So, what is the deal with so called 'catalog titles'?

[Jim Purcell]

As studios pump out more and more titles to meet BD's rapidly growing demand, we of course are seeing more and more 'catalog titles' hitting shelves every week. Movies we've seen before, in other formats (DVD, VHS), generally with no new bells or whistles except the promise of high-def picture and sound. Often times with varied and questionable results. To the point that I often avoid so called 'catalog titles' without extensively checking their VQ and AQ reviews here.

So my question is this, what process are studios generally going through to pump out these catalog titles? I have a hunch that in most cases, studios are simply reusing their old digital remasters they produced back in DVD's hey-day. Only now they're slightly less digitally compressed on BD, so you get marginally better picture. Because the source hasn't been remastered with High-Def in mind. For that studios would AGAIN have to go back to the original film stock and remaster it yet again. High profile movies like Saving Private Ryan, Apollo 13, etc... often times get this treatment, and a big hoop-de-doo when they are rereleased. But most of the time most catalog titles don't. They're just simply slapped on BD with the best available digital master source available, and kicked out the door.

Is this a remotely accurate assumption, when concerning catalog titles?

And is this a practice we should support? I know I've had questionable experiences with catalog titles; The Warriors and Dark City, in particular. They look okay, but not as great as some movies from the same eras that have gonna far more high-profile releases.

[Jezza]

I think it all depend on how... 'big' the release is, so if it's for an anniversary or is loaded with brand new extras, then I'd say that there has been quite a bit of effort put into the release. If you look at the animated Disney films they are unbelievablely brilliant because effort has been put into them, but take a look at the original T2 release and no efforts has been taken what so ever. This is why whenever I'm looking to buy back-catalog titles, I always look at why sort of packaging and extras it has, just to see if this is a genuine release or some slap-dash job to make a little bit more money.

Anyway, that's how I see it.

[BluBonnet]

The studios and movie distributors in general aren't out to lose money. (Would you be, if you were in their place?)

That's why some titles aren't deemed "worthy" of an extensive remastering, basically it means that they have calculated the estimated sales and they're not going to spend more on re-releasing it on blu-ray than they think they can make back.

Remember blu-ray is still in its infancy, so to speak, and more people are still watching movies on DVD than on blu-ray.

I suppose when/if blu-ray represents more than 50% of all sales and rentals in the home video market, the situation will be quite different, and distributors will see more of an upside to spending a bit more to remaster their libraries. Well, that and perhaps also TV sales as more and more people have HDTV systems.

(Last I checked, a lot of people were still happy watching SD signals on their HDTVs)

Hopefully, it's just a matter of time.

[DJ Manyak]

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

The studios and movie distributors in general aren't out to lose money. (Would you be, if you were in their place?)

That's why some titles aren't deemed "worthy" of an extensive remastering, basically it means that they have calculated the estimated sales and they're not going to spend more on re-releasing it on blu-ray than they think they can make back.

Remember blu-ray is still in its infancy, so to speak, and more people are still watching movies on DVD than on blu-ray.

I suppose when/if blu-ray represents more than 50% of all sales and rentals in the home video market, the situation will be quite different, and distributors will see more of an upside to spending a bit more to remaster their libraries. Well, that and perhaps also TV sales as more and more people have HDTV systems.

(Last I checked, a lot of people were still happy watching SD signals on their HDTVs)

Hopefully, it's just a matter of time.

i agree great post

10+ rep

[steelcity24]

Originally Posted by Jim Purcell

I know I've had questionable experiences with catalog titles; The Warriors and Dark City, in particular.

Hmm, I thought Dark City looked magnificient.

[42041]

Originally Posted by Jim Purcell

So my question is this, what process are studios generally going through to pump out these catalog titles? I have a hunch that in most cases, studios are simply reusing their old digital remasters they produced back in DVD's hey-day. Only now they're slightly less digitally compressed on BD, so you get marginally better picture.

I think that is true in many cases, but these masters were not done at SD resolution, so the upgrade is "real". It's just not the upper limit.