Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Sony
CULVER CITY, CALIF. (March 31, 2014) –
George Clooney’s action thriller THE MONUMENTS MEN marches its way
onto Blu-ray Combo pack, DVD and
Digital* May 20 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Based on the
non-fiction book of the same name by Robert M. Edsel with Bret Witter, the film
pays tribute to the real men and women who risked their lives to recover and
return thousands of cultural treasures stolen by the Nazis during World War II.
The
Blu-rayâ„¢ Combo Pack
is loaded with bonus materials, including two all-new featurettes that
highlight the making of the film. The first, “George Clooney’s Mission,â€
features interviews with Clooney, as well as the rest of the cast, on the elements that went into completing THE MONUMENTS MEN. The second featurette, “Marshaling the Cast,â€
features a cast discussion on the real men and women they brought to life on
screen. Exclusively available on the Blu-ray are two additional exclusive
featurettes. “In Their Own Words†is a unique piece that offers the most
comprehensive and direct insight into the hearts and minds of these heroes,
featuring an interview with Harry Ettlinger, one of the last surviving members
of the Monuments Men. “A Woman Amongst
the Monuments Men†features a discussion with
Cate Blanchett on the historic, wartime female character she plays in the film
(Claire Simone).
A Smokehouse production, THE
MONUMENTS MEN is
directed by Clooney, and written by Clooney and Grant Heslov. Starring in the film is an
exceptional ensemble cast, including two-time Academy Award® winner
Clooney (Argo, Best Motion Picture of
the Year, 2012), Academy Award® winner Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting, Best Writing,
Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, 1997), Bill Murray (The Grand Budapest Hotel), John Goodman
(Argo), Academy
Award® winner Jean Dujardin (The
Artist, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, 2011), Bob Balaban (The Grand Budapest Hotel),
Hugh Bonneville (TV’s “Downton Abbeyâ€) and Academy Award® winner
Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine, Best
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, 2013).
Synopsis:
Based
on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, THE
MONUMENTS MEN focuses on an unlikely
World War II platoon, whose job it was to rescue artistic masterpieces from
Nazi thieves so they could be returned to their rightful owners. In a
seemingly impossible mission, the Monuments Men, as they were called, find
themselves risking their lives in a race against time to avoid the destruction
of 1,000 years of culture.
About the Real
Monuments Men:
Hitler
had decreed that if he died and the war was lost, nearly 5 million pieces of
stolen art were to be destroyed. In an effort to thwart the Nazis’ intent, President Roosevelt, with the support
of General Eisenhower, created the MFAA (Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives)
unit in 1943, and tasked them with the job of rescuing and protecting Europe’s
art masterpieces. Ultimately, more than 300 men and women worked in the MFAA
between 1943 and 1951, returning thousands of cultural items that had been looted or displaced during
the war.
Blu-ray & DVD Combo Pack Special Features:
- George
Clooney’s Mission
- Marshaling
the Cast
Exclusive to the Blu-ray:
- Deleted Scenes
- The Real Monuments Men
- A Woman Amongst the Monuments Men