Warner Archive Discussion Thread (FEEDBACK) - Page 45

Re: Warner Archive Discussion Thread

OK, I buckled under.

I ordered Along the Great Divide, The Big Circus and Wichita using the SPITFIRE code.

The website has been greatly improved since my last visit. Everything zipped along quickly.

I think Warner is getting the message about the pricing and they are slowly addressing the issue. I am confident things will get better.

I hope they really concentrate in the coming months releasing the many Warner Bros. titles from the 50's & 60's that TCM has rarely shown. And more Allied Artists.

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OK. I'm officially confused . I went on the WB site earlier and checked into the archive titles. About 30 or so titles were 15.95. The rest were 19.95. I just went on a few minutes ago to put an order in and now there are no 15.95 titles, but all the titles are 17.95 %10 off . What the ? Do they keep changing the prices or what? I'm not sure if i should wait to see if the 20% off comes back later or not .

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I wonder if Warner's set the price at $19.95 to give them more 'wiggle room' to offer discounts

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Off the top of my head - and this is without checking, mind you - about 20 movies from Alpha. That's of course not counting the two boxed set of Public Domain discs in my Welcome to the Grindhouse collection (20 movies for 30 bucks each), plus the various Hercules movies that I've picked up for a buck each (probably another 20). There's a couple of blaxploitation sets from Brentwood (with 4 movies each at 15 bucks a box).

That's of course not counting my recent buys: the two Andy Sidaris boxed sets (4 movies at 20 bucks), and today's purchase: Turkish Rambo (which admittedly runs a bit high - 12 bucks for just the one flick).

Now if you want me to count my Midnight Movies collection (2 movies at about 10 bucks a head), then throw another 30 or so on the pile. And then there's the Soul Cinema sets, the public doman television shows from the 50's, the. . . . .

So now that you mention it, yes I *AM* snapping up the cheap discs left, right and center.


Presumably you mean me. And yes, Warner SHOULD press the one DVD and sell it for 10 bucks. If Dark Maze can stay in business selling Turkish Rambo (a *VASTLY* smaller audience than Doc Savage), if Synapse can stay in business selling their 42nd Street Forever (another limited audience product), if the BBC can be happy as a clam selling 5000 units of a Doctor Who title (one of the numbers I heard bantered about regarding the range), then why cant Warner turn a profit selling Doc Savage? No, it wont sell like the Matrix, but they could move 3,000 discs easy.

So to answer your question, yes they should.

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I just checked the website and most of the Archive titles were 19.95 with a few at 15.95. I have no idea what is going on with the prices.

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Warners classic film catalog library cannot be compared to a public domain distributor's releases... The point is that if REALLY shitty quality video transfers can be pressed to disc and sold for a few bucks online, a company like WHV should be able to do the same with existing transfers.

We're already beating this dead horse into the ground; What I think everyone wants to see at this point is 1. Progressive transfers & better quality encode software 2. More affordable price structure 3. Canadian/Int'l distribution 4. Bundle offers on multiple titles similar to Warners successful box set collections

Once the mastering kinks are (hopefully) worked out and when I am able to purchase a single title at avg. $15 s/h incl. then I will get with this program. Really, the cost should be structured at around $10 per disc for what is being offered and not more.

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Also, Warners should really just drop the discount coupon codes and price everything at $10 flat + s/h and watch how many orders pour in!

If the Midnite Movie double-features could accommodate TWO film transfers on disc for that price, having to go through the pressing plant, distributors and retail outlets... Warners could surely adjust their Archive DVD-R's to match this. They would multiply profits in no time.

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The point you're missing is that they don't want to press these video transfers onto discs. IMO, they made a business decision based on some internal facts not known to us to separate out these "as is" video transfers from other transfers with work done to them, by using a different dvd producing process from the one they utilized for regular retailer releases. You might disagree with that decision, but I can see why they don't want to "mix oil with water" by using the same dvd producing process for all their dvd releases. Warner has always taken pride with the PQ of their dvd releases and releasing these video transfers with no work done to them just like any other dvd release is something they don't want to do as it might reflect negatively on the rest of their dvd releases. Furthermore, I'm not sure if the pressing costs is equal or less than the burning manufacturing costs in this business case with no other retailers like Walmart and BB there to buy these titles in great numbers. One thing I do know for sure is that they have actual financial numbers to back up their business case, unlike us, who are expressing our opinions without having any real financial figures to back up our stated opinions except some references to other companies releasing public domain titles.

However, with that being said, I think Warner has overpriced these "as is" video transfers burnt to DVD-R discs. At most, these discs should have a 14.99 MRSP and some kind of discount system used to deflate the price even more like their 2 for one sale or buying five dvds at once discounting each disc to $10 a disc. Again, my stated opinion without any financial information to back up my claims of being overpriced. In the end, the market will determine the proper pricing of these discs. My feelings on their lack of shipping to Canada and internationally has already been noted as a mistake on their part.

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Just made my third order using the SPITFIRE code. This time I got six discs for a little over $70. I was impressed that when giving me the two free ones, the site selected two $19.95 discs instead of the two in the order that were on sale at the $15.95 price point.

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I've always said this. The stuff Blue Underground, Synapse, Severin and others release aren't even watched by film buffs. I've yet to see any expert movie guru review something like MANSIONS OF THE LIVING DEAD or any other unknown Franco/D'Amato flick. These companies also have the added cost of buying the film rights, remastering and so on. The big studios aren't buying film rights, in this case no remastering is being done and at least there's a build in crowd for "classic" movies as well as a place to do promos like TCM.

I somewhat understand the $20 price tag because it seems some would just use this to get movies they can't get anywhere else. That's what I'm going to be using it for. I've yet to order anything but when something comes available that I can't see anywhere else, I will pay the $20. If I was someone making large buys like Robert then I'd be highly unhappy having to pay that. I refuse to pay over $15 for a Blu-ray so there's no question this here wouldn't work for me.

I would still pay $50 for a Complete Joe McDoakes Collection though.

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They would need to use dual layer discs to do this. You really can't fit more than 2 hours onto a single layer DVD-R without reducing quality, especially when you consider that it doesn't seem that these are particularly clean transfers that compress well. (The encoder can mistake dirt and noise for picture information, thus reducing encoder efficiency).

The problem with using dual layer discs is that they are likely to be less compatible with cheap and otherwise temperamental players. Single layer blanks will play on most players made in the last five or so years, but the same can't be said for dual layer blanks on cheap machines.

Oh, the other issue is that dual layer blanks are much more expensive, which effectively means reducing the profit margin.

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Funny that Synapse can get their 42nd Street Forever collections into Best Buy stores but Warners can not get Classic films and Fox could not even get the Blu-ray of The Robe into Best Buy. As long as the B&M stores do not carry the catalog titles, the demand will be limited. We lovers of classic older cinema have already moved to internet sales and Warner Archive is just building on that base as the only outlet to sell what is said to be limited demand titles.

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Michael Elliott posted that he understands why he and others would use this Warner Archive service to obtain titles that can't be had elsewhere. He gets it! That's the idea. As others have stated, the market will eventually help determine the price. I just want the market to be sufficient to support the project, because I really do want the opportunity to pick and choose from among those thousands of titles that are presently languishing.

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Sorry, I was making that reference in terms of cost and not content. If the MGM series could sell TWO genre films at avg. $10 MSRP on silver-backed DVD with artwork, liners and at times, minor supplements... well you get where I'm going here.

Often times I'd find myself collecting titles in that series that weren't necessarily of high interest (like really BAD b-schlock and not fun in a bad camp way, but stinko bad!) just 'cause hey, it's only $10 and COULD be fun? right? And I love cheesy cheapo b-flicks and MOST of the MM line of releases... and these were mostly direct ports from MGM's archives with little to no effort put into cleaning them up. Sound similar?

I simply don't think a company should be charging triple the total price of a retail release like such in which TWO films are being offered, for a DVDR with the same exact minimal effort (or less) involved. Hence, the Midnite Movies comparison.

If equally priced at $10 + s/h per disc (forget coupons, just price them straight out!!) I would scoop up half of these and definitely all the noir, westerns, sixties/70s films and a handful of early comedies and screwballs for sure! If they decided to release their classic animation library (LEAVE IT AS IS PLEASE... NO DVNR APPLIED AND EVERY SHORT PROGRESSIVELY ENCODED!!!) than I would scoop up every last title and be Warners strongest supporter.

Just clarifying... this has all been said many times over now!

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Maybe WB thinks its 2011, the recession is over with and it's okay to charge $20 for a DVDr with only one movie...who knows?

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I see some titles I want, but I'm not buying until the price comes down a ways. Great idea in theory, but if this does in fact mean that a majority of their catalog releases won't be coming out on actual DVD, I'll be sad. I really hope that isn't what this means. I'm sure glad they released the Cagney box with PICTURE SNATCHER in it before this happened. Those films would have been relegated to this program for certain!

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Same here! and I'd pay $50 for a complete collection of the 52 MGM "Our Gang" Shorts (1938-1944) - even the later ones with annoying Janet Burston!

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I would pay $50 per season for the Warner TV series like 77 Sunset Strip.

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I know that I am going to regret this, but we have not seen any of the MGM catalog series titles (Midnite Movies) in about two years. While this might be due to the Fox agreement, could be also be true that they did not make the profit they anticipated at the $10.00 price point? In the past Best Buy would have a special section dedicated just to the Midnite Movie series. For the past two series releases they have not had a section, but they only carried a handful of the titles.

I am concerned with the sales of the catalog titles, for the everyday person is not like the fanatics on this and other websites that talk and live classic films (I my self will jump for joy when WA puts up Sh, The Octopus), most of them do not know when a title is to be released and only knows so when they stop in Best Buy or Barnes & Noble and see it on the shelf. My sister would not have the knowledge to find out if When My Blood Runs Cold is out on DVD, but when she saw my WA DVD, she asked to borrow it, because it looked good. (She thought it was great and now wants to see Brainstorm).

With the discounts and sale codes, I have purchased titles that I would not have bought at $19.99. I am the proud owner of When My Blood Runs Cold, Brainstorm, The Big Circus, A Distant Trumpet, Cain & Mabel, Bamboo Blonde and others.

On another note, for the William Conrad director fans (My Blood Runs Cold, Brainstorm) there is a great article in "Films of the Golden Age" magazine concerning the making of those films and Conrad's stint at Warner Brothers. Now if we can just Two on a Guillotine.

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This is sad if true.

It appears that the noose is really starting to tighten at B&M stores if classic titles on a new format are struggling for shelf space. When Tower and Virgin Megastore closed their doors, I think this really created a large void as far as classic catalog titles went.

I think that once Warner addresses the cost per title (no more than $14.95 msrp please!) and intl shipping & encoding issues, this program will be stellar. I do want the program to succeed and hope that other studios follow suit - ESPECIALLY Universal and Paramount. There simply is no other viable alternative today since stores don't want to stock classic titles, so this program MUST succeed. Despite my misgivings and critiques regarding the price, I have ordered 8 titles using the various coupons and codes they've offered the past few weeks bringing it to about $15.00 a title including shipping/tax.

Let us just continue to hope for the best.

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Very interesting that there is more than one Reggie W here...

So many complaint posts in this thread it is tough to wade through.

You know Reggie, when I posed my question during the Warner Chat they thought I was you...small bit of "Reggie" trivia there...

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Yes, and the funny things is that I'm actually THE REAL Reggie W.

Seriously though, this Reggie W is eternally grateful for getting the Jean Harlow question answered...even if they thought I were you or you were me or.....

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Real is a state of mind, Reg...and if you are me and I am you, you know that brother...

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I only see 146 titles the other day i saw 165.

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I used the link in the op guess it's not the whole list there.

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I ordered seven more titles - using SPITFIRE - they came out to a little under fifteen a title - still too much for some of these, but better than twenty bucks a pop, which is what I paid for the first eighteen that I ordered.

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While looking for UPC numbers for all of their releases, I found the following films (besides Bright Leaf) that are listed on Warner's website but at this time are hidden, so all of them might be added soon:

Don Juan (1926)
John Paul Jones (1959)
Moonfleet (1955)
Four Daughters (1938)
Billy the Kid (1941)
Princess O'Rourke (1943)
Badman's Territory (1946)
Roughly Speaking (1945)
Breakfast for Two (1937)
Tom Dick and Harry (1941)
Tarzan and the She-Devil (1953)
Johnny Eager (1942)
Party Girl (1958)
Above and Beyond (1952)
All the Brothers Were Valiant (1953)
Tarzan and the Slave Girl (1950)
Two Girls and a Sailor (1944)
Broadway Rhythm (1944)
Tarzan's Magic Fountain (1949)
Tarzan's Savage Fury (1952)
Castle on the Hudson (1940)
The Fallen Sparrow (1943)
Dust Be My Destiny (1939)
Pride of the Marines (1945)
It's Love I'm After (1937)
Four's a Crowd (1938)
Hard to Get (1938)
The Great Garrick (1937)