Blu-ray, in General

[denti alligator]

My understanding is that these will be Tartan US releases as well.

[miless]

My understanding is that these will be Tartan US releases as well.

will they release Blu-Ray's of Paranoid Park (IFC) and Funny Games (Warner Independent)?
I could see PP being a Tartan BR (does IFC have plans to release BR discs?)
but Warner?

[denti alligator]

Not Funny Games (yet), but the others, yes.

[davebert]

The Proposition and the Park-Chan Wooks will be a few that I get if they ever go on some type of sale. I think that's how I've resolved to handle any hi-def double dipping.

[pro-bassoonist]

My understanding is that these will be Tartan US releases as well.

It is an incorrect understanding. These will be UK discs.

Pro-B

[fdm]

My understanding is that these will be Tartan US releases as well.

It is an incorrect understanding. These will be UK discs.

No, denti alligator was right. The quote a few boxes up was from a U.S. source which doesn't talk much about non-U.S. releases. Also they're noted on Blu-ray.com.

[criterionsnob]

Blu-ray.com states:

No word on if these titles would also see release in the US, but as Tartan does not regional code their releases, they are easy pick-ups for importers.

[fdm]

My understanding is that these will be Tartan US releases as well.

It is an incorrect understanding. These will be UK discs.

No, denti alligator was right. The quote a few boxes up was from a U.S. source which doesn't talk much about non-U.S. releases. Also they're noted on Blu-ray.com.

Ok, looks like a med change is in order...

[dx23]

Well, today all Transworld chain stores took out all the HD DVDs from their racks. A corporate memo ordered a recall of all HD DVDs except used ones, to be returned inmediately to corporate HQ. So no fire sale there! What the hell are studios going to do with all the unsold stock?

[domino harvey]

Well, today all Transworld chain stores took out all the HD DVDs from their racks. A corporate memo ordered a recall of all HD DVDs except used ones, to be returned inmediately to corporate HQ. So no fire sale there! What the hell are studios going to do with all the unsold stock?

LegoLand-style red castle made from weather-proof wrapped cases in the parking lot of every studio.

[kekid]

When will we start seeing the positive impact of this resolution? That is, when will we start seeing a long list of Blu-rays every month? When will we start seeing outfits like Criterion and MoC issue Blu-rays? When will the list of Blu-rays exceed the list of regular DVD's? We may recall that for DVD's that happened far sooner than most observers had anticipated. What needs to happen to bring speed to the rollout of Blu-ray?

[arsonfilms]

When will we start seeing the positive impact of this resolution? That is, when will we start seeing a long list of Blu-rays every month? When will we start seeing outfits like Criterion and MoC issue Blu-rays? When will the list of Blu-rays exceed the list of regular DVD's? We may recall that for DVD's that happened far sooner than most observers had anticipated. What needs to happen to bring speed to the rollout of Blu-ray?

HD TVs will need to be less than $500 and players will need to be about $150. Oh, and DVD will have to die.

[Luke M]

When will we start seeing the positive impact of this resolution? That is, when will we start seeing a long list of Blu-rays every month? When will we start seeing outfits like Criterion and MoC issue Blu-rays? When will the list of Blu-rays exceed the list of regular DVD's? We may recall that for DVD's that happened far sooner than most observers had anticipated. What needs to happen to bring speed to the rollout of Blu-ray?

HD TVs will need to be less than $500 and players will need to be about $150. Oh, and DVD will have to die.

So, never is a good guess then? I think Criterion will release in Blu-ray but in very limited releases and will never replace their DVD output.

[arsonfilms]

Theres nothing wrong with enthusiasm about hi-def, but market penetration is narrow and won't ever get to be huge unless standard def is phased out as an option. Oh, and also the US economy has to improve to a point where more than just the richest 3% can afford the hardware.

[peerpee]

When will we start seeing the positive impact of this resolution? That is, when will we start seeing a long list of Blu-rays every month? When will we start seeing outfits like Criterion and MoC issue Blu-rays? When will the list of Blu-rays exceed the list of regular DVD's? We may recall that for DVD's that happened far sooner than most observers had anticipated. What needs to happen to bring speed to the rollout of Blu-ray?

1.) Far quicker and deeper uptake of hardware (I don't know anyone (offline) who has a Blu-ray player. Oh, I know one person with a PS3 and no Blu-ray discs).

2.) Lots more "niche" titles on Blu-ray. I can't imagine everyone wants RAMBO, Tom Hanks films, or SUPERBAD on Blu-ray.

3.) Sony to slash the cost of Blu-ray authoring/manufacture.

Blu-ray is still seen as unnecessary by the vast majority of people. It's going to be a few years, and it's going to take Blu-ray-only releases to really force people to make the move.

[Morbii]

Personally, I think the largest hurdle is getting enough people that the difference between BD and DVD will actually be apparent. BD is a no-op for people that don't have a high-end sound system or a HD display unless they are suckered into it (except for PS3 gamers, but I'm not sure why they would spend the extra money for media that gives them no benefit whatsoever, again, unless they are suckered into it).

I mean, this is just a guess, but I would dare say that it's possible that BD could look WORSE than SD on a SD display if the BD player in question was poor at downsizing the media.

[Ben C]

Is it possible that Blu-Ray may end up as the new Lazerdisc? I heard a report somewhere that most average consumers don't see much of a difference between the DVD and BD. Hell I even have a movie buff friend who is content pumping Composite image of his dvd player into his plasma screen. But whichever ever way it goes it's frustratingly ironic that Criterion hasn't joined BD yet. They're forgetting their roots, man.

[Morbii]

Is it possible that Blu-Ray may end up as the new Lazerdisc? I heard a report somewhere that most average consumers don't see much of a difference between the DVD and BD. Hell I even have a movie buff friend who is content pumping Composite image of his dvd player into his plasma screen. But whichever ever way it goes it's frustratingly ironic that Criterion hasn't joined BD yet. They're forgetting their roots, man.

I would tend to argue that most of those people saying that are buying into it without realizing that their setup can't even handle it. Or maybe I'm wrong - I don't think most people realzie that mp3s aren't even near the quality of their CDs, yet I can absolutely hear the difference.

[patrick]

Well, today all Transworld chain stores took out all the HD DVDs from their racks. A corporate memo ordered a recall of all HD DVDs except used ones, to be returned inmediately to corporate HQ. So no fire sale there! What the hell are studios going to do with all the unsold stock?

I was wondering this myself when I was in Barnes & Noble this weekend - they were obviously trimming down their HD-DVD selection, but everything they still had on the shelves was $30. My best guess is that they'll recall everything and then sell it to Amazon or another e-tailer on the cheap and let them liquidate all of it.

Is it possible that Blu-Ray may end up as the new Lazerdisc? I heard a report somewhere that most average consumers don't see much of a difference between the DVD and BD.

IIRC, Blu-Ray has already grabbed a larger market share than laserdisc ever had. Blu-Ray will probably always be a niche format, but it will be the "mainstream" niche format (if that makes any sense).

[Antoine Doinel]

At Future Shop in Canada, you can bring in your HD-DVD player and get $100 off a Blu Ray player purchase.

[dx23]

At Future Shop in Canada, you can bring in your HD-DVD player and get $100 off a Blu Ray player purchase.

I read someplace that Circuit City or Best Buy was doing something similar in the states, but only if your player was purchased in the store and you were returning it in less than 90 days after it was purchased..

[miless]

I just realized that there's a possibility for Silent Light to appear on Blu-Ray...
Tartan owns it, and they seem to be releasing their new titles in the format.
(although this is admittedly not a best-seller)
If it does appear, it is fully warranted (best cinematography I've seen in years)... and I will convert to BR.

[kekid]

I think the long drawn out war between competing formats has done incalculable damage to the establishment of the format. However, now that the format has been decided, here are some steps that may improve its future prospects.

1. Convince people to buy a BD player whenever time comes to replace their regular DVD player. Backward compatibility is a virtue. Standard DVD's look better on a well-designed Blu-ray player. Make cost of Blu-ray players competitive with standard DVD players to achieve this strategy.
2. Issue BD version of every major release. I remember that a large number of people in the industry did not believe that DVD would ever replace the videotapes and laserdiscs. Someone decided to keep on going, and keep on selling them at a competitive cost, and they got established in shorter time than anyone had anticipated. For consumers to believe, manufacturers have to believe in the viability of the format.
3. Examples abound of what happens when manufacturers hedge their bets rather than take a calculated risk. In my opinion Super Audio discs are clearly superior to regular CD's, and are backward-compatible. Industry could have started issuing everything in Super Audio Hybrid format. The economy of scale would have brought the costs down. Instead, they treated is as a niche, led by the ultra-conservative Polygram corporation, who stopped issuing anything in SA format. This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Let us hope Blu-ray does not follow this track.

[Ben C]

BD also seems to be ignoring it's potential core audience of movie aficionados by releasing mostly Wal-Mart slop movies. I'm excited by the quality, but I only have about ten movies and there's not much to look forward too yet.

[Luke M]

BD also seems to be ignoring it's potential core audience of movie aficionados by releasing mostly Wal-Mart slop movies. I'm excited by the quality, but I only have about ten movies and there's not much to look forward too yet.

But doesn't that beg the question: what exactly is the potential core audience of Blu-ray? If the PS3, a video game console, is the most popular and "best" Blu-ray player out there then isn't Sony targeting its audience?

Once Blu-ray stops being associated with the PS3 then perhaps we'll get some higher brow entertainment.