Are You Happy Now With The Pace and/or Quality of Catalog Releases on Blu-ray? (1 Viewer)

Someone else asked this recently on another forum, and I replied "not really".


This was before we learned of some big titles like Apocalypse Now (in it's proper AR!) and Bridge On The River Kwai coming along with some more minor ones (that I happen to love just as much) like Invasion Of the Body Snatchers.


And while the end of this year looks particularly packed, it's really the more lower profile titles that get my enthusiasm up. Stuff like Alien, as much as I love it, is a forgone conclusion. We know this stuff is coming eventually. Body Snatchers on the other hand is quite a surprise to me and a very welcome one.


It's when things like Wolfen, Time After Time, Black Robe, Outland, Gidget, Sorcerer, The Hot Rock, and scores of others are being casually released throughout the year in high quality A/V editions, that I will be ready to say I'm happy with where this format is. Right now, I'm happy with Q4- had they spread everything out a little more throughout the year, my attitude might have been changed a lot earlier.


Unfortunately another thing dampening my enthusiasm is seemingly never ending release of cock-ups like latest Predator SE. Just when you think it' safe to pre-order...


So what do you guys think?

As of today, I'm somewhat satisfied on the quality of catalog releases but not at all satisfied on the pace of those releases. I'll probably feel differenlty in Q4 of this year (probably on October 26th), but, overall, this still feels a lot slower than how long it took to get to the good stuff on DVD.

Paul -- where did you hear about BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI? One person mentioned he'd seen it as coming on the Sony website, but I couldn't find it.

Dick,

it was put up for pre-order on Amazon, and then Bill Hunt confirmed it

Next, here's some AWESOME news: Amazon.com is now taking pre-orders on a Blu-ray version of Sir David Lean's Bridge on the Kwai from Sony (SRP $34.95, but Amazon has it for just $24.49). There's no street date listed yet, but we'll post more details as they come in. [Editor's Note: I HAVE just confirmed with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment that Bridge on the River Kwai IS coming to Blu-ray Disc this year. Watch for an official announcement in the coming weeks.]

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It was looking a bit peaked there for a while, but then exciting anouncements started pouring in: Treasue of the Sierra Madre, Back to the Future Trilogy, Alien Quadrilogy, The Sound of Music, Moulin Rouge, Paths of Glory, Apocalypse Now, and most recently Kwai. So I'm happy.


What would really get me excited? How about Ben-Hur, Lawrence of Arabia, Funny Girl, Hello, Dolly!, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, and Dances with Wolves?

No. I think we were doing much better on catalog releases on DVD in 2002-3 than we are with blu-ray now.

We can never be completely happy, because there will always be some foulups and desired titles missing. But things are certainly looking better overall.

It varies wildly between studios. Warner Bros has been stellar with quality catalog releases. On the other hand, Universal has been virtually a non-player when it comes to catalog titles that aren't first-tier like Back to the Future is.

Overall, yes.

I don't know what deciding factors they're using when releasing titles. I've held off getting some titles on standard DVD since I'd rather have them on Blu-Ray, but then studios complain nobody's buying older movies and won't release any more older titles at all.


Having collected most HD-DVDs since that format died and became cheap, some of the titles they released have me asking what where they thinking- Mobsters, for example.

The pace is ... "OK", I suppose.
Earlier this year there were rumors that we would be getting the original Indiana Jones Trilogy in October or November of this year, with the "Star Wars Saga" to come in 2011. Since it's now early August and there has still been no announcement regarding Indy I suppose that timetable has been set back by at least a year.


Of greater concern to me is the *quality* of the catalog releases. After the abomination that was "Predator: Ultimate Hunter's Edition" -- which was Fox's *second* attempt at providing Predator on Blu-ray -- how can any of us feel good about the quality of the upcoming "Alien" films; or even "The Sound of Music"??


So here's where we stand right now with the catalog releases from the major studios:


Universal -- Mediocre quality utilizing old HD transfers and heavy DNR processing. Is there any hope for "Back to the Future"?


Fox -- Seems to be trying, but the recent "Predator" release proves they still haven't found the "Sweet Spot". They went to all the trouble to strike a brand new HD transfer of "Predator" and then ruined it with an excessive use of DNR. (Or some kind of new process which includes DNR. As some of the reviewers have stated, there was a lot more going on here than just heavy-handed DNR. The contrast was cranked up in an unusual fashion as well; and some of the scenes actually depicted pretty good detail. The problem was, the presentation never looked like "film".) This reminds me of the early DVD days when they would routinely ruin otherwise good catalog transfers with excessive edge enhancement. If they mess up "The Sound of Music" with this new DNR process that they're so proud of my head may explode! I've been waiting since August 2000 for a really good transfer of "The Sound of Music" to optical disc.


Paramount --- The recent "Gladiator" redux proves that they now "get it"! Congrats!! Now ... Where are all the catalog titles?


Disney and Warner -- No complaints.

The Pace is Slow.


Paramount hasn't really released many catalog titles and doesn't seem to be planning a bunch D- Plus, there is no reason why "Saving Private Ryan" and "Gladiator" shouldn't have been released correctly from the start - both of these were Sapphire releases which was supposed to mean higher quality! F (At least Paramount admitted the screwed up) They should replace those employees


Universal has only released a few - D ("Spartacus" C- ) Universal has a short memory, they forget they made films five years ago (at least we don't have 5 versions of "American Pie" on Blu-ray if only the kids had to pay for the blu-rays with their own allowance!!!) Note to Disney on future releases (Londoners do not have dark sun tans! Mary Poppins isn't Mexican)


Criterion - always an A student


Lionsgate - A (at least they are releasing Paramount films)

Originally Posted by Joseph Bolus

...how can any of us feel good about the quality of the upcoming "Alien" films; or even "The Sound of Music"??

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I feel fine about the quality of the Alien set because Predator and Patton are the two examples of Fox screwing up and there's way more than two examples of Fox getting it right so the odds are vastly in favor of the set being done properly. Plus, Ridley Scott and James Cameron have reportedly given the thumbs up to the transfers of their movies and Bill Hunt has said that the transfers won't be DNRed. That's alot more assurance than you usually get for a release. There's nothing (but fan worry) to suggest that there will be a problem with Alien.

One must keep in mind that the studios are aiming at the largest market possible, and many shoppers want their Blu-Rays of "Predator" and "Patton" to look clean and shinny (remember younger shoppers are growing up on this look) The studios can't please everyone if blu-ray is to become a mass-market product.


Older shoppers unfortunately can't get those blu-rays without the DNR. Unlike Laserdisc (a niche market) Blu-ray is aiming to replace DVD (a mass market)


It all comes down to sales = profits

I have never understood why laserdisc got the number of catalog releases that it did. Did the higher retail price make the economics work?

I'm still waiting for many of the earliest DVDs to make an appearance on hi-def. Some have but most remain inexplicably in limbo, especially many letterboxed (non-anamorphic) and fullscreen titles. I thought the Stephen Sommers monster flick Deep Rising was one of the better-looking DVDs when it was released, even though it wasn't 16x9-enhanced, but for some reason there's still no blu-ray. Another botched Disney title that should've been on blu by now is the excellent Journey of Natty Gann. Jonathan Mostow's Breakdown definitely deserves at least a fresh 16x9 transfer. Universal needs to get a clue and release watchable versions of Iceman, Death Becomes Her and The Game. There's a lot of work to be done for me to reach even a "satisfied" level.

Originally Posted by Mark-P

It was looking a bit peaked there for a while, but then exciting anouncements started pouring in: Treasue of the Sierra Madre, Back to the Future Trilogy, Alien Quadrilogy, The Sound of Music, Moulin Rouge, Paths of Glory, Apocalypse Now, and most recently Kwai. So I'm happy.


What would really get me excited? How about Ben-Hur, Lawrence of Arabia, Funny Girl, Hello, Dolly!, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, and Dances with Wolves?

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for all the studios that are puttimg out stuff, i really wish that paramount would do a little more, it seems that most of the Sapphire Series would be bigger than it is already, where is the original war of the worlds, Stalag 17, Sunset Blvd. The Ten Commandments, and a better version of It's A Wonderful Life.

Not really happy, no. I'm glad for some of the major announcements, but I wish there were more "minor" ones. I understand that the heavy-hitters (GWTW, Sound of Music, BTTF, Alien) are going to be the biggest draws, but it seems like we're far enough into the Blu-Ray lifecycle now for some of the more obscure titles to be released. There isn't a single title in my 500-ish DVD collection that I wouldn't upgrade to Blu-Ray if I had the chance, and at least a hundred more that I haven't bought on DVD because I'm waiting for a Blu-Ray.


Given their usual pace, Criterion is doing a great job of updating their back catalog, and releasing new classics on Blu. Everyone else needs to step it up.

I'd like more, but do not think the studios should rush titles out without proper transfers. Sony, Kino and Criterion have been doing the best work. The remainder of the studios Universal, Fox, Disney, WB, Lionsgate and Paramount are hit or miss with catalog titles. Evidentally catalog titles are not big sellers on Blu ray, which is why the studios have slowed down in releasing them, or license them out i.e. Paramount titles to Lionsgate. Hopefully the 4th quarter will show increased sales, otherwise we may see even less in the future. It does not help when WB only offers much wanted titles in expensive box sets, The Goonies @ $50.00 is ridiculous.

Catalog sales may not be big, but they are consistant. T

Catalog titles will continue to sell well over the life of Blu-ray where as the "Latest New Movie" release dies a quick death after it first appears on Blu-ray.


So many people do not go to the movie theater anymore - for the same price or less, they can buy the film or rent it on net-filx and watch it at home, and most new films will not live on a classics


"Dinner with Schmucks" or "Salt" may be big sellers the 1st or 2nd week they are released, but after that and in the long run, they will not continue to sell the way "Lawrence of Arabia" "Pyscho" "The Ten Commandments" or "The Sound of Music" will. Only the new films destined to become classics "Avatar" "Toy Story 3" will have steady sales


Will anyone remember "Salt" 6 months from now?