Warner Archive Discussion Thread (FEEDBACK)

re: Warner Archive Discussion Thread

I don't think region coding is an issue. Warner have been releasing their catalogue titles coded for all regions for some time now (even though it does say just region on the box!) And you would need a very old telly to have trouble with NTSC.

re: Warner Archive Discussion Thread

PAL issues are non-existant for Australians because it is very hard to buy a TV that can't also natively play NTSC, or a DVD player that can't do PAL60.

If Warner owns the entire international rights (including oil rigs - region 7) then there is no reason for them to put region coding on the discs.

If it is a title they only own North American rights to, then it makes sense for them to encode the discs as Region 1 only.

re: Warner Archive Discussion Thread

WB Insider Rewards!

About a month ago, I received a Warner survey email to vote for the name of this program. But I never knew it would pertain to anything as great as the WB archives!!!

Maybe it's just me and my unfailing sunny-side-of-the-street attitude, but I have such great faith in Warner and am so overjoyed by this initiative that when I initially read about the Archives Saturday morning, the shipping to USA only situation (which will be extended to International as we know now) and the $20 price seemed so unimportant compared to the great news themselves. Most catalog releases from Warner here in Quebec cost $17-$20 plus 12,5% tax (they are a bit cheaper on Amazon.com, seldom on Amazon.ca), so the $20 price actually struck me as quite reasonable for such an exclusive on-demand service. So it's all relative.

And of course, like most people I guess, I don't plan to buy EVERY single title I want in one single order (I would be ruined!), 5 to start with the discount and then maybe 2-3 more per month, the actual number will vary depending on discounts.

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Yeah I did that survey, I voted for WB VIP, but now I find out it isn't (at least initially) open to people outside of U.S and Canada.

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Actually, I just read the WB Insider Rewards page, but we people from the Canadian province of Quebec are left out again, as we are of pretty much every promotion, contest and program that applies to the rest of Canada. I don't mind a bit and am not even surprised, since it's always been like this! Oh well, I voted for the name of the program at least. And I believe that's even the one I voted for!

A link to an article from Monday afternoon with some more quotes from the one and only Mr. Feltenstein

re: Warner Archive Discussion Thread

MOVIES UNLIMITED is taking 7/1 preorders for THE RAIN PEOPLE (@$19.99)!

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Much CHEAPER THAN CRITERIONS !!!

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LOL...if Criterion put out their product as no frills DVD-R's that you can only buy from their website they would have been out of business years ago.

BTW - I usually pay around $16 and $22 for Criterion DVDs.

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Thank you for the code, Robert. $15 plus free shipping made my order that much sweeter.

I hope they will continue to provide similar discounts or "2 for 1" sales in the future.

-g

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REALLY? If you have to compare, then it's a fairer contest with Criterion's stripped down 'Essential Art House' line. Which are cheaper (because you can shop around). And they're pressed.

But there really is no comparison; this is a unique undertaking by Warner.

re: Warner Archive Discussion Thread

I was wondering..... some titles in the Archive Collection show the following specs: 16X9 Full Frame.

Could that mean that the titles are not anamorphic?

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I wondered that myself. I hope not.

I ordered Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze and the clip they show of it is widescreen but that doesn't mean it's anamorphic. If it isn't then that means I paid $20.00 for something I could have done for myself or just continue watching my laserdisc. We'll see.

And I missed the discount, too.

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Even more worrying, the clip for Interrupted Meoldy with OAR of 2.55:1 was shown in Full Frame P&S...!

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this sums up how I feel about the whole program--I'm totally willing to hand over every cent I can spare to Warner, Criterion, Fox, Columbia, Universal, etc in order to encourage them to mass-produce these DVDs in a format that is up to snuff (and preferably with interesting/entertaining extras)... but I'm not giving them A CENT for DVD-Rs that I can record for myself.

not now. not ever.

I'll stop raining on everyone else's parade now, I guess... if you like this idea, go right ahead--but I wanted to do what I could to make sure that Warners hears my opinion...

re: Warner Archive Discussion Thread

Near the beginning of the thread, Ron said

re: Warner Archive Discussion Thread

My heart just skipped a beat...I hope and pray they are anamorphic. I know they said all titles are OAR, but there was no mention if they were anamorphic.

Just read the previous post, so 16X9 means anamorphic...right?

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Yep.

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I guess I am not that up on technology, but I assume doing an anamorphic release on DVD-R is not that big of deal. Since I think they are not new transfers, can any transferred letterbox film be made in anamorphic? In other words, when a letterbox film plays on TCM it is within the 4x3 ratio, but could those original transfers also be anamorphic? Also, can 5.1 or 4.0 sound be done on DVDrs? Or would stereo films be two track stereo with Dolby surround encoding?

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Wouldn't a 1/85 ratio be a 16x9 full frame with no black borders on any side?

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Warner Archive states that all movies are in their OAR.





Crawdaddy

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That's what I'm thinking. Some say 16x9 Letterbox and others 16x9 Full Frame-I assume the former are wider screen films. From DVDSavant:
George Feltenstein just wrote me with this: "The goal is to eventually make EVERYTHING available, but obviously that will take a lot of time, and a lot of money. I set out some ground rules. Everything HAS to be Original Aspect Ratio, and 16x9 if widescreen. No 4x3 Letterbox. No Pan 'n' Scan. I also wanted consumers to be able to preview the master before the buy, so they'd understand what they were buying."

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I just got an e-mail from the Warners archive that my DVD shipped today (3/25/09). Since I actually live within walking distance of Warners studios (or am I incorrect in assuming that these discs are "made" in or around their vicinity), hopefully I'll receive it by Friday or Saturday.

I'll certainly report (as I hope others do) on the satisfaction of these DVDs as they arrive though I doubt the naysayers would care if we did backflips! Personally, barring any glitches, I think this is the BESt thing to happen since, well, the invention of the DVD itself.

No doubt other studios are carefully watching Warners experiement and if it is a success (initially, it seems to be) then expect Fox, Universal, Paramount and Columbia to follow suit. I wouldn't hold my breath for Disney though.

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I think this program is brilliant, and hopefully will lead to all of the studios following suit.

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Yes, thanks, but I was wondering about them being anamorphic. Anyway, the other posts have relieved my fears.

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That is exactly the kind of excellent customer care I have come to expect from George Feltenstein and Warner!

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I Googled during my lunch break to find if anyone had received a DVD from the Archives yet and found some details on another forum I never visit from someone who received his today (I take it, it would not be right to link to another forum, correct?)

So I will just summarize what it says then:

DVD-R, blue surface, color top surface, Nexpax Amaray rental case, very good quality cover on high quality paper

Allied Vaughn for replication
Shipped from Illinois (3 days since order)

DVD: FBI warning, promo for Warner Archives, anamorphic menu.

This film from the 30s starts with the Turner logo
Excellent image
Chapter stop intervals: 10 minutes

re: Warner Archive Discussion Thread

I wouldn't stress out about the spec info and clip presentations on the website. These discrepancies seem more like website tech issues more than anything else. (I think the 1931 Possessed shoes a clip from some 70s/80s horror film?)

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If their OAR is widescreeen, I expect them to be anamorphic even if it's 1.66:1.

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I imagine the air masters for TCM are digibeta, that means they're either 4x3 letterbox (if older masters) or 16:9 anamorphic (aka 16:9 full frame). The use of the word anamorphic with DVDs has been really unfortunate, it's too bad we couldn't stick with just letterbox vs 16:9 :-p

and yes it's possible to upconvert a video signal from 4x3 tape to 16:9 anamorphic, generally there's a slight crop in vertical information if the film is 1.66, 1.78 or 1.85, I'll probably do this sort of upconvert with my star wars 4x3 letterbox original version dvds whenever it is that I get access to a blu ray recorder. I could do it back to DVD, but I don't want to compress them onto a single layer. :-p But no fears, it's easier and costs the same for WB to make a new anamorphic digibeta from their SR Master if all they have is a 4x3 letterbox digi. much easier to just lay off a new tape than go through all the fun of an upconvert.

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*Especially* if it's 1.66:1, given Warners committment in that area.