Will "art house" films soon be on Blu-ray?

[Kristin Simard]

A large percentage of my DVDs come from these sources:

New Yorker Films
Janus
The Criterion Collection
Ruscico

Does anyone have information on whether or when these distributors will to to blu-ray?
I found the answer for the Criterion Collection in the forum.

[WickyWoo]

When the installed base gets bigger, they'll be able to sell enough discs to make a profit

[BluBerry]

I know that Criterion is holding out until the end of the format war. Janus Films are distributed through Criterion Co.

[dialog_gvf]

I'd like to see Sony put out more Sony Pictures Classics releases.

[BluBerry]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

When the installed base gets bigger, they'll be able to sell enough discs to make a profit

For the sake of conversation, I think we may be years away from arthouse films being released in HD on a regular basis. I don't think the HD market place has matured to that point yet. What do you think?

[dialog_gvf]

Magnolia isn't even a mini-major and they've been pumping out titles.

Of course, behind the scenes is an HD centric vision.

Gary

[Kristin Simard]

On a regular basis, yes. But when any one of those four take the lead (art-house "classics"), it will set the dominoes tumbling. (Actually Ruscico is not really "art-house" but does carry many "art films".)

[WickyWoo]

For the sake of conversation, I think we may be years away from arthouse films being released in HD on a regular basis. I don't think the HD market place has matured to that point yet. What do you think?

Indeed

Criterion knows they have an enthusiast customer, but with the cost of pumping out HD versions ar 4-5x the cost of a DVD, they really have to be careful

And dissapointingly, I doubt that Toho is going to allow HD Kurosawa here before there

[Monkeykong2215]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

Magnolia isn't even a mini-major and they've been pumping out titles.

Of course, behind the scenes is an HD centric vision.

Gary

Yes, they have and The Host was one of them too. I love that movie, it was a real suprised.

[Alex Pallas]

criterion is so full of shit. they pretend they are offering the 'best versions possible', but wtf does it matter if they are not in blu-ray?

i want to see Ran in blu-ray mother****ers, kagemusha, rashomon, dont make me wait.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Kristin Simard

On a regular basis, yes. But when any one of those four take the lead (art-house "classics"), it will set the dominoes tumbling. (Actually Ruscico is not really "art-house" but does carry many "art films".)

Although it's worth noting, they are the only all-region source to find the "lost" 1976 US-Russian Elizabeth Taylor/Jane Fonda "Blue Bird", which never even came out on tape over here
(For reasons apparent to the viewer, but still a lost curiosity that wouldn't look bad in widescreen.)

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Criterion knows they have an enthusiast customer, but with the cost of pumping out HD versions ar 4-5x the cost of a DVD, they really have to be careful

And dissapointingly, I doubt that Toho is going to allow HD Kurosawa here before there

It's guaranteed that Criterion is likely going to put out one Blu to keep their old laserdisk audience--
And given Criterion patterns, it's just about equally guaranteed that it's going to be one of their same old 7's: Seal or Samurai, like always.

(And since Toho would probably get in the way of Kurosawa, guess that narrows it down to Bergman--
Darn, seeing as "Magic Flute" would be perfect for hi-def.)