filmlover Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 An unconfirmed possibility...*The Ten Commandments* restored and on Blu in 2009. And from blu-ray.com, on the confirmed front, *Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever,* and *Batman & Robin* are now set for Blu release on March 10th in *Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology* box set. And *Ghostbusters* on Blu for its 25th anniversary on June 16th. There will be several Blu exclusives to this release: Digitally Mastered Audio and Video (BD Exclusive) Slimer Mode: Picture-in-Picture Graphical Viewing Experience with an examination of the spook-hunters' firehouse headquarters, an in-depth exploration of the creatures in the Ghostbusters mythology, behind-the-scenes discussions of making the movie, new cast, crew and special effects artists interviews and much more! (BD Exclusive) Featurette: Ecto-1: Resurrecting the Classic Car (BD Exclusive) Ghostbusters Garage: Ecto-1 Gallery (BD Exclusive) Filmmakers' Commentary with Ivan Reitman, Harold Ramis and Joe Medjuck Featurette: 1984 ? The Making of Ghostbusters ? Interviews with the cast and crew Featurette: Interviews with Cast and Crew Featurette: SFX Team - Includes Before and After Multi-Angle Explorations Scene Cemetery ? 10 Deleted Scenes Storyboard Comparisons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmlover Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 A little news out of CES in Las Vegas: DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group, named Warner Home Video?s The Dark Knight the Best in Show Creative Excellence Award winner at the industry group?s annual CES reception Jan. 8. DEG cited both the video and audio quality of the Blu-ray version of The Dark Knight, and ?its ability to excite consumers and drive them to retail.? The latest ?Batman? film sold 13.5 million units its first week in stores, becoming the all-time top Blu-ray Disc seller in the process. Other Creative Excellence winners include Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment?s Wall-E as theatrical DVD of the year; Universal Studios Home Entertainment?s *Touch of Evil: 50th Anniversary Edition as catalog DVD title of the year*; HBO Home Entertainment?s The Sopranos: The Complete Series as TV DVD title of the year; 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment?s Futurama: Bender?s Game as direct-to-DVD title of the year; Paramount Home Entertainment?s Shine a Light as music DVD of the year; and *Disney?s Sleeping Beauty as Blu-ray Disc title of the year.* http://homemediamagazine.com/news/deg-honors-dark-knight-14270 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Film_Fatale Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I'd be pretty psyched to watch *The Ten Commandments* on blu-ray - just watched it a couple of days ago on DVD (played on the upconverting blu-ray player). It looks good but would look way better on blu-ray. As one of those movies that totally fills out the HDTV screen (without any pillarboxing or letterboxing required when played in its original aspect ratio) this would definitely be a pretty awesome blu-ray release. *Ghostbusters* might be fun, too, I haven't seen it in ages but I always felt that it suffered quite a bit from most video transfers so far. Maybe it will finally look as good as it did in 1984. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmlover Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 classicflix.com has the art up on the Blu covers for An American in Paris and Gigi (similar to the DVDs): http://www.classicflix.com/gigi-american-paris-bluray-march-a-398.html?osCsid=c556493bf8a4b40e6e16a05bec0a2cec Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Film_Fatale Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 There are a few more blu-ray titles for 2009 being mentioned in the digitalbits.com today. Many of them are relatively recent, personally I'm looking forward to *Pulp Fiction* on blu-ray. B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmlover Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Can't seem to access the digitalbits for today yet. However, I did mention several titles, including Pulp Fiction, a few days ago. Are they the same titles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Film_Fatale Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Well I didn't find your earlier post, but they are at the CES conference so I imagine they are getting all the latest titles. However a lot of the ones that are for older movies have already been mentioned, and a lot of the other titles are for newer movies, like *Monsters Inc.* and that kind of stuff. Sorry I didn't comment on *Pulp Fiction* earlier, it would be cool to have as I already have *Kill Bill* on blu-ray, and *Reservoir Dogs* is also available. But more than anything, what I would look forward to in 2009 would be an announcement like *Lawrence of Arabia* on blu-ray, or maybe the *Indiana Jones* trilogy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmlover Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 LOL, ff, look down this very page. It's Jan. 7th at about 3:39 AM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Film_Fatale Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 > {quote:title=filmlover wrote:}{quote} > LOL, ff, look down this very page. It's Jan. 7th at about 3:39 AM. Well, looks like it took digitalbits.com quite a while to get that news release! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmlover Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I just noticed that Amazon has a listing for "*The WIzard of Oz 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition*" on DVD and Blu-ray with possible cover artwork, also stating each will numbered as part of a limited edition. There's no date or price or other details yet. DVD: http://www.amazon.com/Wizard-70th-Anniversary-Ultimate-Collectors/dp/B001MS7HX2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1231590574&sr=8-1 Blu-ray: http://www.amazon.com/Wizard-Anniversary-Ultimate-Collectors-Blu-ray/dp/B000Q66J1W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1231591021&sr=8-3 The odd thing is that WB has not offficially announced any such set, so I am hoping this is not some fan's mockup. Looks pretty good, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lzcutter Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Filmlover, I would be willing to bet that Warners Home Video will release both *Wizard of Oz* and *Gone with the Wind* on Blu later this year. Those two titles are kind of tent poles for classic films. They sell like hot cakes each time WHV puts them out in new editions and that helps all the other classic films in the WHV pipeline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmlover Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I agree, and I am positive it is definite we will see those two titles plus Ben-Hur this year from WB as the first two are celebrating their 70th anniversary and Ben-Hur it's 50th anniversary. Plus with Disney issuing Pinocchio and Snow White, it is going to be a banner year. By the way, welcome to the Blu forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Film_Fatale Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 > {quote:title=lzcutter wrote:}{quote} > I would be willing to bet that Warners Home Video will release both *Wizard of Oz* and *Gone with the Wind* on Blu later this year. > I thought they'd already said as much, maybe not officially, which is part of the reason that both of the movies are currently OOP. What would be really special, though, would be for WHV to release a special set with "70th Anniversary Editions" that included all the great movies from that year to which it has the rights. It could easily become one of the finest sets of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmlover Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 I received the Blu-ray version of Criterion's "*The Last Emperor*." I intend to review it, but it may take me a bit because in addition to the 165-minute movie, there is a 53-minute featurette, a 51-minute featurette, a 45-minute documentary, a 66-minute documentary, a 30-minute BBC interview and more. The amazing thing is that they are all, including movie, on the one Blu-ray disc! (I know, I know, some would like the TV version, too, that was also on the standard set, but I am quite content with all of this.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mateo107 Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 DVD Times has Paramount's latest Centennial Collections up, The Odd Couple and To Catch a Thief. http://dvdtimes.co.uk/content/id/69796/the-odd-couple-and-to-catchthief-r1-centennial-collection-in-march.html i'm a little upset at To Catch a Thief since i just got the "special collector's edition" for Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Film_Fatale Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 > {quote:title=mateo107 wrote:}{quote} > i'm a little upset at To Catch a Thief since i just got the "special collector's edition" for Christmas. Do you think the Centennial Edition would be worth getting because of the extras, or because of the transfer? Personally if a title is being re-issued I prefer to wait for the reviews to decide whether it's really worth an upgrade or not. A lot of the time, it isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmlover Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 It's getting tiring when a studio keeps releasing a title within a short time of its previous release, trying to make it look special with a few extra new bits to it. Basically, you have to ask youself, "Is it worth spending $10-15 more for the new one, when I may have trouble reselling the old one for anything?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgeciff Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 I suspect this release of TO CATCH A THIEF is the same transfer as the anniversary edition since that remastered edition had a beautiful transfer, and this is the one I will keep. I read the only Centennial Editions in which the transfer looked better were SABRINA and SUNSET BOULEVARD. I read the review of the recently released FUNNY FACE and it is the same transfer as the prior release edition with the pink cover. I did buy SABRINA because this DVD was an improved print over the older release, but all the others I will pass. I guess Paramount thinks they are fooling the public. In fact it looks like all this studio wants to do is re-release all their product over and over again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mateo107 Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 > {quote:title=Film_Fatale wrote:}{quote} > Do you think the Centennial Edition would be worth getting because of the extras, or because of the transfer? Personally if a title is being re-issued I prefer to wait for the reviews to decide whether it's really worth an upgrade or not. A lot of the time, it isn't. you're probably right, i wasn't really expecting a new transfer since the special edition already looked stunning (comparable to what WHV has done with Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, or Ben Hur). but this is the 3rd DVD release now, and i have to wonder "why?" perhaps the thing that bugs me the most is my friend probably spent more than what it would have sold for a month later, but it wasn't that expensive of a DVD to begin with i guess. i don't like to double dip, and although i'd like to have all the available extras, too bad for Paramount I won't be picking up this one (or any of the Centennial Collections, so far). i've been following these since they started, hoping for something new (Wings, anyone?), but so far these are all recycled materials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Film_Fatale Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 I can't blame anyone for being upset with Paramount Home Video for all this double- and triple-dipping. Frankly, even though I upgraded my copy of *Sunset Blvd.* because I heard the transfer was better, I think for those with blu-ray players it's worth waiting until Paramount releases them in that format. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgeciff Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 For some reason Paramount opted to omit the Peter Bogdonovich commentary for the reissue of TO CATCH A THIEF with commentary by Dr. Drew Casper. UGH. Although knowledgeable, Casper thoroughly irritates me as well as many others. One wonders why Paramount still has not dipped into their catalogue to release films not yet on DVD included DeMille's SAMSON AND DELILAH. Although maybe the people who are running the show at Paramount never heard of the DeMille film and aren't aware of what is in their studio vaults. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mateo107 Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 there are some people who appreciate classic movies at Paramount, but unfortunately the main business decisions are made by some veterans used to doing things the same way; the environment there is reportedly very hostile to change. until those people either die or retire, things probably never will change. one friend who used to work in home video there was stunned when, after lobbying for years for Samson & Delilah, they released the 1923 Ten Commandments and he barely found out about it before it came out. and if i recall correctly, that's the last new classic film Paramount has released--ironically as an extra feature on the 3rd release of another movie. i'm surprised we haven't seen a 4th round of the Heston Ten Commandments in the "Centennial Collection" so far... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgeciff Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 mateo107, give Paramount a chance, I am sure THE TEN COMMANDMENTS along with STALAG 17 (which had a recent remastering) are coming. One title that deserves a Centennial Edition is SHANE. It's been some time since this classic title had been released on DVD. I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmlover Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Regarding *The Ten Commandments*, I believe you will see a release on DVD in 2009 because there is a rumor there will be a restored version heading to Blu-ray this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mateo107 Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 oh, yeah, i forgot about Stalag 17--that hasn't had a 3rd release yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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