ParaNorman coming to Blu-ray and DVD on November 27th!

At the end of the day, despite how much I loved THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, my highlight of the summer movie season was easily PARANORMAN.  I’ll always hold a deep respect for and fascination with stop-motion, and it didn’t hurt that the film was replete with subtle/classy horror references and humor and exciting sequences and beautiful design all while espousing an important message for children and adults alike.  It’s a scary world we live in, and part of PARANORMAN’s triumph is how it explored in clear and engaging terms what causes the nasty things that happen and how we can choose to respond to such things.

The point is, I’m definitely picking this up.  And not just for the movie itself, but the special features too.  And speaking of which, here they are (along with the press release proper):

“From the makers of Coraline comes the story of Norman, a boy who must use his gift of seeing and speaking with the dead to save his town from a centuries-old curse about to come true. Caught in a wild race against time, the young ghoul whisperer will find his paranormal abilities pushed to their otherworldly limits as he bravely summons up all that makes a hero – courage and compassion. Focus Features’ frightfully funny and magically emotional ParaNorman will be available on 3D Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD, On Demand and Digital Download on November 27, 2012 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, just in time for the holidays!

Featuring the voice talents of Kodi Smit-McPhee (Let Me In), Tucker Albrizzi (Good Luck Charlie), Anna Kendrick (The Twilight Saga), Casey Affleck (Tower Heist,), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (How to Train Your Dragon), Leslie Mann (Knocked Up), Jeff Garlin (WALL-E), Elaine Stritch (30 Rock), Bernard Hill (Titanic), Jodelle Ferland (Silent Hill), Tempestt Bledsoe (Guys with Kids), Alex Borstein (Family Guy), and John Goodman (Monsters, Inc.), it’s a hilariously spooky adventure for the whole family in eye-popping 3D, made by LAIKA in stop-motion animation. ParaNorman is “an animated thrill ride of epic proportions” – Rachel Brodsky, Time Out New York Kids.

The ParaNorman 3D Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and Blu-ray™ Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray™, DVD and a Digital Copy of the film compatible with iPhone®, iTunes®, iPad®, iPod®, iPod® touch, Android™ and online retail partners, as well as UltraViolet™.”

Special Features

Blu-ray and DVD:
– Preliminary Animatic Sequences: With commentary from Director Sam Fell and Writer/Director Chris Butler.
– “Peering Through the Veil”: A special behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creation of the weird and wonderful world of ParaNorman from building the characters to voicing them.
– Featurettes: Seven short segments showcasing Norman and his extraordinarily unusual costars.
– Feature Commentary: With Director Sam Fell and Writer/Director Chris Butler.

Exclusive to the Blu-ray combo pack:
– Ultraviolet Copy
– Digital Copy
– BD-LIVE
– pocket BLU-app
    – Advanced Remote Control: A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray™ player. Users can navigate through menus, playback and BD-Live™ functions with ease.
    – Video Timeline: Users can easily bring up the video timeline, allowing them to instantly access any point in the film.     
    – Mobile-To-Go: Users can unlock a selection of bonus content with their Blu-ray™ discs to save to their device or to stream from anywhere there is a Wi-Fi network, enabling them to enjoy content on the go, anytime, anywhere.
    – uHEAR: Never miss another line of dialogue with this innovative feature that instantly skips back a few seconds on your Blu-ray disc and turns on the subtitles to highlight what you missed.

Techinical Info

3D Blu-ray Combo Pack:
– Running time: 1 Hour, 32 Minutes
– Layers: BD-50
– Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
– Widescreen Rating: PG for scary action and images, thematic elements, some rude humor and language.
– Master Audio 5.1/ DTS Surround 2.0, Dolby Digital 2.0, Spanish DTS Surround 5.1, French (Canadian) DTS Digital Surround 5.1

Blu-ray Combo Pack:
– Running time: 1 Hour, 32 Minutes
– Layers: BD-50 Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
– Widescreen Rating: PG for scary action and images, thematic elements, some rude humor and language.
– Sound: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1/ DTS Surround 2.0, Dolby Digital 2.0, Spanish DTS Digital Surround 5.1, French (Canadian) DTS Digital Surround 5.1

DVD:
– Running time: 1 Hour, 32 Minutes
– Layers: Dual Layer
– Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
– Rating: PG for scary action and images, thematic elements, some rude humor and language.
– Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1/ Dolby Digital 2.0, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French (Canadian) Dolby Digital 5.1