Hairspray Blu-ray features DTS-HD Audio, High-Def extras

[The Big Blue]

Blu-ray owners will have several months to show NL some love...

http://www.homemediaretailing.com/ne...ticle_ID=11160

Lasorsa said the HD DVD version of Hairspray will most likely be released some time in the first half of next year. He attributes the delay to region coding issues. Blu-ray has region coding, but HD DVD does not. “And since we sell to independent international distributors,” Lasorsa said, “we have to be more sensitive to their release dates than a major studio.”

Even after Hairspray, most New Line titles will be released the same day on both standard DVD and Blu-ray Disc, with a lag for the HD DVD version. “But for second-party acquisitions to which we don’t have international rights,” Lasorsa said, “we will be day-and-date on all three formats.”

[sonicbox]

Don't get too excited. Crank & Dragon's Lair has PIP, too. They just encoded the whole movie again with the commentary/bonus stuff. This is probably the same. No way someone is going to release a Blu-Ray title with features for non-existent 1.1 profile players. (2nd video processor needed.)

[TorpedoShockwave]

Originally Posted by The Big Blue

Blu-ray owners will have several months to show NL some love...

http://www.homemediaretailing.com/ne...ticle_ID=11160

Nice find, take that you HD-DVD region free lovers.

[assur191]

http://www.homemediaretailing.com/ne...ticle_ID=11160[/QUOTE]

This most likely means that any neutral buyers will buy the blu-ray version, since they won't be able to get HD-DVD for a while. That's great.

[sonicbox]

The Descent also has PIP, another Lionsgate title. So, they beat Hairspray by a long shot with two titles.

[blackhawktraffic]

I agree kinda of a weird first HD release for them. But oh well.

[martinstraka8282]

There is no chance in hell that I will even consider EVER watching this movie again... YUCK!

Good for New Line, I wish I could support them.

[The Big Blue]

People don't seem to be grasping this...

Even after Hairspray, most New Line titles will be released the same day on both standard DVD and Blu-ray Disc, with a lag for the HD DVD version.

LOTR on Blu-ray first. Or am I missing something?

[bferr1]

Originally Posted by The Big Blue

People don't seem to be grasping this...



LOTR on Blu-ray first. Or am I missing something?

I wonder if this is for new releases only, and not for catalog titles. LOTR doesn't need to have business protected by region coding since it's a catalog title.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by The Big Blue

LOTR on Blu-ray first. Or am I missing something?

By BDA rules LOTR would have to be released region free.

Region coding on BD applies to new releases for a 12-month window. And, is specifically there for the reason that has forced NLs hand. Their contracts require them to protect the other territories.

So, DVD people are happy.
Blu-ray people are happy.

And HD DVD folk can tell us how useless each and every NL title were anyway.

Gary

[Chris Beveridge]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

By BDA rules LOTR would have to be released region free.

Region coding on BD applies to new releases for a 12-month window. And, is specifically there for the reason that has forced NLs hand. Their contracts require them to protect the other territories.

Eh?

No, not my understanding. If New Line decided to region code Lord of the Rings, they can. If after a year they want to make a new run of them however, they have to release a version without the coding. UNLESS they add new content to it and presumably a new sku in which case they can code it again.

Doesn't matter if it's catalog or not, any title can be coded for 12 months. It's how a company handles it afterwards. The idea is that the costs of doing changes for a new edition or changing it to remove region coding is money that doens't need to be spent so it encourages studios to not code in the first place.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by Chris Beveridge

Eh?

No, not my understanding. If New Line decided to region code Lord of the Rings, they can. If after a year they want to make a new run of them however, they have to release a version without the coding. UNLESS they add new content to it and presumably a new sku in which case they can code it again.

Doesn't matter if it's catalog or not, any title can be coded for 12 months. It's how a company handles it afterwards. The idea is that the costs of doing changes for a new edition or changing it to remove region coding is money that doens't need to be spent so it encourages studios to not code in the first place.

Is that the strict interpretation of the rule? Did they leave a hole that doesn't distinguish new releases and catalogue? That's a shame.

Seems rather pointless to region code a catalogue under those conditions, so perhaps rather than deal with studios bickering what constitutes a new release (e.g. were the LOTR-EE a new release?) the BDA decided to make the wording such that, as you say, the costs would be such that it doesn't make sense to release a true catalogue title coded to begin with.

Out of curiosity, has a region coded catalogue title been released on BD?

Gary

[tron3]

Originally Posted by The Big Blue

People don't seem to be grasping this...

LOTR on Blu-ray first. Or am I missing something?

We grasp it just fine. The studios grasp what we want just fine. But they are going to tease us with the lesser titles first to bone up some cash and THEN move on to big hits when things slump a little. They are trying to keep a steady growth in the numbers.

If everything came out THIS MONTH, sales would boom for a few months while people get around to picking this stuff up. Then, almost nada. They know what they are doing. Gotta bait the hook first.

[WickyWoo]

People don't seem to be grasping this...

LOTR on Blu-ray first. Or am I missing something?

LOTR is 5 years past its theatrical window

No non-new release is affected by this.

[jamclaur]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

LOTR is 5 years past its theatrical window

No non-new release is affected by this.

Not to mention that Peter Jackson FINALLY settled the law-suit he filed against the studio for crapping him out of money.

They need to let everything settle, figure out how much he's owed, then move foward. They can't release LOTR without knowing how much Pete's gonna make or they will be back in court.

++++ And F all YI's "hairspray" is not a woman's movie. I'm a male, and I enjoyed the movie. And I will be purchaseing it.

thanks.

[TorpedoShockwave]

Hey I have not seen this film, and most likely I would not like it. I just want WB to realize if New Line can do it then so can they. I want to support New Line because they are supporting BD more than WB, and because they are making their parent company look bad.

First, their first film will feature PIP, and none of WB’s for BD does.

Second, they are going to release their film on BD before HD-DVD, unlike WB, who released majority of their titles on HD-DVD first.

Third, we need to support New Line so much that they might become BD exclusive, because I want LOTR on BD only.

[sonicbox]

GoldenRedux, I'm just being logical. Doing a mandatory 2nd video processor PIP feature that can play on 0 players in the marketplace currently is not something I'd do. I'd use the extra BD space and do a 2nd encode and make everyone happy. No FUD here. Crank and The Descent did a good job.

I can tell you for a fact that Warner currently has a video encode PIP title in the works for BD, so why can't New Line, too?

[ReduxInflux]

next to 300 and Close Encounters, I believe this is the third most critical BD release EVER. Why? 300 let WB know where the market is. Because we crushed HD DVD in sales (and continue to), they chose to reject the Toshiba bribe and remain neutral. Close Encounters is the first Spielberg release to Hi-Def. If we eat this like a fat kid eats cake, we can expect many more titles from the S man...and possibly from Paramount and Universal.... Hairspray is no different. It's New Line's first entry into the fray. They have some major titles that I want to see in Blu - so we need to convince them through our purchase that we literally mean business (I for one never saw it, but my fiancee did, so I'm going to buy it for her) and that's that.

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by sonicbox

I can tell you for a fact that Warner currently has a video encode PIP title in the works for BD, so why can't New Line, too?

I can tell you for a fact that they DONT.

[tvted]

But but but...
It's Hairspray!
John Travolta in a Fat Suit - where's Divine?

Ok I may have to get it because some of the exteriors were done in my neighbourhood here in Toronto and me youngster has chatted it up.

Thanks GoldenRedux for nipping that dual encode crap in the bud. I'm speculating at least two new players will be declared 1.1 after the Round Robin testing is complete in mid-October.

I'd also speculate that the PS3 will be 1.1 before Christmas. Why *anyone* thinks that Sony won't invest in the PS3 user base is beyond me. The PS3 has always been part of the BDA's strategem - it has been the front line that has allowed the CE infrastruture to get itself established. The fruit of that strategy will begin to bear come this Christmas. BD was *meant* to launch with the 1.1 profile. Its hand was forced with the early (and premature) launch of HD DVD. The PS3 has been the footsoldier and will continue to be so until games ship and the BDA transitions to standalones - somhwere around this Christmas - funny that.

sonicbox, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and believe that you didn't simply sign up to pour cold water on this small positive for BD. Time will tell.

btw - I personally don't give a hoot for PIP - waste of bandwidth in my book but then I'm a tech wonk

ted