Willy Wonka joins Warner's Blu-ray Book line
PHYSICAL: Classic movie to be released Oct. 20
By Samantha Clark -- Video Business, 6/23/2009
JUNE 23 | PHYSICAL: Warner Home Video will bring Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory to Blu-ray Disc as a Blu-ray Book on Oct. 20.
The Blu-ray Book will include song lyrics.
The Blu-ray disc will be packaged with a 38-page book that includes lyrics to the movie's songs, cast bios and photos from the film. (Click for the Blu-ray trailer.)
Special features on the disc will include the documentary "Pure Imagination: The Story of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," a commentary with the Wonka kids, four sing-along songs and a vintage featurette.
Based on the Roald Dahl book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Dahl also wrote the screenplay), the 1971 classic stars Gene Wilder as the titular candy man.
Warner has released a number of movies as Blu-ray books, including The Matrix in March. Other titles issued in this way include Poltergeist, The Shawshank Redemption, JFK and How the West Was Won.
“At a time when consumers are looking for a value proposition in entertainment, the BD Book business is booming," said Jeff Baker, Warner’s executive VP and general manager of theatrical catalog. "Consumers are willing to pay for value added with collectible films such as the original Willie Wonka, as well as previous BD/Book releases such as Shawshank Redemption and One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest.”
The Blu-ray book will be priced at $34.99. Preorders are due Sept. 15.
