UHD Superman, The Movie coming to 4K Blu-ray per TDBits (1 Viewer)

[TonyD]

Criterion has just announced its December titles. Looks like they will not do SUPERMAN. It now appears it will be an in-house release. Good luck to WB. But isn’t that what we have always suspected?

So finally giving up the ghost on that then

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Very good. Those of us hoping that physical media survives should be actively lobbying for our "favorite" version of a movie be the one released on UHD -- instead of demanding that the studios include all versions with branching. That's the spirit. Also please lobby for only the "original" audio instead of both that AND an immersive track as well.

That way sales can suffer and the format will fail. I'm sure somebody will love that outcome.

I have already not purchased X-Men DOFP because it didn't include the extended cut. I will refrain from buying Superman if it doesn't contain the 151 minute cut. I am not bothering to rebuy (for the 5th time) the first 3 X-Men movies because Fox is too cheap to include Atmos. T2 didn't include the longer cuts and immersive audio (along with the substandard PQ.)

I won't buy Aliens, Abyss, Treks 1, 2 and 6, Troy, Kingdom of Heaven, Conan, Daredevil, etc.-- if those don't have the extended cuts.

But I'm sure there will be plenty of folks high-fiving themselves and slapping themselves on the back because the "proper" version is the only version available and the other fans will be forced to accept it. No, a lot of us won't. I'm not rich and I like the versions I like and won't be spending money again for the version I don't want to watch.

Wait - your plan to ensure the health of physical media is to not buy physical media?

 

[Lord Dalek]

Wait - your plan to ensure the health of physical media is to not buy physical media?

Dat's Thanos Logic there.

 

[Camper]

Wait - your plan to save physical media is to accept any physical release as good enough?

Yeah, thank god they are doing us this favor.

All I am saying is that I won't buy versions of movies I don't prefer. If they do it right and release titles with branching and original AND modern soundtracks -- they will make everybody happy and ensure nobody who likes physical isn't sitting a particular title out. I have purchased 27 UHD titles that had either the versions I prefer OR both versions. There are several other titles I have not purchased and will not purchase if they aren't my preferred version. I know I am not the only one who refuses to buy UHD titles because they prefer a longer/alternate cut or want Atmos/DTS:X etc.

When a business deludes itself into thinking that they have the consumer over a barrel and the consumer will take what they choose to give them -- they are making a mistake. Detroit made that mistake in the 1970s by assuming Americans wouldn't buy foreign cars that were "little and ugly" just for reliability and gas mileage.
They lost a huge part of the market they never regained.

I already have all these catalog titles with lossless sound and great picture and multiple versions via branching on Blu-ray.

So their strategy is to release these same catalog titles on UHD with the SAME SOUND and only 1 version of a movie and because it has a small upgrade in picture we will trip over ourselves to get it? For me, It's not financially easy anyway and then when you throw in that they won't offer a version that I prefer -- it makes it an easy pass.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Wait - your plan to save physical media is to accept any physical release as good enough?

Where the heck did I say that?

No, I won't buy any craptastic release to "support the team". For instance, if Paramount had only issued the edited "PG" version of "Saturday Night Fever" and kept the original "R" in the vault, I'd have rejected it.

But that's not the same as refusing to support original theatrical versions, which is what you've done.

Hey, we all have preferences, and if you only like the extended "T2", then sure - don't buy a theatrical cut.

However, to then act as if your refusal to buy the product will help save physical media does not compute.

The theatrical cut of "Superman" is the standard. You might prefer the longer one, but theatrical is the default, and if the 4K doesn't include the extended, that's not a major negative for 99% of possible buyers.

You seem to have made this a crusade that relates mainly to your own tastes, not to what's best for the formats overall...

 

[Camper]

"Crusade" -- what drama class did you attend?

I posted my distaste for studios not giving multiple options for movies and for fans who revel that their favorite edition is the one chosen for release instead of realizing that others are turned off by the same narrow release methods. And yes, many fans do feel like they have "won" something when a studio chooses to release only one version of a movie. Some have gone as far as saying other versions "don't deserve a release" and are illegitimate.

I was not implying that my (or others) choice not to buy certain versions will "save physical media" LOL.

I was clearly stating that studios including multiple cuts and both original and immersive soundtracks would probably help sales. I read everyday where someone decides they will hold off on or skip altogether a certain release because of a missing version or lack of immersive soundtracks. Why wouldn't they want to satisfy as many fans as possible and improve sales? I don't know. Maybe this is just a final chance to sell collectors physical media and they just put out a single version and think it will be snapped up. Those who have to have it in the best format OR it happens to be their favorite version will buy it -- but others won't. Blu-ray and UHD have the ability to branch and space for multiple soundtracks - why not use them? Most consumers find Blu-ray a great format and some others have stopped at DVD -- why introduce a new better format and then not include things that the "inferior" formats offered?

It just seems cynical on the studio's part and then some fans being happy a release is their version and constantly pointing out that their favorite version is really the only one that matters is discouraging.

"Saving physical media" -- I don't know if that can be done and I certainly don't have the answer. I just feel that putting out releases that exclude the wishes/wants of some of the fans isn't helpful.

And when they do happen to release a version of a movie I prefer and exclude other version -- I buy it -- but I also feel bad for the folks who prefer another version and lament that physical media sales won't get a purchase.

 

[deepscan]

http://www.iconvsicon.com/2018/09/2...hd-blu-ray-to-celebrate-its-40th-anniversary/

Could this announcement be the one we have all been waiting for? If so have your money ready. Obviously no word yet on a definitive collectors edition so hold on to your Warner Archive blu ray of the other two versions you may have bought last year.

 

[dpippel]

The DC Store has it up for pre-order, with a ship date of 11/6/2018:

https://www.shopdcentertainment.com/products/superman-the-movie-4k-uhd

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

For those wondering, it's the theatrical version on 4K and Blu-ray.

 

[Camper]

With Atmos on the 4K but NO 2.0 sound -- while the Blu-ray disc DOES have the 2.0 stereo mix.

So original cut with non-original sound for the 4K and original cut and original sound (as an option) for the included Blu-ray. Makes sense.

 

[Mark-P]

With Atmos on the 4K but NO 2.0 sound -- while the Blu-ray disc DOES have the 2.0 stereo mix.

So original cut with non-original sound for the 4K and original cut and original sound (as an option) for the included Blu-ray. Makes sense.

While I would agree that Atmos definitely does not qualify as original sound, I would ask why does only 2.0 count as original? Superman premiered in 70mm six-track.

 

[Tino]

While I would agree that Atmos definitely does not qualify as original sound, I would ask why does only 2.0 count as original? Superman premiered in 70mm six-track.

Exactly

 

[Tino]

For those wondering, it's the theatrical version on 4K and Blu-ray.

Great news as the theatrical version is by far the best version imo.

 

[Camper]

LOL. Yeah great news except for those who prefer the other cut(s) -- at any rate most fans will take what they are offered even if it's not the version they prefer. As I said, I will have to "suffer" with my Blu-ray of the director's cut and that's a first world problem for sure.

So is the 6-track sound being included on the 4K disc? I understood that the 6 track was a 4.2 mix of some sort. Are they giving us the 6 track? I see that the Blu-ray is getting a 2.0

 

[Lord Dalek]

LOL. Yeah great news except for those who prefer the other cut(s) -- at any rate most fans will take what they are offered even if it's not the version they prefer. As I said, I will have to "suffer" with my Blu-ray of the director's cut and that's a first world problem for sure.

So is the 6-track sound being included on the 4K disc? I understood that the 6 track was a 4.2 mix of some sort. Are they giving us the 6 track? I see that the Blu-ray is getting a 2.0

The six-track was predominently a 4.1 (the ".2" was just a duplicated LFE due to the absence of dedicated subwoofers at the time) with some scenes mixed in full 5.1 as a test. However none of the theaters that had 70mm prints booked played it with the split surrounds decoded. I'm assuming the blu-ray is the same one from the Motion Picture Anthology box, which means it only includes a lossless copy of the theatrical 35mm Dolby 2.0 mix...which I personally believe sounds pretty bad even in lossless. Your mileage may very.

As for the UltraHD, if it is in Atmos then it's probably an upmix or conversion of the 2000 remix. So unless an extra 5.1 track is announced, I'd call the 70mm mix "lost media" and move on.

 

[WillG]

Great news as the theatrical version is by far the best version imo.

Eh, I don’t think anything in the extended cut hurts the movie so I would have liked to see that cut included in UHD as well.

 

[Tino]

Eh, I don’t think anything in the extended cut hurts the movie so I would have liked to see that cut included in UHD as well.

I think the pacing is off in the extended cut but I too would have liked to see it included. Why not?

 

[WillG]

So finally giving up the ghost on that then

Did S:TM really need a Criterion release. The releases that have come from WB are pretty robust, and seeing that we even got the super long TV cut in a widescreen Blu ray release, is there anything left for Criterion to do?

 

[WillG]

I think the pacing is off in the extended cut but I too would have liked to see it included. Why not?

It never really bothered me. There’s only 2 bonafide additional scenes. The rest of the additional material is small extensions. I liked seeing more of Brando’s footage (even though there’s slight miscontinutiy with Reeve’s physique and hair in the additional fortress scene, as I understand that scene was shot very early in the production)

 

[Tino]

It never really bothered me. There’s only 2 bonafide additional scenes. The rest of the additional material is small extensions. I liked seeing more of Brando’s footage (even though there’s slight miscontinutiy with Reeve’s physique and hair in the additional fortress scene, as I understand that scene was shot very early in the production)

And those small extensions are what affected the pacing for me.