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Hatari! is reviewed on dvdbeaver. It looks like the U.S. disc of Hatari! is the same kind of hatchet-job as the film has been enjoying in other regions.

Gregory wrote:I Love Lucy and The Andy Griffith Show were listed on Amazon and then recently pulled. I hope it's because they're reconsidering the price, as there's no reason these seasons should have to be on 6 blu-rays for $130 SRP.

They're back up now. Dates were pushed back to May 6.

McLintock! special edition BD May 13th.
This will be interesting to compare to the currently available Olive BD.

If Paramount uses the same transfer (which they will, I think), this seems like a far better edition compared to the existing Olive one (solely based on the amount of extras).

chatterjees wrote:If Paramount uses the same transfer (which they will, I think)

Wouldn't Paramount have access to the negative via their deal with Batjac, where Olive only has access to a exhibition print?

6/3/14

The Nutty Professor (1963) - via Warner

Listed as a "50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition" (WB has been poor at math the last few years), and the only art work released so far is of one of their big boxes, so hopefully it gets a non-uber box release.

I got so excited because I saw a huge box and Jerry Lewis. But then I saw it was only a single-title release, probably with a collectible mini-beaker or martini glasses

Jeff wrote:

chatterjees wrote:If Paramount uses the same transfer (which they will, I think)

Wouldn't Paramount have access to the negative via their deal with Batjac, where Olive only has access to a exhibition print?

Yes but also interesting to compare with the recent Paramount via Warner John Wayne BDs that were released digitally scrubbed.
This one seems to be coming from Paramount themselves, not from Warner.

manicsounds wrote:

Jeff wrote:

chatterjees wrote:Yes but also interesting to compare with the recent Paramount via Warner John Wayne BDs that were released digitally scrubbed.
This one seems to be coming from Paramount themselves, not from Warner.

Exactly. Theoretically Paramount should be able to produce a better disc, but their track record with Wayne titles is very poor. To greater or lesser degrees Hatari, El Dorado, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance are all overly harsh and digital looking. The two color films are especially bad looking, so I wouldn't get my hopes up too much for McLintock!

Warner can only work with what Paramount gives them, so I wouldn't blame them for El Dorado or Hatari issues. Those were clearly ports of the international releases, down to the TrueHD audio when Warner and Paramount have been using DTS-HD MA for a number of years now. Paramount obviously didn't feel compelled to re-do their masters.

Sounds like it's a bit of a kitchen-sink release - for $55 MSRP. Personally I can wait it out for a standalone, but I'm sure die hard fans will enjoy it. From the press release:

WBHE is releasing the four-disc Collector’s Edition with personal input from Mr. Lewis, who has helped compile lots of entertaining extra content for this release. Highlights include a new featurette, Jerry Lewis: No Apologies, an intimate look at “The King of Comedy”; a 48-page book of the film’s original story boards; a 44-page book of excerpts from Jerry's cutting script with personal notes; and a recreated “Being a Person” book, written by Jerry exclusively for the film’s crew. Adding to the offering is the very funny CD collection, Phoney Phone Calls, 1959-1972, with private prank calls secretly recorded by Lewis during those years

The Nutty Professor 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition ($54.99 SRP) will include the film in DVD format as well as Blu-ray, along with DVDs of two other well-known Lewis comedies, Cinderfella and The Errand Boy.

That does sound better than I feared, though I wish the two other films were Blus too

domino harvey wrote:That does sound better than I feared, though I wish the two other films were Blus too

Quite. I'm not entirely sure why these two were selected specifically, and both are useless to me since they're in a set Paramount put out in the UK years ago. It's actually rather disheartening that Cinderfella won't be joining the four Tashlin-Lewis discs Olive put out. I'll be buying this though and won't be feeling ripped off since the additional tat is surprisingly appealing.

Special Features per press release:

Jerry Lewis: No Apologies NEW! An intimate look at the artist who has entertained and educated audiences for more than eight decades
Directors Letter NEW! A letter specially written by Jerry to present this new collection
Recreated “Being A Person” book: 96-pages made up of drawings and quotes inspired/written by Jerry Lewis and drawn by his personal illustrator. 250 copies of this book were originally made and distributed to members of the cast and crew of The Nutty Professor after the director heard of general conflicts among them.
CD: Phoney Phone calls 1959-1972: Years before the Jerky Boys were harassing unwitting shop clerks, housewives and businessmen, Lewis perfected the art, as these recordings show. Released in 2001 on the Sin-Drome label, this is a collection of private prank calls secretly recorded by Jerry Lewis over the years.
48-Page Storyboard Book
44-Page Cutting Script with Jerry’s notes
Commentary by Jerry Lewis and Steve Lawrence
The Nutty Professor: Perfecting The Formula Behind-The-Scenes Footage
Jerry Lewis at Work
Jerry at Movieland Wax Museum with commentary by son Chris Lewis
Deleted Scenes
Jerry and Stella Promos
Bloopers
Screen Tests
Outtakes
Original Mono Track
Trailers

Also, here's a nice pic of the open box:



This pic says $50 MSRP, which is contrary to the text of the press release saying $55.

It's $35 pre-order on amazon.com, which is not bad at all, really.

Those screencaps really do look absolutely horrendous.

1.5 stars seems to be pretty generous.

captveg wrote:And more 2014 releases scheduled via Warner distribution:

Vanilla Sky (2001) - 4/15/14

This release is apparently being rescheduled for 10/7/14 per Warner's press website

9/9/14

The Addams Family (1991) (via Warner)
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) (via Warner)

9/16/14

Congo (1995) (via Warner)

warren oates wrote:Zoolander via Warner on 6/3/14

This release has been moved to 10/14/14