Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans! - Page 3

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

I got KONG 2005 free in my HDDVD add-on player. Yes, I'm a late adopter and I personally don't care for Blu-ray UNTIL they get their acts together. How? By FINALISING the 2.0 profile and have cheaper player prices. Until then, I'll still buy HDDVD with very few BD's. Why again? It's because I have to go over to a matey's house and play them on his PS3.
HDDVD is great for me right now since the prices are really low and I won't be adopting the other format for a long while. Oh, and I'll even make custom HDDVD's via HD broadcasts with the 3x DVD method. Sure, I might be stingy but hell, it IS my moneys.
Carry on.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

Come on man, was there a real need for that post here?

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

About as much need as there was for the Kong extended cut.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

Please keep discussion in this thread confined to Universal and Blu-ray. You are more than welcome to talk about the format war in this thread.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

Actually, I suspect that no matter what the new movie does, Universal is going to keep Lee's version semi-vaulted until next year, when it will come out alongside whatever other catalog titles their releasing on BD to play catch-up with HD DVD. No matter how badly Incredible Hulk bombs (and it really doesn't look very good, and not just because the other comic book movies this summer are Iron Man, The Dark Knight, and Hellboy II), why take the risk of someone accidentally buying the $30 catalog title rather than the $40 new release?

It's funny that nobody has mentioned the sort of screwy irony of Universal starting their support of the losing format with a movie called "Serenity" while their support of the winner begins with "Doomsday".

(Note: I loved Doomsday and can't wait to see it again in HD.)

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

Bring on Hitchcock and Spielberg Universal titles!

EDIT: As LONG as they don't use MPEG2, DNR'ing and EE are my mandates for all new to Blu. VC1, MPEG4/AVC, HD audio, retaining film grain and the director's intent is what an HD master should be about. Oh, and carrying over the extras from SD. There's more then enough space on the DL's.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

That's a fair point, but Universal would also pass up the 'synergy' that could create extra sales of the catalog release as a result (you know those people crazy enough to buy both, like, uh, myself ). As I said, it should be interesting to see how they approach it.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

I see this again and again but people fail to remember that the reason for MOST missing supplements isnt space at all but licensing.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

Are they going to offer Heroes Season 1 HD DVD trade in for Blu-ray?

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

didn`t Uni announce a Conan the barbarian HD DVD release last year? That never seemed to have materialized but I figured if it was announced (heck I even saw a few pre-orders online) then a transfer must have been done and should be among the first BD releases no? please? pretty please?

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

It shouldn't really be a problem for Uni since all the HDDVD's I have which I upgraded from SD fairly much carried over every extra.
FOX are just being lazy bums, BUMS!, for not carrying over the extras. Maybe they want us to double dip and be satisfied with SL and the archaic MPEG2 codec? <---That's for another thread... Oh, and their absurdly high MSRP's. I use DVDPriceSearch.com anyway for online purchases though.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

While I do not remember hearing anything about Conan The Barbarian coming to HD-DVD last year. It would have been nice to have Conan in 1080p as long as they gave it the propor treatment. I have been hoping for Conan to come to HD and maybe they will release both movies at the same time?



And while it seems that Back To The Future has been remastered and will be coming to Blu-ray. The big question is when will it be released and will it actually come with a lossless audio track? For me this is a must buy and I wouldn't mind having a collectors box set on this one.

Another Universal title I am itching to own on Blu-ray as I am sure many of us here are waiting for the release date. Is the Jurassic Park Trilogy which will most likely need a full restoration job before being pressed to Blu-ray. I would also hope that Universal will give this trilogy a lossless audio track. And since this is a Spielberg film it might get a DTS-HD MA track? As long as it gets a good lossless track I could actually care less.

And another thing I would love to know is when will we see the new Battlestar Galactica come out on Blu-ray? And I hope we do not get the same trashy low quality box that they used for the HD-DVD release of Season One! If it was not for the horible way they packaged season one on HD-DVD I would have purchased it the day it was released. But I am looking forward to better packaging and all 4 seasons to hit Blu-ray, hopfully by the end of 2009.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

I don't know about the trilogy, but Jurrasic Park does need a lot of work before it will be ready for release.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

I kinda doubt this.. I mean all the making of, featurettes, deleted scenes, audio commentaries, trailers, etc usually belong to the studio (at least with the "bigger studios"). Not all of them, but most. Some music videos (that´s why e.g. "Guns N' Roses"-video is still included only in T2 laserdisc, I believe) and "home made" video-stuff/TV-channel documentary might be a different thing, though.

I personally doubt, that there are any "proper" reasons why some releases are missing extras and some are not. Perhaps some companies are indeed just "lazy" (some people in the marketing deciding these things, etc), they want that the old SD DVD-version "still sells", etc etc. I´ve no clue.

Let´s hope that Universal will follow the same road that they did with HD DVD; extras are usually included (with some exceptions). And re-release that "American Gangster" with ALL the extras, dammit.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

I agree wholeheartedly with Dave Moritz. Except for BattleStar Galactica since I don't even own it. But it is a title I'd love to own in HD.
Okay, here's a list for a crapload of titles which have kick ass releases on DVD. Perhaps some of the titles in question will have seamless branching? Oh, mandatory use of full 1080p with excellent transfers which look like how the film is intended to look with zero DNR and EE. Full lossless original audio and the full carry-over of all SD extras.

LEGEND (I own the Ultimate Edition DVD. The Director's Cut would look absolutely mond-boggingly beautiful in 1080p!)
THE MUMMY (1932)
DRACULA (Bela Lugosi)
The Wolfman
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Alfred Hitchcock
Steven Spielberg
JAWS 2
A Beautiful Mind
K-PAX
The Money Pit
Weird Science
American Graffiti
Sixteen Candles
Brotherhood of the Wolf (I'm still gonna import the UK HDDVD and keep the 3-Disc Canadian Collector's Edition.)
CAPE FEAR (1962 & 1991)
SCARFACE
MacArthur

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

What does the 3 disc Canadian CE have that is not on import HD DVD? aren`t both cuts on the HD DVD?

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

From DVDCompare.net

• R1 CE Canada - (TVA Distribution)
  
  
  
• Extras:
  DISC ONE
  * The Film
  Commentaries:
  Audio commentary by director Christophe Gans [French Language, no subtitles].
  Audio commentary by actors Samuel Le Bihan and Vincent Cassel [French Language, no subtitles].
  
  DISC TWO
  "The Making Of: The Brotherhood Of The Wolf - The Guts of the Beast" - documentary (78 mins)
  "The Legend" Interview with naturalist Michel Louis about the actual Beast of Gevaudan
  6 Deleted Scenes (with introduction by the director)
  Filmographies
  Theatrical Trailer
  DVD-ROM Content:
  - Weblinks
  - Press Files
  
  DISC THREE
  "Behind The Scenes" - documentary (78 mins)
  12 Storyboard Sequences
  Photo Album
  DVD-ROM Content:
  - Screenplay
  Booklet with production notes
  
• Subtitles:
  English and French
  
• Aspect Ratio:
  2.35:1
  
• Picture Format:
  Anamorphic
  
• TV System:
  NTSC
  
• Soundtrack(s):
  French DTS 5.1
  French Dolby Digital 5.1
  English Dolby Digital 5.1
  
• Case type:
  Special Case
  
• Notes:
  This is a Limited Edition DVD, and available in two different version, one in English and the other in French text, including booklet. All extras apart from the audio commentaries in French with optional English subtitles.
  
• Easter eggs:
  Easter Egg 1: On Disc 1 on the Main Menu, press Up to make a symbol appear on the altar under the wolf. Select it to see the DVD credits. You will see them in either English or French, depending on your menu choice.
  Easter Egg 2: On Disc 2 & 3 on the Main Menu, press Up to highlight the title. Select it to see the DVD credits. You will see them in either English or French, depending on your menu choice.

^I own it.

• R0 United Kingdom - (Optimum Publishing)
  
  
  
• Extras:
  French theatrical trailer
  Test calibration patterns
  
• Subtitles:
  English, French, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish
  
• Aspect Ratio:
  2.35:1
  
• Picture Format:
  1080p 24fps
  
• Soundtrack(s):
  French DTS-HD Master 5.1
  
• Case type:
  Amaray (Keep) Case
  
• Notes:
  Using VC-1 compression. ! Mistakes on the back cover: "English DTS-HD Master" dub is listed (not included) and the running time is stated as being 134 min.

So essentially I'll be keeping the 3-Disc Canadian Collector's Edition for the plethora of extras and eventually buy the HDDVD. More for the 1080p picture and the lossless audio.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

Given Universal's "hit or miss" history with catalog titles on HD DVD, let's hope Universal does the right thing with Jurassic Park on Blu-Ray when the time comes. I think the fact that it's a big Spielberg film is a huge positive for us, meaning that Uni most likely will give it the proper treatment.

Adam, any idea if Universal is going to be including PCM, Dolby TrueHD, or DTS-Master Audio on their Blu-Ray releases?

Regards,
Dan

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

I can imagine. The DVD looks very mediocre today even for DVD standards.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

I think it's mainly due to the fact they crammed too many extras onto a single Dual Layer DVD. Which in turn doesn't allow a very high bitrate encode for the film. So yes, full on restoration would be highly beneficial. Might as well include a DTS-HD MA 5.1 track since this was the very first DTS film released to theatres back in 1993.
Let's not forget The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III! Yeah, knowing Universal they'll release a trilogy boxset when the fourth JP film movie jobby finally gets made.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

Yes the studios own the material, however there maybe contractual obligations to the people who are participating in the extra features. The actual extra features are not always made by the studios themselves. They are often produced by a third party company. Said companies may have a contract that requires additional payments if those materials are to be included on some new medium.

Also if music from the film is to be used in the special features, the composer and all of the musicians would need to be paid again. I often wondered why Disney's own behind the scenes stuff about Disneyland never used the actual music from the attractions. Well if it did they would have to pay the composers, lyric writers, musicians and singers again, or in some cases pay their estates.

Some actors are now including in their contract that they be paid extra to participate in the bonus features. Again that contract may require an additional payment for inclusion on a new medium.

Doug

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

Aye, the same things happen in other industries too like in the world of still photography. It all depends on what the contract says between all parties involved -- and if things are not explicitly detailed in a contract, the courts will likely decide in favor of whatever contributing parties in terms of rights, additional revenues and such (unless the usage is non-commerical and not-for-profit). Look up the guy whose image was used by the mass produced Nescafe coffee brand for many years and see how that turned out for a relatively extreme, but real, example. There was also another famous case where a photojournalist (and his stock photo agency?) benefited greatly from some images of a homeless man in the Middle East -- can't remember if it was actually in Israel or not.

Nowadays, everyone tries to be super careful about such things. Even I as an amateur street photog (not looking to make $) has to be concerned about it -- and actually bothered to buy a book on this stuff though I still haven't spent time digging into it yet (partly because I haven't been actively shooting in a good while). And in places like France, they've even started legislating laws that are quite unfriendly toward street photography and even general tourist photography and such.

And going back to the cinema, remember what happened w/ certain scenes in the movie Devil's Advocate? I suspect the studio could've paid their way to keep them unaltered, but they probably simply decided to save the $$$ and chose not to.

_Man_

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

Exactly. And part of what the whole writers strike a few months back was about was rights in new media. I don't know if they were specifically trying to get rights from bonus features on DVDs, but if they were then that will be something that will effect EVERY union film made in Hollywood. And the writers won't be the only ones demanding money for these things. Honestly this is the kind of thing that causes movies to cost $200 million dollars.

Doug

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

The Thing is one of my top tens as well!

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

Pfft. Don't blame the unions for the rising costs of making films. The writers' strike exposed how little those costs could be; in fact, that was the major point of the strike. Not to mention that, by a extremely large margin, the largest union costs for a film are from the service workers, and rightfully so, given that they often make up a large (if not the largest) part of the crew.

But that still pales to the cost overruns from producers and directors who can't say "no" to any offer that comes their way. It's also been mentioned by at least one major series' crew that the California government has been largely responsible for runaway costs, since for some reason they feel like they don't need to offer incentives for their largest industry to produce product. That's like Illinois not fighting for corn subsidies, or Virginia not offering deals for tobacco farmers.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

IMHO I am glad that Universal is onboard and has gotten around to releasing Blu-ray titles. While there are some other titles I would have preferred to come out first. There are some good titles there and I am encouraged by the reports of DTS-HD MA being used for The Mummy, The Mummy Returns and Scorpion King.

I plan to add the following Universal titles to my HD library:
The Mummy (Own HD-DVD version) - DTS-HD MA
The Mummy Returns (Own HD-DVD version) - DTS-HD MA
The Scorpion King - DTS-HD MA
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
American Gangster
U-571 (Own HD-DVD version)


DOOMSDAY (Not sure as I have not seen it yet but might buy it anyway)

Granted the purchase of above titles are based on titles having lossless audio tracks. As long as the Mummy movies do in deed have DTS-HD MA tracks or at least an equivalent lossless track. I will be double dipping the Mummy movies very soon. There are a number of Universal HD-DVD's that I would replace with Blu-ray's but only if they have lossless tracks. Otherwise I might as well keep my HD-DVD's as my primary versions I watch. I am also hoping that the rumor that Back To The Future coming out this year ends up being true. That movie is definantly on the top of my must haves and I hope Universal will release that with lossless as well. Based on what I saw with Universals HD-DVD releases I am very optimistic about the Blu-ray releases we will see in the near future. The video on there HD-DVD releases was very good IMHO but I would have preferred the use of lossless audio instead of lossy Dolby Digital Plus tracks, even though they where being recoded and decoded as DTS on my system.

Welcome to Blu-ray Universal.

I can see that Blu-ray titles are going to keep me very poor!



Anyway has there been any more official title releases for the end of 2008 or for 2009?

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

No, not yet. However, I'd be shocked if they didn't release at least one other film, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall", which did well at the box office, plus the Apatow name could tie-in with the Blu-rays of either "Knocked Up" or "40 Year Old Virgin" or both.

Re: Breaking News: Universal Announces Blu-ray plans!

Uni's HD DVD releases were low key in a lot of ways, especially on catalog titles and minor new releases, there wasnt a whole lot of hoopla for many of them. I'd suspect they would get a little bolder on Blu but don't be surprised if you walk into a store and see a few Uni catalog titles you dont even remember them announcing.