Musicals on Blu-Ray, why so few after all this time? (1 Viewer)

[GMpasqua]

Best Buys don't really have genres anymore because they only carry the top theaterical hits

Most catalog titles are no longer available (they used to carry them - until they put Tower, Virgin , Suncoast and the rest out of business) then they said we don't need to carry them anymore - Thanks a lot Best Buy - the reason I no longer shop there

 

[Charles Smith]

My observation exactly. A couple of years ago the local Best Buy had a very respectable selection of catalog titles, organized by category, and it made for some enjoyable and fruitful browsing ... i.e., PURCHASING. Now it's A-Z for Blu-ray, A-Z for DVDs, and most of the "product" is placed in the racks face out to fill the formerly packed space with a depressing top-40 selection of titles.

 

[GMpasqua]

Universal is releasing "The Wiz" in November. Starring Michael Jackson and a miscast Diana Ross. I was wondering why this wasn't released earlier due to Mr Jackson's death last year. Since he only made a few films. Though not a great musical it is still most welcome

 

It will be presented in a single-sided BD50 disc, with a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack.

 

 

"The Wiz" arrives Nov 30th

 

[Matt Hough]

Originally Posted by GMpasqua

Universal is releasing "The Wiz" in November. Starring Michael Jackson and a miscast Diana Ross. I was wondering why this wasn't released earlier due to Mr Jackson's death last year. Since he only made a few films. Though not a great musical it is still most welcome

 

It will be presented in a single-sided BD50 disc, with a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack.

 

 

"The Wiz" arrives Nov 30th

Thanks for the information. No, it's not a great musical, and Diana Ross isn't the only miscast participant. And though I think he's usually aces, Sidney Lumet, like John Huston and Richard Attenborough, had no affinity for bringing Broadway musicals to the screen.
 

 

[jerauf]

Well, The Wiz is based on a great musical. They just did a hack job on it because Sidney Lumet didn't know what he was doing while directing a musical and he had Motown pushing him. Fascinating movie. I love the music. Everyone but Richard Pryor and Diana Ross do a wonderful job. Visually, it's going to look wonderful on Blu-Ray. But the pacing is absolutely funereal. What was joyous and charming onstage became flat and bloated in the film.

 

That being said, I'm still going to buy it.

 

(I would have loved it if Rob Cohen's original plan for the film had gone through: John Badham directing, low budget, Stephanie Mills as Dorothy).

 

[Mike Frezon]

I hate to be a stick in the mud...and I'm with you fellas about getting more musicals on Blu...I really am.

 

But I'm not in the group that will be getting The Wiz on blu...or SD...or any video format. Not even a wire recording.

 

 

[GJN]

No one's mentioned "Mary Poppins"! I, for one, would love a Blu-ray version.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Originally Posted by GJN /forum/thread/300354/musicals-on-blu-ray-why-so-few-after-all-this-time/60#post_3723083

 

[John Skoda]

Originally Posted by jerauf

I hope that White Christmas is a better print. The one that they've used for the DVDs has been pretty icky.

WHITE CHRISTMAS was the first VistaVision film, a showcase film for the process. It SHOULD look amazing on blu. It definitely hasn't yet looked good on DVD. I would love to think Paramount is doing a complete restoration on this one, but I think I'll be waiting to read reviews before I pick this up....

 

[jerauf]

 

 

But I'm not in the group that will be getting The Wiz on blu...or SD...or any video format. [snip] I nearly walked out on it when I saw it in the theater

 

Hey...nobody beats The Wiz.

 

[GMpasqua]

My guess is that this titles is being released due to the tremendous sales of Michael Jackson's "This is It" which did extremely well. Sales of Jackson's music has also increased due to his death. Jackson only made a few films.

 

I hope SONY issues "Pal Joey" soon. I don't want to buy the Kim Novak DVD box set if it's coming to blu-ray

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Frezon down, Frezon down the rooooo-oad!

 

[Mike Frezon]

Aaaaack!

 

[Robin9]

In the past few days I've come across magazine articles and Internet blog postings which indicate that manufacturers and early adopters of 3-D equipment are worried that not enough 3-D material is available. Wouldn't it be a good idea to release Kiss Me Kate as a 3-D blu-ray?

 

[MatthewA]

Originally Posted by Robin9

In the past few days I've come across magazine articles and Internet blog postings which indicate that manufacturers and early adopters of 3-D equipment are worried that not enough 3-D material is available. Wouldn't it be a good idea to release Kiss Me Kate as a 3-D blu-ray?

You took the words out of my mouth. I would love to see Kiss Me Kate in 3D on Blu-Ray.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

BET ran The Wiz yesterday and it made me late for my fantasy football draft. Oh yeah, that movie has some serious issues, but (most of) the songs are awesome.

 

On an unrelated note, does anyone know if the Lincoln Center revival of South Pacific is going to be released on disc? It ran on Live from Lincoln Center a few weeks back, and PBS has been hit-or-miss (mostly miss ) when it comes to putting out their musical broadcasts on disc.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Originally Posted by Aaron Silverman ) when it comes to putting out their musical broadcasts on disc.

I gotta figure they will, Aaron. At least I'm certainly hoping they will. I missed the broadcast (Aaaaaaaargh!) and was vigilant for a repeat but never saw one scheduled on my local PBS affiliate (Aaaaaaaaaaargh!).

 

I've got the Blu of the film and I've got the Carnegie Hall "concert" staging (Reba McEntire, Baldwin & Stokes-Mitchell). I really want to see that broadcast. I heard it was excellent.

 

[RolandL]

Originally Posted by MatthewA




You took the words out of my mouth. I would love to see Kiss Me Kate in 3D on Blu-Ray.

I don't know which titles, but a rep. from Mitsubishi told me there should be about 100 Blu-Ray 3D titles by the end of the year. I have also been told by a rep. from Sony that Sony, Imax and Discovery will have a 3D channel before the end of the year and they will be showing movies in 3D from the 1950's.

 

[Matt Hough]

Originally Posted by Mike Frezon




I gotta figure they will, Aaron. At least I'm certainly hoping they will. I missed the broadcast (Aaaaaaaargh!) and was vigilant for a repeat but never saw one scheduled on my local PBS affiliate (Aaaaaaaaaaargh!).

 

I've got the Blu of the film and I've got the Carnegie Hall "concert" staging (Reba McEntire, Baldwin & Stokes-Mitchell). I really want to see that broadcast. I heard it was excellent.

It was excellent, one of the best telecasts of a Broadway musical I've seen in quite a while. However, if there is to be a disc release of it, I wonder if the R&H organization won't wait until the national tour of the show finishes its run so as not to hurt its box-office any more than this live edition did already.
 

 

[Mike Frezon]

Originally Posted by MattH.