The Boxtrolls

It's only fitting that the magnificent, Academy Award, Golden Globe and Annie Award nominated feature "The Boxtrolls" is available in Blu-ray 3D; an army of animators have painstakingly rendered characters with a very tactile stop-motion technique that isn't often seen in our world of computer generated images. This procedure rounds out each figure in a way that even pops from the screen in the standard Blu-ray disc. Even those who aren't animation aficionados should get the full effect of the HD picture and theater quality sound available in this Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray Combo pack (it also includes a DVD and Digital HD version).

A menace is plaguing the land of Cheesebridge: Boxtrolls have stolen the Trubshaw baby and eaten him. But the ambitious Archibald Snatcher (brilliantly voiced by Ben Kingsley) will destroy every one of these murderous beasts in order to abandon the "red hat" he wears and join the elite society of "White Hats."

In truth, the infant is alive. He has been raised deep, underground by the creatures, and believing himself to be one of them he grows into a spirited little boy who must save his "family's" reputation.

Adapted from the book "Here Be Monsters," this certain-to-become-a-classic animated film is not only a technical masterpiece but a story of wit and charm.

A treasure trove of special features takes viewers behind the scenes and brings them into the involved process of the making of "The Boxtrolls." Featurettes uncover the complex methods behind the voicing and crafting of this universe of otherworldly beings. We see the intricacies of facial change in these animated puppets and the way that stop-motion animators, visual effects specialists and the costume designer work together to meet the challenges of creating scenes where even the clothing flows realistically. In addition there is a feature commentary with directors Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi and a series of preliminary animatic sequences.

"The Boxtrolls"
Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD
Rated PG / 1 hr. 36 min.
focusfeatures.com/theboxtrolls