Today I have two sets of release dates and disc details for two films that happen to share two things in common: they both were released this past summer, and both of them failed to make much of a dent in the box office. At all. Certainly not enough to reward its heavy price tag in TOTAL RECALL‘s case.
But perhaps they’ll find a wider audience on Blu-ray/DVD release, especially with SAVAGES receiving an Unrated Edition. The footage being added back in may not fix the character or story issues that people have complained about, but when we’re talking Oliver Stone it sure as hell will make the flick even more entertaining. And sometimes, every once in a long while, that’s all you really need. TOTAL RECALL is receiving an Extended Edition rather than an Unrated one, though I’m a bit wary about this fact as past experience has shown me that extra footage from Len Wisemen is like giving someone an extra large portion of cheap Chinese food at two o’clock in the afternoon. It may be colorful and there may be more of it, but an hour later your body will still forgot you ever ate anything at all.
“Acclaimed director Oliver Stone (Born on the Fourth of July, Platoon, Wall Street) plunges deep into the brutally violent world of Mexican drug cartels in the crime thriller Savages – based on Don Winslow’s audacious 2010 novel, Savages is an intense and graphic drama set against the harsh, swift justice of the illicit drug trade as a pair of peace-loving Southern Californians find themselves locked in an all-out war against a merciless drug lord… With a killer soundtrack and wall-to-wall action, Savages is an exhilarating and explosive spectacle.”
Blu-ray/DVD shared bonus features:
– Feature Commentary with Oliver Stone
– Feature Commentary with producers Moritz Borman, Eric Kopeloff, Co-Screenwriter/Novelist Don Winslow, Executive Producer/Co-Screenwriter Shane Salerno and Production Designer Tomás Voth
Blu-ray exclusive features:
– STONE COLD SAVAGES: A five-part profile of the film showcases the entire cast and crew as Oliver Stone pushes his loyal and talented company far past their limits in order to bring this story to life. From concept to completion, viewers get unprecedented access to a master storyteller’s creative process.
– Deleted Scenes
– UltraViolet, Digital Copy, pocketBLU, BD Live
Blu-ray specs:
– Running Time: 2 hours 11 minutes/2 hours, 22 minutes
– Layers: BD-50
– Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 2.40:1
– Rating: R for strong brutal and grisly violence, some graphic sexuality, nudity, drug use and language throughout
– English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1/DVS2 2.0 and Dolby Digital 2.0, Spanish and French DTS DigitalSurround 5.1
– Subtitles: English SDH, French and Spanish
DVD specs:
– Running Time: 2 hours 11 minutes/2 hours, 22 minutes
– Layers: DVD-9
– Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40:1
– Rating: R for strong brutal and grisly violence, some graphic sexuality, nudity, drug use and language throughout
– English Dolby Digital 5.1/ DVS2 2.0, Spanish and French Dolby 5.1
– Subtitles: English SDH, French and Spanish
“From Len Wiseman, director of the Underworld saga, and Neal H. Moritz, the producer of The Fast and the Furious series, comes the visionary, new action thriller TOTAL RECALL, available December 18th as a 3-Disc Blu-ray™/DVD Combo Pack, 2-Disc Blu-ray, and DVD, all with UltraViolet™ from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada. Colin Farrell (Horrible Bosses), Kate Beckinsale (Underworld series) and Jessica Biel (The A-Team) star in this action-packed thrill ride. The film co-stars three-time Emmy Award® winner Bryan Cranston (TV’s “Breaking Bad”) and Golden Globe® winner Bill Nighy (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1), and is based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, whose work inspired sci-fi classics such as Blade Runner and Minority Report.”
3 Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack features:
– Disc One is a Blu-ray that includes the theatrical feature film and an all-new Extended Director’s Cut, which includes 20 minutes of footage not shown in theaters, featuring new storylines and an alternate ending, as well as commentary by director Len Wiseman
– Also comes with “Total Recall Insight Mode,” allowing viewers to watch the film while engaging with scene-specific behind-the-scenes insights
– Disc Two is a Blu-ray with a gag reel and multiple featurettes
– “Science Fiction vs. Science Fact” provides a closer look at the futuristic moments in the film through the lens of a technology expert
– “Designing the Fall” gives a behind-the-scenes look at set production
– “Stepping into Recall,” diving into pre-visualization sequences of the intense fight and chase scenes
– Seven “Total Action” featurettes, breaking down key action sequences and stunts
– Also included on disc two is a playable game demo of God of War: Ascension, the newest installment of the multi-million selling God of War franchise from Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCE WWS) Santa Monica Studio, available only for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system. This demo is available exclusively to the TOTAL RECALL Blu-ray for a limited time (Dec. 18 through Jan. 8), prior to its March 12, 2013 release
– Disc Three is a DVD containing:
– The theatrical feature film
– Gag reel
– “Total Recall Insight Mode”
– “Science Fiction vs. Science Fact” and “Designing the Fall” featurettes also included on disc two of the Combo Pack.
2 Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack features:
– Comes with the special features included on Disc One and Disc Two of the Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack
DVD features:
– Comes with the special features included on Disc Three of the Combo Pack