MGM Midnite Movies "dead again" remark - Page 2

FrancisP · 07-05-2008, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Unless you're working at the studios, you have no idea if that's the case. It's not hard to see why studios don't take posts on the internet seriously.

OH REALLY!!!!
I don't have to work for MGM to know the company is in deep trouble again. Take your pick, it's either laziness or incompetence. They've gone through Sony and now Fox and they're running out of buyers. The bottom line is that MGM is being run into the ground and the only people to blame is MGM.

Unfortunately this seems to be the rule at most major studios. For example, Universal's marketing people insisted on DVD-18s despite evidence of the higher failure rate because it was cheaper. Now Universal has to farm out classic shows to Shout because Universal's name is mud thanks to dvd-18s.

Paramount's classic movie output is zero. Other companies have to license titles to get Paramount's classic movies out on dvd.

If Warner can make money off of classic titles then why can't other companies? It's pretty obvious bad management.

TravisR · 07-05-2008, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrancisP

OH REALLY!!!!

Yes, really. You have absolutely no way of backing up the statement that I quoted before.

FrancisP · 07-05-2008, 11:15 PM

The fact that MGM is on life support pretty much supports my assertion. It could be incompetence rather than laziness but the marketing people are not doing their job. If they were, MGM wouldn't be in trouble again. I wish somebody that knows what they're doing could get their library of titles. If I was an investor in the company, I'd be selling.

AlanBrom · 07-06-2008, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrancisP

The fact that MGM is on life support pretty much supports my assertion. It could be incompetence rather than laziness but the marketing people are not doing their job. If they were, MGM wouldn't be in trouble again. I wish somebody that knows what they're doing could get their library of titles. If I was an investor in the company, I'd be selling.

Agreed, they're not doing their job. And even if they're deciding to ditch the Midnite Movies series this year, why couldn't they at least release a few (even if it was two or three) classic horror movies in time for Halloween? I mean, special editions of PUMPKINHEAD and CHILD'S PLAY just don't float my boat and this only shows a disregard for fans of older horror.

JeffT. · 07-06-2008, 11:30 AM

As I previously said last year 20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment released a good two year's worth of titles and (speaking for myself) I really wasn't expecting another bulk MGM MIDNITE MOVIES series collection until some time considerably later.

Right now Fox is vigourously releasing all kinds of vintage film titles so it would seem that the company isn't being discouraged from doing so! In addition to this a number of former MGM MIDNITE MOVIES titles have been repackaged in box sets collections under new banner titles (ie. The BEACH PARTY movies, ROGER CORMAN collection, VINCENT PRICE collection).

This series has been written off a couple of times before and has (thankfully) risen from apparent (permanent) discontinuation despite the seeming unlikeliness...and will likely do so again!

I now remember that I didn't buy the TALES FROM THE CRYPT (1972) and THE VAULT OF HORROR (1973) doublebill set as I really don't dig 1970s horror films which are far too crudely tastelessly graphic for my own sensibilities. I much prefer the Val Lewton approach (intelligently carried on by Roger Corman in his sterling Edgar Allan Poe film series) where the suggested horrors are left to the imagination of the audience!

But apart from that I did buy all of the other MGM-20th CENTURY-FOX MIDNITE MOVIES sets released last year!

However in the (substantial) weight of all this evidence just how can anyone claim that the MGM MIDNITE MOVIES series has been permanently discontinued? It hasn't been discontinued as it hasn't really stopped!

Jeff T.

Duncan B · 07-06-2008, 12:08 PM

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Originally Posted by ahollis

In the past the MGM Midnite Movies had a good distribution through the brick and mortar stores. Best Buy even had a special section dedicated to the series. Last year’s releases through Fox were not stocked at Best Buy or the other normal B&M outlets.

Actually, they were available at Best Buy but as to box sets only and some time after the initial release date. Both priced around $40 and a decent price if you really wanted them all but a big ask without being able to pick and choose. Neither had the Amicus anthology title too which was top of the list for me alongside Witchfinder General.

It's probable last years lot didn't do well but there was a deluge including the Fox titles, Price collection, Corman collection, Fox Horror Classics, The Burning etc. I'm still catching up! MM went from all but disappearing to overkill and not enough higher grade titles to inspire. I wish they'd have just gone back to the old days of two smaller lots a year but to me the line has been struggling since it went exclusive to Best Buy a few years ago, followed by the Sony disaster. These days it's just a Halloween cash-in attempt with seemingly little thought going in to how to market them.

FrancisP · 07-06-2008, 12:26 PM

The trouble is that MGM is bleeding cash and could be sold again. While the library has brought in over a half billion dollars in cash, most of that is the guaranteed money that Fox put up. They've nearly burnt up all the guaranteed money up and they still have 3 years left on the contract. It
probably means that very few classic titles are likely to be released. The only potential good thing is that Fox may be interested in purchasing the library if MGM is sold. While Fox is not Warner, it is probably by far the best of the rest.

Horror/Tales From Crypt were my favorites. All of them were either taken directly from or done in the style of the EC comics. My favorite was Midnight Mess which had Daniel Massey murdering his sister and ending up strung up with a tap in his neck in a restaurant filled with vampires.

I don't buy that you can't find retailers that are willing to take these kinds of budget titles. Take Walmart for example. I've picked up a lot of inexpensive titles there.

JeffMc · 07-06-2008, 01:35 PM

Is MGM releasing anything at all from their catalog (besides the Midnite Movies that they aren't releasing)??? They also own the UA library which includes my favorite film which is still MIA on DVD. If they don't have any faith in the MM line right now, at least release something else ferchrissake! Sony's now releasing more catalog titles than MGM/Fox.

Mark Cappelletty · 07-06-2008, 03:38 PM

MGM is going to be around for awhile-- the film production wing has just started up with a group of solid executives (ex-Universal and ex-New Line folks) and they're moving back into original filmmaking again, as opposed to being just the distribution wing they've been for the last two years. The first solely MGM productions (as opposed to ones like the Bond and Pink Panther films, which are in conjunction with Sony) should start rolling out in late 2009 and early 2010.

As for home video, I don't get it either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrancisP

The trouble is that MGM is bleeding cash and could be sold again. While the library has brought in over a half billion dollars in cash, most of that is the guaranteed money that Fox put up. They've nearly burnt up all the guaranteed money up and they still have 3 years left on the contract. It
probably means that very few classic titles are likely to be released. The only potential good thing is that Fox may be interested in purchasing the library if MGM is sold. While Fox is not Warner, it is probably by far the best of the rest.

Horror/Tales From Crypt were my favorites. All of them were either taken directly from or done in the style of the EC comics. My favorite was Midnight Mess which had Daniel Massey murdering his sister and ending up strung up with a tap in his neck in a restaurant filled with vampires.

I don't buy that you can't find retailers that are willing to take these kinds of budget titles. Take Walmart for example. I've picked up a lot of inexpensive titles there.