Ask questions to The Digital Bits team (Bill Hunt, Jeff Kleist et.al.)

[cakefoo]

Have there been any numbers that show how the end of HD DVD has affected Blu-ray HW/SW sales?

[Marquoz]

Originally Posted by DigitalfreakNYC

So because all of your so-called friends don't watch them, that means your "majority" means more than anyone else's opinion?

Nice to know you haven't changed.

I've never said PQ/AQ should ever suffer because of extras. There is no excuse for that. Put it on a damn second disc if FIFTY GIGS isn't enough.

I for one if given a choice of a 19.99$ no frills vanilla version or a 24.99$ 2 disc version with tons of extras would always pay the extra 5 dollars for the extras. I've sat and watched tons of commentaries on random movies just to see how they do things. On the one I sat and listened to them talking about how Jet Li did the acting for two distinct martial arts styles. I watched behind the scenes on the Matrix on the computer animation. Recently watched the commentaries on Appleseed. A lot of the commentaries are interesting to see how they went about filming the movie and why things were done the way they were.

Also immediately after the movie, the VERY first thing I do is always check for deleted scenes. Some movies it adds a lot more to the movie, because a scene might have been deleted that is actually still mentioned in the movie itself. I wish I could remember off the top of my head which one I know did that. During the movie, there is an off-handed comment about something, and later when I saw the deleted scenes the comment made sense because that was the scene being referenced.

Other movies, the deleted scenes actually make the movie a LOT better because character development that wasn't deemed important was cut out.

Please don't cut out the extras for those that want it. Toss them on the internet or on a second disk!

[NoQuestion]

Bill,

Read your daily post over on the bits and I saw that Definately, maybe was announced for dvd in June. I realize I may be in the minority here, but I am a little deisappointed that we aren't seeing a Day and Date release on blu. I was hoping that this movies release would have fallen right in time for blu release but its about a month too soon. I know that there first titles are coming in July. Is this a case that they just couldn't get the title ready in time for day-and-date or is it that Uni thinks that it wont sell well at this stage in the game? I would love to have this one on blu. Hopefully it makes it this year as part of the the 40+ titles they are promising.

Thanks for keeping us up to date Bill!!

[Moonraker]

Bill,

Do you think Universal is shooting itself in the foot by releasing The Mummy and The Mummy Returns as Deluxe Edition DVDs on July 8th, two weeks before the Blu-Ray launch?

[HeavyHitter]

I'd also be curious if the Mummy movies are ports or new encodes.

[Caligula]

Where is Mr. Hunt?

[WickyWoo]

Bill stops in when he has time

I'm locking the thread until he returns

[Bill Hunt]

Okay... a quick heads-up from an EXCLUSIVE we posted in The Rumor Mill on the Bits today: Fox will be releasing both Night Watch and Day Watch on Blu-ray Disc in October - that's confirmed with studio sources.

Also, Fox's X-Files: I Want to Believe Blu-ray will have lots of extras. Warner has Get Smart due in December, and may be releasing an L.A. Confidential: 10th Anniversary Edition this summer. Universal is also planning the Back to the Future films for BD release (sometime next year would be the soonest).

Again, we just posted all this on The Bits at this link (also Night and Day Watch art, along with the final Men in Black art from Sony, can be found in the daily My Two Cents column):

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/rumormill.html#042208

I'll check back in later to answer more questions.

[assur191]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

Okay... a quick heads-up: Fox will be releasing both Night Watch and Day Watch on Blu-ray Disc in October. Their X-Files: I Want to Believe Blu-ray will have lots of extras. Warner has Get Smart due in December, and may be releasing an L.A. Confidential: 10th Anniversary Edition this summer. Universal is also planning the Back to the Future films for BD release (sometime next year would be the soonest).

We just posted all this in The Rumor Mill on The Bits (Night and Day Watch ar, along with the final Men in Black art from Sony, can be found in the daily My Two Cents column):

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/rumormill.html#042208

I'll check back in later to answer more questions.

That's awesome about the Back to the Future trilogy!!! Thanks for passing that on. I also read in your daily column that Universal is bring The Mummy and The Mummy Returns in 2-disc special editions on dvd. Are we getting these on blu-ray, too, or just copies of what was on HD-DVD. Thanks.

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

Okay... a quick heads-up from an EXCLUSIVE we posted in The Rumor Mill on the Bits today: Fox will be releasing both Night Watch and Day Watch on Blu-ray Disc in October - that's confirmed with studio sources.

Also, Fox's X-Files: I Want to Believe Blu-ray will have lots of extras. Warner has Get Smart due in December, and may be releasing an L.A. Confidential: 10th Anniversary Edition this summer. Universal is also planning the Back to the Future films for BD release (sometime next year would be the soonest).

Again, we just posted all this on The Bits at this link (also Night and Day Watch art, along with the final Men in Black art from Sony, can be found in the daily My Two Cents column):

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/rumormill.html#042208

I'll check back in later to answer more questions.

Thanks for that info Bill.

[Caligula]

FINALLY! Back to the future trilogy!! The studio will have my money for that trilogy!! FINALLY!! GREAT SCOTT!!

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

Okay... a quick heads-up from an EXCLUSIVE we posted in The Rumor Mill on the Bits today: Fox will be releasing both Night Watch and Day Watch on Blu-ray Disc in October - that's confirmed with studio sources.

Also, Fox's X-Files: I Want to Believe Blu-ray will have lots of extras. Warner has Get Smart due in December, and may be releasing an L.A. Confidential: 10th Anniversary Edition this summer. Universal is also planning the Back to the Future films for BD release (sometime next year would be the soonest).

Again, we just posted all this on The Bits at this link (also Night and Day Watch art, along with the final Men in Black art from Sony, can be found in the daily My Two Cents column):

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/rumormill.html#042208

I'll check back in later to answer more questions.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

Also, Fox's X-Files: I Want to Believe Blu-ray will have lots of extras.

Bill,

Is it reasonable to think the first X-Files movie will be released on Blu with the new movie?

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by elwaylite

Bill, I saw a few pages back where you stated we would be very pleased when Paramount made their plans known. I have a question for you IF you can answer it.

Cloverfield is now out and this is one I want to buy, should I buy the dvd now or just wait

You'd frankly be smart to wait. It'll be out eventually, probably sooner rather than later.

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

Does the credit crisis significantly affect Blu-ray releases?

I don't think so. Look how many huge titles are coming out this summer. Those will all be on Blu-ray in time for Christmas. And every studio is telling me that their Blu-ray output will increase in 2009, particularly in terms of major catalog titles.

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Nope, studio decision, it was deemed that people would buy Top Gun whether they included extras or not. It was cheaper not to, you know what Paramount are like...

It also gives the studio the chance to double-dip later, which is inevitable.

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by DigitalfreakNYC

Correct.

It was their first attempt at screwing the consumer.

The only other studios who do it are Fox and Sony (who, admittedly, doesn't do it as much any more).

Ah... I think this is pretty unfair. It's a very new format, and as someone pointed out, MOST people don't care about extras. This will change as enthusiasts demand it.

[Caligula]

Originally Posted by Caligula

The Digital Bits is reporting that Image Entertainment is set to release the film 'Caligula' on Blu-ray later this year or early next, with other titles to be announced soon. If you don't know what 'Caligula' is, don't worry, most don't. The film was financed in part by Penthouse and goes into great detail of the reported sexual deviances of Roman Emperor Gaius Julius Germanicus. No specs have been announced at this time, or what version of the film will be printed to disc. We'll keep you up to do date when we hear more.


Any UPDATE about this movie? Can you find out when Image Entertainment is going to release. (this is early next year) Q1 is almost over. I am hoping for unrated and remastered 4 discs set.
WHATS UP? :rock

sorry ,.. just in case mr hunt overlooked this one! I TRULY WANT IT ON BLU!!!!!!

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by Geoff Gibson

I would guess much of the money is financed -- which is investment by debt. Not unlike many other american businesses! America's hottest new product - DEBT - if you don't allready have it you will . . . .

Correct.

[elwaylite]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

You'd frankly be smart to wait. It'll be out eventually, probably sooner rather than later.

Thanks.

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by NoQuestion

Bill,

Read your daily post over on the bits and I saw that Definately, maybe was announced for dvd in June. I realize I may be in the minority here, but I am a little deisappointed that we aren't seeing a Day and Date release on blu. I was hoping that this movies release would have fallen right in time for blu release but its about a month too soon. I know that there first titles are coming in July. Is this a case that they just couldn't get the title ready in time for day-and-date or is it that Uni thinks that it wont sell well at this stage in the game? I would love to have this one on blu. Hopefully it makes it this year as part of the the 40+ titles they are promising.

Thanks for keeping us up to date Bill!!

Definitely, Maybe could still get a Blu-ray release, but you have to remember, that it isn't exactly the kind of title that will be at the top of the list for release on a new format. I don't know what the sales figures for romantic comedies are on BD, but I'm guessing they're not high.