To each his own, when it comes to film appreciation and how a person spends their discretionary monies. I understand that my spectrum of film appreciation might be much broader than certain posters in this thread. Furthermore, it's been my motto never to tell another person on how they should spend their money because it's none of my business. However, with that said, I just want to clarify that there is a lot of pre-1980 films on Blu-ray discs. The number is nowhere near what I think it should be, but I think it's greater than some of us realize at this juncture.Originally Posted by JeffMc /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Most likely true. Unfortunately that doesn't mean ANYTHING for a lot of the fans who like old classic films (and not just the CITIZEN KANE, GONE WITH THE WIND caliber ones). Blu-Ray is useless for the majority of catalog titles because the majority of that type of film, as we've seen from several studios recently, won't even get a proper DVD release these days and may only be offered on DVD-R, if even that. I'm not really angry about this whole DVD-R development in homevideo anymore, because that's just the reality for these lesser known films today. Unfortunately, it seems that the majority of people on the planet think AVATAR is the greatest movie ever made and it most likely will be the #1 film of all time. The Blu-ray will most likely make millions! Good for them, and that's the type of film that will help blu-ray prosper. For me, I'm only buying DVD-R's from now on as that seems to be the only format the films I'd be interested in are being issued on.
In my personal film library, I have over 100 films on Blu-ray/HD DVD disc that were made over 30 years ago or earlier. Some of us might question whether certain movies are classic films or not, but we're in the fourth decade since these movies were filmed which in my book is a long time ago.
Before I list these films, let me preface my list by saying right off the bat that I might have missed some films that have been released 30 or more years ago that are on BRD so the following listing is not a complete one, but instead just a snap shot of what's available to film collectors on the high definition formats that's currently in my personal film collection.
Gone with the Wind
The General
It's a Wonderful Life
A Christmas Carol
Easy Rider
North by Northwest
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
The Wizard of Oz
Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs
Billy Jack
Godzilla (1954)
M*A*S*H
The Towering Inferno
The Deep
The Wage of Fear
Vanishing Point
Dr. Strangelove
In Cold Blood
The Searchers
The Graduate
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
3 Days of the Condor
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Saturday Night Fever
Gigi
An American in Paris
The Pink Panther (1963)
Thunderball
Dr. No
Goldfinger
From Russia with Love
You Only Live Twice
Diamonds are ForeverThe 400 BlowsThe RobeQuo VadisSouth PacificPinocchioThe OmenBattle of BritainA Bridge too FarThe ProfessionalsThe Longest DayThe Sand PebblesPattonDirty HarryThe EnforcerThe GauntletButch Cassidy and the Sundance KidBonnie & ClydeA Clockwork Orange2001: A Space Odyssey
The Omega ManClose Encounters of the Third KindThe Wild BunchThe ShiningThe WarriorsRio BravoThe CowboysThe Green Berets
The Dirty Dozen
Rocky
Rocky IIThe Deer HunterThe StingThe French ConnectionThe French Connection IICasablanca
Young FrankensteinBlazing SaddlesBecketGreat Expectations (1946)
Zulu
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Beneath the Planet of the ApesIt Came from Beneath the SeaEarth vs. the Flying Saucers20,000 Miles to EarthThe 7th Voyage of SinbadSleeping BeautyThe GodfatherThe Godfather IIHow the West Was WonCool Hand LukeThe Adventures of Robin HoodOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestCapricorn OneThe Eagle has LandedBlack NarcissusThe Seventh SealBattle of the BulgeDog Day AfternoonThe GetawayBullitt81/2
That's Entertainment (HD DVD)
That's Entertainment II (HD DVD)
Viva Las Vegas (HD DVD)
Jailhouse Rock (HD DVD)
Grand Prix (HD DVD)
Spartacus (HD DVD)
Forbidden Planet (HD DVD)
Mutiny on the Bounty (HD DVD)
Release Date in next few months:
Lady Killers (1955)
Fantasia
The African Queen
Yojimbo
Sanjuro
Doctor Zhivago
Coming Soon with No Release Date:A Star is BornBen HurThe Bridge on the River KwaiThe ExorcistThe Guns of Naverone
Lawrence of Arabia
The Maltese Falcon
In closing, I agree we need more classic films on Blu-ray disc to entice more classic film buffs into adopting this format. However, the cupboard isn't as barren as some might believe when it comes to older films on BRD.
Also, unlike SD DVD, most BRDs released in other regions are region free except for Fox and I think Disney which is why my collection has titles released in other regions outside of the one here in the states. There is no NTSC versus PAL issues with Blu-ray.
Crawdaddy