The direct-to-video animated feature The Animatrix will be available for the first time in high definition When Warner Home Video and Village Roadshow Pictures release The Ultimate Matrix to Blu-ray on Oct. 14. The seven-disc collection will contain the complete Matrix trilogy in HD and lossless high definition 5.1 audio, with hours of special features including the critically acclaimed nine-part anime film. Three additional bonus discs will include more than 35 hours of additional features and a digital copy of the original Matrix for use with Windows Media and iPod portable devices.
The Animatrix disc comes with making-of documentaries on each film, profiling the evolution of each story’s unique style through design and animatics. There are also biographical profiles of the various directors and animation producers involved, and a featurette titled Scrolls to Screen: The History and Culture of Anime, which explores the phenomenon of the art form through glimpses of the genre’s greatest achievements and the observations of creators, historians and other leaders in the field.
Other bonus features located throughout the disc set include behind-the scenes looks at the visual effects behind the elaborate freeway chase in The Matrix: Reloaded, and the CG effects employed in the siege on Zion and the replication of Agent Smith in The Matrix: Revolutions.
The Matrix films were written and directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski. The first installment, released in theaters in 1999, was the first film on to hit the million-dollar mark in DVD sales. The Ultimate Matrix Collection was previously released on standard DVD in December of 2004, and has been augmented with In-Movie Experience for this Blu-ray release that will retail for $129.95.
