Upcoming Non-UK Blu-ray Releases

[ReturnToZero]

Originally Posted by Stephen@Cult Labs

I thought you were being serious!

No, no, labels may do stupid decisions but voluntarily region coding would be suicide.

[Pete]

Shriek Show used to region lock all their dvd's, even when they didn't have to. It was never a problem for me but I always used to wonder why.

[Daemonia]

So Hatchet will be region-locked. Is this due for a Region B release then?

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by Daemonia

So Hatchet will be region-locked. Is this due for a Region B release then?

Or more likely someone in the uk will be issuing a standard dvd and is terrified everyone will go out and opt for the redemption blu instead. (though fair play to odeon issuing burke and hare and bloodbeast to blu-ray, as a reward i'll probably double dip)

Rollin will probably never be region locked, mainly because I believe nigel wingrove has some sort of good deal with the prints as he was a friend of rollins.

Either way, now i have multi-region playback it makes no odds to me.

[the blob]

Originally Posted by keirarts

Or more likely someone in the uk will be issuing a standard dvd and is terrified everyone will go out and opt for the redemption blu instead. (though fair play to odeon issuing burke and hare and bloodbeast to blu-ray, as a reward i'll probably double dip)

Rollin will probably never be region locked, mainly because I believe nigel wingrove has some sort of good deal with the prints as he was a friend of rollins.

Either way, now i have multi-region playback it makes no odds to me.

There's been no mention of a release of Burke & Hare or Hatchet from Odeon and there in lies the real argument. While region coding is outdated and annoying, what everyone should be causing more of an uproar about is the lack of uptake from certain labels in the UK.

Sure, Odeon gave us a great Witchfinder General and have promised Blood on Satan's Claw, why are they being so sparse with their releases? They have an absolute ton of stuff that could make the upgrade. I'm sure the reasons are financial but Redemption must be doing okay from it to be chucking them out at the rate they are. The longer it goes on, the more potential sales are lost too. I've already bought Blood Beast Terror and for nearly half the price the Odeon BD is selling for and it's not a title I'll probably double dip for no matter what the extras.

It's not just them either. Thank god for Hammer but where are the other genre titles from Studio Canal? They started well with Peeping Tom and Don't Look Now but now we're having to order Corman Poe's from Germany. From what I gather they've all appeared on MGM HD in the US looking good so masters are there.

Even a major like Warner are just absolute shite when it comes to the UK. We've been relegated to just the bigger or early format catalogue titles from them while Germany gets Outland, Soylent Green and others.

Don't get me started on Final Cut....

Basically, aside from Arrow, Hammer, Second Sight and Eureka! there's really not a whole lot going on in the UK when it comes to genre titles on BD which is a sad state of affairs 6 years down the line of the format.

Rant over....

[Baseball Fury]

Originally Posted by ReturnToZero

No, no, labels may do stupid decisions but voluntarily region coding would be suicide.

Tell that to Criterion

[Stephen@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Baseball Fury

Tell that to Criterion

So you're saying Criterion lock their titles even if the film owners say they can be region free?

[Baseball Fury]

Yep! Every single release Criterion have ever put out is locked to A for blu-ray, irrespective if other companies have released it region free or not. They also refuse to ship cross-region from their online store. They occasionally release a Region 0 DVD, but it's a rarity.

[Daemonia]

Originally Posted by Baseball Fury

Yep! Every single release Criterion have ever put out is locked to A for blu-ray, irrespective if other companies have released it region free or not. They also refuse to ship cross-region from their online store. They occasionally release a Region 0 DVD, but it's a rarity.

And the funny thing is, when they first ventured into DVD and wanted big sales, none of their titles was ever region-locked to R1. Funny how they've changed their tune now.

[Baseball Fury]

They're so hypocritical it's unreal. Raising the profile of world cinema, but only in America it seems.

"Oh, Mr. France, you'd like to see The 400 Blows in HD? Well, I'm sorry, but this French film is only for us Americans."