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WANTED: MORE ALLIED ARTISTS 1950s SF AND HORROR FILM DVD RELEASES!!!!!

#31
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7/17/08 at 12:39pm
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BEST BUY EXCLUSIVES?!!!!!

Unfortunately Best Buy exclusives are only available in the U.S.!

Why aren't they just issued to the general DVD sales retail market?!

In addition to WORLD WITHOUT END (1956) there are some interesting titles listed there like SATELLITE IN THE SKY (1956) which was a Warner Brothers released U.K. colour produced semi-SF film.

Thank you for the notification though!

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

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#32
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7/18/08 at 10:17am
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SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR!!!!!

The frustrating thing about this situation is that there are Best Buy stores in Canada, one in very close proximity to where I live incidently, but they are excluded from these exclusive DVD releases which doesn't make any sense.

You want to make it a Best Buy franchise premium fine then at least include all the stores throughout North America for goodness sake!

Even in the U.S. distribution is limited and unreliable in the extreme. Right now if you try to order online the Best Buy exclusive edition of THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH (1959) it is currently listed as being on "back order."

Obviously the thing must be selling well enough!

I can only hope that WORLD WITHOUT END (1956) in particular proves its metal and will shortly find its way onto the mainstream Warner Brothers Home Entertainment DVD releases. This may well all be an effort to ascertain just how well these older film titles will sell with today's buying public.

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

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#33
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7/23/08 at 11:01am
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HERE COMES 'PROJECT SIGMA'!!!!!

"The Future come to life...today! The fantastic story of Project Sigma, Earth's first manned satellite for the invasion (exploration) of Outer Space!"--Narrative from the WAR OF THE SATELLITES (1958) theatrical trailer.

You know I am the one who started all the focus on WORLD WITHOUT END (1956) despite the discussion having fragmented to other topical threads!

Anyway I am trying to get in touch with a contact who may just be able to assist me in securing a copy of the Best Buy exclusive WORLD WITHOUT END (1956)/SATELLITE IN THE SKY (1956) 1950s SF doublebill single disc set.

My contact must be on vacation but will hopefully be back before the July 29th, 2008 release date...I hope! What a great time to completely disappear.

In the interim I uncovered a little rarity! The theatrical trailer for Roger Corman's WAR OF THE SATELLITES (1958) which I haven't seen on television since (as my friend Mac would say) the "Johnson Era" (late 1960s).

Some of the composite work is quite good for its time and budget!

I just love Walter Greene's dymamic music scoring some of which was later reprised in the main opening titles of the second season (1963-64) of the Cambria Studios produced SPACE ANGEL (Syndicated 1962-64) animated tv series.

Look at the cast! The (Roger) Corman stock company of players in force: Dick Miller! Susan Cabot! Richard Devon! Michael Fox! Robert Shayne! Bruno De Sota!

WAR OF THE SATELLITES (1958) theatrical trailer (Click Here).

Like it says, "An Allied Artists Picture!" This is the kind of memorable entertainment people (really) want to see released on DVD!

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

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#34
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7/23/08 at 6:29pm
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Re: WANTED: MORE ALLIED ARTISTS 1950s SF AND HORROR FILM DVD RELEASES!!!!!

I'd personally LOVE to see Caltiki, Not of This Earth, and Attack of the Crab Monsters.

Heck, I'd buy almost ALL of them.
My DVDs
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#35
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7/24/08 at 6:34am
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Re: HERE COMES 'PROJECT SIGMA'!!!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffT.
You know I am the one who started all the focus on WORLD WITHOUT END (1956) despite the discussion having fragmented to other topical threads!

So?
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#36
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7/24/08 at 10:23am
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I LIKE THE SF BEST!!!!


So....

Don't you think these AA 1950s SF B-films are funtastic! Didn't you like the exciting WAR OF THE WORLDS (1958) theatrical trailer? Are you going to buy the Best Buy exclusive WORLD WITHOUT END (1956)/SATELLITE IN THE SKY (1956) doublebill DVD?

One thing is certain though and that is Warner Brother Home Entertainment does indeed still have the rights to WORLD WITHOUT END (1956)...and likely many other Allied Artitsts films long out of the public eye!

It's interesting that in the chronological scheme of what was EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS (1956) perceptively addressed the concept of orbiting Space satellites a good year before the launching of Sputnik.

The so-called "satellites" in WAR OF THE SATELLITES (1958) are more correctly manned Space stations!

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

Let them land!
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#37
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7/30/08 at 2:07pm
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I GOT THEM ALL!!!!!

I went to my local BEST BUY neighbourhood retail store not really expecting anything and lo and behold all three of the Warner Brothers Video SF double feature sets were there!

At first I just spotted two of them much to my disappointment but I decided to look around further in the SF-Horror film section under "W" and there was the one that I really wanted: WORLD WITHOUT END (1956)/SATELLITE IN THE SKY (1956)!

I can't wait until the weekend to see WORLD WITHOUT END (1956) in widescreen CinemaScope for the very first time. It's unfortunate that the original theatrical trailer wasn't included.

My advice to other Canadian SF fans is to check out your local BEST BUY retailer as well...you may well be similarly surprised!

Now to move ahead on the other Allied Artists 1950s SF film classics!

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

Let them land!
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#38
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8/14/09 at 7:50am
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As of August 04th, 2009 the Warner Brothers (Home Entertainment) Online Shop has included the Allied Artists Picture Corporation 1950s B-film horror doublebill programmer FROM HELL IT CAME (1957) to its DVD catalogue. Unfortunately it (currently) lists as "ships U.S. only" and while the single most important market this restriction isn't any kind of help to those of us who live outside of the U.S. its boundaries and territorities.

Hopefully this Warner Brothers Archive Collection mail order is some sort of test pilot project to determine just what will and what will not sell with the (potential) buying public out there.

Frankly I am getting tired of (generally) being excluded from these things especially considering the (considerable) effort made on my own part to lobby for the selfsame Allied Artists titles like FROM HELL IT CAME (1957).  I don't imagine the somewhat "stiff" asking price and the extra shipping charges are too popular with potential patrons either.

Jeff T.
Edited by JeffT. - 8/15/2009 at 06:44 pm GMT

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

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#39
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8/30/09 at 1:08pm
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I was fortunate enough to meet up with none other than (the great) Roger Corman at a local fan event this weekend which finally gave me the opportunity to discuss with Mr. Corman the (current) disposition of the Allied Artrists 1950s Roger Corman SF film trilogy ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS (1957), NOT OF THIS EARTH (1957) and WAR OF THE SATELLITES (1958).

Roger Corman does indeed have full possession and ownership of these films and if a DVD release is ever to become a reality it will definitely have to licensed through Roger and NOT Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.

I (naturally) expressed my enthusiatic interest in seeing such a DVD release and Mr. Corman told me that "two" of his friends were encouraging him to so as well.

Let's hope for the best on this!  It would be great if Roger Corman could further provide his own special audio commentary for each film as well.

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

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#40
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8/30/09 at 4:03pm
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I look at it this way:

I was 7 when ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS and NOT OF THIS EARTH came out as a double feature, and 12 when I first saw them on "Chiller Theater" on television.

I'll be 60 next year.  The point is, isn't it "now or never" with movies from that era?  99% of the members of the younger generations literally couldn't care less about them.  They're only of interest to guys like us who saw them when we were young and impressionable.  All they really have is great value as baby boomer nostalgia.

If they don't release them soon, they might as well forget about them.  What are they waiting for?
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#41
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8/31/09 at 7:41am
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I think there are all age groups that would be keenly interested in seeing these Allied Artists 1950s Roger Corman SF film trilogy released on DVD albeit if it does indeed happen these films will likely be licensed through one of the independent DVD distributors and not directly through Roger Corman per se.

I also feel that there are much more to these SF B-film programmers than meets the eye especially in the case of NOT OF THIS EARTH (1957).

I first saw these films (and many others like them) on our local Buffalo, N.Y.-based SATURDAY (later FRIDAY) FRIGHT NIGHT LATE SHOW (and LATE LATE SHOW) double features telecast from the early to the late 1960s and didn't realize that they were all interconnected as doublebill programmers until years later.

It is very interesting to hear from someone who actually saw these films at a movie theatre!

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

Let them land!
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#42
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8/31/09 at 7:59am
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I have to agree with Joe on this.  I am very involved in the motion picture business and also a avid historian on the subject.  For the past six years or so, just about anyone under the age of 35 does not have an interest in the older B-films.  The laugh at the special effects and the acting, also you have to tie them down to see a film in black & white.  Their attention span is short and if there is not a killing, shooting or something blowing up every five minutes, they lose interest and want to move on.

There is a reason that television stations do not run these films late at night or in the afternoons.  The reason, low ratings from the coveted age group. 

I know there are many people in that age group that does have love and interest for films earlier than 1980 and happily know a several of them.  I am also happy for the renewed interest in the films of the 60's and 70's, but that interest is driven mostly by the people that grew up in that era.

If the B-films are not released to DVD in the next few years, they more than likely will not due to lack of interest.  DVD is presently the only way for these films to continue to live.  If there is not interest, then they will die.
“For God's sake don't say yes until I've finished talking.” - Daryl F. Zanuck  
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#43
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8/31/09 at 11:43am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffT. View Post

It is very interesting to hear from someone who actually saw these films at a movie theatre!


Actually, I didn't.  I said I was 7 when they were released to theaters, and 12 when I first saw them on television.  I didn't start paying attention to what was playing in theaters until I was 8, after seeing "The Fly" and "Horror of Dracula" within a short space of time.  They got me hooked on "monster movies."
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#44
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9/1/09 at 7:59am
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Well even in their day these films weren't liked and enjoyed by everyone but I don't see a lack of interest or (prospective) customers as any kind of obstable just striking a deal with one of the independent DVD distributors which is hopefully forthcoming now that the actual dispositon of the Allied Artists 1950s Roger Corman SF trilogy is known.

Jeff T.

THE INVADERS starring Roy Thinnes belongs in a DVD Collection.

Let them land!
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#45
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9/1/09 at 9:58am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Lugoff View Post

I look at it this way:

I was 7 when ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS and NOT OF THIS EARTH came out as a double feature, and 12 when I first saw them on "Chiller Theater" on television.

I'll be 60 next year.  The point is, isn't it "now or never" with movies from that era?  99% of the members of the younger generations literally couldn't care less about them.  They're only of interest to guys like us who saw them when we were young and impressionable.  All they really have is great value as baby boomer nostalgia.

If they don't release them soon, they might as well forget about them.  What are they waiting for?
 

That's exactly what I've always said (except that I'll be closing in on 50 soon). You are one hundred and fifty percent on the money. Whatever value there is in these films, it makes no sense to delay any longer. The longer they wait, the less interest there'll be.
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#46
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9/2/09 at 4:40pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Karlosi View Post




That's exactly what I've always said (except that I'll be closing in on 50 soon). You are one hundred and fifty percent on the money. Whatever value there is in these films, it makes no sense to delay any longer. The longer they wait, the less interest there'll be.
 

I sure hope Susan Hart Hofheinz (widow of A.I.P.'s co-chief, James Nicholson) is cognizant of this. She continues to sit on the rights to, among other things:

I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF
I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN
THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN
IT CONQUERED THE WORLD
INVASION OF THE SAUCER MEN
TERROR FROM THE YEAR 5000

--probably holding out for a big payday that will never come to pass. I'd think her best bet now would be to make an equitable deal with Shout Factory, allowing them access to the films for DVD release both in their original form (as double-features or in a set), and in their MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 episode incarnations (which would exclude TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN and SAUCER MEN from the mix).
My Current Damage at DVD Aficionado

Top 5 most-wanted films on R1 DVD wish list:

SANDS OF THE KALAHARI (1965) / MURDER, HE SAYS (1945) / UNEARTHLY STRANGER (1963) / CRACK IN THE WORLD (1965) / ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1933)
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