1 2 3 4 5 300 Hot Fuzz Disturbia TMNT The Bourne Identity Warner 100.00 Universal 22.70 Paramount/DreamWorks 22.34 Warner 18.56 Universal 17.61 Source: Nielsen VideoScan First Alert data 12 Home Media Magazine August 19–25, 2007 http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://Amazon.com http://HDEnvironments.com http://HDEnvironments.com

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Contents News News/Box Office News TV DVD Q4 Preview Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced

Home Media Magazine - August 19-25, 2007

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