Need "They Shoot Horses Don't They" on BD! (1 Viewer)

RK1StCloud · Dec 29, 2014

Hey guys. Avid film buff and videophile here. This is one of my favorite films that I rarely see mentioned. Sidney Pollack approved a new transfer on laserdisc many years ago which looked gorgeous at the time. It was later released twice on DVD but both were non anamorphic. This film was nominated for several oscars. It boasted an amazing cast. Does anyone know if a blu Ray edition might be in the works?

Alan Tully · Dec 29, 2014

Yeah, great movie. Last year in the UK, BBC2 showed a beautiful HD transfer of the film (& only about seven months earlier they'd showed it in a years old very nasty pan & scan transfer), so the work's been done, but as we know, that doesn't automatically mean a Blu-ray release.

bujaki · Dec 29, 2014

Devastating film. Left the theater in shock, eyes swollen from all the crying. Gig Young did win a Best Supporting Actor award for his performance. But who can forget Susannah York, Bonnie Bedelia, Red Buttons, Jane Fonda, et al.? The laser disc was an amazing edition, but we certainly need a BD release of this film.

Dick · Dec 29, 2014

Back during the big depression (the 20's-30's one, not the current one) dance marathons were common, and people put themselves through the physical and emotional ringer in the hopes that they might win and thus gain enough to get them through the economic crisis. Sad they we were reduced to this often humiliating form of lottery, but they were, and Pollock's film feels quite accurate to me. It's a fine, now rather overlooked film, and I hope someone gets a Blu-ray out soon. It speaks to our current (larger each day) lower-class society.

Thomas T · Dec 29, 2014

It would seem a no brainer for Criterion to put it out but who actually has the rights to the film? The film's IMDb page shows ABC (American Broadcasting Company) has U.S. media rights, Cinerama Releasing (no longer in existence) has U.S. theatrical rights, Buena Vista (Disney) has worldwide media rights and MGM home entertainment has DVD rights. It's all very confusing.

MatthewA · Dec 29, 2014

The DVD was non-anamorphic. Once the Blu-ray comes out, it'll probably be better by default.

I just hope they can keep the laserdisc extras.

RK1StCloud · Dec 29, 2014

Yes criterion seems a perfect fit for this film. I recall that the laserdisc had some very interesting extras including an insightful commentary track from mr. Pollack. It was fascinating to learn that the film was shot in sequence and so the ballroom sets and the actors both shiny and fresh at the beginning of the film begin to deteriorate before our eyes.

Cine_Capsulas · Dec 29, 2014

Seconded. This early Pollack classic has never been released anamorphically on DVD and serious film buffs deserve a chance to rediscover it.

ahollis · Jan 2, 2015

MGM has the DVD/Blu-ray rights through there agreement with Disney for the ABC Films. MGM has not released a title from that Library since REBECCA in 2012. I think Kino has said that MGM does not believe they have the rights to Sublicense a title from that group. Criterion would have to wait until the MGM/Disney agreement is over and then perhaps they can make Disney deal. This title should and needs to be released right.

Scott Merryfield · Jan 2, 2015

It's been awhile since I've watched my DVD copy of this film. I did not realize it was non-anamorphic. I used to own a Panasonic DVD player that automatically scaled non-anamorphic content, but I removed it from my system when I converted everything to HDMI, as I thought all the favorite remaining DVD's in my collection except The Abyss were anamorphic. I guess I missed this one.

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Need "They Shoot Horses Don't They" on BD! (1 Viewer)

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