New to Blu: April 10-16

A 20th anniversary edition of Oscar-winner Schindler’s List tops this week’s list of best buys on Blu-ray.

“Schindler’s List arrives on Blu-ray with a stunning 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode that’s not only beautiful to watch but is also faithful to the photographic intentions of Janusz Kaminski and Steven Spielberg.”

“Not only did director Steven Spielberg personally supervise an extensive restoration from the original 35mm film negative, those responsible for the restoration have treated the elements, Janusz Kaminski’s black and white photography, and the resulting 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer with the utmost care and respect.”

“Unfortunately we don’t get any new supplements for this 20th Anniversary Edition, all the extras are presented in standard definition.”

The only new release to have had a theatrical run is Wuthering Heights.

“Shot with a Panavision XL, Wuthering Heights looks spectacular on Blu-ray.

“Close-ups convey tremendous depth, especially when there is plenty of light, while the large panoramic vistas look exceptionally crisp.”

“On the aural front the accompanying DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track does a stunning job at ramping up the immersive atmosphere, perfectly promoting the weather-dominated mix which makes up for a complete lack of score by creating its own out of the bracing natural elements.”

Two-and-a-half years after its US release, Joss Whedon’s second season of Dollhouse at last gets a NZ welcome.

“Dollhouse: The Complete Season 2 arrives on Blu-ray sporting a handsome 1080p/1.78:1 transfer that nicely spotlights the film’s stylish look and appealingly icy aesthetic.

“The level of detail is strong (particularly facial detail), blacks are deep and shading is solid.”

“While Fox’s video transfer represents a step forward, its Season Two DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track represents a small but annoying step back.

“As was the case with Season One‘s lossless mix, dialogue is as uneven as the episodes.”

An unusual number of titles are going direct-to-disc, including: Casa di me Padre; The Tall Man (“a mostly strong but also slightly troubled high-def video presentation”); The Marine 3 (“generally sharper than the previous films”); So Undercover (“generally bright and well-detailed“); Fun Size (“looks fantastic“); The Magic of Belle Isle (“extremely clean“); The Thieves (“a lush and filmic image”); Wu Dang (“one of the best transfers I’ve seen all year”); The Moth Diaries (“crystal clear images abound”); The Package (“clean, colourful and nicely detailed“); and Berbian Sound Studio.

There’s also a slew of Hammer Horror releases (Dracula, Prince of Darkness, Plague of the Zombies, Quatermass and the Pit, Rasputin The Mad Monk, The Mummy’s Shroud) and new anime titles (Bleach the Movie: Memories of Nobody, Bleach the Movie 2: The Diamond Dust Rebellion, Bleach the Movie 4: Hell Verse, Children Who Chase Lost Voices, Hellsing Ultimate Collection 2, Soul Eater: Complete Series Collection, Spice and Wolf: Complete Collection) as well as WWE newcomers Bret “Hit Man” Hart – The Dungeon Collection and Elimination Chamber 2013.