Blu-ray, in General

[eerik]

Remake or no remake, Yellow Submarine is supposedly coming in May.

And it's a great package!

EMI's Blu-ray presents Yellow Submarine in its 1.66:1 original aspect ratio and includes a restored monaural soundtrack. The digital technicians at Triage Motion Picture Services and Eque Inc. have given the picture a 4K restoration, going through the picture frame by frame without automated software assistance as a means of preserving the original artwork.

• Mod Odyssey documentary
• Storyboard sequences:
  • "Sea of Monsters" split-screen footage
  • 118 "Battle of the Monsters" images
  • Sixty-four "Pepperland" images
• Interviews:
  • Paul Angelis (voice of Ringo and Chief Blue Meanie)
  • John Clive (voice of John)
  • David Livesey (key animator)
  • Millicent McMillan (art director Heinz Edelmann's assistant)
  • Jack Stokes (animation director)
  • Erich Segal (co-writer)
• Original theatrical trailer
• Twenty-nine original pencil drawings
• Thirty behind-the-scenes photographs
• Physical memorabilia:
  • Animation cel reproductions
  • Collectible stickers
  • Sixteen-page booklet with a new essay by Pixar Animation Studios' Chief Creative Officer, John Lasseter

Update: official press release also lists: Audio Commentary – Heinz Edelmann (Art Director) and John Coates (Producer)

[knives]

Wish they had some of his uncompleted works as an extra or even just a mini-doc.

[swo17]

I just noticed that Alliance in Canada will be releasing BDs of Atom Egoyan's Exotica and The Sweet Hereafter next month. What's this company's track record?

[cdnchris]

I just noticed that Alliance in Canada will be releasing BDs of Atom Egoyan's Exotica and The Sweet Hereafter next month. What's this company's track record?

If it's a port of an American release they're fine.

If it's their own you can count on it to at least border on disaster. Either the aspect ratio will be wrong, or it will be interlaced, or it will be upconverted, or just really, really suck overall.

[domino harvey]

Aren't all of their Blu-ray transfers 1080i?

[swo17]

Aw nuts. For Exotica I actually own the Alliance DVD, which is non-anamorphic and looks terrible but which is at least in OAR. (And I believe it was a port of the U.S. Miramax release.) Surely a Blu-ray upgrade would constitute at least a minor improvement?

[cdnchris]

Aren't all of their Blu-ray transfers 1080i?

I'm pretty sure Equilibrium is 1080p. But despite the back of the cover stating the aspect ratio is 2.35:1 the actual transfer is 1.78:1. So again, even if they list the the correct aspect ratio in the specs there's still a good chance it will be wrong. They are single-handedly one of the worst DVD/BD producers out there. And I'm not kidding when I state one of the first things that entered my mind when I moved to the States was I wouldn't have to put up with their shit DVD releases (and bilingual packaging.)

[willoneill]

Someone on blu-ray.com (so it's gotta be true!) posted that they were told by Egoyan's production office that he recorded a new commentary for the Exotica disc. If in fact that's true, then hopefully he made sure the release was good.

Generally, I avoid any transfer Alliance did on its own, but I find their Canadian film transfers are much better than their US ones (ie. Polytechnique)

[David M.]

Aren't all of their Blu-ray transfers 1080i?

That's not a bad thing in itself, though.

[mfunk9786]

Hm?

[Adam X]

Someone on blu-ray.com (so it's gotta be true!) posted that they were told by Egoyan's production office that he recorded a new commentary for the Exotica disc. If in fact that's true, then hopefully he made sure the release was good.

Fingers crossed, as Exotica's been sadly ignored for the most part on DVD.
Though sadly, while the R1 DVD releases of Egoyan's pre-Exotica work had some great Egoyan contributed extras, the picture quality was never the greatest, with the earliest works clearly coming from a tape source. Not exactly setting a good track record.
And the Alliance DVD release of The Adjuster, while again having a nice set of extras, had a rather woeful transfer of the film.

Would be wonderful if Alliance could pull a Kino-like turnaround in picture quality with their BD's.

[cdnchris]

One thing Alliance was actually good at was special features on their DVDs for Canadian films. Existenz, The Adjuster, and The Fast Runner all had nice special features where the American discs had nothing, but holy crap, their transfers were awful (The Fast Runner was especially dreadful.)

[SamLowry]

but holy crap, their transfers were awful

I believe my only Allianz dvd is Maelstrom...which actually looks quite good & which I'd love to see on blu (along with Exotica, The Barbarian Invasions, Lilies & Existenz)...it's too bad Criterion writes off Canada.

[Michael Kerpan]

[it's too bad Criterion writes off Canada.

I suspect their foray into Canadian cinema (My Uncle Antoine) probably sold even worse than their sole foray into Naruse -- in other words so abysmally that it killed off any plans for further (mainline) releases.

[Gregory]

What about all the Cronenbergs, all the films in the Allan King set, the Maddin? I think they've got more from Canada than many of historically major film-producing countries such as Iran, Taiwan, Mexico, India, not to mention other countries that are completely unrepresented in the Collection.

[Finch]

Paramount Germany are going to release THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE on Blu-Ray on 14 June. The Amazon Germany listing is here.

[warren oates]

Paramount Germany are going to release THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE on Blu-Ray on 14 June. The Amazon Germany listing is here.

Well let's hope Paramount either releases it in the U.S. very soon or, if we have to wait, then that it's somehow part of the new Criterion deal.

[kingofthejungle]

Paramount Germany are going to release THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE on Blu-Ray on 14 June. The Amazon Germany listing is here.

Well let's hope Paramount either releases it in the U.S. very soon or, if we have to wait, then that it's somehow part of the new Criterion deal.

I would love for LIBERTY VALANCE to make it to Criterion, so it can finally get some intelligent special features.

The multi-disc anniversary edition was only so-so in terms of supplements; the documentary piece fairy basic and unnecessary (but nicer than nothing), and the Bogdanovich commentary was a total waste of time. If they want to go the commentary route, Joseph McBride would be a more appropriate choice as his analysis of the film in Searching For John Ford is fairly perceptive. Of course, a Tag Gallagher video essay on the film would be sublime.

There's also an hour long Ford-directed episode of Alcoa Premiere called "Flashing Spikes" that was made right after The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance wrapped. It stars James Stewart and Carleton Young, has a cameo by Wayne, is thematically similar, and is without a doubt Ford's best television work. It's a perfect companion piece to Valance that practically cries out to be included as a supplement.

[eerik]

Looks like Intolerance and The Thief of Bagdad will be released later this year.

Thanks to guys over Blu-ray.com forums for pointing it out.

[domino harvey]

No one leaves this stage without singing the Blu-ray: Adventures in Babysitting 25th Anniversary Edition August 7th

[Gregory]

New unskippable piracy warnings to be included on (all?!) US DVDs and blu-rays. Because each time someone has chosen to buy or rent a movie through legitimate channels, they need to be forcibly "educated" through empty threats that they must buy or rent movies through legitimate channels.

[David M.]

"Piracy is not a victimless crime".

I don't doubt it, but the mandatory AACS copy protection fees that studios have to pay if they want to release Blu-ray Discs have probably cost me more work than piracy ever has.

[TMDaines]

"Piracy is not a victimless crime".

For years major music and film studios have absolutely milked the public. It's no wonder people looked to different avenues to obtain their entertainment when the opportunity arose. Shit like this doesn't help. I don't particularly think majors deserve an ounce of sympathy. Look at how they treat their back catalogues even. They couldn't give a shit about film as an artform to be enjoyed and shared. Unless you're making money hand over fist then it isn't worth their interest.

Obviously I'm not referring to the labels, filmarchives and studios who are involved in film first and foremost because of a love of it.

Despite saying all this, for what its worth though, pretty much all my disposable income goes on film anyway.

[Finch]

What a bunch of cuntybuggeryfucktoleybumshites this lot are. You are sure making loyal customers like me feel valued.

[eerik]

There's this great TED talk about piracy.