'Biohazard' & 'Les Aventuriers' On HD DVD In Japan, this December 21

[October 2, 2007] Originally posted.
[November 22, 2007] Audio spec of Les Aventuriers HD DVD updated - Dolby Digital-Plus Mono, instead of dts-HD Mono.

Biohazard/Resident Evil was one of the two HD DVDs that Toshiba bundled with its first-generation HD DVD players, when they were first launched in Japan last year. And it has never been released as a standalone HD DVD title (with bonus materials) in Japan until this announcement...

From December 21, both Biohazard (Resident Evil) and the 1967 French film Les Aventuriers will be available to own in high-definition exclusively on HD DVD in Japan. The specific details are as follows...

Biohazard/Resident Evil (2002) / 101 minutes
RRP: 5,040 Yen

• 1080p High Definition 16x9 1.85:1
• DTS-HD 5.1 (English), DTS-ES 5.1 (Japanese) & DTS-HD 2.0 (Audio commentary track)
• Japanese subtitles
• Bonus materials include
  - Audio Commentary with cast and crew including Paul Anderson and Milla Jovovich
  - Production featurettes
  - Trailers and TV spots of the film's Japanese theatrical premiere

Les Aventuriers 40th Anniversary Premium Edition / 113 minutes
RRP: 5,040 Yen

• 1080p High Definition 16x9 2.35:1
• Dolby Digital-Plus Mono (French & Japanese)
• Japanese subtitles
• Bonus materials include
  - Interview with director Robert Enrico, recorded at the time of the original theatrical release (10 mins)
  - Interview with Joanna Shimkus at Cannes Film Festival (11 mins)
  - Featurette on composer Francois de Roubaix (26 mins)
  - Various trailers/teasers
  - Cast & crew bios
  - Alternate opening and ending (2 mins each and both are presented in high-definition)