Universal is breaking new ground with Brokeback Mountain.

Synopsis:

Winner of three Academy Awards® including Best Director, the movie that became a cultural phenomenon is now available in a remarkable two-disc Collector's Edition. Relive the sweeping epic that explores the lives of two young men (Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal), a ranch hand and a rodeo cowboy, who meet in the summer of 1963 and unexpectedly forge a lifelong connection. With all-new bonus features, never-before-seen footage and highly collectible postcards, this definitive set magnifies the emotion, drama and power of one of cinema's most groundbreaking films.

One of contemporary cinema's most fearless and groundbreaking films, Brokeback Mountain comes to HD DVD and DVD in a special 2-Disc Collector's Edition on January 23, 2007 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Fans and film collectors won't want to miss this extraordinary two-disc set, which includes all-new bonus features and behind-the-scenes footage of the film that won Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) the 2006 Oscar® for Best Director. An American epic, Brokeback Mountain earned eight Academy Award® nominations, including Best Picture, and became an instant classic.

Starring Academy Award® nominees Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal**, Brokeback Mountain: 2-Disc Collector's Edition is the story of Ennis Del Mar (Ledger) and Jack Twist (Gyllenhaal), two young men dispatched to work as sheepherders up on the majestic Brokeback Mountain in the summer of 1963. There, Ennis and Jack unexpectedly forge a lifelong connection, filled with joy, tragedy, and love. Academy Award® nominee for Best Supporting Actress Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada) also star in Brokeback Mountain. This landmark 2-disc DVD includes exclusive, never-before-seen extras, plus highly collectible postcards that make this the definitive home entertainment version of this powerfully emotional film.

The brilliant Academy Award®-winning screenplay was adapted by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana from a short story by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Proulx. The film's Grammy Award®-nominated soundtrack features beautiful performances by Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris and Rufus Wainwright, among other artists.

Brokeback Mountain won three Academy Awards®, including Best Director (Lee), Best Adapted Screenplay (McMurtry & Ossana) and Best Original Score (Gustavo Santaolalla). The DVD is priced at $26.98 SRP; the HD-DVD Combo is $34.98.

CRITICS PROCLAIM BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN ONE OF YEAR'S BEST FILMS:

Critics everywhere lauded Brokeback Mountain for the fearlessly emotional performances of its stars and its bold treatment of a controversial subject. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone raved, "Hits you like a shot in the heart. This classic in the making ranks high on the list of the year's best movies." A.M. Homes wrote in Vanity Fair that it was "an instant classic" and Joel Siegel of "Good Morning America" praised it as "The Best Film of the Year!" "Heath Ledger's wrenching performance is the stuff of Hollywood history," wrote Manohla Dargis in The New York Times. David Ansen of Newsweek said that Brokeback Mountain is "played with great imploded passion by Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger."

CAST & FILMMAKERS:

Director: Ang Lee

Written By: Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana, based on the short story by Annie Proulx

Cast: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Linda Cardellini, Anna Faris, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, and Randy Quaid

DVD Features:

- A Groundbreaking Success -- In a new original documentary, Brokeback Mountain's producers and cast talk about bringing this unusual story to the screen on their terms. The film also examines the phenomenal attention garnered by the movie, including the numerous parodies that the story inspired.

- Music From the Mountain -- Composer Gustavo Santaolalla, who won an Oscar® for Brokeback Mountain's emotional score, takes viewers into the sounds of the movie's unforgettable music. Includes interviews with each of the featured artists, and a trip to the studio with the legendary Willie Nelson as he records his touching version of Bob Dylan's "He Was a Friend of Mine."

- Impressions From the Film -- The raw beauty and splendor of the American West are masterfully showcased in a photomontage of the film's sweeping vistas.

- On Being A Cowboy -- Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal discuss their preparations for the film, including rodeo and wrangling training. Exclusive on-set interviews with the film's stunt coordinator are also featured.

- Directing From the Heart: Ang Lee -- Oscar®-winning director Ang Lee is profiled in this intimate behind-the-scenes look at how he led the filmmaking team in bringing the absorbing story of Brokeback Mountain to life.

- From Script to Screen: Interviews with Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana -- The writers discuss bringing Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Proulx's visionary short story to the screen.

- Sharing the Story: The Making of Brokeback Mountain -- This featurette follows the filmmaking process from start to finish and introduces the cast and crew who brought Brokeback Mountain to life through in-depth interviews, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, and more.

Technical Specs:

- Run Time: 2 Hours 14 Minutes

- Layers: Disc 1: DVD-9 (Single Sided); Disc 2: DVD-5 (Single Sided)

- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen)

- Rating: R

- Rating Reason: sexuality, nudity, language and some violence)

- Audio: English and French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround; Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0, English SDH; French and Spanish Subtitles