HD DVD and Blu-ray releases on October 30th, 2007
This title counting business is a mess, between titles showing up without dates, studios switching sides and ceasing the production of titles, and now titles that feature nothing more than a fireplace or an aquarium, we're not sure what to count. But a title is a title, and Blu-ray has thirteen this week -- who knew that DVD International would have such an impact on the format war. What's bigger news than Blu-ray retaking the lead is, the release of Spider-Man 3 -- with or without the trilogy box set -- while we doubt it'll be as big as Transformers, the Blu-ray camp has high expectations. Warner finally brings The Polar Express to Blu-ray and has License to Wed for both sides. Paramount's impact, is less this week as they bring another HD DVD exclusive title to the street in the way of Face/Off. Universal shows up this week as well with the release of Talk to Me.HD DVD 326 vs Blu-ray 332 *
Blu-ray
- HDScape: Antarctica Dreaming (DVD International)
- HDScape: Blu-ray Sampler (DVD International)
- HDScape: Exotic Saltwater Aquarium (DVD International)
- HDScape: Fireplace - Visions of Tranquility (DVD International)
- HDScape: HDWindow - Hawaii (DVD International)
- HDScape: HDWindow - The Great Southwest (DVD International)
- HDScape: Serenity - Southern Seas (DVD International)
- HDScape: Stargaze II (DVD International)
- HDScape: Visions of the Sea (DVD International)
- License to Wed (Warner)
- The Polar Express (Warner)
- Spider-Man 3 (Sony)
- Spider-Man: The High-Definition Trilogy (Sony)
- Face/Off (Paramount)
- License to Wed (Warner)
- Mozart: Die Zauberflote (Opus Arte)
- Talk to Me (Universal)
*Blu-ray total does not reflects 32 Paramount titles that were previously available.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Xyzzy @ Oct 29th 2007 11:07AM
Did you count the HDScape disks when they were released for HD DVD last year? If not, they should be. If they have, then obviously it's fine to put them on the Blu-Ray side, even if they are pretty lame. :)
Paul Fernandez @ Oct 29th 2007 11:41AM
Yes, to get a more accurate picture of content on both sides, perhaps---for the purposes of this blog---just films should be counted. No HDScape stuff, concerts, calibration discs, etc., just theatrical releases from major and independent studios. Otherwise, IMO, these numbers begin to look more inflated than informative.
Kaiser @ Oct 29th 2007 1:20PM
I agree.
JeffDM @ Oct 29th 2007 2:40PM
"Yes, to get a more accurate picture of content on both sides, perhaps---for the purposes of this blog---just films should be counted."
I'm not sure if the counts are all that informative except to point out that there's not many movies to buy in HD. Even when you count all the niche stuff, about 330 titles in either format, it's really not a whole lot. It's hardly cause for the cockwaving and bickering that goes on here and elsewhere.
h4ldol @ Oct 29th 2007 11:59AM
I chuckle and shake my head at EngadgetHD's doubts that Spidey 3 will sell more copies than Transformers. Why? Well, for one thing, Spider-man 3 grossed far more than Transformers did, and is a film with wider audience appeal, versus the lame fanboyism infatuation for Transformers. Factor into the huge numbers advantage that blu-ray has in terms of players (sorry HD DUD fanboys, but the PS3 most definitely counts as an HD player if only b/c it is better than any HD DUD player out there), and the superior features of blu-ray releases (no pitiful lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 here!), and even Joe 6-pack wouldn't have a hard time predicting a landslide victory for Spider-man 3 and blu-ray over HD DUD and Transformers. It's cute how HD DUD keeps trying to stay alive, but clearly, Blu-ray can't be stopped!
TeddyN @ Oct 29th 2007 6:14PM
Would you please stop using the cheap trick of calling it HD-DUD? All you ever do is post insults at people who have bought an HD-DVD player. This isn't politics, stop being so fanatical for bluray. Sony doesn't give a crap about you and neither does Toshiba. Just buy what you like best and keep your mouth shut about other peoples' tastes.
Smee @ Oct 29th 2007 9:00PM
@h4idol
Keep up the good work h4, other blu ray fans are leaving this site in droves now, they are to embarrassed to post here after the continual pre pubescent crap you continue to spew.
Team red has been trying to drive them out for months and you have done it for us in a few weeks, well done. Give me a call and you can pick up your check, maybe even a bonus is in order! :)
Tim @ Oct 29th 2007 11:59AM
While I'm all for getting movies as soon as possible, wouldn't have made more sense for Warner to wait a little bit to release The Polar Express so that they could get it out during the holiday hype or at least when people are looking for holiday movies?
I think it's fair to put anything on the list that can be purchased. Whether you want to admit it or not, someone is going to make money off of these HDScape discs. While they may be lame, they are cheap, easy to make, and a good way for people to show off their equipment. As long as the counting is consistent for both formats it's good. If anything, the addition of these makes whatever format is in the lead look like it's lead is not as big because a 6 movie difference is much less significant when there are 300 titles than it is when there are 200 titles.
Xyzzy @ Oct 29th 2007 12:20PM
"no pitiful lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 here!"
Good thing no HD DVD has Dolby Digital 5.1 then, unlike BD, huh?
"wouldn't have made more sense for Warner to wait a little bit to release The Polar Express so that they could get it out during the holiday hype or at least when people are looking for holiday movies?"
This is going to start all sorts of fanboy posts, but there is a rumor on AVS Forum that the WB contract with BD expires on October 31st. There's been a few conferences lately with WB and Toshiba has been with them at all of the shows, but BD reps are nowhere to be found. Could be that it was created and they wanted to get it out before they go HD DVD exclusive. Yes, it's a complete rumor and may have no basis in fact, but it's a distinct possibility.
Probably not, though.
Eddie @ Oct 29th 2007 12:30PM
Big week. Transformers killed, but didn't do enough against BD's BOGO, let's see what BR can do this week with its exclusive.
By the way, that HDScape stuff is garbage, take it off HDVD if it's there and definitely take it off BR I'd rather you count adult releases than HDScape...
phatant @ Oct 29th 2007 1:37PM
Spiderman has been out in the UK since the 15th or 16th some time around then, picked up my trilogy box set back then. looks superb.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Oct 29th 2007 1:39PM
I may be wrong, but I don't remember seeing these HDScapes on HD-DVD during any of the week release stories. According to Amazon, they came out on Nov 28 2006 last year and there isn't any mention of them on the release stories.. I don't think they should count on either though.
Ben @ Oct 29th 2007 1:40PM
We have counted them for HD DVD in the past, so we will count them for Blu-ray now.
TrentD @ Oct 29th 2007 4:11PM
I'd personally vote to remove them from both totals, and Digital Video Essentials, from the list. Movies and TV shows only, I say.
Maybe we could have a poll on this?
Andrew @ Oct 29th 2007 1:49PM
According to HD Digest the HDScape discs were released on February 27th for HD DVD and looks like Ben never counted them:
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/02/26/hd-dvd-and-blu-ray-releases-on-february-27th-2007/
Ben @ Oct 29th 2007 1:54PM
They updated their list. I don't go back and edit every post every time they update their list. I do go back occasionally and recount all the titles to update the total count. It's been a few months since the last time I did that, but it's not off by that much.
http://web.archive.org/web/20070227050638/http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/releasedates.html
DeadPlasmaCell @ Oct 29th 2007 2:06PM
@ Andrew
Hmm, Amazon has them listed as released on Nov 26th 2006. I checked through the archives a month before and after the 28th of 2006 and didn't see any mention of them, but again that's assuming Amazon's listing of their release on Nov 26th 2006 was correct in the first place.
Xyzzy @ Oct 29th 2007 2:04PM
So are you saying the current count does or does not include the HDScape disks? Or don't we know because we're using HighDefDigest as the reference?
ryan @ Oct 29th 2007 2:01PM
I'm anxious to see how well SM3 does but my guess is it will outsell transformers. We'll see though.
Ben @ Oct 29th 2007 2:08PM
I'm saying that I count the movies as they are listed on HighDefDigest, so if they added them after they were released, then they didn't get counted. I couldn't find the last time I updated the count, but I doubt it's been since February.
This is why I started this week with "This title counting business is a mess, between titles showing up without dates," an accurate count is nearly impossible to keep. Our count isn't supposed to be the end all be all, the post is really about the titles released that week and the count total is a proximity provided for reference.
h4Idol sucks @ Oct 29th 2007 2:11PM
h4Idol
Besides the fact that your post is worthless like usual, Im sure that you dont have a home theater that you could tell the difference on anyway. I will send you a clip of me calling you an idiot it DTS-MA and one in DD 5.1 (I would send you DD+ 5.1 but its not required by BD) and see if you can tell the difference on your burger flipping salary stereo.
Be sure to post pictures of your halloween costume because I assume your going out as a big blue disc. We'll all be interested to see it!
Jeff @ Oct 29th 2007 4:57PM
Nice!!!
joe @ Oct 29th 2007 2:17PM
You do know that no-one who isn't posting here really cares. The amount of vitriol that was spilled here makes it so only the the people who post have the SLIGHTEST interest in how many titles are being racked up on each side as counted by Ben.
Those titles probably just came up on a press release somewhere.
Spiderman3 will sell better than transformers. BD disks sell about 3 for every 2 hd's and Spiderman 3 has a bigger movie in audience.
If you look at the sales trends you can see the big difference. While 300 had nearly equal sales for HD and BD for the first week it the BD version continues to be among the top sellers on all HD format weeks later.
I wonder at this point what the total sales ratio is for 300 bd/hd-dvd?
A1 @ Oct 29th 2007 2:25PM
FACE OFF BLU RAY REGION FREE IN THE UK
http://www.sendit.com/video/item/7001000135876
Andy @ Oct 29th 2007 3:28PM
how about region 2 for face off. and region 1 for caps lock off.
Kenzo @ Oct 29th 2007 3:28PM
So Ben, if highdef digest DID NOT include HDSCAPE disks for HDDVD, why don't you just add them?
Ben @ Oct 29th 2007 3:31PM
I'll back and do a full recount at some point and add them all. Honestly it's a lot of work and I find it daunting.
If someone wants to go back and count them all and send me a spreadsheet (goog docs) with every week and how many titles their were, then I'll go ahead and update date it next week.
mike @ Oct 29th 2007 3:31PM
who knows if spiderman 3 will sell better then transformers. Spiderman 3 may have a bigger audience, and be on blu-ray which tends to sell more, but your average joe left the spiderman 3 theater feely queey while leaving the transformers theater left them with a grin on their face. The general consumption is spider man 3 sucks. I certainly wont be purchasing it (not even on dvd and I bought the first 2 on dvd)
joe @ Oct 29th 2007 5:39PM
I felt the same way about Transformers. At first it was really pumped but it just kept going and getting getting worse as it did. It could have been 2 movies and all the better for it.
Good things about these predictions is that we only need to wait until tomorrow. I'll be picking up the 3 disk set since I don't have a copy of Spidey 1 and could use a copy on BD.
JeffDM @ Oct 29th 2007 6:23PM
general consumption? That's supposed to be consensus.
Given that Spider-Man 3 is the highest grossing movie out of the trilogy, I'm skeptical that a some asserted consensus is really going to be a big problem.
Dave @ Oct 30th 2007 3:06AM
"I'll back and do a full recount at some point and add them all. Honestly it's a lot of work and I find it daunting.
If someone wants to go back and count them all and send me a spreadsheet (goog docs) with every week and how many titles their were, then I'll go ahead and update date it next week."
That sucks. I have to work at my job, too. They pay me, though, so I usually go ahead and do it. How much does this research-thing pay?
DeadPlasmaCell @ Oct 29th 2007 3:41PM
Yea I wasn't a big fan of Spiderman 3, It just seemed like too much story in too little time and it felt rushed.. plus Venom was a huge let down.. I may still rent it though
Ryan P @ Oct 29th 2007 3:47PM
I think Transformers should count as two. It's two disks!!!!
Spiderman will sell more when they bundle it with the PS3 at Christmas time like they did with the PSP. I wish someone would re-edit that movie. It should have been 2 decent movies instead of 1 crappy one.
Anthony @ Oct 29th 2007 6:06PM
Face Off is available in Australia on Blu-ray released by Buena Vista. Cheers
ctwall @ Oct 29th 2007 7:56PM
I went to the theater and saw Spidey 3.. Both me and my wife left feeling we had just wasted money.. So I def. will not be wasting any more on the DVD/BD of Spiderman 3
Rich @ Oct 29th 2007 8:59PM
Ugh. Spider Man 3 was TERRIBLE. I was on a long flight recently and started watching that. I couldn't finish it. It was unwatchable.
domerdel @ Oct 29th 2007 11:22PM
i dont think spidey will break a record the first week, but overall, I think it will sell much better.
Smee @ Oct 30th 2007 12:02AM
I just read an article, that basically says sony is setting up "trolls", specifically to target early adopters via the internet by discrediting the opposition.
Is that h4idol, considering every post is a negative rant and he does not respond to any one here?
i think h4idol & a few of his buddies are more than just trolls, h4idol is indeed a sony mole!
"To combat this, Blu-ray backers are stepping up the rhetoric and courting the press, particularly the new vanguard of online Web sites, bloggers and discussion boards that cater to the early adopters who historically have set trends the masses have followed.
Its a great idea, said Ron Epstein, a founder of the Home Theater Forum, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The early adopters are all on the Internet thats where they find their information. And theres a certain brand new, just happened element.
Early adopters, "These are the people who are regularly covering technological advances in home entertainment, said Steve Feldstein, SVP of marketing and corporate communications for 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. They are at the forefront of the format, as are their readers.
Jimmy @ Oct 30th 2007 1:00AM
Wow Smee, spin a little?
I just read that article too. Here is a link for everyone else to figure out how much spin is in your post.
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/news/html/breaking_article.cfm?article_id=11449
There was nothing in there about Sony setting up trolls. The article is talking about inviting bloggers to events such as the Blu-ray festival going on right now in Hollywood.
The real news that came from that article you left out.
Dan Silverberg, VP of high-definition media for Warner Home Video was at that festival. Here are a few of his quotes:
"now that hardware pricing is affordable for both Blu-ray and HD DVD, it appears consumers no longer want to decide --- so the notion of staying in two formats for the duration is something we are re-evaluating now that we are in the fourth quarter.
We can definitely talk Blu-ray, he said. We are committed to the format.
Or how about 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment president Mike Dunn:
Mike Dunn blasted Paramount for its defection, accusing the studio of taking the bait, referring to a reported $50 million payout to drop its support of Blu-ray Disc and release titles exclusively in HD DVD.
Dunn also intimated that the format war is being perpetuated by Microsoft in the hopes of confusing consumers so much they dont support either format and ultimately buy their entertainment online.
Smee @ Oct 30th 2007 3:12AM
@Jimmy
The point of my post was to suggest, as others here all ready have, that h4idol, a continual pest on this site with his negative comments, may in fact be "on the blu payroll".
The use of the word "troll" was mine, but if you read that article without blu glasses on, and honestly tell me that the the blu ray group, ie sony, aren't setting up "people" like h4 to try and influence sites like this, then I can only conclude that you are a sony troll also.
JeffDM @ Oct 30th 2007 12:20PM
My question is WHY would Sony knowingly pay h4idol? It's certainly not in their best interests.
Dave @ Oct 30th 2007 4:22AM
Blu-ray title count here is back on top :) Awesome!
smee @ Oct 30th 2007 6:08AM
@Jimmy
And if you are not on the blu payroll, how about your thoughts on this link.
This factually and clearly states that blu ray is being very deceptive with it's specification process and ends by saying , and I quote...
"Why Sony would release expensive midrange and high end players that are obsolete within two weeks of debut is beyond me.
Someone is going to get screwed.
smee @ Oct 30th 2007 6:11AM
@Jimmy
Sorry, here is the missing link from the above post.
http://www.audioholics.com/news/industry-news/sony-blu-ray-specification-deadline
joe @ Oct 30th 2007 2:52PM
Smee- your tinfoil hat is on a bit to tight.
If you accuse h4idol or what ever his name is of being a BD plant you can obviously be called a HD-DVD plant. You always seem to have relevant facts and a highly biased spin on all BD announcements. While h4 is inconsistent in comments you are in every thread I read. You comments are frequently literate and always anti-Sony always anti-BD giving absolutely no sway. Like corporate PR flacks you stay on target.
I don't really think that you are a HD plant but given how many forums you are on and how you keep to "talking points" you seem MUCH more likely then out h4idol.
OR more likely this underread small section of a gadget site of made of bored people with a technological bent, an interest in movies and 15 minutes a day to have pointless discussions about topics that we have no sway in.
So relax the tinfoil hat and grab a beer. The internet makes pointless geek pub talk a world wide event.
Smee @ Oct 30th 2007 7:12PM
@joe
I'm not a HD DVD plant, but I do admit, I am a 1 eyed HD DVD fan and proud of it, and one who doesn't mind stirring the pot for a bit of fun.
The difference between myself and h4 (and his gang)is he does not reply to posts and his posts are always negative, inflammatory & anti HD DVD.
Also, IMO, the article clearly suggests the BR group is targeting sites like this.
I rest my case.
Any way, enough of this, I'll loosen off my tin hat and have a beer :)
The Jeremy @ Oct 30th 2007 6:05PM
I supported Blu-ray even before I bought my player. I still have no check. Come to think of it, the DVD Forum never paid me for my online support of DVD against Circuit City's DIVX format circa 1998. I guess some of us work for free and principle.
Griffon2k @ Oct 31st 2007 12:47AM
Spiderman 3 might surprise us, but I'm not certain of it. A Spiderman fan myself, I thought the movie tanked. It had some good direction going for it, but tried to do too much and too little well.
DVD sales will probably do well, BD disc first week is up in there air.
MJZimmer88 @ Nov 2nd 2007 2:12AM
Personally, i wasnt a fan of Spiderman 3. I also do not own a ps3 or blu ray player, I have a 360 with the adapter for hd dvds, and my friends have ps3s, so i have had a fair taste of them both. It would not surprise me at all if h4idol was being paid by sony, and i know i read another article (which i was just looking for to post that i couldnt find, sorry) where people were talking about sony paying bloggers to make their good comments and such.
@Sony: If you want to pay me, I'm fully open to having my opinion bought in this situation. With hd dvd coming out with tri-layered disks (51GB disks) eventually, and blu ray finally coming out with our neat extras, its looking like I'm going to be agreeing with Kmart (note: kmart no longer sells blu ray players, but at this point who would buy one there anyways).
Hd dvd players are cheaper, and do the same thing, apparently better. I'm fully satisfied with having a slightly smaller collection at this time while i wait for all this to cheapen up, and Ill probably buy a blu ray player if they get to about 150 bucks eventually, even though they'll likely lose if that takes more than another 3 or 4 months.
Sorry if im repeating what others have said, but theres a lot of posts up here right now, and its almost 2 am. I got about half way through them when they got a tad repetitive. One thing i'd like to know, is which company is atually getting these 5 free dvds out to us sooner? My hd dvds should arrive in '8-10 weeks' or so, which is reasonable like all mail in rebates. But since every disk its a good 25+ dollars, they make up about half of my hd dvd collection, and i wont get them for 2 months.
Now i know no one really cares, but atleast hear me out. My friends and I have had long on going discussions about the format war (seriously, its kinda sad), and we are split pretty much 50 50 over which is 'better', but we are all comin down to the same conclusion. How long is this format war going to last? Right now, hd dvds at their worst are catching up, and blu ray players are finding more and more problems. Realistically, and you can quote me on this if you care that much and i dont have any other written evidence, and if you disagree with me, you can go f*ck yourself cause you know im right, but HD DVD owners are as a majority, people who bought hd dvd players because they want the new technology, they want it cheap, and they are as a whole satisfied. Blu ray owners on the other hand are as a majority PS3 owners, who consider it an added bonus and an excuse to pay a rediculous amount for a product that is not considered better by many accounts (and there ARE numbers to show this).
Now back to the realistically thing again, who is more likely to buy more dvds (at the price of high def content disks)? People who bought systems with the intent of watching movies, but would rather save some money, or People who are willing to pay extra with the original intent of playing videogames? Honestly, it's a hard question to answer, especially in the short run. Please feel free to disagree with this part, politely preferably, and we can argue this like men (or bickering adolescents if you really want, however you spell that word). My point is, in the long run, technology will come down some in price, but the people more likely to buy a second player (of the opposite format) are those who were willing to pay more in the first place, the blu ray owners.
And who's buying more disks in the long run? Those who are spending their money to show themselves that they made a good purchase are going to end up buying more. Blu ray owners will buy plenty, at first, they have the money to spare (based on the fact that they waste so much on the player), but many ps3 owners arent in it for the movies, and in my opinion are less likely to continue buying more and more movies in the high def prices. They also wont be finding others buying blu ray disks that arent ps3 owners, because its a rediculous proposition to buy a stand alone ps3 player. Feel free to condradict me now, correct me, and complain about my really long post that may not make sense cause its 2 am and im watching spiderman 3 on tv and im pissed off because im finding that i like this movie less and less (and again realistically and uncontestably, the special effects dont compare to those in transformers, watch the special features on your hd dvd, youll see what i mean).