BREAKING NEWS: Warner Archive Collection Announces First Blu-Ray Releases (1 Viewer)

[JoHud]

I'm not really getting the WHV criticism here. Because they're not cranking 20 deep catalog blu-rays a month like Olive? All of the major film companies (and Criterion) should hang their heads in shame in that case. However, I'd say Olive represents quanitity over quality while the Warner Blu-rays are more quality over quantity. Some prefer the latter more than the former and vice versa, though in this case Olive's releases at least show some effort involved at least in the act of remastering the Republic titles, so they get a few brownie points from me. I'd say MGM is the biggest loser on the deep catalog blu-ray front in 2013. Releases have literally slowed to a crawl, with a few 3rd party licensees picking up the slack. Otherwise a very barren release calendar. The Warner Archive is just ironing out the kinks in its new blu-ray. I also think the new Warner Instant streaming service is also taking up a lot of WAC's energy. Remember, the MOD line is their main priority with the blu-rays more of a side venture.

 

[bugsy-pal]

I was really fond of the way Fox presented it's Elia Kazan films in the two Blu-Ray sets, reasonably priced, only available online - with select individual titles hitting retail afterward.

The trouble with that one, at least for me, is that it's impossible to obtain the Kazan sets if you live outside the US. They don't ship anywhere other than US, and no-one else carries them. Criterion only sells direct to consumers in the US, but at least their products are otherwise widely available. Same goes for Warner Archive. The Fox approach is a fail for me. The release of some but not all of the Kazan titles individually doesn't cut it - I want "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" on bluray. The Warner Archive is a great program though. What I've been wondering is, what are the economics of releasing oop DVD titles through the archive, versus doing another small run of pressed discs? I was looking at picking up "The Clock" and noted that it is an archive title now, with slightly different artwork.

 

[Dick]

I wasn't putting you down in any way. Just stating the facts, and asking why Warner fulfilling the stated goal of the press released was now seen as reason for concern. Sorry if you took it as something else. My response to you was neither sarcastic or confrontational in intent. I got a bit snarky on my response to Noach's post following mine. However, I took his eye-roll smiley as being towards my clarification, but upon re-reading his post it's probable he was eye-rolling to the perceived complaint of a one/two minimum being too low for HTF enthusiasts in general. In any case, there were several posts the last day or so with concern over the success of the program so far, and I was trying to dispel that perception.

No harm done.

 

[David Wilkins]

I'm curious to hear user reviews of the first titles from Warner Archive. Any feedback yet on 'The Hudsucker Proxy'? Or, will there be official HTF reviews of these titles?

 

[JoeDoakes]

The major exception to this has been High Noon, which was a huge misfire and looks nothing like film. It's video-y presentation is very much like Paramount's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Blu-Ray. Yuck.

Do you mean The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence Centenial Collection DVD? Or do you mean one of the John Wayne films Paramount has released on blu (True Grit, Rio Lobo, Big Jake)?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by JoeDoakes
Do you mean The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence Centenial Collection DVD? Or do you mean one of the John Wayne films Paramount has released on blu (True Grit, Rio Lobo, Big Jake)?

He's probably talking about the German BD released by Paramount. By the way, I don't agree with him and think this BD looks fine.
Crawdaddy

 

[moviepas]

I have the Australian Blu Who Shot Liberty ... and found no fault with that.

 

[KHH256]

I'm curious to hear user reviews of the first titles from Warner Archive. Any feedback yet on 'The Hudsucker Proxy'? Or, will there be official HTF reviews of these titles?

RAH on "The Hudsucker Proxy" from Warner Archive..... http://www.hometheaterforum.com/t/328245/a-few-words-about-the-hudsucker-proxy-in-blu-ray I got mine two days ago, and it is a stunning job. Beautifully done.

 

[kingofthejungle]

Do you mean The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence Centenial Collection DVD? Or do you mean one of the John Wayne films Paramount has released on blu (True Grit, Rio Lobo, Big Jake)?

I'm talking about the German Blu-Ray (which, to my knowledge is the same region free Blu available in most territories. I'd wager it's the same master used on the centennial DVD, only in 1080p. And it is most certainly not 'fine'. I've seen this film many times, in about every format, and the only home video version that comes close to doing it justice is the pre-centennial Paramount DVD (and even that one suffers boosted black levels). The current Paramount Blu is among the worst. When projected on a large screen, it frankly looks like video. The motion has that too-smooth effect (like demo TVs at Best Buy with 'MotionFlow' turned on) that's totally unnatural, and all of the minor detail in the image has been wiped out. If you look at frame captures (or simply pause the image), you'll notice that the grain structure is widely inconsistent across the frame, looking somewhat normal on solid areas like walls in the background, but dissolving to blotchy mush in areas that are detailed (thus having a wide range of contrast in a small area) like faces, hair, and textiles. That simply isn't what it looks like on film. It's like someone has taken a smoothing brush to specific areas of the frame, and I personally find the result unwatchable. Also, there seems to have been no real mastering done on the soundtrack, and you can sometimes hear sudden increases in tape hiss when a sound effect is cut in, and much of the film sounds very brittle and tinny - perhaps it's because the optical track on the 35mm prints I've seen are further away from the master than what Paramount used here, but that ain't what I'm used to hearing in the theater.

 

[Conrad_SSS]

RAH on "The Hudsucker Proxy" from Warner Archive..... http://www.hometheaterforum.com/t/328245/a-few-words-about-the-hudsucker-proxy-in-blu-ray I got mine two days ago, and it is a stunning job. Beautifully done.

Have to concur on that. I've been a sucker for "Hudsucker", and the BD is gorgeous.

 

[lukejosephchung]

Received my shipping notice on "The Hudsucker Proxy" from Amazon, which is an official outlet for Warner Archives...will be getting my copy next Monday and I can hardly wait, especially after RAH's rave review!!!

 

[Bob Cashill]

GREYSTOKE: THE LEGEND OF TARZAN, LORD OF THE APES is up next, available Apr. 2.

 

[Terry Hickey]

I'm thinking about getting "Greystoke,,,"

 

[Mark Pytel]

I'm hoping that WAC or even WHV re-release some of these titles on Blu-ray as their previous dvd's left a lot to be desired. Heck, I'd even be happy with them coming out on a new DVD in WAC. Here is my wishlist of titles.

Innocent Blood, Showdown in Little Tokyo, In Country, Action Jackson, Postman Always Rings Twice (80's version), Wrongfully Accused, Boiling Point, My Fellow Americans, My Blue Heaven, Nothing But Trouble, Made in America, Burglar, The Candidate, Caddyshack II, Cannonball Run II, Clean and Sober, Dead-Bang, Doc Hollywood, Fair Game, Final Analysis, Forever Young, Guilty By Suspicion, Her Alibi, Hooper, It Takes Two, Lean on Me, Man With Two Brains, Michael, Private Benjamin, Protocol, Sharky's Machine, Stand and Deliver, The Witches, With Honors...and from their Cannon holdings Hellbound. Fifty/Fifty, The Hitman, American Samurai, American Ninja V.

These are all titles that I did not purchase on dvd due to them being MAR. Many of them I already owned the widescreen LD so I did not see the point to purchasing the dvd. I have purchased some on other region dvd's but I would prefer a region one release to avoid the bad Pal Speedup of foreign discs.
I was very happy to see Wac re-release Vision Quest and Power of One on dvd and Deathtrap on Wac Blu. These were great to finally get in widescreen in region one. I was hoping that Warner would continue the trend to finally redeem those bad discs but sadly not of these have come out or been announced yet. While I love all of the great never before on dvd releases, I would also love to get these eventually too. All of these IMO are movies that I love and I feel need to be presented properly. I know it is WAC and WHV goal to eventually get everything out so I am hoping these are sooner than later. I'd even be happy with one re-release a month. I LOVE the WAC and have soo many titles it isn't even funny. Thanks WAC for all that you do!

 

[Terry Hickey]

I just preordered "Greystoke..." and it was easy, with free shipping.

 

[Keith Cobby]

One film I would very much like to see on Blu-ray is The Three Musketeers, surely one of Gene Kelly's best films, and with a great performance by Lana Turner and many others.

On a similar theme I have recently bought At Sword's Point from the Archive, another great Technicolor adventure, the first time I had seen this.

 

[Matt Hough]

One film I would very much like to see on Blu-ray is The Three Musketeers, surely one of Gene Kelly's best films, and with a great performance by Lana Turner and many others.

I agree. Its Technicolor would look stunning on Blu-ray.

 

[David_B_K]

One film I would very much like to see on Blu-ray is The Three Musketeers, surely one of Gene Kelly's best films, and with a great performance by Lana Turner and many others. On a similar theme I have recently bought At Sword's Point from the Archive, another great Technicolor adventure, the first time I had seen this.

I've seen The Three Musketeers on an HD movie channel on dish and it looked pretty great. Ivanhoe and Knights of the Round Table would look pretty amazing in HD as well.

 

[Keith Cobby]

Warner Archive blu-ray releases have gone very quiet. I would have thought this had a lot of potential and perhaps the titles with HD masters in good shape could be released.

 

[Brandon Conway]

They had a manufacturing delay on Greystoke that pushed it to June, so it's reasonable to assume that their original plans were similarly altered.