Warner: Thank you for the classics on Blu-ray, but....... (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

I truly appreciate the releases of such great film classics as Casablanca, Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, but your (only) Ultimate Collector's Edition Blu-ray releases of them is too expensive at $59.49 for so many people that are currently enduring such a deep recession. I hope in the near future, you will reevaluate your marketing strategy to ensure releasing these titles on Blu-ray with modest bonus material and with reduced pricing. People are having a hard time making ends meet in today's economic climate, but they also want to continue to support Warner by purchasing your BRD product so they can enjoy their favorite classic films on the best home video format available to them. So please, consider releasing these titles in a lesser BRD release that people can purchase for $20 or less. It will help grow this format and increase the number of units sold for these all-time greats.


Amazon.com: Gone with the Wind (70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh: Movies & TV

Amazon.com: The Wizard of Oz (70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]: Judy Garland: Movies & TV

Amazon.com: Casablanca (Ultimate Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman: Movies & TV


By the way, just like Casablanca, I'll be buying Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz because I like these collectors edition. However, there are a lot of people that only want the movie without a whole bunch of bonus material and/or only want to buy these titles on BRD at a reasonable price that fits their budget or value pricepoint. Please, don't dismiss these consumers by not offering them a chance to buy these titles on BRD at a lesser price with more modest release offerings.






Crawdaddy

 

[TravisR]

I agree and plan on buying Casablanca and The Wizard Of Oz when they're released without the cost boosting extras. I'm sure they're pretty fun and nice collectibles but they just don't appeal to me enough that I'm going to spend that much money on the sets (and, for me, the economy has no major bearing in the decision- I wouldn't spend the money if the Dow was at 20,000).

 

[Ethan Riley]

I am in total agreement. At the very least, there should be a choice. They should release these movies as both a "Big box full o'junk" version, and a slimmed-down, "recession buster" version. Some collectors, like myself, do not really enjoy "Big box full o'junk" versions; who needs all that junk. I already have a big box full o'junk for the last time Wizard of Oz came out on dvd; I don't need another Big box full o'junk. I have a whole house full of junk that I can't get rid of.

 

[RDarrylR]

Add me on the agreement list. I have Casablanca but only because I got it for free. The case is humongous and I have only ever looked a few of the "extra items" once. The movie itself on Blu-ray is great and the extra disc about Mr. Warner is pretty good but the set is hardly worth what they are selling it for.

In the economic times we're in I really can't understand how the only versions you plan to offer of classic movies are ones which are way overpriced and in huge packages. I love classic movies and want to buy almost all of them on Blu-ray but I just can't justify these prices for these "Ultimate" sets.

 

[Loregnum]

I agree that they need to have a disc only release. I would buy Oz and gone with the Wind (already have casablanca on hd-dvd) but I have no desire for the extra stuff in those sets so I'll either have to pass until they release disc only versions or rent them.

 

[Powell&Pressburger]

I think they should make deluxe and BD disc only editions. I will prob by the deluxe but at the same time the preliminary box art just well those long packages are not cool. At least with Casablanca it was compact.. but who knows.

 

[PaulDA]

As a minor point in Warner's favour, at least the "ultimate" sets are out first. Usually, it's a bare-bones release first followed by a more comprehensive set and many people feel compelled (for a variety of reasons) to "double-dip". In these cases, I cannot help but think a scaled down version of these titles will make it to market relatively soon (in SD DVD, this was done with Stagecoach and The Searchers--to name but two--Stagecoach even says "Disc One" on the disc of the single-disc release I just got). Of course a simultaneous release would be best from the consumer's point of view, but I think the "ultimate" version first, rather than second, will reduce "double-dipping". Just my 2 cents.

 

[RDarrylR]

Yes but how long to wait. There is still no standalone version of Casablanca in NA at least.

 

[CraigF]

Since WB will supposedly be releasing "stripped" BD titles for rental (and already did for The Dark Knight, here), it should be possible to pick these up from Blockbuster or similar "previously viewed" one day. If they aren't released in bare-bones BD before that.

 

[PaulDA]

How long was it for Stagecoach and The Searchers on SD DVD? I'm pretty sure it was less than 24 months. I'm not saying it's ideal, but I also don't think it will be a ten year wait.

 

[GlennH]

I have to believe that this is a strategic decision by Warner for their top classics to release only the "collector's editions" for a window of time. That way they can snag the borderline customers who would probably opt for the normal release but are lured to the bigger package because they don't want to wait. Then after that market is tapped eventually they will release them in standard packages to sell to the rest of us. They'll just have to figure out when it's been long enough.

I'll be patient. I have no room to store nor burning need to own the fancy extras.

Hopefully they aren't stupid enough to view limited sales of the collector's editions as a message that consumers don't want these titles on BD.

 

[PaulDA]

If they had that outlook, then single disc releases of Stagecoach and The Searchers on SD DVD AFTER the collector's edition releases would likely not have happened.

 

[RDarrylR]

But wasn't DVD a much more established format at the time compared to where Blu-ray is now?

 

[Brian Borst]

I'm glad the Warner titles are region free. We've gotten Casablanca in a normal keepcase, and How The West Was Won too. Not that I don't like the special packaging, but it's more (with Casablanca it's a lot) dollar. Nice to be given a choice, but I don't understand why they don't release both versions worldwide.

 

[RDarrylR]

Yeah I guess I might actually look into a UK standalone version of Oz, Gone With The Wind, and Woodstock.

 

[John Hodson]

Oops, apologies!

 

[Michael Elliott]

Excellent post Robert.

I agree 100% and won't be buying any of the three titles until a separate release is done. The same goes for WOODSTOCK. As much as I love these films I can't and won't spend $50+ for them.

BTW, does CASABLANCA come in a regular Blu case inside all the packaging?

 

[RDarrylR]

No not a Blu-ray case. It's in a 3 page folding cardboard case. Shown in this pic right below the big white box...

 

[genomovie]

Well said, Robert. I just hope the powers to be, takes note. Disney's Blu is also way to much.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Thanks for the quick reply Darryl. As a film buff it would seem like I'd be interested in that "other" stuff but I never really got bitten by that bug. Hopefully at some point we'll get a different release.