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‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ Puts a Spell on 4K and Blu-ray with Extended Scenes
Ring in the new year with Disney’s most iconic villain when Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (read our review), starring Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer, arrives on Digital and Movies Anywhere December 31 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD January 14, 2020.
The sequel to 2014’s Maleficent will include brand-new bonus features, extended scenes, outtakes and an exclusive extra for Digital consumers.
Bonus features take viewers behind-the-scenes with the all-star cast to explore the making of “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.” Extended scenes reveal how Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer) manipulates Aurora into questioning Maleficient and accelerating her wedding plans. Featurettes include interviews with Jolie, who discusses Maleficent’s origins and the cast who portray the Fey, and Fanning, who gushes over Aurora’s fairytale wedding. Filmmakers showcase the visual effects behind the film’s stunning landscapes and the seemingly effortless flight of the Fey. Additional extras include “You Can’t Stop The Girl,” a music video performed by Bebe Rexha, and hilarious outtakes, ranging from uncooperative cats to uncontrollable giggles on set.
Directed by Joachim Rønning, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil carries on the story of Disney’s most iconic villain. The years have been kind to Maleficent and Aurora. Their relationship, born of heartbreak, revenge and ultimately love, has flourished. Yet hatred between man and the fairies still exists. Aurora’s impending marriage to Prince Philip is cause for celebration as the wedding serves to unite the Kingdom of Ulstead and the neighboring Moors. But, when an unexpected encounter introduces a powerful new alliance, Maleficent and Aurora are pulled apart to opposing sides in a Great War, testing their loyalties and causing them to question whether they can truly be a family.
DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE:
- Lickspittle – Fantasy-film veteran Warwick Davis considers how every aspect of the film’s design inspired his tragic character.
- Extended Scenes
- The Queen Comforts Aurora – Queen Ingrith takes advantage of Aurora’s fragile state to gain her confidence and accelerate the wedding plans.
- Philip and Aurora Dance – Aurora struggles to gain Queen Ingrith’s approval when she realizes how she is viewed among aristocracy.
- Featurettes
- Origins of the Fey – Angelina Jolie discusses Maleficent’s lore, her newly discovered origins, and the diversity of the cast who portray the Fey.
- Aurora’s Wedding – Elle Fanning gushes over Aurora’s fairytale wedding; plus, hear from some special guests as they give their best to the bride and groom.
- If You Had Wings – Get a glimpse of the elaborate visual effects that allow the Fey to take to the skies.
- “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” VFX Reel – Discover how a perfect blend of practical and visual effects were used to create the stunning landscapes in “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.”
- Outtakes – Uncooperative cats, a serious case of the giggles and even the “floss dance” found their way into Ulstead.
- “You Can’t Stop The Girl” – Music video performed by Bebe Rexha
Editorials
Arrow Video’s ‘Stranger Things: The Complete Series’ is the Ultimate Collector’s Box Set for Fans
Available as of today from Arrow Video is a new box set that might arguably be the definitive way to watch Netflix’s blockbuster series Stranger Things.
At the very least, Stranger Things: The Complete Series puts emphasis on “complete.” That’s evident in its special features alone.
Special and Deluxe editions of Stranger Things: The Complete Series are available for purchase now, featuring an array of exclusive bonus content, including bloopers, interviews with the cast and crew, and behind-the-scenes featurettes, designed for the ultimate Stranger Things experience.
The Deluxe Edition is presented in custom packaging featuring newly-commissioned artwork, alongside a wealth of extra material: a 148-page booklet, exclusive art cards, a Hellfire Club patch, double-sided posters for each season, and much more.
This limited-edition release features all 42 episodes of the show’s five season run on more than 25 discs, all housed in a set featuring gorgeous artwork by Juan Ramos. “We always dreamed that Stranger Things could be owned in its entirety,” said Matt and Ross Duffer, “not just as a collector’s set, but as a way to preserve the show for decades to come.”
Their imprint looms large over the release, including writing in the 148-page book that also includes original design sketches, concept art, and storyboards. All of which would warrant the steep price tag alone for the diehard Stranger Things fan, but Arrow Video upped the ante with collectible surprises as well. Arcade patches, stickers, Hellfire Club dice, and an extremely detailed map of Hawkins, Indiana- double-sided to account for the Upside Down, of course – are among the highlights for this all-ages set.
Adorn your walls with posters representative of your favorite season! That’s also an option with this set’s offerings.
All of which to say that it’s rare for Netflix to make the jump into physical media, and they’ve enlisted Arrow Video to give it the best possible treatment. They certainly brought utmost care and attention to this release. As such, both the standard and deluxe sets come with steep price tags that start at $160 depending on format. While that’s likely a deterrent to the casual viewer, it’s more than worth it for fans.
It may be less convenient than hitting play on Netflix, sure, but there’s a lot to be said about the potential for quality upgrades to your viewing. No spotty internet or compression issues to be found here when it comes to the 4K Ultra HD or Blu-ray discs.
That’s really the biggest takeaway from this release: the untapped potential still of Netflix’s streaming library of originals that are ripe for similar treatment. Series and films that could receive Arrow Video levels of treatment on physical media.
Fans of Stranger Things can venture into the Upside Down one last time this spooky season at Halloween Horror Nights, but there may be no better way to ring in the series’ tenth anniversary than a rewatch with this expansive, well-curated box set.
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