Ask questions to The Digital Bits team (Bill Hunt, Jeff Kleist et.al.)

[Jeff Kleist]

What Bill posted is what we can say at this time. Given WB's recent patterns, I'm sure they want to put it on 1 disc, but I'm hoping they're smart and go for 2. I don't think there's going to be space to seamless branch it, and there's already the theatrical discs anyway. Yes they should just be porting the SD extras over, hopefully they will keep the very attractive existing packaging design as well.

Be ready for another dip on them around the time Hobbit part 2 hits for the "complete saga" that could contain additional material (no I'm not getting more specific). You have been warned

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

What Bill posted is what we can say at this time. Given WB's recent patterns, I'm sure they want to put it on 1 disc, but I'm hoping they're smart and go for 2. I don't think there's going to be space to seamless branch it, and there's already the theatrical discs anyway. Yes they should just be porting the SD extras over, hopefully they will keep the very attractive existing packaging design as well.

Be ready for another dip on them around the time Hobbit part 2 hits for the "complete saga" that could contain additional material (no I'm not getting more specific). You have been warned

All of that info sounds GREAT to me. I would prefer the movies get spread over two discs, has everything from the previous special editions AND keeps some sort of the awesome packaging.

If Warner delivers those 3 things, they will have a very satisfied customer in me.

[svenge]

Originally Posted by merrick97

All of that info sounds GREAT to me. I would prefer the movies get spread over two discs, has everything from the previous special editions AND keeps some sort of the awesome packaging.

If Warner delivers those 3 things, they will have a very satisfied customer in me.

My over/under is 0.5 of those three things actually being delivered. This is Warner we're talking about, and they haven't exactly proven themselves competent with their first LotR BD release...

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by svenge

My over/under is 0.5 of those three things actually being delivered. This is Warner we're talking about, and they haven't exactly proven themselves competent with their first LotR BD release...

They looked fine to me. The internet wayyyy overblew how bad they looked.

I dont own them (and will NEVER own the theatricals) but I saw them demoed at Best Buy.

As long as they look as good as they did on the original BD, I will be happy.

[SpaceDog]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

What Bill posted is what we can say at this time. Given WB's recent patterns, I'm sure they want to put it on 1 disc, but I'm hoping they're smart and go for 2. I don't think there's going to be space to seamless branch it, and there's already the theatrical discs anyway. Yes they should just be porting the SD extras over, hopefully they will keep the very attractive existing packaging design as well.

Be ready for another dip on them around the time Hobbit part 2 hits for the "complete saga" that could contain additional material (no I'm not getting more specific). You have been warned

They brought back Elijah Wood for Hobbit just so they could shoot the Tom Bombadil scenes and quiet the masses?

[nathan_393]

Originally Posted by merrick97

All of that info sounds GREAT to me. I would prefer the movies get spread over two discs, has everything from the previous special editions AND keeps some sort of the awesome packaging.

If Warner delivers those 3 things, they will have a very satisfied customer in me.

Agreed. Some new extras would be nice, but I'd be happy if they ported over the 3 documentaries from the last DVD release. I never got the opportunity to see those, but saw everything else.

Obviously, the trillion design images will probably be re-scanned in HD too (as that would make the most sense).

I want a stunning release. Fellowship seemed to me to be a slightly problematic transfer, if only because even on my small screen I could spot the edge enhancement and DNR. That's not a very good thing. I'd like them to fix that and give the films room to breathe over two discs. It's not like this won't sell either way.

[Jeff Kleist]

They should shoot Tom Bombadil damnit. It's the part everyone wants to see. That and cut osgiliath and restore faramir's balls

[SpaceDog]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

They should shoot Tom Bombadil damnit. It's the part everyone wants to see. That and cut osgiliath and restore faramir's balls

http://www.neuticles.com

[jaaguir]

Jeff, there's a pre-order (March 29) page up at Amazon for a (pretty expensive) 5-disc set of the Basil Rathbone "Sherlock Holmes" movies. I haven't read anything about this at The Bits.
The distributor is MPI. I seem to remember I read good reviews of the dvd-s but haven't seen them myself. 14 movies on 5 discs sounds a bit much but I'm guessing most of them are like 70 minute movies. Anything you can say?

Thanks

[Jeff Kleist]

I've never actually watched them, but given the usual BBC style I'd say that it's certainly possible that that would work as far as storage goes. MPI's gotten good ratings on the other discs they've done, so it should be fine

BBC stuff always pricey, sadly. They won't even kick out retail packaged screeners for most of the stuff, insisting that checkdiscs are good enough (note BBC exec reading this- This is not a job you tend to get rich in, and when your product is already expensive, not kicking final product to the people who are suppose to help you sell it not productive). They know lots of people in the UK have region A ability, and don't want the prices stealing their pounds sterling

[jaaguir]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

I've never actually watched them, but given the usual BBC style I'd say that it's certainly possible that that would work as far as storage goes. MPI's gotten good ratings on the other discs they've done, so it should be fine

BBC stuff always pricey, sadly. They won't even kick out retail packaged screeners for most of the stuff, insisting that checkdiscs are good enough (note BBC exec reading this- This is not a job you tend to get rich in, and when your product is already expensive, not kicking final product to the people who are suppose to help you sell it not productive). They know lots of people in the UK have region A ability, and don't want the prices stealing their pounds sterling

Thanks for the response Jeff, I always appreciate your thoughts and time, and your words about MPI are welcome.
But just for the record, this is not the BBC stuff, these are the Universal B-movies of the 40's (and the first two features of the 30's at Fox) that fell into public domain. Apparently a world-scouting for the best prints took place for MPI's dvd release of these movies. Somehow I never got to buy them but I like the movies since childhood.
I wonder if they'll use the same HD masters of 7 years ago (when the dvd-s were released).

[Jeff Kleist]

That I can't say, but as far as storage goes the same should hold true

[MerrickG]

Jeff,

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker to bluray.

Why not Mask of the Phantasm?

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by merrick97

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker to bluray.

Why not Mask of the Phantasm?

Seems familiar to me. My impression has always been that WB has been desperately trying to push Batman Beyond on generally disinterested fans. Meanwhile, those fans forever shout for Batman TAS to WB's largely deaf ears.

Can't say I've followed the history closely enough to not necessarily be utterly wrong, though.

[Jeff Kleist]

There are several possibilities

1- Mask of the Phantasm is a far better pariing with Dark Knight Rises
2- It's a standalone, while there are several DTV B:TAS movies (box set!)
3- Digital master, squish and forget
4- Judging by the DVD, Phantasm was not well cared for and needs some work

I have zero doubt that Phantasm is coming, or that if any DC animation will get the rescan for Blu that TAS will be the one. It's sold very well for WB on video, and the art design deserves HD. And that's a shakey reason #5, that it's being held back to pair with a TAS release. The previous was pure speculation mind you

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

There are several possibilities

1- Mask of the Phantasm is a far better pariing with Dark Knight Rises
2- It's a standalone, while there are several DTV B:TAS movies (box set!)
3- Digital master, squish and forget
4- Judging by the DVD, Phantasm was not well cared for and needs some work

I have zero doubt that Phantasm is coming, or that if any DC animation will get the rescan for Blu that TAS will be the one. It's sold very well for WB on video, and the art design deserves HD. And that's a shakey reason #5, that it's being held back to pair with a TAS release. The previous was pure speculation mind you

Under the Red Hood IMO was almost as good as Mask of the Phantasm. If you are a fan of MotP, I strongly recommend you check out Under the Red Hood.

My only knock was that Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill did not lend their voice talents. The guy who voiced the Joker underwhelmed me.

[Jeff Kleist]

I saw it, it wasn't bad

Hamill is retiring from Joker after Arkham City

My #1 extra for any future Batman would be a live action short of him and Conroy doing batman and joker. His Bruce/Bats is so much better than bale. Bale's gruff borders on silly, while Conroy just modulated his tone up and down

[Doctorossi]

Hey Jeff,
If you have any contacts within the A&E camp, I'm curious about their near-future plans. Specifically, now that Space: 1999's second (and final) season is on the docket, might they be turning their BD/re-mastering attentions toward UFO?

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

I saw it, it wasn't bad

Hamill is retiring from Joker after Arkham City

My #1 extra for any future Batman would be a live action short of him and Conroy doing batman and joker. His Bruce/Bats is so much better than bale. Bale's gruff borders on silly, while Conroy just modulated his tone up and down

Couldnt have said it better myself. Conroy had the perfect voice for Batman, whenever I read the comics I always imagine its his voice doing the speaking.

Bale's voice is not fit for Batman and never was.

[frank_t]

Originally Posted by SpaceDog

They brought back Elijah Wood for Hobbit just so they could shoot the Tom Bombadil scenes and quiet the masses?

who should play Goldberry?