Welcome... to Jurassic Park!

Hoping to bridge the gap between the two formats, Universal Studios Home Entertainment announced that it was going to start producing dual-format “flipper” discs; home video releases that will include Blu-ray video on one side of the disc, and standard definition DVD on the other side.

The use of digital copies is common practice with marquee Blu-ray releases, but this is the first genuine attempt to combine both formats on a single disc.

The studio major is promising to debut the new “flipper” disc with its release of the Bourne trilogy, set for release in January 27th in the US and March 30th in the UK.

“Universal’s flipper discs are the perfect way for consumers to future-proof their collections while still enjoying their favorite movies on all their existing DVD players,” said Craig Kornblau, President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

“The flipper disc offers an easy way for viewers to convert to Blu-ray now or at any time in the future, confident in the fact they will be able to experience their home entertainment purchases in the highest quality picture and sound when they do.”

With rumors and speculation abound that the film industry will enact severe measures within the next year to avert lagging DVD sales, future proofing owners might squeeze a little more life from the aging format before the inevitable transition to Blu-ray.

1. Drag Me to Hell coming this October Just in time for my fan-made sequel, Gently Guide Me to Purgatory!
2. Funny People Blu-ray detailed Join Adam Sandler for a Blu-ray full of Apatow angst.

Watch out, Sandler - there's a hideous mutant on your right arm!

Universal finally detailed and dated the two-disc Blu-ray set for Judd Apatow’s Funny People, due out in the US on November 24th – but not set for delivery to UK shores until January of next year.

Funny People, Apatow’s third directorial effort, was arguably his most divisive, but earned raves from critics for his daring inclusion of drama and buzz for Adam Sandler’s memorable performance.

Looking to appease some disappointed fans, Apatow is planning to include an unrated and uncut version of Funny People with the Blu-ray release.

The two disc set will sport a 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer, along with a Dolby DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless track. Usual Apatow inclusions, like gag reels, Line-O-Rama and audio commentary (with Sander and Seth Rogen) will all make the cut, but a second disc will include extended scenes, documentaries, production diaries and character-specific features as well.

Fans worried about an elongated cut bogging down the film, as was the case with the 40-Year-Old-Virgin, will be able to choose between theatrical and unrated cuts.

Whether or not either cut will be funny remains to be seen.

1. Drag Me to Hell coming this October Just in time for my fan-made sequel, Gently Guide Me to Purgatory!
2. Universal unveils Blu-ray/DVD ‘flipper’ discs Universal to include both formats on one disc, starting with the Bourn

Give me some sugar, baby.

Up until Spider-Man, Sam Raimi’s career was perhaps best defined by unlikely anti-hero Ash Williams and his exploits with the undead (or evil dead, if you will); none of his adventures more quotable and popular than Army of Darkness. And while HD-DVD owners got to bask in the glow of one-liners and misogyny early on, Blu-ray early adopters were left to the wayside.

Until now.

The oft-delayed Region 1 Blu-ray is finally here, albeit it with the kitschy, new tag of “Screwhead Edition”, and just in time Halloween.

However, fans hoping to pick up a copy before All Hallow’s Eve should brace for the fact that it’s nothing more than a gussied up version of the R1 DVD release (warts and all), with some questionable color corrections, and is still far inferior to the Region 3 MGM disc.

That said, it is Army of Darkness – in HD.

1. Drag Me to Hell Blu-ray Review Sam Raimi drags us back to his roots.
2. Coraline Blu-ray review Henry Selick throws down the gauntlet to pretenders of the throne.

Alison Lohman doing her best Bruce Campbell impression.

Sam Raimi’s comeback feature, and arguably the most audacious and fun film of the summer, Drag Me to Hell, was dated today by Universal. Fans of the flick can rejoice as the studio confirmed a 2-disc set due on October 13th in the US, just in time for Halloween.

The disc will also feature the unrated director’s cut – which has the same, identical running time as the theatrical cut. Meaning that it’s likely just punched up sequences that were scaled back for the MPAA.

The downside to the release is that it is relatively barebones. There will be no commentary, documentaries or featurettes outside the production video diaries. Running just shy of thirty minutes, and entailing effects production and the like, the video diaries are pretty lackluster for supplemental material.

The Blu-ray release will, however, support BD Live and D-BOX motion. And for those corporate shills, it will also include the Universal Ticker, which will inundate your HDTV with corporate promotions. (Can anyone smell a double dip?)

The film will be presented in 2.4:1 1080p and will serve up a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, regardless of which cut you prefer.

UK fans are not out of luck, where Lionsgate is the distributor, and will be able to snag their copy on October 26th. So regardless of what side of the pond you live on, there will be enough Lamia to tide everyone over until Halloween.

1. The Hangover Blu-ray gets a street date Warner Bros. asks fans to sober up this December.
2. Funny People Blu-ray detailed Join Adam Sandler for a Blu-ray full of Apatow angst.
3. Universal unveils Blu-ray/DVD ‘flipper’ discs Universal to include both formats on one disc, starting with the Bourn
4. Star Trek warps home November Set your Blu-ray players to stun!
5. Gone with the Wind 70th Anniversary Blu-ray Warner Bros. specs a Blu-ray that will make you give a damn.

Inside the case is a door to another world! ... or a Blu-ray.

If you ask anyone that shops at Hot Topic or those whose knowledge of Disney characters stems from Kingdom Hearts, you get the mistaken actuality that Tim Burton was the genius behind The Nightmare Before Christmas.

And while Burton directed (and wrote and produced) the woefully mediocre Corpse Bride to refute those who said otherwise, anyone with a shred of credibility knows that Henry Selick was the actual artist that brought Burton’s “rough idea” (all three pages worth) to life.

So as if to end the debate once and for all, Henry Selick steps up with Coraline – a wonderful, haunting fairy tale that decisively states (without a shadow of a doubt) that he is indeed the king of stop-motion animation.

No one else need apply.

Not that Coraline is perfect, but it’s easily the best stop-motion feature since Selick’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. And a welcome treat in a day and age where children’s films are often served totally sanitized and devoid of artistry.

Coraline, frightening at times and intense at others, is anything but.

So many extras that they ran out of space for bulletpoints.

1. An American Werewolf in London Blu-ray Review Is John Landis' horror/comedy classic anything to howl about?
2. Army of Darkness Blu-ray Review Does the much hyped 'Screwhead Edition' live up to its billing?
3. Big Trouble in Little China Blu-ray Review Does the '80s cult classic still shake the pillars of heaven on Blu-ra
4. Saving Private Ryan Blu-ray Review After the total farce of being recalled due to a sloppy audio transfer
5. (500) Days of Summer Blu-ray Review The indie rom-com of the year isn't actually a romance.