OLIVER! on Blu Ray

IIRC Columbia restored it a few years ago and screened it at the Motion Picture Academy. There should be some good 35mm prints; it was shot in Panavision but blown up to 70mm.

there are no plans at the moment last I heard

This movie won six Oscars and has been a home video perennial for three decades. There's no way Twilight Time is getting it. When it does come I imagine it'll be for its 45th anniversary in 2013.

But please Sony, I want some more…extras. The 1998 DVD had a featurette, a trailer, and nothing else. It also had problems with the sound mix (the Pioneer Special Edition laserdisc supposedly had better sound; I only had the Columbia TriStar LD, and I do not know the source of its soundtrack).

Sony has had this title planned for a few years now, along with "From Here to Eternity" and "Bye Bye Birdie"

I'm guessing Sony has learned (and a lot of this is true)

1. Classics don't sell well

2. Musicals don't sell unless they're animated (Hollywood thinks they're lame - real people don't walk down the street singing their thoughts)

3. Black and White doesn't sell well (Sony has released "Dr Stranglove" and "In Cold Blood" on blu-ray and little else from prior to 1970) 

Edited for clarification

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMpasqua 

Sony has had this title planned for a few years now, along with "From Here to Eternity" and "Bye Bye Birdie"

 

I'm guessing Sony has learned (and a lot of this is true)

1. Classics don't sell well

2. Musicals don't sell unless they're animated (they're considered gay and blu-ray is for "action and sci-fiction guy" films

3. Black and White doesn't sell well (Sony has released "Dr Stranglove" and "In Cold Blood" on blu-ray and little else from prior to 1970) 

 

You said you work in the industry, so you are more likely to have all the facts at hand than I. Nevertheless, how can classics sell when studios put no effort into many of them and big box stores refuse to carry them? B&W being a turnoff to many people I can understand, especially if they were born after all TV went to color, but that doesn't affect this film because it was in color.

No comment on the gay part. 

Sony must be doing something right. They've only lost a billion dollars this year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CULTMAN1 

Twilight Time look after FOX exclusive releases.... I am advised.Sony/ Columbia still own the rights to this title. I still hope this will become an eventual release.

Bruce - Twilight Time and Sony also made a deal for exclusive limited run Blu-ray titles from their library.  However, I do not think it will go to them.  I think Sony will eventually release it. 

The blu-ray consumer is younger, and a good deal are X-box/PlayStation users so the video game themed films (Action, Sci-fic, Guns, Violence) and children's fare (Animated/Pixar) are what appeal to a large potion of that market. "Driving Miss Daisy" or "Steel Magnolias" isn't coming to blu-ray

The people who want the classics - already have them on DVD and many of them haven't adopted blu-ray yet.

People under 30 in general have little desire to watch a film made before 1985 unless they grew up watching it on Home Video - and those were usually family friendly films (ET, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Snow White, Wizard of Oz) so yes, they may buy those for sentimental reasons

By the time these people turned 20 blu-ray hit the market. They are driving the Blu-ray sales (They also do not have a DVD library built up so they build up their Blu-ray library and have no need or desire to watch or buy "Adam's Rib" or "Mr Smith goes to Washington")

People buy Disney. Why - because if they don't - it goes back in the vault and they want something for the kids to watch. they also don't want to pay $100 bucks on ebay later on.

People who buy Criterion titles and  "All About Eve" "Casablanca" and  "Mutiny on the Bounty" - those are the people who want the most from video and are the most demanding, but they are also just a small market. The cost /benefit isn't there for the studio's bottom line ...and really isn't that what everything is about (Yes, that and sex)

If people are satisfied watching "Iron Man 2" or "Harry Potter and the bla, bla, bla" on their ipad, why would they care what it looks like on a 52" set? They aren't planning to watch it on a 52" set.

Why put out the extra cost if people don't care - they'll buy it anyway...Hey, as long as they buy it right?

Boy Greg, You really gave the best answer to everyone that does not understand Twilight Time's business model.  The day's of 100,000+ sales of library titles are over with and the boutique companies business plan will be our best hope. 

The only thing that is does give me some hope is the Fox announcement of STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER as a Blu-ray.  I almost would have thought it would have been a Twilight Time release.    

I don't believe the days of Classic titles coming out on a hard format (Blu ray) are over.  I think many great classic films will still be released. I also believe many great looking films will get the respect they deserve as did "The Ten Commandments" and "North By Northwest" 

The studios are not making much money on classic titles.

I believe it's because:

1. Many people already own one or two copies of those titles on vhs or dvd (some even more and some 6 to 10 different versions)

2. Most consumers will buy a title once and most will probably only watch it once.

3. Many young people aren't interested in these titles (and let's face it many have not aged well

4. Many people are satisfed with the quality of their DVD

5. Not everyone has a 52" screen and see a difference

6. We are in a depression, people aren't going to buy luxary items, certain not if they already own a version and have watched it once in the last ten years.

7. Many Classic films need more work to transfer to DVD and the warts are going to show

8. Black and White films do not appeal to the younger generations

9.  Most people under 40 never heard of Barbara Standwick, Clark Gable, Irene Dunne or James Cagney

10. Most people under 30 have never heard of Natalie Wood, Steve McQueen or Peter O'Toole

11. Most people under 20 have never heard of Barbara Stresiand, Robert Redford or Paul Newman.

Blu-ray sales of new film is tremendous, the studios know this. 

1. Costs are already baked into the production of the film.

2. No restoration is needed.

3. Many people will buy these films because they aren't going to the theaters anymore to watch them.

4. A family of 4 can buy the newest blu-ray title for about 1/4t the cost of going to the multiplex.

5. It's available on-line or through a mail order service (which has replaced the Video store - is Blockbuster even still around?)

6. They can watch it on their cell phone while driving to work

Highest-grossing films of 2010

1 Toy Story 3

2 Alice in Wonderland

3 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1  

4 Inception

5 Shrek Forever After

6 The Twilight Saga

7 Iron Man 2  

8 Tangled

9 Despicable Me  

10 How to Train Your Dragon

that's what people are paying to see at the theater - that's what people will pay to see on Blu-ray

The count:

Animation : 5

Fantasy: 4

Action//Thriller: 1

Comedy: 0

Drama: 0

Horror: 0

Teen gross out: 0 (they all went to see Twilight)

Crime: 0

War: 0

Romance: 0

Musical: 0

Mystery: 0

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark-P 

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMpasqua 

Sony has had this title planned for a few years now, along with "From Here to Eternity" and "Bye Bye Birdie"

I'm guessing Sony has learned (and a lot of this is true)
1. Classics don't sell well
2. Musicals don't sell unless they're animated (they're considered gay and blu-ray is for "action and sci-fiction guy" films
3. Black and White doesn't sell well (Sony has released "Dr Stranglove" and "In Cold Blood" on blu-ray and little else from prior to 1970) 

The implication meaning gay = lame, which is how teenagers used to use the word, but people are supposed to be more enlightened now. The only way you can get away with that remark is if you meant it as a joke and you were gay and love musicals.

Hollywood's defination (and unfortunately not a joke) I'll edit the post

Musicals are considered unrealistic to the younger generation (unlike "Pirates of the Carribean" - which IS totally realistic)

The guys who buy the action films do not buy the musicals - and Blu-ray is marketed to those guys. Honestly, Action film fans and children. That's the market.

Hollywood believes no one else buys blu-rays.  Women only buy Blu-rays for their kids (Disney) not for themselves. No one over 50 blu-ray videos ever in their mind (at least not in large quantity as the 20 -30 year olds)

Same with Silent films and Black and White films: When Hollywood considers a Classic title to release the first 4 killers are: Black and White, Musical, Silent or Chick flick.

Get a group of 20 somethings together tonight and ask them:

1. Would you buy a Black & White movie? Most will say they wouldn't even watch a B&W movie - really, I did this, that's the answer I got (some were over 35)

2. How about a musical  "lame, people don't sing to each other"

3. a Silent film - "you're kidding right?"

Most never had a black and white tv set or have even seen one

I do like certain musical films - usually the the ones based on Broadway shows, otherwise I'm not a fan and could care less about of most of the MGM/Fox stuff from the 30's - 50's.

The fact "Singing in the Rain" and "Meet Me in St Louis" are coming to bluray means nothing to me.  Two less blu-rays I need to buy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMpasqua 

Hollywood's defination (and unfortunately not a joke)

 

Gay = lame  (people do not walk down the street singing their thoughts)

These films are unrealistic to the younger generation (unlike "Pirates of the Carribean" - which IS totally realistic)

 

Real guys don't watch musicals - at least in Hollywood - and Blu-ray is marketed to real guys. Honestly, real guys and children. Hollywood believes no one else buys blu-rays

 

Same with Silent films ( uh, people talk, and not with subtitles)     (although isn't that what texting is?)

People are also in color, no way will they watch a Black and White film

 

When Hollywood considers a Classic title to release the first 4 killers are: Black and White, Musical, Silent or Chick flick.

   

Get a group of 20 somethings together tonight and ask them:

1. Would you buy a Black & White movie? Most will say they wouldn't even watch a B&W movie - really, I did this, that's the answer I got (some were over 35)

2. How about a musical  "Gay/lame, people don't sing to each other"

3. a Silent film - "you're kidding right?"

 

Most never had a black and white tv set or have even seen one

 

 

 

I can see why silent films are a niche. I enjoy them, and I have nothing but respect for them as it was the birth and formative years of film, but even I have huge gaps in my knowledge about them. Most of the major ones I'll be seeing for the first time when they come out on Blu-Ray.

Who is their model for a "real guy"? I guess it must be guys like my Dad, who bought me a laserdisc of Hello, Dolly! as a present from a business trip from San Francisco. 

Sony's catalog releases prior to 1980 seem to be selected by a disturbing group of people when looked at in total:

In Cold Blood

Dr Stranglelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

The Professionals

The Guns of Naverone

The Caine Mutiny

Taxi Driver

Tommy

The Deep

Midnight Express

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Bridge on the River Kawi

Easy Rider

Das Boat

Heavy Metal

And the Rau Harryhausen films (It Came From Beneath the Sea/Earth vs. the Flying Saucers/20 Million Miles to Earth/The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Jason and the Argonauts )

Have I missed any titles not licensed out to Image and the others?

Not one Comedy

One drama (Kramer vs Kramer)

What exactly is the message SONY is trying to send America? (Also note SONY has just released their 4th quarter financial loss to date)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMpasqua 

Sony's catalog releases prior to 1980 seem to be selected by a disturbing group of people when looked at in total:

 

In Cold Blood

Dr Stranglelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

The Professionals

The Guns of Naverone

The Caine Mutiny

Taxi Driver

Tommy

The Deep

Midnight Express

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Bridge on the River Kawi

Easy Rider

Das Boat

Heavy Metal

And the Rau Harryhausen films (It Came From Beneath the Sea/Earth vs. the Flying Saucers/20 Million Miles to Earth/The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Jason and the Argonauts )

 

Have I missed any titles not licensed out to Image and the others?

 

Not one Comedy

One drama (Kramer vs Kramer)

 

 

What exactly is the message SONY is trying to send America? (Also note SONY has just released their 4th quarter financial loss to date)

Well I must be disturbed, because I have most of those titles.  You can also add HEAD, KING OF MARVIN GARDENS, THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, FIVE EASY PIECES, and DRIVE, HE SAID to your list.  I'm not so sure it is the mind of a disturbed person but the mind of someone looking at the revenues from the DVDs. 
 

What is interesting is that by the late 60's Columbia pictures was just about bankrupt and if it was not for new management, selling their studios on Gower Street and moving in with Warner Brothers in Burbank, they might not have survived.  They did survive because of many of the films you listed above.  Those titles listed from the 70's were their bread and butter and are their crown jewels.  Columbia still might not have survived if it was not for the Coke purchase in 1982. 

I would like to see Sony give us in Blu the following, although not all of the films were money makers.

CAT BALLOU

OWL & THE PUSSYCAT

CASTLE KEEP

FUNNY GIRL

SHIP OF FOOLS

BYE BYE BIRDIE

OLIVER!

MURDER BY DEATH

3 STOOGES MOVIES - I would love to see the Stooges in Blu-ray.

Not that I would want them but also they need to have available:

FUNNY LADY

THE WAY WE WERE

GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER

Rumored to be on their way through Twilight and Sony are:

MAJOR DUNDEE

MACKENNA'S GOLD

1776

FROM HERE TO ETERNITY

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

I'm distoibed!  I'm distoibed!

will Oliver be a SONY release, image or Twilight Time ($$)

SONY is sitting on a number of  classic film tranferred for Blu-ray but they are not releasing them - why? I have no idea, they are just not releasing them.