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.

"Sweeney Todd" Region 2 DVD Now Available

The Region 2 DVD of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is now available in the UK. The following special features are on the two-disc set:

- Behind the scenes featuring: Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter

- Musical Mayhem: Sondheim's Sweeney Todd (featurette)

- Sweeney Todd is Alive: The Real History of the Demon Barber (featurette)

- Sweeney's London (featurette)

- Recreating Fleet Street (featurette)

- Grand Guignol: A Theatrical Tradition (featurette)

- Sketchbook (a look at the creation of sketches of the story)


It should be noted that there is no Tim Burton audio commentary track, despite rumors suggesting that there might have been.

"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

Batmobile on eBay

Image from T3.com

The Batmobile from Tim Burton's 1989 film Batman is on eBay.com for $500,000. At 20 feet long and 8 feet wide, it's the authentic vehicle, even if it is a bit impractical (you have to enter through the roof, and it's not exactly eco-friendly).

Here's the description from the seller:

"Na na na na na na na na na na BATMAN. That is what your neighbors will say when you pull into the driveway. How many people do you know that have a Ferrari, a Mercedes, a Lamborghini, or a Corvette? My guess would be there is at least one of these in your neighborhood. Now how many Batmobiles are in your neighborhood. None, because there were a total of 5 of these cars made."