Tickets are now on sale! Lebowski Fest NY / Universal Studios Blu-ray Cast Reunion on August 15-16th

In celebration of The Big Lebowski Limited Edition Blu-ray™and Jeff Bridges’ self-titled album both debuting on Aug 16th, join Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore + T Bone Burnett for a very special evening celebrating all things Lebowski.

The evening will include a special Q & A with Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi & Julianne Moore + T Bone Burnett as well as a screening of the film and other festivities.

2011 marks 10 years of beautiful tradition with Lebowski Fest and Universal Studios Home Entertainment has teamed up to bring the Achievers the pop-culture event of the century! This limited seating event at the historic Hammerstein Ballroom will be the ultimate celebration of all things Lebowski.

Tickets are now on sale on Ticketmaster at http://www.ticketmaster.com/The-Big-Lebowski-tickets/artist/14764

Mark it 10!

For more information, please visit http://www.lebowskifest.com.

8/15 – Bowling Party @ 300 New York at Chelsea Piers – $30
8/16 – Blu-ray™ Launch, Cast Reunion, Q&A, Movie Screening @ Hammerstein Ballroom – $42

EXPERIENCE THE COEN BROTHERS’ CULTURAL PHENOMENON “The Big Lebowski” STARRING JEFF BRIDGES NOW ON BLU-RAY™ FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! THE BIG LEBOWSKI LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY

“The Most Worshipped Comedy of Its Generation” – Rolling Stone

Own the Limited Edition Blu-ray™ Featuring All-New Bonus Features,
a Digital Copy of the Film and Collectible Hardcover Book Packaging

Bowling, nihilists, a stolen rug and the occasional acid flashback have never been funnier when one of the most popular cult classics in history, The Big Lebowski Limited Edition, debuts on Blu-ray™ August 16, 2011 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. From the Oscar®-winning Coen Brothers (True Grit, Fargo) and starring Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges (True Grit, Crazy Heart), this acclaimed comedy has been newly remastered in high definition to provide longtime fans and first-time viewers alike with the ultimate Lebowski experience.

Available for a limited time with an all-new 28-page companion book featuring an exclusive interview with Jeff Dowd – the real-life inspiration for The Dude – Jeff Bridges’ personal, on-set photography, a film timeline, trivia and much more, The Big Lebowski Limited Edition Blu-ray™ is a must-own addition to any collection. In addition to all-new features exclusive to the Blu-ray™ release, The Big Lebowski Limited Edition Blu-ray™ also offers a digital copy of the film that can be viewed anywhere at any time on the consumers’ choice of devices including laptops, tablets, smartphones as well as Internet-connected TVs and set-top boxes.

“Since its creation by Ethan and Joel Coen in 1998, The Big Lebowski has transformed from a fan favorite into one of Hollywood’s most celebrated cultural phenomenons,” said Craig Kornblau, President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment. “This spectacular new Limited Edition Blu-ray™ combines the most extensive behind-the-scenes materials to date with the latest Blu-ray™ technology, giving devoted fans and newcomers alike a chance to experience the brilliant all-star cast, outrageous storyline and unforgettable quotes like never before.”

Its now iconic characters and instantly recognizable dialogue have made The Big Lebowski “the number-one cult film of all time,” according to The Boston Globe. Since its release, the Coen Brothers’ affectionately addled riff on film noir has snowballed in popularity, becoming “an undeniable pop-cult force” and even, for many, “a way of life,” in the words of the Los Angeles Times. “A masterpiece of anti-storytelling” according to Entertainment Weekly, The Big Lebowski has become a cultural touchstone for fans around the world.

Starring Bridges as the film’s delightfully unlikely hero, “The Dude,” the hilariously twisted comedy thriller also features unforgettable performances by an all-star cast including Golden Globe® winner John Goodman (“Roseanne”), four-time Oscar® nominee Julianne Moore (The Kids are Alright), Golden Globe® winner Steve Buscemi (“Boardwalk Empire”), Oscar® winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt) and Golden Globe® nominee John Turturro (O Brother, Where Art Thou?).

BLU-RAYTM EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES:
· U-CONTROL: Universal’s exclusive feature that lets the viewer access bonus materials without leaving the movie!
o Scene Companion: Watch cast and crew interviews, behind the scenes footage and more during key scenes with this picture-in-picture companion.
o Mark it Dude: This onscreen counter really ties the film together. Keep track of all the “F-Bombs,” “Dudes,” and “Dude-isms” in the film with this ultimate fan guide.
o The Music of The Big Lebowski: Instantly identify the songs heard while watching the film, create a custom playlist of your favorites and even purchase them from iTunes®!
· WORTHY ADVERSARIES: WHAT’S MY LINE TRIVIA: Test your Lebowski knowledge by finishing lines of dialogue during the film. Play as Walter or The Dude or in two-player mode against friends.
· BD-LIVETM: Access the BD-Live™ Center through your Internet-connected player to watch the latest trailers and more.
· pocket BLU™: The groundbreaking pocket BLU™ app uses iPhone®, iPod® touch, Android™, PC and Macintosh to work seamlessly with a network-connected Blu-ray™ player. Also available on the iPad™, owners can enjoy a new, enhanced edition of pocket BLU™ made especially to take advantage of the tablet’s larger screen and high resolution display. Consumers will be able to browse through a library of Blu-ray™ content and watch entertaining extras on-the-go in a way that’s bigger and better than ever before. pocket BLU™ offers advanced features such as:
o Advanced Remote Control: A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray™ player. Users can navigate through menus, playback and BD-Live™ functions with ease.
o Video Timeline: Users can easily bring up the video timeline, allowing them to instantly access any point in the film.
o Mobile-To-Go: Users can unlock a selection of bonus content with their Blu-ray™ discs to save to their device or to stream from anywhere there is a Wi-Fi network, enabling them to enjoy content on the go, anytime, anywhere.
o Browse Titles: Users will have access to a complete list of pocket BLU™-enabled titles available and coming to Blu-ray™ Hi-Def. They can view free previews and see what additional content is available to unlock on their device.
o Keyboard: Entering data is fast and easy with your device’s intuitive keyboard.
· uHEAR™: Never miss another line of dialogue with this innovative feature that instantly skips back a few seconds on your Blu-ray™ disc and turns on the subtitles to highlight what you missed.

ADDITIONAL BONUS FEATURES:
· JEFF BRIDGES PHOTO BOOK: For more than 30 years, Jeff Bridges has been snapping pictures on movie sets. The accomplished photographer presents exclusive shots taken on the set of The Big Lebowski providing personal commentary on each photo.
· THE DUDE’S LIFE: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi and John Turturro take a look back at their performances and their delivery of the Coen Brothers’ dialogue that became classic movie lines.
· THE DUDE ABIDES: THE BIG LEBOWSKI TEN YEARS LATER: A freewheeling conversation with the cast about the film’s decade-long reign as a cult classic, including a discussion about what ever happened to the “little Lebowski” that the Dude and Maude made that fateful night!
· THE LEBOWSKI FEST: AN ACHIEVER’S STORY: An in-depth look at the popular Lebowski Festival, formed by the legion of fans in honor of the film.
· FLYING CARPETS & BOWLING PIN DREAMS: THE DREAM SEQUENCES OF
THE DUDE: From aerial flights over Los Angeles with his bowling ball chasing Maude on a flying carpet, to the large scale “Busby Berkley” dance sequences as The Dude goes flying through the legs of all the bowling pin headed dancers, this piece examines how these “ahead of their time” scenes were constructed.
· THE MAKING OF THE BIG LEBOWSKI: A behind the scenes look featuring interviews with the Coen Brothers.
· PHOTO GALLERY: Slideshow of Jeff Bridges’ on-set photography.
· INTERACTIVE MAP: Take a tour of the locations of The Big Lebowski, then and now.
· AN INTRODUCTION: Featuring Mortimer Young, a practitioner of “non-uptight” film preservation. His restoration of the famous “toe scene” will blow your mind.

SYNOPSIS:
From the Academy Award®-winning Coen brothers, The Big Lebowski is a hilariously quirky comedy about bowling, a severed toe, White Russians and a guy named…The Dude. Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski doesn’t want any drama in his life…heck, he can’t even be bothered with a job. But, he must embark on a quest with his bowling buddies after his rug is destroyed in a twisted case of mistaken identity. Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Turturro, experience the cultural phenomenon of The Dude in the “#1 cult film of all time!” (The Boston Globe)

CAST AND FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, David Huddleston, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Turturro
Directed By: Joel Coen
Written By: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Executive Producers: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Producer: Ethan Coen
Co-Producer: John Cameron
Director of Photography: Roger Deakins
Production Designer: Rick Heinrichs
Edited By: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Tricia Cooke
Casting By: John S. Lyons
Costume Designer: Mary Zophres
Original Music By: Carter Burwell

TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
Street Date: August 16, 2011
Copyright: 2011 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Selection Number: 61115274
Running Time: 1 hour, 59 minutes
Layers: BD-50
TECHNICAL INFORMATION CONTINUED:
Picture Format: Widescreen
Aspect Ratio: 1:85:1
Rating: R for pervasive strong language, drug content, sexuality and brief violence
Languages/Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
Sound: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French (EU) DTS Surround 5.1, English Dolby Digital 2.0/2.0 DTS Express

Lebowski Fest NY / Universal Studios Blu-ray Cast Reunion on August 15-16th

In celebration of The Big Lebowski Limited Edition Blu-ray™and Jeff Bridges’ self-titled album both debuting on Aug 16th, join Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore + T Bone Burnett for a very special evening celebrating all things Lebowski.

The evening will include a special Q & A with Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi & Julianne Moore + T Bone Burnett as well as a screening of the film and other festivities.

2011 marks 10 years of beautiful tradition with Lebowski Fest and Universal Studios Home Entertainment has teamed up to bring the Achievers the pop-culture event of the century! This limited seating event at the historic Hammerstein Ballroom will be the ultimate celebration of all things Lebowski.

Tickets are very limited and will go on sale very soon. Mark it 10!

8/15 – Bowling Party @ 300 New York at Chelsea Piers – $30
8/16 – Blu-ray™ Launch, Cast Reunion, Q&A, Movie Screening @ Hammerstein Ballroom – $42

WENDY WILLIAMS, JOHN GOODMAN AND LA TOYA JACKSON ON ABC’S “THE VIEW,” JULY 18-22

Featured guests JULY 18-22 on ABC’s “The View” (11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, ET) include first time guest Wendy Williams (host, “The Wendy Williams Show”), John Goodman (“Damages”) and La Toya Jackson (author, Starting Over). Additional guests include Ryan Smith (host, “Morning Express”), who’ll discuss Casey Anthony, six-year-old ‘retired’ beauty queen Eden Wood (“Toddlers & Tiaras”), Andrea Giovino (“I Married a Mobster”) and Ian Drew, senior editor, Us Weekly magazine, with the latest celebrity gossip.

Scheduled guests the week of JULY 18-22 are as follows (subject to change):

MONDAY, JULY 18 – Ryan Smith (host, “Morning Express”) talks Casey Anthony; six-year-old ‘retired’ beauty queen Eden Wood (“Toddlers & Tiaras”).

TUESDAY, JULY 19 – First guest appearance from Wendy Williams (host, “The Wendy Williams Show”); celebrity summer styles for less with Zanna Roberts, senior fashion editor of U.S. Marie Claire magazine.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20 – John Goodman (“Damages”); Andrea Giovino (“I Married a Mobster”).

THURSDAY, JULY 21- La Toya Jackson (author, Starting Over); celebrity gossip with Ian Drew, senior editor, Us Weekly magazine.

FRIDAY, JULY 22 – Guests to be announced.

“The View” features Daytime Emmy Award-winning hosts Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd. It’s the original forum in which real women discuss everyday issues, share their opinions and engage in colorful conversations. “The View,” broadcast in HDTV and produced in 2-channel stereo sound, is now available to watch online daily at 4:00 p.m., ET/1:00 p.m., PT on the ABC Digital Full Episode Player at ABC.com. “The View” is produced by ABC Daytime and Ms. Walters’ Barwall Productions, with Ms. Walters serving as executive producer along with Bill Geddie, who also serves as executive producer for “The Barbara Walters Specials.” “The View” is directed by Mark Gentile.

For breaking news and updated videos follow “The View” (@theviewtv) and hosts Whoopi Goldberg (@whoopigoldberg), Barbara Walters (@BarbaraJWalters), Joy Behar (@JoyVBehar), Elisabeth Hasselbeck (@ehasselbeck) and Sherri Shepherd (@SherriEShepherd) on Twitter.(tm)

“FROSTY RETURNS,” NARRATED BY JONATHAN WINTERS, WITH JOHN GOODMAN AS THE VOICE OF FROSTY THE SNOWMAN, TO BE REBROADCAST SATURDAY, DEC. 11 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

The Voices of Comedians Jan Hooks, Andrea Martin and Brian Doyle-Murray

Are Also Heard in the Animated Special from Executive Producer Lorne Michaels

The magic still in his old silk hat, the holiday season’s perennially popular original dancing snowman continues his adventures and skates on the edge of danger in the animated musical special FROSTY RETURNS, to be rebroadcast Saturday, Dec. 11 (8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Originally broadcast 12/01/95)

Jonathan Winters is the narrator, with John Goodman as the voice of Frosty. Other voices are provided by comedians Jan Hooks, Andrea Martin and Brian Doyle-Murray.

The first winter storm of the season brings the magical Frosty to the snow-covered town of Beansborough just as a new invention, a snow-removal spray called Summer Wheeze, is being introduced on the market. Not only does Summer Wheeze de-ice the town’s annual Winter Carnival, it also threatens Frosty’s very existence.

FROSTY RETURNS was produced by Eryk Casemiro and Bill Melendez and directed by Melendez and Evert Brown. Lorne Michaels (“Saturday Night Live”) is executive producer. The special was written by Oliver Goldstick, based on a story by Jim Lewis, with original music by Mark Mothersbaugh. FROSTY RETURNS was created by Bill Melendez Productions, Inc., in association with Broadway Video and CBS Entertainment Productions.

(NOTE TO EDITORS: FROSTY RETURNS will be preceded by a broadcast of the classic holiday special “Frosty the Snowman” from 8:00 to 8:30 PM, ET/PT. See separate release.)

RATING: TVG

Monsters, Inc. (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)

A Pixar animated classic, 2001 film “Monsters, Inc.” makes its first debut in High Definition and looks absolutely fantastic!   The new lossless soundtrack definitely takes the film to a new level.  And for those who are wondering about content, there’s around 60 special features included.  Overall, this is a fantastic release and fans of the film will definitely want to pick this one up.  Highly recommended!

Images courtesy of © 2001, 2009 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: Monsters, Inc.

DURATION: 91 Minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (1:85:1), English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital

COMPANY: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

RATED: G (General Audiences – All Ages Admitted)

RELEASE DATE: November 10, 2009

Directed by Pete Docter

Co-Directed by David Silverman and Lee Unkrich

Story by Pete Docter, Jill Culton, Jeff Pidgeon, Ralph Eggleston

Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Daniel Gerson

Additional Screenplay Material by Robert L. Baird, Rhett Reese, Jonathan Roberts

Executive Producer: John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton

Producer: Darla K. Anderson

Associate Producer: Kori Rae

Music by Randy Newman

Edited by Robert Grahamjones, Jim Stewart

Casting by Matthew Jon Beck, Mary Hidalgo, Ruth Lambert

Production Design by Harley Jessup, Bob Pauley

Art Direction by Tia W. Kratter, Dominique Louis

Production Management: Katherine Sarafian

Featuring the voices of:

John Goodman as James P. “Sulley” Sullivan

Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski

Mary Gibbs as Boo/Mary

Steve Buscemi as Randall Boggs

James Coburn as Henry J. Waternoose

Jennifer Tilly as Celia

Bob Peterson as Roz

John Ratzenberger as the Abominable Snowman

Frank Oz as Fungus

Daniel Gerson as Needleman/Smitty

Bonnie Hunt as Flint

Jeff Pidgeon as Bile

Samuel Lord Black as George Sanderson

Experience the film that captured the hearts of critics and fans around the world in a breathtaking new way.  Monsters, Inc. is “visually dazzling, action-packed and hilarious,” raves the Boston Herald.  And now, with eye-popping, crystal-clear visuals and theater-quality sound, it’s even better on Disney Blu-ray Hi-Def!

Lovable Sulley (John Goodman) and his wisecracking sidekick Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) are the top scare team at Monsters, Inc., the scream processing factory in Monstropolis.  When a little girl named Boo wonders into their world, it’s the monsters who are scared silly, and it’s up to Sulley and Mike to keep her out of sight and get her back home.

Open the door to a fantastic world of fun and imagination that will have you screaming for more.  Featuring never-before-seen bonus features.  Including Raz’s 100-Door Challenge Game, the original DVD and a DisneyFile Digital Copy of the movie, Monsters, Inc. is a sensational now experience on Disney Blu-ray.

With Disney films being released on video one year and not receiving a release seven, eight or more years  later, the popular Pixar Animation Studios film “Monsters, Inc.” receives its High Definition release on Blu-ray in a four disc set which includes the Blu-ray, a Blu-ray special features disc, a DVD and a DisneyFile Digital copy.

“Monsters, Inc.” was Pixar’s fourth animated feature and marked the directorial debut for Pete Docter (Director for “Up” and a writer for the first two “Toy Story” films).  Docter is joined by co-directors David Silverman (“The Simpsons Movie”, “The Road to El Dorado”) and Lee Unkrich (co-director for “Toy Story 2″ and “Finding Nemo”).

The original story is written by Pete Docter, Jill Culton (director for “Open Season” and worked on the “Toy Story” films and “A Bug’s Life”), Jeff Pidgeon (who worked on “The Toy Story” films and “Wall-E”) and Ralph Eggleston (who worked on “Up”, “The Incredibles” and “Toy Story”) with a screenplay by Andrew Stanton (“Toy Story” films, “A Bug’s Life”, “Finding Nemo”, “Wall-E”) and Daniel Gerson (“Chicken Little”, “Cars”, “Meet the Robinsons”).

Music for the film is by well-known composer and musician, Randy Newman (“Cars”, “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”, “Meet the Fockers”, “Toy Story 2″).

The film achieved critical and also commercial success as it made over $525 million worldwide and will now make its High Definition debut.

“Monsters, Inc.” revolves around a corporation known as Monsters, Inc..   The company specializes in sending monsters out to the human world through their closets and by capturing the screams of children.  The screams are what produces energy in the monster world.

The top scaring monster at Monsters, Inc. is James P. “Sulley” Sullivan (voiced by John Goodman, “Roseanne”, “The Princess and the Frog”, “Speed Racer”, a big blue behemoth that can create a giant scare but really is a good-natured monster.  Sulley’s sidekick Mike Wazowski (voiced by Billy Crystal, “When Harry Met Sally”, “City Slickers”, “Throw Momma of the Train”) is a guy who lives off Sulley’s popularity and wants to date the Celia (voiced by Meg Tilly).

The owner of  Monsters, Inc., Henry J. Watermoose (voiced by James Coburn, “Hudson Hawk”, “Young Guns II”, “The Nutty Professor” ) wants more production from the monsters.  Because more human children are no longer scared by the monsters like before, he wants his top monsters to show other monsters how to be scary.

But Sulley is not the only top scary monster at Monsters, Inc., his rival Randall Bogs (voiced by Steve Buscemi, “The Big Lebowski”, “Armageddon”, “The Sopranos”) is determined to surpass Sulley in the rankings and will do what he can to get there.

All seems well one day until Sulley finds a door on the scare floor after hours (which Boggs was using) which is illegal.  Upon checking out the door, Sulley realizes its leading to an actual human’s bedroom.  A young human girl discovers him and thinks he wants to play.  Fearing for his life (the monsters are told a human touch from a child will kill them), Sulley escapes quickly out the door and back to the floor.  But things get hairy when he finds out that the girl which he names “Boo” has escaped from the human world and is now in the monster world.

With a fear of humans, Sulley knows this can lead to catastrophe and panic and gets his friend Mike to help him return the child back to the human world.  So, the two try to secretly hide Boo from other monsters the best that they can and try to send her back to the human world.  But with Boggs suspicious of the two, what happens when monsters discover that a human girl is in their world.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

“Monsters, Inc.” is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1).  For a 2001 CG animated film, the film still holds up as the fur/hair effects look absolutely beautiful as we see the blue hairy sheen of Sulley and even the woolly abominable snowman.  Detail of Boggs purple reptilian skin and Mike’s green skin are much more detailed in High Definition over its DVD counterpart.  The film utilizes quite a bit of color and so fans of the film can expect the film to look vibrant on HD.  As expected from a Walt Disney Blu-ray release, picture quality is fantastic.  Colors are vibrant, blacks are deep, no sign of major compression or banding.  Eight years later, “Monsters, Inc.” continues to look incredible and the Blu-ray’s picture quality does not disappoint at all.

As for audio, “Monsters, Inc.” receives its first lossless audio and director Pete Docter opens up the Blu-ray by explaining how the film has received a revamp for its audio.  Featured in English 5.1 DTS-HD MAster Audio (as well as French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital), from the moment you hear the scream capsules electrify very early in the film, you literally hear the electricity all around you.  Great use of surrounds and also rear surround channels throughout moments in the film.  Especially scenes that have ambiance and many monsters, you can hear their faint voices through the surrounds.  Good amount of LFE and for the most part, the film sounds great.  Although not incredibly immersive as recent Pixar films (such as the recent release of “Up”), the lossless audio for “Monsters, Inc.” is still fantastic.

The film is crystal clear as it is hear through the front and center channels.  Randy Newman’s music sounds incredible and for the most part, the soundtrack is quite solid and definitely a major improvement over its DVD counterpart.

Subtitles are featured in English SDH, French and Spanish.

As for the DVD, the DVD is featured in widescreen (1:85:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions and audio is in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Ex. S ubtitles are in English SDH only.

SPECIAL FEATURES

“Monsters, Inc.” comes with the following special features presented in 1080p High Definition, English, French and Spanish 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby Digital and subtitles in English SDH, French and Spanish.  Of course, with a lot of the features are from the original DVD, it’s understandable that those features will be in standard definition and do a look a bit dated but content-wise, if you add everything up, there’s probably around 60 or more special features included.

DISC 1:

• Audio Commentary byPete Docter, Lee Unkrich, Andrew Stanton and John Lasseter.  A very informative and fun commentary about the behind-the-scenes making of the film.
• Monsters, Inc. Ride and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Japan – (12:00) Go behind the scenes of the new attraction Tokyo Disneyland. Interviews with the artist and engineers who created the ride.  I was absolutely in awe when I saw this ride.  Incredible!
• Filmmakers’ Round Table – (22:00) Filmmakers Pete Docter, Lee Unkrich, Darla Anderson and Bob Peterson reflect on the creation of the film and talk about their favorite moments in creating the film at Hidden City Cafe.  And yes, there is talk about the chimp.
• For the Birds – (3:21) An animated short featuring a group of malicious birds who find themselves in trouble when they pick on the wrong victim.  Includes optional audio commentary by director Ralph Eggleston.
• Mike’s New Car – (3:46) Mike shows off his fancy new six-wheel-drive car loaded with gadgets to his friend Sulley.  Includes optional audio commentary by the filmmaker’s sons.  An enjoyable commentary by the two kids.
• Previews – Trailers for upcoming releases

DISC 2:

• Roz’s 100 Door Challenge – Take Roz’s employee placement exam to see where you best fit within Monsters, Inc.
• Humans Only – This section features the following:

- Pixar Fun Factory Tour – (3:34) Explore the nooks and crannies of the Pixar studios.

- Story – Featuring the following features: Story is King – (2:00) How the story department works at Pixar; Monsters are Real – (1:29) Seeing is believing – how the cast and crew of the film regard the Monster World; Original Treatment – (13:40) The original pitch for the film, with some surprising differences; Story Pitch: Back to Work – (4:36) Story Supervisor Bob Peterson pitches a scene to the production team.

- Banished Concepts – Featuring the following special features:  Intro to Banished Concepts – Co-director Lee Unkrich discusses the fate of five scenes that were banished from the film’s final Cut: Assistant Salley (2:15), End of Day (2:22), Bad Scare (2:51), Scream Refinery (1:06) and Original Sulley Intro (1:00).

- Storyboard to Film Comparison – Featuring the following special features: Story Reel (5:14) – Watch the storyreel version of the Boo bedtime scene, Watch the final version of the Boo Bedtime scene (5:14), Split-Screen Comparison – (5:14) Watch the split-screen comparison of the Boo bedtime scene.

- Art Gallery – Using your remote, you can view Character Design and Production Artwork from Monsters, Inc.

- Designing Monstropolis – (4:48) Designing the world of Monstropolis.

- Set Dressing Intro – (3:24) How the sets of the film were designed and staged.

- Location, Playgrounds – (7:25) CG animation of various setups such as Boo’s bedroom, Monstropolis neighborhood and more.

- Monster File – Featuring the following features: Cast of Characters – (5:51) Meet the cast of performers who bring the characters to life.  What Makes a Great Monster – (1:24) The evolution of Monsters, Inc. character designs.

- Animation – Featuring the following features: Animation Process – (3:11) A look at the animation of Monsters, Inc.; Early Tests – (8:02) An early animation test of Mike and Sulley; Opening Title Animation – (2:06) The design of the title sequence; Hard Parts – (4:58) The artistic challenges of creating the film; Shots Department – (2:16) New simulation was added as a step in the Pixar production process.  Production Demonstration is a subsection which features the following: Production Demo Intro – Co-Director Lee Unkrich introduces the stages of animation: Storyreel – (1:50) the Storyreel version of the scene “23-19!”, Layout – (1:50) The layout version of the scene – “23-19!”, Animation – (1:50) The animation version of the scene “23-19!”, Final Color – (1:50) The final color version of the scene “23-19!”.

- Music & Sound – Featuring the following features: Monster Song – (4:13) Billy Crystal and John Goodman sing “If I Didn’t Have You”. Sound Design – (3:15) – Sound designer Gary Rydstrom reveals some of the secrets behind the sound design of the film.

- Release: Featuring the following features: The Premiere – (0:56) Footage of teh film’s premiere screening featuring the stars and filmmakers.  Also features:  Trailers and TV spots – Trailer #1 (1:52) and #2 (1:19), TV Spot: Men in Teal (0:30), TV: Spot: Your Eye (0:30), TV Spot: Green Skin (0:30), TV Spot: Your Eye #1 Review (0:30), International Inserts – (1:06) How the film was customized for worldwide appreciation, Multi-language: Clip Reel – (3:45) A section of the film translated into thirteen different languages, Toys – (1:29) An overview of the toys created from the film, Outtakes and Company Play – (7:00) Full-frame versions of the outtakes and Company Play that appeared in the theatrical credits.

- Wrap-Up – (0:42) The filmmakers conclude their production tour of the Pixar studio.

• Monsters Only – Featuring the following features:

- New Monster Adventures – Monsters TV Treats – (1:09) A funny collection of Monsters, Inc. TV vignettes, Ponkickie 21 – A randomized version of “Rocks, Papers, Scissors” from Japan, “If I Didn’t Have You” Music Video – (1:11) A montage of favorite movie moments cut to the song.

- Behind the Screams – On the Job with Mike & Sulley – (2:31) An interview with Mike and Sulley about daily life at Monsters, Inc.

- Orientation -  Featuring Welcome to Monsters, Inc. – (0:58) A Welcome video for new Monsters, Inc. employees, Your First Day – (3:34) An overview of the company, History of the Monster World – (1:36) A history of the schism between man and monster, drawn and narrated by animation legend Bud Luckey.

EASTER EGG: Pressing left on your remote while a bonus feature is highlighted will access the following which are more or less features requiring your remote control to navigate through artwork:

- The Employee Handbook
- Guide to In Jokes
- Monster of the Month
- Scarer Cards

DVD:

The DVD contains the audio commentary for the widescreen version of the film.  Also, a 5.1 Surround Sound Mix for the Widescreen version only.

When “Monsters, Inc.” came out in the theaters, I can easily remember how impressed I was with the CG animation, animation with the hair and just the amount of detail.  When the DVD came out, it was one of the most jam-packed DVD’s with special features ever released and it was a spectacular DVD release years ago.

Over eight years later, here we are with the Blu-ray release of “Monsters, Inc.” and to be truthful, knowing Disney’s track run on Blu-ray releases especially with older animated films, I was not worried that we would have a quality release but I was wondering how the studio would top the original DVD release which had a large number of special features already.

And sure enough, there are a good amount of newer features exclusive to the Blu-ray release such as the “Filmmaker’s Round Table” which I enjoyed because you actually got to hear about the challenges that Pete Docter had faced as a director, the challenges they had in making the film but also the amount of fun they had in making the film as well.

I was very impressed with the “Monsters, Inc. Ride and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Japan”.  I was in awe to see this ride created and how interactive it is.  I don’t know if we will ever see this ride stateside but definitely makes me want to fly to Japan and take the trip to Chiba and check out this ride at Disney Land Tokyo.

And once you watch the special features in the first Blu-ray disc, for those of you who had the DVD release know how many there were, so you can imagine how many features are on the second Blu-ray disc.

For those who never owned the original, let’s just say that both discs combined and include featurettes, TV spots, etc. there are probably around 60 special features on both Blu-ray discs.  So, needless to say, this is one release that will keep you busy and content-wise, you can easily say that this is one release that is worth every penny.

As for the film, it’s a hilarious comedy but it was really fun to see the character interaction between Sulley and Mike courtesy of John Goodman and Billy Crystal.  And you have to give credit to Mary Gibbs who provided the voice of Boo.  She made the character come to life and of course Steve Buscemi as Boggs and James Coburn as Henry J. Waternoose, this is one animated film that was well-cast, well-written and well-animated.  To think that this was released in 2001 and looks incredible in 2009, makes you wonder what the animators have in store for the upcoming sequel and I definitely look forward in seeing how much more impressive the animation will look today.

For parents wondering if “Monsters, Inc.” is appropriate for their children.  I will say that when my son was around 4, I tried showing him the film but it freaked him out with the weird monster characters but he watched it again (he is now 6) and he enjoyed it.  Because the film is about a company which has monsters trying to scare children, some kids may find the earlier part of the story a bit scary.  But overall, it’s a family film that people of all ages can enjoy.

“Monsters, Inc.” is literally a fantastic release.  If you loved the film, you’re getting your money’s worth in this four disc set.  I’m really impressed with what Disney has been able to bring to their animated releases to Blu-ray from “Bug’s Life” and making that older Pixar CG animated film look great on HD, then with the fantastic release of both “Pinocchio” and “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and now with the recent Blu-ray release of “Up” and “Monsters, Inc.”.

Overall, “Monsters, Inc.” is a wonderful release.  Sure, the film is was released in 2001 but the animation still holds up today.  In fact, the animation of this film still looks better than some CG animated films I have seen released in the last two years.  Picture quality, audio quality and the  amount of content that comes with this four disc Blu-ray release alone is fantastic and it’s a release that families will enjoy.

“Monsters, Inc.” is highly recommended!