Just went on Amazon to see if they'd put it out on Blu Ray in the states yet (apparently not, as the overseas version is priced crazy high), and I see that both versions of the DVD are listed only with 3rd party sellers, for $45 and up? (meaning, obviously, that the US version is out of print). So if he movie is actually out of print, is Hasbro gearing up to do 25th anniversary version and finally put it on Blu Ray? I can't imagine it going out of print for any other reason. Have there been any rumors of an upcoming re-release?
Can Blu-ray really increase cartoon quality that much? I don't know if it'd be enough for me to buy it because I've already got the 20th anniversary DVD and Blu-ray players already up-convert DVDs' picture.
Doesn't surprise me it's out of print. Pretty sure Sony BMG (who did the 20th Anniversary release) no longer owns the rights. It's been out of print for a few years, I think.
Every version seems to have gone out of print and commands a high price. About the UK Blu Ray, I got one on Ebay 3 years ago, I think, and it only cost about 30 bucks. Now people are asking 200 for the damn thing! It does look very good, it's the clearest version out there yet, and the remaster color seems to be in between the old version and the 25th, if I remember correctly. I'm glad I never got rid of my Rhino release and 25th versions though. Counting the Chinese box set version I'm up to 4 TFTM's in my collection.
Yeah, especially with older things like the 86 movie, Blu-Ray is NOT going to offer anything better than what you are getting with an up-convert DVD player, unless completely remastered (which is not apt to happen until DVDs have been completely supplanted) I think Hasbro re-acquired the rights with the rest of the Sunbow purchase a couple years back (Sony BMG even posted a trailer for their new release of G1 season 1 which never materialized). However, it was so prevalent when it was available 2007 and into 2008, Shout has been in NO rush to reissue the disc. Right now, I think a LOT of the elevated prices is more to do with the current popularity of the brand at the moment rather than actual rarity.
Yeah, I'd love to see it cleaned up and put on blu ray as well. Someone should ask at SDCC, I'm sure Shout Factory! would be able to pull off a good version.
I too have been seeking a Shout Factory release of the 1986 Transformers movie. It's the last thing I need to complete my American G1 DVD collection. Here's hoping it's sometime soon!
That's not necessarily true. The blu ray is taken from the UK remaster. It is a complete remaster. Blu-ray Review: Transformers: The Movie (1986) (UK Import) | High-Def Digest Here's a review with pics.
Wow, I just checked Amazon and there are really only a few DVDs left and 2 Blurays. I must have been lucky, when I recently bought the DVD. At that time there were more available and I had the choice to get the edition I wanted.
About a year ago, I found some guy in South Korea selling DVD copies on eBay - about $6 a pop, shipped. Figured for $6 it was worth the risk, it was advertised as region-free. Took a couple of weeks to get here, no problems. The menus are all in Korean, until I figured out the trick of navigating the menus, it plays in a Korean dub. But once I got everything squared away (and turned off the subtitles) - it looks pretty darn good. Even upconverted on my Blu-Ray player. A good deal for $6!
The Blu Ray is in print down there, right? You could make a lot selling them on Ebay to U.S. sellers. Not to give you evil ideas.
I'm pretty sure it is. Gotta double check though. I'd be up for helping a few of you guys out getting a hold of it if some of you are keen.
