Which classic titles would you buy?

[dialog_gvf]

Some of the classic films put out by Warner for HD DVD have done rather poorly in sales. This poll is to find out what the Blu-ray fans' attitude would be to a number of classics of various types.

There are, of course, many spectacular films, and please don't tell me I should have put X in the list instead of Y. It's really not about the particular titles, but the sentiment toward older films in general.

Assume, for the sake of this poll, they are all impressive in HD.

[u_nick]

By 'classic', do you just mean old? Or 'classic' in terms of just 'old movies someone likes'.

I want to say things I loved growing up, like Princess bride, Breakfast Club, Neverendgin Story, Goonies, etc, but wasnt sure if this is what you meant or not.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by u_nick

By 'classic', do you just mean old? Or 'classic' in terms of just 'old movies someone likes'.

I want to say things I loved growing up, like Princess bride, Breakfast Club, Neverendgin Story, Goonies, etc, but wasnt sure if this is what you meant or not.

Both. I have a smattering of them. All should be familiar.

I'm sure my list won't please. It was thrown together quickly. I should have put a Disney classic animation in there, for example. But, then I expect that would sell.

[Canada]

You consider Jurrasic Park to be a classic title that can stand beside Casablanca, Starwars, Laurence of Arabia, Citizen Kane, and Vertigo? If you say so.

[Blu_J]

Anything Hitchcock would be wonderful
All of Kubrick as well
The Godfather set
The Ten Commandments
Ben-Hur
The Sting
Maltese Falcon
Early Bond
...Of The Dead series

I can go on and on...

[lforigno]

the godfather trilogy

[u_nick]

Originally Posted by Canada

You consider Jurrasic Park to be a classic title that can stand beside Casablanca, Starwars, Laurence of Arabia, Citizen Kane, and Vertigo? If you say so.

I'd personlly take Jurassic Park over Star Wars. Its all a matter of opnion, like the OP states in his first post. For the record, I haent even seen the rest of the movies you listed. I will someday, but I'm in no rush.

It's just a list of thing he's asking if you would buy.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by Canada

You consider Jurrasic Park to be a classic title that can stand beside Casablanca, Starwars, Laurence of Arabia, Citizen Kane, and Vertigo? If you say so.

No, some can't hold a candle to others. It's wishy washy deliberately.

The idea here is to gauge whether the true classics are recognized as such, or will be totally overwhelmed by people wanting the big grossing films.

Classic is a point of view. Jurrasic Park is a foundation film in CGI FX.

[groovyone]

Forbidden Planet would be great on Blu. I watch it whenever I catch it on TCM.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

Some of the classic films put out by Warner for HD DVD have done rather poorly in sales. This poll is to find out what the Blu-ray fans' attitude would be to a number of classics of various types.

...Yes, but poorly selling because of "classics", or because of HD?

Me, I was all set to support Warner just for the fact that they would throw some of their classic Ultra-Restoration titles (which were remastered in hi-def to begin with) into the catalog mix--
As we needed a Robin Hood or Casablanca to sell the theater buff at early-adoption stages (and not the 18-24 attention-deficited gamer), and it seemed more worthwhile to have real "preservation" films in indestructible home-theater form, rather than the ultimate presentation of "Talladega Nights".

Don't know whether it's still Warner or Sony who now owns the MGM catalog(?), but if that includes access to Warner's prints, an obligatory Oz or Singin in the Rain would be all the killer-app needed to clinch the argument.

[Xerious]

Shawshank Redemption!!!

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by EricJ

Don't know whether it's still Warner or Sony who now owns the MGM catalog(?), but if that includes access to Warner's prints, an obligatory Oz or Singin in the Rain would be all the killer-app needed to clinch the argument.

Sony owns 20%, but Fox is now distributing MGM tiles.

At some point in the 80s Turner acquired the old catalogue for MGM and Warner for TBS, and then Time Warner obtained Turner.

So, who own's the studio MGM and who has distrubution rights to old films, are two different things.

Gary

[skamins1]

Classics would be great, however are you going to be able to clean up the masters enough to make it worth putting on a blu-ray?

It might be worth placing several of classics such as Casablanca, Citizen Kane or Gone with the Wind on one disc. This way you can use that space advantage over HD DVD and attract new buyers to the Blu (right) side of things.

[stockstar1138]

LoA is higher than I expected, JP isn't a classic, but Id buy it. SW thats disappointing everybody should be buying that. What about The Godfather? Why isn't that up?

[aibo]

Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, The Bridge on the River Kwai,Vertigo,The Guns of Navarone,Rear window,For Whom the Bell Tolls,On the Waterfront,From Here to Eternity,Apocalypse Now.....

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by stockstar1138

LoA is higher than I expected, JP isn't a classic, but Id buy it. SW thats disappointing everybody should be buying that. What about The Godfather? Why isn't that up?

A poll can only have 10 items. And we could debate what to include for months.

But, really, if people won't buy The Godfather, the whole thing is pretty much dead now.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by skamins1

Classics would be great, however are you going to be able to clean up the masters enough to make it worth putting on a blu-ray?

It might be worth placing several of classics such as Casablanca, Citizen Kane or Gone with the Wind on one disc. This way you can use that space advantage over HD DVD and attract new buyers to the Blu (right) side of things.

There's a documentary featurette on the most recent Ultra-Rest. version of Oz that details just what exactly Warner's been doing to their restored classics...
Trust them, it's more than enough for hi-def.

(Even in SD, the main point about the Ultra Oz wasn't just the color, just the fact that using computers to shift warped Technicolor layers back into alignment had made the scenes so crisp-detailed, you couldn't believe it was from 1939--
As one technician points out, "Hey, the Tin Man's got a rivet on the bridge of his nose--Fifty years of TV, and we've never seen that until now!)

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by EricJ

As one technician points out, "Hey, the Tin Man's got a rivet on the bridge of his nose--Fifty years of TV, and we've never seen that until now!)

Cool.

Wait for it though. "Why are their black bars on the sides of the picture?!"

[aibo]

up

[dialog_gvf]

So far the numbers are very encouraging. The extremes are:

Star Wars: 80%
Citizen Kane: 20%

I'm sure 25% of Star Wars sales would be taken in a heartbeat by studios for their classic catalogue.