Warner Bros Vindicated... (1 Viewer)

[Henry V]

Warner Brothers was one of the dominant film studios of the 1930s and 40s, which produced (almost without exception) most of the best work in the careers of such film luminaries as Cagney, Davis, Bogart and Flynn.

Since the beginning of 2001, however, the marketing people in DVD production at Warners have virtually turned their backs on the films produced by that studio during their golden studio era. Only ONE film (Now Voyager) has been released on DVD in the past 16 months!

Of the few pre-1950s films that have been brought out on DVD by Warners since the beginning of last year, two were RKO titles (Citizen Kane & Little Women).That's it!

There's some talk of a few films coming out this year from either the RKO or MGM catalogues owned by Warners. But what about the Warner Brothers films themselves? Is it too much to expect that Warners could bring out some of the films that really helped to put that studio on the map in the first place?

Where's White Heat and The Sea Hawk and Angels With Dirty Faces and High Sierra and . . . it's a list that could be extended for several pages.

And even of the few Warners films brought to DVD prior to last year, a couple (Maltese Falcon & Big Sleep) were clearly in need of restoration work.

It's dismaying that those in charge of the catalogue of Warners classics obviously have no faith in the commercial viability of films produced by their own studio six and seven decades ago. Better to let them gather dust on a shelf, it would appear, than celebrate their own studio's history by offering these gems on DVD. At least Universal will lease some of their catalogue out to Criterion. Warners won't even do that!

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

It's dismaying that those in charge of the catalogue of Warners classics obviously have no faith in the commercial viability of films produced by their own studio six and seven decades ago.

The biggest catalog knock on Warner prior to 2001 was how the had ignored the RKO titles - the only title they had released was "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". Now that they have shifted their emphasis and released some of the RKO gems such as Citizen Kane and Little Women, as well as the two most significant Allied Artists titles from the 50s: Love in the Afternoon and Friendly Persuasion, they are guilty of ignoring their own catalog. If they releaseed only 30s-40s WB titles, I suppose they would be taken to task for ignoring the 50s-70s WB and MGM classics.
Regards,

 

[Henry V]

Quote:
"If they releaseed only 30s-40s WB titles, I suppose they would be taken to task for ignoring the 50s-70s WB and MGM classics."
Who'd expect them to release ONLY 30's and 40's Warners titles? I'd just like to see a few classics released. Why is this an either/or situation,why can't there be something for everyone in their DVD release schedule?

 

[Mark_TS]

well, I must admit im becoming guardedly impressed. Even with the statement above that

'...Warners is a closed door...' as far as listening to complaints. Which, Im not so sure is true when you add in the WONKA factor...

I would love to see the hard numbers or research that back up the sweeping statement that '...75% of MGM transfers are crap...'

I mean, even saying 25% are crap is a bold, though plausable assertion...but three-quarters??

 

[Tim RH]

 

[Jeremiah W]

great topic, I agree that Warner does need to pick up the pase but I too want quality over quantity..

That said I'd like to see WB's film vault, I bet it's HUGE

 

[Cees Alons]

have them take the time to get it as good as 480 lines of NTSC video can look for the DVD..

In fact, they are doing better! Here's an excerpt from an article (back in 1997), posted by Greg Loewen, on how Warner transfer their films to DVD. Note they use at least 625 lines!

.... All telecine transfers are made at 625 lines. The rooms are rarely switched to 525 to make a domestic transfer. In the case of an anamorphic title the transfer is made with all 625 lines scanning the squeezed film image. For purposes of viewing, the monitor is operated in a vertical reduced scan mode for proper aspect ratio viewing.

Noise reduction is in the path after correction. This is a Digital Vision DVNR-1000 Box with the V-Zoom option. The V-Zoom processes the vertically streached image to a standard letterbox picture. This allows the telecine image (all 625 lines) to be used for the letterbox on-screen image. This results in a much reduced amount of vertical alising. This output is a standard 625-25 frame letterbox tape.

This output is recorded to an Ampex DCT VTR, a tape format chosen for its robustness, interchange ability and 525/625 operation. This recording is of course made at the normal 625 digital 4:2:2 standard. (Warner Bros. Burbank is possibly the world's largest user of Ampex DCT machines and tape.)...

They actually use the 625 lines, so they can provide for PAL versions as well. I even suspect they go further now, anticipating HD!

Cees

 

[Terry H]

I vote quality over quantity and am thrilled to bits over the terrific job Warner has done with its releases lately

I agree completely. Nearly all of the older MGM titles I own could have used some restoration or digital touchup. If MGM does any restoration at all it sure doesn't show in the final product. Warner does a great job. Quality first!

 

[BarryR]

I second a release of THE HAUNTING (1963), even if (one can pray) we must await 2003, which would be a splendid excuse for a 40th Anniversary Special Edition! As far as I know the entire original cast and director are still among us, so let's get to it, Warner!!!!!!

 

[Tim RH]

Oh, THE SWARM is coming!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

The Swarm???!!! You gotta be kidding me! Where'd you see that? Terrible movie, but I LOVED those disaster flicks as a kid. I'd actually love to see it again...

 

[Tim RH]

DavisDVD.com posted the cover art for The Swarm a couple of days ago. Apparently, the DVD will be out sometime in 2002 with an anamorphic widescreen transfer (2.35:1) and 40 minutes of footage not seen in theaters! Here's a link to the main menu screen: http://www.davisdvd.com/images/menus/swarm_mainmenu.jpg

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

Who'd expect them to release ONLY 30's and 40's Warners titles? I'd just like to see a few classics released. Why is this an either/or situation,why can't there be something for everyone in their DVD release schedule?

My point is that there is something for everyone. Take a look at the film list from my early post. That is a pretty broad cross section of the various libraries they control and the decades in which they have released films.
Regards,

 

[Dick]

Say, Tim, did you design those Hammer covers or did you copy them from a reliable source?

 

[Walt Riarson]

I'm pretty sure those are the real covers. Someone else posted similar covers (which are 100% real) of the upcoming Warner Wolfen and Time After Time discs in a different thread.
Plus, at www.dvddrive-in.com , they have an update on Curse of Frankenstein and Horror of Dracula which feature both covers, along with this bit of information...
"Check out the beautiful covers for Warner Home Video's upcoming DVDs of the Hammer classics CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN and HORROR OF DRACULA. It's great to see that Warner opted to go with the more attractive European art, rather than the inferior posters from the U.S. No other information about the discs as of yet, but expect them to street in the fall. DVD Drive-In has lent some materials to the gentleman who is producing the supplements, but the word is that Christopher Lee has declined to participate. Still, we're all looking forward to these long awaited titles and hope there's more Hammer to come!"

 

[Douglas Bailey]

???!!! You gotta be kidding me! Where'd you see that? Terrible movie, but I LOVED those disaster flicks as a kid. I'd actually love to see it again...

Yes, me too: it's so much fun watching the "heroes" as they're bee-leaguered, bee-sieged, bee-set upon from all sides... but then, what else can you expect from a cheesy bee-movie?
I'm sorry. I'll stop now.
doug

 

[Dave Kalloch]

"The Swarm???!!! You gotta be kidding me! Where'd you see that? Terrible movie, but I LOVED those disaster flicks as a kid. I'd actually love to see it again..."
They got my mom and daddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Justin Lane]

Warner is doing a very nice job with what they release by my estimation.

It would be nice if we could get every catalog title ASAP, but the reality is restoration needs to be done (which Warner does unlike MGM many times), as well as very little return financial wise, especially on the more obscure titles.

It could literally take several years before Warner begins seeing profit on some lesser known films. If they throw their money into them all at one time, they will have alot of titles on the market that make very little money for them, not to mention titles that will not be carried by many retailers.

Slow and steady at higher quality, is much better then getting maximum product out with variable quality.

J

 

[GregC]

I third The Haunting. This is the classic of the genre and needs to be treated as such. Unfortunately, I doubt the suits at Warner have a clue regarding this film. BTW, I also second the nomination of MGM as the winner of Worst Transfer studio.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

If Prince & the Showgirl is a candidate for 1.33:1, why are people insisting in another thread that Anatomy of a Murder cannot be 1.33:1? It's only 2 years later.