New Blade Runner DVD

grady · #1 05-26-2006, 04:29 PM

It's finally happening and it sounds like Warner Bros. is doing things right for this film classic unlike the sacred original trilogy getting stomped on like a soiled door mat by Lucasfilm. There is no mention of the Work Print at this point and I hope and imagine that this issue will be addressed as we get closer to the release date.

A bit amusing that this was being discussed in the Star Wars DVD thread a couple weeks back and then this new announcement is made. News has been spreading, but I've been unable to get the full press release to put here as you need a log-in at Variety or The Hollywood Reporter.

Here's the info plus some background from The Digital Bits:

[COLOR=#c0c0c0][COLOR=Black] First a bit of background on the reason for the title's delay. Warner had been planning a 2-disc special edition of the film early last year... but suddenly realized that their rights to the title were about to lapse. However, the studio ponied up the big bucks to get back what is arguably one of their primo Cadillac catalog titles (dare you to say that three times fast). The ownership situation now resolved, Warner has set in motion plans to really do something special with the film. You might recall back in January when I asked them about the film at their 2006 catalog press event, they hinted that things were looking good for a 2007 release. Privately, we were told that there were BIG things in the works, but were also told that if we leaked too much about the project, we might end up like Fredo Corleone (or WORSE, that the project itself could be complicated). Needless to say, though we've been dying to talk about this for months now (and we get about two e-mails a day asking about the title), we've kept largely silent on the subject. Now that the project is finally out in the open, however, we can finally say a few things. Keep in mind that the major portion of the release is still over a year away. But here's the basic plan...

This coming September, there will be a new limited DVD release (HD-DVD & Blu-ray Disc are also planned) of the restored 1992 Director's Cut (you know... the one that isn't really a director's cut). This will be available for just four months. We believe this is basically the 2-disc release that Warner had originally planned to bow LAST year.

Then next year, just in time for the film's 25th anniversary, Ridley Scott's ultimate Blade Runner: The Final Cut will hit theaters for a limited run. This will be a REAL director's cut, with restored scenes and more - all the stuff that Ridley's always wanted to do with the film but hasn't really been given the chance to do before. That will be followed later in the year by an Ultimate Blade Runner DVD release. You can expect a multi-disc box set (again, likely with a simultaneous HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc release) that will contain at least four different versions of the film... ALL in full anamorphic widescreen, we might add. You'll get the film's original U.S. theatrical cut, you'll get the expanded international theatrical cut, you'll get the 1992 Director's CutFinal Cut as well. Now... we realize at this point, you may have questions. Keep in mind, there's a TON of additional material that's going to be included in this set that hasn't been announced and can't be talked about yet - all-new material that you've never seen before. The set is pretty early in the planning and production stage, so it's way too early to talk details, but trust us... some very cool stuff is in the works. These extras will likely be different from the September '06 release, so if you buy both you'll at least be getting your money's worth.

Imagine that... anamorphic widescreen AND real value in a DVD release! Hey... are we being punked?

You veteran Bits readers will also be thrilled to learn that longtime Ridley Scott DVD producer Charles de Lauzirika and his team are involved in project, and have already been working on the set for a while now. Lauzirika, as you may know, was the producer responsible for Fox's 9-disc, massively comprehensive Alien Quadrilogy box set, as well as the multi-disc special editions of Scott's Gladiator (from DreamWorks), Black Hawk Down (from Sony) and Kingdom of Heaven (recently available from Fox), among others. You should also know that Lauzirika and his team are big fans of Blade Runner themselves. Rest assured that they know what you guys all want to see on this release, and they're working very hard to make it as good as it can be. Trust us when we say that this project is in EXACTLY the right hands.[/COLOR] [/COLOR]

mmm skyscraper · #2 05-26-2006, 05:02 PM

Sounds cool. Now if someone would reissue The Killer. The Criterion disc is way too expensive.

adam · #3 05-26-2006, 05:22 PM

The Killer is out of print? I've got a non-Criterion version. I had no idea. If you really want it, I'm sure we can work something out. I think I've watched it enough times to part with it.

grady · #4 05-26-2006, 06:43 PM

There are also ways of getting Out of Print Criterions. I know there has been a few groups releasing torrents specifically of Out of Print DVDs including Criterions. Or you could get someone to rent it and copy it for you too.

stimpee · #5 05-27-2006, 07:20 AM

thanks for the comprehensive post grady. thats great news and i think i'll have to see it to believe it, after all the shit thats gone down.

jOHN rODRIGUEZ · #6 05-27-2006, 11:38 AM

"will hit theaters for a limited run" made me gasp like Dorothy in Oz.

Damn, I'm gayer than a muther fuck.

joethelion · #7 06-22-2007, 09:29 AM

so.... how much longer do I have to wait for the "Definitive Version" of the film?

I'm freakin turning blue (b/c I've been holding my breath so long)

grady · #8 06-22-2007, 09:45 AM

They keep mentioning fall with a potential limited theatrical release. Seems to be pretty firm as it's getting mentioned in upcoming WB DVD releases now too. I'd expect something to be announced at the Comicon in San Diego this year.

A quote from Ridley stated that they were opting to try and get it into Venice film festival per this quote from Ridley in Total Film:

RS : It's finished. a five disc set in a Deckard briefcase comes out in the autumn. We've got a reconformed, state of the art digital print, which we haven't really had for about 15 years. It'll probably be shown at the Venice Film Festival.

link

big screen satellite · #9 06-22-2007, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grady

RS : It's finished. a five disc set in a Deckard briefcase comes out in the autumn. We've got a reconformed, state of the art digital print, which we haven't really had for about 15 years. It'll probably be shown at the Venice Film Festival.

link

ffs i hate the way films have to be released to set dates, if its finished press it up and ship it out to the stores you mofo's its not hard people will buy it, you don't need to market it, and if you do, do it after we have it....

its like woolworths near me had the lord of the rings box sets on their shelves for a week behind their counter but couldn't sell them to anyone... i know why they do it but its bollox

stimpee · #10 06-23-2007, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big screen satellite

ffs i hate the way films have to be released to set dates, if its finished press it up and ship it out to the stores you mofo's its not hard people will buy it, you don't need to market it, and if you do, do it after we have it....

its like woolworths near me had the lord of the rings box sets on their shelves for a week behind their counter but couldn't sell them to anyone... i know why they do it but its bollox

its called marketing. If you release something in the height of summer then everyone's on holiday and no-one notices. If you re-release it at a film festival after the summer then you get a lot more publicity and... sales.

Besides, the movie is a dark and wet and moody thing and it needs crap weather. Its not a summer blockbuster...