Hellboy 2: The Golden Army

[Fletch F. Fletch]

Artwork & Specs:

Universal Home Video has announced 1-disc ($29.98), 3-disc ($34.98) and Blu-ray ($39.98) editions of Hellboy II: The Golden Army which stars Ron Perlman. The full details have yet to be confirmed I'm afraid (including the street date) but we can tell you that the 3-disc edition will include a digital copy of the film and around 3 hours of bonus content. The 2-disc Blu-ray edition will also include the digital copy, along with a feature that enables you to build your own comic book. Stay tuned for further details as we get them.

A collector's set containing the 3-disc release will also be available for $59.98. This will include a Limited Golden Army Statue, and an excerpt from the journal of Guillermo Del Toro.

[Finch]

Will definitely get this. I saw the film on Saturday (it only opened nationwide in Britain this Friday) and found it much superior to the first film (which I still enjoyed): more than anything I couldn't believe how stunning the film looked in places and only at a cost of 80 million (or less). It's telling (and reassuring) that the credits for the prosthetic and animatronic effects were longer than the credits for the CGI artists, and it bodes well for The Hobbit. Also enjoyed the comedy (Ron Perlman's performance in particular) which made for a refreshing change after The Dark Knight's doom and gloom. The Prince made for a better villain than the first film's Rasputin but I still felt that his character lacked weight, and Selma Blair is a bit too side-lined for my taste, but other than that, I thought the pic was very good.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

Plus, it featured a pretty funny musical interlude involving a Barry Manilow song.

[Finch]

I loved that too. Doug Jones did well, taking over from David Hyde Pierce. I reckon the film will hold up well over repeated viewings as there are so many little touches and details that are bound to pass you by on the first viewing. For me, it's Del Toro's most rewarding film yet (with the caveat that I have not seen Cronos and The Devil's Backbone yet) and I hope that he eventually makes a third one (albeit not at the expense of his long-planned Lovecraft adaptation of Mountains of Madness).

[Fletch F. Fletch]

I loved that too. Doug Jones did well, taking over from David Hyde Pierce. I reckon the film will hold up well over repeated viewings as there are so many little touches and details that are bound to pass you by on the first viewing. For me, it's Del Toro's most rewarding film yet (with the caveat that I have not seen Cronos and The Devil's Backbone yet) and I hope that he eventually makes a third one (albeit not at the expense of his long-planned Lovecraft adaptation of Mountains of Madness).

I agree. HB II was a definite improvement over the first film (which I really dug) and you could see Del Toro exerting his influence more over this film. I know he wants to make a third film but obviously it won't be until after he's finished up with The Hobbit. As a huge Lovecraft fan, I too hope he gets a chance to make Mountains of Madness. He seems like such a perfect fit for the material.

DVD Times has the actual specs for this DVD:

Potential extras that have recently passed through the BBFC:

# Director’s Commentary
# Deleted Scenes with optional commentary
# Gag Reel
# Troll Market Tour with Guillermo del Toro (12mins)
# Epilogue (aka Zinco Epilogue) (5mins)
# Professor Broom’s Puppet Theatre (3mins)
# Director’s Notebook (11mins)
# Set Visits (17mins)
# Video Prologue & Intro to Puppet Theatre (5mins)
# Mike Mignola Creator Gallery with commentary (36mins)
# Hellboy: In Service of the Demon Part 2 (63mins)

[Finch]

I can only assume there's more still to come because I don't see how the extras passed by the BBFC to date would take up two discs.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

More detailed specs listing:

1-Disc Specs
• Feature Commentary with Director Guillermo del Toro
• Feature Commentary with Cast Members Jeffrey Tambor, Selma Blair & Luke Gross
• Set Visits
• Troll Market Tour with Guillermo del Toro
• Zinco Epilogue Animated Comic
• Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Director Guillermo del Toro

3-Disc Specs

• Feature Commentary with Director Guillermo del Toro
• Feature Commentary with Cast Members Jeffrey Tambor, Selma Blair & Luke Gross
• Set Visits
• Troll Market Tour with Guillermo del Toro
• Zinco Epilogue Animated Comic
• Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Director Guillermo del Toro
• Prologue
• Hellboy: In Service of the Demon
• Production Workshop
• Pre-Production Vault
• Marketing Campaign
• Script
• Digital Copy

Blu-ray Specs

• Feature Commentary with Director Guillermo del Toro
• Feature Commentary with Cast Members Jeffrey Tambor, Selma Blair & Luke Gross
• Troll Market Tour with Guillermo del Toro
• Production Workshop
• Zinco Epilogue Animated Comic
• Comic Book Builder
• Gallery
• Deleteed Scenes with Optional Commentary by Director Guillermo del Toro
• U Control - Scene Explorer: Schufften Goggle View
• U Control - Director's Notebook
• U Control - Set Visits
• U Control - Concept Art Gallery
• BD Live - My Chat
• BD Live - My Scenes Sharing
• BD Live - Exclusive Content
• Video Prologue II
• Hellboy: In Service of the Demon
• Marketing Campaign
• Digital Copy
• Script