Warner Archive Discussion Thread (FEEDBACK) - Page 95

Ron: 

I'm sorry.   I did not see your post (#2816) until I returned to read Brad's entry in the thread. 

I had composed post #2817 much earlier and had been called away from my PC without pushing submit.  After I posted it, I navigated around the forum and didn't realize you had made your post until I returned to this thread.

I wish I could get the titles I want for $10.
Plus I never get any coupons in the email either, only the new releases and new bundles.

I am signed up on the mailing list and have only gotten a few of the coupons.  Most of the coupon numbers I have used, I have gotten from this site.

So thanks to all who share.

Ditto.

I propose a Jimmy Stewart release week with some of his lesser known stuff coming out from the archives.

With them releasing shorts, and as they had previously mentioned tv shows,
there is one show that comes to mind that I would buy in a heartbeat

The Jimmy Stewart Show     -  I believe that this was created by Warner

I would also love to see      Hawkins    but that says  MGM tv, so im not sure if the Archive could distribute this.

Magic Town  - 1947  jimmy stewart rko
come Live With Me  1941  MGM
No Time For Comedy  1940  WB
The Mortal Storm  1940
It's A Wonderful World   1939  mgm
Vivacious Lady  1938
Of Human Hearts  1938  mgm
Navy Blue and  Gold  1937   mgm
The Last Gangster  1937  mgm
The Gorgeous Hussy  1936  mgm

some other films/shows i propose are

Being Human 1993 wb
three stooges mgm shorts including the early technicolor ones
and as always some re-releases of full frame only movies .....WHERE IS GRUMPY and GRUMPIER OLD MEN?????

MAGIC TOWN is owned by the dreaded LionsGate.  IT'S A WONDERFUL WORLD is one of my top five screwball comedies and it's very underrated.  Colbert and Stewart are superb together!

Oddly enough, IT'S A WONDERFUL WORLD is available on Amazon Video on Demand.

Please note: This is now a FEEDBACK thread, specifically for wailing and gnashing of teeth over any perceived shortcomings of The Warner Archives. The always helpful Ron Epstein has now started a separate thread called THE ANNOUNCEMENTS/THE FILMS, which is pretty self-explanatory. Keeping both threads going will help those of us who are only interested in What's Up Next, and the occasional new Discount Code. Many thanks to all.

  Wasn't that already announced and spelled-out weeks ago when the threads were created/re-titled?

Dear Mike, You are absolutely right ... notification of the two threads was made when the second one was initiated, but it appeared to me that not everyone was aware of this. I apologize if my restating of this fact was somehow annoying. My experience has been that it sometimes takes a few "Heads Up"s to get a new thread going. All the best, Poder

I'm sorry, did I post my request list in the wrong forum? I thought that the other forum was for the actual announcements and archive movies that were released. I figured that feedback would also constitute requests. I'm just making sure that i placed my requests in the proper forum.
-thanks
-mark

IMHO all of the studios should start some kind of archive program. I believe that is the only way we will be able to purchase the films we want.

I definately agree. While i love restored movies, this archive has been a blessing in disguise to get some interesting and obscure movies out on dvd. I would love to see some of the other studios follow suit, especially paramount whos basically abandoned all catalog releases...well save for those anniversary re-releases.
But there are SOOO many movies from so many companies that i know will never see the light of day in a proper release. This is why the archive is such a great idea. Ive purchased around 30 or so titles so far, and besides the early interlacing issues, everything else has been great.

Universal just came forth with news of a brand new boxset of top-notch unreleased atmospheric b-movies and all I've seen so far is criticism about the price which works out to $10/disc- the msrp mind you, and not the actual cost! Nevermind that it's less than 1/2 of what this studio would charge for barebones DVDRs! I'm thankful that none others have adopted Warners practices, at least not without implementing some better and more efficient changes first.

I don't have the knowledge of what lays deep in the studio vaults of movies from years past like some here, but I have been pleasantly surprised by many of the catalogs titles that have been released in the past years as standard pressed DVDs.

Generally speaking you can get many classic titles remastered and on pressed DVDs for between $5 - $10 a piece, Usually with titles included in sets leaning towards the cheaper average price. Definitely a price range where more like me are willing to chance blind buys. While the archive price for a DVD-R up near $20 for what is more likely a lesser quality print is ridulous.

So far the only thing I have picked up from the archives is the Barker Tarzan set. As a set I did get them for around $8 a piece which is acceptable. And the prints were in very good shape. Except for them being DVD-R's, a purchase I am pleased with. But these weren't blind buys as I had seen then in my youth.

So for me the archive program is a real conundrum. I would much prefer (as I think most would) the nicer pressed releases with the archive program only for titles that would otherwise never see the light of day. Unfortunately, if the archive program is successful there is that possibility  that the pressed releases of catlog titles would go away completely.

Personally, I could better handle the DVD-R approach if all titles were in the $5 to $8 range without needing special deals or sets to achieve it.

I have never said I was happy with the cost of the Archive titles and my purchases have been with discount codes..  Also if you are referring to the Universal Horror Collection that is a TCM exclusive then are we certain they are pressed discs and not DVD-r's as was the Lost RKO Films were?  This point has not been cleared up, nor why the titles have disappeared from the TCM site.  If other companies start their own Archives type program, does that mean they will charge what Warner's does, more than likely not.  Some may be more expensive, some may be less, but then that is for the buyer to decide what price the film is worth to them.

I also find it funny that the suggested price point for DVD-r's is now between $5 and $8 (which I would whole heartily support), but going to any web site that sells older b-films in the DVD-r format, they change anywhere from $16 to $25 with no extras.  These prices have been out there for years.

 

All the price and quality issues put aside, there's one thing I dislike most about the current situation. Their decisions, what to put in the Archive, are somehow unsystematic and there's a lot of uncertainness going around. Some kind of a statement would be nice regarding their upcoming retail and Archive plans.
The fact that they are putting a brand new series into the Archive is not very comforting, too.

I'm tempted to buy the Randolph Scott Westerns set for $50.
Problem is, I already bought Westbound.
Does anybody want my extra copy of Westbound for $10 plus postage?
PM me.
 

For me, the price point of $5 to $8 comes from the fact that most b-titles that the studios have been putting out the last few years as full production pressed releases have come down in price to be had for between $7 and $10. Several years back these would have gone for $15 to $20 a piece, but as they have saturated the market trying to milk the DVD format for as much as possible, they have driven the price down. Once done, it is hard for the same manufacturer's to put out a lesser product at a higher price.

Those sellers of content not available by the studios were most likely selling illegal bootleg copies trying to fit a niche. It could be that WB got there pricing model based on the what the bootlegs were going for. There are many that just won't buy bootleg copies or pay that much for an inferior product so I would imagine the purchasing of bootlegs quite minimal in the overall scheme of things.

While there are knowledgeable people on here that know these obscure archive titles and to them they would not be a blind buy, I have to think that there are a lot more that don't but might have an interest if the prices were lower. So what is better in the long run, selling less at $20 or more at $7? I know I would be willing to try many based on recommendation and actors alone for the right price, but not at $20.

Warner Archive titles are now being sold at Deepdiscount for $23.88 each. It's amazing how more and more online retailers are picking up these discs.  I wouldn't be surprised if eventually they end up in stores, at places like Costco. Maybe they'll be a price mark-up, but they'll be available nonetheless.

The more ways these discs with their substandard video and audio get distributed, the closer such a presentation gets to becoming the standard for classic movies. It's a slippery slope we're going down.     

It can easily go the other way, because more people realise the substandard presentation and the high price and urge Warner to go back to the roots.

New October coupon codes?

Everyone realizes that you get an automatic 25% off every DVD if you sign up for the Warner Insiders program, right?  If you already signed up and you're not getting the discount, sign up again.  It's free.

Been signed up for months, no 'automatic' 25%s; your sugestion of re-signing up not successful, following steps gets to point they respond that my email address is already in use. Any pointers on how to accomplish?

I bought the 6 pack sci-fi/horror package last week for $60. The next 4 sci-fi/horror were $20 each. All I could find was a $5 coupon which I applied to one movie.

All I know is that I signed up for the Insider's program on the first day they announced it.  Then I tried signing up again last week, and they let me.  Now, when I click on the details of a DVD, the price is reduced 25% (except for discs that are already discounted).  I'd email or call customer service if this isn't happening for you.  Or try another email address if you have one.  Good luck!

A local mom-and-pop near me has quite a few of the Archive titles in stock. I quickly grabbed a copy of"Bad Ronald" thinking these may disappear soon since I doubt they're legit. The PQ is atrocious - did I pick up a bootleg?

No, it is legit.  Don't Be Afraid of The Dark is also not the best transfer.  It seems the made-for-television movies have a lot of source problems.  I have wanted DBAotD for years and glad I have it, but very disappointed in the quality.  It was much worse than any of the older (1930's) WA films releases.  I am going to wait on others response before I purchase any of the TV movies released through the WA.  Judging from you report, I will pass on Bad Ronald.