23rd July 2007

DVD NEWS

Verve Pictures will release Straw Dogs-style revenge thriller Straightheads (known as Closure in the US) on DVD on September the 24th.

The film stars Gillian Anderson and Danny Dyer as a recently-acquainted couple who are attacked in the woods after attending a party. The movie's not terribly good. Danny Dyer is as irritating as always, but Gillian Anderson fans should definitely check it out, because she's excellent in it (and naked!)

The film is presented in anamorphic 1.85:1 format, with Dolby Digital 2.0 audio (at 192kbps), optional English subtitles and an audio described track.

The disc comes stacked with bonus features, including a very entertaining commentary featuring director Dan Reed, Gillian Anderson, and Danny Dyer. Other bonus features include deleted scenes (29m, with optional commentary); behind-the-scenes footage (7m); cast interviews (22m); and a theatrical trailer.

RRP is £15.99. A couple of etailers have it up for pre-order for £9.99 - check out the disc's Incoming record.

Amazon.co.uk has the film's trailer. Menu screens from the disc can be found here.

Momentum will release The Messengers, a new film from the Pang Brothers, directors of cult favourite The Eye, on DVD on August the 13th.

The film, described as "a tense and terrifying blend of American horror and Asian extreme cinema", features Panic Room's Kirsten Stewart, Dylan McDermott, Tombstone's John Corbett and The Relic's Penelope Ann Miller.

The disc will have Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. No further technical details were announced.

The disc will feature a forty-minute Making of... featurette; half an hour of webisodes; and a trailer. The UK disc seems to lack the Region 1 version's commentary track. RRP for the UK edition is £15.99. A couple of etailers are offering it for a pre-order price of £9.99 - check out the Incoming link.

Second Sight have announced a box set containing two visually stunning films from director Ron Fricke: Baraka and Chronos.

Bonus features on the discs are:

Baraka - Making of...; crew interviews and behind-the-scenes featurette

Chronos - director, composer, production manager commentary and
behind-the-scenes feature

The RRP is £29.99. The release is due on September the 24th.

Paramount have waited until now to announce their Blades of Glory DVD, which is released on August the 6th. Full details have been added to the disc's Incoming entry.

BLU-RAY NEWS

Tartan have amended their Blu-ray release schedule.

They'll release Paul Verhoeven's highly-acclaimed WWII movie Black Book on August the 27th. Oldboy and The Seventh Seal have been delayed, and will now be released on September the 24th.

The UK Blades of Glory Blu-ray release has been added to the Incoming database, here.

EVENT NEWS

A signing at Forbidden Planet, Shaftesbury Avenue, London for Doctor Who book fans...

Authors Paul Magrs, Mark Michaelowski and Mark Morris will be signing copies of their new series novels Sick Building, Wetworld and Forever Autumn, on September the 8th, between 4 and 5pm.

Copies of the books will be on special offer, for £5.99 each (RRP £6.99).

Enquiries: 020 7420 3666. To mail-order signed copies: 020 7803 1900.

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

Previous Zeta Minor News entries can viewed here.