Barb Wire, Flipper, River Wild, Uncle Buck & Waist Deep announced for February 8

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Liquid_Swords

Gotta love John Candy.

We need more John Candy on Blu.

[nf0603]

True it's not Jaws, Jurassic Park or E.T. but I don't get why so many people (maybe not so much here as on the main page) are *****ing about this selection. Aren't the "obscure b-level titles" a good thing on BD? Seems like studios seem to try to ignore their non-blockbuster titles when I'd say most of us would love to see ALL our favorites on Blu-Ray, not just the movies that were in the top 5 grossers of their year of release. I have no interest in any of the titles (maybe The River Wild if it's cheap enough) but I say more power to Universal for daring to dig into some of the lesser titles in the vault, since so many studios out there are afraid of catalog titles that aren't blockbusters. There are people out there who want these movies too.

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by nf0603

True it's not Jaws, Jurassic Park or E.T. but I don't get why so many people (maybe not so much here as on the main page) are *****ing about this selection. Aren't the "obscure b-level titles" a good thing on BD? Seems like studios seem to try to ignore their non-blockbuster titles when I'd say most of us would love to see ALL our favorites on Blu-Ray, not just the movies that were in the top 5 grossers of their year of release. I have no interest in any of the titles (maybe The River Wild if it's cheap enough) but I say more power to Universal for daring to dig into some of the lesser titles in the vault, since so many studios out there are afraid of catalog titles that aren't blockbusters. There are people out there who want these movies too.

Universal has been the WORST with their catalog titles since the beginning. Not only are they choosing to release the lesser catalogs, but they're also giving them sh!tty to mediocre at best transfers, with the exception of a few great ones every other year or so. That's exactly what the problem is. This announcement is no different and certainly makes the sting even worse that they blatantly don't care about their catalog.

[nf0603]

Originally Posted by aggienader08

Universal has been the WORST with their catalog titles since the beginning. Not only are they choosing to release the lesser catalogs, but they're also giving them sh!tty to mediocre at best transfers, with the exception of a few great ones every other year or so. That's exactly what the problem is. This announcement is no different and certainly makes the sting even worse that they blatantly don't care about their catalog.

Isn't the main issue with Universal's titles that the majority of their biggest titles owned either by Spielberg or Hitchcock's estate? I am sure Universal would've put E.T. and Jaws out with the very first wave of BD titles if given the chance but Spielberg has enough power in the industry that he ultimately has final say when his classics can get released? Universal just released Back To The Future as well as Psycho in the past month, so at least they are staying in the game and releasing titles people are demanding.

At least Universal is doing a better job than Paramount, a studio that doesn't even know what a catalog title is today unless it's a seasonal film (White Christmas) or getting remade (True Grit).

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by nf0603

Isn't the main issue with Universal's titles that the majority of their biggest titles owned either by Spielberg or Hitchcock's estate? I am sure Universal would've put E.T. and Jaws out with the very first wave of BD titles if given the chance but Spielberg has enough power in the industry that he ultimately has final say when his classics can get released? Universal just released Back To The Future as well as Psycho in the past month, so at least they are staying in the game and releasing titles people are demanding.

At least Universal is doing a better job than Paramount, a studio that doesn't even know what a catalog title is today unless it's a seasonal film (White Christmas) or getting remade (True Grit).

See, that's certainly what studios would want the consumer to believe. Whether the director/creator owns half of the estate or not, if they pressed hard enough and actually did the job right, then we'd be seeing those great Spielberg catalog films on blu by spring of next year. If I were to have my guess I don't think Spielberg has a lot of faith in Universal (only slightly joking!). That is if he was basing it off their track record. Look at what Paramount did with Minority Report and War of the Worlds and Saving Private Ryan! All are pristine transfers (aside from Technicolor's SPR pressing error), which also goes to show that Paramount actually is doing a fine job with their catalog titles.

So what's the beef with Paramount? Having the Jack Ryan collection, Star Trek: The Original Series and the Motion Pictures, the Godfather, Braveheart, Forrest Gump, American Beauty, Gladiator, and the movies listed above, and many more are certainly good for me so far. I can't imagine it not being enough for somebody else, but I guess some people are still bitter they haven't released the Indiana Jones Trilogy yet.

[Mr. Cinema]

In for Uncle Buck and The River Wild. All of these have list prices ranging from $14.99 - $19.99. Glad to see lower listings from Universal.

[nf0603]

Originally Posted by aggienader08

See, that's certainly what studios would want the consumer to believe. Whether the director/creator owns half of the estate or not, if they pressed hard enough and actually did the job right, then we'd be seeing those great Spielberg catalog films on blu by spring of next year.

Well Lucas has proven on both DVD and now Blu that he does have final say when the Star Wars movies come out. I think Spielberg is the same way. I think he is likely waiting for a major anniversary to hit for some of the big guns (although he missed out big time on the 35th anniversary of Jaws) like we saw with Close Encounters' 30th and we're seeing The Color Purple in January marking 25 years since it's wide release (it came out at the tail end of December 1985 and made most of its money in 1986), I think we will see E.T. in 2012 to mark the 30th anniversary, and Jurassic Park and Schindler's List in 2013 to mark their 20th anniversaries if they don't come out sooner.

Originally Posted by aggienader08

So what's the beef with Paramount? Having the Jack Ryan collection, Star Trek: The Original Series and the Motion Pictures, the Godfather, Braveheart, Forrest Gump, American Beauty, Gladiator, and the movies listed above, and many more are certainly good for me so far. I can't imagine it not being enough for somebody else, but I guess some people are still bitter they haven't released the Indiana Jones Trilogy yet.

Most of the titles Paramount's released in the past year are Dreamworks titles. I'm mad at them for abandoning Friday The 13th (if 4-6 deserved special edition DVD's, why not Blu-Ray?) and leaving so many of their 70's and 80's titles to grow moss. Beyond the Indy films, I'm waiting for Beverly Hills Cop (one of the biggest movies of their catalog), Footloose, Up In Smoke, Flashdance (was originally announced on BD then canceled while the DVD got a special edition) and other movies that while they might not be cinematic masterpieces, were all extremely successful and deserve on BD at least the same treatment their DVD counterparts did.

I'm not a Trekkie but my partner is and it sucks that only certain titles are available separately. He hates 1 and 5 but likes 3, but already has Wrath Of Khan, so he's kinda screwed unless he goes the importing route.

[vidjunkie]

Barb Wire day 1 for me

[bone crusher]

I'll get Uncle Buck when i can get it for $10 or less.

[3Stooges]

Uncle Buck is a classic comedy. I'm in day one for this one.

"I'm Buck Melanoma. Moley Russell's wart. Not her wart. Not her wart! I'm... I'm the wart. She's my tumor. My... my growth. My... uh, my pimple. I'm Uncle Wart. Just old Buck "Wart" Russell. That's what they call me, or Melanoma Head. They'll call me that. "Melanoma Head's coming."

[Crimson King]

Flipper (the one w/Paul Hogan) get's a release but Crocodile Dundee don't, that sux! Good news on Uncle Buck though...

[nf0603]

Originally Posted by BillyJack

Flipper (the one w/Paul Hogan) get's a release but Crocodile Dundee don't, that sux!

and thus making my point about Paramount. Crocodile Dundee was one of their biggest movies but Paramount is so allergic to catalog titles pre-2000 non-Dreamworks that it'll likely never see the light of BD

[TauHeel05]

Originally Posted by bone crusher

I'll get Uncle Buck when i can get it for $10 or less.

Well, Amazon has the preorder up for $10.49.

Uncle Buck

[Atreyu]

I love Uncle Buck and I still miss John Candy. Culkin sure was cute as a little kid.

[Trekkie313]

Originally Posted by nf0603

and thus making my point about Paramount. Crocodile Dundee was one of their biggest movies but Paramount is so allergic to catalog titles pre-2000 non-Dreamworks that it'll likely never see the light of BD

Now that's just silly.

[nf0603]

Originally Posted by Trekkie313

Now that's just silly.

How many pre-2000 non-Dreamworks titles has Paramount released in the past year besides White Christmas (seasonal title) and True Grit (because Jeff Bridges is in a remake)? They have dropped the ball badly of late.

Universal at least is announcing catalog titles every month. Universal will probably have Howard The Duck out before Paramount puts out Indiana Jones, Beverly Hills Cop, Crocodile Dundee, Footloose or the rest of the Friday The 13th films (I am in the camp that hates them after a certain point, but no "The Final Chapter" on BD is a joke as it is generally regarded as the best one). Barb Wire and Flipper might not be cinematic classics or anything but at least Universal is releasing them, Paramount never would.

[Bruce Morrison]

I've bought eight catalog titles that Universal has released in the past few months - Apollo 13, The Black Dahlia, Carlito's Way, Elizabeth, In Bruges, Psycho, Red Dragon and Spartacus. Only the last-named struck me as disappointing technically. They have also announced or promised a number of interesting titles for release in the next few months.

I really don't see why people are complaining about Universal's commitment to their back catalog - in fact, I think they and Warner are currently leading the way in releasing back catalog classics. I just wish the likes of Paramount and MGM would start showing some of the same commitment. It seems MGM have been rescued from their near bankruptcy by the consortium that have assumed control, so in 2011 they should hopefully start exploiting their film library and making some money from it.

Even Sony seem to be dragging their heels at the moment - apart from Bridge On The River Kwai, they don't seem to have announced very much recently.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by nf0603

How many pre-2000 non-Dreamworks titles has Paramount released in the past year besides White Christmas (seasonal title) and True Grit (because Jeff Bridges is in a remake)? They have dropped the ball badly of late.

Disney isn't much better. Look how many live-action catalog titles they have released in 2010. I think it's around 6, and 2 of those (Gangs Of NY and Adventureland) were re-releases.

[AKORIS]

I'm in for RIVER WILD and UNCLE BUCK---

[madridista8700]

The February releases over here in Denmark are better: Daylight and The Frighteners - and if I recall correctly, Out of Sight.