Quote:
Originally Posted by beatboy77 /forum/post/0
...They do not want to make the mistake Universal made with HD-DVD and release a large amount of their best titles immediately. Essentially Universal has releases most of its modern hits already. Sure they still have Jurassic Park, Jaws, BTTF, etc., but I doubt we will see those anytime soon. By doing what Universal has done, you have the problem you have now with HD-DVD, essentially no new releases. They blew through their catalog quickly and now have to wait to put out other titles. Sony's/BDA's strategy is to have a constant flow of quality movies coming out week over week.
This war is like a marathon in a way. HD-DVD sprinted out of the gate and is now low on energy and Blu-ray limped out of the gate, reached a nice pace and is maintaining that pace. It's the classic tortoise and the hare situation. It's all a strategy.
~Josh
Absolutely no sense of objectivity. Why is it constantly necessary to bash one format unfairly in order to elevate another? Each should stand on its own merits. Personally I think Field of Dreams, Excalibur and The Breakfast Club looked terrific. I have never seen The Fifth Element on Blu-ray so I will reserve comment.
Quote:
Robert Harris - Motion Picture Archivist:
Regarding the Breakfast Club:
The image is more highly resolved in every way, and yet there is nothing that jumps off the screen as might be found in other, especially more modern HD discs.
The establishing shot of the school actually takes on a softer look than I had previously noticed. For whatever reason, it simply wasn't sharp on film, and takes on precisely the same attribute in HD.
The good news is that the film is still a quality production that has stood the test of time, and most important, the HD disc replicates the look of the film properly.
The bottom line is that The Breakfast Club, while a fine film, was not at the time of release, nor is it now -- reference quality.
Regarding Field of Dreams:
"Unbelievable! It's more than perfect."
Universal's new HD DVD of Phil Robinson's Field of Dreams is everything that one could ask of a piece of home entertainment software.
This extremely literate film with a unique soul, captured on a tiny shiny disc is one of our cinematic treasures.
Short, sweet and to the point.
Cinema, captured perfectly for home video, with the look, feel and textures of film.
Field of Dreams is Extremely Highly Recommended.[/b]
Quote:
HD-DVD REVIEW, DVD Town Reviewer, John J. Puccio
Regarding Excalibur:
Understand, Boorman set out to make a dark and gritty film (these were the Dark Ages, after all). He sets most of his picture at night or inside dark castles or dark forests. Boorman meant "Excalibur" as a kind of medieval film noir. He was not after a pristine, crystal-clear look. So, as a result of the director's intent and perhaps the effects of time, "Excalibur" does not display the best-looking HD-DVD picture quality on disc, not by a long shot, but, as I've said, it probably comes pretty close to representing the film's original print, and that's what any good video reproduction should do.
We all need to be a little more educated about how a film originally looked and what the director intended before placing judgement on a transfer, whether it be Blu-ray or HD DVD. Some transfers do not represent what they should or could be and others do.
In addition, Universal has barely scratched the surface on its stellar catalog. Anyone truly interested in film must be scratching their head when they read that Universal has exhausted their catalog of "modern hits."
Just a little of what will be coming eventually exclusive to HD DVD. Please feel free to let me know if they only distributed a film on the list and will not have those rights for HD DVD.
1941 (1979) - Steven Spielberg
21 Grams (2003)
The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)
About a Boy (2002)
Always (1989) - Steven Spielberg
American Graffiti (1973)
American Pie (1999)
Anchorman (2004)
Back to the Future: The Complete Trilogy (2002)
Battlestar Galactica (1978)
Battlestar Galactica (2004)
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Being John Malkovich (1999)
The Big Lebowski (1998)
Billy Elliot (2000)
The Blues Brothers (1980)
Brazil (1985)
The Brotherhood of the Wolf (2002)
Bruce Almighty (2003)
Cape Fear (1991)
Cape Fear (1962)
Cat People (1982)
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Clay Pigeons (1998)
Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
Conan the Barbarian (1982)
The Constant Gardener (2005)
Darkman (1990)
Death Becomes Her (1992)
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Dragonheart (1996)
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Elizabeth (1998)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Far and Away (1992)
Flash Gordon (1980)
Fletch (1985)
Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
The Frighteners (1996)
The Game (1997)
Ghost Story (1981)
Gorillas in the Mist (1988)
Harry and the Hendersons (1987)
Harvey (1950)
The Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection:
The Birds (1963)
Family Plot (1976)
Frenzy (1972)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
Marnie (1964)
Psycho (1960)
Rear Window (1954)
Rope (1948)
Saboteur (1942)
Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
Topaz (1969)
Torn Curtain (1966)
The Trouble with Harry (1955)
Vertigo (1958)
Inside Man (2006)
Jaws (1975)
The Jerk (1979)
Jurassic Park Trilogy (1993-2001)
Legend (1986)
Liar Liar (1997)
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Mask (1985)
Meet Joe Black (1998)
Meet the Fockers (2004)
Midnight Run (1988)
Munich (2005)
Notting Hill (1999)
October Sky (1999)
Out of Africa (1985)
Parenthood (1989)
Patch Adams (1998)
Peter Pan (2003)
The Pianist (2002)
The Producers (2005)
Psycho 2 (1983)
Psycho 3 (1986)
Psycho 4 - The Beginning (1991)
Reality Bites (1993)
The Red Violin (1998)
Ride with the Devil (1999)
The River (1984)
The River Wild (1994)
Rumble Fish (1983)
Scarface (1983)
Scent of a Woman (1992)
Schindler's List (1993)
Sixteen Candles (1984)
Slap Shot (1977)
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Tremors (1989)
Universal Studios Classic Monster Collection (Various)
Videodrome (1983)
Weird Science (1985)
What Dreams May Come (1998)
..and that's just scratching the surface. You can't be serious in your comments. I love Blu-ray and HD DVD. I will buy the titles I want and look forward to adding more Blue and Red boxes to my shelf.
