Warner Archive Discussion Thread (The Announcements/The Films) (2 Viewers)

[borisfw]

Yet another week of mostly retreads. Well, at least I'm not spending as much on Archive titles.

Same here . I guess I'll save a little cash . I hope this doen't become a trend . I like the new to DVD titles .

 

[Jobla]

Well, the titles are certainly good ones (TARGETS, LADY IN A CAGE, LET'S SCARE JESSICA). However, most horror fans probably purchased those when they were new.

 

[kingfish]

still waiting patiently for the naked and the dead.

 

[borisfw]

What is the issue with the naked and the dead? Is it rights or an elements issue?

 

[JoHud]

Also a bit disappointed that David Copperfield and Marie Antoinette showed up. Does not bode well for blu-ray releases in the near future.

 

[Randy Korstick]

About 6-8 months ago on their Facebook paged they stated it was an elements issue and they planned to start work on it soon.
Nothing new posted on it since then that I am aware of.

What is the issue with the naked and the dead? Is it rights or an elements issue?

 

[kingfish]

i believe warner also owns the rights to target zero with richard conte.

 

[borisfw]

About 6-8 months ago on their Facebook paged they stated it was an elements issue and they planned to start work on it soon.
Nothing new posted on it since then that I am aware of.

Good to know they are working on it . Hopefully we'll see it in the not too distant future .

 

[BobO'Link]

I, for one, am getting really tired of Warners discontinuing pressed disks, dumping them at BL and other places, and then bringing them back as overpriced MOD releases. If the pressed versions really sold so poorly so as to dump them as overstock who's going to pay premium prices for a MOD?

I'd rather see titles that have never seen a release before even if they *are* overpriced.

 

[Brandon Conway]

I, for one, am getting really tired of Warners discontinuing pressed disks, dumping them at BL and other places, and then bringing them back as overpriced MOD releases. If the pressed versions really sold so poorly so as to dump them as overstock who's going to pay premium prices for a MOD?I'd rather see titles that have never seen a release before even if they *are* overpriced.

Big Lots was not authorized to sell them at those $4 prices and we're subsequently sued by Warner for doing so, IIRC.Sent from my VS920 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[ahollis]

Big Lots was not authorized to sell them at those $4 prices and we're subsequently sued by Warner for doing so, IIRC.Sent from my VS920 4G using Tapatalk 2

Yes. Those discs were overstock due to less than anticipated sales and Warner contracted with an outside company to have them destroyed. The company violated their contract and sold them to Big Lots and other close out stores.

 

[Paul Penna]

I, for one, am getting really tired of Warners discontinuing pressed disks, dumping them at BL and other places, and then bringing them back as overpriced MOD releases. If the pressed versions really sold so poorly so as to dump them as overstock who's going to pay premium prices for a MOD? I'd rather see titles that have never seen a release before even if they *are* overpriced.

It's a good deal for people who want an OOP title, only to find, after scouring the Web for a title, that even used copies go for exorbitant prices. Just an example: A Song Is Born: the cheapest from any Amazon Marketplace seller is $46, after which they go to $70 and on up. On sale, Archive titles can go as low as $10. By now we all know (or should know) that creating and maintaining an inventory of low-selling pressed discs isn't an economically favorable strategy. So going MOD is a boon for collectors, given the alternative.

 

[ahollis]

BOMBA - JUNGLE BOY VOLUME 2 looks great and the final three titles are anamorphic Widescreen. Another film series completed.

 

[FrankXS]

Just saw a pre-order on the Warner Archive page for "William Powell at Warner Brothers". This will be out in mid-September. Four titles all from the early 1930's include: "The Key"....."High Pressure"....."The Road to Singapore"......"Private Detective 62". Price : $39.95.

 

[BobO'Link]

Yes. Those discs were overstock due to less than anticipated sales and Warner contracted with an outside company to have them destroyed. The company violated their contract and sold them to Big Lots and other close out stores.

Big Lots was not authorized to sell them at those $4 prices and we're subsequently sued by Warner for doing so, IIRC.Sent from my VS920 4G using Tapatalk 2

Yes. Those discs were overstock due to less than anticipated sales and Warner contracted with an outside company to have them destroyed. The company violated their contract and sold them to Big Lots and other close out stores.

That was for those TVonDVD seasons a few years back. The films have all been "overstock" and have shown up at many such vendors both BM/online.

 

[BobO'Link]

It's a good deal for people who want an OOP title, only to find, after scouring the Web for a title, that even used copies go for exorbitant prices. Just an example: A Song Is Born: the cheapest from any Amazon Marketplace seller is $46, after which they go to $70 and on up. On sale, Archive titles can go as low as $10. By now we all know (or should know) that creating and maintaining an inventory of low-selling pressed discs isn't an economically favorable strategy. So going MOD is a boon for collectors, given the alternative.

Yes, it is nice if you missed out on the pressed run. But the problem as I see it is those titles should have a *maximum* price of ~$10. After all, the remastering/authoring/licensing (if any) has already been done for the pressed version(s) so there should be no "up front" costs to recoup. I've maintained since the program began that the "sale" prices really should be the *everyday* prices on such titles.

 

[ahollis]

That was for those TVonDVD seasons a few years back. The films have all been "overstock" and have shown up at many such vendors both BM/online.

There were both TV series cartoon series and movie box sets. The box sets included Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, musicals Stanly Kubrick, gangsters and many others. I was amazed at the number of cartoon series that were in that bunch. They sued IWMB, Inc for 10 million. They were to destroy 2 million units of which close to 1 million ended up at Big Lots and other close out stores. They wanted these destroyed at the height of the recession when Circuit City was failing and the Brick and Mortar stores were struggling. The huge age of DVD sales was over and these units were sitting around gathering dust and more than likely still be sitting there today. In business good decisions are made and bad ones are made, things change and its hard to blame for decisions made four years ago when models change daily.

 

[kingfish]

i do believe that warner owns the rights to the lighthorsemen. i would love to see that movie released.

 

[JoHud]

Just saw a pre-order on the Warner Archive page for "William Powell at Warner Brothers". This will be out in mid-September. Four titles all from the early 1930's include: "The Key"....."High Pressure"....."The Road to Singapore"......"Private Detective 62". Price : $39.95.

Very nice. An interview last year stated that WB's vault print of The Key was too damaged to use, turned to the Library of Congress and discussed the time consuming process of clearing that red tape for an eventual WAC release. Glad to see The Key will be coming this year and other WB precoders starring Mr. Powell.

 

[jdee28]

Great news on the William Powell titles.

I'd love to see the Warner Archive rescue the 1935 William Powell film Escapade from whatever legal entanglements have rendered it unseen and completely obscure. It was also Luise Rainer's first MGM film.

Perhaps they can get to it after someday rescuing Joan Crawford's Letty Lynton (1932).