Warner Archive Announcements Thread (7 Viewers)

[Astairefan]

Re: 1920s-1950s titles - I suspect a lot of the bigger ones are on Criterion's slate. We already know Criterion has The Cameraman, so I wouldn't be surprised if that release also ends up having Spite Marriage as a bonus feature. There's strong indications that Criterion also has Captain Blood, Bringing Up Baby, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Roaring Twenties, I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (I believe these all went OOP at WB the same time as other titles which have already come from Criterion), and with the release of Swing Time, they likely have a couple more of the better Astaire Rogers titles, with Top Hat almost assuredly being with Criterion. I can see Criterion wanting A Night at the Opera as well. And though they already have a Blu-ray release from WB, I feel that Criterion would love to have King Kong and Citizen Kane back in the collection since they have been trying to regain former Criterion Laserdisc titles whenever they can, and I can't see another WB release of these anytime soon. Greed, The Crowd, The Wind, The Bad and the Beautiful, Freaks - these would be ideal Criterion releases if WB can't justify doing a ton of titles from this era.

Don't forget, from the look of things, they also have Showboat '36, since the WAC DVD is OOP (and maybe the other two films as well, who knows). And amongst the Astaire/Rogers movies, Gay Divorcee, Top Hat, Follow The Fleet and Shall We Dance are all Criterion possibilities, since WAC has yet to reissue those, while the other five are still available through WAC (and not likely to change, unless Swing Time does REALLY well, which seems unlikely given how many posts I've seen on the other forum of people all waiting for the B&N sale the following month). Either way, I do like that list of possibilities, but I hope they get spread out, so that I can afford them, as most would be day one purchases, if only to help convince WAC or Criterion to do more!

 

[PMF]

I wonder if WB will be more receptive to licensing titles out under AT&T. Major shakeup of things are the name of the game

"Licensing titles out under AT&T"?
Look for these exclusives:
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell
Sorry, Wrong Number
Bird on a Wire
Dial M for Murder
BUtterflied 8

 

[Astairefan]

I was just looking at the wbshop, and I noticed a few things in the WAC pre-order section. First, for those fans of the Shaft films, they have a triple-feature Blu-ray set with Shaft and the two new releases that will be coming out the same day as the individual releases for Shaft's Big Score and Shaft In Africa, A Patch Of Blue now has a May release date, and they will also be re-releasing both the Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand A Star Is Born movies on blu. Hope that's enough info for everybody!

 

[Ken_Martinez]

I was just looking at the wbshop, and I noticed a few things in the WAC pre-order section. First, for those fans of the Shaft films, they have a triple-feature Blu-ray set with Shaft and the two new releases that will be coming out the same day as the individual releases for Shaft's Big Score and Shaft In Africa, A Patch Of Blue now has a May release date, and they will also be re-releasing both the Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand A Star Is Born movies on blu. Hope that's enough info for everybody!

The Shaft triple feature costs only a smidgen more than one film by itself. The value is even better than their most generous sales.

Is this an indication that the WAC will be doing more releases with multiple films? If not, why kneecap the profit potential of the individual Shaft films? Were they free to remaster?

 

[RICK BOND]

I hope the WB Archive May announcements for June release have .....Popeye Vol.2 and The Jetsons season 1 ? Fingers crossed.

 

[Astairefan]

I hope the WB Archive May announcements for June release have .....Popeye Vol.2 and The Jetsons season 1 ? Fingers crossed.

I got the impression from what I've read about WonderCon, that the next volume of Popeye would be coming out before June. Obviously, it hasn't been announced for May, so, short of something delaying it, that should be coming in June (I hope). I wouldn't expect Jetsons in June, though. When Popeye was released in December, we were told that was being planned as a last-ditch animation release. While it sold well, I think it would be courting disaster to have multiple animated releases from WAC in the same month (not to mention the fact that Jonny Quest, originally announced first BEFORE Jetsons, still hasn't been given a release date).

 

[Astairefan]

The Shaft triple feature costs only a smidgen more than one film by itself. The value is even better than their most generous sales.

Is this an indication that the WAC will be doing more releases with multiple films? If not, why kneecap the profit potential of the individual Shaft films? Were they free to remaster?

Who knows? I suspect a lot of it would have to do with expected sales due to the upcoming Shaft movie. But we don't know how well either their Bogie/Bacall collection or Batman double-feature sold, either (admittedly, I have wondered whether those were released just to have a few easily done releases when they were having all those replicating problems). Either, way, it is certainly something to watch, going forward. However, before everybody gets crazy in asking for box sets from WAC, I suspect the MOST we could possibly see for any sets is a 5-film set, considering WAC is mostly reluctant to release anything priced higher than $49.99 (and their multi-film sets are being priced about $10 per movie on wbshop).

 

[JPCinema]

DAMN YANKEES!

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Still awaiting the long-promised WB release of the three Show Boat movies. Warners mentioned that almost a decade ago in an online Q&A.

 

[Dick]

Looks like DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES, Eastwood's BRONCO BILLY & WHITE HUNTER, BLACK HEART, and many others that Warner Bros. proper would have been more apt to release on Blu-ray years ago will now emerge, if at all, from WAC. With thousands of terrific titles in its library still hung up awaiting such a release, it is always frustrating to see crap titles getting out ahead of them. Yes, there are source material issues, I get that. And one man's poison (mine) is another's little treasure. But, at age 70, I just have to accept that not even my top 50 Warner Bros/MGM wish list titles are unlikely to reach my shelves.

 

[RICK BOND]

YES Dick, Day's of Wine and Roses is Long over due. I feel the same way about the Crappy titles that get released. It's a Damn Shame ! : (

 

[commander richardson]

Looks like DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES, Eastwood's BRONCO BILLY & WHITE HUNTER, BLACK HEART, and many others that Warner Bros. proper would have been more apt to release on Blu-ray years ago will now emerge, if at all, from WAC. With thousands of terrific titles in its library still hung up awaiting such a release, it is always frustrating to see crap titles getting out ahead of them. Yes, there are source material issues, I get that. And one man's poison (mine) is another's little treasure. But, at age 70, I just have to accept that not even my top 50 Warner Bros/MGM wish list titles are unlikely to reach my shelves.

Like u I am 70 and knowing my luck Days of Wine and Roses BD will be released the day I fall of my perch .

 

[bronson]

Looks like DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES, Eastwood's BRONCO BILLY & WHITE HUNTER, BLACK HEART, and many others that Warner Bros. proper would have been more apt to release on Blu-ray years ago will now emerge, if at all, from WAC. With thousands of terrific titles in its library still hung up awaiting such a release, it is always frustrating to see crap titles getting out ahead of them. Yes, there are source material issues, I get that. And one man's poison (mine) is another's little treasure. But, at age 70, I just have to accept that not even my top 50 Warner Bros/MGM wish list titles are unlikely to reach my shelves.

I absolutely agree. Some announcements are just odd. There´re so many popular titles and they released titles that not many people will buy.

I´m desperately waiting for example for the Bronson movies "St.Ives" and "Telefon".

If the rights were with another company, it´d already be out on blu-ray.

 

[Dick]

DAMN YANKEES!

And a film I always think of in tandem with YANKEES...THE PAJAMA GAME!

 

[Dick]

The one major William Castle fright film missing on Blu-ray now is MACABRE, which is in your hands, WAC.

 

[usrunnr]

DAMN YANKEES!

I think this is available as a Warner's Mod. But no blu-ray, unfortunately. And the Mod doesn't have any aspect ratio information.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I think this is available as a Warner's Mod. But no blu-ray, unfortunately. And the Mod doesn't have any aspect ratio information.

Damn Yankees has just been re-released by Warner Archive on DVD. The aspect ratio is 1.78. Also, a HD digital stream of it was just added to iTunes for $9.99 in its OAR. IMO because it was just re-released this week on DVD, I seriously doubt a Blu-ray is coming in the foreseeable future.

 

[JohnMor]

Damn Yankees has just been re-released by Warner Archive on DVD. The aspect ratio is 1.78. Also, a HD digital stream of it was just added to iTunes for $9.99 in its OAR. IMO because it was just re-released this week on DVD, I seriously doubt a Blu-ray is coming in the foreseeable future.

Yes, I think if it had been anywhere on the near horizon, they would have had it out to coincide with and capitalize on the Fosse/Verdon miniseries.

 

[Dick]

I have just watched A PATCH OF BLUE, and it is a lovely piece of work. Stunningly sharp 2,35:1 black and white with beautiful contrast and shadow detail. Mono sound is...well, mono sound. But, oh, that image!

 

[Nick*Z]

Personally, I cannot wait for July's fantastic slate of goodies to arrive. Wow! and thank you!!!!