Warner Brothers new Babylon 5 boxsets ?

[dencor]

Just this past week at Bestbuy and Sams Club I noticed, new dvd boxsets for all seasons of Babylon 5. These are much thinner than the old boxsets we are all use to. Very slim compared to the old ones. Sams club had them for $ 20 each I was thinking of slowly picking up these new season boxsets to replace my old bulky ones but I am not sure if these include the booklet and all the extras we have on the older dvds. If anyone has purchased these new boxsets, please let me know what all is included or if there is anything new that was not in the older dvd releases. And why hasn't Warner Brothers released B5 in a collectors set putting all five seasons together. Like I have seen for Angel and Buffy. I know they have them overseas in Europe. So why not here ? I think they would sell good enough ?

thanks
dennis

 

[KoshN]

Just this past week at Bestbuy and Sams Club I noticed, new dvd boxsets for all seasons of Babylon 5. These are much thinner than the old boxsets we are all use to. Very slim compared to the old ones. Sams club had them for $ 20 each

Hmm, I was in two Best Buy stores yesterday (Altoona, PA and Cranberry Township, PA), and saw no new B5 DVD slim boxsets, only the old ones, and all for a price of $49.99/season. I was there picking up Seasons 2 thru 6 of C.S.I. for $19.99/ea., sale priced until July 18. Couldn't find C.S.I. Season 3, though. Drat!

 

[Jade Jaguar]

Amazon lists a five pack of all five seasons for $119.99. No mention of slim cases, but does include 30 DVDs. Also, a listing for B5 HD, with a "notify when it becomes available" tag.

 

[KoshN]

Amazon lists a five pack of all five seasons for $119.99. No mention of slim cases, but does include 30 DVDs. Also, a listing for B5 HD, with a "notify when it becomes available" tag.

You know, the listing for B5 HD doesn't really mean anything. It doesn't mean that Amazon has any advanced knowledge of B5 HD DVDs being planned or in the process of being made. The only thing we know with almost absolute certainty is that if WB makes B5 HD DVDs (and by that I mean Blu-Ray, obviously.), they'll do it on the cheap.

 

[Jade Jaguar]

It is my understanding that such listings mean that the studio is at least considering such a release. I know that was the case with O, Lucky Man, and Performance, both WHV releases. Both were released. But, Ken Russell's The Devils, also WB property, had such a listing, and has never been released.

So no, it doesn't mean much. I'm sure no one is more keenly aware than you about how problematic a HD B5 release would be, given the CGI situation...

 

[KoshN]

It is my understanding that such listings mean that the studio is at least considering such a release. I know that was the case with O, Lucky Man, and Performance, both WHV releases. Both were released. But, Ken Russell's The Devils, also WB property, had such a listing, and has never been released.

I'm still waiting for WHV to release Brimstone in SD-DVD, and it's had an Amazon page like that for about five years, WHV's been asked about a Brimstone DVD release in Home Theater Forum Chats with WHV four times in the past five years, and the ten year anniversary of the airing of the first episode is this October.

WHV was asked about "Brimstone" in the following WHV/Home Theater Forum Chats:

March 8, 2004
<warnerbros> MAD TV and FRESH PRINCE are in discussion. No plans for any of the others at the moment.

March 29, 2005
[WarnerHomeVideo] Nothing on any of those yet. Sorry.

May 7, 2007
<Warner_Brothers> no plans.

September 15, 2008
<WHV> Despite the wonderful work of Peter Horton and John Glover, there are no plans at this time. P.S. We'll take another at Brimstone ... the devil will make us do it. thanks for your input and support.

Maybe we're wearing 'em down. :guffaw:

So no, it doesn't mean much. I'm sure no one is more keenly aware than you about how problematic a HD B5 release would be, given the CGI situation...

Technically problematic, oh yeah! Problematic for WHV? Well it depends on how much they are against releasing an inferior product, weighing the short-term money they'll make by releasing a shoddy HD version having put little, if any, effort into making it a showpiece vs. the backlash and quick drop in sales that's result from producing an inferior HD product. Quick buck vs. tarnishing WHV's reputation and B5. It'd be smart for WHV to do a "test-the-waters" set of Babylon 5 Season 1 (because it and Season 2 need the most improving.) DVD Set in Blu-Ray, making the following improvements:

• Cleaning up all dust, scratches and other film imperfections.
• Remaking all the CGI models the way it was done for the B5:Lost Tales DVD, making sure they're at least good enough for 16:9 1080P HD.
• Remaking all the pure CGI scenes, rendered 16:9 and at least good enough for 1080P HD.
• Remaking all the Composite CGI (live action with CGI) scenes at least good enough for 16:9 1080P HD.
• Don't try to put them on DVD-18's (Don't know if anybody's tried this with Blu-Ray yet, or if it's even possible. Hope not.). Use only single-sided DVDs.
• Put it all in slimcases (soft, non-scratchy, translucent plastic) like were used for the Stargate SG-1 slimsets, Monk sets, Bones sets, Firefly sets, etc.) and have the DVD #1 box have tabs for the info. pamphlet.

If they did that, I'm sure they'd be shocked and overwhelmed by the resultant large sales, but there's no way they'd be forward thinking enough to spend the money to do that.

 

[Lyta's Shadow]

I noticed in HMV yesterday they have been reissued again in ultra slim sets (the size of a single amaray DVD case). They must have that hinge thing in the centre holding the discs in place.

 

[wade8069]

I wish they would give us a discount.

 

[Galahad]

Season DVD's here are costing about £10. and the whole kaboodle is £60 on Amazon. Unfortunately I already had the Lost Tales and Season 1 on DVD before I realised this.

However it's still giving me an opportunity to clean out my VHS collection and make room in the drawer under my bed.

 

[Granite]

I've been in a best buy with BOTH sizes of boxes. Looks like the old versions are getting cleared out - so if you liked the bigger boxes, buy 'em now!