criterionforum.org

First Blu-ray titles coming on Tuesday. Discs are pressed/replicated. By Feb 2013 they plan to release 1-2 titles per month, so 12-24 titles a year.

Source

"Burbank, Calif., November 15, 2012 -- The Warner Archive Collection (WAC) – the Warner Bros. Digital Distribution (WBDD) division dedicated to releasing on DVD previously unavailable films and television shows – today announced the launch of its first Blu-ray™ titles. The two titles, Deathtrap and Gypsy, will debut on November 20. Beginning in February 2013, WAC expects to release a minimum of one to two Blu-ray titles per month. Future titles include The Hudsucker Proxy and Fearless.

WAC reports that the Blu-ray discs will be replicated in limited quantities and fulfilled on demand. All releases will leverage high quality 1080p masters. In many instances, as with Deathtrap, the films will be available for the first time for home viewing in their original widescreen format.

Starting as a modest initiative, WAC has quickly grown to become a new business model for the studio and a recognized industry leader. Since launching in March 2009, WAC has released more than 1,500 films, short subjects, TV movies and mini-series that otherwise would not have been available, providing a valuable service to film lovers everywhere.

Now, WAC’s entry into the Blu-ray market is the latest example of its fast growth and increasing popularity with consumers who have embraced the technology as the standard for the highest quality home movie viewing on disc. This year, domestic sales of catalog titles on Blu-ray grew 22% in the third quarter from a year earlier. In fact, Blu-ray sales have shown impressive gains every quarter in 2012, continuing the trend set in 2011 over 2010 when sales were up 20%.

In making the Blu-ray announcement, WBDD President Thomas Gewecke said, “This is an important innovation that fulfills consumer demand for high definition releases that otherwise would not be available in physical formats. We’re excited to have the opportunity to further expand the Warner Archive Collection into the Blu-ray marketplace with an impressive slate of releases.”

Warner Archive Collection titles can be purchased through their web site (http://www.warnerarchive.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) for $21.99 SRP or through other leading online retailers."

Pressing a limited number and shipping them out as needed is how this program should always have been run, great news!

I've been waiting for a proper widescreen release of FEARLESS...well, since the film was in theaters.

I'm also happy about a Blu-ray of HUDSUCKER. Warners had so little faith in this Coen Brothers' film that they only struck 30 prints of it back in '94. Another limited run on Blu-ray somehow seems appropriate! All the same, I agree that this approach is the way to go.

Really? Weird that one of those prints made it to Oklahoma where I saw it as a kid in original release

That's pretty awesome- so now the Archive is one amongst the half dozen or so boutique labels that might put out something I'm interested in on blu (though I'm guessing nothing will have any new special features.) I wonder if they're going to upgrade any of the previous Archive releases?

Potentially, how good will the quality be?

I'm wondering if it will be any better than if I grabbed a movie in 1080p from youtube and burned it to a BD-RE.

matrixschmatrix wrote:(though I'm guessing nothing will have any new special features.)

Although previous extras are being ported - Gypsy includes both deleted musical numbers from the DVD.

ShellOilJunior wrote:Potentially, how good will the quality be?

I'm wondering if it will be any better than if I grabbed a movie in 1080p from youtube and burned it to a BD-RE.

But these won't be burnt Blus, just limited pressings of actual Blu-ray discs with the packaging printed on demand

Don't forget to use ebates for 3.5% off, which will help offset taxes for those who are charged them.

Are the shelf lives of MOD blu-rays any different from their DVD counterparts?

This all seems like pretty good news - even the price is pretty reasonable relative to some other labels. I'll be very eager to see the disc reviews to get an idea of the quality, but as far as I know WB has done right by their Blu-rays more than any other major studio except Sony, so I'm not too worried about that either.

A little surprised that films by such high-profile filmmakers are included in the first wave, though. Hudsucker and Fearless especially I would think would have a place in the market-at-large. But I guess that's sort of the point.

domino harvey wrote:

ShellOilJunior wrote:Potentially, how good will the quality be?

I'm wondering if it will be any better than if I grabbed a movie in 1080p from youtube and burned it to a BD-RE.

But these won't be burnt Blus, just limited pressings of actual Blu-ray discs with the packaging printed on demand

Ahh. I see. Almost like WB's own little boutique label.

Murdoch wrote:Are the shelf lives of MOD blu-rays any different from their DVD counterparts?

Yes. Fortunately, these apparently will be pressed, rather than burnt.

Might even try some, although my experience with one of their pressed DVD sets was rather unfortunate. (Very scratched up, still waiting for the flipping refund...)

WHV wrote: All releases will leverage high quality 1080p masters.

WTF does this mean? My bullshit detector just went off.

Webster wrote:leverage (transitive verb): to provide (as a corporation) or supplement (as money) with leverage; also to enhance as if by supplying with financial leverage; to use for gain : exploit <shamelessly leverage the system to their advantage — Alexander Wolff>

triodelover wrote:

WHV wrote: All releases will leverage high quality 1080p masters.

WTF does this mean? My bullshit detector just went off.

Webster wrote:leverage (transitive verb): to provide (as a corporation) or supplement (as money) with leverage; also to enhance as if by supplying with financial leverage; to use for gain : exploit <shamelessly leverage the system to their advantage — Alexander Wolff>

Or it could be:

"to use (a quality or advantage) to obtain a desired effect or result"

What's wrong with straightforward English? "All releases will use high quality 1080p masters." Anytime someone wants to sell me something and can't tell me in plain words what it is he's selling but instead resorts to buzzwords with fuzzy meanings, I get suspicious.

triodelover wrote:What's wrong with straightforward English? "All releases will use high quality 1080p masters." Anytime someone wants to sell me something and can't tell me in plain words what it is he's selling but instead resorts to buzzwords with fuzzy meanings, I get suspicious.

Marketing departments like to use big, glossy words to frustrate everyone.

Maybe it's just a shoutout to Timothy Hutton, and their way of hinting that Made in Heaven will also get a WBA Blu release.

Regardless of quality, I'd just be happy to get Deathtrap in WS. The DVD is only available in P&S...

Feltenstein interview re: Blu-ray WAC titles

Highlights:

- Carried over special features
- EN SDH subtitles
- Gypsy on BD50

Also, lots of DVD titles mentioned by name that are planned for 2013.

While I'm very happy about Warner's decision to release some of these films on Blu-ray, even in limited release, I don't understand some of their logic. Take this quote from the article:

As with WAC's DVD releases, the titles chosen for the Blu-ray program ... will be titles that have been frequently requested "but we wouldn't be able to garner shelf-space for at brick-and-mortar stores.''

So, Gypsy -- a film based on a still-popular musical and starring Natalie Wood -- would not garner shelf-space, but apparently The Bad Seed and the Bette Davis film Dead Ringer will? Nothing against those films, of course, but I'm just not understanding how they're determining which films will be good sellers. I would lay down money that out of those three titles, Gypsy would by far be the biggest seller on Blu-ray.

Gypsy is a musical, The Bad Seed and Dead Ringer have horror/thriller credentials, the latter "Hag Horror". There are horror fans who will buy certain old films just for the fact that they are horror films, the "Hag" type seems to get a lot of attention, and they're a fairly large market so Warner probably thinks they have better chances with them.

Musicals don't have the same standing today, even bigger ones, and even in a climate where every dumb Broadway show has singing and dancing in it (saw that Elf thing on the Macy parade this morning - my lord!)

Gypsy and Death Trap are both $15.29 from DVD Empire.

Just a heads up: WB refuses to cancel orders for in-stock items, so if you ordered Gypsy or Death Trap from them at the higher price you're stuck with it, unless you want to return it and pay for return shipping, which would negate the DVD Empire savings anyway.

Cash Flagg wrote:Just a heads up: WB refuses to cancel orders for in-stock items, so if you ordered Gypsy or Death Trap from them at the higher price you're stuck with it, unless you want to return it and pay for return shipping, which would negate the DVD Empire savings anyway.

Has anyone who returned discs had to pay for return shipping? Gypsy shipped today.