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HD DVD: American Gangster - Page 2

post #31 of 58
1/17/08 at 2:13pm

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Williams
Why do people always spout off the MSRP as though anyone actually pays that?

Because everything is fair in love and the FORMAT war.. That´s why.

Apart from some of these bare bones e.g. MGM/Fox-titles and releases like "Star Trek S1" (where I got the review-copy fortunately), I don´t feel that HD-releases are that "expensive". I never even read the MSRP-info on the press releases, since it´s not what I´ll eventually have to pay..
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post #32 of 58
1/17/08 at 2:16pm

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Williams
Why do people always spout off the MSRP as though anyone actually pays that?
Because the higher the MSRP is, the more you're going to pay even after a 30% discount you have at Amazon.
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post #33 of 58
1/17/08 at 2:25pm

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

I personally feel that a movie on BD or yes, even HD-DVD (just kidding) is worth more than its DVD counterpart. I don't mind paying the slightly higher price for far better quality of my favorite films. And if it comes to slighting on things like American Gangster, I'd much prefer it go to a second disc to get it all. Actually, I'd prefer it go to Blu-ray, where it may not necessarily have to go to a second disc.
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post #34 of 58
1/17/08 at 4:48pm

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
Furthermore, I think people are fearing a double dip later on from Universal.

And exactly how many double-dip (HD or Blu replaced by new HD or Blu) have there been already? The only ones I can think of off hand is Troy and The Fifth Element. Not exactly a growing phenomenon.

This "fear" of the double-dip is irrational. The real "fear" right now is whether either format gains enough market share to become a true replacement for DVD. At this point, I have my doubts that will happen with EITHER format.

If you guys want to see the future of high def movies to be a future on shiny little discs, I suggest you reconsider buying a movie you obviously want but are boycotting for reasons that just don't hold water yet. Start sweating the double-dip problem when there are 50 million HDM players and DVD has gone the way of the dinosaur!

Mark
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post #35 of 58
1/17/08 at 5:20pm

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Booth
This "fear" of the double-dip is irrational. The real "fear" right now is whether either format gains enough market share to become a true replacement for DVD. At this point, I have my doubts that will happen with EITHER format.
Laser Disc probably never even had the player base that HD media already has, certainly not as much as Blu-Ray, but that never stopped the studios from double or at times even triple dips.
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post #36 of 58
1/17/08 at 6:53pm

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Booth
And exactly how many double-dip (HD or Blu replaced by new HD or Blu) have there been already? The only ones I can think of off hand is Troy and The Fifth Element. Not exactly a growing phenomenon.

This "fear" of the double-dip is irrational. The real "fear" right now is whether either format gains enough market share to become a true replacement for DVD. At this point, I have my doubts that will happen with EITHER format.

If you guys want to see the future of high def movies to be a future on shiny little discs, I suggest you reconsider buying a movie you obviously want but are boycotting for reasons that just don't hold water yet. Start sweating the double-dip problem when there are 50 million HDM players and DVD has gone the way of the dinosaur!

Mark
Irrational might be trying to tell others how to spend their money because of what may or may not happen according to your premise. Furthermore, I never really looked at DVD being replace by HDM to begin with because it would be too cost prohibitive to release certain titles on HDM because the lack of units sold could never justify the cost of preparing them for HDM release. I see HDM as an advanced brother of SD DVD. I'm hoping for it to be more than a niche market, but with less penetration than SD DVD.
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post #37 of 58
1/17/08 at 8:34pm

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
Furthermore, I never really looked at DVD being replace by HDM to begin with because it would be too cost prohibitive to release certain titles on HDM because the lack of units sold could never justify the cost of preparing them for HDM release. I see HDM as an advanced brother of SD DVD. I'm hoping for it to be more than a niche market, but with less penetration than SD DVD.
Personally, this is exactly how I have always envisioned the future of the home video business, with both HDM and DVD co-existing and complimenting each other. If I were a betting man, which I am not, I would be willing to bet good money, that a large number of titles already on DVD, will never ever make it to HDM regardless of how successfull HDM is. The fact is, that there are thousands of titles that not only will never make economic sense to release on HDM, but will also not really benefit from being on HDM. I am also very sure that HDM will be, it probably already is, a much larger market than Laser Disc ever was.
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post #38 of 58
1/18/08 at 5:03am

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:


Yet, that version isn't "good enough" for the HD DVD?

Sorry, but I don't understand the logic behind boycotting this title on HD DVD.

You don't have to understand but if it helps.............

There are other avenues to view this rather than reward Universal with a purchase so I won't be missing out on watching the theatrical cut in HD, I just won't be owning it. I (and everyone else) will be missing out on watching the DC in High Def (and unless you also buy the 3-disc SD DVD version the Charlie D documentary) and that's what pisses me off.

You're okay with it, got it, check. Enjoy the disc I'm not telling you not to buy it but don't be presumptuous enough to tell others what to do based on your priorities.


I have to wonder why they would purposefully leave off the DC and the doc unless disc capacity was an issue. Sore subject I'm sure for the hard core "HD DVD or die" crowd but it's a reality you just can't overlook with issues such as this half-assed release.
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post #39 of 58
1/18/08 at 8:17am

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Paramount has no problem with releasing a 2-Disc HD-DVD (non-combo) of Beowulf, complete with Director's cut and hours and bonus features all in HD, but Universal can't do the same with American Gangster, a movie with the pedigree of Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Ridley Scott and the screenwriter of Schindler's List? Please.
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post #40 of 58
1/18/08 at 10:11am

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

I agree that this should have gone to a 2-disc set. Paramount's Beowulf sounds like a grand set. Mind you, has Universal ever made a 2-disc set for a single film? I can't think of one offhand.
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post #41 of 58
1/18/08 at 11:09am
Thread Starter 

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

That's right - Universal has a 1 disc only HD policy apparently.
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post #42 of 58
1/18/08 at 11:32am

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

So the HD side is only the theatrical cut, while the flipside has the director's cut, AND it doesn't have all the features of the 3 disc set? Or lossless? This would have been a buy for me (why wait when you are purple), but at this point I'll wait and see if they get it right the second time on the inevitable Blu version.
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post #43 of 58
1/18/08 at 11:54am

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Can't wait for 'Tru Blu' on Blu!

Come on, Universal!
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post #44 of 58
1/19/08 at 2:56pm

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bleddyn Williams
I agree that this should have gone to a 2-disc set. Paramount's Beowulf sounds like a grand set. Mind you, has Universal ever made a 2-disc set for a single film? I can't think of one offhand.

I wonder if this was a HD DVD disc capacity problem? It's a long film, and the DC is even longer, of course.
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post #45 of 58
1/19/08 at 3:04pm
Thread Starter 

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Seems like it.

So, one would prefer:

DC only in HD?

DC and TC in HD looking horrible, and/or lower res sound?

TC with good sound?

All at the same price as the DVD SE.
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post #46 of 58
1/19/08 at 3:37pm

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

DC/TC on HD side through seamless branching

All of the extras from the 3-Disc edition on the SD side.
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post #47 of 58
1/19/08 at 3:57pm
Thread Starter 

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

That wouldn't make it a combo then.
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post #48 of 58
1/19/08 at 4:05pm

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:
So, one would prefer:

DC only in HD?

DC and TC in HD looking horrible, and/or lower res sound?

TC with good sound?

All at the same price as the DVD SE.
Make a multi disc set then like Paramount and drop the combo. I would use Close Encounters as a good example but that's a BR disc with more capacity. I think it is a capacity problem and we're bearing the brunt of it here.

Beyond that, what Jim K said.
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post #49 of 58
1/19/08 at 4:11pm

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:

Exclusive to the HD DVD is a U-Control picture-in-picture video commentary featuring Scott, Zaillan and stars Washington and Russell Crowe. Web-enabled content includes a bonus deleted scene "Frank & Eva's Wedding," the ability to share your favorite MyScenes selections with other online users, interactive polling and access to movie trailers for other Universal HD DVD titles.

Here's an idea. Drop the stupid shit for the "my space" generation and gear these HD DVD releases to film/movie aficionados instead of the "X-box/gamer" demographic and maybe they'd have more room for what's important .................the fucking presentation!

BTW - Can HD DVD even do seamless branching? I seem to remember reading a few places that it was an issue that the format couldn't perform seamless for some reason. The sources seemed legit but who knows with all the BS that floats around the net these days.
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post #50 of 58
1/19/08 at 4:11pm
Thread Starter 

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

We have ascertained that:

1. Universal has a COMBO policy
2. Single disc policy
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post #51 of 58
1/19/08 at 8:56pm

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:
BTW - Can HD DVD even do seamless branching?
I don't see why not but it may be a bandwidth issue and a space issue.
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post #52 of 58
1/20/08 at 12:03pm

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shane Martin
..it may be a bandwidth issue and a space issue.

It really makes you think.. Goddamn additional bandwidth/space was the main reason why I wanted "HD format" in the 1st place. Now I have two and we still have these issues?

I want 50gb!
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post #53 of 58
1/20/08 at 1:42pm

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:
Goddamn additional bandwidth/space was the main reason why I wanted "HD format" in the 1st place. Now I have two and we still have these issues?

Only on HD(so far). Ce3k proved the BR could do it on 1 disc
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post #54 of 58
1/21/08 at 9:57am

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

I refuse to accept the standard 9 GB DVD side can handle the theatrical cut and the unrated extended cut, but the HD-DVD has capacity issues. On the other hand, if that is the case, that's another reason why I have hoped from the very beginning that BD would win the format war. No combos, 20 GB more disc space. It has always seemed like a no-brainer to me.
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post #55 of 58
1/21/08 at 10:45am

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:
I refuse to accept the standard 9 GB DVD side can handle the theatrical cut and the unrated extended cut, but the HD-DVD has capacity issues
DVD has far less resolution therefore far less space.
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post #56 of 58
1/22/08 at 5:39am

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
BTW - Can HD DVD even do seamless branching?
I don't see why not but it may be a bandwidth issue and a space issue.

This was an issue mentioned when Paramount released the Star Trek box set. Some fans, myself included, were very disappointed that there wasn't an option to choose to watch the episodes with the original special effects sequences (which could have been offered by branching).

I suppose the question is, then, are there any HD DVD discs that do have branching?
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post #57 of 58
1/22/08 at 7:02am

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Blade Runner (the deluxe/collectors' editions) is one title that has seamless branching.
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post #58 of 58
1/22/08 at 9:34am

Re: HD DVD: American Gangster

Shane, that's baloney. HD-DVD repeatedly puts the film and all the bonus features on a single disc that in many cases on DVD requires two discs. Evidently the issue has to be that HD-DVD can't do seamless branching, because they have plenty of space for both cuts of American Gangster on the HD-DVD side via seamless branching.

On BD, Lost puts 5 episodes per disc instead of the 4 for the DVD side. Granted they have 20 GB more to work with than HD-DVD. But capacity isn't an issue, Shane. Please don't tell me again you can put more on DVD because it has less resolution. You also have a third of the space. It's basically a wash.
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