'American Gangster' Arrives On HD DVD, this Feb 19

[North America]

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has finally announced that American Gangster, starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, will be available to own in high-definition exclusively on HD DVD/DVD Combo disc, come February 19, 2008, for $39.98 SRP a copy.

Only the theatrical (Rated) version of the film will be presented in high-definition on the HD DVD side, while the DVD side contains both the theatrical (Rated / 157 minutes) and the 174-minute unrated extended cuts of the film.

The official specs released with the announcement has confirmed our earlier speculation.

Main feature (Rated / 157 minutes) on the HD DVD side of the disc is presented in

• 1080p High-Definition Widescreen 1.85:1
• Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 (English & French)
• English [SDH] & French subtitle options

Supplemental materials on both the DVD and HD DVD sides include

• Feature Commentary with director Ridley Scott and writer Steven Zaillian

HD DVD-exclusive Extras:

• Alternate Opening
• Deleted Scenes
• Uncovering the Past: The Real Frank Lucas and Richie Roberts
• U-Control: Picture-in-Picture Instant Access - Takes you behind the scenes with Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, director Ridley Scott, producer Brian Grazer and key cast and crew members for exclusive interviews and revealing footage about the scene you’re watching.
• Web-Enabled Features - Your HD DVD player is also your direct connection to new movie trailers, interactive polls and exclusive content including the deleted scene, "Frank and Eva's Wedding".