How does the studio's decide what gets released on Blu-ray

[dvd-4-life]

I looked at the DVD Talk upcoming blu-ray release schedule and I must admit-I'm not impressed. Why would a movie like the Negotiator get released? Was there a public outcry for the movie? Alot of releases are getting released and aren't that much better than the dvd version. Plus some (Superman-The Motion Picture) don't carry over all the extras from the dvd release. I would like to see movies released that have a high replay value. I'm almost sure they can take a movie and make it look better than the dvd but I can't see everyone double-dipping just because its on blu-ray. I started buying blu-rays this week and hope to have another big order in a few weeks but after that there isn't much leftover that appeals to dvd-4-life(not blu-ray-4-life).

[DthRdrX]

Almost all of my Blu-Rays look much better than the same titles on dvd.

As for WB, I'd say that Superman and the Lethal Weapon movies have larger boxset written all over them someday. WB never released 3&4 for either series. This is why I just kept many of HD-dvd titles instead of trading up to the Blu-rays.

BTW, I think The Negotiator kicked ass.

[GizmoDVD]

A big hat with paper inside.

[trespoochies]

It's a great big lottery - where we all lose.

[emachine12]

Thunderdome...

Two movies enter, one movie leaves.

But Universal's Thunderdome is more like...

Three movies enter, one movie leaves months later after healing and physical therapy.

[PopcornTreeCt]

This reminds me The Goods came out this week on DVD but no Blu-ray in sight. WTF? This is unacceptable.

[NoirFan]

I'm just glad Screwballs is finally available in HD.

[dvd-4-life]

Is The Negotiator a NewLine movie? If it was, I would have preferred In the Mouth of Madness.

[DthRdrX]

Originally Posted by NoirFan

I'm just glad Screwballs is finally available in HD.

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by DthRdrX

You might want to calm that banana down:

From the Blu-ray.com review --

....Screwballs offers an atrocious visual experience that rarely surpasses the quality of a weak DVD presentation. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say my jaw hit the floor within the opening minutes of the film, at the realization I was about to witness one of the weakest transfers to hit the Blu-ray format.

[DthRdrX]

I own it. Actually, Screwballs looks better than it ever has!

I have actually never even heard of the small indy studio that put it out either. It's more than anyone else has given us of the film. Now if only they put out Loose Screws or Screwball Hotel ....

[BuckNaked2k]

Originally Posted by dvd-4-life

....I started buying blu-rays this week and hope to have another big order in a few weeks but after that there isn't much leftover that appeals to dvd-4-life(not blu-ray-4-life).

Wow. If you just started buying BD this week, I'd say the world is your oyster at this point. Think about how it was a year ago.....two years ago!

You do have a good point about the lack of extras being ported over, though. Clearly, the strategy here is to get us on the inevitable triple, quadruple, etc., dip.

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by BuckNaked2k

You do have a good point about the lack of extras being ported over, though.

I'm looking at you, MGM!

[DthRdrX]

MGM is running day to day by the sounds of things. Pretty soon we can blame either Fox or WB for whatever MGM titles are barebones. (Depending on who gets what)

[Matthew Chmiel]

Originally Posted by DthRdrX

MGM is running day to day by the sounds of things. Pretty soon we can blame either Fox or WB for whatever MGM titles are barebones. (Depending on who gets what)

MGM's catalog, in terms of video releases at least, is controlled by FOX and has been since the launch of Blu-ray.

Just like MGM's catalog releases, FOX's catalog releases are similar in which they may or may not contain the extras produced for the DVD. As time has progressed, the issue has been mostly resolved (as seen by the last batch of FOX and MGM catalog titles over the past few months).

[GizmoDVD]

I think Sony was releasing MGM titles for BDs first few weeks. I remember recalled copies of Robocop and Terminator. Not that it matters much now...

[GenPion]

The interns pick. Trust me on this one.

[Josh Z]

Originally Posted by Matthew Chmiel

MGM's catalog, in terms of video releases at least, is controlled by FOX and has been since the launch of Blu-ray.

Not true at all. Sony distributed MGM titles for the first several months of the Blu-ray format. Then MGM switched to Fox later. Further, Fox is just the distributor. MGM still controls their own catalog, for the moment at least.

The studio is on the verge of going completely under, at which point some other studio or studios will either buy them outright or divy up the catalog.