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Although I'm glad that Mask of the Phantasm is getting released on Blu-ray, I wonder why WB didn't put out a special edition out. This Batman film is a true cult classic that became a worldwide phenomenon. WB/DC puts out new animated films each quarter and gives them elaborate special edition extras and trinkets and that sells. Imagine if they put out a special edition of Mask of the Phantasm with commentary, making of doc, a discussion panel celebrating 24/25 years of the film and include the "Epilogue" episode from Justice League Unlimited Season 1, the only other episode where Phantasm appeared. WB is really not fulfilling the potential sales that this Blu-ray release can have.

No amount of critical acclaim for the original Batman Animated Series has lead to much effort on their part to re-release it in HD. If they won't do that for a beloved nineties show I doubt they'll pack major content in for a beloved movie either. I apologize for the depressing tone I just don't feel expecting anything more than bare minimum in most cases is warranted.

The TV show is another matter entirely, as it was edited on tape.

You'll have to forgive my abysmal knowledge on this matter. I would have caught the Animated Series after it ended it's official run through re-runs on Cartoon Network. Even then some I was still young enough to be horrified at Clayface's origin episode. I know nothing about how the show was edited or frankly what film format was used.

I again apologize for my lack of knowledge but I'm guessing a re-release in HD would be considerably more difficult than I make it out to be?

Yes, they would have to recompile the show from the film elements, and whether those would even be available is another matter entirely. Shows from the 80s-90s being edited on tape in SD is a big roadblock to a lot of them getting proper HD releases.

I wonder if Batman Beyond is in the same boat? It's never been as popular as its counterpart, but it's still a lovely and very influential show.

IIRC the first two seasons of Beyond were edited on tape, and they went to digital for Season 3.

This is why they've done BD releases of Justice League S1 and later, but nothing before then (Batman, Superman, Beyond).

True, though they took their time on everything but the first season of Justice League, which came out something like five years before everything else

Where the Boys Are (1960)

Hey, see, now that's a crazy left-field announcement I can support. Great film! It was also one of the first pressed Warner discs to get relegated to Archive Hell, so this is especially sweet justice at last

Since good WBShop Warner Archive sales have been so infrequent, I'm cross-posting:

4 for $44 sale with free shipping.

Freebie and the Bean (1974)
Night Moves (1975) - New 2017 1080p HD remaster created from 4K scan from the original camera negative

Two excellent films! Freebie and the Bean was part of the initial Warner Archive releases and one I picked up instantly. Absolutely un-PC by today's standards, but an enormous amount of fun with an A+ cast. Who else can do delirious and neurotic quite like Alan Arkin can?

My Blue Heaven (1990) and The Man With Two Brains (1983) announced as well.

I guess WAC has given up with releasing the "Classic Hollywood" films on bluray. So, either they will go to Criterion or a majority will just be released on their MOD.

WAC Blu-rays are not MOD.

I know. Meant they will release them on pressed DVDs.

Maybe we're not agreeing on what "Classic Hollywood" is, but it seems like they're getting some of them out each year on WAC Blu-rays (the Bogart and Hitchcock films, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, etc.) along with all the oddball choices and not just licensing everything to Criterion, so they're not giving up on the format.

Gregory wrote:Maybe we're not agreeing on what "Classic Hollywood" is, but it seems like they're getting some of them out each year on WAC Blu-rays (the Bogart and Hitchcock films, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, etc.) along with all the oddball choices and not just licensing everything to Criterion, so they're not giving up on the format.

But releasing 3 or 4 classic Hollywood films in a year does sound like giving up...

Gregory wrote:WAC Blu-rays are not MOD.

People keep saying this, but if so why does WBshop say they are MOD? See Demon Seed, Bad Day At Black Rock, On Dangerous Ground, etc.

All Warner Archive Blu-rays are pressed discs. The dual (haha) interpretations of the term "Manufactured On Demand" are what leads to even more confusion. I believe WB considers Archive Blus MOD because they are manufactured in limited batches, with additional batches pressed as sales demand.

If WAC ever did switch to BD-R and you followed this thread or its counterpart on Blu-ray.com, you wouldn't be able to miss the news if you tried.

FrauBlucher wrote:I guess WAC has given up with releasing the "Classic Hollywood" films on bluray. So, either they will go to Criterion or a majority will just be released on their MOD.

Think you meant to write Warner/WB, not WAC.

WB has definitely all but given up on releasing pre-60s films on their mainline.

As long as Gun Crazy appears in an affordable edition, through either CC or Warner archive, I'll be happy.

Gregory wrote:Maybe we're not agreeing on what "Classic Hollywood" is, but it seems like they're getting some of them out each year on WAC Blu-rays (the Bogart and Hitchcock films, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, etc.) along with all the oddball choices and not just licensing everything to Criterion, so they're not giving up on the format.

When I say Classic Hollywood I mean the 30s, 40s and 50s. The last film WAC released was Wellman's Battleground back in January. That suggests to me the WAC are going to release less and less films from the Golden Age of Hollywood. They have barely touched the 1930s.

FrauBlucher wrote:The last film WAC released was Wellman's Battleground back in January. That suggests to me the WAC are going to release less and less films from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Since Battleground, they've released Bad Day at Black Rock and in the last two weeks, The Sea Chase and Blood Alley. They also deserve credit for putting out Seven Days in May, Ride the High Country, The Ballad of Cable Hogue and The Loved One.

They have barely touched the 1930s.

Doesn't surprise me at all, except -- when's somebody going to release Top Hat?

Bad Day at Black Rock was also released in January. And I forgot about the two Waynes from the mid 50s just released. But that's it. Very slim. Maybe they'll sub-license to another boutique. I do see Criterion releasing a bunch of them. Roaring Twenties, High Sierra, I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang just to name three.