Weekly RoundUp 10-27-2009

The Features


– Scratt (Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs –2009)


– Charles Vanel & Simone Signoret (Death in the Garden – 1956)


– Z – 1969


– Patrick McGoohan (The Prisoner – 1967/68)


– John Leguizamo, Debra Messing & Alfred Molina (Nothing Like the Holidays – 2008)


The Prices

Click on the Amazon price to buy from Amazon and support HTF

SD-DVD TITLE	Amazon	BestBuy	Target	Costco
Adult Swim: In a Box	$51.49	$59.99
Afterwards	$13.99	$14.99
Angel and the Bad Man (2009)	$17.99	$24.99
The Asphyx	$17.99
The Barbara Stanwyck Show: Volume 1	$33.99	$34.99
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan	$16.99	$16.99	$17.99
Death in the Garden (1956)	$18.49
The Fugitive: Season 3 Volume 1	$27.99	$34.99
The Guardian: Season 1	$34.99	$34.99
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	$14.99	$14.99	$15.99
Ice Age: Dawn of Dinosaurs + "The Scrat Pack"	$22.99	$22.99	$22.99
Il Divo	$14.99	$14.99
Mannix: Season 3	$34.99	$39.99
Monty Python: Almost the Truth	$20.99
Monty Python: The Other British Invasion	$17.99
Night of the Creeps (Director's Cut)	$13.99	$14.99
Nothing Like the Holidays	$19.99	$14.99	$16.99
On the Road with Charles Kuralt: Volume 1	$35.99	$34.99
Orphan	$17.99	$17.99	$16.99
Pandemic	$19.99
The Prisoner: Complete Series	$48.99	$59.99
Sam Fuller Film Collection	$55.99	$89.99
Stan Helsing	$14.99	$14.99
Tales from the Darkside: Season 2	$29.99	$29.99
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure	$19.99	$15.99	$15.99	$18.99
Whatever Works	$19.99	$17.99	$19.99
Z (CC)	$27.99	$34.99

Click on the Amazon price to buy from Amazon and support HTF

BLU-RAY TITLE	Amazon	BestBuy	Target	Costco
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan	$23.49	$26.99	$25.99
Beast Stalker	$23.99	$24.99
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaur	$23.49	$24.99	$24.99
Il Divo	$23.99	$24.99
Living Dead @ the Manchester Morgue	$16.99	$24.99
Monty Python: Almost the Truth	$24.99	$32.99
Night of the Creeps (Director's Cut)	$17.49	$24.99
Nothing Like the Holidays	$24.49	$24.99
Orphan	$24.99	$25.99	$25.99
The Prisoner: Complete Series	$50.49
Stan Helsing	$19.99	$19.99
Stargate (15th Anniversary Edition)	$19.99	$24.99
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure	$24.99	$25.99	$24.99	$24.99
Whatever Works	$26.99	$26.99

(CC) after a title = New release in the Criterion Collection.

Individual Titles in the Collections Listed Above:

Adult Swim: In a Box (DVD):  Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Volume 2, Space Ghost: Season 3, Moral Oral: Season 1, Robot Chicken: Season 2, Metalocalypse: Season 1, Sealab: Season 2.

Sam Fuller Film Collection (DVD):  It Happened in Hollywood, Adventure in Sahara, power of the Press, Shockproof, Scandal Sheet, The Crimson Kimono, Underworld USA.


The Disclaimer

Standard disclaimer: All prices are taken from the websites of each chain, or from their printed Sunday advertisements. All prices are subject to change by each chain. Prices and inventory in-store may or may not match the website price. I, obviously, cannot include EVERY title released in a given week in the RoundUp. The titles included are those that I am interested in...as well as those which I consider will be of interest to a majority of consumers (and sometimes I’ll miss one!). I don't get paid for this, and I don't have the time to list every DVD. So, please don't complain! If there is a title not included in the RoundUp that you want to see, PLEASE just look it up yourself, and be nice enough to post and share the results with everyone! Note that I cannot include Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club prices in the RoundUp. They set prices at individual stores based on nearby competition, so there is no way I can say here what price you'll find at YOUR local Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club location. And, Circuit City is still out of business...even in Hawaii (where they NEVER guaranteed their prices anyway).

The Specials

--There are the usual price discrepancies, this week, between the Best Buy flyer and bestbuy.com on a number of new release titles (usually about $1 difference on a new release).  So, if you are thinking of picking up a title at your local store, you MAY want to consider doing a purchase on BB.com and an in-store pickup. 

--Best Buy, this week, will have an EXCLUSIVE OFFER on Disney's Tinker Bell release--a FREE BOOK.  Discover the magical world of Tinker Bell and her friends in The Essential Guide FREE when you buy Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure on DVD, Blu-ray or Nintendo DS.

--Also, SAVE $8 on Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure on Blu-ray when you purchase Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.

--Best Buy also is advertising FREE MOVIE CASH in it's copies of Twilight on DVD ($17.99).  Buy Twilight and get $7.50 off your ticket to The Twilight Saga: New Moon

--Best Buy Odds and Ends:  Various sales on random horror/Halloween titles. 

--Target, this week, has an EXCLUSIVE also tied to Disney's Tinker Bell release.  Only at Target!  Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure jewelry box gift set--includes DVD and necklace ($22.99).  Quantities limited.  No rainchecks.

--Target also has an EXCLUSIVE CD SOUNDTRACK with its copies of Nothing Like the Holidays. (Although there is no mention if that offer includes both the DVD and Blu-ray versions of the film.)  Quantities limited.  No rainchecks.

--Target Odds and Ends: A list of DVD titles for $10 (includes the first two Ice Age releases).

Best Buy on sale DVD items:

Ice Age $9.99
Ice Age 2 $9.99

Twilight $17.99 (comes with Movie Cash $7.50 off New Moon tickets)

Transformer $14.99
Transformers 2 $19.99

Goosebumps $6.99
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown $14.99
Monster House $9.99
Hocus Pocus $9.99

Blu-ray:

Ice Age $18.99
Ice Age 2 $18.99

$24.99 each:
Last House on the Left
Friday the 13th - Killer Cut
The Haunting
The Uninvited
Transformers 2


---------

Target on sale DVD items:

$10 each:
Ice Age
Ice Age 2
The Secret Life of Bees
Underworld 3

 I will be a test case with The Prisoner on Blu. I hope it blows me away. Also getting Galactica: The Plan.

Thats more than enough.

Thanks as always guys!

Almost forgot, i have Night of the Creeps coming my way on Blu, too!

Yep, thats enough.

Thanks, but nothing for me this week....I'm saving up for next Tuesday, which is also my birthday.....lots to look forward to!

I started going through The Prisoner last night on BD.  Sets are a bit too 1960's sci fi-ish hokey, but that's easy to overlook.  Audio was just a little low to me (compared to modern programs); I'm gonna check again today.  And I found only minor problems in the original video material, so nothing to worry about there.  I plan on getting through a majority of the series today.

Oh, and The Plan at some point...

Thanks for the feedback Jason. I have not heard much about this set. I have seen only one review (DVD Beaver i think) But i was curious if A&E used the remastered British prints for their release. And, hoping the A&E Blu-ray is an improvement over the DVDs.

Glad it is.

I'll be picking up Battlestar Galactica: The Plan on Blu-ray this week. At some point, I'll get The Fugitive: Season Three- Volume One. The price on The Prisoner isn't bad, I just don't think I'd watch it enough to make it worth spending $50 though.

Thanks for the prices, guys! 

Am I mistaken or is Amazon's price on The Prisoner Blu-ray cheaper than the DVD release ever was?  I may have to finally pick this up.  Also looking forward to "The Plan"

As far as I remember, yes. I think the original 5 two-disc sets were $40 MSRP each and the series set was at least $150 MSRP. Now that you've brought that up, I may go out and buy the set afterall. Why pass up a bargain? 

They ARE the same transfers. Details and a comparison between the UK and A&E set here:

www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews47/the_prisoner_blu-ray.htm

FYI - and I understand there are also regional price differences with Best Buy, but the Bestbuy.com website now has a $17.49 price for Stargate Blu Ray.

I'll be swinging by tomorrow to see if the in-store price is the same (with printout of the screen in hand because they will match it if you bring it to customer service).

Thanks as always Mike & Patrick.

Nothing definte for me this week, but I'm considering Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaur on BD.  I'm holding out for a price drop and / or coupon.

Speaking of coupons, here are some valid on this week's releases and related titles:

$5.00 off Ice Age or Ice Age: The Meltdown on BD from SmartSource.com.  Print 2 coupons if you're planning on picking-up both.  Using the coupon, you can pick them up at Best Buy on BD for $13.99 (+ tax) each.

$2.00 off Ice Age or Ice Age: The Meltdown on DVD from SmartSource.com.  Print 2 coupons if you're planning on picking-up both.  Using the coupon, you can pick them up at Target on DVD for $8.00 (+ tax) each.

Link: http://www.smartsource.com
Note that there is no way to link to a specific coupon.  Both of the coupons ($5.00 off BD and $2.00 off DVD) should be on the first page.  Also, these coupons expire 11/01/2009.


$10.00 off Tinker Bell and the Lost Treause on BD from Disney / Coupons.com.

Link: http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/tinkerbell/couponoffer/?cmp=dmov_dvd_tnk_coupon_tbccom
Coupon expires 10/31/2009.


General notes on printing these coupons:
- You need to have the SmartSource.com / Coupons.com printer apps installed.
- Coupons will only print to a physical printer (i.e. no PDF printing).
- Each coupon is unique so do not copy them and pass them around.

That reminds me (thanks, Jeff!).

In yesterday's Parade magazine...there's a coupon for a FREE BAG OF CANDY...with the purchase of Monsters vs. Aliens (1-disc DVD, 2-disc SE DVD or Blu-ray).  Up to a $3.50 value.  Coupons expire 10-31-2009.  

Reproductions are expressly prohibited or else I would scan copies for printing.  If interested, find a copy of Parade somewhere. 

Thanks for the good word on the Prisoner BD.  That looks spectacular.

Confirmation of the $17.49 price on Stargate BD at Best Buy. Just paid for mine, didn't even have to show them the BB.com screen printout. That's the price that rung up on the register (Los Angeles store). Careful though, my store only had one copy and that was in the back. I looked over the guy's shoulder while he was looking it up on the computer and the ten nearby Best Buys that showed up on the inventory all had between 1-4 copies each, so stores aren't carrying a whole lot of these.

Carlo: 

Is there much difference between this 15th Anniversary Blu-ray release and the older Blu-ray release (that can typically be gotten for $10 at places like Wal-Mart)?

I won't know until I get home Mike. That's about 5-6PM PST. Will post either later tonight or some time tomorrow with my thoughts.

 

I'm just hoping the alien dialogue subtitles are handled correctly this time. The first pressing of the original disc didn't even have them, you had to put on all subtitles to see them, and then you got English-language subs as well for the whole movie! I emailed them and got a replacement, but even then the alien language sub didn't default to on with my PS3 I had to go and select the right subtitle track. Totally annoying.

I can tell you if you are an "extras" fan the original BD was fairly skimpy on the extras and this new disc has a bunch of new extras. I'll try to post my thoughts on A/V quality later, but I don't have a screencap program or a way to quickly A/B between the two so it will be a very subjective opinion.

I'm curious, so thanks!

I'm not that familiar with the film and figured there had to be some particular reason for a second BD release already given the relative newness of the format. 

Yeah, I know there have been other titles already released twice on blu.  But, for example, Terminator 2's second release features lossless audio--a reasonably big selling point.

Hi Mike - I know that Mr. Reuben is working on his review ( the review copy was late getting to him). I am curious myself, as I have picked up, and watched alot, each iteration released thus far...

First prelim thoughts, and I'll add more to the Michael Reuben thread when he does his official Stargate review:

1. Seems to be a new transfer based on the lessened gate weave of the opening credits.
2. They may have done some actual film tweaking or fixing because I always thought the fade/transition from the Ra statue at the opening credits into the ancient encampment (in the Director's Cut version) was always clumsily handled and it seems to be much more smoothed out.
3. Subtitles for the Egyptian language at the beginning of the film (and the foreign alien language later in the film) now start appropriately...however they are player generated subs instead of the original burned in subs, which is too bad because I like the look of the original subtitle fonts better.
4. DTS HD track often exceeds 5MBps which actually trips up my PS3 in the sense that when I FF or REW it takes an additional fraction of a second to a second to resume audio (PCM out) whereas lower bit rate soundtracks have audio resume immediately. This also happens on another high audio bit rate BD for me: John Mayer's Where The Light Is. I think that's a 24/96 PCM track that edges towards 7-8MBps if I remember correctly.
5. The A/V looks good but without being able to screencap or A/B I can't say for sure if it's a huge jump over the original BD.

I'm sure Michael will do a much more thorough job in his review.

I'm is a bit of a quandary regarding "The Prisoner."  The Blu-ray set is only 5 bucks more than the DVD, but I am wondering if I still shouldn't just get the DVD instead.  This way, I'd be able to watch it in more than just one room of the house.  Has anyone seen the actual Blu-ray yet?  Is it a lot better in quality compared to the DVD?

Ric, I put my BD review up on the product page (it's also in my sig).  I can't vouch for any version of the DVD, but the BD is absolutely wonde 

Ric Easton!  Where you been hanging out?  I haven't seen you here in the RoundUp for quite awhile! 

Thanks Jason!  I will take a look right now!  I haven't seen the show

Hiya, Mike!  Been real busy with a new-ish endeavor.  Take a look if you get a chance!  Also been on a vacation or two and for the past week have been home after a "procedure"  Which allowed me time to post here!  Most weeks I have been able to take a quick peak, though!   Keep on keeping on!

Just a heads up, but BB seems to be running a nice BD sale online right now -- and you *might* be able to do local pickup.  Some upcoming releases like North by Northwest and the latest Star Trek movie are included -- and in the case of the latter, you can even get extra $10 off if purchased w/ another Trek film on BD.

Think I'm gonna pick up the latest Trek BD along w/ First Contact among a handful others although Amazon may end up matching most of the prices in the next day or two (but probably not the extra $10 off for the Trek offer).

_Man_

 Nice site Ric. You do beautiful work.

No probs!   Great pics, too, btw.  They're all very striking!

Thanks Rick and Jason!  And Jason... great job on the review!!  Looking forward to the set and I'll probably go Blu.   And to quote myself...  "I haven't seen the show"... I must've gotten distracted!  What I meant to say is I haven't seen the show in like 20 years!

Day-um, Ric!  Those ARE awesome pix!  Congrats!  Hope this takes off for you!  Those are some pretty reasonable prices, too!

And I hope your "procedure's" not going to keep you down and that all's well!

Hey, Ric.

Those are very nice photos there.  I particularly liked this one at the track:

http://www.rixfotos.com/index_025.htm

Aaaah...  And just noticed that it must be one of your top faves too since you show it off on multiple pages there (and even provide a downloadable wallpaper version).

The Blue Harbor one (also available as downloadable wallpaper) is probably tops there in terms of overall image quality.   Also noticed there's at least one promising looking photo shown in thumbnail form in your Info section that's missing from the galleries (for a larger view), ie. the one in a misty forest filled w/ tall trees (redwood/sequoia/???).

One suggestion.  You might want to help your site visitors get the best possible web presentation (especially since you're looking to sell prints) by at least providing minimal/basic display calibration features like grayscale step bars/charts that are typically provided at other quality sites, eg. a bit of basic calibration of white/black levels and contrast/gamma can go a long way even if colors will still be off for most folks.  Otherwise, you might be selling short on your images.

Oh, another thing.  If you're serious about selling enlarged prints, you might want to consider lugging around a portfolio of actual prints w/ you on a regular basis and see if you don't bump into interested potential customers often enough -- you're probably far more likely to sell them at serious (ie. better) prices in person that way near as I can tell.

Have a great one, and best wishes on your new endeavor (and hope you get all well real soon from that "procedure", etc)!

_Man_