Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration - Page 13

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

We haven't seen the final specs regarding this boxset.

Why would those titles make it more appealing?

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Not necessairly "those" titles but they are what seems to be the best of what are left (unreleased on DVD) for War related Musicals between 1941-1946 connected with Warner or RKO. Just thought more than 3 movies would be more appealing - like 5 movies. Either way, I will still buy the 3 disc set if that is all there is just because of "This Is The Army".

Eric

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

The emphasis (for the 85th WB anniversary) this year is WB films, thus all the Natalie Wood films are WB. The all-star war films are all WB--not A GUY NAMED JOE or ESCAPE. Although it is the Korean War, they might have included STARLIFT.

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Just a quick heads-up for everyone... Warner tells us today that these titles (Natalie Wood and Home Front) are definitely coming, but that the dates are likely to change. They're trying to get the best quality results with the masters (etc). So they're coming, but you'll have to be patient. It sounds like they've got a LOT of classic material in various stages of the production process, but getting it all where they want it to be quality-wise is taking time. Just wanted to let everyone know, before expectations run TOO far out of control.

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Thanks for the update Bill.

I haven't seen most of Natalie's films from her early adulthood period, but I'm definitely looking forward to re-visiting "Splendor in the Grass" and seeing a few others for the first time.

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Thank you so much for the update!
Just knowing that they ARE coming eventually is already fabulous news!

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

You have to give it to Warner. Though they may take a while coming, when they do release something it is usually Kick Ass!! ***** (5 stars) with me and can't wait to see what they have done to This Is The Army!

Hope there are plenty of related extras as they have done in years past with their Night At The Movies packages?

Eric

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Ok, why's Warner Bros.' still focusing on Westerns for Errol Flynn? Well, I don't mind buying the set AS LONG AS there are zero carry-overs from Volumes 1 & 2 and individual releases. Where are his war films? I wanna see him kick Nazi butt! I plan on owning ALL of Errol Flynn's films on DVD. Hell, I even own The Adventures of Robin Hood on HDDVD!
I think it's time I made a listing of Errol Flynn films on DVD. Following is a link for his filmography THEN the list. Here we go: (I won the majority of these.)
Errol Flynn's filmography
Captain Blood
The Charge of the Light Brigade
The Prince and the Pauper
The Adventures of Robin Hood
The Dawn Patrol
DODGE CITY
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
The Sea Hawk
Santa Fe Trail
Dive Bomber
They Died with Their Boots On
Gentleman Jim
Objective, Burma!
Escape Me Never
Adventures of Don Juan
KIM
The Master of Ballantrae

There're far more titles of his I'm willing to purchase. Of course in boxsets such as Volume 2 which use thinpaks. And why no reverse printing on the covers for the thinpaks? Chapter listings and other minute details would be great. So, as long as they're still releasing Errol Flynn films, I'm buying them.

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Sante Fe Trail is stuck in PD hell IIRC. Could these make up the set?

Sante Fe Trail
Montana
Virginia City
San Antonia
Silver River

Saw Dodge City a few weeks ago and loved it - so bring them on!! (Although it was kinda funny hearing an Aussie accent stumbling around Americana )

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

The Sun Also Rises is now available on DVD.

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

The first 4 Warner Noir volumes were all released in July of their respective years with the official announcements having been made several months prior (quick research shows Vol 4 was announced in April 2007 andd Vol 2 in March of 2005).

There has been no announcement, or even solid rumors, for Vol 5 to date. Anyone connected with the noir world have any info on the status of future collections?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Steve... I think basically what has been said here on this thread is that Warner's marketing strategy has changed because they don't want to be caught with their pants down. In other words, make an announcement that something is coming and not deliver. There is more on their plate now than in 2005 including having to make multiple copies of the same title (SD, BR, HD, or sets) and more high quality titles coming out in higher numbers.

And digging deeper into their vaults for older titles means more research and harder to track people down for copyright clearances along with extra restoration work on the prints and creating extras for them rather than slapping an "as is" on the disc.

I am sure the HD wars slowed things down too as it took time and money to develop processes and waiting to see which way to go (the winner) so they can release newer titles in all formats at the same time and recoup money off the looser.

The days of letting someone know a title is coming a year in advance and sticking to it are over. It is more complicated getting titles out today.

Eric Huffstutler

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Thanks, Eric. The announcements I was referring to were not the unofficial HTF chat announcements but the "official" press releases that WHV would issue about 3 month in advance of the actual release date.

The noir collections have become annual events and WHV was quoted in an article a year or so ago saying the releases were quite popular and they had enough material for something like 10 volumes. It just seems odd we're almost at May 1 and nothing has surfaced with regards to Vol 5 (assuming there is going to be one this year).

WHV also reissued Vol 1-4 earlier this year and made note of that in the 85th anniversary press release but made no mention of Vol 5. I know there are some very knowledgable noir buffs on this board and was just curious if word is circulating among that community of WHV's plans.

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Their silence could be an indication that they have been scared away from demanding people who want to know "exactly" when something is going to be released and they just can not commit to it every time due to one reason or another? Rather than argue, they just remain silent?

Eric

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Speaking of the 'chat', I always thought it was a magnificent piece of marketing strategy by Warners to come here and tease with titbits of news of what's coming and what might be coming; I'm quite puzzled why there's been no first quarter chat at the HTF - I honestly can't believe it's because of any criticism of their output they may have read in these forums.

Do they think it's an idea gone stale? Has their schedule been thrown so out of kilter by the HD wars, or has the state of the economy thrown a spanner in the works generally? I'd love to know why...(and when they're coming back!)

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

I doubt very much that Warner executives are so sensitive to comments here that have decided to "punish" us by no longer having chats. Maybe there will be a chat when Warner has firmer dates for 2008 and 2009 releases.

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

My opinion of why chats are probably a thing of the past:

1. DVD sales are shrinking, started before the economy went into the dumps so this is no longer an area for growth in the studio's eyes.
2. There are many other online avenues aside from HTF to generate chatter as far as upcoming releases.
3. When you have members taking them to task for releasing 99 classics instead of their planned 100, the incessant bitching, moaning and the overall demanding nature of posters (yes it's infinitely worse than it was 8-9 years ago) then it's only natural that they'd want to distance themselves from this audience.

While I always enjoyed the yearly chats I can't blame them for avoiding this place like the plague.

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Which isn't very fair to the average consumer dollar wise because they can't afford to buy $1,000 worth of DVDs at once! (just an example)

Eric

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

I haven't attended any of their chats so obviously WHV hyping their product isn't something that attracts me.

I did read the posted chats a couple times. Honestly, I found the process of a ton of thank yous and a few tidbits of information came mighty close to gag inducing.

However, anyone promoting a consumer product that thinks it's a good idea to distance themselves from their consumer ... they are in the wrong business.

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Sad but true. Especially when you take into account that the people who want a specific movie on DVD will still buy it whether or not they get to hear about it early in a chat or not. With no change in sales and an ingrate attitude from some posters, I don't blame them either.

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Complaining about the chats, and then complaining that Warner isn't coming along to do one so that you can ignore it.

Just when you think you've read it all...

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

I NEVER complained about them not doing a chat. Perhaps if you read it all ...

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

I vote for this as the main reason for the seeming attitude change. They aren't stupid and I'm sure they know there is no sense in continuing to pump product into a marketplace that is going to feel the effects of 30+% rise in fuel costs, 5-10% rises in food, and devaluing homes and constrained credit. They scaled back last year as well ( the SE anniversary editions of Cool Hand Luke, LA Confidential, and Bonnie & Clyde being pushed over into this year). I think anyone expecting a flood of titles Q4 is setting themselves up for disappointment.

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Agree. I doubt there will be "TONS" of Q4 releases this year. There will be some high profile releases targeted towards the Christmas giving season, but I'd be surprised if after the general slowdown we've seen for the reasons noted above that all of a sudden the floodgates opened. I've always purchased a lot of WHV product in the past but with fuel/food prices being the way they are I would have had to scale back this year. WHV has made this a moot point by scaling back on their own.

My noir Vol 5 question was not complaining (and I don't think it came across that way), but simply an attempt to get an update on one of WHV's most steady franchises. The Looney Tunes Golden collection is another that it will be interesting to see how it gets handled this year.

Re: Speculation for Warner Bros. 85th Anniversary Celebration

Apparently even a jump in blu-ray sales hasn't helped stop the decline in home video sales as a whole:


DailyTech - Sales of Blu-ray Disc Not Enough to Stop Home Video Slump

It makes sense to me that when the economy turns bad, people spend more of their money on basics, rather than luxury items like DVDs. Of course, I just reclassify DVDs to basics to get around that dilemma.