Saving Private Ryan - Bluray

Here is a link.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Saving-Private-Ryan-Blu-ray/dp/B0035ER236/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1265414160&sr=1-2

Hooray!  Now, if they could only redo the soundtrack for home theaters, or at least re-EQ it so I don't have to apply additional processing...

 It's up for pre-order at U.S. Amazon, but there's no release date.

http://www.amazon.com/Saving-Private-Ryan-Blu-ray-Damon/dp/B0035WTJBG/ref=amb_link_49429822_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=right-1&pf_rd_r=0ZGJ543GDRFW9BC6D7K5&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=98051042&pf_rd_i=193640011 

The release date is May 4th.






Crawdaddy

Thanks, Robert.

That's one to look forward to.

Looking forward to this one.

The DVD I have is from way back in 1999, so this should be a notable upgrade.

Day one purchase for sure!

Finally!

As soon as I know that Paramount hasn't screwed up the transfer this is a definite purchase.

This'll be a must buy.

I'm curious about the potential for a DNR screwup here with these Speilberg/Dreamworks titles. Minority Report, Saving Private Ryan and (eventually) A.I. all have that stylized grainy look. Imagine if someone tried to strip this all away? Oh dear.

My guess is, this being a Spielberg title, it will be done correctly.

I agree that Spielberg will insist it be done right, considering how he swears by film.  Also, I hope that Gangs of New York and strong rumors of a Gladiator reissue are indications that studios are starting to get the message.

Although, I don't take the shrink wrap off without confirmation of a good transfer either.

Assuming of course that Spielberg *is* involved. Taking into account past DVD releases and the Close Encounters Blu-Ray set, I would say the chances are good that the pending BD releases will have his oversight.

As a DreamWorks (Spielberg's current company) product, it would be shocking to not have his input.

I'm not sure its a DreamWorks product anymore. When Spielberg left Paramount, most of the DreamWorks films stayed there. I don't know if that applies to Spielberg directed films or not. The listing on Amazon says Paramount, and nothing about DreamWorks.

Doug

Saving Private Ryan was a Paramount/DreamWorks co-production. As part of the de-merger, Paramount may have retained North American distribution rights to those co-productions, or alternatively, they may hold video distribution rights for a certain period of time (much like MGM did with its pre-1987 product after Warner bought Turner Entertainment).

While the picture does belong to Paramount, Amblin Entertainment, which is still owned by Spielberg, has a piece of the action and the film will have Mr. Spielberg's stamp of approval on it.  He also has the same approval with his films that Universal has.  That is one of the hold ups with those films making it to Blu-ray.  I cannot wait to get my hands on a Blu-ray version on 1941, Jaws, Always, Schindler's List and Empire of the Sun. 

Ryan will be buy, but not a blind buy.

Actually it wasn't a merger. Paramount bought DreamWorks for 1.6 billion dollars. However I found the information I was looking for about the DreamWorks library.


I assume this means that Ryan will be a Paramount release.

Doug

I'm not entirely sure that Amblin still holds any rights to Ryan or any of the other films it co-produced with DreamWorks and Paramount, but it’s possible.

My understanding is that Spielberg's deal with Universal means that he owns all the films he directed there after E.T., with Universal having a long term distribution deal. I'm sure however that even after not being able to make a deal with them for DreamWorks, they still have a cozy enough relationship that Universal wouldn't release Sugarland, Jaws or 1941 with out Spielberg's involvement. By the way Empire of the Sun is a co production with Warner Bros. not Universal.

I'm a huge 1941 fan and can't wait to get my hands on a blu-ray of that one.

Doug

I know EMPIRE OF THE SUN is from Warner Brothers, I was talking Spielberg Blu-ray in general, but I guess it was not clear.  You have to admit it should be an outstanding Blu-ray as will 1941, as I am huge fan also.  I spent over two hours talking to Ned Beatty about that one film a few years ago.  Truly a highlight. 

Amblin does still have an interest in the films that Spielberg did for Dreamworks.  Dreamworks was sold to Paramount, not Amblin.  You can take GLADIATOR for example.  Dreamworks co-produced it with Universal, but Amblin was not involved.  The film now resides with Paramount and Universal.  With Paramount having release rights, certainly one of the reasons the Blu-ray was messed up. 

Amblin is Mr. Spielberg's production company and it has not only been a driving force in his films, but also a co-production company on many other films, such as GREMLINS, TWISTER, MEN IN BLACK I & II and MONSTER HOUSE. 

You are right in that Universal to this day respects Mr. Spielberg and that they will consult and abide by his wishes on any of the Spielberg films they own or distribute.

I'm not sure of this because I don't know the details of the deal made with Paramount for DreamWorks. Its quite possible that Amblin gave up whatever rights they held in the DreamWorks produced films when Paramount bought the company. Again with out knowing the details of that sale, its hard to say who owns what. Other that the fact that George Soros controls the films.

Doug

George Soros sold his ownership in the Dreamworks films back to Paramount on Feb 8 for 400 million.  Paramount now owns controlling interest in the films, but Amblin still has small piece in RYAN and the other films that Spielberg directed.

Interesting in that Soros purchased controlling rights for 950 million in 2006, when libraries were worth more, and that was only 51% ownership.  Paramount retained the other 49% along with worldwide distribution rights and ancillary rights.  Not sure what Soros gained by this deal.

Interesting I wasn't aware of the recent sale.

I'm sure Soro's had some angle in buying them. He didn't get where he is by being stupid.

Doug

I predict there will be complaints about the photographic techniques used in the film, as in "what's wrong with my blu ray?!  It looks grainy, and I see these weird smearing effects!"  The people complaining will be oblivious to what the film is supposed to look like.

I bet that will happen too, but not here. Home Theater Forum readers are more aware.  

And if you answer it with 'It's intended, how it's supposed to look', you'll get the inevitable response 'Who cares if it's intended? It looks like crap to me.'

To which I'll respond, "if you don't like how the film looks, don't buy it, but don't dare say its look should be changed to fit your notion of what HD is 'supposed' to look like".

The funny thing was, when the DVD came out, there were claims by some know-nothings (even on HTF) that the visual artifacts seen in the opening beach scenes weren't present in the theater or on laserdisc and VHS.  Those people had to be shown screencaps to prove to them that their DVD wasn't "defective".  We'll see if history repeats itself.