Paramount 100th Anniversary

[my chicken is infected]

Having read DVDizzy's review of Wings, I'm even more excited for my DVD to arrive. I'm just miffed that Paramount has decided to play the "withhold bonus features from the DVD version" game by only including the making-of. (Although I'm happy to see it's not just a dinky little featurette.) I don't understand why they thought we wouldn't be interested in the restoration featurette as well. I have to hope some kind soul uploads it to YouTube, like they did the restoration featurette from the Sound of Music Blu-Ray.

[yamiiguy]

Isn't the whole idea to try and get people to convert to Blu-Ray?

[Little Red Henski]

It really sucks for those of us that choose not convert to Blu-ray. The UK Arrietty DVD was so bad in the extras department that it didn't even include trailers.

[my chicken is infected]

Shouldn't the upgraded video and audio quality be enough to convert people? Considering I'm still using a 480i SDTV (Had a 720p LCD TV but it died and wasn't very large anyway.), I have zero reason to switch to Blu-Ray and probably won't do it until I have a Blu-Ray drive in my computer so as to make caps, clips, etc.

[yamiiguy]

Blu-Ray has many benefits. The reason it has better PQ/AQ is because it has the capacity to support it, the capacity also allows for more extras on one disc. It could be that the extras wouldn't all fit on one DVD and they didn't want to include another one. Just a thought. Yes, it sucks for those who don't convert but I'm sure there's a pensioner somewhere complaining about the lack of Avatar on VHS

[my chicken is infected]

Meh, they can easily fit three hours of good-looking video on a DVD-9, especially if the main feature only has two audio tracks. I doubt the restoration featurette would push the total running time over that. Perhaps it'll turn up on the intarwebs though. Or YouTube.

[my chicken is infected]

Turns out the Wings disc has about 3 hours of video already between two versions of the film (picking the new score gives you an overture, intermission, and restoration credits not included in the version with the Gaylord Carter score) and the making-of. Had forgotten the film was as long as it was. (I feel like for this VERY important film, the DVD edition should have been a 2-Disc set with all the bonus features on disc 2 so the film had even more room to breathe.)

I also lament the lack of any type of booklet. I know they're not part of DVD's anymore, but this is such an important part of film history, Paramount could have done a little more in terms of bonuses and packaging. However, having previewed the film, even on standard definition DVD video on my 4:3 SDTV, it looks fantastic. I can't quibble too much about this and that when we at least finally have the film legitimately available in digital format with such great picture quality. And as a bonus, they did give great care to the cover art - a contemporary spin on its classic poster art.

[jpanimation]

It could be that the extras wouldn't all fit on one DVD and they didn't want to include another one.

No.

Yes, it sucks for those who don't convert but I'm sure there's a pensioner somewhere complaining about the lack of Avatar on VHS 

Hahaha, that's fricking hilarious because it’s true.

On a serious note, I have two main beefs with Blu-ray and neither of them are with the format itself:

I hate the cheap marketing tactics being used to force people off of DVD, such a dropping extras or delaying releases. What they need to do is make the pricing the same between the formats and watch people naturally gravitate towards the superior product. Marketing it as a premium instead of the future is stupid.

Blu-ray is a far more interactive format with many nex-gen features that nobody seems to be using. Their are only a handful of companies actually taking the time to play around with this tech but sadly too many of them aren’t much different then their DVD counterparts. Disney at the very beginning was embracing this but at some point decided that crippling the DVD versions extras and including a digital copy was much easier then making new interactive features. Once again, show people the benefits of Blu-ray.

[UmbrellaFish]

I'm really gunning for Sunset Boulevard. I'll be upset if we don't see it by year's end.

YAY!

We're getting Sunset Boulevard on November 6th!

And for that matter, Paramount also just announced releases for Catch Me If You Can and Pet Sematary.

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=8626

[milojthatch]

Isn't the whole idea to try and get people to convert to Blu-Ray?

For some that game can end up being the catalysis for not caring about extra features anymore.

Personally, regardless of DVD, Blu-ray, digital versions, I think how we as a society see movie is changing. At the end of the day, all we really want is to be entertained, and if that comes from Hollywood, great. But if it comes from somewhere else, many are starting to realize that's just as great. Hollywood truly is at a crossroads. It will be interesting to see where that industry is in 20 to 30 years.

[yamiiguy]

Great news that Sunset Blvd is coming! With Rosemary's Baby and Harold and Maude going to Criterion and the Republic catalog (such as High Noon) going to Olive, there isn't much for Paramount themselves to release. They're going rather slowly though. Hopefully Liberty Valance doesn't only get released in Germany.