Warner Brothers Archive Collection Blu-rays

[Matt]

Probably a stupid question, but when it says "NEW 4K RESTORATION" then why is it not a 4K blu-ray?

The number of people who would buy a 4K UHD of Two Weeks with Love is probably in the dozens, not hundreds or thousands. It's just not economically viable. And usually WAC really push the bitrates on their Blu-rays, making them look better than a lot of the poorly encoded UHDs out there.

[felipe]

Probably a stupid question, but when it says "NEW 4K RESTORATION" then why is it not a 4K blu-ray?

The number of people who would buy a 4K UHD of Two Weeks with Love is probably in the dozens, not hundreds or thousands. It's just not economically viable. And usually WAC really push the bitrates on their Blu-rays, making them look better than a lot of the poorly encoded UHDs out there.

So the 4K restoration would be "good enough" for a 4K release, it's just a matter of being more costly, is that it?

[Zot!]

Probably a stupid question, but when it says "NEW 4K RESTORATION" then why is it not a 4K blu-ray?

The number of people who would buy a 4K UHD of Two Weeks with Love is probably in the dozens, not hundreds or thousands. It's just not economically viable. And usually WAC really push the bitrates on their Blu-rays, making them look better than a lot of the poorly encoded UHDs out there.

So the 4K restoration would be "good enough" for a 4K release, it's just a matter of being more costly, is that it?

Typically yes, though sometimes even the restos are deemed a failure and not worthy of an upgrade. But mostly it is driven by money, yes. The encoding and manufacturing costs for 4k UHD would be higher, but the #1 factor would be the installed user base. Many many times more individuals own Blu-Ray players than 4k machines, and all those owners are potential buyers. Criterion similarly releases "less commercially viable" 4K restorations on BD-only (the forthcoming Yang restos).

[andyli]

Money is just one factor. Not all 4K restorations are, to use your own words, good enough for a 4K blu-ray release. Restorations are constantly performed these days at 4k resolution on early sound films, even silent films, but most of them will not bear out a significant improvement on a UHD. As Michael Brooke has pointed out a gazillion times, labels like BFI constantly skip a potential 4K release, opting instead for a regular blu-ray, because the difference in quality cannot justify the trouble.

[tenia]

There are also the cases of SDR 4k restorations, which can sometimes be hard to market because of the specific (and not illegitimate) appeal of HDR on the video market.

[felipe]

It makes sense now. Thanks for the answers.

[domino harvey]

Re: Williams, I hope and pray for Jupiter’s Darling

Was surprised to see an HD copy up on Max, hopefully this means a Blu release soon

[FrauBlucher]

This showed up on Amazon today. No date yet

[jt938]

Listing for Get Carter 4k found on Gruv.

https://www.gruv.com/product/get_carter ... lu_ray_uhd

[yoloswegmaster]

Titles are being announced:

That Midnight Kiss (1949)
Seven Women (1966)
Intruder in the Dust (1949)
The Hard Way (1943)
The Huckleberry Hound Show -The Complete Original Series (1958-1961)

[domino harvey]

Seven Women (1966)

Wow! All that’s ever been circulating of this is a non anamorphic laserdisc rip. Great announcement, holy shit

[domino harvey]

This showed up on Amazon today. No date yet

Also a four pack of Garbo films (Anna Christie, Camille,
Ninotchka, Queen Christina)

[FrauBlucher]

Titles are being announced:

That Midnight Kiss (1949)
Seven Women (1966)
Intruder in the Dust (1949)

The Hard Way 1943

[domino harvey]

Warners really losing touch with their roots by acknowledging Joan Leslie exists again. Haven’t seen this one, sounds interesting!

[Finch]

Huckleberry Hound is August's animated title.

[ryannichols7]

I'm glad WAC hasn't taken the foot off the gas for 4K titles, but I admit I'm surprised Criterion or Arrow aren't doing Get Carter. 7 Women is a seriously incredible announcement though, couldn't be more thrilled

[beamish14]

Really disappointed that 7 Women didn’t go to Criterion. It only includes one cut of the film, too

[Peacock]

Tell me more about these other cuts? I did realise there were any others?

Such a beautiful film, what an unexpected announcement seeing as WB never even bothered to put it out on DVD.

Shame there’s no film related extras with it but oh well, a 4K scan makes up for it.

[ryannichols7]

Joseph McBride's talents would be more than enough for me on 7 Women, and would've been great on The Searchers

(as an aside, I friended McBride on Facebook recently and it was an awesome decision)

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

I'm pretty sure this is the first time WB has ever released 7 Women on home video—the laserdisc release was done back when the Turner library was still distributed by MGM/UA (who for some reason didn't bother to do a VHS). If the laserdisc master is the one that occasionally turns up on TCM then this should be one of the most massive upgrades ever.

[beamish14]

Tell me more about these other cuts? I did realise there were any others?

Such a beautiful film, what an unexpected announcement seeing as WB never even bothered to put it out on DVD.

Shame there’s no film related extras with it but oh well, a 4K scan makes up for it.

There are two: the theatrical and Ford’s preview (?) cut, which is longer and what was put out on VHS

[domino harvey]

Hopefully this means we are getting the rest of their Fords upgraded. Pretty sure every disc of their Ford box (Sgt Rutledge et al) suffers from their dead disc problem, as does Mogambo from the Gable box. Not sure about Wings of Eagles, the last non upgraded title from the Ford/Wayne box (ignoring Long Voyage Home, which is with Criterion and already has a loaded Blu from Imprint). Rising of the Moon was only released as a DVD-R but it’s WB too. Not sure what’s going on with Young Cassidy but it’s MGM

[therewillbeblus]

Mogambo would be a dream, but it’s gotta have Tag Gallagher‘s incredible visual essay as an extra

[Peacock]

Patience will be rewarded!

[Peacock]

Thanks for the info beamish about the two different 7 Women cuts, I’ll look into them.

Mogambo would indeed be a dream, and Gallagher’s visual essay is great, not that WB would include it sadly.

And as posted in the other thread, WB on Facebook today said that they are working on Frank Perry’s Last Summer to likely come out next year.