HD DVD and Blu-ray releases on January 15th, 2008
by Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Jan 14th 2008 at 9:47AM
Here we are the first week after CES and there isn't much on the release schedule for either camp. Blu-ray does have six titles this week, but nothing really to get excited about. Comedies do pretty good, -- even though some think HD doesn't make them any more pleasurable -- so Blu-ray fans can look forward to Dane's latest comedy Good Luck Chuck. Looking forward, this is a slow time of year for movie releases, but horror fans can look for SAW IV. And to those who think Universal and Paramount are going to be HD DVD's savior, you might want to look at the upcoming release schedule where there are a combined five titles between both studios for 2008 currently on the schedule. To be fair we saw the same thing last year, before Universal released the torrents of their catalog. HD DVD 376 vs Blu-ray 418*
Blu-ray
- Breaker Morant (Image)
- Girls Gone Wild: Baby Bash - Live And Uncensored (Mantra)
- Good Luck Chuck (Lionsgate)
- Mr. Woodcock (New Line)
- Suburban Girl (Image)
- Went To Coney Island On A Mission From God... Be Back By Five (Starz)
- The Ten (City Lights)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Gabe S. @ Jan 14th 2008 10:34AM
Come on Apple, release a blu ray drive so I don't have to buy a ps3 to enjoy blu ray titles. You know you want to. I can't keep living if I have to miss Good Luck Chuck and Mr. Woodcock in high def.
WordSlinger @ Jan 14th 2008 11:34AM
There are already some Blu-Ray drives available for Macs
http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-11631-Blu-Ray%20for%20MAC!%20The%20LBD-A2FU2.html
Truth Teller @ Jan 14th 2008 10:32AM
Typical jan release schedule for HD DVD (we saw the same thing last year through to the start of march, no biggee).
The nice thing HD DVD owners can look forward to is importing more than a few of those supposedly 'Blu-ray exclusive' titles which are nothing of the sort.
More Blu-ray releases = more HD DVD movies.
Nice.
okeygrak @ Jan 14th 2008 10:54AM
There are no words left in the English language to describe just how hopelessly pathetic you are
KushielsScion007 @ Jan 14th 2008 11:00AM
@okeygrak
And what exactly does that make you?
Its truly amusing how hostile you bluray fanboys are. I mean you're so desperate for this war to end that you're attacking anyone who happens to support HD DVD. If you're so sure that bluray is going to win then be quiet and let it happen.
All your screaming does is just tell me (a simple DVD owner) that the war is far from over.
sycks @ Jan 14th 2008 12:36PM
@KushielsScion007
Though he might be a BD Fanboy he was referring specifically to Truth Teller, who is the worst supported of HD-DVD on Engadget and deserves every criticism and insult he receives, not to ALL HD-DVD proponents.
HDpurist @ Jan 14th 2008 11:57PM
Thanks for the nice laugh.
But really, how can anyone deny how horrible 1 release is compared to 6? Well, enjoy the HD-DVD releases while they last...won't be long before the HD-DUD farm-shills go byebye for good.
Wow, what a sad sad time for HDDVD supporters - like those days of investing in Enron stocks and the crash and burn.
bry2an @ Jan 14th 2008 11:08AM
Wether this is par for the course for Universal I don't know. I'm not sure about Paramount either. I do know this is not necessarily good for HD DVD camp. Blu-ray is going to take advantage of this time and push the format with new releases each week.
dale @ Jan 14th 2008 11:25AM
i just saw where bestbuy was selling toshiba hd-dvd players for 149. do you think blu-ray will match that?
bry2an @ Jan 14th 2008 1:17PM
@dale
Well I don't know if there are any 1080i BD players and I don't think BD has to price match at this time but they will remain priced competitively. The fact is HD DVD only has 2 major studios and Blu-ray has the rest. I have both formats but I don't think HD DVD can do anything right now but lower prices.
Truth Teller @ Jan 14th 2008 11:14AM
It's the same as happened last year.
Just import.
There are now approx 70 or 80 supposedly 'Blu-ray exclusive' titles that are nothing of the sort and are available on HD DVD if you import.
That's how come HD DVD actually offer the largest amount of available titles & the largest amount of exclusive titles, right now.
Importing is easy & risk-free as HD DVD is, unlike Blu-ray, 100% region-free every time.
WordSlinger @ Jan 14th 2008 11:39AM
Unfortunately for the HD-DVD crowd, the average consumer, even HDM consumer, isn't going to go through the process of importing.
I can't attest to the quality of HD-DVD imports, but my brother used to buy imported TV seasons on DVD and the shows were fine but the cheap discs in general did not function very well.
Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't an imported HD-DVD version of a movie that was slated for exclusive Blu-Ray release be an illegal copy?
mark @ Jan 14th 2008 11:56AM
@wordslinger
not at all.. the exclusivity of bluray and hd dvd movies are in the us and uk only... basically resident evil (made by SONY) is released on HD DVD through a low subdivision of SONY... they do this to give the apearance that they have nothing to do with it... and unlike import dvd's import HD DVD's are held to the same standards in different countries as our own.
WordSlinger @ Jan 14th 2008 1:38PM
@mark
Well, I learned something today.
@ Truth Teller
If an HD-DVD lover such as yourself can import Blu-Ray "exclusives," what's to stop a Blu-Ray lover from importing HD-DVD "exclusives?" Doesn't the whole import market render the argument of exclusives for either camp null and void? Even if that is the case, it's obviously not being picked up by many elsewhere.
WordSlinger @ Jan 14th 2008 1:51PM
Before someone replies to tell me "no, because only HD-DVD are region free!" A quick Google search pulled up stores selling imported Blu-Rays that are all-Region coded.
MidnightDT @ Jan 14th 2008 11:39AM
who is city lights?
WordSlinger @ Jan 14th 2008 11:49AM
Well, it appears the Amazon sale is helping HD-DVD bounce back a little bit after the huge hit they took last week, but with Blu-Ray having a similar sale, they are still crushing HD-DVD in overall sales.
http://charts.highdefdigest.com/history.aspx
JimC @ Jan 14th 2008 7:42PM
Yeah, on Amazon with the sale going on, there will no doubt be a spike in sales rankings, fortunately, this kind of fire effort put on by Toshiba to try and save its hide will not fool anyone, especially movie studios. The same reason WB switched still exists no matter how many players Toshiba moves, WB wants a single HD format and they have chosen bluray, and I bet they did so recognizing the huge potential of PS3 owners. Redheads can spin PS3 numbers all they want but WB is not impressed with the HDDVD groups assessments.
With HDDVD showing a pathetic title rollout and WB's 3 week delay on their HDDVD titles, it will become sorely apparent to the market space which format has won.
ash @ Jan 14th 2008 11:52AM
If HD-DVD is promoting itself as the format of choice for J6P, what makes you think this same walmart shopping guy is going to go online and start importing discs? HD-DVD Enthusiasts, ok, but not J6P.
1stGreg @ Jan 14th 2008 11:59AM
Jsut to "complement" what Truth Tool says, the reverse is also true for Blu Ray, minus the region protected ones.
Blu Ray versions of movie in Japan will work per example.
Oh, and anticipating the response of Truth Tool about Region Codes (touting their absence as a plus for HD DVD), the lack of any such thing on HD DVD (as well as BD+) is the very reason New Line dumped your format, as well as the reason why Fox would never even look your way (despite rumors of the countrary).
Dave @ Jan 14th 2008 12:15PM
LOL ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=friS4OOcdgQ
:D
Craig WB @ Jan 14th 2008 12:55PM
Oh man so funny, too bad it'll be lost on germans.
WordSlinger @ Jan 14th 2008 1:22PM
Very funny video.
HDpurist @ Jan 15th 2008 12:14AM
Downfall is an awesome movie.
This clip is just as awesome! Genius...
Truth Teller @ Jan 14th 2008 2:36PM
@ WordSlinger
It's true that some Blu-ray titles are (currently) region-free.
Some.
If you (or anyone) can find the same thing (70 - 80) HD DVD movies out & available internationally as Blu-ray titles you can import to the US then go ahead show us all, I'm all for us all seeing the facts as they are.
The truth is you can't.
I've seen 2 titles (available in Japan) that are supposedly HD DVD exclusives but are available on Blu-ray.
There is also no guarantee that things will stay that way.
(already, according to the specs, there is supposed to be provision for BD movies to go region-free after 12mths......but you won't find that actually happening with any of their big movies).
But nevertheless HD DVD is 100% region-free everytime and staying that way.
WordSlinger @ Jan 14th 2008 4:19PM
Well, that's all well and good but unless you can site a reliable, verifiable source of information for your predictions I'll be taking them with a grain of salt.
JimC @ Jan 14th 2008 7:45PM
Wordslinger, you'd do better to wipe your butt, flush it in the toilet, and see what kind of stain it makes, about equivalent to Truth Teller's "predictions"...
Truth Teller @ Jan 14th 2008 10:16PM
*quote* WordSlinger
Well, that's all well and good but unless you can site a reliable, verifiable source of information for your predictions I'll be taking them with a grain of salt.
========================================================================
What "predictions".
You were asking about imports, I haven't made a single prdiction in this post.
What I have said about those 70 - 80 movies is the fact of the matter & it is very easily found out
(there are several sites that show you where to go & how to do this).
TBH I'm surprised you didn't know about this.
See here -
http://areahd.dvdtiefpreise.com/?p=109
and here -
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=855923
and here -
http://forums.highdefdigest.com/showthread.php?p=45960#post45960
WordSlinger @ Jan 14th 2008 10:55PM
"What predictions"
****************************
"according to the specs, there is supposed to be provision for BD movies to go region-free after 12mths......but you won't find that actually happening with any of their big movies"
That one.
And don't be surprised... I didn't know about those stores because I don't have a an HD-DVD player, thus no interest in buying imported HD-DVDs... and at this point I have no desire to buy one.
matthew3009 @ Jan 15th 2008 1:32AM
Why won't you just let HD DVD die like it should, aside from your personal opinion on movies, Blu-ray is the superior format, and with a console behind it, it is unbeatable, just sell your HD DVD player and movies on eBay while you still can and come to the Blu side.
Truth Teller @ Jan 15th 2008 10:26AM
@ WordSlinger
That's not a prediction, that's a statement of the facts as they currently stand after almost 2 years of Blu-ray movies being out and available.
There's not one major Blu-ray release over 12mths old now that has been moved from region-encoded to non-region encoded.
So, where's the "prediction" in what I said?
WordSlinger @ Jan 15th 2008 12:54PM
@ Truth...
If you really want to nitpick this... which I can see you do...
You said:
" you won't find that actually happening with any of their big movies"
"won't" = will not
"will" = simple future verb tense
future = that which has not happened yet
Dictionary definition of "Prediction"
Noun. Foretelling of a future event.
So... when you tell me I won't find something happening... you are making a claim about what I will or will not find sometime in the future... and since you have still not sited any kind of source for your information or claims... I will continue to take this prediction with a grain of salt.
andy @ Jan 15th 2008 10:30AM
I just purchased an HD DVD player for $150. Why? Because the superior, possibly-winning-the-format-war Blu-ray players cost roughly three times that amount. I'm not amassing a library, anyway, I'm just Netflixing my movies - so if Blu-ray wins in 2 years and then comes down to $150, I'll still be ahead with *both* players and have paid less than the HD DVD naysayers.
HD DVD may very well be the VHS player of today. At these prices the market won't let Betamax win.
Truth Teller @ Jan 15th 2008 2:59PM
@ WordSlinger
Nit-pick away all you like but the truth is that with Blu-ray having already been available almost 2 years they aren't doing what they said they would do.
There isn't a single major movie title that has moved from originally being region coded to 12mths later being rereleased as a region-free disc.
There's no prediction in that, we have their track record to look over, they aren't doing it.
That's simply a statement of fact.
WordSlinger @ Jan 15th 2008 4:16PM
Call it what you want, your verbiage implied prediction whether you intended it to or not, thus my original reply and the subsequent required explanations.
Regardless, as usual, you still haven't backed up anything you've said with a reliable source even though I've asked for one twice.