New Warner multi-disc sets coming! (1 Viewer)

[Joe Caps]

I would welcome another Ben Hur if
1. they remaster it - Warners did a great job with the color on king of kings - I wish Ben hur looked that good.

2. Ben hur won the Academy Awrd for best sound recording - a great sopuinding track !! For some reason that wasn't good enough for Wzarner vid. they remixed it from scratch to bad effect . could we please have the original six channel 1959 mix thistime? ( and while we're at it, lets have a reissue of Camelot with the original 1968 mix)

 

[GlennH]

Ron, even though Peter Jackson is featured in that writeup, I assume it means the original King Kong because a feature on: could only mean the original, right?

I wouldn't expect any word at all about a DVD release for the remake until after it's in theaters.

I really wish people would take more care to specify the year when discussing movies that have more than one version. I'm constantly reading announcements about upcoming releases that are ambiguous as to exactly which version they mean.

 

[Marc Colella]

Cheesy how they're including Peter Jackson on this DVD.

Could've gotten real experts on the film instead.
A pure marketing gimmick that really taints this DVD release.

 

[John Hodson]

It can't imagine that Warners would even consider a mega set of Ben-Hur wihout giving it a thorough makeover, or even the Ultra Resolution process.

As for comparisons between the acting prowess of the Austrian Oak and Heston, well, I'd say, with the deepest respect, that was specious to say the very least.



And Jackson isn't en 'expert'? I have no way of knowing the depth of his knowledge, but let's hold the brickbats until the release.

 

[Tom Brennan]

Yeah, and why not have Dino DeLaurentiis on it while they're at it? I'd rather have a single disc edition of the movie with just the movie on it than have to get a 2 disc ad for that Slobbits new movie.

 

[Roger Rollins]

This is Warner Bros. we're talking about....

IMHO The overall quality and integrity of their classic releases far exceeds that of any other company. Period.

Their releases of the last two years or so really speak for themselves. With rare exception, they are meticulously done and prepared with intelligence, care, and knowhow.

We have no way of knowing whether the information posted by the person who initiated this post is accurate or complete.

I think it's a bit premature to start pushing the panic buttons.

Perhaps there will be an HTF chat with WB soon where people's concerns can be put to some sort of rest, for at least some people. I think it's been a year since the last chat they had with HTF, so we're certainly due. They've been most gracious in the past with their chats, when most other studios wouldn't give HTF the time of day in that "nitty-gritty" regard.

A few other points:

A member here posted a while back that he knew Mr. John Fricke who had recorded the wonderful commentary for the ULTIMATE OZ LD, and this member stated that WB had asked Mr. Fricke to record a new commentary for an upcoming OZ special edition in Ultra Resolution, although he specified no date.

BEN-HUR cannot be presented using Ultra Resolution, as that process only applies to films made in 3-strip Technicolor.

Lastly, whatever one may think about Peter Jackson, he is well-known for being an expert historian on the original KONG, and has an enormous collection of Kong memorabilia.

As the new remake is a Universal film, and it is WB that will be releasing their original RKO film, I hardly think that if Mr. Jackson was to participate on WB's new DVD (which they did acknowledge would come during 2005), I'm sure it would be to focus on the original and the original alone. Why would WB want to promote a competitor's product?

I am a little biased, only because most of my favorite movies are in the WB library, and most of my favorite DVDs are their products. I admire them, and have total faith in their ability to consistantly raise the bar for the presentation of motion pictures on DVD.

....Their track record speaks for itself. Trust them. I do.

 

[John Hodson]

Thank you Roger; my error.

 

[Steve Christou]

Fantastic news, King Kong (33) and Ben-Hur (59)! Two of my absolute favorites.
Reading MichaelSloans whingeathon you'd think something terrible has happened.
I'm sure more news on the extras will crop up as the dates near. I can't imagine a special edition of King Kong without commentary.

 

[Haggai]

Ditto for me on everything Roger Rollins said. If any studio has earned the right to have the benefit of the doubt from us classic DVD fans, particularly when we're only talking about a preliminary survey-related set of specs and NOT an official press release announcement, it's Warners.

Also, thanks to Dewitte for posting this exciting info!

 

[Mark Anthony]

I'm looking forward to Ben-Hur, hopefully in an un-cropped 2.76:1 full camera negative area 65mm transfer this time, would be interested to hear the differences in the sound mixes if as Mr Caps says the original 6 track is better than the current remix.

King Kong and Oz sounds intriguing too!

M

 

[Patrick McCart]

:rolleyes

 

[Frank Ha]

I like Ben-Hur. The chariot scene is one of the great moments of film, IMHO.

I agree about Warners DVD output. It has been impressive. Only wish I had the dough to get their gangster and upcoming classic comedies sets.

 

[Jim_K]

re: King Kong 2-disc SE YES!

Re: the extras - Roger summed up my feelings. I have very little worry since this is a Warner release.

Also count me in for Ben-Hur & The Wizard of Oz sets

I'll probably pass on New Jack City & The Outsiders.


I hope this isn't the whole slate of 2-disc SE's for 05.
I'm still hoping for:
Wild Bunch SE
Getaway SE
Cool Hand Luke SE
Dog Day Afternoon SE
Bonnie and Clyde SE
Forbidden Planet SE
The Searchers SE
Blade Runner (tide-me-over) SE

 

[Steve Christou]

My reaction too Patrick. What is he on about? Say it with a smiley :rolleyes

 

[John Hodson]

For what it's worth, there was some mention on the Peckinpah web board that The Wild Bunch SE - and by implication the Peckinpah box - had been postponed until February 2006; don't know how true that it.

 

[Adam_S]

I"m more excited for the Ben Hur 4 disc set than I was for the Gone with the Wind (a movie I respect but don't enjoy/love since I've only seen it on the small screen). What other classic titles have the prominance to possibly recieve a four disc edition in 2006?



Adam

 

[Paul_Scott]

Warner is undeniably the best studio for dvds out there.
as was said in another thread, they are so far in front, there is no number 2, just 3 on down.

but i expect KK will end up being a disappointment for a lot of people for several reasons
1) it was expected 2 years ago.
the reason for the delay, we were told, was this massive world wide search to locate the best elements, yadda yadda yadda.
well, thats all fine and good, but now its set up an enormously high threshold.
merely really nice looking for its age is not going to be that impressive.
and more noticeably,
2) they've now had 2 extra yrs to compile extra material- or put another way, 2 years to judiciously consider the optimal extra material for the release.
if those prelim specs are an accurate indicator (and i have my doubts they are) then it would make this release seem considerably crass and opportunistic, no matter how knowledgeable or how much of a fan Jackson is.
there are people still with us that have a stronger generational tie to the material, and those are the people that should be 'archived' with this release.
Fay is already gone. it would be a tremendous shame to miss anymore opportunities that won't come around again.


King Kong is an iconic release.
it would have alot of attention even without Jacksons remake (which i am very much looking forward to).

 

[Paul_Scott]

Jim K
it was mentioned in the chat last year, iirc, that The Searchers SE is due out in '06 as part of a John Ford (+Wayne?) promotion.


i'm eagerly awaiting it too.

 

[JoshB]

Peter Jackson's King Kong isn't due out until Christmas, so this has to he the original. Gald I held off on buying Ben Hur. I'm glad they took an approach which seems simialr to the Gone with the Wind set. I hope the transfer is just as good.

 

[Marc Colella]

Oh please, it's an obvious tie-in to his upcoming (and uneccessary) remake - and he's being used to sell copies.

I'm sure we'll see Peter Jackson's name plastered somewhere on the case in big letters.