All right, we’ve got a quick early update for you today.
First, in the event you missed it, we posted a new History, Legacy & Showmanship column from our own Michael Coate yesterday, featuring a look back at the original theatrical release of Superman: The Movie. Yesterday marked the film’s 35th Anniversary. The piece features a good interview component too, so do check it out if you haven’t read it yet.
Also today, after noting the passing of the legendary actor Peter O’Toole yesterday, this morning we must acknowledge the death of Tom Laughlin as well, star of the Billy Jack films. He was 82. You can read more on this here at the L.A. Times. Sadly, actress Joan Fontaine also died this past weekend at the age of 96. Fontaine was known for roles in such films as Jane Eyre, Ivanhoe, The Constant Nymph and Letter from an Unknown Woman, in addition to starring turns in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca and Suspicion (for which she was best known). More here at the New York Times. Both will surely be missed. [Read on here…]
Finally this morning, a quick bit of unofficial street date news: A number of our retail sources are telling us that Warner Home Video will likely release Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity on Blu-ray 3D Combo, Blu-ray Combo and DVD on 2/25. Given Warner’s recent trend towards retail exclusives with both Pacific Rim and Man of Steel, you can almost certainly (and unfortunately) expect that the bonus features will be split over different retailers. There will likely be exclusive retail packaging as well. We’ll have to watch for official announcements to be sure, but of course the studio’s official press releases seldom acknowledge retail exclusive SKUs. If you guys hate this practice as much as we do (and based on your e-mails over the last few months, we know you do), we suggest you take every opportunity to let the studio know about it in any way you can – Facebook, Twitter, etc. Meanwhile, the title is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com here and here.
Back with more later. Stay tuned...
- Bill Hunt