Hollywood directors back Blu-ray format

Last update: Fri Oct 30 2009 08:27:22

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Hollywood directors back Blu-ray format

Fri Oct 30 2009 08:27:22

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine After VHS and DVD Blu-ray discs are the latest playback format set to take over our living rooms.

Despite a rather slow start, which was mainly due to high prices and a war against the rival HD DVD format, more and more households are adapting to Blu-ray. In the last twelve months European disc sales alone have trippled with now over 1,500 titles and 150 players available to choose from.

Filmmakers have also been showing an interest in the Blu-ray format. "You spend a huge amount of time when making the film, trying to make it as good as you can, make it look as good as you can and make it sound as good as you can", explains Wolverine-director Gavin Hood.

"In the old days, when you watched it at home the quality was nowhere near when it was in the cinema. So I think with Blu-ray we're getting very close to the cinema experience at home."

While most recent films are readily available in both DVD and Blu-ray, studios are also working on adapting older movies for the high definition format.

Some filmmakers, like star director Baz Luhrmann, even get involved in remastering their former works, despite some of them going back several years. The Australian admits to being "mad about the format". He is currently working on the Blu-ray releases of his films Romeo & Juliet (1996) with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, and Moulin Rouge (2001), starring Nicole Kidman.