Phenomena -The DVD and BD Specs

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR ARROW VIDEO'S RELEASE OF
PHENOMENA
Released on DVD and BD 7th March 2011


When Insects Attack!

Master of Italian Horror Dario Argento is joined by Jennifer Connelly for a gory 80s classic in Phenomena, a terrifying slice of fear cinema that mixes extreme violence, pounding Metal music, a vicious chimp wielding a scalpel and enough buzzing insects to choke an entire school...

Poor sleepwalking Jennifer doesn’t fit in at her boarding school and her uncanny ability to control insects isn’t helping her popularity. With the aid of a local Entomologist (Donald Pleasence), can she use her psychic insect skills to find the killer who’s leaving her fellow pupils in bloody pieces?
Argento piles on the bloody kills and surreal nightmares as the deafening buzz of a million bugs shatters your eardrums in one of the most demented Body-Horror movies ever produced.

THIS AMAZING EDITION CONTAINS:
- 4 panel reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
- Two sided fold out poster with new art work
- Exclusive collector’s booklet featuring brand new writing on Phenomena by Alan Jones, author of Profondo Argento
- High Definition transfer of the Italian cut of the film
- Original English* & Italian Stereo Audio
- Brand new subtitle translation of the Italian and optional English subtitles of the English audio
- Dario's Monkey Business: The Making of Phenomena - A 50 minute long documentary featuring interviews with key talent behind the film including director Dario Argento, star Daria Nicolodi, underwater photographer Gianlorenzo Battaglia and more!
- Music for Maggots - An Interview with composer with Claudio Simonetti
- Introduction by special effects artist Sergio Stivaletti
- Creepers for Creatures - Sergio Stivaletti lives Q&A sessions from Dublin and Glasgow

Original art by Rick Melton

Presented in original 1.66:1 (16x9) Aspect Ratio with English & Italian Stereo Audio options in the original 2.0 stereo. The Blu-ray will have this as an LPCM track whereas the DVD will be Dolby Digital.

*The English Audio track has some portions of English audio missing. This was either never recorded or has been lost. Scenes without English audio automatically revert to the Italian audio with English subtitles.


Blu-ray Region ABC, DVD Region 0 PAL

All content on the Blu-ray 1080p

Blu-ray running time 116 mins
DVD running time 111 mins

Blu-ray RRP £24.99
DVD RRP £17.99

Order Phenomema on Blu-ray from your preferred retailer:

AMAZON
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Phenomena-Bl...6566150&sr=1-1

PLAY
http://www.play.com/DVD/Blu-ray/4-/1...a/Product.html

HMV
http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProduct...;-1&sku=591414


Order Phenomema on DVD from your preferred retailer:

AMAZON
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Phenomena-DV...6566243&sr=1-2

PLAY
http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/15279...a/Product.html

HMV
http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProduct...;-1&sku=591487

If you want to get more involved in the debate, you can talk about the film itself, follow the unveiling of the four different artwork panels and tell us how you found out about the film by following the links below:

Phenomena – The Film Debate

Phenomena – The Artwork Panels

Phenomena – How You Discovered It

[Sargento]

Please please please .... DTS HD English AND Italian language this time for the Blu. It was a bit of a let down for the release of Deep Red!

This is the release I have been waiting for! Fingers crossed for a terrific transfer.

Would have loved to have seen some music videos ... Bill Wyman's Phenomena for one.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

The audio tracks are in the original Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo, so no high-definition option on this release either.

[Sargento]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

The audio tracks are in the original Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo, so no high-definition option on this release either.

How odd. Never mind - at least I won't be waiting for something that's not there. If any of Daz's films were crying out for the lovely DTS HD mix this was it (other than Suspiria of course).

[Calum]

Just a quick word - and it is a minor one - to mention that Sergio's Q and A's are actually from Dublin and *Glasgow* and not Edinburgh!

[ZigZagZombie]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

The audio tracks are in the original Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo, so no high-definition option on this release either.

Bit of a shame that but could be worse I suppose. Anyone know if these audio tracks are going to be lossless btw?

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Calum

Just a quick word - and it is a minor one - to mention that Sergio's Q and A's are actually from Dublin and *Glasgow* and not Edinburgh!

Thanks for pointing that out, Calum -- duly amended!

Originally Posted by ZigZagZombie

Bit of a shame that but could be worse I suppose. Anyone know if these audio tracks are going to be lossless btw?

Dolby Digital tracks aren't lossless -- Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio encodings are lossless whilst LPCM provides uncompressed sound and is generally the best choice available. In a film like this with far from the most demanding soundtrack ever made, a DD 2.0 stereo track should be fine although a LPCM stereo option would have been ideal. Who knows, an LPCM track may be entirely redundant and a waste of money which is better spent on the HD remastering process.

[Sargento]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Dolby Digital tracks aren't lossless -- Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio encodings are lossless whilst LPCM provides uncompressed sound and is generally the best choice available. In a film like this with far from the most demanding soundtrack ever made, a DD 2.0 stereo track should be fine although a LPCM stereo option would have been ideal. Who knows, an LPCM track may be entirely redundant and a waste of money which is better spent on the HD remastering process.

Well I guess Arrow know best. Was just a little shocked that the audio wasn't available. I'll live with it - not complaining at all guys.

[re.form]

I know I may get laughed for this on the forum, but - I rarely double dip. In fact I've only double dipped once in recent years and that was for Arrows Dawn of the Dead BD. It's just not something I do unless absolutely neccesary.

This is my fave Argento film. I dont think it's his best work, but I love it more than any other for reasons I have never understood.

I own the pretty flimsy Divid 2000 R2 DVD, but I think I will get this for the 50minute documentary.

Good Work.

[skyofcrack]

- Introduction by special effects artist Sergio Stivaletti

This package looks amazing! Very happy to see the longer Italian cut of the film in 1080p.

I, too am disappointed NOT to see the music videos included. Was there a reason for that?

This intro by Sergio, if it precedes the film like Claudio's did for Deep Red then PLEASE include a way in the menu to access the film WITHOUT the intro as well. I like to watch Dario's films 50 times NOT some 30 second intro that I'll only want to see ONCE in my lifetime. It should be something that I seek out not that I'm forced to watch.

Still not releasing any art/lobby cards. Boy, you did spoil us. Why not simply add a couple of £ to the final price. I'd pay a little extra for those cards.