Universal Vault Series - Amazon.com exclusive DVD-Rs (1 Viewer)

[Ken_McAlinden]

Is this a DVD-R only thing or will they also be available via Amazon VoD?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by jdee28 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Maybe if we don't support these products, they'll introduce higher standards for these MOD discs, or maybe even lower their price to bring them more in line with the quality of what they're offering?

How other people spend their money is their own business. I respect consumers that don't support this marketing process as well as those that buy them. With the negative slant that's been posted on this forum, somebody outside of this forum is buying a lot of these discs for other studios to start adopting this process.
Crawdaddy

 

[Bradley-E]

Some of these films like "Shrinking Woman", "Blue Collar", "Stick", "Shout" and "Resurrection" have been showing up on Cinemax in Hi Def. I would imagine they are OAR with new transfers.

 

[JoHud]

I find this somewhat strange, but a good way for Universal to unload films on an "on-demand basis" What is strange, however, is that they still are supporting the Backlot Series with the upcoming Alice in Wonderland release, Continuing on their unique TCM Vault series (which seem to be both remastered and pressed), and then this. This is especially considering Remember the Night sells for the same price in the TCM vault series as the Universal Vault series titles here.

I'll probably buy some of the early titles here like Seven Gables and Spawn of the North, since many of their paramount pictures look a bit rough when they are on pressed discs anyway

Also, I prefer paying on Amazon rather than WBshop, anyhow

 

[Jobla]

Good point, Amazon is much easier and quicker to navigate than the WA website.

 

[Paul Penna]

Originally Posted by Jobla /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Good point, Amazon is much easier and quicker to navigate than the WA website.

For me the overwhelming advantage to Warner having their own sales site has been the periodic promotional pricing, like the recent 5-for-$55 deal that finally got me to pop for some Archive discs. I hope Universal gets that message.

 

[Jeff Willis]

The part for me about the archive sites is that it's hard to get a review until someone here buys a particular title and posts their info (transfer Q, OAR info, etc). Otherwise, I might be quicker to purchase a few of the recent Uni titles.

 

[pghjerry]

"shrinking woman" seems to be a 'download only' title, unless I'm missing something

 

[TonyD]

http://www.amazon.com/Incredible-Shrinking-Woman-Amazon-com-Exclusive/dp/B0033PSH72/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1263424951&sr=8-14

 

[Doug Abbott]

This idea of releasing movies on DVD-r is nothing more than a rip-off of buyers. They are giving minimum quality and asking for maxium price from the movie buying public. I have bought 2 Tarzan sets from Warner's Archive, plus quite a few Joel Mccrea & Randolph Scotts titles. Most the DVD-rs have arrived in broken and damaged cases with plastic pieces having marked the DVDs. None play without problems on 7 different brands of players. The skip, freeze and display hugh dropouts in the picture like I experieced in the eary dats of Beta & VHS tapes. The qualuty of the product is just terrible andthe 300+ dollars spent on the titles was the biggest waste of money I have ever spent on DVD movies. I could have made better quality recording myself. When I complained to Warner Brothers I received a standard form answer supporting their product saying I was very luckey to be able to purchase these titles at all. I was also told, when I complained that "the DVDs were not as durable as stamped DVDs that, "the DVD-Rs are not suppose to be durable and are not made to last for any entended period of time". THIS PROCESS IS A TOTAL RIP-OFF THE MOVIE BUYING CONSUMER BY STUDIOS WHO DON"T GIVE A DAMM ABOUT CONSUMERS RIGHTS.

 

[Thomas T]

Personally, I can't wait until Fox and Paramount get into MOD game. Rip me off, fellas! I love it!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Doug Abbott /img/forum/go_quote.gif
THIS PROCESS IS A TOTAL RIP-OFF THE MOVIE BUYING CONSUMER BY STUDIOS WHO DON"T GIVE A DAMM ABOUT CONSUMERS RIGHTS.

If that's been your experience with these releases then it's your right as a consumer to not buy anymore of them.
Crawdaddy

 

[Simon Howson]

Originally Posted by Thomas T /forum/thread/296971/universal-vault-series-amazon-com-exclusive-dvd-rs/30#post_3649369
Personally, I can't wait until Fox and Paramount get into MOD game. Rip me off, fellas! I love it!

At least if/when that happens then they will have to start competing on price. I doubt they would all stick to charging $20, they would realise that whoever cuts their prices will probably get more of the sales.

 

[Mark Pytel]

I think this is wonderful that so many more movies are going to be availiable now on dvd. However I will buy one, AFTER I see a review
I have read about some issues with the MOD MGM discs so I want to be sure that everything is up to snuff for these. If they are are 16:9 Widescreen for the Widescreen movies I'm sold.
My only slight gripe would be that at least with the Warner Archive, I can put in the reward25 code and get the movies for 14.99 a piece, which for some reason seems slightly better in my mind than 19.99. I only wish that Amazon offered coupons like that for these dvd's. The 19.99 is the only real thing holding me back from jumping headfirst with these releases.
I totally agree with the above poster in that I CAN'T wait for FOX and Paramount to do this as it will bring out so many more catalog titles that would have never gotten a release. I for one Love that the Archive now has really obscure tv movies. These are ones I've always read about on IMDB but could only get from seedy sources on ebay. It's so much better to actually have a real disc in my hands that is guranteed to work or my money back.
Sure would it be nice if everything was restored? Of course, in a perfect world it would be, but we have to look at it from a business stand point, and take a little history lesson. When films are spruced up even slightly for any home video format, we get less eventual product. How many movies have NEVER gotten a release in any of the formats? MANY of them. Usually we get the same movies in every format and then new releases of the same movies. I can honestly say that without these programs we would more than likely never see any of those movies released at all. I doubt we would have had 400 Pressed Warner dvd's if they were still doing it the old way. We would have maybe gotten 75 on a very lucky good year, so to get the 1000's of promised archive discs by next year, that would have taken upwards of 25 years for pressed dvd's meaning, never happening as they won't be making dvd's for 25 years. The next format would just start the re-release process over as everyone wants their "favorite" movie on the new platform.
I for one have maybe 100 archive discs and think that besides some minor hiccups, it is a great program and I applaud the other companies for testing the waters and releasing some of the lesser known yet requested titles.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Supply, demand. Not much else to say.

 

[Gary OS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Abbott
This idea of releasing movies on DVD-r is nothing more than a rip-off of buyers. They are giving minimum quality and asking for maxium price from the movie buying public...
When I complained to Warner Brothers I received a standard form answer supporting their product saying I was very lucky to be able to purchase these titles at all. I was also told, when I complained that "the DVDs were not as durable as stamped DVDs that, "the DVD-Rs are not suppose to be durable and are not made to last for any entended period of time".

Wow, if this is true and Warner Bros. actually admitted to the inferior durability of DVD-Rs over pressed DVDs then I'm shocked. Not shocked at the statement itself because I think most people agree it's absolutely true. But I am shocked that they'd admit to such a thing. Doesn't seem like a smart way to do business, but who am I to question them.
Overall, I find myself agreeing with the sentiments of Thomas T, Scott, and others that think this entire MOD market is signaling the end of an era. I doubt we will see much of the lesser known titles being released on pressed dvds from this point on. Only the "biggies" will get that treatment from here on out. And that is a shame, IMHO. Like many I do balk at the price tag attached to most of these titles, but then again I did buy the Barker Tarzans and might buy one or two titles if I was really desperate for something. But I doubt I'll be amassing a huge library of MOD titles any time soon.
Having said all that, I have to agree with Robert that this is an "each to his own" deal. While I personally hate seeing the decline of pressed dvds (with their many advantages), I'm not going to begrudge anyone else that wants to indulge in this market. Live and let live has to be my motto on this one.
Gary "still shocked that WB would admit to such a thing as inferior quality - they must be very confident in their ability to sell this product to make such an admission" O.

 

[JoHud]

Originally Posted by Gary OS /forum/thread/296971/universal-vault-series-amazon-com-exclusive-dvd-rs/30#post_3649449

Quote:

I doubt we will see much of the lesser known titles being released on pressed dvds from this point on. Only the "biggies" will get that treatment from here on out. And that is a shame, IMHO.

I'm not 100% on this, though it does seem to be slowing. Smaller titles still get released if they are part of a themed set. I think this is more of a situation of stricter limitations on how many titles can be restored at once, for whatever reason.

 

[greylocke5]

Remember back in the early '80s the record companies released a lot of new digitally-recorded releases on so-called digital LPs? This was especially true of classical music. The sound was inferior and eventually, after customers purchased CD players and got used to regular CDs, the LPs - especially the digital LPs - disappeared.
I am convinced that these large media giants, like Warner Brothers, expect that within five years or so virtually everything - movies and music - will be download only. Disney is already going that way with film scores, e.g., no CD for the score for UP.
They don't want to deal with physical product and its attendant costs. I would not be surprised to eventually see these Vault and Archive MOD DVD-Rs disappear, especially as broadband improves.
A few months ago WBShop conducted a survey of the WB Archive customers. If I remember correctly, the demographics were skewed to aging boomers like me, who still remember these classic movies from those days when they were run over and over on free TV. And we like things we can put our fingers on - something tangible. I just don't like downloads - call me a Luddite.
People under 30 nowadays download everything. It's their preferred platform. In the future we will be saving our files on our hard drives or on rented space on some server somewhere. Physical CDs and DVDs - pressed or MOD - are going the way of cassettes and LPs. If they remain they will strictly be a high-priced boutique item.
Meanwhile, I will continue to hold on to my physical stuff (I still have hundreds of LPs) so a few MOD DVD-Rs are OK with me - versus not having those films at all.

 

[DeWilson]

Originally Posted by Gary OS /forum/thread/296971/universal-vault-series-amazon-com-exclusive-dvd-rs/30#post_3649449
Quote:
....Wow, if this is true and Warner Bros. actually admitted to the inferior durability of DVD-Rs over pressed DVDs then I'm shocked. Not shocked at the statement itself because I think most people agree it's absolutely true. But I am shocked that they'd admit to such a thing. Doesn't seem like a smart way to do business, but who am I to question them.....

This sounds like BS to me - anyone have second source confirmation that WB has been making these statements to customers?

 

[DeWilson]

Originally Posted by Thomas T /forum/thread/296971/universal-vault-series-amazon-com-exclusive-dvd-rs/30#post_3649369
Personally, I can't wait until Fox and Paramount get into MOD game. Rip me off, fellas! I love it!

I'm wanting for Sony-Colpix myself - perhaps finally their serials and classic cartoons might see the light of day!