A Few Words About A few words about...™ Warner Bros. Home Video & The WB Archive Collection -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[OliverK]

It is remarkable that Warner is getting so much criticism when most other studios seem to be doing less not more.
I know that this would be a monumental task but it would be interesting to see the percentage of back catalog titles released per studio and per decade.

 

[Ed Lachmann]

And no such inference was made by yours truly either. A simple call for more variety, perhaps, and much more from the 30's and 40's than what's been provided to us as yet by WAC. I think most of us can concur this is where the real deficit has been thus far!

Pretty much my main point in all this, as well. But, also, throw in the 50's and maybe just one of the classic historical widescreen adventure films for a lark. They all look so much better in HD. A great many of the 50's Fox, Paramount and MGM titles of that genre have been offered. And, as a silent fan, I'm just happy that Kino takes them on their broad shoulders and, profit or not, releases a good many yearly. I find I watch more standard DVDs these days and should be happy that the Archive still puts out titles in that form that I'd be apt to purchase. Blu-ray, not so much. And we all have a right to an opinion, at least for the time being.

 

[TJPC]

What I don't understand is why if there making new masters anyway they don't just issue them on Blu ray. I am happy to have the Vitaphone Varieties volume 3 disc in any format, but this is a brand new disc. Is it really that more expensive to press on Blu ray?

 

[Mark-P]

What I don't understand is why if there making new masters anyway they don't just issue them on Blu ray. I am happy to have the Vitaphone Varieties volume 3 disc in any format, but this is a brand new disc. Is it really that more expensive to press on Blu ray?

No, it's because of their quality tiers. They are willing to release stuff on DVD that doesn't meet the highest quality standards but Blu-rays have to have impeccable masters. That's WAC's internal policy.

 

[Gary16]

And according to a CBS video executive dvds still outsell blurays by a wide margin.

 

[Nick*Z]

It's all about the masters. What looks good on DVD, or even HD for that matter, may not translate well to Blu because to date (and barring 4K discs, which, by their very focus on new and trending are completely out of the running in this discussion anyway) no other format than Blu-ray is capable of such a high bit rate. Unfortunately, the more precise the scan the more glaring even minute flaws in the original elements will appear. I for one would be pleased if new scans with moderate clean up were performed on deep catalog. Okay, let me be clear - again: in a perfect world I would wish for a pristine transfer of Erich Von Stroheim's completely restored GREED (1924) on Blu-ray. Realistically, how likely is it to happen? Not very. So, in lieu of perfection, above average quality with a few minor caveats would suffice. That isn't my idea of 'selling out' or asking just for any old garbage to be pumped out at random. But if, using my example herein, GREED had some light speckling, scratches, and other age-related imperfections built into the print master that could not be removed barring a multi-million dollar restoration, I wouldn't throw ANY hi-def disc offering of this great film in the ash can for being less than 100%.

But you can't just dump a tired old DVD scan, bumped to a 1080p signal and call it legit on Blu-ray. No, you need to do a brand new scan - period - to take full advantage of the bit rate. I tell you what, I'll go even so far as to say that if ANY one of the majors would just release bar bones copies of their classic catalog to Blu, but in pristine transfers I would definitely be over the moon. But again, perfect timing, perfect world. I live in this one. And the opportunities to get quality on catalog on mass before I die gets slimmer by the day. I'm a cockeyed optimist. So, even if only some of my dream catalog makes it to Blu I'll be a very happy camper.

Re: Oliver K's comments we're somehow 'slamming' Warner for doing a good job. We're not. All we're saying is that if WAC really wants to earn our respect they might consider doing a better mix of back catalog or at least have some orchestrated plan for release. I put out the prospect a few years ago that they might want to dedicate whole months to various vintages at a time. Example: Jan and Aug. - movies from the 1930s: Feb. and September, Movies from the 1940's; March and October, movies from the 50's, April and Nov. movies from the 60's; May and December - movies from the 70s, and leave April and June for a healthy mix of movies from the 80's and 90's.

It's an exciting idea actually for a few reasons: one, because voting contests could be held to determine which movies from each decade would most be desirable; two, because everyone would know when to plan ahead for their favorites, and, three, the studio's archival program could establish a decade by decade asset protection program to better focus on what's good and what is in desperate need of repair. Finally, regarding silent cinema: every third month could see the release of a silent classic, fully restored on Blu. Pundits will lament, 'but that's only 3 silents a year!!!' I know. Now, how many has WAC gotten around to on Blu using their present marketing philosophy? I rest my case.

 

[Nick*Z]

And according to a CBS video executive dvds still outsell blurays by a wide margin.

If they do, it's only because DVD releases vs. Blu-ray release average 4 - 1. More stuff in one format, more sales in that format.

 

[Robin9]

Warner Archive earned my respect a long time ago, and they still have it. They also have my gratitude.

 

[ahollis]

Ditto, Warners earned my respect years ago with the start of the Archive Collection and my respect has only increased over the years. Especially when they started releasing older films on Blu-ray.

I have a list of films I would love to see on Blu and there are hundreds of other people that have a list of different titles. As long as we get a few of those from my list and a few of of those from other lists, then I can't complain. I only ordered two from May's releases, I'm sure many ordered all four and many ordered the two I didn't.

 

[Astairefan]

Ditto, Warners earned my respect years ago with the start of the Archive Collection and my respect has only increased over the years. Especially when they started releasing older films on Blu-ray.

I have a list of films I would love to see on Blu and there are hundreds of other people that have a list of different titles. As long as we get a few of those from my list and a few of of those from other lists, then I can't complain. I only ordered two from May's releases, I'm sure many ordered all four and many ordered the two I didn't.

I fully agree. Most of my DVD collection (and now my blu-ray collection) are from Warner Archive, and I have come to feel that, if I have even a small interest in the movie, it is one to look forward to! And I fully understand that not all films have good enough film elements to work with (I know I saw them tell somebody on FB last year that they don't have the elements to do a blu for the Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy film Sweethearts), and, after all the complaints on here about Silk Stockings and It's Always Fair Weather needing color correction (personally, I thought they looked good enough for me), I can't help but worry about the prospects of release for some films every time I see someone comment about the colors being way off on the DVD (The Pirate with Gene Kelly and Judy Garland comes to mind). Obviously, we do get some films looking better, so I assume it depends on what they have to work with.
I just wish they could release more 30s films, since I don't think we have seen any Warner-owned 30s films from either WHV or WAC since the release of the Golden Year Collection two years ago. I think the 40s have at least been decently represented (maybe not quite so much this year), but with only one film from the 30s in all the years that WAC have been releasing blus, it just feels disappointing. Especially when I look around on here and see everybody's wish lists. The Astaire-Rogers films. Errol Flynn. Clark Gable. The Marx Brothers. And so many more, all of which, until WAC changes things, look like they have very little chance of coming out. I can only hope they do start to change, and release at least SOMETHING from that decade this year!

 

[trajan007]

Warner Archives--For your consideration---GOODBYE MR CHIPS [1969]---LOCAL HERO---THE BUTCHER BOY----PENNIES FROM HEAVEN---WHO'S LIFE IS IT ANYWAY?----WRESTLING ERNEST HEMINGWAY----SURVIVING PICASSO---SHOOT THE MOON----THE SHELTERING SKY.

 

[Dick]

Warner Archives--For your consideration---GOODBYE MR CHIPS [1969]---LOCAL HERO---THE BUTCHER BOY----PENNIES FROM HEAVEN---WHO'S LIFE IS IT ANYWAY?----WRESTLING ERNEST HEMINGWAY----SURVIVING PICASSO---SHOOT THE MOON----THE SHELTERING SKY.

Good choices, especially PENNIES FROM HEAVEN (1981), SHOOT THE MOON and WHO'S LIFE IS IT ANYWAY?

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Like to see more RKO like Gunga Din and The Magnificent Ambersons which will have it's 75th anniversary this year.

 

[Matt Hough]

How about the 1933 and the 1949 versions of Little Women in a double feature release?

 

[Alan Tully]

How about the 1933 and the 1949 versions of Little Women in a double feature release?

In the UK, the BBC have shown the 1949 version in a great looking HD transfer, so the work's been done. It would be great to have some multiple film pack from Warner, thirties & forties films, they used to do such great DVD box sets.

 

[Robin9]

In the UK, the BBC have shown the 1949 version in a great looking HD transfer, so the work's been done. It would be great to have some multiple film pack from Warner, thirties & forties films, they used to do such great DVD box sets.

. . . . yes, in the days when people used to buy discs in large numbers.

 

[3D Projectionist]

I guess many of us on here have gone though the various video and in my case as well film formats to view movies we would like to see at home. I'll applaud anyone who can get those cores of film out of rusting film cans that have languished away, scanned and onto Blu-Ray so that the original makers efforts can be appreciated again.

Speaking for myself I am somewhat amazed more of Ed Woods material has not reached BR although thankfully some of the Bela Lugosi poverty row films are gradually filtering through enabling me to retire my ancient film prints to the vault.
KINO are leading the way here with Devil Bat, Black Sleep, Chandu The Magician, Invisible Ghost and Death Kiss along with others.

Thank you KINO for those great Blu-Ray releases.

 

[Bernard McNair]

Would love to see "Guns of San Sebastián" with Anthony Quinn and Charles Bronson on Blu. Fun film with a great Morricone score.

 

[Randy Korstick]

Would love to see "Guns of San Sebastián" with Anthony Quinn and Charles Bronson on Blu. Fun film with a great Morricone score.

I agree great film and score. This title has been requested for many years on their facebook page for one of their MOD DVD releases and they replied with it is on their radar but needs re-mastering. So I think they will release this eventually but most likely as a MOD DVD. I don't think they have released any blu-rays that weren't released on DVD first.

 

[ajabrams]

I'd love to see a Blu-ray of SWEET DREAMS.