Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment Unveils HD DVD Launch Titles

[TNGTony]

January 04, 2006 03:01 AM US Eastern Timezone

Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment Unveils HD DVD Launch Titles; Action, Special Effects and Star-Power Showcased with Titles Ranging from ''The Italian Job'' to ''Mission Impossible 3''

2006 International CES

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 4, 2006--Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment announced today a diverse line-up of "Paramount High Definition" titles for release on the HD DVD format in 2006.


"We are excited to support the launch of HD DVD with ten titles from Paramount's storied library," said Thomas Lesinski, President, Paramount Pictures, Worldwide Home Entertainment. "As the appetite for high definition entertainment grows, Paramount will leverage its depth of content to help satisfy consumer demand around the world."

The titles scheduled for launch include recent hits such as "Four Brothers" and "Sahara," sci-fi thrillers "Aeon Flux" and "Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow," action-adventures "The Italian Job" and "Tomb Raider," the renowned music documentary "U2: Rattle and Hum" and Tim Burton's "Sleepy Hollow." Rounding out the debut slate are "We Were Soldiers" and "Manchurian Candidate" starring Academy Award(R) winners Mel Gibson and Denzel Washington, respectively.

The 2006 line-up continues with the debut of a "Mission Impossible" trilogy for HD DVD which includes the new "Mission Impossible 3," "Mission Impossible" and "Mission Impossible 2," scheduled for later in the year. Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment plans to support the HD DVD format with an extensive slate of titles throughout the year and beyond.

About HD DVD

HD DVD will provide consumers with stunning picture and sound quality, taking full advantage of high-definition televisions and home theater systems. The entertainment experience extends well beyond today's DVDs, allowing new and innovative ways to view movies and access bonus content.

HD DVD discs are based on the same physical disc structure as current DVDs which enables manufacture of highly reliable hardware and discs at a reasonable cost. The format is supported by cutting-edge blue laser technology. It uses newly developed data processing techniques and takes advantage of advanced video compression standards.

The HD DVD Promotions Group was created to help bring HD DVD products and content into the marketplace and share its promotional activity among members to encourage the broad acceptance of the platform on a worldwide basis. Its 120-member list includes Toshiba Corporation, Microsoft, Intel, HP, Sanyo, NEC, Memory-Tech, Warner Home Video, Paramount Home Entertainment and Universal Pictures. For more information please visit http://www.hddvdprg.com/press.

About Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment

Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment is part of Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom Inc., and is responsible for the worldwide sales, marketing, and distribution of home entertainment for Viacom including: Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and CBS. Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment is part of the entertainment operations of the new Viacom Inc., which also owns MTV Networks (MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Comedy Central, CMT: Country Music Television, Spike TV, TV Land and many other networks around the world), BET, Paramount Pictures and Famous Music.

 

[Ilya]

Paramount doesn't want to take sides in the format war. They play it safe: both hands at once!

 

[Purogamer]

Which means twice the losses. I understood the need to buy DVD's over tapes, but trying to convince anyone but the most hardcore HD fanatic that they need to re-buy movies they have on DVD already is going to be a hard sell, very hard...

Only new movies shot in HD benefit from the technology anyways. A Blu-ray or HD-DVD of "The Money Pit" isn't really going to look any better, it'll just have more commentary and extras...

 

[jonesbruce91361]

Parmount HD

Hi everybody!
I'm new (if middle age qualifies) and this is my first message. Thanks to everyone for a great site!

Actually, if memory serves, The Money Pit was not shot in HD, it was shot in 35mm as mosty Hollywood films, other than those from George Lucas, et al still are. What you might have been referring to is an HD transfer, which does make a significant difference in viewabiity.

Hate to say it, but I'm probably going to me one of those fanatics who actually DOES replace old DVDs with new HD DVDs, though I which to heck they'd settle on a format. Maybe the answer is to simply buy one of the new players that supports both formats, crazy as this sounds.

Whatever the case, I'm more and more convinced it's HD DVD that is going to be the major push that brings the lion's share of HD to both cable and satellite. Most people buy DVDs for movies and TV shows, and that's Hollywood controlled. Having worked there, I can tell you they tend toward the conservative side. But my hopes are very high for 2006!

Nice to meet ya all!

Bruce Jones

 

[Sean Mota]

Bruce welcome to the board. I am with Bruce. I am also going to buy HD DVDs. I do have a collection of DVDs but hardly watch them anymore. I can see blue-ray with a great future in HD archiving. It is unknown who is going to a top but at least in my opinion both formats could find a niche in the market.

 

[dfergie]

How many of you have the same copy of a Movie on Vhs?... there are a lot of people who buy the superbit dvds when they come out...."Double dipping"

 

[EvilEuro]

I actually stopped buying dvds the past year because I didn't want to keep replacing the dvd's I already own. I think my lone exception were the last Harry Potter movie (POA) and the next one when it is released. Until then, I'm either renting them or not watching stuff til it hits HBO or Showtime HD as I wait for a) the prices on players to come down and b) to see which format has the most movies that *I* want on them.