5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

"Full Metal Jacket (Deluxe Edition)" also coming (Blu-ray/HD DVD):

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/sh...ay,_HD_DVD/826

"The re-issue of 'Jacket' will join the quartet of other Kubrick releases hitting high-def on October 23, though no tech specs were immediately available on what (if any) elements of the release will receive an upgrade.

Note also that the original standard Blu-ray and HD DVD editions of 'Full Metal Jacket' will now be discontinued."

So the original "FMJ"-release will be one of the first OOP-titles in HD.

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

Specs!
http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=65400
("please note AV specs are tentative and subject to change")

***2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Using a dual-layer Blu-ray Disc (BD50) and dual-layer HD DVD (HD30) features include:

* 1080P 2.20:1 Widescreen
* English PCM 5.1 Surround (Blu-ray Disc)
* English Dolby True HD 5.1 Surround (HD DVD)
* English, French and Spanish 5.1 Surround (Dolby Digital on Blu-ray, Dolby Digital Plus on HD DVD)
* English, French and Spanish subtitles
* Commentary by Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood
* Theatrical trailer
* Channel 4 documentary: 2001: The Making of a Myth
* Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001
* Vision of a Future Passed: The Prophecy of 2001
* 2001: A Space Odyssey - A Look Behind the Future
* 2001: FX and Early Conceptual Artwork
* Look: Stanley Kubrick!
* Audio-only interview with Stanley Kubrick


***A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Using a single dual-layer Blu-ray Disc (BD50) and two dual-layer HD DVD discs (HD30s) features include:

* 1080P 1.66:1 Widescreen
* English Dolby True HD 5.1 Surround
* English, French and Spanish 5.1 Surround (Dolby Digital on BD, Dolby Digital Plus on HD DVD)
* English, French and Spanish subtitles
* Commentary by Malcolm McDowell and historian Nick Redman
* Theatrical trailer
* Channel 4 documentary: Still Tickin’: The Return of Clockwork Orange
* New featurette: Great Bolshy Yarblockos! Making A Clockwork Orange
* Career profile: O Lucky Malcolm!


***Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
! The Eyes Wide Shut Special Edition includes both the Rated and Unrated versions.

Using a dual-layer Blu-ray Disc (BD50) and dual-layer HD DVD (HD30) features include:

* 1080P 1.78: Widescreen
* English, French and Spanish subtitles
* Scene specific commentary by Sydney Pollack and historian Peter Loewenberg
* Theatrical trailer and TV spots
* Channel 4 documentary: The Last Movie: Stanley Kubrick and Eyes Wide Shut
* Lost Kubrick: The Unfinished Films of Stanley Kubrick
* Kubrick’s 1998 DGA D.W Griffith Award acceptance speech
* Interview gallery featuring Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and Steven Spielberg


***Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Features include:

* 1080P 1.78:1 Widescreen
* English Dolby True HD 5.1 Surround
* English, French and Spanish 5.1 Surround (Dolby Digital on BD, Dolby Digital Plus on HD DVD)
* Commentary by Adam Baldwin, Vincent D’Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey and Jay Cocks
* New Featurette: Full Metal Jacket: Between Good and Evil
* Theatrical trailer


***The Shining (1980)
Using a dual-layer Blu-ray Disc (BD50) and dual-layer HD DVD (HD30) features include:

* 1080P 1.78:1 Widescreen
* English Dolby True HD 5.1 Surround
* English, French and Spanish 5.1 Surround (Dolby Digital on BD, Dolby Digital Plus on HD DVD)
* English, French and Spanish subtitles
* Commentary by Garrett Brown and John Baxter
* Theatrical trailer
* Documentary The Making of the Shining, with optional commentary by Vivian Kubrick
* Three new featurettes:
o View from The Overlook: Crafting the Shining
o The Visions of Stanley Kubrick
o Wendy Carlos, Composer

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

...and ditto.

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

OK, what am I missing here? What is it about the Clockwork Orange release that's driving them to a 2-disc HD-DVD set, where all the other are single disc? This would seem to make more sense for 2001, which is a slightly longer film with seemingly more extras.

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

It doesn't make sense to me either. The only thing I can think of is that one or more of the extras on the Clockwork release is in high def. But considering what is listed, that doesn't really seem very likely.

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

Is this a mistake? I thought we weren't getting an HD box set? And why would it be 9 discs (or "10pc"...does that mean including the box???)?

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

IMO, the new box set ("The Warner Home Video Director's Series: Stanley Kubrick") will be available in SD DVD only, not in HD. SD DVD set has also "Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures"-doc (1 disc). 5 films/10 discs (4 x 2-disc, 1 x 1-disc + documentary (1 disc))

"Lolita" and "Barry Lyndon" are not included the box, but they´ll be released later on at least in SD DVD (no word on high-def versions yet).

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

That's what I thought too, but the Amazon link says "Format: HD DVD".

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

Martin, I'm willing to bet that's a mistake. Unfortunately, the Warner Home Video website lists the box set as only available on SD-DVD.

I'd really like to see the Life in Pictures documentary available in HD (or at least anamorphic), but it looks like we're out of luck for now.

Mark

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

I just ordered a 60gb PS3 before the remaining stock at $499 has been depleted and the price goes back up again for the upcoming 80gb model. Too much good stuff coming out on BD that I don't want to have to keep buying. I figure even if Blu-Ray loses the format war (which doesn't seem likely) I still have a game machine and having to buy a HD-DVD player would only put me out $250 (at today's prices. Will probabaly be even cheaper by the time that scenario actually would occur)

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

I'm cautiously hopeful about 2001; the master used for HDNET airings has a boatload of edge enhancement, so I hope they've gone back to a clean source. And I definitely hope FMJ has received a new transfer because the original is one of the worst HD DVDs released from a PQ standpoint.

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

Amazon has these up for pre-order for $19.99 apiece

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

So The Shining will be 1.78:1 Widescreen and not Full Screen like the current DVD?

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

All of them will be in widescreen (1.66:1, 1.78:1 or 2.20:1). Did you read the specs a few posts earlier?

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

I read the specs, but was curious since there was always a debate on the format The Shining was ment to be shown in.

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

For the theatrical release, Kubrick wanted and instructed the shots to be composed for 1:85-1. That's all I want, the OAR version...

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

I know it's an issue that is still very hotly debated but my understanding is that Kubrick composed movies for the theater but he wanted a full frame presentation for home video (due to the lack of resolution of the various formats). Now that resolution is better, it would stand to reason that he would want the theatrical AR used for HD releases as well.

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

To my understanding, Kubrick didn´t like the "black bars" on 4:3-TV (WS-TV was not very common back in the days when he was still alive), which is the main reason why he preferred 4:3 open matte with the films that were shown 1.66:1/1.85:1 in the theatres. Vitali is saying what Kubrick said back in the days - years ago. Probably the "anamorphic"-process in the DVD-releases was not that common back then, either (even if you would have that 16:9 TV-set). I believe some older Kubrick-releases are indeed non-Anamophic.

Let´s put it this way; If Kubrick would see the 16:9 TV-sets and generally the home theaters that "regular people" have in their homes now, he would definitely approve WS with his movies. In the end, WS is how the films were first shown in the big screen.

There are people who like to drag that old "4:3-argument" to every discussion, even when it was made years ago and in the totally different time frame. Sure, Kubrick was "old school" and usually did his own thing - no doubt, but IMO Warner is giving us the "original theatrical ratio". I´m 100% happy with that.

Let´s enjoy the movies, shall we?

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

I wonder if Kubrick would approve of not including the original mono tracks.

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

I'm hoping that we get brand new restored transfers on all the Kubrick discs, but this is WB we're talking about!

Like it or not, they have not been the most consistant studio of late for ultra quality.

It seems like Sony and WB traded places somewhere along the line. Even Sony seems to be willing to listen with greater bit depths or now even master quality tracks for their soundtrack recordings, no dial norm for their TrueHD encodings, improved cover art when prodded, an exchange program for a less than stellar release of Fifth Element, much improved video, etc.

WB has been inconsistant with audio (especially on Blu-ray and their classic catalog titles), sticks to 16 bit resolution audio no matter what, low --and I do mean low-- bitrates and banding showing up more than most studios, filtering, no separate encode for Blu-ray to take advantage of its extra bandwidth, etc.

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

Yes, awful WB who is restoring classic movie after classic movie at 4K resolution, releasing 5 HD remastered versions of BLADE RUNNER, was the first studio to release quality product on Blu-ray after Sony's botched launch titles...

All of this anti-WB whining has to do with one thing only, bit rate worship. I'll give you that lossless sound should be a given on the HD formats, but WB has never been huge on high bit-rate sound, even on DVD they still encode at 384 KB/S for DD, so this isn't a change for them. It's a shame for sure, and they should stop this practice, but this crap about them putting out HD-DVDs and BDs with bad image quality is a load of bunk and has only to do with folks who are more interested in staring at their bit rate meters instead of watching the actual movies.

Vincent

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

However, those problem titles of WB's have also had very low bitrates. I would not call 5 Megabits/sec on tough 1080p sequences something to crow about.

All it shows is that they still need to keep the bitrates up on average to be on the safe side rather than letting them slip. And WB is consistantly letting them because HD-DVD cannot handle the load on all material. They do not encode the video again for Blu-ray. They're about the only non-exclusive studio that does this. Exclusive BD studios, sans Fox (and who knows if they'll have learned anything after their hiatus), are putting up some fairly high bitrate numbers and getting great results across the board.

What Blu-ray brings to the table is the ability for high, consistant bitrates that can help insure that problems like macroblocking, loss of detail, and banding don't show up... and high resolution 24 bit lossless audio at the same time.

The audio situation also shows that WB doesn't listen to what we want whereas other studios are doing so on a consistant basis. My god, even Paramount is starting to release PCM tracks on Blu-ray and TrueHD on HD-DVD rather than DD or DTS lossy!

Dan

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

Are these titles going to be released as as a Boxed set or just
individually?

I see Amazon has all the individual titles up for preorder, but
I was hoping for one big boxed set.

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

No sign of a box set, Ron.


Cees

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

Well, I guess I'll have to order all individually.

Now, to decide Blu-Ray or HD-DVD.

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

Yep.
Complicated times.

Choosing is of, uhm ... paramount importance now.
I didn't order all five of them, though.


Cees

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

I am being faced with the same dilemma as Ron....Box set or individual titles, and which HD format.... although this may have been decided for us already in light of todays announcements with the studios lining up exclusively behind a specific format (although Warners is not mentioned.....yet).

For those who don't know: Paramount and Dreamworks decided to join Universal in releasing titles exclusively in HD-DVD (except for Spielberg films), and MGM and Fox are joining Columbia, Sony and Disney for exclusive Blu-ray releases.

Back to Kubrick... 2001 is one of my favorite films of all time. I guess this has to do with the fact that this is the second film I saw in a movie theater as a kid (the first one was My Fair Lady...also a favorite), and I saw 2001 in full CINERAMA with the deep widely curved screen at a local theater called the Metro which seated 1000 and was rebuilt to exact CINERAMA specs (with 3 projectors running simultaneously), 2001 being the film used in reopening the theater. Man.... to this day I still recall in awe watching the Discovery spaceship going across the screen.

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

I ordered all the films thru Amazon on HD-DVD.
This Paramount news helped me decide which way to go.

Not only is there no boxed set listed anywhere, I thought
Full Metal Jacket was getting a new SE release, but
all I see is the original one listed. Am I wrong about Full
Metal Jacket?

PS: Heya Raul. Good to see you here.

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

Ron. FMJ is indeed getting a new release. It may not be up on some retailer sites, however. But don't buy the currently available release.

Re: 5 Kubricks coming to Blu-ray/HD-DVD 10/23

Brandon,

Gotcha!