Warner Bros. Catalog Blu-ray releases...? (1 Viewer)

Where ARE they?I check many home theater forum sites daily hoping for some great announcement about any Paramount catalog titles of the many hundreds they have licensed, but rather amazingly there have been few (one of the few is the overpriced NUTTY PROFESSOR Blu that contains two "bonus" DVD titles most of us already own). Where are:WAR OF THE WORLDSDRAGONSLAYERWHEN WORLDS COLLIDEDON'T LOOK NOWTHE ELEPHANT MANHONDO (3-D)PLAY IT AGAIN SAMand scores of others, plus your own titles:AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYSTHE BAND WAGONSTORY OF EMILE ZOLAagain, plus scores more.How long are you gonna sit on these? Until your license with Paramount runs out?If you aren't going to produce these, I hope Criterion or Olive or someone else will!

They have 21 first-time on Blu-ray for the US market releases announced for now through June, which averages 5-6 a month (not including the 2 releases from last week, or the 2 Warner Archive titles that have a TBD release date).

By comparison (including licensed titles), Mar-Jun:

Warner - 23 (inclusive of Paramount distributed titles)
Paramount - 20 (not counting Warner distributed titles; none announced so far for Jun)
Universal - 19 (none announced so far for May-Jun)
Fox - 14
MGM - 12
Sony - 5
Disney - 1
Lionsgate - 0
Anchor Bay - 0

Brandon Conway said:

They have 21 first-time on Blu-ray for the US market releases announced for now through June, which averages 5-6 a month (not including the 2 releases from last week, or the 2 Warner Archive titles that have a TBD release date).

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What catalogue releases, great, what are they?

Billy Batson said:

What catalogue releases, great, what are they?

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Warner

The Big Red One (1980)
Boiler Room (2000)
Black Beauty (1994)
The Bridges of Madison County (1995)
Conspiracy Theory (1997)
El Dorado (1966) (for Paramount)
Exit Wounds (2001)
Funny Face (1957) (for Paramount)
Get Carter (1971)
Get Carter (2000)
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) (for Paramount)
Hairspray (1988)
Hatari! (1962) (for Paramount)
Memphis Belle (1990)
The Nutty Professor (1963) (for Paramount)
Rock Star (2001)
Sabrina (1954) (for Paramount)
Sorcerer (1977)
Tightrope (1984)
Torque (2004)
Vanilla Sky (2001) (for Paramount)
The Women (1939)
Zoolander (2001) (for Paramount)

(Warner Archive announced but date TBD: The Americanization of Emily (1964), Performance (1970))

Paramount

Ace in the Hole (1951) (via Criterion)
Amistad (1997) (for DreamWorks)
The Bamboo Saucer (1968) (via Olive)
Bang! Bang! You're Dead! (1966) (via Olive)
Crocodile Dundee (1986)
Crocodile Dundee II (1988)
Cry Danger (1951) (via Olive)
Flying Tigers (1942) (via Olive)
Home of the Brave (1949) (via Olive)
Johnny Come Lately (1943) (via Olive)
Love Happy (1950) (via Olive)
The Pawnbroker (1964) (via Olive)
Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954) (via Criterion)
Samson and Delilah (1949)
Sleep, My Love (1948) (via Olive)
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) (for DreamWorks)
Stranger on the Prowl (1952) (via Olive)
The Terminal (2004) (for DreamWorks)
Up the Junction (1968) (via Olive)
Young at Heart (1954) (via Olive)

Universal

An American Tale (1986)
Big Fat Liar (2002)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Far and Away (1992)
Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
Harry and the Hendersons (1987)
Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
Joe Kidd (1972)
King Kong Escapes (1967)
King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)
Mallrats (1995)
Reality Bites (1994)
Rooster Cogburn (1975)
A Simple Wish (1997)
Sleepaway Camp (1983) (via Shout Factory)
Somewhere in Time (1980)
Touch of Evil (1958)
Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970)
The War Wagon (1967)

Fox

The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965)
The Deep End (2001)
Conrack (1974) (via Twilight Time)
Fate Is the Hunter (1964) (via Twilight Time)
Garden State (2004)
Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957) (via Twilight Time)
Johnson Family Vacation (2004)
The King of Comedy (1982)
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962) (via Twilight Time)
Norma Rae (1979)
Notes on a Scandal (2006)
Once (2006)
Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)
Still Mine (2012)

MGM

The Black Stallion (1979)
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974) (via Twilight Time)
Broadway Danny Rose (1984) (via Twilight Time)
Equus (1977) (via Twilight Time)
The Mechanic (1972) (via Twilight Time)
Red River (1948) (via Criterion)
Rollerball (1975) (via Twilight Time)
Thunderbirds Are GO (1966) (via Twilight Time)
Thunderbird 6 (1968) (via Twilight Time)
The Train (1964) (via Twilight Time)
Weekend at Bernie's (1989)
Wild at Heart (1990) (via Twilight Time)

Sony

All the King's Men (1949) (via Twilight Time)
Chances Are (1989) (via Image)
The Man from Laramie (1955) (via Twilight Time)
Two Rode Together (1961) (via Twilight Time)
Used Cars (1980) (via Twilight Time)

Disney

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) (via Criterion)

Well I suppose I'm just being fussy. I was looking for Warner & MGM (not UA, but the proper MGM owned by Warner) movies of the 40's 50's & 60's, & so far I only see The Americanization Of Emily.

Billy Batson said:

Well I suppose I'm just being fussy. I was looking for Warner & MGM (not UA, but the proper MGM owned by Warner) movies of the 40's 50's & 60's, & so far I only see The Americanization Of Emily.

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Everyone has their interests. Sorcerer is the one for me, for example.

Yeah, the only titles that excited me, besides the ones long ago released in Europe that I already own, are AGONY AND THE ECSTASY, ALL THE KING'S MEN and THE WOMEN. Wish they'd go just a bit more in that "first time" direction for we classic film lovers who have gotten used to buying overseas.

Billy Batson said:

Well I suppose I'm just being fussy. I was looking for Warner & MGM (not UA, but the proper MGM owned by Warner) movies of the 40's 50's & 60's, & so far I only see The Americanization Of Emily.

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Compared to Fox, Paramount titles by Warner, and even Universal, Warner's list of catalog releases stinks. The Woman is the only pre-1970 title.

Warner is really putting the brakes on their own deep catalog releases (not like they ever really throttled up once they get the tent poles out) and Warner Archive BD is almost non-existent. Really sad because they own the MGM (the older ones) and RKO libary, which have a wealth of great movies.

JoeDoakes said:

Compared to Fox, Paramount titles by Warner, and even Universal, Warner's list of catalog releases is great. The Women is the only pre-1940 title.

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It's amazing what a little arbitrary cut off will do. Somewhere there are ecstatic fans of Boiler Room and Big Fat Liar. They just don't frequent this board, which is heavily biased towards pre-70s Hollywood.In my book a catalog title is a catalog title, whether it's from 1926 or 2006.I do find the angst towards Warner to be out of balance with reality. Disney and Sony don't get near the complaints and release FAR, far less.Sent from my VS920 4G using Tapatalk

Brandon Conway said:

It's amazing what a little arbitrary cut off will do. Somewhere there are ecstatic fans of Boiler Room and Big Fat Liar. They just don't frequent this board, which is heavily biased towards pre-70s Hollywood. In my book a catalog title is a catalog title, whether it's from 1926 or 2006. I do find the angst towards Warner to be out of balance with reality. Disney and Sony don't get near the complaints and release FAR, far less. Sent from my VS920 4G using Tapatalk

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Just to blow your mind. I'm a huge fan of Big Fat Liar, however I completely understand the desire for more catalog releases. The truth is, WHV releases more BD catalog titles than any other, the problem is that these titles don't come out fast enough (especially compared with all the titles in their catalog that await release) or that the effort of WHV may be in repackaging. WB should seriously focus more energy on the BD line of the Warner Archive collection (they seem to be improving) because it really contains the most potential to bring high-quality products to dedicated BR fans.

Warner has most of the catalog titles that I want on blu. THE GREAT RACE---WIND AND THE LION----RYANS DAUGHTER---THE GOODBYE GIRL---GOODBYE MR CHIPS----PENNIES FROM HEAVEN---HEAVEN AND EARTH-----MICHAEL COLLINS---LOCAL HERO---PACIFIC HEIGHTS. Where are the Paramount titles?--- RAGTIME-----WITNESS---ORDINARY PEOPLE----CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD----ANGLES ASHES
So Warner has a ton of catalog titles coming out this year?. I can also sale you some swamp land in Florida.

MGM musicals, RKO film noir, Paramount VistaVision please. I am grateful for Gunfight at the OK Corral (pre-ordered). Could we have High Society next please.

Brandon Conway said:

It's amazing what a little arbitrary cut off will do. Somewhere there are ecstatic fans of Boiler Room and Big Fat Liar. They just don't frequent this board, which is heavily biased towards pre-70s Hollywood. In my book a catalog title is a catalog title, whether it's from 1926 or 2006. I do find the angst towards Warner to be out of balance with reality. Disney and Sony don't get near the complaints and release FAR, far less. Sent from my VS920 4G using Tapatalk

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First, Warner has a much larger list of desirable unreleased titles than Disney or Sony (IMO). Second, Sony has a very active licensing program that does a lot to make up for their lack of releasing titles under their own brand.

JoeDoakes said:

First, Warner has a much larger list of desirable unreleased titles than Disney or Sony (IMO).

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This is especially true of the titles from Hollywood's Golden Age (particularly the 30's and 40's). Their classic library just blows everyone else's away. Hopefully Warner will start getting active in that front soon.

JoeDoakes said:

First, Warner has a much larger list of desirable unreleased titles than Disney or Sony (IMO). Second, Sony has a very active licensing program that does a lot to make up for their lack of releasing titles under their own brand.

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I included Sony's licensing deals and they still are releasing just 1/5th the titles Warner is over this four month period... Sent from my VS920 4G using Tapatalk

Brandon Conway said:

I included Sony's licensing deals and they still are releasing just 1/5th the titles over this for month period... Sent from my VS920 4G using Tapatalk

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True, but many of Warner's upcoming releases are licensed from Paramount. Sony is probably the worst I agree and Paramount the most prolific (in proportion to viable candidates in their library).

I'm amazed at the amount of Paramount material Olive releases which for the most part is not upper level material. One can only dream that Warner (or even Olive or whoever, if that's what it takes) could output like that from their classic library.

Well, yeah, one can dream, but the truth is the majors look at the low profit margin of Olive's releases and see it as not at all viable. The reason Paramount has licensed so much of their catalog is because they get paid up front and they can wash their hands of it.

I think Warner should do like Twilight Time with their BD Archive and limit pressing to 2000 to 3000 and advertise it as such. When it's gone, it's gone and they won't reissue it for many years (probably never on physical media). Disney's practice of having limited editions and letting titles go OOP for years have trained consumers to buy them while they available. It's also why you don't see Disney movies in the bargain bin and consumer are far more likely to pay a higher price if they know it's value won't decline too much.

It's working for TT as well, and I know people are much more likely to purchase a TT title just because they know it's limited to 3000 and they hold their value well after purchase. Why can't Warner do that themselves? If it's working for TT, it should work for them, and there's no middleman.

I agree with the limited edition model for classic titles. It concentrates the mind and injects some urgency into the buying process.