Why So Blu?

Blu-ray Contest Giveaway: Ran & The Ladykillers

Our good friends from Lionsgate gave us a couple Blu-rays to give away this week to 2 lucky Why So Blu readers.  The Studio Canal Collection brings together the very best of cinema, with a series of acclaimed and influential films on Blu-ray with superior picture and sound quality and unique special features.  Cinema masterpieces will never look the same after you experience these Blu-rays.  First up we have 1955’s The Ladykillers, which features Alec Guinness, Katie Johnson and Peter Sellers.  Next, please welcome 1985’s epic masterpiece Ran to the Blu-ray format.  Both of these Blu-rays were just released this past Tuesday the 16th.  Make sure to check out the press releases below on both Blu-ray films.

The rules of the contest are quite simple.  The contest is free to enter for all our readers.  There’s only 3 very small catches.  You may enter only once per Blu-ray disc title.  The contest is only open to readers in the United States.  And last but not least, you must be a fan of our Facebook page.  If you are not, don’t worry.  You are welcome to join right now by clicking here.

Here’s all we ask that you do.  Please fill out the form below in its entirety.  In the ‘message’ box below, please tell us which Blu-ray title you want and include your Facebook name so we can verify your eligibility.  If you want a chance to win either Blu-ray disc, then please fill out a separate form for each title.  All entries must be received by 12:01 AM, Friday, February 26th.  Two lucky winners will be notified the evening of the 26th via email.  We will then ask you to provide your mailing address via email and so we can ship your prize out to you.  Sound simple enough?  Good!  We thought so.  Just our way of giving back and saying thanks for your patronage.  Good luck!

 

RAN SYNOPSIS:

Akira Kurosawa’s brilliantly conceived re-telling of Shakespeare’s King Lear magically mixes Japanese history, Shakespeare’s plot and Kurosawa’s own feelings about loyalty in this epic masterpiece that was named one of Empire Magazine’s “500 Greatest Movies of All Time.”  Set in 16th century Japan, an aging ruler, Lord Hidetora announces his intention to divide his land equally among his three sons.  Hidetora’s decision to step down unleashes a power struggle between the three heirs when he falls prey to the false flattery bestowed upon him by the two older sons and banishes the youngest for speaking the truth.  That ruthless betrayal ultimately drives Hidetora insane, destroying his entire family and kingdom. Deep human emotion and outstanding acting combine to create one of the most acclaimed foreign films of all time that was hailed as “a great, glorious achievement” by the Chicago Sun-Times and “as close to perfect as filmmaking gets” by the San Francisco Chronicle.  The Blu-ray Disc is presented in 1080P High Definition Widescreen format with Japanese, English, Spanish, French, German and Italian DTS Master Audio.

 

*BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

• “A.K.” – the acclaimed feature-length documentary on the making of Ran from writer/director Chris Marker
• “Akira Kurosawa: The Epic and the Intimate” – documentary on the director
•  “The Samurai” – documentary on Samurai art
• “Art of the Samurai” – interview with a Japanese art of war expert
• BD-Live

20-page collectible booklet

 

THE LADYKILLERS SYNOPSIS:

Called “one of the greatest comedies ever made” by Entertainment Weekly, The Ladykillers showcases Guinness in one of his most unforgettable performances as Professor Marcus, mastermind of a gang of vicious bank robbers who rent a room from an elderly widow.  However, when the dear old woman begins to meddle in their “perfect crime,” the crooks decide that she might pose the biggest threat of all.  Co-starring Sellers in his first major screen role, The Ladykillers remains one of the most ruthlessly black comedies of all time and was nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Screenplay (William Rose, 1956).  The Blu-ray Disc is presented in 1080P High Definition Widescreen format with English, Spanish, French and German DTS Master Audio.

 

*BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Introduction by filmmaker Terry Gilliam
• “Forever Ealing” – documentary on the famed British studio
• Audio commentary by film historian and The Ladykillers expert Philip Kemp
• Interviews with British filmmakers Allan Scott and Terence Davies and writer Ronald Harwood on the film
• BD-Live (includes bonus interview with British filmmaker James Mangold)

20-page collectible booklet