BD 23 Silent Running

[matrixschmatrix]

Just to clarify- there aren't forthcoming dual-format versions of this and Touch of Evil on the horizon, right? Other movies to come will be duals, but there aren't plans for these?

[Tribe]

Just to clarify- there aren't forthcoming dual-format versions of this and Touch of Evil on the horizon, right? Other movies to come will be duals, but there aren't plans for these?

I don't get the sense that there are...I Silent Running and Touch of Evil will be strictly Blus.

[Calvin]

We'll be announcing some Dual Format editions of further Universal titles, plus Dual Format Fox titles, and other Dual Format editions - in fact, a whole further raft of releases will debut in our new printed MoC Catalogue, sometime in August.

Where can I order the printed catalogue?

[peerpee]

Our printed catalogues can be found inside our releases. There should definitely be one inside THE BALLAD OF NARAYAMA. The catalogue will be Blu-ray booklet sized, but stapled at the other end (ie. a 'landscape' booklet, not a 'portrait' booklet).

[Calvin]

Sounds great, I'll be picking up all the Blu-Ray titles from now until the end of the year so I'm sure I'll come across one.

[colinr0380]

Wonderful news! The best eco-science-fiction film of the 70s (next to The Andromeda Strain perhaps!), with elements that have been ripped off in other sci-fi films ever since, from the cute robots of Disney's Black Hole through to Sunshine and Moon.

[Der Spieler]

It's a long story that's had many twists. I'll try and expand on it when the dust has blown over. We've got full exclusivity on these Blu-rays. To clarify, the 'limited edition' thing is our idea, not a Universal pre-requisite to make way for their edition after a year or anything like that. We wanted to keep sales moving (they typically start off strong and then really fall off the edge of a cliff, because of the small installed userbase, but things are getting better). The print run will be a healthy size, but we just don't know how popular these releases will be -- it's all a gamble, but one we really wanted to take.

The reason for the delay in announcing was to try and coordinate it all with the Amazon listings! It's sort of worked out okay. Hopefully folk can pre-order this stuff over the next 3-4 months and we can get a really good sense of the interest.

We'll be announcing some Dual Format editions of further Universal titles, plus Dual Format Fox titles, and other Dual Format editions - in fact, a whole further raft of releases will debut in our new printed MoC Catalogue, sometime in August. We've been working hard for months on all this, but there's still a long way to go...

Thanks for your support everyone! Glad you all seem to like the titles.

So basically, Limited Edition stands for "we want to cash a faster buck"?

Not that I particularly mind, but it kinda reads that way.

[knives]

If it means more Epsteins they could call it the we need money edition for all I care.

[peerpee]

Der Spieler, you could look upon it unkindly that way if you like. We'd simply like to recoup, like we often do with DVD.

Something like 95% of the UK population have a DVD player. Last time I heard less than 5% of the population owned a Blu-ray player -- so it's not hard to see that it's difficult to make a go of Blu-ray only releases.

When our titles go OOP, folk who've had their eye on the release for 3, 4, sometimes 5 years often kick themselves because they haven't picked a title up. Eventually a large number of our releases will go OOP.

We're just saying - when they're gone, they're gone - get 'em while you can.

[Der Spieler]

Der Spieler, you could look upon it unkindly that way if you like. We'd simply like to recoup, like we often do with DVD.

Something like 95% of the UK population have a DVD player. Last time I heard less than 5% of the population owned a Blu-ray player -- so it's not hard to see that it's difficult to make a go of Blu-ray only releases.

When our titles go OOP, folk who've had their eye on the release for 3, 4, sometimes 5 years often kick themselves because they haven't picked a title up. Eventually a large number of our releases will go OOP.

We're just saying - when they're gone, they're gone - get 'em while you can.

I totally understand your position, and I'm deeply sorry if I came off sounding rude.

[Tribe]

Thanks for the explanation, Nick. I can only surmise that Universal was less then forthcoming when it came to Eureka/MOC obtaining DVD rights in addition to the BluRay...I'd hope that at least with Touch of Evil, you guys will make some money off it all (I don't see Silent Running as having anything near the iconic status of TOE, except with hard-core movie connoisseurs...but hell, I hope I'm wrong).

[matrixschmatrix]

I think Silent Running has a significant and influential cult audience- hopefully MoC can get some of the celebrity members of that cult to do some extras or promos or something for this, I'd be happy to see it become more widely known.

[bigP]

I'd hope that at least with Touch of Veil, you guys will make some money off it all (I don't see Silent Running as having anything near the iconic status of TOE, except with hard-core movie connoisseurs...but hell, I hope I'm wrong).

I fully agree in regard to Silent Running being somewhat of a cult obscurity, but thank's to its relatively recent praise from Duncan Jones in damn near every interview I've seen with him promoting Moon, and day 1 support from Mark Kermode (Tweeting his joy to over 25,000 followers), I'm really hoping this may be a great time for this release to happen. I bring up Jones mainly because I ended up lending my copy of Silent Running to a couple of friends on the strength of Jones' acknowledgement, so let's hope many more Moon fans will take the plunge into this teriffic, and very moving little masterpiece.

[Tribe]

I think Silent Running has a significant and influential cult audience- hopefully MoC can get some of the celebrity members of that cult to do some extras or promos or something for this, I'd be happy to see it become more widely known.

I think it's sort of like Velvet Underground albums...nobody bought them, but those who did went on to make influential garage/punk albums.

[peerpee]

I think you'd be very surprised, Tribe. SILENT RUNNING has sold better than TOUCH OF EVIL in the UK.

[knives]

Yeah, I was under the impression from friends ect. that it is as popular as 2001. It's definitely one of the most well known films for MOC to have released.

[Tribe]

I think you'd be very surprised, Tribe. SILENT RUNNING has sold better than TOUCH OF EVIL in the UK.

Yeah, I was under the impression from friends ect. that it is as popular as 2001. It's definitely one of the most well known films for MOC to have released.

Wow...I am indeed surprised. I knew Silent Running was influential and well-regarded...but I never thought that would translate into better sales than Touch of Evil. Pleasant surprise.

EDIT: And it could very well be my film noir bias showing...

[tenia]

Something like 95% of the UK population have a DVD player. Last time I heard less than 5% of the population owned a Blu-ray player -- so it's not hard to see that it's difficult to make a go of Blu-ray only releases.

I'm just wondering how many Blus you're selling in France, because here, they are much appreciated.
I remember reading that Gaumont' French Cancan was sold for a third in the US (about 300 out 1000 sells), I don't know if there is such export as this for MoC.

As for the pre-order, I will pre-order all that directly from MoC's newsletter, since I'm still thinking they'll get more money like this than if I go through Amazon.

[RossyG]

Pre-ordered from Amazon, but out of interest, peerpee, if the prices are identical, which is better for MoC: buying it from Amazon, letting them pay for the postage, or ordering direct from you?

[eerik]

Our printed catalogues can be found inside our releases. There should definitely be one inside THE BALLAD OF NARAYAMA. The catalogue will be Blu-ray booklet sized, but stapled at the other end (ie. a 'landscape' booklet, not a 'portrait' booklet).

But it will be online sooner, right?

[peerpee]

We're going to try and do another coordinated day of announcements in about 6-8 weeks -- ie. before the printed catalogue goes public. Takes ages to get all the materials ready though. We're all a bit knackered after the last one and hoping to have a summer holiday soon!

[TMDaines]

Pre-ordered from Amazon, but out of interest, peerpee, if the prices are identical, which is better for MoC: buying it from Amazon, letting them pay for the postage, or ordering direct from you?

Buying from them directly at even half of the price would be by some distance I imagine.

[peerpee]

About to sign this one off for replication. The image quality is very, very good - thanks mainly to Universal doing a good HD scan from an IP, but we also did quite a bit of cleanup at Deluxe 142 in London, to dust it down for its Blu-ray debut. So we have a unique HD version, and the film really hasn't looked better. Particularly pleased with the motion menus (we found a textless version of the opening credits in HD and used that as the background loop).

The booklet too, is a little cracker. Very excited to get this one out into the world!

[matrixschmatrix]

Do you guys know what "a host of extras" is going to comprise yet?

[peerpee]

We do - full details when we've finalised the text, etc.