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the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow - Page 4

post #91 of 226
12/11/08 at 8:04pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
This thread started out well, but it has been spun into a personal vendetta by a vindictive group of buddies named Russell G, James_V, and Travis R.
I was happy when I read that you got a copy of Dr. Syn so I don't have a personal vendetta against you but if you want to think that, feel free.

And for what it's worth, I do find it funny to set up a poll for the Worst Bond and make Casino Royale the only choice (even if I don't agree with that).
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post #92 of 226
12/11/08 at 9:56pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Why is it taking so long for this thread to be locked?
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post #93 of 226
12/11/08 at 10:06pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Okay, I'll throw it out there: if anyone sees a copy of this, as it appears to be simply a rumor in the New York area since the day it was released, and is willing to go through the time and energy to set up some kind of transaction with me, PM's are welcome and appreciated.
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post #94 of 226
12/12/08 at 12:34am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
This thread was intended to be the same as any other thread in which the availability and scarcity of a DVD is discussed. There are many similar threads on Home Theater Forum, and some of them have heated debates and contested points of view, but always the focus is on the subject at hand, not personal attacks. This thread started out well, but it has been spun into a personal vendetta by a vindictive group of buddies named Russell G, James_V, and Travis R.


How do you get away with these insults? What makes you think you have the right to insult people here?


That's personal with an a between the n and the l.
So, all this animosity is about Casino Royale? In a thread about Dr. Syn, you obsess over views I expressed about a different movie in another thread? On that airy basis you arrive at some weird conclusions about me personally that make you think you have the right to bait and snipe at me and to insult me whenever you feel like it?


Griping, with only 1 p.
I saw the suggestions about where to find this title and followed through by going to all the same stores. I guess you're just pretending I didn't post this reply:

Can I help it if the stores didn't have it? Is it forbidden to report a negative result? And aren't you mis-characterizing an innocuous tone as griping? Or do you really mean gripping? If you find my posts gripping, is that a compliment? The voice you hear in your head when you read my posts, or when you pretend not to read them, doesn't come from me.


Speaking from experience? You may not be able to spell either word, but you're the expert on unreasonable and intolerant. I don't know what kind of voice you hear in your head, but stop projecting it onto my posts. Go obsess over somebody else.


You lose all credibility with a personal attack like that. My views are shared by a great many people, and if you don't understand where we're coming from, maybe you have some learning to do.


Here we go again. I reiterate the first paragraph in post 46:

There is no BJ's, FYE, or HMVD where I am, so I couldn't shop at those places. As an aside, I will add that the helpful clerk at Costco looked up Dr. Syn in the computer and told me that individual titles can't be identified because all the Walt Disney Treasures share the same lot number, and they are identified as one lot. There is no predicting when they will come in or which ones will come in. This is not griping, it is simply reporting a fact.


A question phrased as a put-down is not worth answering, and besides, it was already answered. However, for the benefit of those not drawn into this vendetta of yours, I will say again the whole point of joining Disney's Movie Club is to buy limited edition DVD's from Disney with the attendant quality control and guarantees. If supplies run out elsewhere, members have plenty of time to buy the limited editions. I've never had any difficulty ordering from Disney until now. This is the first time members in good standing have been abruptly cut off from a limited edition title, as someone pointed out near the start of this thread.


No your buddy Jason is rude. I reject the notion that my initial post about the unavailability Dr. Syn is somehow any less valid than a hundred similar threads on HTF.


I didn't have time to post here for a few days although I would have if I could. That last remark was uncalled for. As for "it seems to be quite a few places" I reiterate:


Again,


This was supposed to be a discussion, not a place for complaining. As for looking, I reiterate:

Okay Billy Feldman, let me respond to your last question:

I tried to buy from Disney first and in plenty of time, and I would have bought the DVD at the stores if they'd had it. Is this point lost on you completely? Did you bother to read this post below yours':


You guys have been baiting and sniping my posts on HTF for a long time, and I want you stop it. I know you're having way too much fun trying to provoke a quarrel to stop, but I want you to stop anyway. If you object to the initiating post that strongly or if you take such a fanatical dislike to me personally you don't have to participate in the thread at all. Let the people who want to discuss Dr Syn do so.

Sorry, I was not sniping and a simple look at my posts will show that. I certainly was amused and am still amused that you think you were not complaining when that's all you were doing. You were listing Disney phone numbers and ranting is what you were doing, and all out of proportion, IMO. I didn't call you a name, I merely kept asking if you'd actually found the disc anywhere. I saw the post where you said you'd been to all those stores, but I also saw all the other posts that mentioned specific stores that did have the DVD but that apparently you had no desire to call and do business with. In fact, I still don't see the post where you actually say you purchased the disc at amazon - did you? And if you did, then you should be happy and thankful.

If you post then people have every right to respond. You are as much a name caller as anyone you accuse - in fact, your responses to me are obnoxious and uncalled for.
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post #95 of 226
12/12/08 at 1:19am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Amazon is once again listing this as out of stock. I predict I'll get a notice in the next few days that they will not be shipping my order. We'll see. I was a fool not to pre-order this one.
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post #96 of 226
12/12/08 at 8:54am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

I'm going to a local Costco this morning - I'll see if they have any, although one suspects that eBay speculators everywhere are scouring every store and buying up what's there.
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post #97 of 226
12/12/08 at 10:07am
Thread Starter 

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark B
Amazon is once again listing this as out of stock. I predict I'll get a notice in the next few days that they will not be shipping my order. We'll see. I was a fool not to pre-order this one.
I wouldn't be surprised if amazon is unable to deliver, but you never know. If they don't ship on Monday as promised they'll email us. I'll keep watching both Dr. Syn links just in case.
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post #98 of 226
12/12/08 at 3:06pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
I wouldn't be surprised if amazon is unable to deliver, but you never know. If they don't ship on Monday as promised they'll email us. I'll keep watching both Dr. Syn links just in case.

I think anyone who successfully ordered it when Amazon had it back in-stock yesterday will get their copy. Amazon is usually quite good about inventory in situations like this. I've purchased quite a few OOP discs from them when they suddenly received some more stock for a brief moment - and I always received the items. The times you need to worry about Amazon is when it says "Usually ships in 2-4 weeks" or something similar on the actual item page. That's basically the same as "We don't have it in stock and have no clue when or if we will ever get it in again."

I hope everybody gets their copy - let us know how it turns out.
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post #99 of 226
12/12/08 at 3:09pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Well, I ordered it from Deep Discount, but never received it. When I called them, they said they shipped it on November 22. Now they no longer have it available to replace my order! Argghhhh. If anyone has ideas on where to get this, please let us know.
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post #100 of 226
12/12/08 at 3:14pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

I'll have a look at the place in Edmonton tonight to see if they still have copies. I'll gladly ship them out to whoever wants them provided your willing to pay for the postage as well. They were about $35 CDN I think, not including postage (which I would work out by going to the post office and seeing how much it would cost.)

I'll update the thread tonight when I'm back home.
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post #101 of 226
12/12/08 at 3:26pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

My Amazon order shipped this afternoon. I'm still not going to believe it until it hits the mailbox, but it has a tracking number and that should give me confidence that it does exist and is in the mail.
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post #102 of 226
12/12/08 at 3:29pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Wow! I am amazed this thread hasn't been locked!

I just picked up a copy of Dr. Syn a couple of days ago and just finished watching the three-part The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh last night. I saw this thread and was thinking it was about problems with the discs (which I have not encountered so far).

Anyway, mine plays back okay.
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post #103 of 226
12/12/08 at 3:32pm
Thread Starter 

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Floto
Wow! I am amazed this thread hasn't been locked!

I just picked up a copy of Dr. Syn a couple of days ago and just finished watching the three-part The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh last night. I saw this thread and was thinking it was about problems with the discs (which I have not encountered so far).

Anyway, mine plays back okay.
If you get a chance let us know your impression of the mini-series and of the film version.
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post #104 of 226
12/12/08 at 3:54pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Lugoff
Why is it taking so long for this thread to be locked?

I was kind of wondering that before.

Anyway, I wasn't going to post at all in this, but I will just make a quick point that, although it's unfortunate that the demand for this wasn't anticipated, and I do feel sorry for those who didn't get a copy if they wanted it, as I personally don't recall these selling this quick before, that Disney wasn't out to get anyone.

I think the general point of "limited, numbered editions" when they're released by major corporations isn't to decrease sales and to say "ha ha! We're not selling to you" and to make people mad, but, are, in fact, a way of increasing sales and demand and profit. So, if a company thinks that only, say, 33000 people might buy this product, if they say it's limited and numbered, well, now they've just brought in the type of collectors who like that type of thing, which has now increased sales by another 20% or whatever (I'm making up that number). In other words, now they're selling to 2 audiences (collectors who may not even care about the product that much and who wouldn't have bought the product in the 1st place; and those who are genuine fans of the product) instead of one (those who are genuine fans of the product). I've seen a few people post that they haven't even opened any of theirs yet, and it's been 8 years?!? So, now they can sell over 39000 copies instead of just 33000 copies.

Of course, they can't know for sure how many people will buy a product, but they do know that it won't sell that much and that they need to increase sales to maximize profit so that they can release more stuff that has a relatively smaller fanbase. If they could predict the exact number of people who would buy this, then that's how many they'd make. Again, Disney is business to make money. If things aren't limited & numbered for smaller selling items, then sales would be lower.

Anyway, that's my opinion.
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post #105 of 226
12/12/08 at 4:50pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

My local Costco had plenty of Annette and Donald, but no Dr. Syn - eBay speculators strike again.
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post #106 of 226
12/12/08 at 5:47pm
Thread Starter 

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyFeldman
My local Costco had plenty of Annette and Donald, but no Dr. Syn - eBay speculators strike again.
Maybe it's the speculators or maybe it's the Disney fans.

Just because a Suncoast has one in Westminster doesn't mean the Suncoast will have it in San Diego or New York City. Just because the Costco in Detroit has one doesn't mean the Costco in Phoenix or Sacramento will have it, and these brick and mortar stores don't sell DVD's over the phone because they're not a mail-order business.
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post #107 of 226
12/12/08 at 5:56pm
Thread Starter 

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

WadeM, your reasoning is sound and I agree with everything you've said. However, the point is that club members have become accustomed to buying the limited editions before, during, and after the issue date. If the limited edition sold out elsewhere, members could still buy it from Disney because a supply was kept on hand to meet that demand. Eventually the supply would run out, but that took months, or a year or two.

Wave 9 is different. As I understand it, Disney stopped selling Dr. Syn to members within two weeks (by the time I caught up with it, 19 days had passed). The membership was cut off first, while the DVD was still turning up unpredictably and intermittently in random stores, and by dodgy online resellers who charge outrageous prices.

So, why wasn't a supply retained for the membership this time? Why is this time different from previous times? You can understand then, why many members who sometimes buy from the Disney Movie Club after the release date, and who pay club rates for that privilege, feel cheated, especially when Disney's on-line and telephone support tells them tough luck.

Some retailers like Walmart, Costco, and Target sell Walt Disney Treasures as low as $20.00. I've picked up a few extras now and then for back-ups or to give away because the price was so low. I saw the Annette collection and Chronological Donald 4 on sale in stores before I bought them from the club (further, the advantage being that you get access to buying expensive but non-commercial DVD's like the Zorro series as well as replacements and tech support etc), but I did not see Dr. Syn anywhere, and I've looked everywhere.

With hindsight, perhaps my initial post was worded strongly, but that reflected the exasperation I was feeling after being unable to buy from Disney, after an extensive online search followed by a visit to all the stores in the area, before I posted.
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post #108 of 226
12/12/08 at 6:17pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason_V
In case it wasn't clear the first time around: I have seen two Dr. Syn sets at FYE this past weekend.

Thanks Jason! With your earlier posting I went down to my local FYE and found a single copy of Dr. Syn! Yeah!!! Now to sit down and watch it! I haven't seen it since Disney Channel stopped doing Vault Disney. I wish they still had that on.

Good luck to everyone, and I hope everyone finds their own copy soon, and not from the speculators on eBay!
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post #109 of 226
12/12/08 at 8:56pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Billy Feldman
My local Costco had plenty of Annette and Donald, but no Dr. Syn - eBay speculators strike again.

Thanks for looking, Billy.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
Maybe it's the speculators or maybe it's the Disney fans.

All I know for sure is, there are 45 new copies of this for sale at Amazon and another 50 eBay listings. I can't think of any other OOP title over the years with those numbers. My guess is this attracted a high (maybe unprecedented?) number of speculators.

Frankly, the climate has changed from even a few years ago. The decision now isn't necessarily just that if you want to own it, you either pay someone who snatched up multiple copies of the release triple face or you don't. Some are going to reject that model, get the movie some other way, and not pay anybody a dime. Which is another unintended consequence for Disney not getting a read on the market.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rodney
I haven't seen it since Disney Channel stopped doing Vault Disney. I wish they still had that on.

Me and you both, brother, although I swear I must have caught Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar at least twenty times over the years.
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post #110 of 226
12/12/08 at 11:17pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Thanks, Peter, for saving me the trouble of having to respond to Richard W's maybe it's Disney fans post. Of course it's speculators - there's no doubt about it - I've seen them in action and, as you say, the sheer numbers from eBay sellers and amazon dealers is proof enough.
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post #111 of 226
12/12/08 at 11:45pm
Thread Starter 

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete York
All I know for sure is, there are 45 new copies of this for sale at Amazon and another 50 eBay listings. I can't think of any other OOP title over the years with those numbers. My guess is this attracted a high (maybe unprecedented?) number of speculators.

I wasn't counting, but that's a lot of listings by resellers, or speculators. No doubt when one copy sells, they got another to list. But I'm sure the dedicated fans like us are also buying them. The fans who pay outrageous sums to the resellers are getting cheated in more ways than one, because Disney refuses to offer its warranty to the resellers, or speculators. I can't help but think they -- meaning the resellers -- mis-judged the situation are going to get stuck with a slower moving item than they thought, unless they are depending on the Christmas buying season to move the DVD even at outrageous prices.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete York
Frankly, the climate has changed from even a few years ago. The decision now isn't necessarily just that if you want to own it, you either pay someone who snatched up multiple copies of the release triple face or you don't. Some are going to reject that model, get the movie some other way, and not pay anybody a dime. Which is another unintended consequence for Disney not getting a read on the market.
Unfortunately true.

I will keep my eyes open for a copy for you.
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post #112 of 226
12/13/08 at 8:01am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

I could maybe be convinced to trade my copy of Dr. Syn (yes, trade, no cash involved) for a copy of They Might Be Giants the George C. Scott film from Anchor Bay. Must be an original copy, not a DVR and in pristine condition.
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post #113 of 226
12/13/08 at 9:33am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
With hindsight, perhaps my initial post was worded strongly, but that reflected the exasperation I was feeling after being unable to buy from Disney, after an extensive online search followed by a visit to all the stores in the area, before I posted.

While the Disney Club may be owned by Disney, it is important to keep in mind that in order to prevent allegations of monopoly over supply, companies like the Disney Club need to be operated at arm's length. What this means is that the Disney Club would have to get in line with all other sellers with respect to allocation of sales units and would have to negotiate with WDHE in order to secure units for sale. Other retailers may have been able to offer stronger incentives than Disney Club, hence why the Club got a lower number of units. Unless the club is able to negotiate an exclusive deal with WDHE, it gets no preferential treatment.
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post #114 of 226
12/14/08 at 9:22am
Thread Starter 

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

No doubt Dr Syn Alias the Scarecrow will be discussed in The Age of Believing: The Disney Live Action Classics (2008), the new documentary by Peter Fitzgerald which airs for the first time on TCM tonight. It includes interviews with many of the people associated with Disney's first venture in live action films from the 1950s up through the 1970s. Where I live it airs at 5pm. Check it out.
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post #115 of 226
12/14/08 at 9:45am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
No doubt Dr Syn Alias the Scarecrow will be discussed in The Age of Believing: The Disney Live Action Classics (2008), the new documentary by Peter Fitzgerald which airs for the first time on TCM tonight. It includes interviews with many of the people associated with Disney's first venture in live action films from the 1950s up through the 1970s. Where I live it airs at 5pm. Check it out.

I plan to tape it.

Additionally, the second disc of Dr. Syn has an extra which discusses Disney's live action films. The impetus to this being that post-war Britain froze foreign assets. Disney leverage his interest in doing live action films by funding the films by getting around the freezing of the assets by using them within Britain thus funding his live action films with the frozen funds. In other words, if the rules of the game are that you can't take the assets out of the country, use the funds within the country and export the film. Smart dude.
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post #116 of 226
12/14/08 at 12:21pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Floto
Wow! I am amazed this thread hasn't been locked!

It's not locked, but that doesn't mean it wasn't followed closely.

As often usual on this forum: the thread appears to return to "normal" eventually when the posters are well-known and long-term members and the subject is worth it. We try to keep that sort of threads open as long as possible.


Cees
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post #117 of 226
12/14/08 at 2:52pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

I was dithering about whether to order this but when I stopped dithering I found it had sold out. Anyway, I ordered a copy on 12/12 when Amazon was accepting orders again for a short period, and I've just had an email to say it's been shipped.
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post #118 of 226
12/15/08 at 8:14am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

I ordered one on Friday from Amazon and received a ship notice today so this is still available.
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post #119 of 226
12/15/08 at 8:37am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Randy Korstick
I ordered one on Friday from Amazon and received a ship notice today so this is still available.

My guess is that if you recheck your order, it was really ordered last Thursday. It was already back out-of-stock at Amazon by Thursday night where it has remained OOS.
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post #120 of 226
12/15/08 at 9:49am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

All but one of the various leads here didn't pay off for me, so my thanks to Jason V for mentioning FYE. I still didn't expect to find one there at this late date, but I did.

It was the first time in my life, and I hope the last time in my life, that I paid full price for a DVD, but the $32.99 was still about half of what it's going for now on eBay and Amazon Marketplace.
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