Apple adds Lionsgate stuff to iTunes store

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., a Canadian entertainment company, on Monday has entered into a distribution partnership with Apple Inc. to offer movies for purchase and download via Apple's universal online iTunes Music Store.

Under the deal, the Vancouver based independent movie studio doing business as Lionsgate will make its stuff available on the iTunes Store, enabling iTunes customers to download and purchase its latest releases.

Apple said that its iTunes store has started selling films from Lionsgate from Monday, apparently expanding its catalog of online movies.

iTunes customers can now download or purchase past blockbusters like "Terminator 2," "LA Story," "Basic Instinct," "The Blair Witch Project" as well as the horror film "Saw" and "Dirty Dancing - Havana Nights," along with more than 150 titles Apple will add to the online store this month.

The world's most popular online movie store carries over 400 movies (with the addition of Lionsgate), more than 4 million songs and 350 TV shows that can be downloaded and played on Apple's revolutionary iPod digital media players.

"We're delighted to offer these incredibly popular Lionsgate films on iTunes, and look forward to adding even more films in the future," said Steve Beeks, president of Lionsgate. "iTunes lets users download these wonderful films to watch on their computer, TV or iPod, so movie fans can take their favorite Lionsgate films with them anywhere."

The phenomenal collection of movie titles from Hollywood's leading independent studio, including action adventure films and thrillers such as "Total Recall" and "Rambo," indie classics such as "Monster's Ball" as well as perennial favorites such as "Chaplin" and "The Boys From Brazil" will be available on iTunes in the coming weeks.

With the addition of Lionsgate's renowned collection of movie titles, iTunes lets its users download this wonderful stuff to watch on their computer, TV or iPod, enabling them to take their favorite Lionsgate films along with them anywhere.

Lionsgate is the third studio after Paramount and Disney to partner with Apple since the launch of its movie download service last year.

Movies purchased and downloaded from the iTunes Store can be viewed on a computer, Apple TV or fifth generation iPod, and most are priced at US$9.99 each. Movies downloaded from the iTunes Store are downloaded in near-DVD quality at a resolution of 640x480. The movies will cost $9.99, and will be playable on Macs, PCs, fifth-generation iPods and, soon, Apple TV. They're rendered at 640 x 480 pixels (depending on aspect ratio).

Lionsgate is the leading independent studio and a premier producer and distributor of movies, TV programs, video-on-demand and home entertainment content. It counts more than 10,000 titles in its prestigious and prolific library.

After igniting the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II, the Cupertino, California-based Apple reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Continuing with its tendency of revolutions, Apple is leading the industry with its award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and iLife and professional applications. In digital music segment, it is moving ahead with its iPod portable music players, iTunes online store and most recent its upcoming much-hyped, iPhone.