| | | "Blu-Ray Disc, Beyond High Definition."
The unforgiving terrain of Antarctica comes to life through the wonder of Blu-ray Disc technology in this amazing tale of courage and loyalty. Eight incredible dogs, left behind when their research team is forced to flee, band together to survive the subzero elements that blister the screen in eye-popping 1080p. The astonishing sound quality of the 5.1 48 kHz, 16-bit uncompressed audio will have you practically feeling the wind chill factor as guide Jerry (Paul Walker) races against time to save his four-legged friends. Experience this heart-pounding adventure like never before through the magic of Blu-ray high definition
"...magnificent and deeply moving." Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
"...top-notch survival adventure..." Ken Fox, TV Guide
"More than a mushy dog tale, Eight Below is a true love story." Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
Editor's Note
Inspired by a true story and the hit Japanese film NANKYOKU MONOGATARI, Frank Marshall's (ALIVE, CONGO) EIGHT BELOW captures a rugged world of ice, snow, and threatening weather that few will ever experience in person. As a guide for a National Science Foundation Research Base in Antarctica, Jerry Shepard (Paul Walker) is perfectly content to spend his time exploring the wilderness with his sled dogs and goofing around with his best buddy, cartographer Charlie Cooper (Jason Biggs). Then UCLA geologist Davis McLaren (Bruce Greenwood) arrives at the camp with plans for a risky expedition: treacherous ice fields make his target destination accessible only by dog sled so late in the season. Soon Shepard, McLaren and the sled dogs--Maya, Max, Old Jack, Buck, Shorty, Dewey, Shadow, and Truman--are on their way in search of McLaren's prize: a meteorite from Mercury.Unfortunately, an approaching storm forces Shepard and McLaren to return to base early. The return trip proves life-threatening, but the dogs pull through, saving both Shepard and McLaren from certain death. The storm also forces the scientists to leave the research center earlier than planned, and there's no room on board bush pilot Katie's (Moon Bloodgood) plane for the dogs. With the promise that someone will return for them immediately, Shepard leaves his beloved dogs behind. Soon, however, it becomes apparent that the weather has made a return trip impossible. Can the dogs survive in the Antarctic wilderness on their own, or will Shepard get back in time to save them? The dogs emerge as the most intriguing characters in the story, each exhibiting a distinct personality and fierce loyalty. The other major player is the wilderness itself, a beautiful, mysterious world that is rarely depicted on film.
| Features | Audio Commentary By Director Frank Marshall, Star Paul Walker & Cinematographer Don Burgess | | Audio: English, Spanish, French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound | | Dubbed: French, Spanish | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: English, French, Spanish | | This Is A Blu-Ray DVD Made For Blue-Laser Format Players Which Produce Higher Quality Picture And Sound |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Buena Vista |
| Release Date: 9/19/2006 |
| Running Time: 120 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2006 | | Catalog ID: 5275403 | | UPC: 00786936718829 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English, French Dubbed, Spanish Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: English, French, Spanish | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | Widescreen 2.40:1 |
| Cast & Crew
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| | Professional Reviews | Entertainment Weekly
"[I]nspired by a real-life story of sled dogs who survived extended subzero abandonment....There's something invigorating about this unpretentious dog tale." -- Grade: B 02/24/2006 p.42-44New York Times
"[A]n orgy of canine cuteness." 02/17/2006 p.E24 Total Film
3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]here' s an old-fashioned charm to director Frank Marshall's heartfelt tribute to canine courage." 06/01/2006 p.46 Widescreen Review
"The icy blue-gray locations are nicely captured, and hues are well balanced accordingly." 07/01/2006 p.70 Ultimate DVD
3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]his is one of the most rousing and gripping family films to come out of Disney in a long while." 08/01/2006 p.97 Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
Remarkable, how in a film where we know with an absolute certainty that all or most of the dogs must survive, "Eight Below" succeeds as an effective story. It works by focusing on the dogs..."Eight Below" is restrained, for the most part, in how it presents its dogs. When there are closeups of a dog's face, absorbed in thought, anxiety or yearning, we aren't asked to believe anything we don't already believe about dogs: They do think, worry and yearn, and they love, too. Or if they don't, I don't want to know about it. - Roger Ebert
Reel.com 7 of 10
Cinema goes to the dogs - literally - in Eight Below, an enjoyable, often exciting fact-based tale of survival in the frozen wastes of Antarctica. As long as director Frank Marshall (Alive) keeps the focus on the film's canine stars, shot in breathtaking sequences in Canada, Greenland, and Norway, the movie succeeds at drawing you into their incredible adventure. It's when the narrative shifts to the dogs' human costars that Eight Below loses its otherwise tight grip on your attention. Happily, the dogs are so compelling to watch that you're mostly willing to overlook the flaws in the picture, which, thankfully, never sinks to the jokey cinematic nadir of Snow Dogs. - Tim Knight
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