The Outer Limits is turning 50.... (1 Viewer)

[phil*]

Now that a blu ray release for LIS has been set for Sept 2015, it's high time the Original Outer Limits was given the same treatment.

I would venture to say if LIS sales do well, and I'm certain they will, the same people will,in all likelihood, purchase The Outer Limits in HD as well.

 

[youworkmen]

I doubt the sales of LIS will affect whether we get an Outer Limits Bluray set.
Most OL viewers wouldn't be seen dead watching LIS so I think if Warner don't think its worth it then it won't happen but Warner are well known for their complete series boxsets so I should say we will get one at some point regardless of how well LIS does

 

[Alan Tully]

The Outer Limits is MGM, not Warner. I don't expect a Blu-ray release anytime, MGM will probably mark the 50th anniversary by deleting the DVD!

 

[youworkmen]

The Outer Limits is MGM, not Warner. I don't expect a Blu-ray release anytime, MGM will probably mark the 50th anniversary by deleting the DVD!

I understood the home video rights to The Outer Limits laid with Warner which was a reason that Twilight Time would not be able to access it.

If it does depend on MGM I think the prospect of a Bluray set is even less.

The majority of MGM product is distributed by a host of other labels.

 

[Professor Echo]

MGM released the DVDs and I believe still retains the rights as it was a United Artist series.


It's possible they could license it out to Olive or Kino, but doesn't seem likely as I don't know if either of those two small, indie labels have the resources or infrastructure to produce an entire TV series on Blu. I'm not sure what the rights are overseas, but if less tied to MGM there then it might be a possibility as its in a marketable genre.


I agree that that with its feature film like cinematography, it would look extraordinary on Blu.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

This is all I ask before physical media goes away... The Outer Limits on blu-ray.

 

[Lord Dalek]

If any company puts Outer Limits on blu other than Fox, it'll probably be Shout! They have the infrastructure and distribution to pull it off and make a profit.

 

[Craig Beam]

It would be wonderful if the series showed up on Blu-ray while physical media is still a force in the market. I'm kinda over getting my hopes up, however.

 

[Nelson Au]

Shout! Factory to my surprise is releasing the Gerry Anderson Super Marionation classic Thunderbirds on blu ray. That was a big deal to hear about. However it turns out it's not likely a remaster, but using masters from the last remastered DVD. I'm still buying it! The Japanese blu Rays of Thunderbirds isn't coming to the U.S.

So my point is if Shout! could get the rights to The Outer Limits, I'd bet it would be the same kind of deal. It will be interesting if the Thunderbirds look better on blu ray. I'd surely love to see The Outer Limits at its best!

 

[ChrisALM]

Replacing my DVD flippers of the Outer Limits with a bluray complete series set would be a perfect way to solve the flipper disc problem.

Even though I have my doubts we are going to see a bluray happen, I would think there is enough interest in this show to make it profitable.

 

[youworkmen]

Shout! Factory to my surprise is releasing the Gerry Anderson Super Marionation classic Thunderbirds on blu ray. That was a big deal to hear about. However it turns out it's not likely a remaster, but using masters from the last remastered DVD. I'm still buying it! The Japanese blu Rays of Thunderbirds isn't coming to the U.S.

So my point is if Shout! could get the rights to The Outer Limits, I'd bet it would be the same kind of deal. It will be interesting if the Thunderbirds look better on blu ray. I'd surely love to see The Outer Limits at its best!

I think Shout are using quite recent Thunderbirds restorations. All the dvd versions have adjusted audio with new sound effects but the Japanese Bluray includes a genuine original mono track , unlike the Network episodes released a while back which had a mono track downmixed from the "new" soundtrack with additional effects and the Shout versions are apparently including the original mono.

Of course the first HD masters for TB were in 16:9 so with the Japanese set using a more recent one it's looking good for the Shout set.


As Shout already have a deal in place for MGM material like the Roger Corman movies then The Outer Limits could be a possibility from them assuming HD versions of the show are already available.


I did hope Twilight Time might go for it. Its a risky title to release as it would be costly but if TT can work out the sums and charge accordingly their Limited Edition business model may be the only way to ensure it comes out.

Bound to be pricey though whoever release it

 

[Lord Dalek]

IIRC The Outer Limits dvds use 480i transfers made originally for TNT in the late 90s so they can't simply reuse those masters for dvd.

 

[youworkmen]

Is it not airing in the US anywhere in HD ?

 

[smithbrad]

Other than maybe Star Trek TOS, I'd be curious if any shows from the 50's and 60's are currently airing in the US in HD. Many have HD masters available, but it would seem the majority of stations airing older classic shows are not yet HD capable (at least all the smaller ones).

 

[youworkmen]

Here in the UK we have things like Kojak , The Rockford Files , Quantum Leap etc in HD but the majority of channels here that would show older series would ruin them anyway by screening in 16:9.

Even Star Trek TOS is in widescreen and that's not even in HD here yet.


Syfy have retained TNG in 4:3 but I don't know if that was because the HD masters are in 4:3 with no choice of a 16:9 or whether they chose the ratio themselves

 

[hanshotfirst1138]

I never thought that I'd live to see something as idiotic as "reverse pan and scanning" in my life. *headdesk*

The show was shot on 35mm, wasn't it, and they did remasters for Twilight Zone, but I'd bet that the cult following for this show is a little bit smaller. Plus the physical media market is so crippled right now. I don't think that the show is just languishing-you can see it on Hulu, with an annoying MGM logo, or Amazon streaming, so it's still being distributed. It got the complete series DVD set on eBay, it was from some guy who's market it up with a silver pen, so it doesn't look pretty, but it brought the price down, so I lived with it . It is a little odd that the DVDs are OOP though. I don't see it on TV at all anymore, much less any HD channels.

The DVDs look pretty rough, I assume that they came from videotape masters. They look tolerable on my small basement HDTV, but definitely not on my big plasma!

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

We all know it would look as good in HD as The Twilight Zone because of the 35mm. But the rights issue and motivation to upgrade seems to be slipping away and living up to the title of the show.

 

[Gary16]

Although not up to full HD quality, those original transfers were extremely well done at the time -- much superior to many other shows transferred during that same period. The DVD's hold up very well when upscaled on the right player.

 

[hanshotfirst1138]

I apparently need a player which does better scaling .

 

[PianoPlayer]

Although not up to full HD quality, those original transfers were extremely well done at the time -- much superior to many other shows transferred during that same period. The DVD's hold up very well when upscaled on the right player.

The picture quality is fine. It's the audio that's not. Really, really bad sound, especially on certain episodes.