FOX Things are looking up

[tazpc]

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment today is expected to announce an ambitious slate of Blu-ray Disc (BD) titles, becoming the last of the five big studios supporting the next-generation optical-disc format to unveil specific releases and release dates.

The nine titles will be released worldwide, not just in North America. Topping the list: Ice Age: The Meltdown, which will be released the same day as the standard DVD, Nov. 21 in the United States and Canada and the week of Nov. 13 in Australia and select European countries.

Also on the list: the director’s cut of Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven, due Nov. 14 in North America, Australia and Europe and June 10 in Japan. The release will be one of the industry’s first dual-layer BDs, to accommodate the nearly four-hour running time.

“I reviewed [the film] on Blu-ray Disc, and I was astounded,” Scott said. “It was like looking through a window of clarity. It was the most impressive thing I’ve ever seen.”

Coming to stores on the same day are the seven other Fox titles: Behind Enemy Lines, Fantastic Four, Kiss of the Dragon, The Omen (666), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Speed and The Transporter.

In the United States, all titles will list for $39.98 — about $10 more than initial BD releases by Lionsgate, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video. Unlike most of the early Blu-ray releases from other studios, a number of Fox titles take full advantage of the format’s high-definition technology and Java-based interactivity, with AVC (MPEG-4 compression) and HD “Lossless” Audio.

Fox titles with AVC are Behind Enemy Lines, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Speed.

Only one other studio, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, is releasing BD titles with the advanced codec: Eight Below and Great Raid, both due Sept. 19.

Fox also is expected to announce today the release of four BD titles from MGM, which it is now distributing. The Usual Suspects and Windtalkers are due Nov. 28, followed on Dec. 5 by Rocky and Bulletproof Monk.

The timing of the Fox and MGM releases coincides with the expected release of the Sony PlayStation 3 video game console, which Blu-ray backers believe will give the fledgling format the momentum to soar past rival HD DVD.

[Knight-Errant]

woohoo, system sellers!

[mainman]

So Behind Enemy Lines, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Speed will be AVC (which is a good thing) annd Eight Below and Great Raid will be VC-1.

And all the rest of the titles will be MPEG2?

If I understood correctly.

[ProvenFlipper]

Originally Posted by mainman

So Behind Enemy Lines, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Speed will be AVC (which is a good thing) annd Eight Below and Great Raid will be VC-1.

And all the rest of the titles will be MPEG2?

If I understood correctly.

The whole article is talking about AVC... VC-1 was never brought up. Eight Below and Great Raid are going to be AVC. I don't know if it's safe to say that MPEG-2 is going to be used for the rest of them, because Disney has been reported to be using both AVC and VC-1.

[Jazar]

We want X-men!

Glad to hear BD-J being used this year.

[JTK]

Amazing!

Among other things: That Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut disc will be in my hands the first second it hits the streets. Wow!

[marzetta7]

H.264/AVC/MPEG4 goodness! Sahhhhweeet!

[JTK]

Originally Posted by marzetta7

H.264/AVC/MPEG4 goodness! Sahhhhweeet!

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...7117#post17117


Don't be a "codec nazi."

[marzetta7]

Originally Posted by JTK

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...7117#post17117


Don't be a "codec nazi."

Hahahaha. I'm just happy they got the ball rolling with MPEG4, as I'm partial to this codec over VC-1.

[JTK]

Originally Posted by marzetta7

Hahahaha. I'm just happy they got the ball rolling with MPEG4, as I'm partial to this codec over VC-1.

Either one is great by me. As long as they make sure the masters are up to snuff...it's all good!

[phloyd]

Some nice titles there. Shame abou the price. Also nice that we will apparently see BD-J and BD50 before the year is out.

[zombie]

Originally Posted by tazpc

Also on the list: the director’s cut of Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven, due Nov. 14 in North America, Australia and Europe and June 10 in Japan. The release will be one of the industry’s first dual-layer BDs, to accommodate the nearly four-hour running time.

“I reviewed [the film] on Blu-ray Disc, and I was astounded,” Scott said. “It was like looking through a window of clarity. It was the most impressive thing I’ve ever seen.”

Now that's what I want to hear about BD titles. Guess it's time for me to figure out which BD player I want.

[zombie]

In the words of Ronald Reagan,

"There you go again" - Fox pricing their movies higher than the other studios have. Thanks a lot Fox, it's DVD pricing all over again. That's the only disappointing part of this article IMO.

[BTBuck1]

**** it, i'll pay $40 a disc if they exceed HDDVD!!!

No Just kidding,

But really I will!

[JTK]

Originally Posted by nyg

In the words of Ronald Reagan,

"There you go again" - Fox pricing their movies higher than the other studios have. Thanks a lot Fox, it's DVD pricing all over again. That's the only disappointing part of this article IMO.

You won't give a damn if someone like Ridley Scott is that blown away AND the final product matches that experience.

That being said...who says we have to pay MSRP?

[zombie]

Originally Posted by JTK

You won't give a damn if someone like Ridley Scott is that blown away AND the final product matches that experience.

That being said...who says we have to pay MSRP?

True I don't pay MSRP but I will still be paying more for Fox titles than those from other studios. How exactly is the average Fox title "worth more" than the average Warner title for instance?

BTW, I love Gladiator but overall I'm not a fan of Scott's work including Kingdom Of Heaven which seemed dragged out and dull to me.

[Dave]

Fox announces first Blu-ray releases: 8 titles, BD-J, MPEG-4 AVC, 50GB

• Behind Enemy Lines:

BD-J authored, DTS HD Lossless Master Audio and MPEG-4 compression. Includes several director commentaries and HD trailers for coming BD releases.

• Fantastic Four:

DTS HD Lossless Master Audio, HD Trailers, HDMV authored.

• Kingdom of Heaven (Directors Cut):

50GB dual-layer Blu-ray disc to accommodate the 3 hour 42 minute movie DTS HD Master Lossless Audio, HDMV authored.

• Kiss of the Dragon:

Director commentaries, HDMV authored, HD Trailers.

• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen:

BD-J authored, MPEG-4 AVC compression, special features including search index by actor/character/location and more, a first-person shooter game, up to 99 bookmarks, pop up animated trivia game and HD trailers.

• The Omen (666):

DTS HD Lossless Master Audio, director commentaries plus BD-exclusive pop-up trivia track The Devils Footnotes exploring the history of 666.

• Speed:

BD-J authored, DTS HD Lossless Master Audio, 56 category search index, Speed: Take Down Java game with six play modes and HD trailers.

• The Transporter:

DTS HD Lossless Master Audio, HDMV authored, director commentaries, HD trailers.


HD BEAT > http://www.hdbeat.com/2006/08/31/fox...-avc/#comments

[zombie]

Dave,

I've merged your thread here since this topic is already being discussed. Your post does include a lot of additional info though so thanks for posting it.

[BTBuck1]

Originally Posted by JTK

That being said...who says we have to pay MSRP?

tru dat, I have bought 14 blu ray titles so far, paid MSRP -zero- times.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by nyg

Dave,

I've merged your thread here since this topic is already being discussed. Your post does include a lot of additional info though so thanks for posting it.

Ahhh 10x!
I just wondered what i messed up because it was not apearing
10 again !