I've got a player and only this past month have I gotten an HDTV (and even than it was a gift). You know that they play on regular teevees too?

Agree, the prices are close. But my 25 dollar DVD player and my 15 year old CRT tv (as well as my non perfectionist technical sensibilities wrt film viewing) just don't care. Those god damned DVDs look quite fine to me.

Oh Christ I've hijacked this thread with this and I'm going to be scolded, I know it.....

Yes. I'd like to enjoy a set-up that makes use of the blu disc picture quality, though. A regular TV for The Red Shoes blu-ray? That seems to defeat the point. I'd also like to wait and see when (if?) the region-free blu player situation improves at all.

Might as well continue in this direction now that it's gone there.

My only genuinely HD screen is on my computer (which does actually have a blu player) but I buy blus in preference to dvds because a.) at some point I'll have a better TV and I don't want to rebuy everything, b.) if you want to resell stuff blus hold value better, c.) blus don't scratch as easily, d.) there's a bunch of stuff that requires less disc switching on blu, e.) there are a few blu-exclusives out there, f.) I like chapter stops and the way the menus work on Criterions, and g.) probably some more stuff.

I mean, I'm not in a rush to upgrade everything I've got, but blus are pretty preferable and if you care about PQ you're going to be kicking yourself when you do have a setup that really makes you notice the difference and you start the long, long process of upgrading.

The disc switching thing is the only reason I upgraded. I hate the figure eight cases that Criterion has.

What's a blu-ray?

...which is why I find it so bizarre that people complain about dual-format releases. After all, one of their main functions is to ensure that upgrading is comparatively painless.

Put it like this: if Criterion had gone down the dual-format route, I might actually have bought one of their releases over the last three years. Now that I'm multi-region, I'm starting to catch up, but there's next to no chance that I'll end up buying as many as I would have done otherwise.

Agree, and I know that I'll have a nice setup in future years. I do actually have a few Blus for that eventuality. And let's face it, in any related store now, the Blu shelves are bigger than the DVD shelves. The writing is on the wall. I just thank the heavens that a Blu setup will still play my old DVDs, which I'll never complain about, tech-wise.

Interesting to see that Sony's gone dual format only (no just DVD or Blu-ray releases) for some of their upcoming titles like Restless and Higher Ground. Which would be an interesting bordering on applaud-worthy decision were it not for the mind-blowing $44.99 MSRPs

Wondered why those two started out at such extreme prices. Tree Of Life was dual format only as well (although I see a "rental ready" dvd is also for sale; whether it's supposed to be or not, heck if I know).

Bugs me to be paying for two (or more) discs in various shapes and sizes when I only want the blu-rays. Even if it is "just" an extra dollar or two (which it just about always is), if not more so.

Anyone else annoyed that Blu Ray releases now rarely contain the full soundtrack? After just completing the Three Colors trilogy, I can't help but lament the absence of Preisner's complete scores in at least 24/192. I would have taken this over any of the special features included on the discs. Given Blu-Ray's potential for storage, it's sad to see that more releases don't include the complete soundtrack too for the menu or as the audio track to a slideshow for posters, stills & promotional material...which is much preferable to 95% of the commentaries I've heard.

It's not like that was ever a common feature on DVDs.

There may well be copyright issues - you'd certainly need contractual permission to separate substantial chunks of the soundtrack from the original context, just as you also need explicit permission to feature clips from the main feature in the extras.

Which is very straightforward if the label is affiliated to the production company and therefore owns everything outright (i.e. a Hollywood major), but a fair bit fiddlier otherwise.

"Gate Of Hell" (1953) Japanese Blu-ray, their first color film and US Academy Award Winner

I thought Carmen Comes Home was the first Japanese colour film?

sorry, my mistake.

Apparently West Side Story is being fixed by Fox

Monty Python and the Holy Grail Blu-Ray coming in March

It's only a model, though.

Haha, pity poor Timothy Dalton and his tiny, tiny gun.

I like how Lazenby and Dalton are both sorta hidden to the side there in the darker area of the box art.

At any rate, it's about friggin' time.

this will be an amazing set

Amazing even without "Never Say Never Again"?

I wonder if this Bond set is just a repackaging of the already-released Blu-ray discs, or if they are re-pressing them with new extras as well. If so, the US set will be region-A locked.

I think people would actually like to see the uncut "Goldeneye" (not released anywhere) and the uncut "Casino Royale" (non-US, non-UK), but we'll have to wait and see.

It includes one adaptation of the Thunderball script starring Sean Connery - why does it need two?