Michael Bay frustrated with DVD, wants Blu-ray instead

  • Posted October 23rd, 2007 at 04:39 EDT by
  • 4,922 views
  • 35 Comments

Filmmaker Michael Bay has expressed his dismay for the recent DVD iteration of his latest flick, 'Transformers'.

The filmmaker exclaims his frustration on the new Transformers DVD, which has sold 8.3 million copies since its release last week: "It's a good DVD. But not as good as it could have been," he says.

The sales total made Transformers the year's fastest-selling DVD in North America, according to Paramount Home Entertainment.

Not only does he criticise the quality of DVD, but further goes onto state his position on Blu-ray: "It's short-sighted and it has delayed consumers' moving to HD (home video)," he added.

"As a director, my critical eye is that Blu-ray is where my money is. Consumers are smart, and they are going to wait it out."

Blu-ray seems to be a major determinant to Michael Bay in terms of where his money "is at." Bay voiced his displeasure (again) that Transformers would not be available on Blu-ray and that he was rethinking his plan to direct a sequel--but is that what the format war thinks?

Source: Michaelbay.com

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What are your thoughts?

  1. sony1978a | Aked

    • 4:42am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 1

    i want VHS back i hate format war Plus i am  sick of HD.

    is not what i thot of it would be really.

  2. MatrixSixaxis

    • 4:48am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 2

    People like Michael could help make Blu-ray the standard movie format in Holywood! He seems to believe BD is the way to go and he also compliments us by saying that we're smart and will wait it out until everything comes onto BD format one year or another! He must have something against HD-DVD?!? We all know Transformers is to be released in that format as well, but I guess he's not happy with the result either?? May movie makers should make films for BDA associated companies and push the others that aren't to abandon the HD-DVD camp! ;p

  3. humanputting

    • 4:49am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 3

    atleast someone in the works has brains

  4. MatrixSixaxis

    • 4:59am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 4

    @ sony1978a; back in the days there was also a 'video format war', if you're not ready for HD then stick with the tapes. Nobody's forcing you to watch high quality movies or play large capacity games with great eye candy graphics...in fact, if you've got a PS3....then you're a hypocrite! And make sure you keep coming back to this site to see if video tapes are coming back! As a retro thing or so...meh!

  5. richkaos | richkaos

    • 5:04am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 5

    There is no format war! Blu Ray has WON!!!!! Just go down to your local  retailer and see for yourself blu ray taking up 2 3rds of shelf space and thus out numbering HD DVD. Give up Toshiba

  6. IRONMAIDEN

    • 5:05am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 6

    its kinda nice to hear through all the political crap with format wars that the man still has a voice.

  7. Uncool | Admodistrator

    • 5:37am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 7

    I guess if you have even people like Michael Bay displeased with DVD versions of such movies then Blu-ray really needs to win this war.

  8. joeyjoejoeshababadoo

    • 5:51am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 8

    Sony seriously needs to get a Blu-ray player  down to 300$-249$ which I think will be the price that ends the war.. I remember dvd was out for a good couple years till it got into the 250$ zone n every1 started buying them..

     

    What I think is Sony is so greedy that they want the PS3 to be the cheapest Blu-ray player so that they get more sales.. Dont believe me? well PS3 has been the cheapest BD player too this day.. Cuz i mean seriously take away the game playing, wifi, hdd, and all that crap from the $400 PS3 and you can have a BD player for what.. hdd 15$-wifi 15$-game system/cell/usb ports/card reader 70$=$300 (im just guessing)

     

    but seriously take all that crap away and you can have an extremely cheap BD player..

  9. SecretSquirrel | SeventhAxes

    • 7:01am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 9

    If Bay wants it on BD, why doesn't he just talk to Spielberg, as he's immune to HD-DVD.

  10. SolsticeZero | SolsticeZero

    • 7:09am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 10

    That's true, squirrel. Since Spielberg has his name on the credits for Transformers, perhaps he can sway its release onto Blu-Ray.

  11. snake_eater | MetalGearHMN

    • 7:53am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 11

    I just wanted to say that this article is very poorly written w/ many grammer mistakes

  12. joeyjoejoeshababadoo

    • 9:01am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 12

    Ohh sheet its the grammer police!!

  13. royboy | bigfreezy1975

    • 9:25am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 13

    Bay knows where the money could have been.... had they released it on BR DVD. I would've had my copy if Paramount didn't teabag HD DVD....crumbs here's the funny stuff.... what if they released Transformers on BR like next year and it outsells HD? lol lol lol

  14. D3v1lwqer23 | bigfreezy1975

    • 9:51am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 14

    i myself was disappointed with the DVD release of transformers.  The Audio felt very much like it was recorded in a room, rather than Optimus having a big booming voice as he should have (for example).  I havent bothered watching the HD-DVD version, but I imagine it couldnt be too much of an improvement.

  15. TestosteRohne | TestosteRohne

    • 10:03am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 15

    Christ, this is the only time I have ever agreed with a hack like Bay. What's the world coming too?

  16. SolsticeZero | SolsticeZero

    • 10:13am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 16

    Dv31I, actually, the HD-DVD release has the exact same audio track as the DVD release, and here's the kicker: "because they ran out of space on the disk"

  17. UnasFortuna | Unas_Fortuna

    • 10:48am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 17

    Was disappointed with Transformers not coming out on Bluray; so I just rented a copy and made it into a MP4 file and put it on my PS3.  This is what I have been doing with all movies that aren't released on BR.  And no, they are for my personal use only and not distributed online or otherwise.  I am tired of putting money into the studios hands who are deliberately holding back on releases on bluray just because they have received a monetary compensation to just put a movie on HDDVD for a certain number of months.  Huge directors such as Bay and Speilberg could do alot to sway these studios that are stupid and short sighted.

  18. Nosferatu

    • 11:19am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 18

    See ive heard that hd-dvd had to drop the hd audio due to lack of space it couldnt fit on the hd-dvd , but he may like blu ray but the company he releases movies out for they tend to love hd-dvd so its sorta sad when movie directors/producers rather for their great projects to come out on a winning format when they have no choice but to release it on a losing format.

  19. phalanges | Windstonam

    • 11:23am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 19

    I specifically did not buy the DVD version to wait for a Blu-ray version to come out next year (you know it will).

  20. SolsticeZero | SolsticeZero

    • 11:35am BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 20

    UnasFortuna, you do know that you are describing piracy, right?

  21. vl5ion

    • 12:05pm BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 21

    We all know BD is better, it's not anyone's fault except Paramounts, they're dumb. Mr Bay is just an educated director like so many others, but it's not the director or producer that puts the movie on a disc-format, it's the company you work for. How was he to know that Paramount and Dreamworks would puss out and make such a terrible decision? He couldn't.

  22. Mattchewie | Mattchewie

    • 12:09pm BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 22

    SolsticeZero - No its not, for one hes not sharing it and two, he made a "backup" which is in right to due according to fair use.

  23. bluecrane7

    • 12:19pm BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 23

    i havent seen it yet, and im not going to till the bluray comes out. hopefully no more than a years wait : (

  24. gingo | gingo

    • 12:36pm BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 24

    psn id: gingo.... when you have film directors saying they want blu ray then you know something must be good about it i was disappointed this wasn't coming on blu ray but i'll get over it

  25. SolsticeZero | SolsticeZero

    • 12:45pm BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 25

    Mattchewie - He made a backup of a rental. That is still illegal. Whether it is for personal use or not, renting and coipying is still illegal

  26. Mecha_Daddy | mecha_daddy

    • 1:08pm BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 26

    I'm waiting it out until the laser disc release!!

    Nah, not really.  I'm pretty upset like most others around here about not having this movie on blu ray.  Once they see the sales #'s for Spidey 3 on blu ray maybe we'll see a Transformers release sooner than later.  I'm sure Spielberg has some stroke left.

  27. TSS.BLOOD

    • 1:35pm BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 27

    A good thing Micheal Bay realized it was a bad idea making TRANSFORMERS a HD-DVD exclusive. That's were he messed up, now he should only make movies with Blue-Ray.

  28. ACHILL6969

    • 2:40pm BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 28

    I might be wrong but wasnt Bay talking smack about Blu ray before recently?

  29. Muzikguy | Muzikguy

    • 3:14pm BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 29

    Screw dreamworks and HD DVD, release it on BluRay anyway! lol. I know, bad business practice. Isn't that how it goes though?

  30. DnA19

    • 3:18pm BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 30

    glad it only come out on dvd and hd-dvd, cause as a transformer fan this movie sucked. beside Bay is fickled anyways, first he stated he wanted it on blu-ray, then he changed him mind because of monetary reasons. now he's unhappy again, damm it man, make up your mind already!

  31. gadena

    • 4:20pm BST - October 23rd, 2007
    • 31

    give that man what he wants!!

  32. Pablo0620 | Pablo0620

    • 12:56am BST - October 24th, 2007
    • 32

    Michael Bay you rule. Paramount...you SUCK!!

  33. InfernoReaper | GrimDarkling

    • 2:35am BST - October 24th, 2007
    • 33

    Good, about f***ing time someone realized DVD is way too cramped.  Good thing MS is stupid or we'd be in trouble (30GB Halo 3 anyone?).

  34. gameoholic | Demented007

    • 2:58am BST - October 24th, 2007
    • 34

    LOL! Paramount really scewed this one up.

  35. debamf

    • 6:34pm BST - October 24th, 2007
    • 35

    @Joe

    You do realize that it was the blu-ray drive that made the PS3 so expensive. Sony where making a huge loss on PS3 with it being reported that it cost around $825 to produce and Sony still dropped the price of the PS3. Production cost are down but Sony is still losing money on every PS3 sold. It must cost a few hundred to produce blu-ray alone. Selling stand-alone blu-ray players for $250-$300 is possible but Sony won't make any profit so I don't see how selling products for less than they are worth is being greedy. A PS3's true value is probably around $800-$1000 and people complain when they pay $500.

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