Ship of Fools/ Lilith Double Feature Bd

[Blu-Velvet]

Yes, and five dollars for two classic Columbia titles on Blu-ray, coming to $2.50 per title, really helps spread out the average cost of all those Twilight Time and Criterion titles. Of course there are no bonus features, but at least there's a chapter menu and English subtitles.

I'm wondering if the classics that wind up at Mill Creek are the ones that don't have transfers quite good enough for Twilight Time or Criterion to consider. The SHIP OF FOOLS transfer looks pretty good, if not quite as sparkling as you'd expect from the typical Criterion and Twilight Time B&W Blu-rays, but the LILITH transfer is rather soft (though still better than a DVD). Still, at $2.50 per title they're an irresistible bargain.

This disc is ideal for supplying appropriate double-feature material to run with GRAND HOTEL or maybe the 1953 TITANIC, and either BONJOUR TRISTESSE or BREATHLESS.

[arcadeforest]

Need to give these a try - had this in my hand this morning yet ended up getting something else.

[Arkadin]

hmmm....guess I'll be checking Wal-Mart soon.
thanks for the tip.

[poke smot]

Originally Posted by Arkadin

hmmm....guess I'll be checking Wal-Mart soon.
thanks for the tip.

the walmart near me, and most of others have removed this display. good luck though. i bought 10 of the mill creek 2 packs.

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by Blu-Velvet

[Show spoiler]Yes, and five dollars for two classic Columbia titles on Blu-ray, coming to $2.50 per title, really helps spread out the average cost of all those Twilight Time and Criterion titles. Of course there are no bonus features, but at least there's a chapter menu and English subtitles.

I'm wondering if the classics that wind up at Mill Creek are the ones that don't have transfers quite good enough for Twilight Time or Criterion to consider. The SHIP OF FOOLS transfer looks pretty good, if not quite as sparkling as you'd expect from the typical Criterion and Twilight Time B&W Blu-rays, but the LILITH transfer is rather soft (though still better than a DVD). Still, at $2.50 per title they're an irresistible bargain.

[Show spoiler]This disc is ideal for supplying appropriate double-feature material to run with GRAND HOTEL or maybe the 1953 TITANIC, and either BONJOUR TRISTESSE or BREATHLESS.

When the Mill Creek deal with Sony was announced, I speculated about this very same thing Blu-Velvet. In that long since deleted post I alluded to the "tiers" of Sony product we'd likely be seeing from their various Blu-ray licensees. So here we are 6 months later...and guess what...surprise, surprise...isn't that exactly what has happened??? Criterion and Twilight Time are getting Sony's recent 4k scans and remasters, and Mill Creek is getting their legacy HD transfers for DVD (Read: "no new workflow").

Exhibit A: this Mill Creek double-bill of Ship of Fools / Lilith. In fairness, from what I've seen so far, Mill Creek's use of its recently acquired Columbia/Sony masters has resulted in the overall best looking and sounding Blu-rays ever from that label...superior in almost every respect to any of their Touchstone-sourced titles. And some of Mill Creek's first wave of Columbia/Sony titles have had surprisingly solid AQ and PQ specs (e.g. When a Stranger Calls / Happy Birthday to Me). Unfortunately, this release wasn't one of them, landing as it did somewhere between unremarkable and acceptable (if you squint a lot). As you say, Ship of Fools did look good to very good overall - not much sizzle or snap, but nevertheless clean, as was its get-the-job-done mono sound. However, Lilith was practically DOA...without a Blu-ray logo on this package, there was hardly any aspect of its AQ or PQ indicating that it was even in HD!

So it all comes back to price and perceived value, doesn't it? For $5 bucks, I say no foul...at least Mill Creek is rescuing some deeper catalogue titles which would be even less likely to receive a Blu-ray release now that Image seems to have folded its Columbia/Sony tent. So, I will continue to support Mill Creek for stuff like The Chase, Avalon, Baby, the Rain Must Fall, The Last Detail, and Agnes of God, plus the occasional blockbuster double-bill etc. These Mill Creek/Sony double-bills are all authored on 50GB discs, so that is also a plus.

To date, not great work, but not bad either. And you certainly can't argue with the price. I just think I'm being very realistic about what to expect from Milll Creek under this agreement with Sony. In any case, what are our choices? At the rate Criterion and Twilight Time are cherry-picking from Sony's vault, neither label could hope to cover enough deep catalogue titles anyway.

[Arkadin]

what's really sad is I can't even find this bd on Wal-mart.com.
EDIT: I ordered it from Mill Creek direct.

[Phibes]

Is Wal-mart getting these early or as a timed exclusive? The BD of Ship/Lilith on Amazon has a release date of 3/26/13.

On a related note, For those mentioning Titanic (1953) and other classic BDs, check your Sams Club as I've gotten it, How Green was my Valley, Rebecca, and Spellbound for $9.88 ea. Hope when Laura comes out that it's priced the same .

Cheers.

[Arkadin]

no, apparently it is released, but for some reason amazon isn't getting it until March.
like I posted above, you can order it now direct from the Mill Creek online store.
Could Wal-Mart be the only b&m retailer that has it now?--possibly.

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by Phibes

Is Wal-mart getting these early or as a timed exclusive? The BD of Ship/Lilith on Amazon has a release date of 3/26/13.

[Show spoiler]On a related note, For those mentioning Titanic (1953) and other classic BDs, check your Sams Club as I've gotten it, How Green was my Valley, Rebecca, and Spellbound for $9.88 ea. Hope when Laura comes out that it's priced the same .

Cheers.

These will be Wally World exclusives until March Phibes. When I was stateside over the holidays they were in big aisle standee displays in every store...you couldn't miss them.

Here is the Mill Creek/Sony thread discussing this first wave of releases.

[Dex Robinson]

People need to be more patient.

When these go into wide release, you'll likely be able to buy them from ImportCDs for between $4.94 and $6.94 (check their website like I just did...that's the going price range for Mill Creek double features).

Here in Canada, the Walmarts (which don't share the same window of exclusivity as American stores) will likely have them for $8.00. That's based on the price of the current crop of Mill Creek double features that they are selling.

If people can just remain calm and patient for a couple of months, there will be a cheap, plentiful supply of these BDs to go around.

[Tom Monahan]

Any edge enhancement on Ship of Fools?

Thanks,
Tom