17 / BD 11 Vengeance Is Mine

[doc mccoy]

I'm still not sure what the grumbling is about.

The concern is double-dipping - as I'm sure you're aware, there's nothing worse than buying a dvd release, only to find it's going to be re-released on Blu-ray in a few months with superior visual and audio quality. That's why you find people reguarly asking MoC whether there's any chance of Gandahar or Nosferatu being released on blu in the near future - do you think they'd buy the dvd if there was a chance of it being re-released on blu in several months time?

You may not have a problem with double-dipping, but it is a bone of contention for some - when Une Femme Mariee was first announced as a Blu-ray release, there were at least one or two people who were unhappy that it had been annonuced as a Blu-ray release only a year after the dvd release; this then prompted them to ask Nick how many back catalogue titles they planned to re-release. The lesser the occasion for it happening, the better.

Sure but you make it sound like they're suddenly springing 30% of the catalogue on Blu on us.

That is not what I wrote - you've not addressed my point about the context I raised. As to the 30%, I suggest you re-read what I wrote:

MoC have not released any new blus for three months; it has been a desert. If we come to find out that 1/4 -1/3 of the new blus scheduled for release in the next three months are reissues, it'll be a pity because I would like to see newer releases to make up for the period we have been without MoC blu.

[mfunk9786]

This is a pretty shocking example of looking a gift horse in the mouth.

[Peacock]

The lesser the occasion for it happening, the better.

I know i'm taking this out of context slightly, but you have to agree this sounds really ungrateful. I'd rather MoC released new titles rather than old ones as much as the next guy, but if they update a title I like a lot, in Blu, then i'm not going to say 'ok but let this be the last time'

[TMDaines]

Amazing. Vengeance Is Mine has been out for five years almost - and that being upgraded to Blu is a bad thing? We'd all love MoC to solely release titles of our choosing in the format of our choice but c'mon now...

I've got no interest in this title on DVD or BD but I'd be singing MoC's praises all day long if they chose to go back and give the Blu treatment to any of the films I do have an interest in: any of the German silents in their catalogue or one of the Italian films like La notte or Il grido for instance.

The simple solution is don't double-dip? Your version sitting on the shelf doesn't spontaneously combust when the new one is released.

[doc mccoy]

Ok, I realize I am coming across as ungrateful and I apologize for any offence caused.

[peerpee]

A few points, offered here by way of explanation.

The BD "thing" is an ever changing set of variables. Goalposts constantly changing, and thus, our capabilities, desires, practicalities. When we put out a title like UNE FEMME MARIEE on DVD, we'd been working on it for 5-6 months, BD authoring costs were high, etc. Just a few months after release, things were a lot different.

VENGEANCE IS MINE BD was supposed to come out the same month as PROFOUND DESIRES BD but we couldn't get it ready in time. This was originally released nearly 5 years ago on DVD.

LA PLANETE SAUVAGE BD has been bubbling under for over a year, and it's been in our printed catalogue for a year as coming out on BD. This was released nearly 4 years ago on DVD.

It's a pure fluke that these two "upgrades" are coming out in the same month, however, the DVD editions of these two will be deleted as soon as we run out of stock (ie. the DVDs will not be repressed) - so eventually, the new BDs will be the only edition of these titles that we'll be selling.

Our next two BDs after these (ie. August's two BDs) are two titles that we've talked about before in numerous places over the last year - so this isn't a surprise to some, they are: THE BURMESE HARP BD, and THE WORLD BD.

The two September BDs are the two that we've not mentioned before anywhere. Then in October it's METROPOLIS. We have a title lining up nicely for November release, and this is looking like a DVD only at the moment. We're currently trying to lock down another title or two for November, one of which is definitely a BD.

That's all we can say. If I went any further than that, I risk disappointing folk should it not happen!

btw. MoC folk have been working on THE WAR LORD, WIZARDS, TAMMY AND THE BACHELOR, PARANOIAC, and a number of others for Eureka. A bunch of other very interesting things are coming down the turnpike shortly.

[Michael Kerpan]

The world -- as in JIA Zhangke's The World?

[swo17]

You are correct, sir!

[Mozart]

Many thanks for your explanation peerpee.

We know you mustn't give us all these information, if you dont want to.
But the forum here for sure values them.

, the DVD editions of these two will be deleted as soon as we run out of stock (ie. the DVDs will not be repressed) - so eventually, the new BDs will be the only edition of these titles that we'll be selling.
.

Whats the reasoning behind this?
Repressing cost should be quite low and costs for room at stores shouldnt be a factor for MoC / for several years old DVDs.

Cheers,
Mozart

[eerik]

[matrixschmatrix]

Can you let us know what the region locking on the upcoming BDs is going to look like? Region B ones are, unfortunately, pretty coasters for my ps3.

[mfunk9786]

It's going to be Region B.

[Peacock]

WOW! I wasn't expecting the Jia and Ichikawa so soon! Both will be instant preorders from me!

[perkizitore]

When shall we be expecting the announcement of the September titles, Nick?

[Fiery Angel]

Almost surely before September.

[peerpee]

When shall we be expecting the announcement of the September titles, Nick?

When we've locked down the full spec of each release. Probably another 4 weeks. Don't hold me to that.

[peerpee]

Whats the reasoning behind this?
Repressing cost should be quite low and costs for room at stores shouldnt be a factor for MoC / for several years old DVDs.

We changed to a new manufacturer in early 2006. If we want to repress anything we made prior to then, we have to resupply everything (sleeve, onbody, DLT, booklet) etc and everything has to be proofed again -- most of the time when we repress, we have to do all that *anyway*, and it costs a huge chunk o' cash to repress (not to mention the time spent proofing and dealing with it). Cash which is then tied up in stock which dribbles out at a slow rate each month whilst competing against our own superior Blu-ray edition of the same film! -- It just wouldn't be a wise move.

Simply put, we believe that money and precious time is better spent on new titles.

[James]

Do you think The World Blu-ray will be region-free since it's not owned by Nikkatsu or Toei?

[peerpee]

Aye.

[peerpee]

Our VENGEANCE IS MINE BD (out on Monday, but perhaps slightly delayed a few days at etailers) is made from the same HD master we used to make the DVD. Those wondering what the transfer will look like, who are familiar with our DVD, could perhaps extrapolate that familiarity to 1080p for a good idea of what the BD looks like.

It's not as barnstorming a transfer as PROFOUND DESIRES OF THE GODS, but it's the best we could do in the circumstances. Hearing the Tony Rayns commentary again reminded us just how great he is, and this is one of our favourite commentary tracks.

[Cronenfly]

What was your opinion of the Criterion transfer, peerpee? I only ask because it sounds like you're fairly confident in the look of your transfer/the master you used for the SD/are using again for the BD, and the MoC/CC discrepancies, from colour to aspect ratio, are somewhat puzzling to me (especially having never seen the film theatrically). Not looking to start a fight or anything, just genuinely curious why the two turned out so differently.

[hangman]

the MoC/CC discrepancies, from colour to aspect ratio, are somewhat puzzling to me (especially having never seen the film theatrically). Not looking to start a fight or anything, just genuinely curious why the two turned out so differently.

While I don't know why the aspect ratio is different as for the color discrepancy CC has a tendency to to opt for warmer redder pallets with their color corrections, good recent example is the Red Dessert release. For aspect ratio I think David put forth a good explanation about it on the previous page.

Re the aspect ratio of 1.96.

When Vistavision was first around ratios (framing) could range from 1.66 to up to 2.00. Paramount who had the proprietary rights to the process developed by Technicolor, had a "preferred" ratio of 1.85, and this is how most Vistavision titles screened.

Technically no cinemas outside New York and LA ever screened the horizontally shot , anamorphically squeezed original prints. Virtually all Vistavision titles were printed down to 35mm "reduction" positives (with incredibly fine grain and stunning resolution) which were then masked to the appropriate ratio in cinemas.

So - 1.96 MAY have been the original screening ratio of Vengeance in the three or four cinemas in the Us equipped to screen the original horizontal positives, but it would have screened virtually eveyrwhere in the 35mm reduction prints, presumably with the 1.85 preferred ratio.

(BTW Powell's River Plate was also shot with Vistavision cameras but in 35mm release prints was masked to 1.66.)

[peerpee]

What was your opinion of the Criterion transfer, peerpee? I only ask because it sounds like you're fairly confident in the look of your transfer/the master you used for the SD/are using again for the BD, and the MoC/CC discrepancies, from colour to aspect ratio, are somewhat puzzling to me (especially having never seen the film theatrically). Not looking to start a fight or anything, just genuinely curious why the two turned out so differently.

Further to what hangman/david hare quoted re: variable Vistavision ratios, we used a pre-existing Shochiku HD master. Criterion started from scratch (as they almost always do).

[perkizitore]

Amazon lists the blu-ray for an August the 2nd release. Haven't you received any stock yet, Nick?

[peerpee]

Was due in today, very late, but might be early next week now.