Warner Eyes 2012 for ‘Casablanca,’ ‘Lethal Weapon’ Anniversary Releases

I'm all for the Leathal Weapon films to show up on Blu-ray, so I can finally retire all four of my DVDs, but I wonder what is left to do with Casablanca?  The Collectors edition was pretty loaded, whats left to add?

I too am all for all four LW films, heck I LOVE them. But as for Casablanca, I am sick and tired of studios re and re-re-releasing the classics. Like come one, can't you use those resources to put outfilms never released? Sure, Casablanca is a classic... it's one of my favorites, and probably, imho, the best film ever made (Godfather, Wind and Kane are right up there too).

But it has been released several times... like you said above, what more can they offer?

Sound of Music, Godfather, Wind, Oz, Zhivago... all of these have had multiple re-releases, and, trying to complete my collection of Best Puicture Nominees with the best availavle editions, I have been suckered into buying them all (and now I have a box full of coasters I can't give away. I tried to sell them in the sell/trade forum, but no offeres...)

The LW series was due for a MAJOR update. Hopefully, they give us some decent bonus features. (Don't know if they want to work with Mel Gibson though)... But If you ain't gonna give us anything better than that was on the DVD, I'm not gonna waste my time / money.

It's like, oh, say, Mutiney on the Bounty (1935). I have it on DVD, and it's enjoyable. But now it comes out on Blu-Ray with NO update to bonus features. So what is there to encourage me to purchase it on Blu-Ray, aside from a restored picture? The DVD was good enough for me. I was able to watch it.

Warners is particularly bad for this. Fox, too. I mean, Fox put out all of those terrific "Classic Collection" titles (although I thought they could have done a little better with some of the bonus features on some titles; some were very good.) Then, they go and release SEVERAL again on two-disc sets (Eve, Wrath). Paramount, on the other hand, won't put ANYTHING out (oh sure, they gave us Queen last year, but when is Wings comming???

It's very frustrating.

One thing I don't think we have on DVD or Blu is the theatrical cuts of the LETHAL WEAPON films, which are available in a new UK collection (US-playable) with what I understand is improved audio/video over the longer versions on DVD here and a few new extras. (I've read A/V complaints about the US LWs on Blu.)

(Two threads on this now, by the way, which could be combined.)

So, if we're hearing about these for 2012, does that mean that rumor about the Superman Ultimate set for this year is bogus?

already having the UCE of Casablanca, i was hoping for something different, would like to see the four Bogart Bacall films make it as a set.

Casablanca will probably have a lossless track this time out.

Heard this news earlier today, Well, come 2012, I suspect I'll be in the blu, but I'm not buying all the Weapon flicks. One and Two for sure; not sure about Three; no fuckin' way on Four, though, it's the weakest of the series.

I'm sure the SUPERMAN set will bow on Blu with the coming film.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Cashill 

One thing I don't think we have on DVD or Blu is the theatrical cuts of the LETHAL WEAPON films, which are available in a new UK collection (US-playable) with what I understand is improved audio/video over the longer versions on DVD here and a few new extras. (I've read A/V complaints about the US LWs on Blu.)

 

(Two threads on this now, by the way, which could be combined.)

My blu-ray of Lethal Weapon 1 and 2 are both the theatrical cuts. I don't believe the director's cuts of the films have been released on blu-ray.

Doug

Quote:

Originally Posted by SWFF 

Heard this news earlier today, Well, come 2012, I suspect I'll be in the blu, but I'm not buying all the Weapon flicks. One and Two for sure; not sure about Three; no fuckin' way on Four, though, it's the weakest of the series.

I'd be willing to bet they may just release them in a box set to start with, I have no inside info on this, its just a guess.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eric scott richard 

Casablanca will probably have a lossless track this time out.

Big deal, I won't be buying it again because of it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Douglas Monce 

My blu-ray of Lethal Weapon 1 and 2 are both the theatrical cuts. I don't believe the director's cuts of the films have been released on blu-ray.

 

Doug

Right, I have the HD DVD releases of the first two films and they're the theatrical cuts.  I also have the UK BR boxset and it's the same.

Crawdaddy

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbbb1138 

So, if we're hearing about these for 2012, does that mean that rumor about the Superman Ultimate set for this year is bogus?

Aren't three of the six Superman films (including the Donner cut of II) already on blu?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Favate 

Aren't three of the six Superman films (including the Donner cut of II) already on blu?

Technically, yes, but 1 and 2 aren't the theatrical versions.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by eric scott richard 

Casablanca will probably have a lossless track this time out.

I'm hoping for it.  I have the HD-DVD and will hold onto it.  Unless my dual players die, I have no motivation to buy the current BD, but if next year's edition has lossless audio, I'll spring for it.

Doug
 

How can a UK disc be US playable? Region Free?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Cashill 

One thing I don't think we have on DVD or Blu is the theatrical cuts of the LETHAL WEAPON films, which are available in a new UK collection (US-playable)...  

I think that all of Warner's UK Blus (not DVDs) are region-free. Reviews confirmed that this one was so I sprang for it. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by battlebeast 

How can a UK disc be US playable? Region Free?

It is a Warner release and they aren't in the habit of region locking their Blu-rays. Same goes for Universal.

Oh! This makes sense! I went to France and took along a few movies to watch on the plane and at night in the hotel, and their tv-dvd player played only the Warner DVDs... This is great news for me, as I may be able to buy some of the Best Pictures on DVD that I need...

And you say Universal doesn't do this either? Well I bought The Shanghai Express  on DVD from the UK and it couldn't play here.. interesting.

Can anyone confirm about Universal?.

Almost every DVD release from a major studio is region-coded.  For some reason, however, several of these same studios generally make their Blu-rays region-free.  Univeral and Warner are two such studios.  Here is a very handy site cataloging the region status of many Blu-rays: http://blurayregioncodes.com/

As much as I love Casablanca, I'm growing tired of all these re-issues. I already own their current "Ultimate Collector's Edition". Now there's gonna be a new one?

But it's not entirely unnecessary. While everyone loves the way the current Blu looks, I do think there's room for improvement. I believe the current disc was from a 4k scan and Lowry digital cleanup done back in 2003. It looks fine, but obviously technology has progressed a lot since then and  the current disc leaves something to be desired compared to more recent remasterings. I always wondered why they went back to redo their 4k scans of Gone With the Wind and Wizard of Oz in 8k, but just let Casablanca be. Warners' work on their recent Bogart Blus might be a sign of what they can do with Casablanca.

Even if they upgrade the HD master of Casablanca, I still think the existing Blu Collector's Edition is more than packed with materials.

I'm very happy with the set I already own, and it would take something monumental for me to consider discarding it.

I agree with Adam completely on this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by battlebeast 

Oh! This makes sense! I went to France and took along a few movies to watch on the plane and at night in the hotel, and their tv-dvd player played only the Warner DVDs... This is great news for me, as I may be able to buy some of the Best Pictures on DVD that I need...

 

And you say Universal doesn't do this either? Well I bought The Shanghai Express  on DVD from the UK and it couldn't play here.. interesting.

 

Can anyone confirm about Universal?.

 DVDs are often region locked, and what's more: European DVDs are PAL-coded. While European DVD players and TV-sets can generally play NTSC (and most are region-free as well), the reverse is not so standard for US DVD-players and TV-sets.

Blu-ray, however is quite another story. As HD DVDs didn't even have a region code, the studios first releasing on HD DVD (most importantly: Warner and Universal) now generally release Blu-rays also without any region-lock. And because the PAL or NTSC codes are not applicable for BD, you can play them fine then in all continents.

There's one caveat: sometimes there is an extras disc in the package that is SDVD. And thus it might be PAL (if released in Europe) or NTSC (if from elsewhere).

Any material coded as 480p, or 720p/i or 1080p/i is not NTSC/PAL.

Therefore, for most of the region-free BDs there's no problem. But you need to check if they're region-free to be certain (or import a BD-player from the other continent, which may be the least expensive solution)

Yes, I can confirm about Universal: all Universal BDs I bought on this continent (Europe) are region free. But please check anyway if you're about to buy.

Cees

Quote:

Originally Posted by battlebeast 

And you say Universal doesn't do this either? Well I bought The Shanghai Express  on DVD from the UK and it couldn't play here.. interesting.

 

Can anyone confirm about Universal?.

As Cees informed above DVD is another matter. Universal's BDs work on all regions.

An addendum to Cees' notes regarding standard definition extras, European BDs can in some cases contain material in 576i (PAL) which are unplayable on most US BD players not to mention US TV sets. The chance of that happening are usually with releases from local European/Australian distributors that have ported the extras over from masters previously used for their DVD releases. Generally the big studios with worldwide releases that have any SD-materia keep it in 480i/p regardless of PAL or NTSC territory which all BD players can show regardless of country.

I for one will not buy this upgrade, or any more upgrades of Wizard of Oz or Gone with the Wind, or Bladerunner or what have you until I see "the Magnificent Ambersons" and some silents like "Greed" "The Big Parade" and "The Crowd" get their due. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Gregorich 

I'm all for the Leathal Weapon films to show up on Blu-ray, so I can finally retire all four of my DVDs, but I wonder what is left to do with Casablanca?  The Collectors edition was pretty loaded, whats left to add?

 

Commentary by Roger Ebert
Commentary by historian Rudy Behlmer
Introduction by Lauren Bacall
Additional scenes and outtakes
Two documentaries: Bacall on Bogart, You Must Remember This: A Tribute to Casablanca
Featurette: As Time Goes By: The Children Remember with Pia Lindstrom and Stephen Bogart
Production research gallery
Homage cartoon Carrotblanca
Who Holds Tomorrow?: Premiere episode from the 1955 Warner Bros. Presents TV series adaptation of Casablanca
Scoring session outtakes
Audio-only bonus: Radio production with the movie's three key stars
Theatrical trailer
Bonus disc of the documentary Jack Warner: The Last Mogul
Exclusive passport holder and luggage tag
48-Page Photo Book
10 One-Sheet Reproduction Cards
Archival Correspondence

MORE episodes of the 1950's and 1980's CASABLANCA episodes? :)

Actually,

 from last years chat, or maybe it was the year before, i remember expressly "Show Boat" mentioned and mentioned that it was coming and was going to include all three versions, 1929, 1936 and 1951, so many titles still left , and i dont mean for Warner Archive

Show Boat (1929) is a film based on the novel by Edna Ferber. This version was released by Universal in two editions, one a silent film for movie theatres still not equipped for sound, and one a part-talkie with a sound prologue. The storyline follows the novel rather closely, with the significant exception of the racial angle present in virtually all other adaptations of the novel, including the famous 1927 Broadway musical version and the film versions of the musical, made in 1936 and 1951. (Some live radio adaptations of the musical would also omit or heavily alter the racial angle.)

The film was long believed to be lost, but most of it has been found and released on laserdisc and shown on Turner Classic Movies. A number of sections of the soundtrack were found in the mid-1990s on Vitaphone records^[1], although the film was made with a Movietone soundtrack. Two more records were discovered in 2005^[2], and it was said these elements would be used for a 2007 DVD, but more than three years after that announcement, it has yet to appear. 

I, actually, need all four of these films on DVD; Ambersons and Crowd for my Best Picture collection. The other two because they are classics.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brianruns10 

I for one will not buy this upgrade, or any more upgrades of Wizard of Oz or Gone with the Wind, or Bladerunner or what have you until I see "the Magnificent Ambersons" and some silents like "Greed" "The Big Parade" and "The Crowd" get their due. 

Why do studios insist on tying DVD releases to anniversaries? Who knows where I'll be in 2013 or if I'll even still be interested by then?  Here's another "why" question: Why does Europe get this stuff before we do? I bought the recent UK 4-film LW set and it is the LAST time I'm buying this series. Enough is enough