Update on New "Nightmare" DVDs

What's this? It's something new!...

Walt Disney Home Entertainment has released information regarding the upcoming DVD release of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. The film will be available as a two-disc standard DVD and a single-disc Blu-ray version.

The extras include:

• A Special Introduction by Tim Burton
• What's This? Jack's Haunted Mansion Holiday Tour: Viewers choose the way they want to tour Disneyland's Holiday Haunted Mansion. "On Track" explores a tricked-out version of the Haunted Mansion, while "Off Track" reveals what went into creating all the creepy fun.
• Tim Burton's Original poem narrated by Christopher Lee: Tim Burton's poem that inspired the creation of the movie comes to creepy life as performed by legendary actor Christopher Lee.
• Film Commentary: Commentary by producer and writer Tim Burton, director Henry Selick and composer Danny Elfman.
• Introduction To Frankenweenie!: A new un-cut version introduction by Tim Burton.
• The Making of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Go behind the scenes of the very first full-length stop motion animated movie with the filmmakers.
• The Worlds of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Witness the creation of the film's richly imagined dreamscapes, including Halloween Town, Christmas Town and the Real World.
• Deleted Scenes
• Storyboard to Film Comparison
• Original Theatrical Trailers and Posters
• Tim Burton's Complete Short Film Vincent.

No significant featurettes seem to be missing from this release, set for August 26th, 2008, with the exception of the audio commentary track which featured Henry Selick and director of photography Pete Kozachik. That extra was on the earlier DVD release.

All of these features will be available on both the two-disc standard DVD and the Blu-ray version, with the exception of the special introduction by Tim Burton to the film, which is Blu-ray exclusive.

For tech buffs, the specs include 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video (1.66:1), English Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Surround and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround audio (both 48kHz/24-bit), and English, French and Spanish subtitles.

That immensely expensive DVD collector's pack that was mentioned in the original TBC News article will be comprised of the two-disc standard DVD version and an individually numbered and hand-painted bust of Jack Skellington. Equipped with his Sandy Claws hat and beard, the collectible Jack figurine will have a sound chip built into it, which plays quotes from the movie.

Also, in a first for Disney, both the normal DVD and Blu-ray versions will come with a digital copy of the movie -- called a "Disneyfile" -- which will be compatible with both iTunes and Windows Media Player.

Interesting that the DVD will include an introduction to Frankenweenie. This is probably just a video introduction to the original live-action short film by Burton from 1984. But might it also hint at a preview of Burton's upcoming stop-motion, feature-length version of the movie?... Well, I guess we shouldn't get too greedy...

No cover art yet, but we'll keep you posted!

New "Nightmare Before Christmas" DVDs?!

According to videobusiness.com, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will launch its first embedded digital copy within the standard DVD and Blu-Ray releases of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Collector's Edition on August 26th, 2008.

Special features on this upcoming release include commentary by producer/creator Tim Burton, director Henry Selick, and composer/lyricist and the singing voice of Jack Skellington, Danny Elfman. The original poem written by Burton will also be read by Burton collaborator and horror movie legend Christopher Lee. There will also be a video tour of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion ride, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the stop-motion cult classic, and Burton's original short film from 1982, Vincent, narrated by Burton's idol, Vincent Price, and many other bonus materials.

The Blu-Ray edition will also feature an exclusive introduction by Tim Burton.

This new release of Nightmare will be available as a two-disc standard DVD ($32.99), a single-disc Blu-Ray version ($39.99), and a limited edition Ultimate Collector's standard DVD set ($179.99), states the website.

We hope that this exciting news is indeed true, and that more information will come along in the near future.

Updates on New "Beetlejuice" DVDs

Warner Bros. has now stated the final bonus features on the upcoming Beetlejuice: 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition DVD, as well as the cover art for the standard DVD and Blu-Ray versions.

In addition to three episodes from the Beetlejuice animated series, the DVD will include the theatrical trailer for Beetlejuice, the theatrical trailer for Pee-wee's Big Adventure, and a music-only audio track focusing on the score by Danny Elfman (like the previous DVD release 10 years ago). It will also be presented in a special lenticular cover.

Both the regular Region 1 DVD and Blu-Ray versions will be available on September 16th, 2008.

You can see larger versions of the cover art here.

New "Beetlejuice" DVD This September

The official poster for Beetlejuice.
No cover art for the new DVD release is available yet.

Is a new special edition DVD of Tim Burton's classic Beetlejuice coming out this September?! Yes and no. This won't be the Beetlejuice 20th anniversary DVD release of your dreams, with behind-the-scenes featurettes galore and an audio commentary track or two, from the looks of it.

Instead, this upcoming DVD, Warner Bros. has stated, will feature the 1988 macabre comedy in a newly restored and clear presentation. Also, it will include three episodes from the animated series based on the film, which was produced by Burton and David Geffen:

-"A-Ha" from Season One
-"Skeletons in the Closet" from Season Two
-"Spooky Boo-tique" from Season Two

The animated series.

The so-called "Beetlejuice (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)" will be released on standard DVD (for roughly $20) and high-definition Blu-Ray DVD ($35) in North America on September 16th, 2008.The Blu-Ray version will also include a sample CD of select tracks from the movie's score by Danny Elfman.

This upcoming DVD release is skimping on the extras for the most part. No confirmation on whether or not it will include the music-only audio track that the original, more primitive DVD release of Beetlejuice from 1998 featured (but most likely, there will not be).

Beetlejuice, released in 1988, was the second feature-length film directed by Burton. It stars Michael Keaton (Batman) in one of his craziest performances, as well as Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, and Robert Goulet in a brief cameo. Other Burton collaborators in the film include Catherine O'hara and Glenn Shadix (who were both in The Nightmare Before Christmas), Winona Ryder (Edward Scissorhands), and Jeffrey Jones (Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow), among others.

"Music from the Films of Tim Burton" CD

Filmscoremonthly.com has posted information about a new re-recording by Silva Screen Records...



The article says the following:

"'Music from the Films of Tim Burton'

Tim Burton’s career as a director has provided some of the most original and distinctive films in cinema history.

His long working relationship with the musical genius of Danny Elfman is the main subject of this collection of the very best music from his films.

With a collaboration lasting over 25 years, Danny Elfman’s quirky music has more than matched the strange screen worlds of Tim Burton.

Highlights include Breakfast Machine from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Main Title/Ice Dance from Edward Scissorhands, Mars Attacks! and Beetlejuice.

Also includes selections from Burton’s most recent film Sweeney Todd, composed by Stephen Sondheim."

The tracklisting is as follows:

1. Main Titles – Sweeney Todd
2. No Place Like London – Sweeney Todd
3. A Little Priest – Sweeney Todd
4. Johanna – Sweeney Todd
5. Christmas Eve Montage – The Nightmare Before Christmas
6. The Piano Duet/Victor’s Piano Solo – Corpse Bride
7. End Titles – Sleepy Hollow
8. Themes - Batman
9. End Titles – Batman Returns
10. Main Title/Ice Dance – Edward Scissorhands
11. Finale – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
12. Beetlejuice - Beetlejuice
13. Breakfast Machine – Pee-wee’s Big Adventure
14. Main Title – Ed Wood
15. Mars Attacks! – Mars Attacks


This CD is not composed of the same versions of the music by Danny Elfman, Howard Shore (Ed Wood), and Stephen Sondheim, that we're familiar with. Instead, these are new recordings of those pieces, played by the City of Prague Philharmonic.

The CD will be available in the UK on June 16th, 2008, and in the US on July 7th, 2008.


Catalogue No. SILCD1261
Format: CD
Barcode: 73857 2126124
Label: SILVA SCREEN
Street Date: 16/06/2008

Special "Sweeney Todd" DVD Packages and Bonuses

IGN.com has provided some information and pictures regarding some special DVD releases of Sweeney Todd:


Best Buy: Viewers get a free movie ticket to The Ruins with the purchase of Sweeney Todd.

Suncoast & FYE: Shoppers can purchase Sweeney's limited-edition steel book packaging. (It's pretty metal, both figuratively and literally.)

Costco: Exclusively at Costco, the Sweeney Todd Fleet Street Giftset includes the 2-Disc Special Edition DVD and the lavish, hardcover official companion book, written by Mark Salisbury. With a forward by Tim Burton, the book includes over 200 photos, concept drawings and production designs, extracts from the screenplay and interviews with the cast including Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.

Borders: Packed with every DVD is the abridged version of the official Sweeney Todd Companion book featuring behind the scenes shots from the film and more.


The DVD of Burton's latest film and its various promotional offerings and packages are now available in North America.

"Sweeney Todd" DVD Information and Pictures!

Official information for the three Region 1 DVD (including HD DVD) versions of Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street has been released! It will be available on April 1st, 2008, states Paramount Home Entertainment. The following information about DVD details and special features is categorized by the three DVD versions:


Single-Disc:

• Featurette: Burton + Depp + Carter = Todd

Two-Disc Special Edition:

• Featurettes:
  • Burton + Depp + Carter = Todd
  • Sweeney Todd is Alive: The Real History of the Demon Barber
  • Musical Mayhem: Sondheim's Sweeney Todd
  • Sweeney's London
  • The Making of Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
  • Grand Guignol: A Theatrical Tradition
  • Designs for a Demon Barber
  • A Bloody Business
  • The Razor's Refrain
• Sweeney Todd Press Conference, November 2007
• Moviefone Unscripted with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp
• Theatrical Trailer
• Photo Gallery

HD DVD 2-Disc Special Edition:

• 1080P Widescreen
• English Dolby True HD 5.1 Surround
• English, French and Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Surround
• English, French and Spanish subtitles
• Featurettes:
  • Burton + Depp + Carter = Todd
  • Sweeney Todd is Alive: The Real History of the Demon Barber
  • Musical Mayhem: Sondheim's Sweeney Todd
  • Sweeney's London
  • The Making of Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
  • Grand Guignol: A Theatrical Tradition
  • Designs for a Demon Barber
  • A Bloody Business
  • The Razor's Refrain
• Sweeney Todd Press Conference, November 2007
• Moviefone Unscripted with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp
• Theatrical Trailer
• Photo Gallery

The following images have been provided by IGN.com. Click on the pictures for larger versions. As of yet, there are no images of the HD DVD version's box. This edition will likely be one of the last HD DVD movies released, as the format recently lost the war against Blu-ray:


The Single-Disc Version:

Two-Disc Special Edition:

Tim Burton's Home

Tim Burton recently mentioned the curious fact that his parents, for some reason or another, walled-up the windows in the little suburban house he lived in during his childhood in Burbank, California.

"I had two windows that looked out to the lawn. For some reason my parents walled them up and gave me this little slit window that I had to climb up on my desk to see out of. To this day I never asked them why," said the filmmaker in the Australian newspaper The Age.

Helena Bonham Carter offered information on the home she shares with her partner (and possibly her future husband, as Burton revealed recently), and with their two children: four-year-old Billy Ray Burton and their one-month-old daughter, whose name has yet to be officially released (though rumors online state it's Indiana Rose Burton). The pair have two separate, ajoining houses in North London.

"His side is messier and decorated with props from the films. My side is cutesy, Beatrix Potter, which is fine for him to visit but there's no way he could live in it. He thinks his side is James Bond," said Helena.

Billy's bedroom is in Tim's house.

Helena said: "I have the kitchen and a fire so we'll watch TV in my place.

"There is no normality in life. Having two houses means that we can get out of each other's hair - which, let's face it, we've both got a lot of!"

Pictures of Burton at AFI Directors Screening in L.A.

Pictures of Tim Burton at last Friday's AFI Directors Screening have been posted, courtesy of Joshua J. Smelser. After a screening of Sweeney Todd, Burton took questions from the audience. A surprise guest introduced the director: Martin Landau, an actor who won an Academy Award for his performance as horror legend Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood and also had a small role in Sleepy Hollow.

Martin Landau and film critic Claudia Puig of USA Today.

More pictures can be viewed here.

AFI Director Screening with Tim Burton

Tonight (Friday, January 4th, 2008, at 8pm) in Los Angeles, AFI (the American Film Institute) will present a screening of Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The screening of the film will be shown at the Cinerama Dome, and will be followed by a question and answer session with the director. Film critic Claudia Puig of USA Today will moderate.

Click here and here for more information about this exciting event!

Attend the Tale of Sweeney Todd...

In case you haven't already noticed, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street opens today in U.S. cinemas!



If you're not in the U.S., here are the current release dates for other countries:

Country	Date
Canada	21 December 2007
USA	21 December 2007
Japan	25 December 2007	(Yurakucho) (premiere)
Japan	7 January 2008	(Kudanminami) (premiere)
UK	10 January 2008	(London) (premiere)
Argentina	17 January 2008
Japan	19 January 2008
France	23 January 2008
Australia	24 January 2008
Hungary	24 January 2008
Netherlands	24 January 2008
Iceland	25 January 2008
New Zealand	25 January 2008
Turkey	25 January 2008
UK	25 January 2008
Hong Kong	31 January 2008
Lebanon	31 January 2008
Portugal	31 January 2008
Denmark	1 February 2008
Singapore	7 February 2008
Brazil	8 February 2008
Egypt	13 February 2008
Estonia	15 February 2008
Spain	15 February 2008
Germany	21 February 2008
Switzerland	21 February 2008	(German speaking region)
Italy	22 February 2008
Norway	22 February 2008
Sweden	22 February 2008
Belgium	27 February 2008
Finland	29 February 2008

2nd "Sweeney Todd" Trailer and Album Art for Soundtrack!

A second trailer for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is now available to see online (you need Quicktime to view it). Also, the cover artwork for the soundtrack to the musical film has been released. The soundtrack will be available to buy in the United States on December 18th, 2007.

New "Sweeney Todd" Wide Release Date: December 21st!

DreamWorks and Paramount have decided to give Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd a wide release in the United States for Christmas. The original wide release date was January 11th, 2008, assuming that the film didn't have the potential to be a commercial success. But some studio executives saw some clips of the upcoming movie, and realized the film has much broader appeal than they assumed before (despite it being a violent musical). Variety wrote, "The hope is that "Sweeney" will be the sort of signature role for Depp that Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise was." However, the article stated that, "at the same time, DreamWorks and Paramount aren't likely to go out with "Sweeney." The studios aren't planning on releasing the film in more than 1,500 theaters in the United States on opening weekend.

"Sweeney Todd" to be Rated "R" in USA

EW.com has confirmed that Sweeney Todd will be given the MPAA rating of "R" in the USA. The article goes on to mention Tim Burton's impression on making the film, which he said was one of his most challenging yet. ''To do an R-rated musical with 70 percent singing was kinda like, 'Well, I haven't done that one before.' It's exciting to keep surprising yourself and see what happens," the director says.

Helena Bonham Carter also went on to describe working on the film, saying how training for the demaning Sondheim songs was more like getting ready for a "sport." Also, the actress did extensive hours of baking in preparation for the movie musical. ''I had to do accelerated lessons at pie making,'' she says. ''Not only that, but then you had to do it to syncopated Sondheim rhythm and sing at the same time. I had to become very coordinated.'' Bonham Carter, however, was very enthusiastic about the look of her creepy character. ''The look is fantastic,'' the actress says. ''I'd wear this makeup anyway. But it might start a whole craze.'' Let's just hope her recipes don't catch on."

The film is due for a limited US release on December 21st, 2007, just in time for Christmas. It may not sound like a jolly holiday film, but Burton joked, ''Red is a color at Christmas." Although he wouldn't be averse to it being billed as a Valentine's Day film, either. ''For me, it sort of sums up relationships,'' says Burton. ''Although people might be horrified by that.''

Read on for more details!

"Vincent" in 3D and "Sweeney Todd" Release Dates Announced!

The Hollywood Reporter (http://www.movieweb.com/news/53/18853.php) has some good news for Burton fans: Not only is The Nightmare Before Christmas going to return to theaters in 3D this fall, but Tim Burton's 1982 stop-motion short film, Vincent, will also be released with it, also in 3D!

For anyone who wants to mark their calendars, some release dates for Tim Burton's next feature film, Sweeney Todd, have been released. ComingSoon.net (http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=16053) has said that Sweeney Todd is set for limited release (most likely Los Angeles and New York City) just in time for Christmas, on December 21st, 2007. However, anyone living in the US but not in that area might need to wait until January 11th, 2008 for the wide release of the Sondheim musical's big-screen debut. IMDb.com (http://imdb.com/title/tt0408236/releaseinfo) has listed release dates for other countries (however, it is not officially determined if all of these are accurate or not):

Italy	5 September 2007	(Venice Film Festival)
USA	21 December 2007	(limited)
Norway	11 January 2008
USA	11 January 2008
Australia	24 January 2008
Netherlands	24 January 2008
UK	25 January 2008