Studios have chosen the month of October to add to the library of horror discs on HD, and it’s quite possible that Return to House on Haunted Hill is the perfect release for a Halloween party. Exclusive on the high-def versions of the disc is the use of “navigational cinema” technology which gives the viewer a choice in selecting the movie’s storyline.

This isn’t like the bonus feature on some DVDs where you can view an alternate ending. Instead, this movie has a feature that allows you to select how the plot progresses. At various points in the story, the viewer is presented with a choice about what a particular character should do, such as “leave the room,” or “save this person’s life.” The movie then continues based on the viewer’s choice, and can lead to 96 possible storylines, leading to one of four endings.

This is not an implementation of HDi, however it does represent one of the ways that high-definition player technology can provide some new ways to enjoy movies. Return to House on Haunted Hill comes out on October 16, right on time for Halloween. Watch it with some friends and try out all of the 96 storylines together. I’m sure it’ll be awesome.

Here’s the movie trailer:

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Actors and filmmaker describe the branching:

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• Many more clips here at: ShockTillYouDrop.com
• Screamfest 2007 in Hollywood from October 12 to October 21
• Order Return to House on Haunted Hill at Amazon