When will Jaws be chomping its way to Blu-ray anyone know?

[fceurich39]

any idea?

Universal is too busy putting out classics like Street Fighter on blu.

[Matt89]

Yeah seriously! When the fuck is Jaws coming out on blu-ray!!? That movie hasn't been remastered in about 10 years now. It's CRYING for a blu-ray release. (And the artwork would look pretty badass in those blue blu-ray cases.)

When Jaws comes out on blu, I'll be a happy man.

~Matt

[indiephantom]

Well, there are only 2 Spielberg titles on blu so far, Close Encounters and Indy 4. I think we'll see plenty of lesser titles before that. Remember that Jaws was one of the early VHS titles. They're not making that mistake again. Expect to see Catch Me If You Can, Hook, 1941, Empire of the Sun, and the Jurrasic Park trilogy before Jaws. I'm betting it will be one of his last titles to debut alongside E.T. and Schindler's. Just a theory.

[dickieduvet]

I need Jaws on Blu-Ray NOW...Best film ever. Saw some clips of it from HDNet and it looked fecking brilliant very vibrant with all the sun drenched exterior shots. Lets hope we see it before the end of the year. Can see Universal holding off for the 35th anniversary edition next year though

[Jeremy]

I don't necessarily think that Jaws will be the last Spielberg title on Blu, but it's pretty clear that the big Spielberg and Lucas catalog titles will probably be held back until the format has a much larger market share.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Jeremy

I don't necessarily think that Jaws will be the last Spielberg title on Blu, but it's pretty clear that the big Spielberg and Lucas catalog titles will probably be held back until the format has a much larger market share.

I'd say Close Encounters is a big title...

[Matt89]

I think Jaws should be coming rather soon. Spielberg doesn't own the film (like he does his films released under his Dreamworks label), Universal owns Jaws outright. I'd love for it to come out, but thinking about it now, I'd rather them take their time and give it a good remaster. The DVD didn't look so great, and the 30th Ann. re-release used the same transfer.

~Matt

Originally Posted by Matt89

I think Jaws should be coming rather soon. Spielberg doesn't own the film (like he does his films released under his Dreamworks label), Universal owns Jaws outright.

Don't think he doesn't have any influence over it though. Ever wonder why there was never a Jaws Box set? Spielberg's request because he doesn't want his film associated with the other three any more than it already has been. And seeing how Universal and Dreamworks have always had a professional working relationship, I doubt that Universal would want to rock that boat. Spielberg has been very hands on with examining the previous Laserdisc and DVD releases of Jaws, and I'm sure the same will go for any future high-def releases.

[Matt89]

Originally Posted by Noto

Don't think he doesn't have any influence over it though. Ever wonder why there was never a Jaws Box set? Spielberg's request because he doesn't want his film associated with the other three any more than it already has been. And seeing how Universal and Dreamworks have always had a professional working relationship, I doubt that Universal would want to rock that boat. Spielberg has been very hands on with examining the previous Laserdisc and DVD releases of Jaws, and I'm sure the same will go for any future high-def releases.

I seriously doubt that. Did he oversee how Universal botched the soundtrack to Jaws on its initial release? Included only a 5.1 track and no original mono. They changed all the sound effects in the film (or most of them, anyway). He didn't oversee anything, because it's owned by Universal and they can do what they want with it. Remember, it was only Spielberg's second theatrical feature film. It's owned outright by Universal.

I really don't think Spielberg had anything to do with Universal not putting out a Jaws boxed set, either. Spielberg was atually going to direct Jaws 2 after John Hancock was fired. He agreed to do it on the grounds that he could scrap everything and start from scratch, and as long as Richard Dreyfuss agreed to be in it. However, Universal wanted the film out and Spielberg and Dreyfuss were busy working on Close Encounters (which is owned outright by Columbia, hence the reason it's already come out on blu-ray) so Universal just hired Jeannot Szwarc to direct it.

Well the first laserdisc of Jaws (it was actually the first laser ever produced, I believe) was a total mess. The movie's never looked great on DVD, either. It's never looked BAD, but it hasn't looked very GOOD either. But Universal can do what they wish with Jaws. I'm sure they'd listen if he had input, but Spielberg's so busy I doubt he has the time of day to oversee such things. Point is, Jaws is owned by Universal through and through, and it's up to them and only them as to when it gets released on blu-ray.

~Matt

The first laserdiscs and VHS releases of just about every movie weren't exactly known for QA. Pretty much every DiscoVision release (which I'm guessing is the LD you're referring to) was a disaster with few looking sub-par when compared to their goddamned CED counterparts. Don't think for a moment that any director was babying their projects when those initial home video releases. Artistic integrity wasn't a thought beyond theatrical releases and the "videophile" audience was just starting.

I was referring to the Signature box set as the one that Spielberg had overseen. I used to work for one of the gentlemen that assembled the archive information for that set (he was my editor-in-chief for a few years) and Universal sent everything that went on it, and many things that were scrapped, to Spielberg for his approval. Universal also asked permission to do a DVD box set when the 25th Anniversary rolled around (and we only got the first film with the cut-down documentary which fans, and my old boss, were outraged about) and Spielberg expressly said that he did not want Jaws lumped in with the other titles because he felt they took away the seriousness of the original. (A point I can't help but agree with, particularly with The Revenge, but 3-D wasn't much better)

So perhaps Universal doesn't need Spielberg's permission to do anything with Jaws, but they certainly seem to want it. Perhaps it's simply good business. I don't see what the point would be in ostracizing a film from its director, especially when he's willing to provide input and there's no ill history there. I'm not going to debate ownership rights, because I typically don't care about them one way or another once a film gets released, all I know is the stories that I've heard, and I've never known a reason for him to lie about it.

[Matt89]

You make many valid points, but I still don't think Jaws is far off in terms of a blu-ray release, and I don't think Spielberg insists on "holding off" until blu-ray really catches on, because in many instances, it already has. It's all up to Universal and I don't think Spielberg would necessarily be opposed to a blu-ray release. I just think they're taking their time with it, which is a good thing. Jaws NEEDS a good remaster.

~Matt

Originally Posted by Matt89

It's all up to Universal and I don't think Spielberg would necessarily be opposed to a blu-ray release. I just think they're taking their time with it, which is a good thing. Jaws NEEDS a good remaster.

~Matt

I don't think that Spielberg would be against releasing it either. I just think he would want to know how his child is being treated. It's an important film historically, and no doubt would be a huge-seller. It will also be completely scrutinized by every customer out there, so they'll want to make it a damn good product. I don't think it would come out until next year at earliest, because if there was a team anywhere nearing completion on a new transfer, that information would most likely get leaked. I would love to be proven wrong though.

Of course, it's now 2009, and I still don't see an official release of The African Queen either, and I've known people that have claimed it's been/being worked on for several years now, so who knows?

[Matt89]

Originally Posted by Noto

I don't think that Spielberg would be against releasing it either. I just think he would want to know how his child is being treated. It's an important film historically, and no doubt would be a huge-seller. It will also be completely scrutinized by every customer out there, so they'll want to make it a damn good product. I don't think it would come out until next year at earliest, because if there was a team anywhere nearing completion on a new transfer, that information would most likely get leaked. I would love to be proven wrong though.

Of course, it's now 2009, and I still don't see an official release of The African Queen either, and I've known people that have claimed it's been/being worked on for several years now, so who knows?

Yeah I was just recently reading something on The African Queen. I cannot believe this has not had proper treatment on DVD yet. I mean, Katherine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, directed by John Huston... Seriously, WHAT THE FUCK!?

Jaws on blu though, holy shit that would make my life. It's definitely one of my favorite movies of all-time.

"In Amity ya say yahhhhd."

~Matt

I'm thinking a Jaws Blu-ray will come our way in 2010 as a 35th Anniversary Special Edition. Then another 40th Anniversary Edition in 2015 with more extras and crap.