From Universal Studios Home Entertainment: Winner of Two Academy Awards(R) and Nominated for Nine Oscars(R) Including Best Picture: Apollo 13 15th Anniversary Edition

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ --

OVERVIEW:   To commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the historic space mission and the 15th Anniversary of the Academy Award®-winning film, Apollo 13 is now available to own on Blu-ray™ Hi-Def for the first time on April 13, 2010, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.  From Academy Award®-winning director Ron Howard (The Da Vinci Code, A Beautiful Mind) and based on the dramatic events surrounding the real-life Apollo mission, this breathtaking story of survival, determination and hope stars Academy Award®-winner Tom Hanks (Angels & Demons, Forrest Gump), Bill Paxton ("Big Love," U-571), Kevin Bacon (Frost/Nixon, Mystic River), Gary Sinise ("CSI: NY," The Green Mile) and Ed Harris (Appaloosa, Gone Baby Gone).

BONUS FEATURES EXCLUSIVE TO Blu-ray™ Hi-Def:  Unleash the power of your HDTV with perfect picture and purest digital sound.

• BD-LIVE™: Access the BD-Live™ Center through your Internet-connected player to get even more content, watch the latest trailers and more!
  • MY SCENES:  Bookmark your favorite scenes from the movie then share with your BD-Live™ buddies!
• U-CONTROL™: Universal's exclusive signature feature puts the viewer just one click away from going deeper into the making of the film without ever leaving the movie.
  • THE APOLLO ERA: Learn about the other big events from the year of this historic mission—without stopping the movie.
  • TECH-SPLANATIONS: Enjoy entertaining explanations of the science and technology of the Apollo 13 missions.
• pocket BLU™:  USHE's groundbreaking pocket BLU app uses iPhone™ and iPod® touch Wi-Fi connections to work seamlessly with a network-connected Blu-ray™  player and offers advanced features such as:
  • Advanced Remote Control: A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray™ player. Users can navigate through menus, playback and BD-Live™ functions with ease.
  • Video Timeline: By turning the phone to landscape mode, users will bring up the video timeline, allowing them to instantly access any point in the movie. (iPhone™ and iPod® touch only)
  • Mobile-To-Go: Users can unlock a selection of exclusive bonus content with their Blu-ray™ discs to save to their device or to stream from anywhere there is a cellular or Wi-Fi network, enabling them to enjoy exclusive content on the go, anytime, anywhere.
  • Browse Titles: Users will have access to a complete list of pocket BLU™-enabled titles available and coming to Blu-ray™ Hi-Def.  They can view free previews and see what additional content is available to unlock on their device.
  • Pop-Up Keyboard: Enter data into a Blu-ray™ player with this easy and intuitive keyboard that will facilitate such Blu-ray™ features as chatting with friends and sending messages.

And coming soon, Universal will be releasing pocket BLU™ for Blackberry and Android smart phones.

• social BLU™:  Connect with friends on your favorite social networks to share information about your favorite movies, enjoy Blu-ray™ community features and more!
• Additional Bonus Features Include:
  • feature commentary:  Feature commentary with director Ron Howard, Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell and his wife Marilyn.
  • LUCKY 13: The Astronaut's Story:  A "Dateline" television piece recounting the events of the mission.
  • Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13:  The making of the film including behind-the-scenes footage and interviews.
  • Conquering Space: The Moon And Beyond:  A recap of the last 45 years in space.
• D-BOX MOTION CONTROL™

SYNOPSIS:  Less than a year after the world marveled at man's first moon walk – and only three years after the deadly Apollo 1 fire – the American public thought of the April 1970 Apollo 13 moon mission as just another "routine" space flight. But soon, four words from Spacecraft Commander Jim Lovell would change all that:  "Houston, we have a problem."  Stranded 205,000 miles from home in a crippled spacecraft, Lovell, and two other astronauts, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, fought a desperate battle to survive while Mission Control's heroic ground crew raced against time – and long odds – to bring them home.  Academy Award®-winner Ron Howard directs Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris and Kathleen Quinlan in a riveting account of this breathtaking real-life adventure.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% owned by Vivendi.  

SOURCE Universal Studios Home Entertainment