More information about Optimum's Cronos disc is now available (the disc is in shops today!)

The initial press release sold the disc short: it features a commentary track by director Guillermo Del Toro; an hour-long video interview with Del Toro; an eight minute video interview with the film's cinematographer; a five-minute Making of... featurette; and stills, sketches and storyboard galleries.

It doesn't contain all the bonus features from the R1 edition (principally a second commentary, in Spanish, with the film's producers), but it certainly trumps the old UK Tartan edition in every way. The video interviews aren't on the R1 version, so that's a strong case for getting the new UK edition. You can see some menu screens from the disc here.

Anchor Bay will release Robert S. Fiveson's science-fiction thriller Parts: The Clonus Horror on March the 13th.

The film is widely regarded as a source of inspiration for Michael Bay's recent high-profile flop The Island (indeed, Bay's film is now the subject of a lawsuit claiming copyright infringement!)

The film will be presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen format, with a choice of Dolby Digital 2.0 or 5.1, or DTS 5.1 audio tracks. The film will be accompanied by a director's commentary track. Other bonus features include a stills gallery and a trailer. RRP for the disc is £16.99.

More details about Tartan's DVD of the science fiction brain-bender Primer are now available. The film will have two commentary tracks: one by writer / director Shane Carruth; and another by Carruth, and key members of his cast and crew (several people doubled-up behind and in front of the camera). The disc also contains a trailer, and trailers for three other Tartan movies.

The film is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen format, with Dolby Digital 2.0 audio (at 192kbps), and English HoH subtitles.

I can also give you details about the first volume of Anchor Bay's eagerly-anticipated Masters of Horror series of discs. The first set contains two hour-long episodes of the recent TV series: Cigarette Burns, directed by John Carpenter, and Stuart Gordon's Dream In The Witch House.

Both films are presented in 1.73:1 format, with a choice of Dolby Digital 2.0, 5.1 or DTS 5.1 audio tracks. The episodes have optional English subtitles.

The Cigarette Burns disc features two commentary tracks: one by writers Drew McWeeny and Scott Swan, and another by Carpenter. There's also an interview with Carpenter (Celluloid Apocalypse, 18m); Working With a Master: John Carpenter (19m); On Set: [An Interview with] Norman Reedus (7m); From Script To Screen - Cigarette Burns (37m); Behind The Scenes: [The Making of] Cigarette Burns (4m); Visual Effects (2m); Out-takes (2m); a Stills Gallery; Biography of Carpenter; trailers; DVD-ROM - screenplay and screensavers.

The Dream In The Witch House features an audio commentary (by writer / director Gordon, actor Ezra Godden and DVD producer Perry Martin); Dreams, Darkness and Damnation: An Interview With Stuart Gordon (21m); Working With A Master: Stuart Gordon (24m); On Set: An Interview With Chelah Horsdal (7m); From Script To Screen - Dreams In The Witch House (43m); Behind The Scenes: [The Making of] Dreams In The Witch House (7m); SFX: Meet Brown Jenkin (5m); Bloopers (1m); Visual Effects (2m); a Stills Gallery; Biography of Gordon; trailers; DVD-ROM - screenplay, screensavers and Dream Story.

I was cynically suspicious when I heard about Anchor Bay's plans to split the Masters of Horror series over several volumes, rather than collect them together as a box set, but I have to admit that Anchor Bay have pulled out all the stops to add substantial bonus material to each episode. No doubt a box set will be forthcoming eventually, but in the meantime it looks like no-one will be disappointed with these two-disc sets.

The first Masters of Horror disc will be released on March the 13th.

Last week's Zeta Minor News can be viewed here.

Previous Zeta Minor News entries can viewed here.