Animation Blu ray releases...

[GeorgeC]

Blu ray IS becoming the definitive home format whether some accept it or not. BD players are very affordable now, and HDTV's are dropping down to reasonable prices for the 27"-32" range.

That said, a new thread should be started for listing BD releases...

Warner Bros has announced BD are upcoming (TBA) for the following according to the Digital Bits --
"Warner Home Video is soon to announce the Blu-ray release of Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker, Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase and Scooby-Doo: Aloha Scooby-Doo! (street dates TBA)."


I was kind of hoping we'd see Batman: Mask of the Phantasm first. It's still by far the best of the animated Batman films even if it is an uncredited adaptation of Batman: Year Two (comic book mini-series).

Here's hoping that at least the original cut of Batman Beyond: ROTJ is on the Blu ray release. This is NOT the cut that gets shown on TV, btw. The chances for a screw-up and the re-edit being the only version on the BD are enormous....

The good news is that WB is starting to do non-feature animated releases on BD that aren't DC Comics direct-to-video or predate that program. Long overdue!

[Randall]

Interesting. It would be nice to see ROTJ on Blu-ray. Maybe they'll put both verisons on the same disc. But after doing 4:3 transfers for the JL: Season One Blu-ray, my faith is limited.

This just in: http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Batman ... -ray/14961

It's a little murky, but it looks like it will likely be the uncut version--- though they have errors to correct on the back cover, which currently muddy the issue.

Mask of the Phantasm would be great to see come out on BD. I only have the LD for that one. Of course, adding some extras this time would be nice.

[GeorgeC]

They have a picture of the packaging for ROTJ on ComicsContinuum.com ....

Looks like all the same extras as the DVD releases. Nothing new there.

The only version of ROTJ that is widescreen is the uncut version but oddly enough the re-edited version has cleaner video. It doesn't have the dust and scratches the uncut version does.

ROTJ is one of those animated films that was drawn for 4:3 aspect ratio but planned for 16X9 for "just-in-case". That was the case for JL Season One, too. In actuality, you get more picture for JL S1 and ROTJ in the 4:3 formats.

(UPDATE: These guys ( http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Batman-Be ... ray/20237/ ) are saying 4:3 aspect ratio since that's what ROTJ was animated for..... )

With BD, studios have gotten really stupid with older film material and have either stretched images to fit 16X9 aspect ratio (they do this a lot with old TV programs on Hi-Def channels I've heard), OR they cut the tops and bottoms of images to fit 16X9. These things mainly happen with HD cable but it's only a matter of time when more films are forced into 16X9 format like the animated Gulliver's Travels was. Since most people are fairly ignorant about aspect ratio issues, cinematography, and editing issues, they just don't notice this. It's the "black bars" issue again... Even when you explain the situation calmly, people's eyes roll back into their heads like the living dead.

Hate to say it, but there are many things people are just willfully stupid about... It's not about misunderstanding. It's about not caring about the integrity of many things, period.

[Randall]

As both ROTJ and JL:S1 were designed to be viewed in 16:9, that's how I prefer to see them. (4:3 works too, but there's a lot of headroom that gets noticeable when you look for it. More picture info is not necessarily better, as you know.) It's not too big of a deal, though, when you can just zoom the picture to get the same thing. I've always watched JL:S1 zoomed, and it works well. The framing is just more dynamic.

Still, it would be nice to take fuller advantage of available pixels, not that it matters much for these particular examples.

[GeorgeC]

AND, the next Ghibli film to hit Blu ray (in Japan, US next year most likely) is....

Whisper of the Heart.

That makes it 4, 5, or 6 of the films on BD already?!?!?!?

The big release coming up within the 18 months has to be My Neighbor Totoro.
It's been a long time in coming.

Glad I swore off getting more DVD editions of these films!

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/20 ... an-in-july

[Randall]

That'll make it 3 in the US market so far.

Not my next choice, overall, but I do love the film. It's a nice departure from the eco-warrior or other fantasy films Ghibli is most known for. I've watched it a couple of times, and adore it.

[Rodney]

In terms of Ghibli, what I'm waiting for the most are Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away on Blu-ray.

[Randall]

Those would be my choices, too.

[Randall]

New Disney twin bills on Blu-ray coming on March 12:
Mulan & Mulan 2, Brother Bear & Brother Bear 2, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame & The Hunchback of Notre Dame II

I *love* that Mulan and Hunchback are coming to Blu-ray. Both are great, well-designed flicks that should benefit immensely from being in HD. Brother Bear was forgettable, but I have nothing against it.

Mulan 2 was pretty decent, really, but Hunchy 2 is said to be awful; however, I'd be curious to watch it since it's in the package anyway. Call it morbid curiosity.

I just wonder about extras. No virtual vaults, please.

[Dacey]

Hunchy 2 is awful...but it's awful in an easy to make fun of, enjoyable for that reason kind of way. Plus Jennifer Love Hewit and Tom Hulce were at least trying to make the movie good, while Demi Moore seemed to be half-asleep when recording her lines.

And I liked Mulan 2 even though I really can't for the life of me explain why.

[Randall]

Looks like it'll be the same date for the Who Framed Roger Rabbit Blu-ray. Big week for Disney fans. Roger looks to have the 3 shorts included on the disc, but no word on other bonus material yet. I'll hold onto my DVD for now.

[Josh]

Atlantis and its sequel will also be released on March 12: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Atlantis- ... ray/62113/

[Randall]

Wow, awesome. Now we just need Tarzan to come out for that adventure era to be complete.

[Ben]

Hunchback 2 really is awful, and I thought Cinderella II was bad. Hunchy 2 just pees all over what made the first one so great. Imagine an "anti-Hunchback" and that's what it is. Looks like a kid drew it, too.

[James]

...Brother Bear was forgettable, but I have nothing against it...

Love the songs though!