*** Official 2009 Warner Chat and Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

Jay,
Don't be too sure of that because Grumpy Old Men is coming out on Blu-ray, July 7th and it doesn't have a SD release in anamorphic format.






Crawdaddy

 

[Jay E]

That is true, I guess when it comes to Kubrick, I feel Warner would be much more inclined to please both SD & Blu-ray buyers. It's been almost 2 years and I still shocked that Barry Lyndon did not make it's way onto Blu-ray with the other Warner Kubrick films. Other than 2001, it is the Kubrick film that most cries out for Blu-ray visualization.

 

[Andrew Radke]

Hey Robert, has that 'Grumpy Old Men' release been confirmed for SD as well?? I've been waiting an awful long time for that one.

 

[Robert Crawford]

There has been no mention of an SD release and retailers are only listing a BD release.





Crawdaddy

 

[Adam_S]

what a wonderful chat. very cool to see all these announcements and reveals of titles in the pipeline. Good news to hear that Ambersons is finally developing and finding the Mr. Hex negative.

And a huge thanks for volunteering so much information about their discussions with criterion. I know to some not in the industry what WB said was vague, but to me that said a whole lot and was a lot better than 'the no comment' you usually get from criterion and the studios in question. Informative of the process and what's going on without being specific on things they legally can't reveal. Most excellent.

I wasn't able to attend the chat, but I'd have asked if they're planning on releasing batches of titles to the archives in a single month (like a bunch of Cagney or a bunch of Garfield) can they offer a faux-box-set option? So if you buy all the Garfield films put on the archives in that months batch you get a better, 'box set' esque price. You wouldn't actually get a box to hold the titles, but you'd get the benefit of buying them in 'bulk' price that purchasing a box set of classics allows.

I hope that within a year or two that we can get blu ray on demand ala the new archives announcement. Titles that are decent sellers but that aren't viable to put out a blu ray release for now (like Barry Lyndon) but Warners probably (hopefully) has an SR master for those titles. Seems like a bluray on demand would be a great way to generate an HD revenue stream from those masters. I don't care about special features, but getting them in HD would be amazing. I've scaled back my purchases of SD dvds to just stuff I think will never ever get an HD release, like Criterion's eclipse line, for instance. Making some of that catalog available on demand in blu would get me buying more releases again.

Another option for titles like Barry Lyndon and Lolita or even Maltese Falcon would be to do a small pressing of just the movie on blu ray, limited to 2000, for example. just the feature in HD, no special features, and then sell it through the archives store, and the packaging would indicate, 0001 of 2000 for example. they could sell them for 30$ and this way they could press only as much as they need, and if a title quickly sells out they could repress and do another set (2001 of 4000 for example) or by keeping it limited have a strong gauge of how much interest there is in that title in HD without cannibalizing the audience too much for the official future special edition release of the film in HD.

 

[mdnitoil]

It's probably just me, but I just included Grumpy Old Men in that statement about reissuing substandard versions as new anamorphic double features. I just assumed that was their avenue for cleaning up messes like this.

 

[Jim_K]

Yeah it's got a following for some odd reason (a reason that escapes me)but it's a pretty lackluster horror film, the only novelty is that Karloff plays the Doc. There's much more interesting Warner Horror selections to choose from. But that's me.

I am glad The Walking Dead is coming though, if that makes you feel any better.

 

[Michael Elliott]

I too was curious if the Archive titles would ever hit Blu-ray. If these Archive titles aren't "known" enough to hit SD I was curious if the lesser known titles would at some point be released on a Blu Archive. I'm not sure what prices would have to be set for something like this but group deals would be nice.

This line does put some fear into me regarding what will be released but I'm not going to worry about it too much right now.

 

[oscar_merkx]

Very encouraging news indeed

 

[Andrew Radke]

Thanks for the clarification. Shame though. I was hoping they would've done right by this film (as well as the sequel) on standard def before giving it the widescreen treatmen on Blu. Ah well.....

 

[WadeM]

I thought it was a great chat!
Top of my list: fifth film noir box!!! YES!!! From the comedies with Ginger Rogers to the MONOGRAM CHARLIE CHANS coming early 2010 restored from orig nitrate negatives (woo-hoo!), to them releasing widescreen double features later this year of some early favorites, COMPLETE SHOW BOAT COLLECTION, Merry Widow, The Walking Dead, Harlow in 2011.... on and on... very good news.... and that doesn't even cover the 200 more movies in the archive collection!

Thanks WHV!

 

[Bob_S.]

Judy Garland films were mentioned but nothing about Mickey Rooney. What ever happened to that possible Andy Hardy dvd set that was talked about last year or the year before? I was really hoping to hear something about that.

 

[OliverK]

Very true. Some big titles that have been thrown around in the past seem to have been delayed on their way to Blu-Ray. The Ben Hur Blu-Ray was not mentioned once during the chat, despite being one of Warners most anticipated classics that is yet to be announced for a Blu-Ray release, plus the movie has its 50th anniversary, too !

There are lots of other Blu-Ray specific questions, too and it would be nice to ask them in a separate chat without taking time away from the members who are primarily interested in asking about DVD releases.

 

[Simon Howson]

I was more worried about some of the obvious questions. For example about The Dark Knight. First, it wasn't a catalogue release, but it seems to me it will be a no-brainer that a new edition of some sort (an Ultimate Collector's Edition perhaps) will be prepared in the lead up to the next film that is due in 2011.

 

[Terry Hickey]

I'm still hoping that Warners will revisit "The Man Who Would Be King" and rerelease it where the entire movie is on one side of the disc instead of being a flipper like it is now.

 

[ahollis]

Was not able to make the chat, but one film that has always appeared in previous chats was "RAINTREE COUNTY". Reading over the transcripts, I see no mention this time, is that correct?

Overall, I am very excited about some of the announcements and will wait for SHOWBOAT, TARZAN, and BOWERY BOYS, and I have already purchased about 10 films from the WA. Thank you WB for taking the time to sit down and talk. Hopefully you will be able to do this again soon.

 

[Richard M S]

Oh was The Merry Widow mentioned? I must have over-looked that.

 

[Robert Crawford]

To be honest, I'm not worry about Ben Hur on BR as it will be coming out in the near future just like GWTW and Wizard of Oz. If I had to guess it will be out around the next holiday season in December.





Crawdaddy

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

Jim, I hear you on Robinson. I've been yearning for a dedicated box set or individual releases of things like TWO SECONDS and TIGER SHARK since I got into this format over 10(!) years ago. Thankfully, much Robinson has come out via the GANGSTERS sets. For those of us who also love Garfield, things haven't been so good. A Garfield box set has been top of my list for several years now. It seems that set, also promised by WHV in the past, is no longer in the plans. But, like you, I won't turn my nose up at an Archives SEA WOLF if that's all we're presented with.

 

[Simon Howson]

They mentioned they are doing a whole new transfer during the 2007 chat. It was probably only produced as a flipper because it was released in 1997 before pressing plants could make dual layer discs.

They may hold it back until next year so they can call it a 35th Anniversary Edition.