Scorpion Releasing to Limit Blu-Ray Titles (1 Viewer)

[bruceames]

It seems foolish to release a mainstream title such as Fright Night in a limited edition. It may be a suitable method for a cult film or small independent film, but TT could easily sell thousands more copies of Fright Night if they desired. Instead, all they've done is make a few speculators a lot of money. As I recall, that title was sold out well before release day.

I don't know if it's foolish or not (it does bring TT and the movie a lot of attention, which is good in that way), but movies that sell out too fast are obviously not a great fit for a model. I think limited edition would work great for Scorpion, probably in quanties of 1000, since non of there movies are of the mainstream flavor like a lot of those from TT. Like it or not, that's the direction all this is going, especially as retailer shelf space dries up.

But yeah, anyone would prefer that mainstream titles or anything with a higher sales potential than a limited edition model would impose on it, remain a general release so that 1) it's cheaper (by virtue of volume) and 2) more people can buy it and enjoy it.

 

[McCrutchy]

Not necessarily Ed. It just depends on the capacity of the individual catalogue fan's central nervous system for patience.

In the past 2 or 3 years, I've seen scant evidence that any classic Hollywood title with a viable HD master has not been showing up or will not show up in Region A...eventually. Perhaps released as a limited edition, but nevertheless still available and invariably a pro job. And there is another benefit to be had from a little patience...I mean, how many fans and collectors who panic-bought...say...Double Indemnity and Touch of Evil from Region B, are now kicking themselves since Universal's release of superior 4k sourced Region A Blu-ray editions? Suppose it's any coincidence that both titles are "limited editions"?*

And there are a raft of other recent examples where the Region A home label or one of its licensees has arrived a bit late[r] to the party, but with an all-round better quality, fuller-featured Blu-ray. Twilight Time's Alfredo Garcia comes to mind. Ditto for The Blue Max. Ditto for Fox's Studio Classics split between their own shop and TT. Even what WB has been consigning to the WAC (albeit pokily), has been very respectable world class quality.

I'm certainly not prepared to write-off the output of Region A, not by a long shot, just the viability of our domestic mass market.

While I agree with you that I don't see any classics not making it to US Blu-ray (Region A is a lot bigger than just the United States, which is what I assume you mean), I have to say, I have owned the MoC version of Double Indemnity for almost two years now. I certainly didn't "panic buy" it, and I have no remorse over the purchase. The same goes for Touch of Evil, and I will also happily buy the US versions of both, when I have funds to do so. I am, of course, pleased that Universal finally brought them out on Blu-ray in the USA, and overjoyed to find that they apparently went the extra mile with new transfers.

But you only live once, and I could die tomorrow, so if a film I want comes out in a high quality release, I don't care where it's from, I want to have it. If a better quality version comes out, I buy when the time is right, and don't lose sleep over it, either, because it's healthier that way.

 

[Bob Cashill]

In a perfect world there would be one region-free transfer of every title with all conceivable extras included. Sadly for my wallet there isn't, so I'll buy the Universal discs of Evil and Indemnity atop the MoCs, or just consult the Uni DVDs for their extras and not buy them. For better or for worse it's a world of choice.

 

[bruceames]

While I agree with you that I don't see any classics not making it to US Blu-ray (Region A is a lot bigger than just the United States, which is what I assume you mean), I have to say, I have owned the MoC version of Double Indemnity for almost two years now. I certainly didn't "panic buy" it, and I have no remorse over the purchase. The same goes for Touch of Evil, and I will also happily buy the US versions of both, when I have funds to do so. I am, of course, pleased that Universal finally brought them out on Blu-ray in the USA, and overjoyed to find that they apparently went the extra mile with new transfers.

But you only live once, and I could die tomorrow, so if a film I want comes out in a high quality release, I don't care where it's from, I want to have it. If a better quality version comes out, I buy when the time is right, and don't lose sleep over it, either, because it's healthier that way.

I agree, nobody "panic-bought" Touch of Evil or Double Indemnity from MoC. You never know when a better release will come out and the notion from a fellow collector that anyone panic buys from lack of patience frankly comes off as hypocritical to me. Better releases always emerge at some point and the TRUE 4k version of this movie will be available in some years to come.

Besides, those MoC releases were amazing in their time and still are. Also Touch of Evil has 5 cuts of the film vs. only 3 on the Universal release. I certainly don't regret buying mine and I had the pleasure of enjoying it two years ago.

 

[ROclockCK]

FTR, I was just recalling conversations on another site, where some posters were fretting about never seeing Region A or All-Region releases of Double Indemnity and Touch of Evil. And as the continued unavailability of these titles stateside extended to 1 or 2 years, and considering Universal's rather spotty track record with deep catalogue...there was definitely some "panic-buying" of those Region B versions. Personally, I was content to wait because I truly believed Criterion would snap up both of these Noir classics.

In any case, my larger point was merely that if a viable HD master exists, or a better one is in the studio's hopper, then some label within our domestic market will get around to running with it, even if via limited release. This was in response to the implication that only the Euro/Overseas markets with higher levels of Blu-ray adoption would be getting all "the good stuff" going forward.

 

[Bryan^H]

This thread is 5 years old, so it is great to see Scorpion still going.
I support them, and just bought:

I hope to watch them this weekend.

 

[Bryan^H]

I love the Scorpion Blu-Ray cases. I have noticed an awful trend in the past couple years. I am constantly getting garbage paper thin cases. I am sick of it. Scorpion, and Twilght Time have the best sturdy, beautiful cases that I know of. They are perfect.

I would like to know where they get them, so I can buy a thousand or so.