Walt Disney has announced that in October, a 50th anniversary edition of the classic animated movie "Sleeping Beauty" will be released in high-definition Blu-ray format, in an attempt to re-awaken interest in Blu-ray DVDs.
The interesting thing about the re-release of the animated classic is that it will also come with unusual features in order to attract modern day consumers who crave embrace elements of interactivity and social networking.
Viewers can watch the movie in tandem with friends in other locations and chat using a laptop, P.D.A. or cellphone - with the comments appearing on the screen. Unusual uses would then allow parents who are not able to watch the film with their children to record a video message that will pop up during a designated scene as the child watches. Viewers will also be able to compete against others around the world at trivia.
All of these activities are possible because of a technology that connects Blu-ray discs with the Internet, which the entertainment industry is calling BD Live. Disney and other studios, including Lionsgate and Sony, believe that BD Live could be Blu-ray’s killer app, potentially altering the somewhat muted response that consumers have reacted with Blu-ray to date.
Although “Sleeping Beauty” is Disney’s first BD Live-enhanced Blu-ray release, all of the company’s future Blu-ray titles will include BD Live features.Via: New York Times
