"My Fair Lady" -- any news of a Blu-Ray release??

[Ponder Stibbons]

Hey everyone,

I'd love to pick up My Fair Lady on DVD, but since buying a blu-ray player, I've been holding off on picking it up, because I think it'd make a smashing blu-ray release!

Anyone have any idea if this title is on the planning board anywhere?? And if not, are there any potential issues blocking its release?

And if no blu-ray release is imminent, which of the regular DVD releases is recommended??

Cheers,
Ponder

[Rizor]

They might be waiting for the remake that's in development right now.

[RBBrittain]

Originally Posted by Ponder Stibbons

Hey everyone,

I'd love to pick up My Fair Lady on DVD, but since buying a blu-ray player, I've been holding off on picking it up, because I think it'd make a smashing blu-ray release!

Anyone have any idea if this title is on the planning board anywhere?? And if not, are there any potential issues blocking its release?

And if no blu-ray release is imminent, which of the regular DVD releases is recommended??

Cheers,
Ponder

No word yet on a BD release. The DVD rights passed from Warner to Paramount just last year (CBS, who produced the original Broadway musical, owns the film); Paramount decided to issue it only on DVD.

The most recent film restoration of MFL (1994) has already deteriorated in some places, as shown in subsequent DVD releases; that's why the 1997 WB snapper-case DVD (made shortly after the restoration) is often considered better than the 2004 WB 2-disc "40th Anniversary" DVD. However, Paramount's DVD transfer is considered better than the 2004 one as well.

The best odds for seeing it on BD anytime soon are if Paramount decides to give it the Sapphire Series treatment; but that will likely require another major restoration, similar to The African Queen or The Coppola Restoration of Godfathers I & II. (If those are any indication, Paramount will contract that out to MPI, which ironically is owned by WB.)

Remember, this is an Eastmancolor negative, like every Best Picture since 1956 (except The Apartment and the majority of Schindler's List, both B&W). Early (pre-1970's) Eastmancolor negatives are the hardest kind of film to restore due to fading and poor archival techniques. That, plus the financial troubles of MGM (who owns half the Best Pictures of that decade), is why *NO* Best Picture from the 1960's has made it to BD yet (though The Sound of Music is supposedly coming this year). The only other Oscar decade not yet represented on BD is the 1920's (and even that one is if you count Sunrise's "Unique & Artistic Picture" Oscar as a Best Picture).

[Ponder Stibbons]

Originally Posted by RBBrittain

No word yet on a BD release. The DVD rights passed from Warner to Paramount just last year (CBS, who produced the original Broadway musical, owns the film); Paramount decided to issue it only on DVD.

The most recent film restoration of MFL (1994) has already deteriorated in some places, as shown in subsequent DVD releases; that's why the 1997 WB snapper-case DVD (made shortly after the restoration) is often considered better than the 2004 WB 2-disc "40th Anniversary" DVD. However, Paramount's DVD transfer is considered better than the 2004 one as well.

The best odds for seeing it on BD anytime soon are if Paramount decides to give it the Sapphire Series treatment; but that will likely require another major restoration, similar to The African Queen or The Coppola Restoration of Godfathers I & II. (If those are any indication, Paramount will contract that out to MPI, which ironically is owned by WB.)

Remember, this is an Eastmancolor negative, like every Best Picture since 1956 (except The Apartment and the majority of Schindler's List, both B&W). Early (pre-1970's) Eastmancolor negatives are the hardest kind of film to restore due to fading and poor archival techniques. That, plus the financial troubles of MGM (who owns half the Best Pictures of that decade), is why *NO* Best Picture from the 1960's has made it to BD yet (though The Sound of Music is supposedly coming this year). The only other Oscar decade not yet represented on BD is the 1920's (and even that one is if you count Sunrise's "Unique & Artistic Picture" Oscar as a Best Picture).

Thank you for that detailed response, as well as the reasons for the film's deterioration (which I had heard about to an extent).

The version of My Fair Lady that I'm considering, appears to be the "Warners snapper case" from 1997, and it's still sealed in its original shrinkwrap, for $5.00. Is the sound quality of this one considered to be superior to the other two releases, like the picture quality is, do you know?

Cheers,
Ponder

[SpaceDog]

I'm sorry to hear that this is in Paramount's hands. I would imagine we'd get a lush, fully restored special edition if WB were in charge. With Paramount, they don't seem interested in bringing catalog to blu-ray much at all, and their track record is only so-so in terms of quality.

[Batman1980]

Come on Criterion, save us! This is one catalog I'd be willing to pay $30 for!

[SpaceDog]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

Come on Criterion, save us! This is one catalog I'd be willing to pay $30 for!

It'll never go Criterion. The assett is worth too much to whomever owns it outright.