NPD: Be Cautious About Blu-ray Vs. HD DVD Analysis
January 25, 2008
The week after Warner Brothers announced that they were ditching HD DVD for Blu-ray, many analysts chimed in saying that that the death of the Toshiba-backed format was imminent.
The weekly numbers from the NPD group then came in, and it appeared to echo the sentiment — Blu-ray had outsold HD DVD by an astonishing margin.
However, it was only a single week of figures, and NPD has now come out with a statement warning people against reading too much into the numbers.
“As you may have seen, there are attempts being made to portray NPD’s weekly sales tracking figures for next generation DVD as a trend. We want to remind you and make clear that it is not accurate to make long term assumptions based on one week of sales — a cautionary point that NPD has made as well,” the statement reads.
“The facts are that during the week that is being singled out, both Blu-ray disc players and software were being given away for free with the purchase of 1080p TVs. It is also important to note that the instant rebate promotions that had previously netted Toshiba’s players’ MSRPs to $199 and $249 had actually ended on Jan. 5th — causing an increase in HD DVD’s MSRP back to $299 and $399 during that same week. Since Toshiba’s retail price move on Jan. 13th to $149 / $199 — Toshiba is seeing very positive sales trends at retail. This reinforces the fact that price is a significant driver of sales. Toshiba’s HD DVD players represent a significant value to the consumer and the marketing campaign that just began is proving effective.”
For the record, the NPD Group is a market research firm and doesn’t have a horse in this race.
Gilliam Wants Johnny Depp To Take Over Heath Ledger Role In Parnassus?
January 25, 2008
In one of the more bizarre rumors to pop up since the tragic death of Heath Ledger, there are reports that Terry Gilliam wants Johnny Depp to stand in for his role in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.
It’s obviously a sensitive subject, plus it’s completely unknown whether Depp would want to take over in such a heartbreaking situation.
But The Sun is reporting that they have a studio source saying it’s what Gilliam would like.
“There is a point in the film when Heath falls through a magic mirror. He could change into another character after that and that is where Johnny would come in,” explained the unnamed source.
“It’s a weird, fantasy, time-travel movie so Heath’s character could easily change appearance. It would be a poignant moment. Johnny’s not working at the moment so everyone is praying he will do it.”
It would be wonderful to see Ledger’s final performance immortalized forever as opposed to being tossed in the bin. But it’s a touchy area, and even if the rumor is true, it may be best for all parties involved to just leave things be.
Heath Ledger, 28, Found Dead In Possible Overdose
January 22, 2008
According to the New York Police Department, actor Heath Ledger has been found dead in an apartment building.
Mr. Ledger was discovered by a housekeeper and a masseuse who had been let in for an appointment. The Australian actor was found unconscious by the duo, who tried to shake him but did not receive any sort of response.
The authorities were called in; the police say do not suspect foul play. The New York Times is reporting that pills were found near his body.
Ledger was a respected actor whose breakout role was in 1999’s 10 Things I Hate About You. He received an Oscar nomination for his work in 2005’s Brokeback Mountain.
He had recently completed shooting in his largest role to date as the Joker in The Dark Knight, scheduled for release this summer.