Here's a question!

Why is it that they can put this garbage of a movie (IMO) Brokeback Mountain out on Blu-Ray but they can't put out good movies like War of the Worlds, Minority Report, Gladiator (Russel Crowe), Star Trek - Nemesis for starters. I'm sure you guys and girls can think of a lot more movies. What's the hold up?

A lot of people liked broke back mountain. I myself found it sorta boring but liked The dawson's creek girls boobs (though i had already seen if these walls could talk 2)

Oh and they were talking about the origenal Star Trek movies coming to Bluray so just wait for nemesis. Its last in line

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[Post edited by KungFuTaco on Feb 5, 2009 - CST 11:39 AM]

I've wondered this myself and the only reason I can think of is that if they release all the good stuff right away you won't be all the frivolous crap later on.

They're thinking is that if you have an HD player, you'll buy almost anything just to watch it in hidef so they tricle out the more popular movies with hopes that you will buy the odd one here and there that you wouldn't normally buy.

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Why is it that they can put this garbage of a movie (IMO) Brokeback Mountain out on Blu-Ray but they can't put out good movies like War of the Worlds, Minority Report, Gladiator (Russel Crowe), Star Trek - Nemesis for starters. I'm sure you guys and girls can think of a lot more movies. What's the hold up?

If you wanna talk about garbage of a movie, Nemesis ranks right up there. As does Gladiator.

Point 1: Universal is releasing Milk (Oscar nominated, btw) two weeks after the Oscar ceremony, hoping to cash in on the name recognition.
Point 2: Universal knows the same demo who will purchase Milk will also purchase Brokeback Mountain. Similar tie ins are done all the time.
Point 3: Makes perfect marketing sense-to me-to have both on the shelf, being two of the higher profile mainstream gay flicks of recent years.
Point 4: BM was released on HD DVD prior to that format's death. The master is done, the extras are done, the package art is done. The same can't be said for War of the Worlds or Minority Report (both Spielberg titles), Gladiator or Nemesis.

Jason

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Why is it that they can put this garbage of a movie (IMO) Brokeback Mountain out on Blu-Ray but they can't put out good movies like War of the Worlds, Minority Report, Gladiator (Russel Crowe), Star Trek - Nemesis for starters. I'm sure you guys and girls can think of a lot more movies. What's the hold up?

Whoa, whoa, whoa. I was following you here until you listed War of the Worlds and Star Trek: Nemesis as good movies. Nemesis is the second worse Star Trek film of all time (behind it's predecessor Insurrection), and War of the Worlds is one of the most terrible films ever made, ever. It has a very few suspenseful moments and then the plot goes absolutely nowhere and ends with a pathetic narration that covers more story than the rest of the movie.

Like seriously dude, I'm not making fun of you here, I honestly just don't understand how anybody could possibly find that those movies have any redeeming qualities at all. Now I would however agree that Minority Report and Gladiator are good films. Frankly I loved Minority Report especially and I will be rushing out to grab it the day it hits Blu-ray.

Too answer your question, as somebody who has worked on many DVD and Blu-ray releases I can tell you that the catalog titles studios release on a new format is too a large extent quite random. But occasionally it is affected by things like availability of a suitable HD master, and the need to release a cross section of genres to appeal to a broader audience.

Now you may think that Broke Back Mountain is garbage but there is a huge audience that thinks it's gold. I mean it did win a few Oscars for god sakes. Personally I was bored except for Ledger's cowboy performance which is dead on if you have ever known any real cowboys (they really don't open their mouth when they talk for some odd reason). Brokeback did quite well at the box office and ripped it up on DVD, so it's a quite logical film to release on Blu-ray.

As for your four 'wish-list' titles specifically:

Minority Report and War of the Worlds are Speilberg films, and his contract allows him control over DVD/Blu-ray releases of his movies, and he like Lucas has always been incredibly slow at releasing on a new format. I don't think any of his catalog titles have been released yet. So you will have to ask him when any of his films are hitting Blu-ray.

Nemesis is rumored to be due out in May with the rest of the Star Trek movies just before the new movie hits theatres, although I don't think this is official yet.

I'm sure Gladiator is on the list and will show up soon. Don't forget studios tend to hold onto some of their blockbusters and stagger their releases to even out their disc sales over time.

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Minority Report and War of the Worlds are Speilberg films, and his contract allows him control over DVD/Blu-ray releases of his movies, and he like Lucas has always been incredibly slow at releasing on a new format. I don't think any of his catalog titles have been released yet. So you will have to ask him when any of his films are hitting Blu-ray.

They manged to convince him to release one and a really good one as well. Don't miss out on Close Encounters of the Third Kind [30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition] [Blu-ray] » - Amazing film and a very good release. Oh, and don't forget Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull [2-Disc Special Edition] [Blu-ray] » - But this is probably one of his worst movies (IMO)

But yes, normally he holding tight on his movies. Can't wait for Saving Private Ryan, Münich and A.I.

^ Didn't we come to the conclusion a year or so ago that Sony/Columbia owns the rights to CE3K so he had nothing to do with it?

Jason

jason,

it's not as if sony released "CE3K" on blu-ray against spielberg's wishes. the blu-ray has several features that clearly benefited from spielberg's input, including three versions of the movie (this is one of the rare examples of spielberg messing with a movie ex post facto).

Okay, maybe I should have clarified. Yes, SS gave his approval to the disc, but he does not legal control of it. Meaning, if Sony wanted to put it out, they would have put it out whether he was involved or not.

Or am I just misremembering the entire thing?

Jason, old man

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Didn't we come to the conclusion a year or so ago that Sony/Columbia owns the rights to CE3K so he had nothing to do with it?

Could be - just glad it was released. However, I'm sure Lucas and Spielberg had the last word with Indiana Jones.