David Krauss hat sich für High-Def Digest mit George Feltenstein von Warner Bros. über kommende Klassiker-Blu-ray Discs unterhalten. In dem Interview werden einige Filme genannt, auf die man sich in den nächsten Jahren freuen darf:

- 2009: “Vom Winde verweht / Gone with the Wind” [USA 1939, Victor Fleming, George Cukor (uncredited), Sam Wood (uncredited)]
- 2009: “Der Zauberer von Oz [aka: Das zauberhafte Land] / The Wizard of Oz” [USA 1939 Victor Fleming, Mervyn LeRoy (uncredited), King Vidor (uncredited)]
- 2009: “Der unsichtbare Dritte / North by Northwest” [USA 1959, Alfred Hitchcock]
- 2010: “Ich tanz mich in dein Herz hinein / Top Hat” [USA 1935, Mark Sandrich] und weitere Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers-Filme
- 2010: “Ein neuer Stern am Himmel / A Star is Born” [USA 1954, George Cukor]
- 2011: “Citizen Kane” [USA 1941, Orson Welles]
- “Ben Hur / Ben-Hur” [USA 1959, William Wyler]
- “Music Man / The Music Man” [USA 1962, Morton DaCosta]
- “Doktor Schiwago / Doctor Zhivago” [USA 1965, David Lean]
- “Heimweh nach St. Louis / Meet Me in St. Louis” [USA 1944, Vincente Minnelli]

That trio, however, is just a warm-up for what Feltenstein calls a “murderer’s row” of classic releases later this year that will include such AFI 100 masterpieces as ‘Gone With the Wind,’ ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ and ‘North By Northwest.’ Hitchcock’s thriller underwent a $1 million restoration, while ‘GWTW’ and ‘Oz’ – both of which were remastered in 2K Ultra Resolution three or four years ago for splashy DVD releases – have been completely overhauled once again to make sure they meet all of Blu-ray’s exacting standards. “What was perfection two to three years ago is not now,” Feltenstein says. “We thought ‘Gone With the Wind’ would be good to go on Blu-ray with what was done previously, plus $200,000 for dirt cleaning. But to look perfect, we had to start all over from scratch at enormous cost. I took it to management and there was no hesitation. Having a film like ‘Gone With the Wind’ on Blu-ray will set a new standard and pave the way for more classic releases.”

According to Feltenstein, WHV has been mastering its classic films in 1080p since 2002, long before Blu-ray’s official dawn, but he’s quick to point out that even those relatively new transfers still must undergo expensive, time-consuming dirt and scratch removal to make them suitable for Blu-ray. Regular 1080p remastering is fine for standard definition, he says, but HD quality requires additional work. “Blu-ray demands perfection and our consumers demand that these films achieve the best possible image quality. I assure you they will, but there will always be people out there who will nitpick and find something wrong with them.”

Oftentimes, 1080p remastering shines a beacon on basic rudimentary production techniques used in classic films. Mattes, backdrops, and rear projection work are more noticeable, and special effects can lose their mystique. When upgrading ‘Top Hat’ (1935), Feltenstein was shocked to see how dirty the floor was on which Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers danced. That dirty floor will be clearly visible when the Astaire-Rogers films make their Blu-ray debut in 2010, as will the wires that support the Scarecrow in certain scenes of ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ Age-related specks, scratches, and grit, however, will be erased.

And Warner has plenty of those on tap. In addition to the Astaire-Rogers canon in 2010, Feltenstein said the 1954 ‘A Star Is Born’ with Judy Garland, currently being remastered in 6K resolution, will also see a 2010 release, and ‘Citizen Kane’ will celebrate its 70th anniversary with a Blu-ray bow in 2011. Other titles in the pipeline include the 1959 ‘Ben-Hur,’ which was already remastered in 1080p, but is being redone because, Feltenstein says, many viewers were displeased with the standard DVD transfer. ‘Singin’ in the Rain,’ previously mastered in 1080i in 2001 is unsuitable for Blu-ray in its present form, so it’s gone back to square one for a “profusely expensive” 1080p makeover. ‘The Music Man,’ ‘Doctor Zhivago,’ and ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ also will see high-def releases in the next two to three years. And in honor of its 40th anniversary, ‘Woodstock’ will arrive on Blu-ray later this year in limited numbered editions with two hours of recently discovered performances. The classic concert film was originally shot in 16mm, so beware, there will be noticeable grain.