Feltenstein: WB Spent $6 Million Restoring Classics for Blu-ray

Posted December 15, 2009 04:57 PM by Juan Calonge


In a recent interview, George Feltenstein, senior vice president for theatrical catalog marketing at Warner Home Video, has stated that the studio spent "more than six million dollars" to bring 'Woodstock', 'The Wizard of Oz', 'North by Northwest' and 'Gone with the Wind' to Blu-ray. "We're biting the bullet and bringing classics to Blu-ray so we can broaden the base." Feltenstein also revealed: "We're devoting our marketing efforts and our resources and staff on the retail level" to these releases, "primarily driven by the fact that these are making their debut on Blu-ray." Feltenstein raised the chicken-and-egg issue of format adoption and catalog width: "My problem with Blu-ray is that the kind of movies I love are not available on Blu-ray, and they're not going to be available on Blu-ray until the player base gets bigger, and that's why we're biting the bullet and bringing classics to Blu-ray so we can broaden the base. So the news overall is really quite positive." The executive also laments that "people buying at the retail level, they don't know who these people [actors from the Golden Age of Cinema] are, they think an old classic movie is 'The Silence of the Lambs'". However, he admits his share of responsability regarding the current situation of catalog titles, because he was behind releasing movie collections on DVD: "Buy the film noirs [collection], get five movies for $35... And now we're coming out with a [Warner Archive] movie, it's 20 bucks, so I see why some people don't understand... But ten years ago, people would pay $30 for a movie, they'd pay a fortune for a laserdisc, so it's really all perception." Feltenstein claims that the media has "spun paranoia" about the future of home video saying that "DVD is dying and Blu-ray is threatening. In Feltenstein's opinion, "Blu-ray is the greatest thing ever invented" and they only thing that can make DVD die "is people going on TV saying it is dying." The Warner executive considers himself "a film enthusiast of the highest order" and says that he reads "everything that people say on the boards." His experience is that "people don't go on the Internet to say, 'I just bought the 'Forbidden Hollywood' William Wellman set, and I just loved it.' But they'll be running to say, 'Oh my God, there was a scratch on frame three of scene five' — these people are obsessed with trying to find something wrong."
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News comments (36 comments)

Top contributor

fdm

Dec 15, 2009

3 out of 4 complete successes aint bad, I suppose. Warner Archives, meh.

Based on the stellar work Warner did on "North By Northwest", bravo!

This blu-ray is spectacular...blows away even the previously-nicely-restored DVD...and perhaps is even better than most people have ever seen in a theater.

mgdvd

Dec 15, 2009

The only thing Warner should change is their different packaging styles, and provide a standard blu-ray KEEP case for the feature movie and extras or give us an option for "replacement" cases (like Criterion does) despite what else comes in the "package"

If we Get the option of "keep cases" with Warner disks then Warner would FOREVER be the DEFINITIVE studio in blu ray quality manufacturing

Hopefully they will buy the MGM catalog and UA Archive films as well - then I can't wait for ALL the good quality ahead - Warner is the One Studio that fully understand the blu-ray potential !!
Keep up the good work

ozianscott

Dec 15, 2009

Feltenstein should stop whining about what the boards say and deliver on his promises. Then maybe people wouldn't nit pick on the boards. He's exaggerating when he mentions people noticing a scratch on a frame of film. The only complaints I've seen/read are related to WHV promising certain extras, then not delivering. With no explanation as to why.

Example: The recent OZ release was advertised as having certain extras that didn't make it to the final release of the multitude of BD and DVD editions that have come out. The film itself was wonderful. An amazing restoration. But the extras were, in most cases, poor copies of extras dating back to the mid-1990's laser disc days (the stills gallery). Everything else (excepting the few new extras like the well done Fleming documentary) was copied over from the 2005 DVD release, and not in HD. The Scarecrow's deleted dance sequence was promised to be presented in HD "for the first time" along with the film. It wasn't. It was the same copy of a copy of a copy from, again, the laser disc. The newly discovered, early "slow" version of "If I Only Had A Brain" was missing as well. The only place to hear that is on Amazon.com.

A big deal was made about the addition of the wonderful "Dreamer of Oz" TV movie starring John Ritter - first time on DVD or BD! Sadly transfer is so blurry it's unwatchable. Looks like someone hooked up a VCR to their HDTV.

Seems as though WHV is more interested in printed extras and fancy packaging than the actual content - aside from the films themselves. Believe me, due to this experience, many people are forgoing the UCE's and getting the one or two disc "regular" versions. No point in duplicating what one already has on DVD if it's not in HD.

Is it being "obsessed with trying to find something wrong" when promised extras are missing, and those that are included are in many cases inferior product? I think not.

In spite of that, I think it's wonderful that WHV is committed to classics, I just wish they would deliver on what they promote (and charge for). Or at least let buyers/fans know why promised items were not included.

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Bluyoda

Dec 15, 2009

I have seen 2001:A Space Odyssey, which can clearly be considered a classic, and I have to say that WB did an awesome job with that release.
The quality of the Video and Audio is just phenomenal! Sure, that it was shot in 70mm certainly helps.
Casablanca is quite terrific too.
What I want to mention is that I think BD deserves to have everything, meaning the feature as well as the supplements, in full HD. Most studios just rehash the extras of the DVD editions in SD. However, it's probably understandable since most people don't seem to care much for the extras anyhow. I for one love them, and would like to see them in HD.
How about you guys?

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pro-bassoonist

Dec 15, 2009

I have to agree with just about everything Mr. Feltenstein has stated. My only reservation pertains to their Warner Archive initiative -- these films should have been put on SDVD. Because they were not, a number of unfounded speculations have been produced as to the future of physical media.

In any event, Warner deserves a lot of credit for their support of the films that...matter

Pro-B

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Bluyoda

Dec 15, 2009

Ah, the Dumb and Dumber BD is a disgrace, and needs a decent re-release! I also want Ace Ventura-Pet Detective and Ace Ventura-When Nature Calls with great transfers and lossless audio, as well as all the supplemental features...

Nathan Arizona

Dec 15, 2009

Too bad Amadeus didn't get the same love.

CheapChildren

Dec 15, 2009

"Feltenstein claims that the media has "spun paranoia" about the future of home video saying that "DVD is dying and Blu-ray is threatening. In Feltenstein's opinion, "Blu-ray is the greatest thing ever invented" and they only thing that can make DVD die "is people going on TV saying it is dying."

So true..

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rev.and.ride

Dec 15, 2009

Gotta agree that North by Northwest was phenomenal! But Warner, please consider Barry Lyndon for Blu! It's every bit as good as the other Kubrick films that have made it to Blu. Very disappointed this isn't available yet.

@Bluyoda - I totally agree. Extras in HD would be an enticement for me to buy and even double dip on a few titles. For instance, it would be great to have Hearts of Darkness in HD on an Apocalypse Now release.

ShellOilJunior

Dec 15, 2009

They must be spending a pretty penny on Singin in the Rain.

Can't wait for it to be released on BR!

dmarvin

Dec 15, 2009

^ Singin' in the Rain is one of my most coveted classic films. If done right, it will look absolutely gorgeous.

playblu08

Dec 15, 2009

I am curious to see how The Exorcist ends up looking on BD...

DefTechPioElite

Dec 15, 2009

I am MORE than satisfied with my Wizard of Oz box set! Keep the classics coming, and keep the awesome restorations coming!

Top reviewer

bluskies

Dec 15, 2009

I say, "Bravo, Mr. Feltenstein!" I love classic movies and want more, more, more! WB has done the best work of all on the classics.

To Bluyoda who said: "Ah, the Dumb and Dumber BD is a disgrace, and needs a decent re-release! I also want Ace Ventura-Pet Detective and Ace Ventura-When Nature Calls with great transfers and lossless audio, as well as all the supplemental features..."

Umm, those are NOT the classics he is talking about. LOL, you fit more into when it said, "The executive also laments that "people buying at the retail level, they don't know who these people [actors from the Golden Age of Cinema] are, they think an old classic movie is 'The Silence of the Lambs'".

To ozianscott who said: "Feltenstein should stop whining about what the boards say and deliver on his promises. Then maybe people wouldn't nit pick on the boards. He's exaggerating when he mentions people noticing a scratch on a frame of film."

Geez, are you joking??!!!! Look at the bruhaha when people were examining frames of Gladiator, South Park, etc., etc. I agree 100% with Mr. F. I mean, come on, people here complain if a Blu-ray case is 1/4 of an inch higher than the rest of their collection!!!!

Galley

Dec 15, 2009

They did a fantastic job on the entire Woodstock package.

assydingo

Dec 15, 2009

I need to get Gone With The Wind once they sell it in a regular case. Singin' In The Rain would rock.

JediFonger

Dec 16, 2009

i luv how Feltenstein says people come board the web to complain... followed by our BD members commenting on the negative, LOL!

Top reviewer

Robert Siegel

Dec 16, 2009

Obviously it takes millions of dollars to restore older movies the way they should be restored for the format. This is what scares me as a classic fan, how many movies are they willing to resotre properly? Hopefully, the base of classic fans will increase now with players at lower prices which means sales of more classics and more of the interested demo buying the movies. But with so many films made before 1970, I am sad to see how low the number of releases are so far. Idiotic movies like Disaster Movie get Blu releases, yet we still have no Lawrence of Arabia or such. I hope that this changes now with more players being sold and I hope demand increases. Sadly, I think there will be movies that will never be released on Blu-ray and some of the DVD versions are poor transfers. Restorations would be expensive.

That said, at least we can look forward to the best of the best like Sound of Music and Oklahoma anniversary editions in 2010, The Music Man, Ben Hur and Green Berets among others.

sonny gaunt

Dec 16, 2009

Six million to restore cinematic history(of 4 classics!), which will certainly reap a financial windfall? That's 1.5 million each, which is about how much ad time during a Super Bowl? I love to hear about the classics, Casablanca was amazingly restored, but expect me to sympathize for WB's investment? Heck no. There is obviously a fine line between preserving art and recouping lost production costs. As mentioned by mntwister-Disaster Movie on Blu, but no LoA? Put out films that "deserve" the restoration and have some artistic merit to their visuals. For a quick example BLUE UNDERGROUND-they have listed their intent to release MANIAC on BR(please keep in mind I think very highly of that film) a film which was intentionally blown up to 35mm to enhance it's gritty look, the AB release on DVD looked great-but still not a film whose visual appearance necessitates a BR presentation. But they have the NA rights to SUSPERIA, now that, IMHO is madness.

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mikeyk1964

Dec 16, 2009

Thus far, Warner and Fox are the leaders in quality for classic films on Blu-ray, so I think Mr. Feltenstein deserves a lot of credit for being a leader in getting the classics out to the public with the love and care that we film enthusiasts demand. I cannot understand why Sony, after having developed the format, has been so woefully neglectful of the classic titles in their catalog (Bridge on the River Kwai? Lawrence of Arabia? HELLO!!!)

On a separate note, I'd like to hear more about the long-awaited Raintree County Blu-ray release.

Barion

Dec 16, 2009

I think some of you people should look up what "whining" means, because it's clear you have no idea. There was no whining whatsoever in anything Feltenstein said.

Father Bowdern

Dec 16, 2009

Well the biggest news for me from WB is the release of The Exorcist on BD. I understand that Friedkin and Blatty will provide some insights into the film while visiting various filming sites. Rumor has it that both versions (1973 original and the God-awful TVYNS) will be on the same BD.

The Exorcist BD has been delayed several times now, so I'm hoping that WB gets it right for such a class horror film. Latest due date is Halloween 2010 ... we'll see.

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in2video2

Dec 16, 2009

Thank you, Mr Feltenstein. Your dedication to the restoration and preservation of film classics for Warner and titles from MGM is much appreciated. We can all take courage now that the momentum is starting to show in the public's awareness and support of Blu-Ray as part of the HDTV experience. Once Blu... always Blu. Fox and Sony will follow your lead. More film classics carefully restored and presented on Blu-Ray will quickly broaden the mass audience you are looking to attract, giving them a solid reason to jump on board with Blu. We are all looking forward to official press releases regarding plans for classic film releases for 2010 and beyond; that will make film buffs sitting on the fence sit up and take notice, too.

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Bluyoda

Dec 16, 2009

To Bluskies who said: Umm, those are NOT the classics he is talking about. LOL, you fit more into when it said, "The executive also laments that "people buying at the retail level, they don't know who these people [actors from the Golden Age of Cinema] are, they think an old classic movie is 'The Silence of the Lambs'".

I am completely aware that those aren't old classics he was referring to, but I still want them on BD looking the best they can. There is nothing wrong with that imo.
Btw., I have the Woodstock set, and am not overly impressed with it (some scenes look horrible), but it might be due to the troublesome source material (16mm, hand held).

thespindoc

Dec 16, 2009

I think that movies in general should be revered in the same manner as some of our most treasured, historical artifacts. All the studios owe it to us, and society in general, to restore and bring them to the best light that we can see and hear them in. Look how much was spent to restore the Enola Gay, so that it looks as it did when it first came of the assembly line. Come on Warner, and other studios, don't look at it in terms of the money, but that you're doing these restorations for generations to come. So that our children's childern may enjoy Wizard of Oz and all the other classics, from here on.

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fettastic

Dec 16, 2009

And Woodstock looks like standard def so unless they repaired a lot of print damage that money was wasted.

But I definitely commend WB on preserving older cinema. From Casablanca to The Dirty Dozen to The Searchers, to The Adventures of Robin Hood, Mutiny on the Bounty...they are FAR AND AWAY the leading studio in this respect.

cjamescook

Dec 16, 2009

I do have to agree with Mr. Feltenstein tangentally, and that is in regard to collections.

Some really great movie collections were released on DVD in the last five years. Boxed sets like "The Humphrey Bogart Collection", "The Tracey & Hepburn Collection", "The Classic Comedy Collection". Those are great movies in great collections.

The problem is that the Blu-ray versions are not here. When they do arrive, it will be much later. George worries that people will be put off by the price of the blu-ray version. I'm at a more basic level here: folks will react, "It's a nice movie [on DVD], but not nice enough to be worthy of purchasing a second time, never mind at the blu-ray price."

Your mileage may vary.

MADNOD

Dec 16, 2009

i don't believe that 6 M$ for restoring old movies is too much, i bet they will have a much higher gross.

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Trekofile

Dec 16, 2009

Yes, Feltenstein, if YOU'RE listening......Will there be a disc only Gone With The Wind release soon? I don't mean the overpriced box or the single(movie only)store exclusive. I mean a 2-3 disc, standard BD case release. I'd buy it in a heart beat. Untill that happens, I'll be happy with my 2 vhs tape set. I LOVE my Target(then excl) 3 disc Wiz Of Oz in standard BD case! I also noticed that Amazon's Woodstock excl. box w/ excl footage has been removed from their site and stated it's discontinued from the manufacturer! Didn't this JUST come out? I know another store Target?..had a boxed set too with different features/footage. I've never heard of a release so new getting pulled off the market so fast...getting like Disney's antics to put things "back in the vault" marketing ploy.

ShellOilJunior

Dec 16, 2009

My Fair Lady in 70mm would be fantastic, too. I think WB does have rights on it.

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SquidPuppet

Dec 16, 2009

BRAVO George Feltenstein. Please take Lucas and Spielberg out to lunch and explain why your logic is better....because it IS!!!!

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Jamison

Dec 16, 2009

There's a simple supply and demand solution for bringing the cost of film restoration down: restore more films. The more films being restored the more competition there will be. I'm glad blu-ray is lighting a fire under restoration because there are countless films that would benefit. This website is perhaps the primary online evidence of this.

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Konrad

Dec 16, 2009

Warner's films and discs are great, however: It would have been so great if the discs in the huge and heavy "Gone With the Wind" box had been housed in a keep case instead of the cheap cardboard case which will inevitably suffer from shelf wear over the years. Same with regard to the "Casablanca" box. Please provide keep cases with your special edition boxes!

QuasidodoJr

Dec 16, 2009

A lot of people do get on message boards just to bitch about something.

I've enjoyed all of their classic restorations immensely, so far. I hope they continue to release them, and do so in grand fashion (nice box sets), because I will gladly buy them all.