BYE BYE BIRDIE Blu-Ray release August 2012 ONLINE ONLY

[CarlosAlberto]

Major studios have been extremely reluctant to release older catalog titles themeselves. For the most part they are licensing titles out to other online retailers/distributors (e.g.: Twilight Time, Olive Films, Criterion) or making them available via Movie On Demand services (e.g.: Warner Archive Collection, MGM Limited Collection, Sony Classics).

Sony and Fox have been licensing some of their classic material to TWILIGHT TIME, an on-line retailer making these films available for the first time in the blu-ray format in strictly limited editions.

The draw-back: a hefty price tag of $24.95, limited or no extra features, a limited pressing of the film, once it's sold out it's no longer available and they are not available in stores.

The plus side: The films are being presented in completely digitally restored transfers and some of the reviews on these discs have been positive.

In August BYE BYE BIRDIE will be making it's Blu-Ray debut via Twilight Time. Sony has no plans on releasing this film themselves. SRP: $24.95. No news of extras as of yet if there are any.


Announcement via Home Theater Forum

[best12bars]

Picnic is selling even higher for $34.95 via Twilight Time. No discounts offered through them or any other online outlet (their titles are usually sold through the Screen Archives Entertainment website). It's also a "limited" run of 3,000 copies (which is not really that limited).

The good side? The film has been completely restored and looks and sounds fantastic. Picnic happens to be one of my favorites that my partner and I watch every Labor Day weekend (since that's when it's set). For that reason, I buckled down and paid the exorbitant price ... something I usually won't do. I have no regrets because the quality is so damn good. But normally I won't shell out that kind of money for a Blu-ray Disc or DVD. In fact, I can't think of any other time when I have.

Rest assured that if Twilight Time is releasing it, it will be a full restoration (they haven't let us down yet). So it's up to you if the price of $24.95 is worth it. If you love the film version of "Birdie" (which I do not), I'm sure it will look and sound better than ever before.

EDIT: By the way, Twilight Time movies don't usually have a lot of extras (if any). But one they seem to almost always carry is an isolated score track. Picnic has one. I imagine Birdie will, too. But don't look for anything else in the "special features" category. It's all about the (technical) quality of the film itself with them.

[CarlosAlberto]

I saw that PICNIC was available and I'm really thinking about picking that (and BELL, BOOK and CANDLE) up. Although in my opinion it's a film that has it's flaws. Novak's comatose line readings being one, Holden being way too old for the part being the other. It does however feature some wonderful performances by Susan Strasberg, Betty Field, Arthur O'Connell, Cliff Robertson and Miss Rosalind Russell, top that all off with Duning's immortal score and Inge's drama and it almost compensates for the terribly miscast leads.

[tazber]

I splurged on Pal Joey because they only manufactured 3,000 copies.

($37.00 - *sigh*)

But the quality of the transfer is impeccable.

I will say however that had there not been a limited number of copies I would never have spent that much.

[EricMontreal22]

I'll have to pickup Picnic since I'm such a William Inge fanboy, but I'm on the fence with Birdie. It is a flawed movie, and seems to prove, along with South Pacific, that Josh Logan should never direct movies based on plays he's directed (do we really need one more shot of the county picnic games?) As for Birdie, it's certainly not the most wonderful entertainment ever ever, but it's nice to have it on blu-ray.

[CarlosAlberto]

BIRDIE is definitely flawed but I'm hopelessly devoted to Miss Ann-Margret. It's the movie that made her a superstar and an icon, how could I *not* have it in my collection?

If it isn't GONE WITH THE WIND, BEN-HUR, THE WIZARD OF OZ, THE SOUND OF MUSIC what many consider an all-across-the-boards-classic that transcends generations, race, gender, etc. then it's now considered a "niche" film with a very limited audience and that is why these films are being handled by the studio in this way.

[EricMontreal22]

It will certainly sell to those who are doing high school productions...

[best12bars]

If any of you are considering "Picnic," I can absolutely tell you that you've never seen it look or sound this good. I always wondered why it won the Oscar for Art Direction. Watching the old DVD, I thought it was fine, but nothing special or exceptional.

Seeing the Blu-ray completely changed my opinion.

Still, it's $34.95, like it or not. And no "discount sales" on the horizon.

EDIT: Here are some images, for those interested.

More images here: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Picnic-Blu-ray/34540/#Screenshots

LINK

[BDrischBDemented]

So if the disc has solid video / audio, which Twilight Time releases seem to generally have, I'd probably pay the full price for it, if mainly because of nostalgia. I'm just curious though (and probably this is directed mainly at best12bars who seems to know much more about this than me), is there any occasion previously where Twilight Time released a movie then the studio who owns the rights re-released the title later on? I'd be fine with paying $24.95 assuming that Sony's not likely to release the same title for like half the price a year or so down the road.

[best12bars]

So far, the answer is no. Sony has not released a title after they licensed it to Twilight Time. (I'm guessing that's part of the agreement, too.)

This is a new experimental business model, and I understand that other studios may be following suit.

Basically, the studios are still trying to figure out the Blu-ray and HD market. I'm actually thinking it's more akin to the old "laser disc" crowd, which is a niche market of hardcore collectors and movie buffs. There are definitely mainstream titles, but when it comes to the old catalogue titles, there's a question.

Things like Wizard of Oz, Lawrence of Arabia, Star Wars, Jaws, etc., will have a much bigger sales potential and will always get mainstream releases in whatever the newest format is, but with titles like Picnic, Pal Joey, etc., what should they do? They are popular enough to have an audience, but it's not a huge one, even if it's dedicated. And many of these titles need restoration, so who pays for it? Ultimately, the answer is the consumer. Smaller niche companies are taking their cue from Criterion by charging a higher price, but building a reputation of quality.

I think you'll see more of this in the future. From what I understand, Sony (so far) is pleased with both the results and the sales. So their relationship with Twilight Time is solid.

EDIT: I will also add that another business model that has proven successful is the MOD (Manufactured On Demand) DVDs from Warner Home Video, MGM, and Sony. I think you'll see more of those ... and perhaps even MOD Blu-rays, once the price of burnable BDs drops a bit.

[BDrischBDemented]

Cool, thanks. Frankly, I'd be fine if more companies took a cue from Criterion. I'd much rather pay $40 for a great transfer of, say, "Charade" than buy one of the cheap releases with a shoddy transfer. I mean, it'd also be cool to get some special features with that too, but I'd rather just have a quality transfer.

[tazber]

Charade is available on Criterion for a reasonable price BDrisch.

But I get you general point.

A quick word about the MOD model: it has been wildly successful and several titles that were available as mass produced but went out of print have actually been remastered and added to the MOD library.

[CarlosAlberto]

@tazber: This is true. Warner Home Video re-released THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN as an MOD title. Ditto with WHERE THE BOYS ARE. The special features from the WHERE THE BOYS ARE original release were ported over as well.

[BDrischBDemented]

"Charade is available on Criterion for a reasonable price BDrisch."

Yeah, I know, for $40 MSRP. I own it. Which like I said, I'm cool with paying full price because it's a job well done.

[best12bars]

^ You've gotta wait for sales. Twilight Time has yet to discount any of their limited run Blu-rays, so I don't mean those.

But Criterion DVDs and BDs (which are not limited run) go on sale from time to time. So do the MOD DVDs from Warner Archives, MGM, and Sony.

Taz is real good about letting us all know.

[CarlosAlberto]

COVER ART:

[EricMontreal22]

Thanks for the reminder!

I was just looking at Twilight Time's catalog--how very random that one of thier discs is As Good as it Gets, which seems to be the only post 1980s release, and a title I thought would have been recent, and well known enough to keep in print by the studios.

[CarlosAlberto]

Reviews are coming in. It looks like it's a winner!
"Bye Bye Birdie" blu-ray: HTF Review by Rich Gallagher

[CarlosAlberto]

"Bye Bye Birdie" blu-ray: blu-ray.com by Jeff Kaufman

[BDrischBDemented]

My copy came in the mail this morning. If you're a fan of the movie, you should absolutely own this. It looks fantastic.

[CarlosAlberto]

[Bettyboy72]

Twilight touts the limited editions to force the hand of people on the fence about purchasing. They aren't stupid.

[best12bars]

Don't know if you saw these photos from the screening of Bye Bye Birdie they had at the Academy ...

Ann Margaret and Bobby Rydell

[Jon]

Typical Hoolywood to change Kim and Hugo from virginal ingenue and nerd to hot slutty girl and matinee idol.

[CarlosAlberto]

She wasnt a slut..she just knew what she wanted.

[JohnBoy2]

My copy does not feature the cover art shown, above. It looks and sounds great. The video is definitely an improvement over the DVD, but the DVD always looked great. The real improvement is the audio. My third favorite screen musical. It never gets old, for me. Twilight Time is also releasing LOST HORIZON on Blu.