Huge 4th Quarter for Vintage Fans (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Willis]

As much as we don't want to believe it, I think you're right here, Gary. I would be surprised if we saw a repeat of the '04-'06 years with the 50's-70's releases. Maybe it's just my perception and not fact, but it sure seemed to me that there were news posts showing up almost daily back then at TSoD announcing a 60's-70's show.

Jeff "Have a safe & happy New Years Eve/Day everyone!" W.

 

[Gary OS]

Well if it is just perception then we are sharing it because that's exactly how I feel, Jeff. Seems like a slowdown is upon us as far as vintage material goes. It's not a drastic slowdown, but I think we will see a steady decline in the classic material that is being offered as we move forward into this new year. Yep, I'm afraid 2009 isn't going to be as kind to vintage fans as previous years have been.

Gary "don't know anything about the numbers for 'The Donna Reed Show Season 1', but I wouldn't be quite as concerned because that company seemed to be committed to a second season before the first one was even released" O.

 

[kingfish]

IMHO it is not the slowing economy that is hurting dvd sales but rather sites that offer the option to watch shows for nothing or a minimal fee to download them. It is also my opinion that bootleg sites that offer either tv shows or movies that are unavailable should be shutdown.

 

[Gary OS]

With all due respect I just can't buy your explanation, especially as it concerns Vintage TV shows. Classics are not being made available in mass for free download so that simply can't have anything to do with what Jeff, Steve and I are talking about. I'd also suggest that bootleg sites aren't cutting into the market that much simply because the majority of people are going to purchase dvds in store and not online, and those that do purchase online are savvy enough to understand that bootlegs almost never match the quality of professional studio releases.

Gary "I'm firmly convinced that we are beginning to see a slowdown in vintage releases and it will continue - and the economy is front and center as to the cause in my humble opinion" O.

 

[Steve...O]

Agree with Gary above. The economy is a huge factor in purchasing of all goods and services these days. I know of no one that downloads classic shows (or any shows for that matter) to any great extent if at all.

I do agree that bootleggers need to be shut down, and many have.

I'd be curious to see how the numbers look for Netflix and the like. If their subscriptions have increased that potentially would show that consumers are looking to alternatives to get their home entertainment "fix".

 

[kingfish]

Another matter that needs to be addressed is you tube. I have seen some classic shows on their site such as the untouchables and others. People should not be allowed to upload them because this hurts future sales of television series.

 

[Corey3rd]

They're not allowed to. It's just up to Paramount/CBS DVD to have them yanked off.

Although if you go over to imdb.com you'll discover episodes of Hawaii Five-0 have been put online by CBS (with ads).

 

[Gary OS]

One more thing. I've just gone over the release schedules comparing the last quarter of '08 and the first quarter of this year. The differences between 50's and 60's releases (shows that started their run no later than 1969) is startling to say the least. There were 5x's as many shows offered last quarter as there are this quarter! 5x's the amount!! I realize some of those offered between October and December last year were complete sets (i.e. double dipping situations) but even when those were factored out of the equation the discrepancy was incredible.

Also, if we compare the last 5 first quarter release schedules (going back to 2005) it is obvious that this latest one offers the least amount of vintage material.

Gary "I hate to see this happening, but it's very apparent the slowdown for classic releases has begun" O.

 

[silverking]

Well, I think it would be unrealistic & for me , unaffordable to expect the new quarter to match the last. At least I will be able to pick up some of the releases I just couldn't fit in before Christmas.
There are still a few goodies to feast on , final vol of Laredo, Mannix,
Laramie & Voyage S4 are on my immediate horizon.I note that Timeless, who are always liable to spring a surprise or two, have Cimarron City,Restless Gun also listed for release in Feb. Unclear as to wether these are new episodes or , as most likely, repackages of existing material.
Other than that, I am not expecting any startling new material. I am hoping for announcements on continuing releases for Perry Mason,Mission Impossible (likely), Gunsmoke S3 V2 (probably) Rawhide S4 (not at all sure but hopeful)
& The Untouchables ( some considerable time since last release so maybe abandoned ?).

 

[michael_ks]

"Rawhide" is at the top of my list of shows I hope don't get abandoned. The releases have consistently occurred in May and December so if there's no word by the end of the first quarter I'll definitely become concerned.

I love the concept of using a protracted story arc in S3 by the way (episodes 13-17) as the cattle drive comes to an end and a new one begins. Very atypical for vintage television. Like having a 5 hour mini-series in mid-season.

 

[Gary OS]

Amen to all of that, Michael. RAWHIDE tops my list too, with PERRY MASON coming in right behind it. I'd be really bummed if either of those were abandoned. And your spot on, IMHO, with the comments about RAWHIDE's story arc in the middle of season 3. That was a neat thing to witness for such an older series.

Gary "waiting for another Gilligan's Island cue in an episode of RAWHIDE" O.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Same here, guys. If I took a guess, I'd say that PM has a good chance of completing. Rawhide is 50/50, maybe less. I hope I'm wrong about that one!

 

[Gary OS]

I'd be very inclined to agree with you, Jeff. PERRY MASON has a great history and as best I can tell it's still doing good numbers for CBS/P so I believe we have a great shot at seeing that show completed as long as the format as a whole doesn't drop off the face of the earth in the next few years (and I can't imagine that will happen). RAWHIDE, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be on quite the same level as PM and I do worry about seeing it completed.

At this point, I'm just holding my breath hoping we hear something about Season 4 within the next couple of months.

Gary "I'd say that if we hear about MASON but not RAWHIDE then it's time to start worrying - those two shows have been coming out fairly close together" O.

 

[Bob Hug]

DVD Pacific is showing several Timeless 2-disc Western releases slated for a February 24th release date, including . . . . .

Cimarron City: DVD Pacific - Buy New DVD Movies, HD DVD and Blu-Ray discs

The Restless Gun: DVD Pacific - Buy New DVD Movies, HD DVD and Blu-Ray discs

The Tall Man: DVD Pacific - Buy New DVD Movies, HD DVD and Blu-Ray discs

The Texan: DVD Pacific - Buy New DVD Movies, HD DVD and Blu-Ray discs

I'm inclined to believe that these are simply reissues of selected episodes rather than new releases, along the lines of what Infinity Entertainment is doing with "Route 66." It may be an attempt by Timeless to get a smaller package for these shows distributed at brick & mortar stores. I did notice single disc versions of "Cimarron City," "The Restless Gun," "The Tall Man," "Laredo," and "Riverboat" at my local supermarket a while back. Still, the price is right on these two disc sets.

 

[Gary OS]

Bob, I'm very much inclined to agree with you that these are reissues rather than newer, yet to have been released, episodes. And it's a disturbing trend I'm seeing more and more with several different studios. All these "Best Of" dvds are recycling the same episodes that have already been released. I understand this is probably nothing more than an easy way for studios to get more money out of series they've already transferred to dvd and such, but it's still a bit frustrating because I have to question whether or not these "Best Of" releases are going to slow down new season set releases of the same show. Hopefully that's not the case. But it does concern me.

One more thing. I'm more convinced than ever that what we saw in Q4 of '08 was the greatest we have ever seen and may ever see. The classic releases have really slowed down - big time - here in '09 versus what we saw in that last quarter of 2008. This is especially true if we limit "Classic" or "Vintage" releases to the pre-color shows, or at least to shows that aired before 1970. As I've said many times before, my wallet is grateful. But my heart is saddened because there's still so much untapped gold in the vaults. If you're a fan of B/W shows like I am, then the pickings are very, very sparse this time around.


Gary "there's only about 25% as much 50's & 60's material being made available to us in this first quarter of '09 as there was in the last quarter of '08 - that's a huge drop as far as I'm concerned" O.

 

[Gary OS]

Thought I'd resurrect this thread and compare the Classic TV releases I bought in the 4th quarter of '09 and '10 to that bonanza we had in the last quarter of '08.


2009 - I bought 16 titles between Oct. and Dec. as compared to over 50 titles during the 4th Q of '08.


2010 - I bought 16 titles between Oct. and Dec.


So it appears things have stayed about even for the last two years. The really frightening news for me is that as of this moment there are only 6 titles I'll be purchasing in the first quarter of this year. I'm hoping a few more might pop up in March, but as of right now things are looking rather grim.



Gary "it was fun looking back at all the stuff that was released in that final quarter of 2008" O.

 

[Regulus]

I have just about all the Classic TV Shows I desire to have. The various Star Trek Series are about the only ones I haven't purchased that are available, and that's because I do not desire to pay $50 a Season. Hopefully that's a "Light at the end of the Tunnel". As for the few I don't have, I'll "write them off" as saying "Nobody Bats 1.000". However, I am in the "High 90s" as far as the percentage, so that's pretty darned good AFAIC.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Originally Posted by Gary OS Hopefully that's a "Light at the end of the Tunnel". As for the few I don't have, I'll "write them off" as saying "Nobody Bats 1.000". However, I am in the "High 90s" as far as the percentage, so that's pretty darned good AFAIC.

I'm not in the same league but I have most fo what I'd collect if available.


You're right about those Star Trek prices. I was fortunate that a friend tipped me on a recent AMA Deal of the Day sale for the "Enterprise" series set at a very low price, otherwise, I'd not have bought that set. I received the Original Series set a few years ago for Christmas.