Frustrating Format BR!

[Evokazz]

As an ex collector of DVD's, it was super easy picking up titles, the library, especially now is massive, I know BR is still pretty new in some aspects, but what annoys me is even though we have a alright UK lineup now, why are the americans getting all the best releases?? Why release a Van Damme boxset over there, and not here? Why is Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginnings only available in america? and other movies like The Crazies (Original)...Hills have Eyes....

Am angry also with the Halloween collection just released there, and the amazing Friday The 13th set, we have none of this. I don't recall this happening with DVD, why are they only releasing a massive amount of movies in USA? Its as if they want the format to fail here.

[Porco Azzurro]

Well, as successful as Blu-ray is in its own right, it's arguably not quite as successful as DVD was, and now there is competition from several alternatives such as online streaming, digital downloads and still DVD itself. The US is a larger market, so issues of sheer scale means more stuff might get released there.

Also there seems to be a perception in the UK from some that Blu-ray doesn't sell because certain companies tried putting out Blu-rays when there were fewer consumers buying them, and at silly prices, and then seem to have had a big sulk about it for years with only a few notable exceptions (*cough* BBC and ITV *cough*).

all just IMHO.

[Chiefy]

I can say the exact same thing about the U.S. getting hosed on some collections, and at some of the incredibly low prices the UK charges for comparable titles here in the states. I've purchased the following (Region Free) titles: The Universal Monsters collection, Hitchcock Vol 1 & 2, and Star Trek: TNG seasons 1-5 from Amazon UK at some unbelievable deals that couldn't be touched here.

It's all about perspective. If it wasn't for Region Coding, all this would be a moot point, and everyone worldwide would be able to enjoy everything; but we don't live in a fantasy world. Money and greed runs the world.

[Evokazz]

Think I'm gonna bite the bullet and buy a Multizone Modded Player, seems the only way I'll be content.

[gunner99]

Originally Posted by Evokazz

Think I'm gonna bite the bullet and buy a Multizone Modded Player, seems the only way I'll be content.

Great idea. I did this some time ago and haven't looked back. The only downside is buying far more movies than I did before I had a region free blu ray player, which is stretching my finances a bit more than I would like.

[Cevolution]

During my time here I have seen complaints in every sub-forum from members who think their country is hard done by when compared to other parts of the world. Every country has certain titles that others don't, it's just the way it is, there are plenty of titles available in the UK which haven't yet been released in the U.S. Hard Target and Sudden Death which are in the U.S Van Dam set you mentioned, were released in the UK last year. Some U.S members were unhappy that these were not being release there at the time, stating similar things as what you have in this thread.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre the Beginning from the U.S is not the unrated version, it's the theatrical cut. It has been released on Blu-ray in a couple of other countries, including France (a region B location like the UK) which is considered the best version of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre the Beginning currently available.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by Evokazz

but what annoys me is even though we have a alright UK lineup now, why are the americans getting all the best releases?

I have a region free setup and the UK accounts for a huge proportion of releases I've got over the past year or two so I definitely don't agree on that, but maybe we have different preferences in movies. Going multi-region is your best argument against such an impression. And you don't need to spend big bucks / effort trying to score a good region-free modded player. Since you already have region B, just bag a region A from overseas and you're all set

[Ste7en]

I'm surprised, as an ex collector of DVDs, you didn't expect this.

Were you exclusively R2 on DVD?

I've been buying movies internationally since the days of VHS!

Side note: It is around 8 years old now. When will the old 'relatively new format' chestnut be dropped?

[malcy30]

Originally Posted by Ste7en

Side note: It is around 8 years old now. When will the old 'relatively new format' chestnut be dropped?

The key issue is that
VHS to DVD was a quantum leap in visual and audio quality in most cases as you no longer got the tape drop out etc that was common on VHS plus with anamorphic disks you got the bump in picture quality especially on widescreen presentations

DVD to BD
Is in most consumer eyes only a minor upgrade, and despite what us as BD fans on this site think, I put most people in this category (based upon work colleagues and my parents). DVD gives them what they want so why pay more if you are watching on a small TV (most in the UK are still 40" or less) and TV speakers (which sound crap to me but most people are happy with)

Then as said above there is the price differential if you can rent in SD for £3 or buy the DVD for £10 or less, why pay the premium for BD. Not helped by as others have said the unrealistic price expectations of many of the major distributors (completely agree BBC and ITV are worst with this, and their refusal to release most of their content on BD). We are reliant on the small distributors Arrow, Eureka and BFI etc who do an amazing job on fair priced releases.

I believe most mainstream consumers are moving straight from DVD to streaming and downloads and skipping BD.

[Evokazz]

Originally Posted by Ste7en

I'm surprised, as an ex collector of DVDs, you didn't expect this.

Were you exclusively R2 on DVD?

I've been buying movies internationally since the days of VHS!

Side note: It is around 8 years old now. When will the old 'relatively new format' chestnut be dropped?

90% Was R2, but I did have a ton of R3 and R1 as well, in fact I am currently awaiting a coupe of horrors from the USA on DVD as I type, Jason Goes To Hell, and Child's Play (only anamorphic versions I found).

Like the guy above said though, I should be satisfied with our lineup, but it boils down to movie tastes I think, most of what I like just isn't out, everytime I look up a movie on my to buy list, more and more seem to crop up that are USA only! I'm gonna grab a modded Panasonic 460 when I have some cash, I was tempted to buy a Region A, but it would be easier to just have one player I think.

[levcore]

A lot of the major studios are region free and importing is usually very convenient.

[jono3000]

Personally I'm finding most catalog titles I want are not getting UK releases, but they are getting other Region B releases so I've resorted to importing these, primarily from Germany but also from Australia.

For me a big plus for BR over DVD is that the majority of US releases I want have been region free, having previously been R1 in the DVD days. Plus the addition of Australia which was R4 for DVD now being Region B. I still have a list of a dozen or so titles I want which only have US released, Region A locked discs with no sign of a Region B release.

[Blu MacReady]

Originally Posted by Evokazz

90% Was R2, but I did have a ton of R3 and R1 as well, in fact I am currently awaiting a coupe of horrors from the USA on DVD as I type, Jason Goes To Hell, and Child's Play (only anamorphic versions I found).

Like the guy above said though, I should be satisfied with our lineup, but it boils down to movie tastes I think, most of what I like just isn't out, everytime I look up a movie on my to buy list, more and more seem to crop up that are USA only! I'm gonna grab a modded Panasonic 460 when I have some cash, I was tempted to buy a Region A, but it would be easier to just have one player I think.

I have a multi Region Panasonic. Best move you'll make. As you'll know from your DVD days, many US discs never make it here, Nightbreed, Pacific Heights, to name a couple. Or uncut/extended like Eraser.

Blu is no different. I've had to import Friday 13th set, Halloween set and soon Nightbreed, The Blob and a range of titles from Scream or Shout.
From Australia both Christine and Fright Night. These were only £12.50 each including postage. You'll find most catalogue titles from US cheaper.
Even new titles like Transformers 4 is same as UK price, but you get more content for your money and 6 weeks earlier.

But it's not just what isn't available here that is worth importing. Unbelievably, The Avengers (Avengers Assemble) the UK is edited for the spear through Agent scene? We have uncut Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but cut a spearing out?

[Buzz201]

Originally Posted by Blu MacReady

But it's not just what isn't available here that is worth importing. Unbelievably, The Avengers (Avengers Assemble) the UK is edited for the spear through Agent scene? We have uncut Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but cut a spearing out?

Disney claim it was a "mistake" (I imagine the mistake is more that they got caught, rather than screwing us over for the home media release, when the theatrical was uncut.)

[Blu MacReady]

Originally Posted by Buzz201

Disney claim it was a "mistake" (I imagine the mistake is more that they got caught, rather than screwing us over for the home media release, when the theatrical was uncut.)

Yeah, funny mistake perfectly airbrushing out an item. Whoops. But, still proves better to go free and import

[Skog]

Ps its BD not BR

[David M]

why are the americans getting all the best releases?

They're not. There are plenty of people in the US who have been importing releases from Arrow, Masters of Cinema, etc.

Get a multi region player and you too can have the best releases no matter where you live.

[Jezza]

There's also licensing and rights issues to contend with, hence why collector's set such as Halloween aren't released here, because they're handled by US-only companies, in that case Scream Factory. So much as it'd be lovely to have a UK release of that set, it'll never happen unless a UK distributor gets the rights to put out such a set.

For the UK it's certainly clear that, despite its growth, Blu-ray just hasn't had the same impact it had in the US, hence why we sometimes get a raw deal here. As has been pointed out many are fine with DVD and I can understand why - it provides them with what they want, which is just the film/TV show, to many PQ, AQ and extras aren't a priority.

Bear in mind too that much as it may appear we don't get many titles the US do, there are plenty of big releases the US doesn't have, the most obvious being Frozen 3D, so we're not so hard done by.

[theprestige85]

Criterion, Olive Films and maybe a few Scream Factory titles are what makes me a little upset.....but the gap between the quantity (and especially quality) of releases between there UK and US is shortening. I'm optimistic about Region B's future. Everything I want from Region A will eventually end up somewhere in Region B.

[BigNickUK]

Originally Posted by Evokazz

As an ex collector of DVD's, it was super easy picking up titles, the library, especially now is massive, I know BR is still pretty new in some aspects, but what annoys me is even though we have a alright UK lineup now, why are the americans getting all the best releases?? Why release a Van Damme boxset over there, and not here? Why is Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginnings only available in america? and other movies like The Crazies (Original)...Hills have Eyes....

Am angry also with the Halloween collection just released there, and the amazing Friday The 13th set, we have none of this. I don't recall this happening with DVD, why are they only releasing a massive amount of movies in USA? Its as if they want the format to fail here.

You lost me when you cited a load of stinkers as a reason to complain about the state of UK blu rays