Ask questions to Palisades Tartan insider Hugh K. David

[OrlandoEastwood]

Originally Posted by Hugh K. David

Hi Guys,

HMV have put up the pre-orders a little ahead of things - the official press releases will go out next week, now that we have a PR firm on board.

I'm afraid I'm spending something like 70% of my waking time on the production of these Blus, so I'm not here very often. I'll answer what questions I can next week once the official press releases are out, as they'll probably cover most of what you want to know.

Yours in exhaustion,

Cool, man. The more time you spend on working on them, the more we will have. Does Palisades Tartan still own both Battle Royale films? I'd love to see those on Blu-Ray, the HK R3 DVD has bad PQ.

[Hugh K. David]

Hi Orlando,

The Battle Royales are not in this first batch. I had hoped they would be, but they'll have to wait for a while due to circumstances beyond my control.

I've got a wishlist from this forum thread, my own personal tastes, and those titles where BD releases in other territories mean HD materials can be found for them. If this first wave sell well, we'll be able to look at other titles on the wishlist.

[JonBidinger]

Thanks for the update. Too bad about Battle Royale, but it is great to know that they will be coming eventually. I can't wait to see what all comes out from Tartan, and it is good to see that great care is being taken behind the scenes.

Edit: And rather than make a new post, I'd like to echo the thoughts of many of the previous posts. Most of these films have already been mentioned in this thread, but the films I would most like to see from Tartan would be the Ringu films, Shiri, JSA, Hard Boiled, Dobermann, Battle Royale, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Lady Vengeance, and A Tale of Two Sisters. I am quite happy to see a few of those are already coming. Keep up the good work!

[Hugh K. David]

Jon: Shiri and JSA are two of my personal favourites - along with Nowhere to Hide, Attack The Gas Station, My Sassy Girl and Christmas in August, these were the films that turned me on to modern Korean cinema. Would love to see what we can do there. Ringu & Audition - I used to have a VHS tape recorded off FilmFour of these two, subbed/widescreen, a double-bill I used to force on people bored by US horror at the time - so again, key titles on my list. Dobermann may not happen for some time in the same way that the Battle Royales may not - but again, all on my list.

Personally, I'm interested in trying to get the following, but we'll have to see about the usual issues - licenses, materials, costs:

Infernal Affairs trilogy
Black Christmas
Audition
Ringu trilogy
A Bittersweet Life (I SO love this film!)
Tattoo
Hard Boiled (utterly essential)

Here's a couple of questions for forum members, btw:

a) Given that some films can be transferred perfectly fine to a BD-25, would there be any interest in seeing a film and its sequel in full HD on a BD-50? Just wondering - it seems such an obvious potential for quality double-blls, but no-one in the business has tried it yet.
b) If there is no HD master available for a title, and the original licensor/production company have no immediate intention of going back to the film itself and making an HD master, does anyone have any interest in BDs as a storage medium - i.e., fitting an entire trilogy in SD with extras on one disc? Again, not something anyone's done -I'm sure there are practical reasons why, but I'm still interested in the idea from a consumer perspective.

[xradman]

Originally Posted by Hugh K. David

A Bittersweet Life (I SO love this film!)

Here's a couple of questions for forum members, btw:

a) Given that some films can be transferred perfectly fine to a BD-25, would there be any interest in seeing a film and its sequel in full HD on a BD-50? Just wondering - it seems such an obvious potential for quality double-blls, but no-one in the business has tried it yet.
b) If there is no HD master available for a title, and the original licensor/production company have no immediate intention of going back to the film itself and making an HD master, does anyone have any interest in BDs as a storage medium - i.e., fitting an entire trilogy in SD with extras on one disc? Again, not something anyone's done -I'm sure there are practical reasons why, but I'm still interested in the idea from a consumer perspective.

Oh, pretty pretty please. A Bittersweet Life is a favorite movie of mine and I've been waiting for HD release since they pre-announced this for the HD DVD side at launch.

A) BCI Eclipse did this with Sonny Chiba's Killing Machine/Shogun's Ninja, Sister Street Fighter/SSF II, and Night of the Werewolf/Vengeance of the Zombie. They were barebones with relatively poor video and audio quality, but they were cheap and I bought them.
B) I have no interest in using BD as a storage medium for SD contents. I also have absolutely zero interest in upscaled DVD masquerading as Blu-ray like the Police Story that I just received from Kam & Ronson. I am so mad that they would do something like this to such a loved HK classic.

[AnimeOnBlu]

A. I would rather see a single BD25 than 2 movies on a BD50.
B. BR should remain HD only.

Glad to see some titles I was really looking forward to are coming (LV, SfMV). I hope that Twilight Samurai and Hidden Blade sold well enough to warrant an BR release as HD master do exist (both were released on HD-DVD in Japan). Hoping Hard Boiled comes true as well (the PS3 version really was a joke...).

[Mythos]

My Sassy Girl and Attack The Gas Station on Blu would be great.

Are you only talking Europe or Region A too ? Or Region B locked ?

As for your questions:

A. As long as the content is at the highest bit-rate/least compression possible, I'm not that bothered. Always quality over quantity though.

B. Blu-ray should be reserved for HD for now at least, it will only confuse some and encourage others to go low quality imo.

[JonBidinger]

Originally Posted by Hugh K. David

a) Given that some films can be transferred perfectly fine to a BD-25, would there be any interest in seeing a film and its sequel in full HD on a BD-50? Just wondering - it seems such an obvious potential for quality double-blls, but no-one in the business has tried it yet.
b) If there is no HD master available for a title, and the original licensor/production company have no immediate intention of going back to the film itself and making an HD master, does anyone have any interest in BDs as a storage medium - i.e., fitting an entire trilogy in SD with extras on one disc? Again, not something anyone's done -I'm sure there are practical reasons why, but I'm still interested in the idea from a consumer perspective.

Well, I am a bit anal about my collection and I like having each movie in its own seperate case, so it wouldn't bother me to see a box set including each movie on a BD25 in its own case rather than two movies on a BD50 or even multiple disks in one case, like MGM/Fox's recent Hannibal collection. That way all I have to do is take them out of the box. Heck i'm anal enough so that I import to get regular cases rather that get releases that include digipaks, thinpaks, or digibooks.

And as for b, I am with everyone else who says that BD should stay with HD and not touch SD.

[GGX]

Originally Posted by AnimeOnBlu

A. I would rather see a single BD25 than 2 movies on a BD50.
B. BR should remain HD only.

Agreed on both points.

And I'd like to add that its extremely annoying to have standard-def trailers play before the disc gets to the main menu. I mean if you *have* to have trailers for movies play upon inserting the disc, at least have it be the HD versions. Same with the studio logo. Flaunt the Palisades Tartan name in 1080p high-definition!

[rezpekt]

Thank you for trying to do the best. I would be interested in "Infernal Affairs" trilogy and I was even planning to import it from Hong Kong in the future. But if you have plans in releasing it in the UK I'm willing to wait and support you by buying your release.

I totally agree with previous posters that Blu-ray should be used for high-definition content and I would never buy SD movie on Blu-ray.

And as long as you are releasing high quality BD discs with reasonable price I'm willing to support you.

[Hugh K. David]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the replies and comments. Point well taken about using BDs as carriers for HD content only.

As regards titles, all suggestions gratefully received. Where we have licenses for both the US and UK, there is obviously good reason to consider BD releases in both territories, but when it comes down to it, we are bound by the requirements of licensors as well - if we're required to region lock, then we can hardly refuse the legal owners of the intellectual property. Also, where a title is UK only, we may have to lock if someone else owns the US rights. I imagine this might happen with titles like Audition and Versus, for example, if they ever get considered for BD release.

Cheers.

[xradman]

Hugh,

Which version of Sympathy for Lady Vengeance will Tartan release be? Will it be the color version or fade to black version or could both be included? Since Panorama, HK already released a high quality color version with English sub, I would hope for a fade to black or both.

[danyuld]

Originally Posted by Hugh K. David

Jon: Shiri and JSA are two of my personal favourites - along with Nowhere to Hide, Attack The Gas Station, My Sassy Girl and Christmas in August, these were the films that turned me on to modern Korean cinema. Would love to see what we can do there. Ringu & Audition - I used to have a VHS tape recorded off FilmFour of these two, subbed/widescreen, a double-bill I used to force on people bored by US horror at the time - so again, key titles on my list. Dobermann may not happen for some time in the same way that the Battle Royales may not - but again, all on my list.

Personally, I'm interested in trying to get the following, but we'll have to see about the usual issues - licenses, materials, costs:

Infernal Affairs trilogy
Black Christmas
Audition
Ringu trilogy
A Bittersweet Life (I SO love this film!)
Tattoo
Hard Boiled (utterly essential)

Here's a couple of questions for forum members, btw:

a) Given that some films can be transferred perfectly fine to a BD-25, would there be any interest in seeing a film and its sequel in full HD on a BD-50? Just wondering - it seems such an obvious potential for quality double-blls, but no-one in the business has tried it yet.
b) If there is no HD master available for a title, and the original licensor/production company have no immediate intention of going back to the film itself and making an HD master, does anyone have any interest in BDs as a storage medium - i.e., fitting an entire trilogy in SD with extras on one disc? Again, not something anyone's done -I'm sure there are practical reasons why, but I'm still interested in the idea from a consumer perspective.

I can probably help you with Black Christmas - We have just completed a Blu Ray of this title not long ago here in Toronto - Canada. I'm very good friends with the rights holder and project managed the Blu Ray authoring here.

I did actually do some work for Tartan back in the Uk a few years ago with Sam Dunn - Is he still with Tartan ?>

Anyway - drop me a line at danyuld@cogeco.ca re Black Christmas.

[Hugh K. David]

Danyuld: thanks for that! Will get in touch son, see what's what. Sam Dunn's at the BFI now, I believe.

xradman: Interestingly, we only have suitable materials for the Fade to White version (as its labelled), so that's the version it will be. A version with both would be in the future, I'm afraid.

[xradman]

Originally Posted by Hugh K. David

xradman: Interestingly, we only have suitable materials for the Fade to White version (as its labelled), so that's the version it will be. A version with both would be in the future, I'm afraid.

That is excellent news since I already bought the Panorama version. I'll definitely be picking up the Tartan version as well.

ps. There was a sound synchronization problem with the old Tartan release of Lady Vengeance on DVD. Hopefully this will not be an issue with the new Blu-ray.

Comparison of Lady Vengeance on DVD

[jdc115]

Originally Posted by Hugh K. David

Here's a couple of questions for forum members, btw:

a) Given that some films can be transferred perfectly fine to a BD-25, would there be any interest in seeing a film and its sequel in full HD on a BD-50? Just wondering - it seems such an obvious potential for quality double-blls, but no-one in the business has tried it yet.
b) If there is no HD master available for a title, and the original licensor/production company have no immediate intention of going back to the film itself and making an HD master, does anyone have any interest in BDs as a storage medium - i.e., fitting an entire trilogy in SD with extras on one disc? Again, not something anyone's done -I'm sure there are practical reasons why, but I'm still interested in the idea from a consumer perspective.

Hi, new to your thread so have some to catch up on some of the title discussions.

But as far as what you list above:

A: for me it is not an issue though I would think you or other studios may lose potential revenue by a single release?

B: I could only see this as causing a lot of confusion and unhappy customers that thought they werre getting HD versions that turn out to be SD. Even if you clearly label it on the box, I still think people will think they were buying an HD version.

[Antony-Kwok]

Originally Posted by Hugh K. David

xradman: Interestingly, we only have suitable materials for the Fade to White version (as its labelled), so that's the version it will be. A version with both would be in the future, I'm afraid.

Like xradman mentioned before will that version have the same problem as the box set DVD (Audio goes out of sync near the end)?

Also it'd be nice to see a blu-ray box set for the Vengeance trilogy. Are there also plans of releasing Thirst on blu-ray too?

I hope things work out with A Bittersweet Life, one of my favourites!

[Hugh K. David]

jdc115: Thanks for your thoughts. I think most labels feel that way, but I wanted to sound out the consumer PoV a well.

Antony-Kwok: I was at the authoring house this morning going over disc content and especially the soundtracks. The authoring process is definitely more complex than just taking the DVD master and transferring it. I've been sourcing original materials where they exist to allow our authoring house to build these Blus from scratch. In theory, unless the problem resided with the original materials, we should not be repeating errors from previous DVD editions.

[Hugh K. David]

On yeah, almost forgot: definitely plan to put Thirst on Blu - already working on it!

[OrlandoEastwood]

Anything planned for The Happiness Of The Katakuris? I love me some Takashi Miike films on Blu-Ray.