An Universal's title BR to release in Japan

[56@Yamamoto]

"Cinderella Man" Blue-ray is to release in Japan Feb.2007.
Buena Vista holds a right of this MIRAMAX's movie in Japan, therefore it is released by BR.
Given the fact that video codec of this BR is VC-1, Buena Vista (Japan) seems to use the same video data of North American HD DVD. But this title is another BD-50 and using its capacity effectively, its soundtrack consists of PCM5.1ch English, PCM 5.1ch Japanease and DD5.1ch English, Japanease, Spanish, Portuguese and Thai.(It is a plan by the present.)

It is the same BR region cord between North America and Japan, so you can purchase this from amazon.co.jp, for example.

[Dave]

Universal will release for Blu-Ray?

Thanks! This is great news!
If this comes true, soon hd dvd will lose its only 100% supporting studio

[56@Yamamoto]

Please calm down. This is an exceptional example.

[Josh]

Good find. I wonder if they will put English menus on these releases?

[JTK]

Originally Posted by 56@Yamamoto

Please calm down. This is an exceptional example.

First, baby steps. I'll take it.

[WriteSimply]

Originally Posted by Dave

Universal will release for Blu-Ray?

Thanks! This is great news!
If this comes true, soon hd dvd will lose its only 100% supporting studio

Only for select titles. You have to realize that most independent movies have cobbled together different financiers to make the film. That is one hurdle. The next hurdle, and one that determines which studio will distribute the home video release, is getting a studio to distribute it theatrically.

So in the UK and Japan, some Universal titles are distributed by some other companies. This is why you get Brokeback from the UK and Cinderella Man in Japan. That is why Paramount distributes Titanic in the US but Fox gets the rest of the world.


fuad

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by WriteSimply

That is why Paramount distributes Titanic in the US but Fox gets the rest of the world.

My 3-disc Titanic with the DTS:ES 6.1 on it has both Paramount and Fox's logos on it. Hopefully Fox will have the main say in the audio menus for the Blu-ray release in North America.

[Dave]

I see. It is still better than nothing

[Knight-Errant]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

My 3-disc Titanic with the DTS:ES 6.1 on it has both Paramount and Fox's logos on it. Hopefully Fox will have the main say in the audio menus for the Blu-ray release in North America.

Well Titanic does have the almighty Fox thump-thump at the start doesn't it?

[56@Yamamoto]

In fact, the presense of HD DVD is very weak in Japanese market. The sales of Toshiba's player and recorder from Japanease launch day is under ten thousands (already outsold by Panasonic BR recorder only, without PS3) , and Xbox360 has been DOA at day one and no sign of revival.
It seems that possibility of a monopoly by Blu-ray is high. If it becomes so, Universal cannot but come to release their titles in BR at least for Japanease market.

And, the same region cord, again.

[zombie]

Originally Posted by 56@Yamamoto

In fact, the presense of HD DVD is very weak in Japanese market. The sales of Toshiba's player and recorder from Japanease launch day is under ten thousands (already outsold by Panasonic BR recorder only, without PS3) , and Xbox360 has been DOA at day one and no sign of revival.
It seems that possibility of a monopoly by Blu-ray is high. If it becomes so soon, Universal cannot but come to release their titles in BR at least for Japanease market.

And, the same region cord, again.

Good points. Universal releasing on BD in Japan long before releasing in the USA certainly seems probable. It'd be very interesting to watch happen as well.

[Chris Beveridge]

Originally Posted by nyg

Good points. Universal releasing on BD in Japan long before releasing in the USA certainly seems probable. It'd be very interesting to watch happen as well.

It's pretty likely though not ideal for US consumers since pricing is higher. But if you just have a couple of key titles and they make them available, it is an option.

That said, it's not all rosy in Japan. I'm hearing more rumblings of digital distribution being looked at more - which surprises me since I believe the infrastucture simply is not there yet unless they intend to do it via satellite - and both formats may get a pass overall.