New to Blu: August 10-16

Clash of the titans sums up this week’s competition for your Blu-ray dollars.

Most distributors have key titles coming out in HD, from new blockbusters to back catalogue must-haves, that run the gamut of genres — from drama and documentary to fantasy and animation.

A week after The Godfather trilogy went on sale in separate volumes for the first time, the reverse will happen with The Lord of the Rings on Wednesday: you’ll be able to buy The Motion Picture Trilogy in a Blu-ray box set (just as the rest of the world could when The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King were released here individually).

The box set boasts extras but nothing that wasn’t included on any of the DVD editions (and they’re still in SD).

There’s more costume carnage in Clash of the Titans and Rome, the first season of which is being released eight months after The Complete Collection went on sale.

Season one of Underbelly at last is coming out on Blu-ray, along with two of Luc Besson’s early crime dramas — La Femme Nikita and Leon: The Professional — and the multiplex thrillers, Cop Out and The Edge of Darkness.

The apocalyptic-minded can choose between The Road and Infestation, one of several movies to land on Blu-ray without a theatrical run. Others include After.Life, The Crazies and two starring Mr and Mrs Michael Douglas: he can be seen in Solitary Man and she in The Rebound.

Lastly, the documentary series that screened on Prime, World War II in Colour, can be seen in HD, too, from Monday while ‘toon fans can pounce on Ponyo and The World of El Superbeasto from Thursday.