Blu-ray News and Deals

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Re: Aliens

Panic not, the film looks great (as does Alien): http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1258568&page=29

[Andy 4,148]

Picked up Trick 'R Treat at Best Buy for $7.99. Great for Halloween viewing.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Awesome article on the upcoming Apocalypse Now BD

Just wish it had a European release date.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Just wish it wasn't $42 for a single damn movie.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Just wish it wasn't $42 for a single damn movie.

It's not a single movie. Hearts of Darkness is not your average DVD bonus making-of, it was an (award-winning) movie in its own right and was theatrically exhibited in some cases. It has its own distribution and is a separate release, so this is essentially for all intents and purposes a boxset.

[Jay 37,382]

I'll be renting it from netflix

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Just wish it wasn't $42 for a single damn movie.

It's not a single movie. Hearts of Darkness is not your average DVD bonus making-of, it was an (award-winning) movie in its own right and was theatrically exhibited in some cases. It has its own distribution and is a separate release, so this is essentially for all intents and purposes a boxset.

True, it is more of a documentary than a making-of feature, but still. If has its own distribution, distribute it separately, or keep the box set and have the movie as a stand alone. $30-$35 is understandable, but $42? I don't think so.

[Quintus 5,399]

Want.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,557]

Has anyone picked up the 1-disc R2 "The Towering Inferno"re-release? If so, is it in 5.1, as advertised on the box? What is the picture quality like?

[Quintus 5,399]

Quick question: is there anything wrong with the recent blu release of the lotr movies? Only I've found them for £20 and I'm thinking of getting them, having recently come to the conclusion that the theatricals are the superior cuts of the films.

Cheers.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Quick question: is there anything wrong with the recent blu release of the lotr movies? Only I've found them for £20 and I'm thinking of getting them, having recently come to the conclusion that the theatricals are the superior cuts of the films.

Cheers.

Not unless you're a hyperbole merchant who doesn't really know anything about DNR but will just jump on the bandwagon despite not realizing much about filmmaking in general outside what you've read on the unauthorised biography of Tarantino.

In short, no. Buy them, especially at that price.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Yeah I'd definitely get them for that price. The only thing people complain about them is that they don't include the extended editions.

[Jay 37,382]

I watched FOTR on blu ray the other week, and the picture quality was nice, but didn't blow me away. There was certainly nothing wrong with it

[Quintus 5,399]

So the "upscaling" stories I've heard are false?

Bargain or not, I'll only buy these if it they aren't half-baked in the visual/audio department - I don't want to see a superior print on a future blu release, know what I mean? I don't want to buy these movies yet again. The extras (or lack of) don't matter to me.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Just ordered the Fargo Blu-ray+DVD combo pack for $10.49 on Amazon. I would love to add Blood Simple to that order, but it got delayed indefinitely.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

So the "upscaling" stories I've heard are false?

Bargain or not, I'll only buy these if it they aren't half-baked in the visual/audio department - I don't want to see a superior print on a future blu release, know what I mean? I don't want to buy these movies yet again. The extras (or lack of) don't matter to me.

Yes, anyone who tells you they look like upscaled DVDs is a moron, or has a freaking white stick. FOTR looks pretty damn good, but not pristine, mostly because they spent a lot of time on digital grading which was a new process at the time. TTT and ROTK look amazing.

[Jay 37,382]

Yup, I also read that TTT and ROTK look better than FOTR

And there was no upscaling, they scrapped the existing HD masters (that had been used for TV broadcasts, for example) and created new HD masters for these blu rays

[Quintus 5,399]

Okay thanks for the quick feedback guys, I'll order them.

But I'll be friggin' annoyed if I see a 'fixed' FOTR release sometime in the future!

[Wojo 2,453]

Quint, only you can decide if you will be able to live with yourself in the morning after making this purchase. I wish you well.

[Quintus 5,399]

It just boils down to the fact that I begrudge buying the same movie three times, let alone four. I think that's a fair enough reason for expressing caution. You might love nothing more than throwing cash at your favourite franchises and such; I however do not.

Anyway, I've just spotted the last Trek movie on blu for a tenner too. Might have to grab that aswell.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

If you want it, come and claim it.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

The Color Purple is scheduled for a digibook release on January 25th.

An unexpected Spielberg release, but a Spielberg release nonetheless. Will probably blind buy.

[Quintus 5,399]

Great film.

[Trent B 337]

I bought Robocop and Speed for $10 at Sams Club today and picked up Iron Man 2 for $19 something at Wally World.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

The Color Purple is scheduled for a digibook release on January 25th.

An unexpected Spielberg release, but a Spielberg release nonetheless. Will probably blind buy.

it's supposed to have the isolated unused Williams score.

[A24 4,349]

Is it April Fools' day already?

[Wojo 2,453]

It must be..._{I finally have a BluRay player...}

[Trent B 337]

According to The Digital Bits The Abyss may end up getting a Blu-Ray release next year.

Okay... the following should be considered VERY tentative. However, we've now heard it from multiple independent sources, including reliable industry insiders, so.... Sources are telling us that director James Cameron has been (or it about to begin) working on a new high-def transfer and master of The Abyss, presumably for eventual Blu-ray Disc release.

All I can say is, it's about damn time and I hope it'll be in true 16:9. I for one will pick it up.

[Quintus 5,399]

I just hope it's not an overblown cut of the movie. Shorter is better, and in The Abyss' case: a little shorter than even the theatrical cut would be interesting.

[Trent B 337]

To each their own I actually prefer the Director's Cut. The scenes that were deleted were practically essential to the film, especially at the end with Bud and the Aliens.

[Quintus 5,399]

Oh I love that stuff too, but not the tidal wave stuff.

I'm actually referring to much earlier in the movie; I think a few moments could be trimmed down or deleted completely, in order to improve pacing. One of the biggest complaints with the movie upon its original release was that it was a bit bloated and I have to agree with that.

[Trent B 337]

It looks like Avatar's Extended Blu-Ray release next month is going to be 1.78:1 format instead of 2.35:1.

http://thedigitalbits.com/#100510b

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

MISSING:

INDIANA JONES

Aged 30-40 years

Last seen on DVD. Armed and dangerous.

[Wojo 2,453]

They should time the BR release for the premiere of Indiana Jones 6.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,557]

Forget Blu-Ray: I'm waiting for Red-Ray.

[Quintus 5,399]

Blu-ray has got a terrible potty mouth on him, anyway.

[A24 4,349]

Charles de Lauzirika:

Ridley Scott personally supervised and approved the new master. I know because I was there with him at each session. He's very happy with the new "Gladiator" master. As he is with the new "Alien" master, by the way.

Apparently, the new Blu-ray of Gladiator looks like reference material.

Alex

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Charlie is awesome.

I'm glad they realised that they screwed up on Gladiator. Can't wait to see that on BD (as well as Alien).

[Quintus 5,399]

Doesn't make it any less infuriating for the suckers who already forked out for the first release. Are they to be compensated? Are they fuck.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Doesn't make it any less infuriating for the suckers who already forked out for the first release. Are they to be compensated? Are they fuck.

Universal did a swap program.

[Quintus 5,399]

They did? My bad. I apologise, Universal.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Yep. Shocking to see actual proper customer service, I know.

We ask that you send us just your disc 1 in an envelope with your name and address enclosed. Please keep your original packaging and we will post you out a new disc 1.

Please note new discs will not be available in the UK for approximately 1 month.

We will post back to any country as long as the UK disc was purchased.

Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd

‘Gladiator Exchange’

Prospect House

80-110 New Oxford Street

London

WC1A 1HB

[Wojo 2,453]

Forget Blu-Ray: I'm waiting for Red-Ray.

I'm pretty sure that was sarcasm, but we already had Red-Ray. They're called Compact Discs.

A CD is read by focusing a beam of light 780 nm in wavelength, which is near infrared. A Blu-Ray Disc uses a beam of light with a wavelength of 405 nm, which is in the blue range of the spectrum. The next logical improvement would be Violet-Ray or Purple-Ray.

As the wavelength decreases, the frequency of the beam (the total energy of the beam) increases. Additionally as you decrease the wavelength of light, you minimize the surface area occupied by the beam. The smaller the beam, the more discrete times you can "paint" the surface of the disc with the beam, which increases your overall storage capacity. Think about it like focusing a water hose or flashlight.

Now I know that 780:405 is "roughly" a 2:1 ratio, while the storage of a Blu-Ray is not twice that of a CD. The smallest BR hold 25 GB, compared to 700 MB on CD, which is almost a 36x increase. They've obviously made other improvements regarding the quality of storage material and how much information can be transferred in that laser beam.

[Quintus 5,399]

Nerd!

[Wojo 2,453]

I think I fall more in the geek category, actually.

[Quintus 5,399]

My bad, sorry.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

From the upcoming BD: Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly

[Demondm810 399]

From the upcoming BD: Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly

Awesome. It's funny how much he looks the part as well. I wonder how his career would have gone...

[Andy 4,148]

I snagged the Omen Collection off Amazon for $26, which didn't sound too bad until the discs arrived in perhaps the cheapest, crappiest digipak ever. It's the movies that count, but a box set ought to feel more substantial, I should think.

Also picked up Drag Me to Hell, probably my favorite horror movie of the past 10 years.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Is that the most of the alternate universe BTTF that will be featured? I'll be disappointed if so.