Warner Archive goes Blu!!!

[Nailwraps]

The Warner Archive will start releasing Blu-rays starting in February 2013!:

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=208808

[cjg]

Can imagine what they will be selling for

[buck135]

Put me down for "Deathtrap" and "Hudsucker Proxy." I'm hoping they don't exceed $15.

[X-human]

It sounds like they're going to be pressed Blu-rays but I'll let more curious people find out first. The Hudsucker Proxy is very tempting. Very tempting.

When'd the WB start on Free Shipping? They're already listed on their site now at $19.95 which isn't unreasonable for the Blu-rays, especially if they really are pressed. Compare that to the $18.95 DVD-R's I've been avoiding and that's a good deal.

[f.ramses]

Assuming that they will be BD-R releases, I'm real sorry to hear this news. I just can't bring myself to buy junk like this and would rather see the movies not get released at all because in either event, the effect on my collection is the same; no sale!

[Katatonia]

Originally Posted by X-human

It sounds like they're going to be pressed Blu-rays but I'll let more curious people find out first.

I hope so! I've never once experienced DVD-R Rot yet, but I have experienced BD-R Rot.

[zbinks]

Confirmed. Pressed discs, not BD-R.

[MorallySound]

Originally Posted by zbinks

Confirmed. Pressed [Blu-ray] discs, not BD-R.

I wonder then if these will be limited releases rather than "on demand" because of the pressed discs?

[zbinks]

Originally Posted by MorallySound

I wonder then if these will be limited releases rather than "on demand" because of the pressed discs?

WAC reports that the Blu-ray discs will be replicated in limited quantities and fulfilled on demand. All releases will leverage high quality 1080p masters. In many instances, as with Deathtrap, the films will be available for the first time for home viewing in their original widescreen format.

I don't think they mean limited ala Twilight Time, where they print 3,000 copies and that's it. I think they mean that instead of pressing 10,000 (or however many discs they typically press at a time), that they will instead run a smaller pressing (1,500, 3,000, etc.) and run additional pressings as warranted. They then offset the higher per disc pressing charges by selling the discs at a higher than normal retail price. I'm guessing this is probably very similar to what Olive does with some of the Paramount titles that they've been releasing.

[f.ramses]

Originally Posted by zbinks

Confirmed. Pressed discs, not BD-R.

It's nice to be wrong. Kind of odd how they are using the Archive Collection name since it might make people assume BD-R but now we know...

[spawningblue]

Hopefully these pop up on Amazon.com as the Warner store doesn't ship their Archive titles to Canada. Kind of annoying how some of these big companies treat Canada like a Third World country.

[MorallySound]

Originally Posted by spawningblue

Hopefully these pop up on Amazon.com as the Warner store doesn't ship their Archive titles to Canada. Kind of annoying how some of these big companies treat Canada like a Third World country.

It sure does suck, but format rights are always an issue when releasing something for home viewing... and the Archive titles being released directly through the studios are likely only cleared for the US distribution.

[Jeremy]

Originally Posted by MorallySound

It sure does suck, but format rights are always an issue when releasing something for home viewing... and the Archive titles being released directly through the studios are likely only cleared for the US distribution.

Well, the vast majority of the Warner catalog is made up of stuff that Warner owns worldwide rights for, including most of the Archive titles, but of course there are exceptions, with probably THE GREEN SLIME being the most familiar example for us. It's those exceptions that screw everything up. What Warner really needs to do with the Archive webstore is go through every film offered to identify the ones they do and do not own the worldwide rights to, and then program the website so those titles they don't have world rights for can only be shipped to countries where their sale is okay. It would be total bitch work to do, though, so I imagine this would be a good summer project for some film school interns.

[rxfiend]

As long as the prices are reasonable, I'll pick up some. But if they're over priced like the DVDRs, forget it.

[fceurich39]

all i know and care about if that Nightbreed theatrical and cabal cut rumored for 2013 better not be a warner archive blu-ray release!!!