MoC has done some sterling work in DVD production over the years, so it's entirely reasonable that expectations would have built up to fever pitch - but I can't help noticing that at the time of writing they've released one Blu-ray disc (Mad Detective) and announced one more (Tokyo Sonata) - both of which are East Asian films made in the last two years. Given the gap between the extravagant praise I'm seeing round these parts for MoC's apparently fearless Blu-ray policy and the actual fruit that it's borne so far, wouldn't you agree that they're currently the Blu-ray distribution equivalent of Mr. Wu?In theatre, you know, the old star actors never liked to come on until the end of the first act. Mister Wu is a classic example--I've played it once myself. All the other actors boil around the stage for about an hour shrieking, 'What will happen when Mr. Wu arrives?,' 'What is he like, this Mr. Wu?,' and so on. Finally a great gong is beaten and slowly, over a Chinese bridge, comes Mr. Wu himself in full mandarin robes. Peach Blossom, or whatever her name is, falls on her face and a lot of coolies yell, 'Mister Wu!!!' The curtain comes down, the audience goes wild, and everybody says, 'Isn't that guy playing Mr. Wu a great actor!' That's a star part for you! What matters in that kind of role is not how many lines you have, but how few. What counts is how much the other characters talk about you. Such a star vehicle really is a vehicle. All you have to do is ride.
I'm sure things will change over the next few months, and it'll be very interesting to see how their line-up pans out - but it is mildly irritating to see them constantly cited as paragons of Blu-ray distribution when they've yet to really prove themselves in the format. Once they get some silent stuff out, or something equally elderly and challenging, or bring off a region-free deal with a sales agent who's previously insisted on region-coding, then I'll join the chorus!
