"Scrooge" (1951) Alastair Sim - November 2015

[mattyl149]

Originally Posted by Opdef

That wouldn't be difficult! Try and devise a cover that's worse than that one, there's a true challenge.

I'm back home tomorrow. Challenge accepted

[Opdef]

Let's start by setting the bar low... (note the "clever" use of Christmassy colours")

[CelestialAgent]

Could it possibly be placeholder art? There's no BBFC logos on there either.

[stratford]

As on 30Th October, still nothing from Amazon, looks as genuine as Santa him self

[abudgell]

I contacted Renown and the Blu-ray has been postponed to a date TBA. Instead they are releasing a DVD based on the new 2K restoration which is due out November 23, 2015.

[Baron Blood]

Originally Posted by abudgell

I contacted Renown and the Blu-ray has been postponed to a date TBA. Instead they are releasing a DVD based on the new 2K restoration which is due out November 23, 2015.

Has anyone compared this to the VCI BD's?

[abudgell]

I follow the Facebook page for Renown Pictures, and a Scrooge related post popped up in my feed yesterday. I noticed a comment on the post from someone asking Renown to license the 2K restoration of the film to the BFI for a Blu-ray release, to which a woman named Sarah Cronin-Stanley, who is employed by Renown, responded saying that Renown owns the film outright and doesn't need to license it. She seemed to be a bit confused, so I clarified his comment to her, saying that fans of the film would like to see Renown license the film to a label who would release the 2K restoration on Blu-ray and that many were disappointed when their announced Blu-ray of the film was abruptly cancelled two years ago. I received two responses from her saying:

Andy I can count on one hand the amount of people that ask me for a blu Ray...

we wouldn’t sell enough to warrant the cost

Discouraging, but I encourage anyone who happens to be on Facebook to chime in if they're so inclined to show her that there is interest in seeing the restoration on Blu-ray. Here's the link to the post: https://www.facebook.com/RenownPictu...77278619076808

[Troubled Spirit]

Both the colour and B&W versions of Scrooge from Renown are dreadful and its the same for Tom Browns Schooldays and the Pickwick Papers. The colour versions particularly look to be video transfers and from NTSC at that so they are terrible. The B&W version of TBS at least seems to be a film source and is bearable to view.

I got the US Bluray of Scrooge which seems the best quality at the moment

[John Hodson]

Originally Posted by abudgell

...Discouraging, but I encourage anyone who happens to be on Facebook to chime in if they're so inclined to show her that there is interest in seeing the restoration on Blu-ray. Here's the link to the post: https://www.facebook.com/RenownPictu...77278619076808

Looks like it's been deleted?

[abudgell]

Originally Posted by John Hodson

Looks like it's been deleted?

It has! Bah humbug!

[abudgell]

Originally Posted by Troubled Spirit

Both the colour and B&W versions of Scrooge from Renown are dreadful and its the same for Tom Browns Schooldays and the Pickwick Papers. The colour versions particularly look to be video transfers and from NTSC at that so they are terrible. The B&W version of TBS at least seems to be a film source and is bearable to view.

I got the US Bluray of Scrooge which seems the best quality at the moment

Their previous DVD releases looked dreadful, but they received some funding and, with the help of the BFI, restored the film from the original elements in 2015. A Blu-ray release of this restoration was announced and then abruptly cancelled without explanation. I have the VCI release as well and while it's better than I ever thought the film would look on disc, I think the 2K restoration would look even better.

[Shingster]

It wasn't just her that was making ignorant comments about Blu-ray tbh in fairness, there was someone else under the general renown pictures banner who made a comment like "only 9,999 left" when someone said "I'd buy 10 copies right off the bat if they released a BD", so I would say Renown picture really don't have much of a clue about the enduring popularity and demand of Blu-ray, although I can understand their reticence to actually produce a BD release given the costs.

I posted on their page and within five minutes it went down, so not sure if mine was the straw that broke it tbh! Didn't say anythig rude or aggressive though, just replied to their PR agent's comment that the BD release wasn't worth the cost involved that "that's why people have suggested you sub-license it, at the end of the day you're never going to make money from HD distribution rights that never lead to a BD release and sub-licensing out to BFI ensures that you don't deny the fans the chance to own the film in said format."

[JamesM]

I cannot understand Renown's reluctance to tread the Blu-ray waters. If a compnay like Panamint can put out releases on Blu-ray then I cannot see why Renown cannot. After all, Renown actually own feature films and therefore have no license costs.

[Aclea]

To be honest I can understand the reluctance. Most of their master material is terrible and even though Scrooge is now restored it's a title that's been done to death, either through DD Video's old issues, the numerous Public Domain releases, the version given away with the News of the World, the imported Blus and the fact that it's guaranteed two TV screenings on Channel 5 and probably another one on their own Talking Pictures channel in that dire colorized version at Christmas, so it is a financial risk.

What I can't understand is not licensing it to the BFI, who could add some of the silent Dickens material they have to round out the package.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Aclea

To be honest I can understand the reluctance. Most of their master material is terrible and even though Scrooge is now restored it's a title that's been done to death, either through DD Video's old issues, the numerous Public Domain releases, the version given away with the News of the World, the imported Blus and the fact that it's guaranteed two TV screenings on Channel 5 and probably another one on their own Talking Pictures channel in that dire colorized version at Christmas, so it is a financial risk.

What I can't understand is not licensing it to the BFI, who could add some of the silent Dickens material they have to round out the package.

Exactly, Renown should be licensing Scrooge out for Blu-ray, not making snarky comments on social media about how there isn't a market for it. While Renown probably don't have the wherewithal or resources to release Blu-rays, there very clearly is a market for this particular film, and it's a huge shame that it remains unreleased in its home country.

[Shingster]

Like McCritchy I can understand their reluctance, Blu-ray costs a shit-tonne to author/press and release for a smaller label, but their attitude on that facebook page was surprisingly patronising, they acted like Blu-ray was some dead format and fans were crazy to ask for a release on the format.

[CouncilSpectre]

That naivety pales in comparison to not realising that they could make £££s from just sub-licensing it.

Makes you wonder how they're still in business with that level of financial acumen....

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by CouncilSpectre

That naivety pales in comparison to not realising that they could make £££s from just sub-licensing it.

Of course, we're assuming that the BFI would want to sublicence it or that any other label would take the risk in releasing a title that sells only for a few weeks each year and is willing to offer enough money.

Makes you wonder how they're still in business with that level of financial acumen....

Much like Simply/DD Video, their target market is older people who buy from mailout catalogues on the same kind of mailing lists as Stannah Stairlifts (look at who advertises on their TV channel to get an idea), sunday newspaper ads or TV promotions (the latter a regular on Talking Pictures) - the kind of people who don't shop around for the best prices, aren't as savvy on picture quality or bothered about extras, etc. It's an older market that doesn't behave in the same way as the mainstream new releases and in most cases will only have DVD players. The grey pound is fairly substantial if properly cultivated and I'm assuming that by now they know exactly who their market is very well.

[UseY0ur1llusi0n]

Originally Posted by Opdef

Let's start by setting the bar low... (note the "clever" use of Christmassy colours")

[Show spoiler]