AVS Forum List of Top Films by Format

[peterweg]

If you need help to decide which format to choose, look at the list of the 'Top 200 Films, Adjusted Box Office Gross (By Rank and Studio)'

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=715977

Summary

Both Formats Titles: 79 = 39.50%
HD DVD Titles: 21 = 10.50%
Blu-ray Titles: 99 = 44.50%

[Avi]

Originally Posted by peterweg

If you need help to decide which format to choose, look at the list of the 'Top 200 Films, Adjusted Box Office Gross (By Rank and Studio)'

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=715977

Summary

Both Formats Titles: 79 = 39.50%
HD DVD Titles: 21 = 10.50%
Blu-ray Titles: 99 = 44.50%

Have all of these films been announced on HD DVD or BD ? Also who owns the different distribution rights around the world ?

AVI

[Rasczak]

...bearing in mind this only takes into account US distribution/release rights. Worldwide it could be entirely different - how much of the BluRay exclusive section is owned by Studio Canal for example? HD DVD has a bigger portfolio of titles than BluRay in Europe - does that make it the format to choose - not necessarily.

Format choice should be made on the films released now and coming up soon - anything else is something of a waste - you could buy a player now for a film that may not be released for years. By which time you'll have a dual format player...

[peterweg]

Could you provide a list of worldwide figures to contradict these?

Best option is to buy nothing, as is current situation (tiny standalone sales of either format). That's why the PS3 is the stealth attack, when films come out PS3 owners will naturally buy them on Blu-Ray. The PS3 has outsold HD-DVD 3:1 in the US.

[Bald Monkey]

PS3 is hardly a stealth attack, it appears to be the only BR player out there which can play 'Descent', i wonder how many of those potential US releases you mention will actually work in other BR players. At least when they are released on HD-DVD in europe or around the world they can be imported and customers will know they will play on their HD-DVD player.

It is still interesting to see that Sony fans, are still trolling with the same 'studio support' argument.

This reminds me of so many of those other 'fanboy' posts we've had on here recently. It's the kind of annoncement Sony would make then wonder why everyone chooses HD-DVD and suggest Sony should realise their market has more inteligence than to fall for publicity stunts like this. A bit like True HD..... or is it Better than HD now.

[LOXjet]

That's quite a misleading title and list if you ask me...

It's not films actually released on specific formats, it's films (in America only) based on the studios and format they currently support.

It completely misses out distribution deals in other countries.

For example, it has Terminator 2 down as a Blu-ray exclusive yet you can get Terminator 2 on HD DVD through Studio Canal in Europe.

[peterweg]

Bald Monkey:
Trolling. Good one, anyone who supports Sony in this forum is a troll.

The fact that the PS3 plays them correct is the main issue, being about 90% (and increasing ) of the US Blu-ray installed base.

No matter what a small number of fanboys may say, number count more that that HD-DVD has no region locking implemented yet. You may not be such a fan if HD-DVD plays can't play the region locked HD-DVD disks and no update is allowed.

Vasquez:
Here's hoping distributers are nice to you in the future.

[Rasczak]

Originally Posted by peterweg

The PS3 has outsold HD-DVD 3:1 in the US.

And yet BluRay sales are still below HD DVD sales if the Amazon charts are to be believed...

Could you provide a list of worldwide figures to contradict these?

I could quite happily pull up a list of titles in favour of HD DVD...I'm sure I could spend hours of my life going though that list and listing international distribution rights...but it would be as equally worthless. If the films aren't on the format yet it's somewhat moot.

[Rasczak]

Originally Posted by peterweg

Best option is to buy nothing

I disagree - that is the worst option IMHO. Clearly with the arrival of dual format players and drives - coupled with each format being entrenched in it's own way - neither format is going anywhere. Therefore all you do by sitting out is miss out on great films in high def! Pick your format based on movies available/coming soon - or even better buy both - and enjoy high def today!

[Jeff]

Both formats could be long dead before the likes of Star Wars gets released.

PS. As much as I love the Star Wars movies (especially the original trilogy), I'd rather watch something else I've not already seen 50 times.

[Avi]

Originally Posted by peterweg

Bald Monkey:
You may not be such a fan if HD-DVD plays can't play the region locked HD-DVD disks and no update is allowed.

peterweg

Can you stick with facts please.

AVI

[Bald Monkey]

I thought this was an interesting post from the same thread that those lists come from.

The only titles from Gruberts list that announced for release from the AFI 100

94. GOODFELLAS (1990) (released HD DVD)
96. THE SEARCHERS (1956) (released HD DVD)
98. UNFORGIVEN (1992) (released HD DVD)

So far only released in HD DVD

So from all those titles in the list only 3 have actually been announced for release, and those three have all been on HD-DVD...

So I wonder what the point of the list is?

[av-phile]

I made my own rough count from IMDB's 300 worldwide box office hits. Had the list pasted on Exel and made columns on which are produced and distributed by which studio. I may have a 10% error but my count was more or less 60% for Blurry and 40% for HD DVD. This is not really far from the tabulation done at AVS, with 64% Blurry and 36% HD DVD for 200 films. Which of the exclusives will be released in the other format was not much bcause I hardly stumbled on Pathe or Studio Canal as distributors in the IMDB list and I don't have a list of distributors on HD DVD except those two. I was still not certain about some studios, like there were some films from Amblin distributed by Universal and other Amblin works distributed by Buena Vista so I just assumed those distributed by buena vista would be Blurry and those by universal HD DVD.

This is really just an academic exercise to satisfy my curiosity. The actual release of these films may be another matter altogether. And because cinematic taste really varries across audiences, this 60-40 divide might really be irrelevant to the format war. The fact remains that the titles are substantial for both formats and is not as lopsided as some would have us believe. I'd be alarmed if the ratio is 90:10 in favour of one format. But even so, real wars from history have been fought where the odds are really against one group and yet managed to win.

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by Bald Monkey

So I wonder what the point of the list is?

To show the great potential of Blu-Ray, it reminds me a bit of the England football team, potentially world beaters but comes woefully short when it counts.

[mmace]

Originally Posted by peterweg

Both Formats Titles: 79 = 39.50%
HD DVD Titles: 21 = 10.50%
Blu-ray Titles: 99 = 44.50%

where's the other one?
that only adds up to 199 & only 94.5%