Is it my imagination... or are Blu-ray list prices creeping upwards? (1 Viewer)

[Dick]

When I see SUPER 8 and the upcoming DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK listing for $40.00, I think, and these aren't even 3-D! How can this be helping a faltering market? Sure, of course, no one pays retail, but at average discounts, these will still be more expensive to buy. And, speaking of 3-D, if ever there was a deterrent for people to adopt this expensive format, it is the gross overcharging for the software, which I do not believe costs the studios much (if any) more to replicate. Now, if a $54.99 list for one of these things happened to include a pair of active shutter glasses, fine... Studios often hit the target (some with bulls-eyes) with exemplary, affordable releases. Other times, and more frequently of late, they seem to be shooting themselves in the feet.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Dick

When I see SUPER 8 and the upcoming DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK listing for $40.00, I think, and these aren't even 3-D! How can this be helping a faltering market? Sure, of course, no one pays retail, but at average discounts, these will still be more expensive to buy. And, speaking of 3-D, if ever there was a deterrent for people to adopt this expensive format, it is the gross overcharging for the software, which I do not believe costs the studios much (if any) more to replicate. Now, if a $54.99 list for one of these things happened to include a pair of active shutter glasses, fine...
Studios often hit the target (some with bulls-eyes) with exemplary, affordable releases. Other times, and more frequently of late, they seem to be shooting themselves in the feet.

I think some more research needs to take place before making that assumption. First off, Don't be Afraid of the Dark is listed at [url=http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Be-Afraid-Dark-Blu-ray/dp/B005TK22CU/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1321748196&sr=1-1]35.99 Secondly, it looks like Paramount is the one studio charging higher MRSP than their competing studios except for Disney which has always been high in that regard. It bears watching, but I'm not sure I see a trend yet, at least as far as non-3D product across the various studios.

 

[cineMANIAC]

I was going to preorder Super 8 on Amazon but decided against it after looking at their asking price ($24.99). I just paid sixteen bucks for Captain America at Best Buy. Anything more than $20 for a single film on Blu is a bit too much for me* *exceptions do exist, of course. I snagged a copy of Criterion's Island of Lost Souls for $22 after a half-off discount.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by elDomenechHTF

I was going to preorder Super 8 on Amazon but decided against it after looking at their asking price ($24.99). I just paid sixteen bucks for Captain America at Best Buy. Anything more than $20 for a single film on Blu is a bit too much for me*
*exceptions do exist, of course. I snagged a copy of Criterion's Island of Lost Souls for $22 after a half-off discount.

That title has been available for weeks at Amazon for 19.99 by just using the code WOODWARD during checkout. Here is the [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=amb_link_358661862_2?ie=UTF8&docId=1000740731&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=right-blog-0&pf_rd_r=1T2WV0G9V4GKR9NMYGF7&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1329892782&pf_rd_i=2901953011]link.

 

[cineMANIAC]

That title has been available for weeks at Amazon for 19.99 by just using the code WOODWARD during checkout.  Here is the link

.

Thanks - didn't know about that promotion. Still, this title might end up costing even less at BB on street date. If I don't find it cheaper I'll definitely get it from Amazon and use the code

 

[TravisR]

I don't really think prices are going up. They might even be going down. Looking at Target's ad, Super 8 should be $15 with the coupon. While that's a new release, I bought two new catalog titles (Blue Velvet and Evil Dead 2) this week for $26 total.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Originally Posted by TravisR That Target price on Super 8 is one recent example. Thor for $15.99 at amazon & BB this weekend is another.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

I think all the stores in my area that sold stuff at list price are now out of business! These are still better than laserdisc prices, but I sure don't miss the $40 movie!

 

[Alan Tully]

I don't know about America, but in England you just need to wait a little while. A title hits the shops at £15 & you just know if you wait 6-8 months that you can get it for £6. I'm waiting for Jurassic Park to hit £15 (or under), & it will. A studio can ask what it likes for a title, but if it's too much they'll be stuck with a warehouse full of Blu-rays.

 

[Brian Sharp]

There was a time when I used to take a whole bunch of titles back to the UK each time I visited the States. Now prices seem generally lower in the UK.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Billy Batson

I don't know about America, but in England you just need to wait a little while. A title hits the shops at £15 & you just know if you wait 6-8 months that you can get it for £6. I'm waiting for Jurassic Park to hit £15 (or under), & it will. A studio can ask what it likes for a title, but if it's too much they'll be stuck with a warehouse full of Blu-rays.

The same thing here.







Crawdaddy

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I've noticed that many of the new releases of recent theatrical films are initially street pricing at around $25 now. Being patient for a few months (or sometimes just weeks) will usually result in finding these same films reduced to under $20, so I will either wait or rent such titles. I refuse to pay over $20 for an individual film, except in rare cases. Catalog releases, though, seem to be very reasonably priced on release date in many cases.

 

[Alan Tully]

Catalog releases, though, seem to be very reasonably priced on release date in many cases.

Agreed. Amazon UK had the Sony's, Das Boot, The Guns Of Navarone & a few others for just under £6 (only a bit more expensive now), I pre-ordered Ben-Hur for £12, & have a pre-order in for Cleopatra for just over £11. You just have to keep an eye out & check all the online retailers.

 

[ShowsOn]

I still haven't bought The Man Who Would be King because I haven't yet found it for under US$20. It seems the poor sales of classics means they aren't being discounted. I agree with others who have been buying from the UK. I pre-ordered The Guns of Navarrone and it cost me just AUD$8 including shipping to Australia! I paid triple that for the DVD 10 years ago!

 

[moovtune]

Originally Posted by ShowsOn

I still haven't bought The Man Who Would be King because I haven't yet found it for under US$20.
It seems the poor sales of classics means they aren't being discounted.
I agree with others who have been buying from the UK. I pre-ordered The Guns of Navarrone and it cost me just AUD$8 including shipping to Australia!
I paid triple that for the DVD 10 years ago!

The Man Who Would Be King is one of those fancy book releases from Warners, which always cost more and which I personally don't like anyway. I still haven't bought Dr Zhivago either for the same reason as it's still about $30 everywhere. I'm waiting for the basic disc release in a standard Blu-Ray case for $18.99 or so. Same with many Warner book releases - overpriced and oversized.

 

[ShowsOn]

The Man Who Would Be King is one of those fancy book releases from Warners, which always cost more and which I personally don't like anyway. I still haven't bought Dr Zhivago either for the same reason as it's still about $30 everywhere. I'm waiting for the basic disc release in a standard Blu-Ray case for $18.99 or so. Same with many Warner book releases - overpriced and oversized.  

I bought Dr Zhivago last week from Amazon UK, it cost me 6.66 pounds, which came to AUD$10.50 including postage. I also noticed that they already have Tora, Tora, Tora out in a regular case version for under 7 pounds, rather than the digibook version due out in the U.S. in a couple of weeks: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0039WHKD6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

 

[Alan Tully]

I bought Dr Zhivago last week from Amazon UK, it cost me 6.66 pounds, which came to AUD$10.50 including postage. I also noticed that they already have Tora, Tora, Tora out in a regular case version for under 7 pounds, rather than the digibook version due out in the U.S. in a couple of weeks: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0039WHKD6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

Yep, Tora was released a while back in the UK. They don't seem to release any digibook versions over here (none that I can think of), which suits me. I've got to the point where I just want the movie, done right.