Paramount Centennial Collection

[Antoine Doinel]

In Jeff's link above, it notes that Paramount has confirmed the BD of Chinatown for 2010.

[MTRodaba2468]

In Jeff's link above, it notes that Paramount has confirmed the BD of Chinatown for 2010.

If that's the case, let's hope they start releasing the other Centennial releases on Blu (something they should have been doing from the start, as far as I'm concerned).

[Person]

In Jeff's link above, it notes that Paramount has confirmed the BD of Chinatown for 2010.

Indeed it does. I should clicked on the link the first time! Good news.

[Jeff]

Chinatown is due October 6.

Paramount Home Entertainment has announced Chinatown which stars Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. The disc will be available to own from the 6th October. Extras will include an audio commentary by Robert Towne with special guest David Fincher, and 2 featurettes ("Chinatown: An Appreciation", "Water and Powder").

I'm going to hold out for the Blu which is supposed to be out next year, but that commentary should be great. Hopefully they'll throw the featurettes and interviews from the previous discs on there too.

[AfterTheRain]

Has anyone heard anything about The African Queen and Sorry, Wrong Number getting Centennial editions released around the same time as Chinatown? Or any news about the two for that matter?

[so lightly here]

I am not quite understanding yet a third release of Chinatown by Paramount on October 6th, especially because there is no referrence to the more than obvious business move of releasing this classic on Blu-Ray for a nice little Christmas present. Does anyone know what is going on here, it boggles my mind?

edit: Sorry I was so upset that a BR edition wasn't on its way that my mind went completely blank with rage. If someone can just move this over, I might be able to calm myself down. Thanks.

[John Hodson]

I don't understand the Chinatown being one of several Centennial Editions listed as OOP over at the DVDTalk forum (in a list similar in length to their Warners OOP news).

[Matt]

From our own ianungstad in that same thread:

These titles aren't discontinued. Check Mike's "Movie Mayhem" page and look at the titles more closely. They all have 3/4 different "releases" with different UPC codes. While certain UPC codes were discontinued, just about all these films still have one or multiple UPC's that are "out". (ie. not discontinued.)

Certainly it looks like Paramount decided to streamline their home video unit a bit but don't think for a minute any of these titles are discontinued with out researching a bit more on Mike's page. I only came across 2 on the list (out of the one's I've checked) which are legit. discontinued : HUD and STALAG 17. Both of these titles are ripe for new "Centennial" releases, so I'm not overly concerned nor surprised.

[videozor]

Any information about new releases in this series? Or it's dead after only 10 of them?

[dx23]

From our own ianungstad in that same thread:

These titles aren't discontinued. Check Mike's "Movie Mayhem" page and look at the titles more closely. They all have 3/4 different "releases" with different UPC codes. While certain UPC codes were discontinued, just about all these films still have one or multiple UPC's that are "out". (ie. not discontinued.)

Certainly it looks like Paramount decided to streamline their home video unit a bit but don't think for a minute any of these titles are discontinued with out researching a bit more on Mike's page. I only came across 2 on the list (out of the one's I've checked) which are legit. discontinued : HUD and STALAG 17. Both of these titles are ripe for new "Centennial" releases, so I'm not overly concerned nor surprised.

Mike's Movie Mayhem is the same guy as mccarver, the guy who puts out the OOP list on DVDTalk. Although I know that there are several UPCs for many of those titles, it appears that many DVDs indeed went OOP completely. It's not that different from what Sony did several years ago to reduce their catalog titles in production.

[ianungstad]

Which classics are OOP? I checked almost two dozen titles and the only two that were OOP was Stalog 17 and Hud.

[Cinephrenic]

Which classics are OOP? I checked almost two dozen titles and the only two that were OOP was Stalog 17 and Hud.

A Matter of Life and Death, It Should Happen to You... There was a rumor about Jason and the Argonauts coming from Criterion (although still in print from Sony), but someone should ask Criterion.

[Der Spieler]

Sorry to bump an old thread but does anybody have any idea what's happening with this? Is it totally dead already after only ten titles? I mean "Chinatown" didn't even have the cool thick case like the others. Seems like they just botched it to get it over with. It's disappointing when a company pulls stunts like that.

[triodelover]

Sorry to bump an old thread but does anybody have any idea what's happening with this? Is it totally dead already after only ten titles? I mean "Chinatown" didn't even have the cool thick case like the others. Seems like they just botched it to get it over with. It's disappointing when a company pulls stunts like that.

I have read - at Blu-ray.com IIRC - that both Chinatown and Sunset Boulevard have been announced by Paramount for Blu-ray releases in 2010.

[Der Spieler]

That doesn't explain why:

1. They botched the "Chinatown" packaging.
2. They stopped announcing new titles in the series.

Commercial flop?

[scaredfragrances]

I don't understand the Chinatown being one of several Centennial Editions listed as OOP over at the DVDTalk forum (in a list similar in length to their Warners OOP news).

From what I've understood, all of Polanskis' Paramount DVDs were discontinued from the moment he was arrested in Switzerland. If all publicity is good publicity(resulting in boosted sales), I guess Paramount was overzealous in protecting their good name. They chose not to make profits on this scandal. Not a very sound financial judgment, I daresay.

[Saturnome]

Their presence at the Big Lots sales (I lost the topic where it is discussed) may say it's a commercial flop (Unsold DVDs that were supposed to be destroyed). I'm not sure how it works.

[Der Spieler]

That's pretty uncool for collectors who had bought all of them and end up with an incomplete package and no news.

[triodelover]

That's pretty uncool for collectors who had bought all of them and end up with an incomplete package and no news.

Perhaps this thread will help. They seem to be primarily concerned with packaging and spine numbers.

[Der Spieler]

I'm mostly concerned about movies but I don't see the point in releasing "Chinatown" on the cheap.

End it but end it with style, at least.

[swo17]

That's pretty uncool for collectors who had bought all of them and end up with an incomplete package and no news.

How do you "buy them all" and yet "end up with an incomplete package"?

[MoonlitKnight]

It's amazing how the home video wings of ALL the big studios have such trouble committing to one banner name before completely abandoning it in less than a year or so. How long before their 'Sapphire' line goes the same way?

[Der Spieler]

That's pretty uncool for collectors who had bought all of them and end up with an incomplete package and no news.

How do you "buy them all" and yet "end up with an incomplete package"?

I meant that the line abruptly ends with "Chinatown", which isn't even packaged the same way as the others.

[triodelover]

I'm mostly concerned about movies but I don't see the point in releasing "Chinatown" on the cheap.

End it but end it with style, at least.

It's in a full size keepcase with consistent art work on the cover. True, the only other releases I have from the series - Sunset Boulevard and Sabrina - had slipcovers but BFD.

i offered the comment on the BD releases because it's possible that suggests further releases from the original series on Blu. The end of the SD series pretty much coincides with the upswing in Blu-ray hardware and software sales that began last fall and continued through the holidays. We're seeing most of the major studios abandoning pressed DVD releases in SE/CE/LE-type packaging while issuing titles from their back catalogue on Blu.

[Svevan]

There seems to never have been a discussion on the differences between the Special Collector's Edition of To Catch a Thief and the Centennial (which is on sale atm) - the former has brighter colors than the latter, which the Beav attributes to "boosting." They recommend the Centennial. Anyone have an opinion?