Batman 89/Batman Returns Blu Ray Release - Mar 10th 2009

[Paul (ral)]

From Warner Bros:
The Batman Anthology Now Available for the First Time on Blu-ray on 3/10!

Batman (1989) - Jack Nicholson is The Joker, who emerged from a horrible accident as a maniacal criminal. Michael Keaton is the Caped Crusader, who emerged from a childhood trauma to become a masked crimefighter. Kim Basinger is Vicki Vale, the talented photojournalist desired by both men. And Batman is the movie, the all-out spectacular directed by Tim Burton, set to songs by Prince and a music score by Danny Elfman, and an Academy Award(R) winner* for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration (Anton Furst and Peter Young).

Batman Returns (1992) - Gotham City faces two monstrous criminal menaces: The Penguin (Danny DeVito), bizarre and sinister, and Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer), slinky and mysterious. Can Batman (Michael Keaton) battle two formidable foes at once? Especially when one wants to be mayor and the other is romantically attracted to Bruce Wayne? Like the groundbreaking 1989 original, Batman Returns is directed by the wizardly Tim Burton. And like the first blockbuster, it's a dazzling adventure that leaves you breathless.

Batman Forever (1995) - Riddle me this, riddle me that, you'll find adventure on the wings of a bat! Brace for excitement as Val Kilmer (Batman), Tommy Lee Jones (Two-Face), Jim Carrey (The Riddler), Nicole Kidman (Dr. Chase Meridian) and Chris O'Donnell (Robin) star in the third formidable film in Warner Bros.' Batman series. Joel Schumacher directs and Tim Burton co-produces this thrill-ride of a movie that thunders along on Batmobile, Batwing, Batboat, Batsub and bold heroics. Hang on!

Batman & Robin (1997) - George Clooney plays the Dark Knight, facing his deadliest threat yet: cold-hearted Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and venomous Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman). Batman has more than Gotham City to protect: the youthful eagerness of crimefighting comrades Robin (Chris O'Donnell) and Batgirl (Alicia Silverstone) puts them frequently in harm's way. New special effects include a wild sky-surfing sequence and Mr. Freeze's outrageous arsenal of ice-blasting weapons. Joel Schumacher directs.

-The first four films that launched the Batman legacy and successful franchise are now available for the first time on Blu-ray!

-Batman is one of the Top 10 most successful franchises in motion picture history.

-The first four films grossed over $1 Billion at the box office Worldwide (over $450M Domestically) and have sold over 50M Gross Units to date!

-The Anthology includes a Digital Copy of Batman (The Movie) - download a full-length copy of the film to your iPod or PC.

- These films are available on Blu-ray as a Collection Only for $129.95 SRP.

-Over 18 hours of special features including documentaries from Directors Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher, deleted scenes and music videos!

-These four movies will also be available on DVD as Singles ($12.97 SRP) and 2-Disc Special Editions ($26.99 SRP) on 2/10 and as a Collection ($79.92 SRP) on 3/10.

[Paul (ral)]

Although, Raleagh DID get this info before DB too, it seems. Hmmm.

I got it from DVD Review

Maybe the 20th anniversary edition (if it's even going to happen) will be as part of the same hoopla?

My thought's too, but I am starting to doubt a 20th release.

[DocLathropBrown]

My thought's too, but I am starting to doubt a 20th release.

Same here, unfortunately.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. To WB, it's the past franchise moneymaker. Focus extra money on TDK, the franchise's current heavyweight. B89 is the outdated masterpiece, and by all accounts, it's hated now.

A 20th anniversary edition would be swell, but I doubt it's on WB's mind or high on their priority list if it is. They already put enough money into the special editions 4 years ago (Has it really been that long??), they probably don't care enough to put more money into more features for just ONE of the films.

But as a byproduct of this, the Blu-ray features better be in 1080p, dammit! I don't want the same material in 480p when they could easily go back for an HD source on most of them. The new James Bond Blu-rays do this. They recreated the featurettes in HD from the original footage (Even the vintage trailers), going so far as to crop the non-HD footage in the featurettes inside of an HD border, so the featurette is still in 1080p, but the non-HD part of the footage is still presented in higher quality.

WB is notorious for their Blu-ray features being in 480, and that, along with their movies auto-starting, is a major turn-off for me. Is it that hard to boot up to a menu, for God's sake?

[Paul (ral)]

But as a byproduct of this, the Blu-ray features better be in 1080p, dammit! I don't want the same material in 480p when they could easily go back for an HD source on most of them.

As far as I can tell (I don't have a HD TV) they are standard def 

WB is notorious for their Blu-ray features being in 480, and that, along with their movies auto-starting, is a major turn-off for me. Is it that hard to boot up to a menu, for God's sake?

I hate the auto start thing - it is just like their first DVD releases. They may be superfluous but damn it if I don't love having a cool menu on loop!

[Batman]

My thought's too, but I am starting to doubt a 20th release.

Same here, unfortunately.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. To WB, it's the past franchise moneymaker. Focus extra money on TDK, the franchise's current heavyweight. B89 is the outdated masterpiece, and by all accounts, it's hated now.

Huh?

You guys seem to forget what WB did with Blade Runner. They re-released the Director's Cut within half a year before the Final Cut. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't want to miss out on a 20th Anniversary Edition.

[Pantallica78]

Well guys, I finally got my Batman 1989 blu-ray in the mail today and watched it in full 1080p glory. I will say that while it is certainly not the clearest, crispest blu-ray out there, it certainly shows the film in a whole different light, and I for one have fallen in love with it all over again. The scenes that really counted looked marvelous. I can only imagine Batman Returns (which I have on the way) looking even superior in its transfer.

[thecolorsblend]

How'd it sound?

[Pantallica78]

The Sound is presented in either Dolby TrueHD 5.1 of Dolby Digital 5.1. Since I don't have a receiver capable of transmitting Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD, the Dolby Digital 5.1 was very nice. However, one thing the standard DVD has over the blu-ray is the inclusion of a DTS 5.1. DTS kicks the ass Dolby Digital. But it's a much better picture (and Jack Nicholson's reveal as the Joker is very unsettling in 1080p)!

[Paul (ral)]

Jack Nicholson's reveal as the Joker is very unsettling in 1080p

Man, I need a HD telly - like now!!

[Grissom]

Can't wait to own Burton's batfilms in glorious HD!