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Studio Blu-ray Grades: Who's Top of the Class?

October 9, 2008 Sony Pictures Home Entertainment scored that honor, earning an A- for its efforts so far in supporting the Blu-ray format. Sound and Vision Magazine has a fun, if subjective, story about studio performances from frequent HighDefDigest reviewer Kenneth Brown.
He bases his reviews on picture/audio quality of releases, plus the depth and variety of studios' output. Playstation 3-aligned Sony is predictably graded high, as the studio's livelihood depends on Blu-ray succeeding. It's the only studio to be granted an A, and is especially lauded for its huge variety, streeting everything from blockbusters to Cirque du Soleil specialty titles in the format.
Worst performer? MGM with an F. The studio is called out for mostly not doing enough on Blu-ray, despite holding the keys to a fat library of classics.
Almost as bad is The Weinstein Company's D+. Once a long-time HD DVD supporter, TWC is knocked for sub-par production issues on its releases.
The other guys fall somewhere in the middle with C and B level grades.
I definitely agreed with a lot of Brown's points, but then I also think that every viewer sees something different with picture and audio quality. Someone else might come up with an entirely new report card. My A might be your B, and your D could be my C...etc. 
Definitely let me know if you disagree with any of these rankings!
But what can't be quibbled with is that 2008 marked the first year where all studios released titles in Blu-ray, and that is something the format can rally behind.

Posted by Susanne Ault on October 9, 2008 | Comments (1)