A Plea From Thomas T (1 Viewer)

[Thomas T]

First off, I am not a moderator and this is just me getting personal. We are all movie lovers here and we all have different tastes in cinema whether your focus be on current DC/Marvel blockbusters, classics from the "Golden Age" of Hollywood, dumb 80s comedies and action flicks or horror/sci-fi. We all have films we would love to see released on blu ray. But I'm disturbed by the hostility in certain threads toward companies like the Warners Archives and Twilight Time (and yes sometimes even Kino Lorber and Criterion) because they are not releasing what certain members deem should be their priorities. These companies are film lovers' friends yet they are often treated with disdain and attitude by a certain segment when their announcements don't coincide with certain members agenda. Everyone has a right to voice their opinion or their frustration that favorite titles aren't being released (or being released fast enough) but to throw shade on them for releasing "bottom of the barrel" product or constantly complain about their "inferior" or lesser releases when some 75 year old Joan Crawford movie or Oscar bait movies like Ordinary People have yet to see the light of day on blu ray when in actual fact, we don't know the reasons certain films aren't available to us yet (and may never be). Whether it's inferior film elements, rights issues, dubious marketability etc. yet accusations are being flung at Warners for withholding Around The World In 80 Days, High Society, The Sea Hawk and Ryan's Daughter from us while releasing "inferior" titles like The Black Scorpion, Queen Of Outer Space and The Swarm. Does anyone seriously think Warners isn't aware of the interest in titles like 80 Days, High Society or Raintree County and are deliberately ignoring them in favor of Colossus Of Rhodes?

And by implying certain titles are "bottom of the barrel", the implication is also that we who are eager for those titles have inferior taste to those complaining about the lack of Oscar winners and classic Errol Flynn movies on blu ray. Surely such attitudes are outdated. In 1956, Around The World In 80 Days won the best picture Oscar but critical consensus has changed and just about every film critic/buff will tell you that The Searchers and Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, both 1956 releases, are not only superior films and examples of cinema as Art but neither of those films received a single Oscar nomination in 1956. So much for the Oscars. Yet somehow because 80 Days received an Oscar and was a big hit in 1956, it's a "crime" that it's not on blu ray yet. The fact that Warners has turned over older films like The Philadelphia Story and Mildred Pierce to Criterion rather than releasing them themselves suggests (just speculating here) that perhaps they saw no profitability in releasing it themselves so let someone else take the bullet!

I'm rambling so I'll cut it short now but my "plea" to other members is essentially when sharing your frustration about titles you feel should be released doesn't necessitate trashing the companies, the people who are excited about the films you have no interest in or the films themselves. Is it that much harder to say, "Gee, I wish we'd get more classic B&W films from the 1930s and 1940s on blu ray" rather than "Why are they releasing these B Movie sci-fi and horror junk when they've barely scratched the service of Norma Shearer's catalog on blu ray?"

 

[Ed Lachmann]

Yes, I agree with all for the most part, but I intend to keep throwing titles out from time to time just to get them some attention by the "powers that be". That seemed to work nicely with Cavalcade, which many thought to be a lost cause. And to be honest, I like 80 Days on certain levels even more than Searchers or Body Snatchers. I Guess that people just wanted more escapist light entertainment to dull the "chaos" of 1956. Not that there's any chaos in 2018. Oddly, the modern "critical consensus" missed me as well as it did those folks. It's now popular to spit on awarded films like Cavalcade, Broadway Melody, Cimarron, Going My Way and Greatest Show on Earth, but those of us who do like them really don't appreciate it at all. Still, trashing Twilight Time, Kino or the independents is much more damaging than going after WB, who themselves are the "Colossus Of Burbank", or the behemoth that is Criterion. They just laugh it off. It's almost like trashing Facebook.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I've never understood the animosity either.

Film is subjective. What we like and what others like is never going to match up perfectly. That's a given.

So then why be antagonistic with the studios or distributors...or each other...just because Film XYZ that we've been hoping for is not on a release list somewhere?

 

[John Dirk]

@Thomas T Honestly, I mean no disrespect but this sort of reminds me of a George Carlin rant.

 

[MatthewA]

I'd save the animosity for those who really did something to deserve it. By and large, Warner Archive has not. Their library is just so darn huge that it's literally impossible to please everybody at once. But they're still letting stuff out, and for the most part, what's not out now will be out eventually. It's better to wait and have it look good than to rush it out and have it look like trash. But what they do release they do well.

 

[ScottHM]

"Gee, I wish we'd get more classic B&W films from the 1930s and 1940s on blu ray"

I agree 100%.

---------------

 

[Noach Kowalski]

The Black Scorpion and The Swarm are much better and more amusing than any musical out there.

 

[Robin9]

I've never understood the animosity either.

Film is subjective. What we like and what others like is never going to match up perfectly. That's a given.

So then why be antagonistic with the studios or distributors...or each other...just because Film XYZ that we've been hoping for is not on a release list somewhere?

It's the Internet. It gives rather unpleasant people the opportunity to hurl abuse without risking a punch on the nose. It's essentially the same reason people in cars are less considerate than when they're not safe in their vehicles.

 

[Will Krupp]

Gee whiz, when I read the thread title, I thought you needed money for an operation or something! I was JUST grabbing my credit card....!

In all seriousness, I've never gotten the "hate" either. Who's to say no one wants the so called "inferior" products? One man's trash is another man's treasure and all of that. Life would be pretty boring if we didn't have our own 'questionable" likes and "guilty pleasures" anyway. When I look at my movie collection I'm always struck by how it could never be owned in total by anyone who "wasn't" me. It's soooo eclectic and yet specific and I, for one, am thrilled that we have the chance to sometimes get those "what were they thinking?" releases that we never thought we'd see. Am I sometimes frustrated by what ISN'T being released? Sure, of course I am. We all are, I think. I know there are reasons we don't have them and I'm patient. It's not worth heaping hate on a company. Honestly, I'm thankful for any movie that IS released. It's exhausting to be angry at wasn't ISN'T.

 

[TheSteig]

We all have our preferences and sooner or later some of our bucket list tiles will be met. Im glad labels are considering all genres and eras. One person likes musicals, one person doesn't.. thats human nature And if there is nothing of interest from a label's title announcements on any given month, you can save a few bucks

 

[Dick]

The timing of

I've never understood the animosity either.

Film is subjective. What we like and what others like is never going to match up perfectly. That's a given.

So then why be antagonistic with the studios or distributors...or each other...just because Film XYZ that we've been hoping for is not on a release list somewhere?

The timing of Tom's thread may or may not be a reaction to my post in the TT thread yesterday, in which it is obvious that my message did not play well with other members here. That's okay...obviously I don't post in order to collect "likes." Sometimes, however, the crux of my argument(s) does not come across as intended, and that can only be due to my writing not being as sharp as it needs to be. The underlying message this time was meant to be that Twilight Time has given us years of amazing Blu-ray releases we'd not have had otherwise, but that I have been noticing what seems to me to be a decline in the number of really exciting releases (i.e. admittedly those titles on my personal wish list) for several months, leading me to wonder if the company is getting toward the bottom of titles available to them that I am anxious to own. I am actually pleased to see the posts after mine that disagreed with me and named one or more of this month's announcements that they were ecstatic to see are coming out.

I disagreed with Mr. Crawford who called what I said "a cheap shot," as I was in no way trying to denigrate Twilight Time, a company I have always admired and supported (in writing and with a sizable chunk of my limited disposable income). I was making an observation that, as it turns out, might be mine alone. I accept that. As you indicate, Mike, "What we like and what others like is never going to match up perfectly." But I am not sure why you also say, "then why be antagonistic with the studios or distributors..." I don't believe I actually did that, as I had no intention to, but if it comes across that way to you, again, my writing is the issue. I will re-read my future messages more than once before posting them from now on.

All the power to TT now and in the future,

 

[Dick]

...rather unpleasant people...

Are you referring to anyone in particular here?

 

[ahollis]

I’m just disappointed that some posts seem to be in glee of putting releases announcements down while always bemoaning and listing the same titles over and over that have not been released. I get it, you want these titles, but it is repetitious to continue to mention those titles every time an announcement is made.

I believe that the Kino Insider said they had to take unwanted titles to get the titles they wanted. I probably don’t want those titles, however some do, but I’m glad that Kino took the plunge.

I have learned where the ignore button is and use it.

 

[skylark68]

Exhibit "A" for me would be Olive's release of Strategic Air Command. Most would probably consider it a minor title but it was an amazing release and one I had been waiting for a long time. It's not Ryan's Daughter or the Alamo which I would love to have as well, but everyone has their wish list of obscure or not universally "loved" titles that get released by the independents as well as WAC. I know a lot of folks were disappointed in the Green Slime and Colossus of Rhodes being released by WAC but I thought it was pure genius to get them out to the public!

 

[Vic Pardo]

Gee whiz, when I read the thread title, I thought you needed money for an operation or something! I was JUST grabbing my credit card....!

Quick, Thomas T, while Will is in a giving mood, tell him about your upcoming "operation"!

 

[Vic Pardo]

I know a lot of folks were disappointed in The Green Slime and Colossus of Rhodes being released by WAC but I thought it was pure genius to get them out to the public!

Hey, without that WAC disc, I wouldn't have been able to do this piece on my blog:

American Stars in Japanese Films: THE GREEN SLIME (1968)

 

[Robert Crawford]

I disagreed with Mr. Crawford who called what I said "a cheap shot," as I was in no way trying to denigrate Twilight Time, a company I have always admired and supported (in writing and with a sizable chunk of my limited disposable income). I was making an observation that, as it turns out, might be mine alone. I accept that. As you indicate, Mike, "What we like and what others like is never going to match up perfectly." But I am not sure why you also say, "then why be antagonistic with the studios or distributors..." I don't believe I actually did that, as I had no intention to, but if it comes across that way to you, again, my writing is the issue. I will re-read my future messages more than once before posting them from now on.

All the power to TT now and in the future,

I thought a few of your comments were that and that's the way I took them. With that said, I agree with your power to TT now and in the future comment.

 

[ABaglivi]

I think what's in question is a matter of judgement. If you were the rights holder of The Magnificent Ambersons and The Swarm, which one would you lease out and which one would you publish?

 

[bigshot]

Internet forums and social media are the places where people who don't have a lot to say go to say a lot. There are a few interesting and knowledgeable posters that make hanging out in public forums worthwhile. But you always have to remember that it's your job to sort the wheat from the chaff. No one is going to do it for you. Use the ignore tool. Don't reply to idiots. Make an effort to provide valuable comments yourself. That's how you fight back and raise the bar.

 

[jcroy]

Internet forums and social media are the places where people who don't have a lot to say go to say a lot. There are a few interesting and knowledgeable posters that make hanging out in public forums worthwhile. But you always have to remember that it's your job to sort the wheat from the chaff. No one is going to do it for you. Use the ignore tool. Don't reply to idiots. Make an effort to provide valuable comments yourself. That's how you fight back and raise the bar.

(On a tangent).

This isn't just internet forums only.

I encountered the same thing when I use to be a bartender. The unofficial job of some bartenders is to also be a unofficial "talk therapist". (ie. It keeps the patrons coming back day after day, if the bartender at least appears to listen and/or give a damn to what the patrons are ranting about).

At least online it is easy to sort out the wheat from the chaf. Offline is an entirely different matter, when dealing with talkative happy hour patrons. I essentially had to develop the art of "diplomacy" when dealing with such talkative individuals.

Nowadays I wouldn't be surprised if the personality types which were the talkative happy hour patrons in the past (or currently still are), have also moved on to various internet message board forums to continue their long rants.