"Club Penton" - Ask questions to Hollywood insider "Penton-Man"

[Dotpattern]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

I believe the source negative of Kwai is damaged, don't know about navarone

Thanks, Wicky!

[blitz6speed]

Could someone perhaps let us know how much the last release of Lawrence on DVD actually sold so we have some kind of ballpark?

[Ian_S]

Originally Posted by Dotpattern

Wicky (or Penton - whoever gets it first),

The LoA DVD looks pretty good and I believe the film itself has gone through some extensive restorative processes over the years so I can only imagine the BD will look amazing. But speaking of River Kwai, or even Guns of Navarone, the DVDs have never been impressive.

Do you know if this is due to the source or bad transfers to DVD? And how do you think these will translate onto BD?

Can't answer for how they will look on BD, but having seen all of them LoA included on UK satellite HDTV which uses AVC at reasonable bitrates (up to 20mbps) they all looked pretty good. Guns looked the weakest, esp. with all the night shots but I'm pretty sure that's just how the film is. LoA and BoRK looked superb IMO, as do Zulu and The Italian Job. The latter with plenty of Italian mountain scenery at the end looked almost brand new. IF further work has been done since then on restoration then I reckon people will be amazed, if those were from the restored masters then you will still be pretty pleased given the age of the material. All IMO of course.

[Cruyff14]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

There simply aren't enough classic film lovers with decks yet.

One wonders why... Could it be that there is not enough content available to pull those people in? And the message that the studios currently send out to classic movie lovers (with the exception of Warner) is not a positive one; only modern movies get a day-and-date release on BD with the SD while classics do not.
Ironically, classic movies lovers usually have a higher disposable income than the currently targeted demographic but I guess a studio like Sony must be real happy with the sales of for instance Daddy Day Camp and I Know Who Killed Me because they keep on releasing these quality films.

[1974]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

There simply aren't enough classic film lovers with decks yet. In a few years there will be. IN the meantime, buy PTI to show them that the Lean lovers are in full force, and buy River Kwai when it hits (hopefully still later this year)

I believe that too, but David Boulet is not buying it. It's just not enough old farts like myself or young people with classic film interest buying titles such as Close Encounters. People forget that this film came out the same year as the first Star Wars and in many ways is a better film.

[HDJK]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I attended a 3D get-together in Hollywood last evening and one of the panelists gave me a link to pass onto all you 3D nuts out there. I haven’t watched it but here it is……….

http://www.hdeducation.com/virtual/p...Vangaurds.html

Very interesting. Thanks for the link.

[mhafner]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

When I get the time, and after a re-read if I think it adds value to the discussion, I will scan and then post for your perusal.

Looking forward to it.

[mhafner]

Originally Posted by spicynacho

There was a story on NPR this morning about Steffan Sonnenberg (sp?) who is a digital colorist. They said that they were among the most unsung heroes of the movie industry and I believe it, when I got in, I googled his name and didn't find anything. It sounds like they do "airbrushing" for video, among other effects.

http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0814406/

[Icemage]

I think one of the biggest worries that Sony probably has for LoA is the sales numbers for Casablanca on HD DVD. I think most of us can agree that Casablanca is a good comparison to Lawrence of Arabia; they're both fantastic films, they are universally well known and liked, and they're both quite old.

Bear in mind that the common wisdom indicates that the HD DVD standalone ownership skewed more heavily toward a demographic that would know and remember such a classic title.

It was released on November 14, 2006, and according to the Nielsen data that Sony released back around this time last year (late March 2007), it had sold 2,336 copies on HD DVD to a projected install base of perhaps 250,000 users.

Granted, Nielsen doesn't have 100% coverage; they claim 66%, so we can add half again that number, up to maybe 3.5K copies realistically sold domestically, but that's still pretty dismal.

Of course, Blu-ray's install base these days is several times larger than that, but the base attach rate is so low - and for a demographic that "should" have skewed higher - that I'm not surprised that most of the studios have been a little concerned about releasing the classics. Sony with LoA is no exception - and if CE3K was disappointing in sales numbers (I wish it weren't so, since I have it and it's absolutely brilliant), then the only logical thing for the studios to do is keep doing what Penton-Man has been saying - release only as much as they can financially bear to draw in a larger demographic, and in due time.

[bferr1]

Hi Penton,

I saw your post over in paid's thread about your SCEA contact and thought this might be a question you could please pass on to him. I was wondering why the PS3 doesn't upconvert 480p and 1080i video on Blu-ray discs to 1080p and instead outputs it in its native resolution. Everything else, from DVDs to video clips saved on the XMB, is upconverted, so this seems more like an oversight than anything else. Is there any technical reason why the PS3 can't do this upconversion? If not, can this be a feature that's added by firmware update?

Thanks,
Bryan

[desmond]

Hi P-Man:

Good news about DTS! Current firmware upgrade mentions "Mosquito Noise Reduction". Is this a DNR for BR playback?

[Penton-Man]

I received a truckload of PM’s about an AVS “issue” as it seems like the Pooper has been Pooping on my posts there again. (Also, thanks goes to the members here who are concurrent members of hometheaterforum.com for the links ).

Specially, I’m speaking about this post I made that was apparently ravaged last night or this a.m…………………………
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showp...1&postcount=33

^ ^ ^
Well, that’s not fair. We here on the blu-ray.com forum routinely post direct links to AVS on a wide variety of topics for additional background/information. Goodness me, AVS does not need to worry about losing any more membership to our little ole forum if someone is tempted to step over the AVS fence……I think they’ve got a rather solid residual base.

However, I believe that they may want to take a page from hometheaterforum.com which is considered by everyone I speak to in the industry as being a far superior forum in terms of accurate knowledge and credible opinions. HTF apparently are not afraid of losing membership by providing links to us. Cheers goes to HTF, whom on the contrary to AVS, doesn’t behave like an online North Korean state.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...l-no-more.html

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...e-screens.html

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Dotpattern

Wicky (or Penton - whoever gets it first),

The LoA DVD looks pretty good and I believe the film itself has gone through some extensive restorative processes over the years so I can only imagine the BD will look amazing. But speaking of River Kwai, or even Guns of Navarone.........

See…………..
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...&postcount=751

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by desmond

Hi P-Man:

Good news about DTS! Current firmware upgrade mentions "Mosquito Noise Reduction". Is this a DNR for BR playback?

Sorry, I know nothing about the current firmware upgrade.

[WickyWoo]

I think one of the biggest worries that Sony probably has for LoA is the sales numbers for Casablanca on HD DVD. I think most of us can agree that Casablanca is a good comparison to Lawrence of Arabia; they're both fantastic films, they are universally well known and liked, and they're both quite old.

Adventures of Robin Hood, the most popular and accessible classic film out there on HD has sold under 1000 copies on HD DVD. Casablanca hasn't done much better, and who knows how bad Mutiny on the Bounty did

That's not even CLOSE to break even point on these discs, and even if you assumed 2-1, 2500 copies total? That's disgraceful for these wonderful films

The audience for the majority of these films is over 40, and more likely over 50. Most of them simply haven't bought into the necessary equipment. I would rather that they have the budget to make these films shine, and to make a lot of money so they do more and wait a little longer

Robin Hood is coming soon to BD, and I'll be first in line.

[Mr. Cinema]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Adventures of Robin Hood, the most popular and accessible classic film out there on HD has sold under 1000 copies on HD DVD. Casablanca hasn't done much better, and who knows how bad Mutiny on the Bounty did

That's not even CLOSE to break even point on these discs, and even if you assumed 2-1, 2500 copies total? That's disgraceful for these wonderful films

The audience for the majority of these films is over 40, and more likely over 50. Most of them simply haven't bought into the necessary equipment. I would rather that they have the budget to make these films shine, and to make a lot of money so they do more and wait a little longer

Robin Hood is coming soon to BD, and I'll be first in line.

I know costs vary on titles, but roughly, how many discs does a studio need to sell in order to see any sort of profit? Are studios making money on all of their day and date titles?

Regarding older titles, how well has Blade Runner done for Warners? I thought I've read on other forums that it's sold fairly well for a HD title. They seem to be at the front when it comes to releasing older films. Although I eagerly await that 2-disc Patton BD from Fox this Summer.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I received a truckload of PM’s about an AVS “issue” as it seems like the Pooper has been Pooping on my posts there again. (Also, thanks goes to the members here who are concurrent members of hometheaterforum.com for the links ).

Specially, I’m speaking about this post I made that was apparently ravaged last night or this a.m…………………………
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showp...1&postcount=33

^ ^ ^
Well, that’s not fair. We here on the blu-ray.com forum routinely post direct links to AVS on a wide variety of topics for additional background/information. Goodness me, AVS does not need to worry about losing anymore membership to our little ole forum if someone is tempted to step over the AVS fence……I think they’ve got a rather solid residual base.

However, I believe that they may want to take a page from hometheaterforum.com which is considered by everyone I speak to in the industry as being a far superior forum in terms of accurate knowledge and credible opinions. HTF apparently are not afraid of losing membership by providing links to us. Cheers goes to HTF, whom on the contrary to AVS, doesn’t behave like an online North Korean state.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...l-no-more.html

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...e-screens.html

But, there's been an awful LOT of red bias at HTF with all of the moderators.

[ranma]

Penton, I think you should already know that a certain software company claimed that they defeated BD+ yesterday. And what's your comments and
what do you think of this to impact studios' decisions?

Thank you.

[Dotpattern]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

See…………..
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...&postcount=751

Wow, Penton, thanks! I completely missed that post! But that is great news as far as I'm concerned. I just watched Guns again over the weekend. It's such a great effing movie I could easily keep watching my Superbit copy...but when it does get a BD release...

[WickyWoo]

I know costs vary on titles, but roughly, how many discs does a studio need to sell in order to see any sort of profit? Are studios making money on all of their day and date titles?

With classic titles, you need to factor in the costs of restoration.

A DVD costs about $8000 assuming you're not doing anything fancy to finish the master disc, before pressing or advertising

A Blu-ray is easily in the 20-30,000 range at this time, If for no other reason than there aren't enough authoring houses, and everyone is still paying off their new gear. Combine that with the time investment (OK, these discs will sell, 5000 in the first month, could their time be spent better on a 10,000 title?) and you see why this is an issue, especially when they're still building the base of the pyramid of the catalog.