Warner Upcoming BDs in 2013! (1 Viewer)

[benbess]

Yes, I hope we can see a list of possibilities to look forward to for next year.++

 

[Dick]

yesterday it was announced that WB's would be releasing Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on bluray so I would expect a US release as well.

Am I imagining this, or did WB not say two years ago that this was coming to BD?I second (or probably many hundredth) the nomination for THE TIME MACHINE (what a great double with WAR OF THE WORLDS, and a dream come true for so many of us!!)I found Warner's 90th Anniversary year to be somewhat lackluster -- too many re-issues of over-released titles and not enough first-time ones. Even Fox, not currently in an anniversary year, seems to have done better with their classics, by themselves or through licensing agreements. Let's hope the apparent new momentum for Blu-ray Archive titles continues to build!And, by the way, does the newest EXORCIST release include the Saul Bass logo and other corrections?

 

[Andrew Budgell]

I thought that Virginia Woolf would have been a given for their 90th anniversary. Hopefully next year.

 

[cineMANIAC]

Not only was Warner's 90th Anniversary promotion lackluster, it was a non-event. I chalk this up to the BD format not yet reaching the level of acceptance of where DVD was at this same point in that format's existence. I still believe that people who had built considerable film collections since 2000 are weary of starting over, even at this stage. The studios know this but it's not just Warner who is reluctant to unleash their vaults once again, it's pretty much happening all across the board. The only category that's doing exceptionally well is the catalog horror/cult/B-movie genre.

The fact that many A-list titles have already been released is another factor. What you've got left are the second-tier stuff and semi-popular movies that people want to upgrade.

 

[David Weicker]

The fact that many A-list titles have already been released is another factor. What you've got left are the second-tier stuff and semi-popular movies that people want to upgrade.

While I agree that there are a lot of A-list titles released, I don't consider Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Marx Brothers, or Fred Astaire to be second-tier. Nor do I consider the films of Frank Capra or Preston Sturges that way.(And I'm sure other could compile similar list of under-represented films stars/directors)

 

[cineMANIAC]

While I agree that there are a lot of A-list titles released, I don't consider Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Marx Brothers, or Fred Astaire to be second-tier. Nor do I consider the films of Frank Capra or Preston Sturges that way.(And I'm sure other could compile similar list of under-represented films stars/directors)

Yes, the films you mention are fairly popular - I was thinking more along the lines of relatively recent popcorn entertainment like Breakdown, Midnight Run, and other titles that were released on DVD more than a decade ago in shoddy editions. But even films like Midnight Run, while the studio may not consider them A-list titles, are very popular and some are even very good (and well made), which is what prompted me to post here. There's just a general blandness/malaise within the studios these days that's depressing.

 

[Ed Lachmann]

What's disheartening is the lack of A list films of the past which have been neglected and are MIA, including Best Picture winners. Particularly guilty is Warners, who owns so damn many of them. The Archives BD program has turned out to be something of a dud so far. Films like the aforementioned TIME MACHINE are bonafide classics that many collectors would love to own along with, say, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, AUNTIE MAME, PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, NOW VOYAGER, HELEN OF TROY and certainly all the things David mentioned above.

 

[Dick]

I would find it disheartening to discover that Warner Bros. was NOT currently (and secretly) working on AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS which is one of the few titles released as special DVD 2-disc sets not to have made it to Blu yet, and one of the last few Best Picture Oscar-winners belonging to them that needs an upgrade. Probably a lot of work is needed on it.

As for THE TIME MACHINE, I don't get the hold-up. If this was a TT release (which it won't be), 3,000 copies of it would be gone during the first hour or two of pre-order. If they were to pair this with Paramount's WAR OF THE WORLDS, the way they were pairing the Blu's of the respective studios a while back but have lately backed away from doing, they'd have a huge hit that even Wal*Mart would carry, and I suspect it would end up as one of their biggest money-making Blu-ray classic titles ever.

IMHO.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

(And I'm sure other could compile similar list of under-represented films stars/directors)

Absolutely! I'd love more Elizabeth Taylor. WB controls most of her films, and so far have only released two: Giant and That's Entertainment! (which is a documentary). A week or two ago Forbes magazine named her 4th on the list of top selling deceased celebrities, so she's still a big brand. Let's hope WB will exploit that in 2014! I'd love to see A Place in the Sun (since they're distributing Paramount films), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Father of the Bride, National Velvet, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and of course, Raintree County (I couldn't let an opportunity to mention that film go by! ).

 

[Matt Hough]

Let's hope WB will exploit that in 2014! I'd love to see A Place in the Sun (since they're distributing Paramount films), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Father of the Bride, National Velvet, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and of course, Raintree County (I couldn't let an opportunity to mention that film go by! ).

It's hard to believe that ALL of the films you've mentioned haven't been released on Blu-ray yet. They are among her most famous titles.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

It's hard to believe that ALL of the films you've mentioned haven't been released on Blu-ray yet. They are among her most famous titles.

Agreed, Matt! I thought for sure we'd get some sort of a commemorative boxed set after Elizabeth's death, but all we got was one of those TCM Greatest Films sets of previously released DVDs.

 

[Matt Hough]

Things like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, National Velvet, Father of the Bride, and Butterfield 8 are made for the Warner Archive Blu-ray program.

 

[Alan Tully]

Things like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, National Velvet, Father of the Bride, and Butterfield 8 are made for the Warner Archive Blu-ray program.

...& Helen Of Troy & Land Of The Pharaohs, & a few sixties movies for a change, but the Archive never really got going. Still, you never know what's going on behind the scenes, so hopefully a lot more next year. The trouble is, Warner have such an embarrassment of riches, so many classics still to be released. What Warner do they do really well, just not enough releases. Just what a company wants to hear, customers crying out for more product!

 

[cineMANIAC]

Yes, I hope we can see a list of possibilities to look forward to for next year.++

I hope we'll finally be able to get THE EXORCIST, THE WIZARD OF OZ or GONE WITH THE WIND next year. These have never been released on DVD before

 

[Keith Cobby]

Perhaps the answer to releasing more classic titles on blu-ray, and I am thinking of the ones mentioned plus musicals, filn noir etc is for Warners to either licence to another distributor on a limited edition basis (like TT) or do it themselves. Loads of their titles would sell better on a fixed quantity basis.

 

[bgart13]

Wasn't A CHRISTMAS STORY discussed as having a new transfer for the 30th anniversary? So far it sounds like the only difference is lossless audio but the same image. If true, this is really a lack of care on WB's part.

 

[JPCinema]

What lackluster year for WB Blu Ray 2013 :-( Maybe in 2014 we'll in another Casablanca ......Exorcist with an additional 2 seconds....Citizen Kane with a bit more grain.
It seems preservation and release of films i.e. Raintree County....is a thing of the past.
Thanks to Fox and Sony for truly outstanding classic Blu Ray releases this year!!!

 

[TravisR]

What lackluster year for WB Blu Ray 2013 :-(

With Warners' announcement of Boiler Room, 2014 is already making me wish for 2013.

 

[Alan Tully]

What lackluster year for WB Blu Ray 2013 :-( Maybe in 2014 we'll in another Casablanca ......Exorcist with an additional 2 seconds....Citizen Kane with a bit more grain.It seems preservation and release of films i.e. Raintree County....is a thing of the past. Thanks to Fox and Sony for truly outstanding classic Blu Ray releases this year!!!

Yeah, especially as it's their 90th anniversary year!

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Yes please, Fred and Ginger .. and I'd love Midnight Run on Blu ray as it is a classic of its genre to which we return often. Also waiting for decent transfers of The Big Country and My Fair Lady ..... astonishing that such great movies are given such indifferent treatment.