Warner Archive Collection Blu-ray Discussion Thread

[Benoit Blanc]

Originally Posted by Hammerlover

This would be huge and a day one purchase for me. Another dream release would be the Fleischer/Famous Studios Superman cartoons.

Available in this set.

Originally Posted by Rzzzz

[Show spoiler]

I've never hated the word didn't more. Imagine hiding that glorious chest, even for a second. How dare you, didn't?!

Originally Posted by Strumm

Leviathan told me in a message a few hours ago he would quite this publicly until another set was announced. I expected him to break his promise quickly

Revealing anything anyone says to you privately is a dick move.

Originally Posted by Leviathan

I'm done.

I'm really done.

Originally Posted by darrellmaclaine

It just amuses me that the infamous 'worst looking WAC release', even despite its problems, still presents those cartoons in higher quality than virtually all the Disney shorts are or have ever been available in. And even then those are mostly on Treasures discs which are, largely, literally impossible to get now outside of piracy.

Is an overly-DNR'd streaming master of a Tex Avery cartoon in print on physical media in 2022 really worse than a soft, 4:3, standard-def, letterboxed-Cinemascope master of a Humphrey The Bear cartoon struck in the laserdisc days and released once on a limited edition mail order DVD that now goes for $200+ on eBay?

All I'm saying is if I could get all that Disney stuff right now in quality akin to the Tex Avery Vol 2 set, I would. WAC's low bar would be a high bar for any other studio with a shorts library.

Is this the longest question ever asked in the history of long question asking?

[Guy LeDouche]

Originally Posted by Strumm

I'd like to also point out, even with a few flaws, Volume 3 was mostly a return to the standard. As much as I hope they fix the poor half of Volume 2, it won't be next

I also wonder if the next set may be The Bugs Bunny Show, but it seems unlikely because of just off its been (the original color negs have been cut to pieces, accessing color material in Europe). I also wonder how the cartoons shown in the show itself would be presented, as well as original commercials

They've said in the past that The Bugs Bunny Show and The Banana Splits are the series they want to do most in regards of animation... So, not a bad guess!

Here's a timestamped Warner Archive podcast from 2020 where Feltsenstein discusses his desire to release The Bugs Bunny Show but the difficulties that would entail (if anyone's interested).
> https://play.acast.com/s/2e1cae87-6e....mp3?seek=1670

[apearson28]

For all of you that bought Singing in the Rain 4k: included with the disc is a card with a link to a survey that I would encourage you all to take part in! If you did not, go buy it just to fill out the survey! I am not affiliated with Warner but just bought the movie and completed the survey myself. It asks questions about your preferences towards physical media, streaming, interest in classics, etc. and is likely to impact how and what Warner Bros does in the future with its catalog! Let them know that we want to keep buying and supporting classic film in the best format possible!

[EVOLVIST]

I'll tell you what's actually crap but not crap from WAC.

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949). The story was junk, but that's beside the point. The image is kind of dookie, yet at the same time, a lesser studio would have tried to "correct" "issues" with the DNR wand on the opticals (and there are tons of opticals), but WAC left them pretty much alone. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that.

It was a blind buy, as I was in the mood for some Marion Morrison, but I think the PQ was not as good as the reviews indicate. Thats okay, though. It goes toward my Three-strip Technicolor collection. Moreover, it serves an an excellent example of scanning the source, restoring the work, and not jacking with the film to "beautify" it.

[Guy LeDouche]

Originally Posted by guyverdad30

Does anyone know if they are going to put out more Tarzan movies on Blu ray?

Back in 2020 Feltsenstein had this to say about Tarzan on blu, "It is absolutely our intention to bring more of the Tarzan movies to blu-ray... Right now we don't have anything on the immediate docket... But I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing more next year or the year after."


Timestamped Warner Archive podcast discussing Tarzan.
> https://play.acast.com/s/2e1cae87-6e....mp3?seek=2747

[gpn]

Originally Posted by Benoit Blanc

Available in this set.

Only in SD.

[EVOLVIST]

Originally Posted by apearson28

For all of you that bought Singing in the Rain 4k: included with the disc is a card with a link to a survey that I would encourage you all to take part in! If you did not, go buy it just to fill out the survey! I am not affiliated with Warner but just bought the movie and completed the survey myself. It asks questions about your preferences towards physical media, streaming, interest in classics, etc. and is likely to impact how and what Warner Bros does in the future with its catalog! Let them know that we want to keep buying and supporting classic film in the best format possible!

Thanks for the heads up. I didn't even see the survey in my packaging.

The only problem is, it asked my age, then my occupation, and that's as far as it went. After choosing my occupation the survey thanked me for my time and showed me the door.

[Benoit Blanc]

Originally Posted by gpn

Only in SD.

Really? Shit.

Originally Posted by EVOLVIST

Thanks for the heads up. I didn't even see the survey in my packaging.

The only problem is, it asked my age, then my occupation, and that's as far as it went. After choosing my occupation the survey thanked me for my time and showed me the door.

What the hell do you do?!

[filmlover22]

I am sure that was related to the age question. I have gotten a lot of survey that once it knows my age it ends.

[Gmamalis6]

I don't believe that those Warner Bros movies are still not on Blu-ray. Just like with True Lies and The Abyss from 20th Century Fox/Disney:
1) Mike's Murder (1984)
2) Private Benjamin (1980)
3) The Secret Garden (1993)
4) A Little Princess (1995)
5) The Boy Who Could Fly (1986)
I don't understand, why Warner Bros still releases films from 30s and 40s only and not from other decade under it's Archive Collection?

[mep]

Originally Posted by Gmamalis6

I don't believe that those Warner Bros movies are still not on Blu-ray. Just like with True Lies and The Abyss from 20th Century Fox/Disney:
1) Mike's Murder (1984)
2) Private Benjamin (1980)
3) The Secret Garden (1993)
4) A Little Princess (1995)
5) The Boy Who Could Fly (1986)
I don't understand, why Warner Bros still releases films from 30s and 40s only and not from other decade under it's Archive Collection?

They literally only released 80s movies in the last month, you‘re aware of that? I love the 80s and would buy Private Benjamin Day One, but I would say, there are way more noteworthy movies left from the 30s or 40s, than from the 80s…

[jkoffman]

Originally Posted by Gmamalis6

I don't understand, why Warner Bros still releases films from 30s and 40s only and not from other decade under it's Archive Collection?

I know it might feel that way to you, but WAC has released about 70 titles from the 50s to the 90s. I imagine their priority is restoring older films in greater need of preservation. There could be more funding available for those projects as well.

A couple of 80s examples from just last month.

[Gunsnroses092789]

Originally Posted by Gmamalis6

I don't believe that those Warner Bros movies are still not on Blu-ray. Just like with True Lies and The Abyss from 20th Century Fox/Disney:
1) Mike's Murder (1984)
2) Private Benjamin (1980)
3) The Secret Garden (1993)
4) A Little Princess (1995)
5) The Boy Who Could Fly (1986)
I don't understand, why Warner Bros still releases films from 30s and 40s only and not from other decade under it's Archive Collection?

Also, it can also be as simple as that the head of the archive team is just a big fan of the 30s and 40s— and thank god for that!

[Aclea]

Mikes Murder was a flop that was massively restructured and re-edited by the studio. A restoration of James Bridges' original reverse chronology cut would be expensive and incredibly difficult to make any financial case for (it doesn't help that the director, producers and editor are no longer with us) and just releasing the theatrical cut would get flack for 'not doing it properly.' A label like Criterion or Shout might get away with it, especially if they could find a workprint of the original cut in the unlikely event it still exists, but it feels like a no-win title for WA.

[EVOLVIST]

Originally Posted by Benoit Blanc

What the hell do you do?!

I wouldn't think that it would matter to them. I'm shocked that a porn star gets rejected. I'd like to think of myself as a serious actor, ya know?

[Rzzzz]

Originally Posted by Gunsnroses092789

Also, it can also be as simple as that the head of the archive team is just a big fan of the 30s and 40s— and thank god for that!

Agreed. I wouldn't buy any of those on that list. I'm patiently waiting for them to release the rest of their John Wayne films. Including Baby Face.....

[filmlover22]

It would be great if they would have a 'classic Hollywood' WAC label for films 30's and 40's. Would make it easier to search/keep track of these releases.

[Rayjg]

Originally Posted by Aclea

Mikes Murder was a flop that was massively restructured and re-edited by the studio. A restoration of James Bridges' original reverse chronology cut would be expensive and incredibly difficult to make any financial case for (it doesn't help that the director, producers and editor are no longer with us) and just releasing the theatrical cut would get flack for 'not doing it properly.' A label like Criterion or Shout might get away with it, especially if they could find a workprint of the original cut in the unlikely event it still exists, but it feels like a no-win title for WA.

The movie is a masterpiece as is but I always love to see alternate cuts.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Gunsnroses092789

Also, it can also be as simple as that the head of the archive team is just a big fan of the 30s and 40s— and thank god for that!

I think with Feltenstein, he sort of tows the line between putting out titles that fans have been clamoring for, but also doing some personal favorites as well. Many times the two do align anyway. Of course there is a concern that some titles that are not prestige or classics that Warner has, and/or Feltenstein may not be fond of, may never get a WAC release. And because of how well the titles he does put out sells there may be less incentive to do those too.

[captainsolo]

They always do the best they can with what’s available and what’s in their smaller budget. And to be honest they could only do one title a month and I’d still be happy because quality is far more important than quantity. Each new scan is part of preservation and restoration efforts for that title so it isn’t just about getting something for a disc release.
Problems will occasionally happen and they have issued some preexisting or outside masters at times just to get a title out in hd.

When the animation project was mentioned all I could do was sit there in the car while driving and listening and go: “Fleischer Superman please be Fleischer Superman…”


As usual the TCM festival had some restoration premieres and screenings that might indicate possible releases to come along with some dcps of WAC titles like A Star Is Born.