home video

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Ghostbusters Afterlife is Coming Home Soon and the Original Ghostbusters Gets New Features

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Sony Pictures Home Entertainment revealed their plans for the home video release of Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters Afterlife, and you better sit down because along with the release of the new film there’s a treasure trove of new archival special features for the original two films on their way!

First up, Ghostbusters Afterlife will be hitting digital and VOD purchase services next week on January 4th! So if you can’t wait to get another screening in, or you were unable to see the film in theaters, the great news is that you won’t have to wait much longer. Afterlife is getting the full special edition treatment, with behind the scenes features, deleted scenes, and more. Sadly a commentary with Jason Reitman or any of his cast and crew doesn’t seem to be listed.

Next, the even better news: Afterlife hits DVD/Blu-ray on February 1st in a variety of packages… the most notable of which is the Ultimate Collection set, which looks to be available at Amazon, Wal-Mart and Best Buy which includes Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II, and Ghostbusters Afterlife PLUS two additional discs of bonus features. One of which includes the early workprint version of the original 1984 Ghostbusters found by Sheldon Kahn during pre-production of Ghostbusters Afterlife. The full “Preview Cut” of the film also includes a commentary by Ivan Reitman and Sheldon Kahn himself, and it stands to reason that it’ll be a revealing look at the making of the film (plus include a lot of things we may never have seen before). If that weren’t enticing enough, newly unearthed and never before seen deleted scenes are included for all three films (assuming many of the scenes found at Fan Fest will be included here), tons of behind the scenes documentaries, and a whole lot more! And hey, even the fan commentary that myself, Chris Stewart, Sean Bishop and Eric Reich recorded for the last anniversary set is included. It’s safe to say that this will be the most definitive box set for all of the films to date.

Here’s more information in the full press release from Sony below:

From director Jason Reitman and producer Ivan Reitman comes the next chapter in the original Ghostbusters universe. In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, when a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather, an original Ghostbuster, left behind. The film is written by Gil Kenan & Jason Reitman.

Featuring GHOSTBUSTERS, GHOSTBUSTERS II and GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE on 4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray, plus two discs full of special features! Includes over 20 hours of rare behind-the-scenes and must-see archival gems, including the full Preview Cut of the original movie and much, much more! Presented in collectible “ghost trap” packaging with lights, and includes a full 220-page reprint of the rare 1985 “Making GHOSTBUSTERS” book! Also includes digital versions of GHOSTBUSTERS, GHOSTBUSTERS II, GHOSTBUSTERS: ANSWER THE CALL and GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE.  

BONUS MATERIALS 

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE


BLU-RAY™, 4K Ultra HD™ and Digital

  • We Got One! Easter Eggs Revealed

  • Ghostbusters: A Look Back

  • A Look Ahead

  • Bringing Ecto-1 Back to Life

  • The Gearhead’s Guide to Ghostbusters Gadgets

  • Special Effects: The Ghosts of Afterlife

  • Deleted Scene: Is It Ever Too Late?

  • Summoning the Spirit: Making Ghostbusters: Afterlife

DVD

  • Summoning the Spirit: Making Ghostbusters: Afterlife

THE GHOSTBUSTERS ULTIMATE COLLECTION

  • GHOSTBUSTERS 4K ULTRA HD

    • Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision

    • Dolby Atmos + 5.1 + Theatrical Stereo

  • GHOSTBUSTERS BLU-RAY

    • Feature presented in high definition, from the 4K master

    • 5.1 + Theatrical Stereo

    • Special Features:

      • Commentary Featuring Director Ivan Reitman, Star/Co-Writer Harold Ramis and Associate Producer Joe Medjuck

      • Fan Commentary Moderated by Ghost Corps’ Eric Reich

      • Slimer Mode Picture-in-Picture Track

  • GHOSTBUSTERS II 4K ULTRA HD

    • Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision

    • Dolby Atmos + 5.1 + Theatrical Stereo

  • GHOSTBUSTERS II BLU-RAY

    • Feature presented in high definition, from the 4K master

    • 5.1 + Theatrical Stereo

    • Special Feature:

      • Commentary Featuring Director Ivan Reitman, Star/Co-Writer Dan Aykroyd and Executive Producer Joe Medjuck

  • GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE 4K ULTRA HD

    • Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision

    • Dolby Atmos

  • GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE BLU-RAY

    • Feature presented in high definition

    • Includes all special features from the standalone Blu-ray

  • SPECIAL FEATURES DISC 1 – GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)

    • NEW: Rare 114-minute Preview Cut of the Film (in Standard Definition) – an unearthed early cut of the film with alternate takes, additional scenes, early effects and more. A unique must-see experience for any Ghostbusters fan!

      • With optional commentary by Associate Producer Joe Medjuck and Editor Sheldon Kahn

    • NEW: “Reitman Squared” Scene Commentary – a look at two scenes from the film with Ivan & Jason Reitman

    • NEW: Dana’s Lost Auditions – eight auditions for the role of Dana Barrett, featuring Denise Crosby, Kelly LeBrock and more!

      • Special thanks to Brandon Kleyla

    • NEW: “Ghostbusters: Behind Closed Doors” Documentary – a 90-minute documentary about the making of Ghostbusters and the history of the franchise!

    • NEW: Ghostbusters Dailies – over an hour of raw dailies, encompassing 7 scenes from the film

    • NEW: Full TV Broadcast Version of the Film (in Standard Definition) – featuring alternate TV-safe takes

    • 16 Deleted Scenes

    • TV Commercial from the Film + Commercial Outtakes

    • 1984 ShoWest Exhibitor Reel

    • “A Moment With the Stars” Original EPK Featurette

    • 1984 Featurette

    • SFX Team Featurette

    • Cast and Crew Featurette

    • Who You Gonna Call: A Ghostbusters Retrospective

    • Ecto-1: Resurrecting the Classic Car

    • Ruth Oliver’s Library Ghost Scream Test

    • Multi-Angle Explorations

    • Storyboard Comparisons

    • Photo Galleries

    • “Ghostbusters” Music Video by Ray Parker, Jr.

    • Theatrical Trailers & Promo

  • SPECIAL FEATURES DISC 2 – GHOSTBUSTERS II & GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE

    • GHOSTBUSTERS II

    • NEW: “Reitman Squared” Scene Commentary – a look at two scenes from the film with Ivan & Jason Reitman

    • NEW: 19 Deleted Scenes – a collection of never-before-seen deleted scenes!

    • NEW: Ghostbusters II Soundtrack Promo – a scene from the film with commentary from composer Randy Edelman

    • NEW: Full TV Broadcast Version of the Film (in Standard Definition) – featuring alternate TV-safe takes

    • 7 Additional Deleted Scenes

    • “The Oprah Winfrey Show: Cast of Ghostbusters II” – June 1989

    • Time Is But A Window: Ghostbusters II and Beyond

    • Ghostbusters II Original EPK

    • “On Our Own” Music Video by Bobby Brown

    • Theatrical Trailers

    • GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE

    • Jason’s Sneak Peek from Set

    • Theatrical Trailers

Original Ghostbusters Films Coming to UHD! But What Does That Mean?

UPDATE (6:04pm): A couple corrections inset c/o Tyler Foster of DVDTalk

Hey, did you hear?

Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II are coming to the new UHD Blu-ray format on June 7th!

And immediately, I know the overwhelming majority of people who heard this news are saying, "Wait, what does that mean exactly?" That press release sure says a lot of fancy things, but I'm not entirely sure how this is different from the version that I just bought of the movie that was "Mastered in 4K?"

So I'll do my best to attempt to explain:

UHD? Wha? How is that different from regular Blu-ray?

If you have an Ultra-HD/4K television set as well as one of the new UHD Blu-ray players, this release is for you. If you have an "older" television set... a 1080p or 2K resolution set and/or your primary Blu-ray player wasn't purchased in the last year, or is an Xbox One or Playstation 4, then this release is NOT for you. Think of it this way, UHD is another run from the studios at trying to entice people back into the physical media format much like 3D was. If you didn't have a 3D compatible TV and Blu-ray player, you weren't able to play back those discs. This is the same issue, if you don't have UHD compatible devices, you won't be able to play these discs back. You'll need a UHD specific player to playback, and it needs to detect a 4K TV on the other end of that HDMI cable. Otherwise, no bueno. Here's a good resource as to what 4K is compared to "old school" high definition c/o Trusted Reviews.

TL;DR...

Take a look at your Blu-ray player. Does it have this logo on it? Yes? Do you have a 4K TV? Then you're good. Do you not know what either of those mean? You're probably not ready for these quite yet. It's okay, a lot of folks aren't quite ready for this yet either.

But wait, I quite literally just bought a Blu-ray last year that said it was "Mastered in 4K" - why would I need this on top of having to buy a new TV and Blu-ray player?

That's a great question. Essentially what it boils down to is that disc you bought last year, the one with the blue cover to the left, was "Mastered in 4K and Optimized for 4K Sets" but was still only 1080p presented on a lower capacity Blu-ray. Meaning you aren't getting the same dynamic range and resolution that you would be getting on the new UHD. Here's where it gets really confusing for the casual consumer. The release from last year was created from 4K source elements that created the most recent Blu-ray release from a previously existing scan of the negative. Think of it this way, when Ghostbusters first came out on Blu-ray, they created a high-resolution source of the movie, then compressed it down for the Blu-ray format. Then they double-dipped and released this "Optimized" version with a new color pass and range that was specific to 4K TVs, but still only displaying a 1920x1080 resolution. If you remember, this particular disc didn't include any special features, so that they didn't have to compress the movie itself as much and a higher bit rate was allowed for playback through your regular Blu-ray player.

Troy, you're confusing me more - seriously - how is this different?

Simply, the UHD 4K release announced today takes the same scan done for the "Mastered for 4K" release and presents it at its full potential. Thanks to Tyler Foster at DVDTalk, the 35mm scans already occurred as far back as 2013 (per this Hollywood Reporter article), so the press release is a little misleading. Per their press release: "As two of the first Sony 4K Ultra HD disc releases, both films were fully restored from the 35mm original camera negatives, thereby utilizing in 4K the full resolution, detail and color depth inherent in the film. 4K Ultra HD is the perfect way to finally experience these comprehensive restorations at full 4K resolution in the home – it features four times the resolution of high definition, along with High Dynamic Range (HDR), which produces brilliant highlights, vibrant colors and greater contrast on compatible displays. Additionally, both films have been remixed specifically for the home theater environment with Dolby Atmos® audio, delivering captivating sound that places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead."

TL;DR...

It's a full resolution 4K picture and new mix of the movie so it'll look and sound different than the one you have now.

Why would they have done this?

This is just me speculating so take this with a grain of salt but I'm guessing that, in addition to wanting you to buy one last disc format before we go completely "tapeless" this is also an effort to restore the movie so that Sony has masters that can be screened in theaters using the latest digital projection and Dolby Atmos sound. Think of all the midnight screenings and Halloween screenings where you've seen a really lousy film print that's scratched and dirty and all-around ugly looking. My guess is that this is an attempt to preserve the film in its best possible format knowing that the evergreen property is about to receive a resurgence with the new 2016 film.

Say, how can I learn more?

Here's the full press release, enjoy!

CULVER CITY, Calif. (April, 4 2016) -- Fans will now be able to experience particle beams and ectoplasm like never before when Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II debut June 7 on next generation 4K Ultra HD disc with High Dynamic Range (HDR) from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE). Perfect for Father’s Day gifting, each 4K Ultra HD release will also include the recent anniversary Blu-rays, bursting with all the bonus materials, including previously released legacy content, commentary and the interactive Slimer Mode.
As two of the first Sony 4K Ultra HD disc releases, both films were fully restored from the 35mm original camera negatives, thereby utilizing in 4K the full resolution, detail and color depth inherent in the film. 4K Ultra HD is the perfect way to finally experience these comprehensive restorations at full 4K resolution in the home – it features four times the resolution of high definition, along with High Dynamic Range (HDR), which produces brilliant highlights, vibrant colors and greater contrast on compatible displays. Additionally, both films have been remixed specifically for the home theater environment with Dolby Atmos® audio, delivering captivating sound that places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead.

These new 4K Ultra HD releases precede the July 15 U.S. premiere of Sony Pictures’ highly anticipated new motion picture, Ghostbusters, from director Paul Feig, starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth.
Also, as part of the excitement surrounding the arrival of the new film, SPHE will release over 50 episodes of the iconic 1980s animated series, The Real Ghostbusters, on DVD July 7 and on Digital, from Ivan Reitman, DiC and Sony Pictures Television.
Both Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II are directed and produced by Ivan Reitman (Meatballs, Stripes), and written by Dan Aykroyd (My Girl) and Harold Ramis (Knocked Up). Bill Murray (St. Vincent), Dan Aykroyd (Blues Brothers), and Sigourney Weaver (Aliens) star, along with Harold Ramis (Groundhog Day) and Rick Moranis (Honey I Shrunk the Kids). Ernie Hudson (TV’s “Oz”) and Annie Potts (TV’s “Designing Women”) also star. Ghostbusters is ranked No. 28 on the AFI’s List of America’s Funniest Movies.
SYNOPSES:

Ghostbusters: University parapsychologists Dr. Peter Venkman (Murray), Dr. Raymond Stanz (Aykroyd) and Dr. Egon Spengler (Ramis) lose a research grant when their experiment methodology is proven to be bogus. The team decides to go into business for themselves and open ‘Ghostbusters,’ a ghost removal service. After struggling to get on their feet, they are summoned to investigate the strange happenings in Dana Barrett’s (Weaver) Central Park West apartment. What they discover is that all Manhattan is being besieged by ghosts and other-worldly demons through a portal in her building.
 
Ghostbusters II: Supernatural superstars Peter Venkman (Murray), Dr. Raymond Stanz (Aykroyd) and Dr. Egon Spengler (Ramis) spring back into action when the infant son of Dana Barrett (Weaver) becomes the target of a powerful demonic force. Reunited with their industrious secretary Janine (Potts) and the nerdy, near-sighted Louis (Moranis), the ‘heroes of the hereafter’ must put a stop to an enormous underground river ready to rot the roots of the entire Big Apple.
 
GHOSTBUSTERS & GHOSTBUSTERS II 4K Ultra HD Releases Include:
• Feature films in 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR)
• Dolby Atmos soundtracks (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible)*
• Includes high-def Blu-rays featuring the films and special features
 
*To experience Dolby Atmos at home, a Dolby Atmos enabled AV receiver and additional speakers are required, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar; however, Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.
GHOSTBUSTERS Blu-ray Special Features:
• Who You Gonna Call: A Ghostbusters Retrospective - Roundtable Discussion with Director Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd (Part 1)
• Poster Art Gallery – Gallery of 1988 artwork
• Ghostbusters Music Video – Ray Parker, Jr.
• Slimer Mode – Picture in Picture and Trivia Track
• Commentary with Ivan Reitman, Harold Ramis & Joe Medjuck
• 10 Deleted Scenes
• 1984 Featurette
• Cast and Crew Featurette
• SFX Team Featurette
• Multi-Angles
• Ecto-1: Resurrecting the Classic Car
• Ghostbusters Garage: Ecto-1 Gallery Storyboard Comparisons
 
GHOSTBUSTERS II Blu-ray Special Features:
• Time Is But A Window: Ghostbusters II and Beyond - Roundtable Discussion with Director Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd (Part 2)
• Deleted Scenes
• “On Our Own” Music Video – Bobby Brown
• Theatrical Trailers

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