This is a huge week for HD DVD releases of the blockbusters from earlier this year featuring discs that complete the collections of two popular series of movies, and a couple of discs that are also parts of their own interesting collections.

With only 5 of the 7 total movies completed, the Harry Potter films are already the most successful series in film history, even beating out the 21 James Bond movies. December 11 brings the latest of this series to HD DVD, and North America also gets the previous movies as well. You can purchase these films individually, or as a collector’s set which costs about as much as buying each one, but also happens to include some neat extras.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is also notable because of the “Live Community Screening” feature which allows friends to watch together from their own separate houses and send text messages to each other’s screens, similar to multiplayer video games.

Speaking of James Bond, the American spy sharing his initials has a new chapter in his saga due this week. Matt Damon stars in the The Bourne Ultimatum, the third of Robert Ludlum’s Bourne Identity books. It was one of the year’s biggest hits, and Amazon also happens to offer it as part of their Bourne Trilogy set. Sure you can buy all three of the movies anywhere, but if you’re planning on doing so, Amazon has made it a little more attractive by bundling them together at a discount.

I mentioned earlier that all of the HD DVD releases this week are volumes from a series. Anime title, Freedom 3, is the latest installment in the Freedom series. In this episode, Takeru’s dream of flying to Earth finally starts to come true. The Freedom series of HD DVD movies has been notable because they’re all made on the TWIN “combo” format where the HD DVD and DVD content is stored on different layers, which means you don’t have to flip the disc over to switch formats.

And that other disc that’s also an installment in a series? It’s Girls Gone Wild: Sexiest Moments Ever, Vol. 2 of course! I’m not sure what happened to Volume 1, but perhaps good sales numbers on Vol. 2 will encourage Mantra Films to satisfy everyone’s curiosity and put out a complete set on HD.

(all links, except Freedom 3 go to Amazon.com ordering pages

Harry Potter Years 1-5 Limited Edition Gift Set Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane Rated PG-13

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2006) Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Timothy Spall Directed by Mike Newell Rated PG-13

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint Directed by Alfonso Cuarón Rated PG

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint Directed by Chris Columbus Rated PG

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Richard Harris, Robbie Coltrane Directed by Chris Columbus Rated PG

The Bourne Trilogy (2007) Matt Damon

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) Matt Damon, Joan Allen, Alber Finney, Scott Glenn Directed by Paul Greengrass Rated PG-13

Girls Gone Wild: Sexiest Moments, Vol. 2 (2007) Unrated

Freedom 3 (2007) Daisuke Namikawa, Shotaro Morikubo, Kappei Yamaguchi, Takua Kirimoto Directed by Shuhei Morita Rating is equivalent to PG-13

I like to avoid “format war” material and prefer to talk more about how to maximize your current or potential enjoyment of HD DVD. But it’s not like you can avoid those topics forever, and they do spark a little bit of interest in some of the more involved enthusiasts.

Here are a few tid-bits from recent news around the web and real life, which qualify as “format war” material, and naturally, they’re mostly good news about HD DVD. If you want to hear bad things about HD DVD (including made-up stuff), then you’ll need to visit the websites that have the other format in their name… naturally. (more…)

UPDATE: Amazon is now copying Walmart and doing a 12 movie deal instead of 10. (Dec. 7) and the HD-A3 is $199, and HD-A30 is $259 (Dec. 7)

Merchants come out with lots of deals at this time of year. Stores tend to lump these promotions up for the weekends, while online retailers can unveil their deals at just about any time during the week.

Case in point is Walmart’s sales for this weekend where they’re offering two HD DVD deals starting 8am Friday, December 7. One is for 12 free HD DVDs with the purchase of an HD-A3 for $298, and the other is 10 free HD DVDs with the purchase of an HD-A2 for $198. Here’s how those numbers work:

• 5 free movies you mail in for
• Pick 5 movies at the store (each under $30)
• The HD-A3 comes with 300 and The Bourne Identity in the box

Quantities on these items are limited, so good luck.

As an online retailer, Amazon’s sale has already been going on, and they’ve also been throwing in a few extras now and then. First off is Amazon’s 10 movie deal on the HD-A3, HD-A30, and HD-A35. This is just like the deal at Walmart, except that you get to pick three movies from a selected list to end up with those 10.

Pricing on the HD-A3 has fluctuated at Amazon, but it’s always been cheaper than Walmart’s $298. By the way, Amazon.com has price protection programs so that if a price goes lower than what you paid, they’ll refund the difference so don’t worry too much about fluctuations. If you’re buying these as presents, then you need to get your orders in early for them to get delivered on time — and that may be more important than saving an extra $15 or $20.

Amazon has also been toying with the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on drive. Earlier in the week, it was $129 for a few hours, it went back to $179, and I saw it at $149 too. A more permanent price drop may be inevitable on this drive, and you might want to revisit Amazon from time to time to see what their current price is.

Finally, Amazon’s latest movie promotion is on a bunch of Warner action movies all for under $18. The movies are: Alexander Revisited – The Final Cut, Blood Diamond, Full Metal Jacket, The Last Samurai, Swordfish, and Unforgiven.

This posting will be updated as new information comes in, and you’re welcome to share in the comments about any interesting HD DVD deals that you happen to come across.

UPDATE: Walmart’s 10 and 12 movie deals are listed in the comments.

UPDATE: Amazon now offering the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on drive for $129. This is reportedly also available at Toys ‘R Us stores as well. — Hmmm.. It’s back to $179 (Dec. 5). Click-through any way, maybe it’ll go back to $129 or some other price.
Dec. 6: $149

Just a quick note to let you know that Amazon has brought back an HD DVD deal that originally surfaced around Black Friday. Buy an HD DVD player and get 10 free discs. You choose the player (HD-A3, HD-A30, HD-A35), and three movies at the time of purchase. Two movies come with the player (300 and The Bourne Identity) and five more are part the “5 free movies” deal that expires on March 31, 2008.
We’ll update this article with any other deals that come through this week, and you’re welcome to add your own found deals in the comments.

• 10 Movie deal at Amazon

In terms of disc releases, this week is like the quiet period before the big storm. Only three titles come out this week on HD DVD, but next Tuesday is packed with some big releases such as the entire Harry Potter collection, the final chapter in The Bourne Trilogy, and the third episode in the Freedom anime series.

So what do we get this week? Arctic Tale is about polar bears and walruses. Cute, cutesy, cutey cute baby and adult polar bears and walruses all over the place in this documentary narrated by Queen Latifah. It’s brought to you by the same team that worked on March of the Penguins.

For a slightly older crowd, the first season of the new Battlestar Galactica series makes its debut on HD. The set includes the miniseries that helped launch the TV show, and all the usual favorites such as picture-in-picture commentary, audio commentaries, deleted scenes, and featurettes.

And maybe you have to be ever so slightly older than that to truly appreciate Queen Rock Montreal & Live Aid, a concert video remastered from the original 1983 film. The disc features audio commentary with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, and fans will love the bonus footage of rehearsals and interviews.

Arctic Tale (2007) Narrated by Queen Latifah Directed by Adam Ravetech and Sarah Robertson Rated G

Battlestar Galactica: Season One Edward James Olmos, Katee Sackhoff, Mary McDonnell, Jamie Bamber, Tricia Helfer Unrated

Queen Rock Montreal & Live Aid (1983) Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon Directed by Saul Swimmer Unrated

Now that December has started, the number of shopping days left until Christmas day will seem to evaporate very quickly. If you’re thinking about getting HD DVDs for someone (even if it’s you), there are a few gift sets coming out this month that are worth considering. They’re all pretty popular, and you’ll need to act fast to ensure delivery by Christmas day, though.

(all of these links go to Amazon, who pretty much has the overall lowest HD DVD pricing)

Harry Potter
Though they’ve already been out in Europe for a while, December 11 is the North American release date for all of the individual Harry Potter movies made thus far, as well as the special collecter’s set of them. The “Years 1-5 Limited Edition Gift Set” comes in a box that looks like the trunk that Harry Potter probably packs each fall as he heads off for yet another year of adventures at Hogwarts, and includes extras such as trading cards, bookmarks, and a DVD-based game.

The Bourne Trilogy, The Bourne Ultimatum
Also releasing on December 11 is The Bourne Ultimatum, the latest in the saga of Robert Ludlum’s hero, Jason Bourne, starring Matt Damon. The first two movies have already been available on HD DVD for several months, and the trilogy is completed with the release of this third disc. Many recent HD DVD owners already got The Bourne Identity as one of the free movies with their third-generation players, and they would end up with a second copy from a box set. I’m not sure if this is why Universal decided to cancel the HD DVD box set of the trilogy, but for those of us who had none of these movies, Amazon has stepped in and offers the trilogy for $50.

Blade Runner
December 18 brings Philip K. Dick’s sci-fi classic, Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott, and starring Harrison Ford. Right on time for its 25th anniversary, Blade Runner is available as a 5-disc collector’s edition which contains a remastered version, a theatrical version, international version, director’s cut, and a workprint version of the movie. The discs also contain plenty of featurettes and a documentary. Lots and lots of stuff to keep fans busy for a long time. I’m one of those crazy people who actually watches all these bonus features, and I think this disc set would definitely keep me busier than most. The “Ultimate Collector’s Edition” giftset comes in a limited edition “Deckard” briefcase, and includes some cool Blade Runner memorabilia. An astute reader has clarified in the comments that the regular collector’s edition (meaning it’s not the “ultimate”) is also available, which has the same discs, but not the memorabilia and unique packaging, and costs under $30.

Battlestar Galactica
Though slightly less prestigious than the December box sets mentioned above, Battlestar Galactica is probably just as long-awaited amongst many fans, and makes its HD debut on December 4. The TV series originally aired right after the initial Star Wars craze. Three decades later, the “ragtag fleet’s” battle against the Cylons was revived on cable TV, and the high-definition six-disc set of season one now comes to you only on HD DVD. This set includes the initial mini-series along with the season’s episodes.

That’s Entertainment
Warner Home Video has a collection of the three “That’s Entertainment” films, which are anthologies of musical moments from Hollywood history. Each of the volumes showcases singing and dancing by stars such as Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Liza Minelli, and many more. The giftset also includes some bonus materials such as documentaries and outtakes.

Some other box sets or collections for your gift-giving consideration:

Best of HD DVD sets from Warner Home Video:

• Volume 1: Lethal Weapon, The Road Warrior, Sowrdfish, Training Day
• Volume 2: Blazing Saddles, The Departed, Goodfellas, Superman – The Movie
• Volume 3: The Last Samurai, The Phantom of the Opera, Unforgiven, The Fugitive
• Action: Troy Director’s Cut, Blood Diamond, Wyatt Earp, Alexander Revisted the Final Cut
• Family: Happy Feet, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, Scooby-Doo, The Ant Bully

There are plenty of television series gift sets too:

• Star Trek Season One
• Planet Earth
• Heroes: Season One
• The Sopranos: Season 6, Part 1
• The Sopranos: Season 6, Part 2
• Nip/Tuck – Fourth Season
• Smallville – Fifth Season
• Smallville – Sixth Season

Months ago, a lot of HD DVD haters gleefully quoted from a Los Angeles Times article which seemed to imply that Walmart was ready to “boot stand-alone HD DVD players from its shelves in favor of Blu-ray.”

Or so it seemed.

Instead, Walmart got November off to a big start with a $99 deal on Toshiba’s HD-A2 player, helping to put several tens of thousands of units into people’s homes. So what comes next? As November draws to a close, Walmart has started offering Venturer’s SHD7000 HD DVD player for $199 in the USA, just a short while after it first went on sale in their Canadian stores. This player debuted at Target a couple of months ago for $249 (and it’s still $249), but Walmart is cranking up the competition and selling the same player for 50 bucks less.

This, again, completely contradicts what many people thought Walmart’s HD DVD plans were for the holidays. Walmart execs had been quoted as saying they would only sell a major brand name player, but here they are offering a second or third-tier brand.

Pretty sneaky of Walmart to misguide their competitors, huh?
(more…)

Another Tuesday brings another set of HD DVD movie releases, and this time the theme appears to be light-hearted fun with the release slate full of comedies, and one of them likely to do really well with the kids.

Ex-Saturday Night Live comedian Will Ferrell stars in two of the discs, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Old School, and after he dropped out of the next movie, current Saturday Night Live comedian, Andy Samberg, filled in and brought the laughs in Hot Rod instead.

These faces and names are familiar to American viewers, and they’re joined by the amazingly funny British comedian, Rowan Atkinson in Mr. Bean’s Holiday. The Mr. Bean character is basically all about slapstick comedy, and this title is likely to be excellent family viewing fare for the holidays. I’m a Rowan Atkinson fan from his earlier Blackadder series, and it’s been great to watch his success with Mr. Bean.

Since there needs to be something for everybody, we also have Charlton Heston in The Omega Man, a sci-fi thriller based on the “I Am Legend” novel, which also happens to be coming out in theaters as a new movie starring Will Smith in just a couple of weeks.

(all movie links go to Amazon ordering pages)

Old School (2003) Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn Directed by Todd Phillips Unrated (movie was originally rated R)

The Omega Man (1971) Charlton Heston, Anthony Zerbe, Rosalind Cash Directed by Boris Sagal Rated PG

Mr Bean’s Holiday (2007) Rowan Atkinson, Steve Pemberton, Lily Atkinson Directed by Steve Bendelack Rated PG-13

Anchorman (2004) Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell Directed by Adam McKay Unrated (movie was orginally PG-13)

Hot Rod (2007) Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Bill Hader, Isla Fisher Directed by Akiva Schaffer Rated PG-13

Here’s some of that over-the-top Mr. Bean slapstick to occupy a few minutes of your busy day… It’s Mr. Bean in a French restaurant.

click here if the video does not appear above

Seems like I was just saying the other day that putting players on sale moves plenty of units into people’s homes.

It was estimated that the momentum of the famous $99 Walmart weekend (along with other retailers matching prices) added 90,000 units into the installed base. A press release from the North American HD DVD Promotional Group now puts a very solid number on exactly how many of us are enjoying HD DVD in our homes.

Here’s the press release that just came out minutes ago:

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 27 — Following landmark Black Friday promotions through major retail chains, the North American HD DVD Promotional Group today announced that sales of dedicated HD DVD players exceeded the 750,000 mark. The data is based on retailer reports and other point of sale data, and includes standalone set-top players as well as the Xbox 360 HD DVD player.

“HD DVD continues to gain momentum and market share with consumers,” said Ken Graffeo, executive vice president of HD strategic marketing for Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group. “With more than four weeks left for holiday shopping, HD DVD is turning out to be a perfect consumer electronics gift.”

HD DVD continues to step up marketing and education efforts, helping consumers to see the quality and value of the new format. In addition to an enhanced presence at major retailers, HD DVD has added educational sections to its website at http://www.thelookandsoundofperfect.com/.

I’m sure there will be more interviews and statements as the day progresses. Stay tuned for updates!