Top 250 Films Not On Blu-ray, Volume III

By
Garth Franklin
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Fourteen months ago I came up with the idea of looking at how far the Blu-ray format had progressed in one particular way in the five years it had been around. That way? The HD upgrades of all the films on the IMDb’s “Top 250 Films of All Time” list.

Yes there are lists with more critical value out there, but the IMDB’s remains a solid list of cinematic classics that have stood the test of time mixed in with more recent notable efforts.

At the time of the first list back in April last year, 81 movies had yet to make the jump to Blu-ray anywhere in the world. By last November, seven months later, a combination of the IMDB’s list itself being updated and a good year for cinematic classics resulting in that number dropping to 54.

Now, another seven months on and that number has dropped to 38. In fact a further fifteen are already on the schedule for this year, leaving just 23 titles currently not slated for release by the end of this year. In the Top 100 titles alone only two films have yet to make the jump – Hayao Miyazaki’s most acclaimed works “Spirited Away” and “Princess Mononoke”.

So what titles are left that we should be demanding to see on Blu-ray in coming years? Here is the current standings split it into four sections – presently unavailable titles, titles available only from international sellers, announced titles slated for release this year, and titles currently available to buy on Blu-ray:

UNAVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY

45 – “Spirited Away” (2001)
99 – “Princess Mononoke” (1997)
104 – “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939)
110 – “On the Waterfront” (1954)
114 – “The Great Escape” (1963)
118 – “Witness for the Prosecution” (1957)
125 – “Wild Strawberries” (1957)
138 – “It Happened One Night” (1934)
177 – “The Big Sleep” (1946)
180 – “The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946)
182 – “Judgment at Nuremberg” (1961)
195 – “Persona” (1966)
201 – “La Strada” (1954)
202 – “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (1966)
204 – “The Passion of Joan of Arc” (1928)
215 – “Stalag 17” (1953)
219 – “Nights of Cabiria” (1957)
229 – “Roman Holiday” (1953)
231 – “Come and See” (1985)
232 – “Stalker” (1979)
233 – “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968)
238 – “Festen” (1998)
242 – “Nosferatu” (1922)

ONLY INTERNATIONAL IMPORTS AVAILABLE

43 – “City Lights” (1931)
52 – “The Pianist” (2002)
56 – “Double Indemnity” (1944)
81 – “Rashomon” (1950)
90 – “The Intouchables” (2011)
101 – “Downfall” (2004)
107 – “Grave of the Fireflies” (1988)
111 – “The Elephant Man” (1980)
129 – “Touch of Evil” (1958)
132 – “Ikiru” (1952)
144 – “The Kid” (1921)
157 – “Sunrise” (1927)
169 – “My Neighbor Totoro” (1988)
171 – “Amores perros” (2000)
205 – “Howl’s Moving Castle” (2004)
212 – “Kind Hearts and Coronets” (1949)
225 – “Tokyo Story” (1953)
228 – “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” (1962)
244 – “Le Samourai” (1967)
245 – “Throne of Blood” (1957)
247 – “La Grande Illusion” (1937)

CURRENTLY SLATED FOR RELEASE THIS YEAR

7 – “Schindler’s List” (1993)
22 – “Rear Window” (1954)
23 – “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981)
32 – “Sunset Boulevard” (1950)
36 – “The Avengers” (2012)
49 – “Vertigo” (1958)
64 – “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962)
84 – “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952)
103 – “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989)
133 – “Jaws” (1975)
141 – “Strangers on a Train” (1951)
149 – “High Noon” (1952)
170 – “Finding Nemo” (2003)
194 – “Dial M for Murder” (1954)
224 – “Rope” (1948)

NOW AVAILABLE IN U.S. STORES & ON AMAZON

1 – “The Shawshank Redemption” (1994)
2 – “The Godfather” (1972)
3 – “The Godfather: Part II” (1974)
4 – “Pulp Fiction” (1994)
5 – “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” (1966)
6 – “12 Angry Men” (1957)
8 – “The Dark Knight” (2008)
9 – “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003)
10 – “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975)
11 – “Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” (1980)
12 – “Fight Club” (1999)
13 – “Seven Samurai” (1954)
14 – “Inception” (2010)
15 – “The Lord of the Rings:
The Fellowship of the Ring” (2001)
16 – “Goodfellas” (1990)
17 – “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (1977)
18 – “City of God” (2002)
19 – “Casablanca” (1942)
20 – “The Matrix” (1999)
21 – “Once Upon a Time in the West” (1968)
24 – “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)
25 – “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” (2002)
26 – “The Usual Suspects” (1995)
27 – “Se7en” (1995)
28 – “Forrest Gump” (1994)
29 – “Psycho” (1960)
30 – “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946)
31 – “Leon: The Professional” (1994)
33 – “Memento” (2000)
34 – “Dr. Strangelove” (1964)
35 – “Apocalypse Now” (1979)
37 – “American History X” (1998)
38 – “North by Northwest” (1959)
39 – “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991)
40 – “Citizen Kane” (1941)
41 – “Saving Private Ryan” (1998)
42 – “Alien” (1979)
44 – “American Beauty” (1999)
46 – “Toy Story 3” (2010)
47 – “Taxi Driver” (1976)
48 – “The Shining” (1980)
50 – “M” (1931)
51 – “Paths of Glory” (1957)
53 – “Modern Times” (1936)
54 – “The Departed” (2006)
55 – “Amelie” (2001)
57 – “WALL-E” (2008)
58 – “The Lives of Others” (2006)
59 – “Aliens” (1986)
60 – “A Clockwork Orange” (1971)
61 – “Life Is Beautiful” (1997)
62 – “Back to the Future” (1985)
63 – “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962)
65 – “Das Boot” (1981)
66 – “Requiem for a Dream” (2000)
67 – “Reservoir Dogs” (1992)
68 – “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004)
69 – “The Third Man” (1949)
70 – “A Separation” (2011)
71 – “The Prestige” (2006)
72 – “The Green Mile” (1999)
73 – “Cinema Paradiso” (1988)
74 – “The Great Dictator” (1940)
75 – “Chinatown” (1974)
76 – “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” (1948)
77 – “L.A. Confidential” (1997)
78 – “Gladiator” (2000)
79 – “Once Upon a Time in America” (1984)
80 – “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975)
82 – “Full Metal Jacket” (1987)
83 – “Bicycle Thieves” (1948)
85 – “Some Like It Hot” (1959)
86 – “Amadeus” (1984)
87 – “All About Eve” (1950)
88 – “Raging Bull” (1980)
89 – “Metropolis” (1927)
91 – “Braveheart” (1995)
92 – “Oldboy” (2003)
93 – “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968)
94 – “The Bridge on the River Kwai” (1957)
95 – “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” (1983)
96 – “The Apartment” (1960)
97 – “Unforgiven” (1992)
98 – “Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006)
100 – “The Sting” (1973)
102 – “The Lion King” (1994)
105 – “Inglourious Basterds” (2009)
106 – “Die Hard” (1988)
108 – “The Seventh Seal” (1957)
109 – “Up” (2009)
112 – “Yojimbo” (1961)
113 – “The Maltese Falcon” (1941)
115 – “Gran Torino” (2008)
116 – “Batman Begins” (2005)
117 – “Rebecca” (1940)
119 – “Snatch” (2000)
120 – “For a Few Dollars More” (1965)
121 – “The General” (1926)
122 – “Heat” (1995)
123 – “Blade Runner” (1982)
124 – “Fargo” (1996)
126 – “Ran” (1985)
127 – “Toy Story” (1995)
128 – “Sin City” (2005)
130 – “The Big Lebowski” (1998)
131 – “The Deer Hunter” (1978)
134 – “Hotel Rwanda” (2004)
135 – “No Country for Old Men” (2007)
136 – “Cool Hand Luke” (1967)
137 – “Scarface” (1983)
139 – “The Wizard of Oz” (1939)
140 – “The Sixth Sense” (1999)
142 – “The Wages of Fear” (1953)
143 – “The King’s Speech” (2010)
145 – “The Artist” (2011)
146 – “Black Swan” (2010)
147 – “Kill Bill: Vol. 1” (2003)
148 – “Annie Hall” (1977)
150 – “The Gold Rush” (1925)
151 – “Platoon” (1986)
152 – “Trainspotting” (1996)
153 – “Warrior” (2011)
154 – “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969)
155 – “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” (1998)
156 – “Into the Wild” (2007)
158 – “The Grapes of Wrath” (1940)
159 – “The Secret in Their Eyes” (2009)
160 – “The Thing” (1982)
161 – “Donnie Darko” (2001)
162 – “Notorious” (1946)
163 – “Gone with the Wind” (1939)
164 – “Casino” (1995)
165 – “Million Dollar Baby” (2004)
166 – “Les Diaboliques” (1955)
167 – “There Will Be Blood” (2007)
168 – “Life of Brian” (1979)
172 – “Ben-Hur” (1959)
173 – “How to Train Your Dragon” (2010)
174 – “The Terminator” (1984)
175 – “Groundhog Day” (1993)
176 – “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008)
178 – “V for Vendetta” (2005)
179 – “Good Will Hunting” (1997)
181 – “Stand by Me” (1986)
183 – “Dog Day Afternoon” (1975)
184 – “The Graduate” (1967)
185 – “Twelve Monkeys” (1995)
186 – “Network” (1976)
187 – “The Bourne Ultimatum” (2007)
188 – “Harakiri” (1962)
189 – “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962)
190 – “The Night of the Hunter” (1955)
191 – “The 400 Blows” (1959)
192 – “Mary and Max” (2009)
193 – “Gandhi” (1982)
196 – “District 9” (2009)
197 – “The Battle of Algiers” (1966)
198 – “The Princess Bride” (1987)
199 – “The Killing” (1956)
200 – “81/2” (1963)
203 – “The Hustler” (1961)
206 – “Sherlock Jr.” (1924)
207 – “Ratatouille” (2007)
208 – “The Exorcist” (1973)
209 – “The Wrestler” (2008)
210 – “Fanny and Alexander” (1982)
211 – “The Wild Bunch” (1969)
213 – “Rocky” (1976)
214 – “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (2007)
216 – “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” (2011)
217 – “Barry Lyndon” (1975)
218 – “A Streetcar Named Desire” (1951)
220 – “Star Trek” (2009)
221 – “All Quiet on the Western Front” (1930)
222 – “A Beautiful Mind” (2001)
223 – “The Truman Show” (1998)
226 – “Ip Man” (2008)
227 – “Infernal Affairs” (2002)
230 – “High and Low” (1963)
234 – “Mystic River” (2003)
235 – “Let the Right One In” (2008)
236 – “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003)
237 – “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind” (1984)
239 – “Anatomy of a Murder” (1959)
240 – “Monsters, Inc.” (2001)
241 – “Beauty and the Beast” (1991)
243 – “Manhattan” (1979)
246 – “Magnolia” (1999)
248 – “Shutter Island” (2010)
249 – “Big Fish” (2003)
250 – “La Haine” (1995)