Why I will NOT be going to blue ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

I think you're making some bad assumptions. As someone that has over 4000 movies on the DVD/HDM formats with hundreds of them classic black and white films, I can say without question that most of them would look just fine on HDM.

By the way, I do have a little knowledge about classic film.





Crawdaddy

 

[Robert Crawford]

I totally agree with you.




Crawdaddy

 

[DanMel]

I am sure there will be more cases like the below posted by dvdbeaver as more and more classic films are released in high def:

"NOTE: In a disparaging aberration for Hi-Def - Criterion’s SD of Spartacus is actually superior to Universals HD-DVD of the same film! This is the only title that I am aware of where SD bested HD (of course, there may be others)."

 

[Robert Crawford]

I don't have to read what DVDBeaver says because I can see both discs with my own eyes and I don't necessarily agree with that opinion. The HD DVD has some coloring issues that should be corrected by Universal, but on other points such as detail, the HD DVD is superior to the SD DVD.

Furthermore, I don't mind if some of you want to stick with SD DVD and not buy into the HDM market. However, I do have a problem with those that suggest black and white classic films won't look good on HDM or that HDM isn't superior to SD DVD because you are dead wrong and there are some of us that know better then to accept such thinking.





Crawdaddy

 

[Simon Howson]

Yeah, look at the bottom comparison of Casablanca at DVD Beaver:
Casablanca - Humphrey Bogart

In the HD-DVD version, the actors look separated from the background more, which is how films appear projected on film, whereas the SD version looks flatter.

It seems extra resolution helps our eyes perceive depth better.

 

[Chris S]

Just a note that the last comparison for Casablanca from the DVDBeaver website is not a screen capture from either disc but a scanned promotion still image which the review modified to show how he perceives the difference in image quality.

 

[GlennH]

No doubt about it, HDM does wonders for classic films. However, I am a bit pessimistic about the prospects for seeing significant numbers of older classics on HDM anytime soon, beyond the no-brainer A+ titles.

Here we are 11 years into DVD as a format and there have been many classic titles released, yet there are so many more that haven't been. But there appears to be little desire by the studios to continue mining the catalogs. Warner of course is the best, but it's still so disappointing to see some titles rehashed 4 or 5 times already while very worthy movies remain MIA. Most disappointing is the stance of studios like Paramount who have apparently given up on new classic movie releases almost entirely. It's discouraging, but I guess the economic reality must be that it just isn't financially beneficial right now.

So if the river has slowed to a trickle on DVD, what hope is there for good restorations of second or third-tier classic movies released on HDM?

Well, at least there's TCM. Maybe someday we'll get TCM-HD.

 

[DanMel]

Yes but how inclinded would you be to go High Def right now if ALL you watched was 30's through 50's movies. I will say that it will be at least 5 years and maybe closer to 10 years before I go High Def.

I agree totally with the last poster's comments. All we will get for at least the first 5 years is A+ classic titles from the 30's and 40's. I'm still waiting for a single High Def release from Gary Cooper or Cary Grant. It may take 5 years to see one of their movies released. The movie companies have a bunch of movies that are more modern to release before they start releasing classic movies from the golden era. Lesser movies like the Godfather and all those Client Eastwood westerns will be released first. I don't think Black and white is popular with the younger people and the only reason we are getting a bunch of them released now is because nearly everything else has been released two and three times in the sd format. We will have a lot of classic stuff in 10 years or so in a High Def format but I don't think too much early on, which makes it a no go from my stand point to upgrade. I have no interest in buying any movie in High Def from the 70's - present.

 

[Simon Howson]

But isn't another way to think about it that by re-issuing some classics 4 or 5 times, the studios get the revenue that they can use to release lesser films, which may, or may not prove to be good sellers?

 

[mdnitoil]

I don't know much about how classic films looks in HD and I don't really care. The one thing I do know is, the guy just now getting into SD is getting in for almost pennies on the dollar as compared to us folks who had to buy on release day. Between used outlets and blowout sales, I overpaid by thousands for my collection. Since my current SD collection is perfectly viewable, I won't be making the same mistake with HD. I'm sure I'll get in at some point, but when it happens I'm going to be the pennies on the dollar guy.

 

[Terry Hickey]

"Since my current SD collection is perfectly viewable, I won't be making the same mistake with HD. I'm sure I'll get in at some point, but when it happens I'm going to be the pennies on the dollar guy."

And if or when you do, I think you will be surprised at some of the transfers versus SD DVD. But it would be nice if they did put out more, but I don't think its going to happen unless they get a bigger base of customers in the game. Don't think that will happen for quite awhile since most are happy with their SD DVD. I still enjoy my SD DVD titles of which a vast majority hasn't been released on hi-def, and probably will never see the light of day on the format anyway.

 

[Simon Howson]

Yes, I hope they release Light of Day on any format. :-P

 

[Rob W]

I doubt we will see either Gone With The Wind or Wizard of Oz until 2009 since that will be the perfect opportunity to re-promote them for their 70th anniversaries.

 

[Todd_W_Zimmrman]

I'm also in the camp whose purchases are mostly (in my case, almost entirely) classic titles, so I'm in no great rush. My current SD DVD works, but my TV is getting long in the tooth, so my priorities are different in that regard. For now, I'm taking a wait-and-see approach with regard to Blu-Ray players, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

 

[Douglas Monce]

Agreed. There are some color issues with Spartacus, and its possible that it could look sharper on HD, however all you have to do is look at the title sequence on HD and on SD. The fine print with the MPAA logo shows how much more detail is visible in the HD version.

Doug

 

[Robin9]

We've never met, but you are my soul-mate, sir!

 

[Patrick McCart]

It's all about the film selection for me. Never have I purchased a DVD just because it's new or it looks good, but rather for the movie itself. My switch to BluRay will depend on enough releases to justify it. As it stands right now, I can replace about 30 DVDs entirely (A/V upgrade + keeping all extras), while 9 would still require me to keep both DVD and BluRay editions so that I have everything. I have about 370 releases. While I can expect Warner to bring out classics like The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind, somehow I doubt they can justify The Jazz Singer, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde '31, Looney Tunes, or even Citizen Kane yet. I can pretty much expect silents to be MIA for a few years, although if any would be a good "first silent on HD" title it would be Metropolis.

The problem is that DVD had a quick jump start on titles because the studios could re-use existing standard def masters. Look at the huge surge of 1997-1998 titles from WB that used old open matte transfers or all the non-anamorphic Disney, Paramount, and Fox discs. Oddly enough, there's an abundance of HD transfers for classics...

 

[Lou Sytsma]

If one can buy a BR player that will upconvert their SD classics to 1080 and allows them to enjoy those classics that are released on BR then that would be the best of both worlds, would it not?

 

[RickER]

As long as we are talking old movies...i have a few i am still waiting for anamorphic transfers. I can think of Lifeforce, Rocketeer, and Operation Petticoat, which was in new Cary Grant box that used all the old crap transfers. If they are not even worth a new DVD transfer i doubt we will EVER see a Blu-ray.

 

[David Deeb]

Absolutely.

I'm getting to be an HD snob, however anytime I play a SD disc on my BD player, I'm floored.

And I wouldn't worry about the classics not being released on HD.....

....because about 1/2 of the threads here on HTF seem to mention one studio or the other double & triple dipping. Why will they stop now?