Prepare to cross another dream title off our "To Buy" Blu-ray list as Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Media Distribution have confirmed a 2012 on-sale date for the Harrison Ford-starring, Steven Spielberg-directed and George Lucas-executive-produced Complete INDIANA JONES Blu-ray Collection. We haven't been given an exact date yet, just "Fall 2012," which is in keeping with the prevailing trend for such high-profile, multi-movie boxed set releases. This timing also jibes with some internet chatter we've been hearing about the impending arrival of the series on Blu-ray.
Fans already know that only the most recent installment, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, has been released on Blu-ray, in the autumn of 2008. This was a two-disc Blu-ray special edition, as a part of the standard theater-to-home-video cycle. This followed an Indiana Jones "Adventure Collection" DVD boxed set from May of that same year, containing the first three movies--Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade--in addition to some surprisingly good new little bonuses, many of them tied into the release of Crystal Skull, naturally.
As far as the extras on the new Blu-rays, the studio is once again being somewhat vague for the time being, promising only "a 'best of' collection of documentaries, interviews, featurettes and a few new surprises." The feature-length documentary from the bonus disc inside the 2003 DVD box would certainly be welcome, as would a comprehensive gallery of deleted scenes in HD, hint-hint.
We're also quite curious as to whether the four films will receive new high-definition remasters, or full-on restorations. Some controversy has surrounded HD showingsings of Raiders of the Lost Ark on television in recent years, with at least one shot (the German jeep careening over a cliff during the legendary truck chase) having been digitally "re-imagined," allegedly without the approval of Steven Spielberg. During a live appearance at last year's San Diego Comic Con, the director reportedly announced that he prefers his movies in their original form, and so we should probably expect the 1981 version of Raiders, complete with Oscar-winning, old-school special effects.
This position also bodes well for the much-teased 2012 Blu-ray release of Mr. Spielberg's beloved E.T.
We were duly impressed by the remixed, remastered audio on Lucasfilm's Star Wars The Complete Saga Blu-ray, and will be eager to crank up Indiana Jones in high-resolution home theater audio. Keep in mind however that the three earlier films all pre-date discrete digital surround.
Expect further details about this sure-to-be-a-bestselling Blu-ray in the months ahead. Amazon currently has this title available for pre-order, discounted to $74.99. As always, Amazon protects customers with their Pre-Order Price Guarantee, which means that if the price goes down between the time we place an order and the end of the day it releases and ships, we automatically receive the lowest price.
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