westerns and B&W movies

[buckshot]

i'm having a screening of ''the searchers'' and ''unforgiven'' for my dad and a few of his friends to show how amazing these look on blu-ray. but seeing how beautiful and vibrant monument valley looks on blu-ray makes me want more technicolor movies on blu-ray. not only that, but old black and white movies as well. i've read the few threads about ''what do you want to see on blu-ray'' and ''spagehtti westerns'' but I want to know who owns the rights to such amazing movies as ''rio grande'', ''the quite man'', ''citizen kane'', ''big country'', ''moby dick'', ''to kill a mockingbird'', ''inherit the wind'', all these classics of technicolor and b&w. has there been any news? rko studios no longer exists, so who bought them?

[Coltboy]

No idea who owns them now, but i agree with you whole heartedly. i would love to see all the old war movies and westerns on Blu-Ray. i have been wanting to buy "The Searchers" on Blu Ray but haven't done it yet. i hope they realize that there are people that still love the old movies, better than the new ones.

[WriteSimply]

Does Blazing Saddles qualify as a western?


fuad

[buckshot]

Originally Posted by WriteSimply

Does Blazing Saddles qualify as a western?


fuad

I like blazing saddles, but would have to see it on blu-ray. I have been apprehensive about buying comedies on blu-ray because of price.

[Matt X]

heck yeah BS counts. as for B & W movies, would be interesting to see Criterion do a HD version of Seven Samurai - their DVD version is probably the finest quality B&W picture I've ever seen. I might hold off on expanding my WB Gangsters collection if WB is putting them out on BR.

[akadkins]

Originally Posted by buckshot

i'm having a screening of ''the searchers'' and ''unforgiven'' for my dad and a few of his friends to show how amazing these look on blu-ray. but seeing how beautiful and vibrant monument valley looks on blu-ray makes me want more technicolor movies on blu-ray. not only that, but old black and white movies as well. i've read the few threads about ''what do you want to see on blu-ray'' and ''spagehtti westerns'' but I want to know who owns the rights to such amazing movies as ''rio grande'', ''the quite man'', ''citizen kane'', ''big country'', ''moby dick'', ''to kill a mockingbird'', ''inherit the wind'', all these classics of technicolor and b&w. has there been any news? rko studios no longer exists, so who bought them?

The Searchers is by far the best older movie to appear on Blu-Ray. I too can't wait to show it to my father so he can see the difference.

The Spagehtti westerns are all owned my MGM - so maybe they'll appear on Blu-Ray. So is The Big Country. Rio Grande may be open domain...not sure about the others.

That all being said, I don't see any real push to get the older classics out on Blu-Ray. I think it is because the companies are looking at age demographics. While I (25-34 bracket) love older westerns and such, I think a majority of that age group would rather see newer 'classics' like Star Wars, Matrix, etc. I think the older generation may be happy with the DVD copy, so we might not see a big rush on those type of titles.

[buckshot]

also just added in a real world discussion:

once upon a time in the west
outlaw josie whales


I know that the demographic is more of the ''employee of the month'' or ''talledega nights'', but I think if they released some titles that transcend demographics I think blu-ray will have a broader reach. plus if we show our parents, who have more expendable income than us usually, they'll jump on board then they show their friends etc etc.

[RUR]

Originally Posted by akadkins

I think the older generation may be happy with the DVD copy, so we might not see a big rush on those type of titles.

Well, speaking for the "older generation" , I beg to differ. The Searchers is an amazing demonstration of what can be done with "older" titles and I'd like nothing more than to see gazillions of 30's to 50's titles released immediately. Unfortunately, given the current sales dynamic, I think we're more likely to see only a few for a while, with larger numbers coming a year+ downstream.

Ken

[lasse]

I'm 34 and I bought "The Searchers" on Blu-Ray. I would also love to see "The Outlaw Josey Wales" released. I own it on Laserdisc, DVD and wouldn't mind buying it for a third time.

[Gremal]

Isn't Butch Cassidy supposed to be released on BD before too long?

[becomingwater]

The Searchers look amazing!!! I can't wait for more John Wayne titles. I am sure they will release more AFI top 100 movies in the future on Blu-ray

[Ascended_Saiyan]

Originally Posted by akadkins

The Searchers is by far the older movie to appear on Blu-Ray. I too can't wait to show it to my father so he can see the difference.

The Spagehtti westerns are all owned my MGM - so maybe they'll appear on Blu-Ray. So is The Big Country. Rio Grande may be open domain...not sure about the others.

That all being said, I don't see any real push to get the older classics out on Blu-Ray. I think it is because the companies are looking at age demographics. While I (25-34 bracket) love older westerns and such, I think a majority of that age group would rather see newer 'classics' like Star Wars, Matrix, etc. I think the older generation may be happy with the DVD copy, so we might not see a big rush on those type of titles.

Even though I would like to have some of those titles on BD, I agree with your statement about the demographics.

[RUR]

Buckshot,

Your karma is scaring me, man, what with Rio Grande and The Cowboys announced after you started this thread.

Tomorrow, please start one on LOTR or Spielberg or some such

Ken

[buckshot]

Originally Posted by KenB

Buckshot,

Your karma is scaring me, man, what with Rio Grande and The Cowboys announced after you started this thread.

Tomorrow, please start one on LOTR or Spielberg or some such

Ken

I wish my powers were that amazing. i'd start threads about hd dvd dying, blu-ray discs going B1G1 forever, every awesome movie being released one week after another.

the screening went well. even my dad with his bad vision was so amazed by the quality he's looking at a blu-ray player along with the plasma he's been looking to acquire. I just wish the audio was more than 1 channel. that's the only drawback.

[FilmmakingFiasco]

Originally Posted by buckshot

rko studios no longer exists, so who bought them?

I think Warner owns the RKO collection...at least, with Citizen Kane that's the case. Warner also houses the MGM collection up until the 1950's. This is why Warner did 4-disc releases of Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind. If I recall, the DVD transfers of these films were scanned in at 4k res. because they understood that they higher the original image, the better the final output will be, even if it is only 480p. The restore work and dedication on the special edition Warner Collections gives me hope for the future of blu-ray.

[Deciazulado]

Originally Posted by akadkins

The Searchers is by far the older movie to appear on Blu-Ray.

I think the 8-Ball Bunny Looney Tunes short in March Of The Penguins is the oldest thing to date, 57 years old, Academy 1.37. Looks great.

Originally Posted by buckshot

I like blazing saddles, but would have to see it on blu-ray. I have been apprehensive about buying comedies on blu-ray because of price.

If you like Blazing Saddles I heartedly recommend the Blu-ray disc. A hiigh bitrate VC-1 transfer and it looks better than it did in theaters in 1974.

Young Guns is also on Blu-ray.


In the Bullitt Blu-ray there's a 1080p documentary with assorted clips of new (Potter) and classic (Robin Hood, Jaws) movies including B//W, and even some Silent movie clips. The quality on them varies tho Some of the Silent clips gave deinterlacing errors.

[akadkins]

Originally Posted by Deciazulado

In the Bullitt Blu-ray there's a 1080p documentary with assorted clips of new (Potter) and classic (Robin Hood, Jaws) movies including B//W, and even some Silent movie clips. The quality on them varies tho Some of the Silent clips gave deinterlacing errors.

I've heard that Robin Hood and Casablanca look great on HD-DVD...thanks Warner.

[DaveFi]

Warner announced a few westerns yesterday: Rio Bravo (great movie) and another John Wayne movie I don't recall.

They're also releasing The Dirty Dozen next week which is a must own for any western lover. I have mine on order.

[RUR]

Originally Posted by DaveFi

They're also releasing The Dirty Dozen next week which is a must own for any western lover. I have mine on order.

DD is no western, but a good ride nonetheless. You're probably thinking of The Wild Bunch.

[DaveFi]

Originally Posted by KenB

DD is no western, but a good ride nonetheless. You're probably thinking of The Wild Bunch.

Oops. No, actually, I was thinking of the other one, damn, it slips my mind at the moment.

But Dirty Dozen is a good movie nevertheless and comes out next week.