Warner Catalog Titles on BD/UHD

[senseabove]

I haven't seen any official source saying this is from the OCN—that br.com news item doesn't mention it, for example, just some commenters below—and given all the stories that all but one reel was lost in the Eastman nitrate fire, I don't know where that idea's coming from. Either way, between a decade's improvement in scanner technology and HDR, I have little doubt the upgrade will be significant.

[FrauBlucher]

Bluray.com's original statement I posted said OCN. They must have removed it.

[FrauBlucher]

I haven't seen any official source saying this is from the OCN—that br.com news item doesn't mention it, for example

It did say that when I posted it. A bluray.com mod must have removed it after it was called into question

[yoloswegmaster]

A listing for a 4K release of 'Giant' has been found on Amazon France, with a June release date listed.

[Feego]

A listing for a 4K release of 'Giant' has been found on Amazon France, with a June release date listed.

A new restoration of the film is premiering at the TCM Classic Film Festival in April.

[FrauBlucher]

Robert Harris on the Singin' in the Rain UHD...

Count me as one of those naysayers who didn't believe that Singin' in the Rain could shine any more in 4k than it did via Blu-ray.

And while we're not able to compare the new scans and restorative efforts vs a new Blu-ray, only the original c. 2012, I'm seeing Huge differences.

While there's a nice uptick in overall resolution as compared to the earlier scan, there is also far more in the control of blacks and a major gain in shadow detail. Beyond that, colors pop with not only perfection, but subtlety and purity.

I'm the first to admit that my thoughts were incorrect, and can fully support this 4k upgrade, which any cinephile will find astounding.
Best grab a copy, as I'm betting the first pressing will run out quickly!

[soundchaser]

Harris baffles me sometimes - why wouldn't Singin' in the Rain be improved with the format jump? It's not like the existing elements are in rough shape. His views about UHD as a format don't make any sense.

[tenia]

As I often say, he seems to be quite lost when it comes to digital incarnations of a movie, hence this kind of nonsensical remark. While he certainly knows his stuff from a photochemical point of view, he clearly had more problem when dealing with Blu-rays, and it seems like UHDs are only making things worse for him.

[Nw_jahrles]

Harris also watches UHD’s through a projector, so he is not getting the full benefit of the HDR. So HDR skepticism combined with the wrong equipment to get the full benefit of HDR and you end up with the strange remarks about UHD from Harris.

[FrauBlucher]

June 21

The upcoming 4K Blu-ray release will be sourced from a new 4K restoration completed by Warner Bros. with the cooperation of The Film Foundation.

"The new 4K restoration was completed sourcing both the original camera negatives and protection RGB separation master positives for the best possible image, and color corrected in high dynamic range for the latest picture display technology. The audio was sourced primarily from a 1995 protection copy of the Original Magnetic Mono soundtrack. The picture and audio restoration was completed by Warner Bros. Post Production Creative Services: Motion Picture Imaging and Post Production Sound."

[patreig]

Harris watches UHD’s through a projector, so he is not getting the full benefit of the HDR. .......with the wrong equipment to get the full benefit of HDR

Why do you say that?

[FrauBlucher]

Singin' In the Rain UHD bluray.com review

[Drucker]

Please note that since the included Blu-ray is a recycled 2012 disc, it doesn't include the original audio option.

Bummer.

[yoloswegmaster]

Listing for a UHD release for Casablanca in the U.K. has been found.

[ianthemovie]

Poltergeist is coming to 4K on September 20.

It has a horrible cover. On the plus side the special features mention a making-of documentary, which marks (I think) the first time any such thing has been produced for this title, presumably because of how much controversy has always surrounded the film. So I'm intrigued by what that might look like.

[Adam X]

It’s apparently the same one that was on the laserdisc. Better than nothing, I guess.

[ianthemovie]

Ah, ok. It will still be new to me (and surely better than the horrible ghost-hunting TV shows that WB is still trying to pass off as "special features" for this title even though they have no connection to the movie!)

It would be great if someone could get the surviving cast and crew from this to sit down for some kind of on-camera interview. I know there is an episode of the show Cursed Films about the Poltergeist franchise but I haven't seen it yet. Were they able to talk to anybody from the actual production?

[Gerald Christie]

Ah, ok. It will still be new to me (and surely better than the horrible ghost-hunting TV shows that WB is still trying to pass off as "special features" for this title even though they have no connection to the movie!)

It would be great if someone could get the surviving cast and crew from this to sit down for some kind of on-camera interview. I know there is an episode of the show Cursed Films about the Poltergeist franchise but I haven't seen it yet. Were they able to talk to anybody from the actual production?

Only Craig Reardon, longtime Tobe Hooper collaborator and special effects artist from the film. The rest is mostly podcasters, horror fans the editor in chief from Fangoria and the director of Poltergeist III.

[Feego]

Can anyone explain what the issue is with creating supplements for Poltergeist? I'm aware of the tragic fates that befell Heather O'Rourke and Dominique Dunne, but that didn't stop Scream Factory from producing bookoos of supplements for the sequels. Nor did it stop several prominent members of the original film's cast and crew (as well as O'Rourke's mother) from sitting down for interviews for an episode of The E! True Hollywood Story.

[What A Disgrace]

Can anyone explain what the issue is with creating supplements for Poltergeist? I'm aware of the tragic fates that befell Heather O'Rourke and Dominique Dunne, but that didn't stop Scream Factory from producing bookoos of supplements for the sequels. Nor did it stop several prominent members of the original film's cast and crew (as well as O'Rourke's mother) from sitting down for interviews for an episode of The E! True Hollywood Story.

I assume part of it is that Warner Bros. is cheap.

[dwk]

I think part of it is Spielberg has to sign off on it getting special features and, for whatever reason, he will not do that.

[therewillbeblus]

They're probably in a stalemate over him wanting to replace all poltergeist happenings with walkie talkies in new restorations

[Aspect]

Yeah, it must be the "who directed it?" controversy, which I always thought was a bit silly. Spielberg co-wrote and produced it, so of course it contains a number of his signatures (everyday family, fascination with the unknown, silhouettes), but he maintains that Hooper directed it. Spielberg's influence is certainly very strong in it, even in some of the framings (especially when the family is camped out in the living room, barely anyone else in the 80s was blocking in the classical style and crossing actors to create new framings within the same shot the way Spielberg was). Nevertheless, I consider the final product to be an incredible collaboration that's ultimately better than if either one of them had directed it on their own. It's more wondrous because of Spielberg, and more horrific and intense because of Hooper.

One need only watch The Funhouse (1981) to realize that Poltergeist is Hooper's anyway. The stylistic similarities are striking, all the more so for coming only one year before Poltergeist.

[knives]

I was going to say that part of the problem is that Hooper’s sense of framing is too akin to Spielberg’s. As visual artists they are shockingly similar with the differences coming from their sense for pacing and narratives. Michael Kahn is probably the cause of most the unique Spielbergisms in the film.

[ianthemovie]

A few years ago Oliver Robbins (who plays the son) did an interview for the Movie Geeks United podcast and was readily forthcoming about his experiences on the set of parts I and 2, so that's something. Still I would love to see even a generic "looking back" featurette with him, Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, and of course Spielberg.