3 Stooges Collection Vol. 7 - 1952-1954, November 10 - Page 7

To put that in some more perspective that means that sales and rentals went from making about $18 billion in 2008 to $16.4 billion in 2009. And while an 11% drop is still an 11% drop, $16.4 billion in revenue doesn't exactly scream that physical media will be dead in under 3 years.

Sony has 23 double feature DVDs scheduled to be released in March. That doesn't sound like a studio which is souring on the format.

What double-features?
Edited by DeWilson - 2/3/10 at 10:20pm

No, I will not. I have a firm stance against doing business with Best Buy online. If they think they're going to force me to patronize them online when I prefer to easily get my DVDs in their stores, and after they drove great stores out of business by gaining a monoploy, then they are sadly mistaken. I can't tell you how many times I've told a clerk at BB how I feel, any time I am looking for a DVD and they say "uhhh... well, you can get it from us online.." Screw that.

Now, the thing is, I still want my DVDs, and that is why I have no choice but to go online and order them -- but I do this from Amazon, NOT from Best Buy. Overall, I don't like the idea of placing my credit card online and having personal information floating all around in cyberspace where anyone may hack in, and I ultimately prefer to pay CASH instead of CREDIT (I also depise patronizing the credit card companies!)  but I am unfortunately left with little alternative in most cases, if I want to own these movies.

But that compromise will not be in giving my online money to Worst Buy. They've lost a lot of potential sales from THIS customer over the last few years, let me tell you.

Not for nothing but are these 23 double features simply rehashes of previously released product?  Reformatting the same stuff at minimal cost is hardly a commitment to the format, it's just trying to squeeze every last dime out of it.  If that's not the case, then my mistake.

Thanks for doing the legwork on that one and getting us the correct setting for the figure, Chuck.  It's still a huge deal no matter how you slice it, but I to was wondering how a $16 Billion loss figured into it all.  The part that I found most interesting was the wording in this paragraph:


That word "overwhelmed" means that even with the gains in Blu-ray sales and online/streaming/downloading sales the loss the company took in the SD department was too big to be overlooked in their eyes.  That really makes me think we are looking at the end run for Standard Def DVDs.  Fact is, I have a friend who's a Sony rep and he made it clear to me just last night that the wave of the future is definitely pulling away from SDVDs.  This latest news that Sony got only makes that seem more likely, and it probably means a speeding up of the process.  Think I'll go out and buy one or two extra dvd players just to have on hand in case one of my working models goes on the blink.  I know Blu-ray players are backwards compatible, but I still want to have one or two standard def dvd players on hand for down the road.

As for the last major Stooges Volume, I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that the latest news from earlier this week will not cause Sony to put this series on the shelf.  It has been a decent money maker for them so hopefully what Ron has heard stays true and we get V.8 this summer.

Gary "btw, the whole 3-D thing is going to get a huge push from Sony in just a couple of months - perhaps another fatal blow to SDVD" O.

Not surprising, considering those are earnings during a known recession, when customer spending overall is decreasing, and companies are less inclined to hire extra workers.  Not exactly terrible factoring that in.

Also, the report shows that despite the increase in video-on-demand and Blu-ray revenues, home video media as a whole dropped 5%, which shows how the importance of DVD and rental sales.

Also, I don't think this layoff will reflect a significant decrease in Columbia home video sales, as there was a layoff last March as well, which didn't exactly stop them from releasing more.

If the economy were the only factor then I'd absolutely agree that we have nothing to worry about.  But I factor in more than that when I think about the future of Standard def DVDs.  I look at the technology and how fast it's moving, as well as the little insider info I can get with a major company like Sony.  When I see the big picture I have to conclude we are surely on the downside of SDs.  And honestly, that's really not all that surprising considering we've had a great 10+ year run in this format.  But I see the handwriting on the wall.  At this point it's about when, not if, in my book.  I think we'll get maybe 5 more years tops out of this particular format.  I doubt we'll go beyond that with standard def discs.  Between the advent of Blu-ray, MOD DVD-Rs as opposed to pressed DVDs, the coming push of 3-D, rentals vs. buys, and streaming/downloading vs. physical media, I think the Golden Age of SDVD has passed the midway point.  But hey, maybe some of you are correct and the studios will still all be manufacturing 100's of standard def discs 10 years from now.

Gary "as long as I continue to have the machinary and ability to watch what I've already purchased I'm not real concerned either way" O.

I wish the studios good luck in pushing 3-D. When nearly everyone will need to buy a new TV to see 3-D, they can push all they want but it's going to take years and years for the average consumer to get into it.

Not to mention the original poster makes it sound like Sony alone sustained a $16.4B drop in DVD sales.  This has the earmarks of trolling and trying to damage Sony's DVD division---which I might add is the only one still pursuing us film lovers.

My humble opinion: since Avatar every major movie is now being reported as getting the 3-D treatment and the more bad movies will be shown in 3-D the faster the hype will be over. Hollywood is not looking into longevity, they're looking for the fast buck and right now: it's the 3-D gimmick. 

The trend for 3-D Movies is to get people back into the theater to see something they can't get at home - just like the various widescreen formats and big-roadshow pictures of the 1950's.
 
Perfect Home 3-D is still years away.

     Quote:

I completely agree.  While I know for a fact that Sony and others are going to start big pushes for 3-D Blu-ray and 3-D capable TVs in just a few months, I can't see major penetration for many years (at least 7 or 8).  But that's not gonna stop companies and studios from trying to push another format just to get more money out of our pockets.  And as Marcel points out, this Avatar film and its huge success is going to be a big pushing factor toward 3-D.  All the kiddies will be clamoring for it, but I've got to believe most adults will not be willing to jump right into all the new technology after just upgrading for HD purposes.


Gary "what Sony (and other companies) want to happen and what will happen with the general public are two different things" O.
Edited by Gary OS - 2/4/10 at 12:42pm

Your right that if they use it as a gimmick it will die just as it did in the 50's and then in the 80's.  Releasing pictures such as My Bloody Valentine, Final Destination and just kid films in 3D will end it quickly.  But the success of Avatar which does not depend on gimmicks for the 3D effect but does use the effect to put the viewer in the picture has open a few eyes.  Films such as the Harry Potter series and Clash of the Titans, which were not originally scheduled for 3D will also help sustain the 3D in theatres.  But again if they use the effect as they did in Journey to the Center Of The Earth, strictly for gimmick, it will die.

One good aspect from all this is that more theatres will install digital equipment and the transition will be quicker.

For the next few years, I'm not interested in entering any homr 3D mkt.  I'll let the leading-edge crowd get into that format.  2D is fine with me for a long time.  To each their own.

You said that right.  I just now am breathing good after the HD expense.  I will wait and perhaps not even join in.  The last thing I want is to sit in front of my TV with 3D glasses on.

I agree (glasses).  It's a guess but I'm thinking that home 3D won't get a major penetration into the mkt until the technology arrives to view without glasses.

The other factor, to me, is buying new 3D equipment (displays).  What's the current HDTV mkt penetration in the U.S.?  Anyone know that #?  I'm guessing it just recently hit the 50% mark due to the steady decline in HD TV prices.

Movies like Avatar work only on the big screen. They'll only work on a 105" screen or larger. The picture must go past your peripheral vision to immerse you into the film. If you've seen Avatar, especially in digital 3-D, you'll know what I mean. I've seen some 3-D on my 65 incher and it doesn't look good.

All great points.  I am not sure 3D home is going to be a huge as some in the industry feel.

Now back on topic.  It seems that the next and final volume is shooting for August.  I wish it would be sooner, but if the time means more work on the transfers, then I am all for it.

For those who asked, this is Sony's current list of DVD titles for release in March:

2012 (Single Disc Version) - DVD
The Bible: Jesus - DVD
The Bible: Esther - DVD
Hachi: A Dog's Tale - DVD
Boondock Saints II, The: All Saints Day - DVD
Planet 51 - DVD
Armored - DVD
Broken Embraces - DVD
Breaking Bad: The Complete Second Season (4 discs) - DVD
Capote/In Cold Blood (Double Feature) - DVD
Anaconda/Anacondas: Hunt for the Blood Orchid (Double Feature, 2 Discs) - DVD
Eight Millimeter/8MM 2 (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Annie (SE, Anniversary Edition)/Annie: A Royal Adventure (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Blue Streak/National Security (SE, Double Feature) - DVD
Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland/Thomas and the Magic Railroad (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Against All Odds (SE)/Big Chill (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Air Force One/In the Line of Fire (SE) (Double Feature) - DVD
Ali/The Greatest (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
All the Pretty Horses/Cowboy Up (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Anaconda/Ghosts of Mars (SE) (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Baby Geniuses/Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Belly of the Beast/Half Past Dead (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Black Dawn/Out for a Kill (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Black Hawk Down/Sniper 3 (Double Feature) - DVD
Blind Date/My Stepmother Is An Alien Double Feature - DVD
Candyman/Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Can't Hardly Wait/The New Guy (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Boogeyman (SE)/The Fog (2005) (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Hook/Indian in the Cupboard (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD (Family Fun Time)
Soccer Dog/Soccer Dog: European Cup (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Stealth/Blue Thunder (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Swan Princess/Swan Princess III:Mystery of the Enchanted Treasure (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD
Trapped/Panic Room (Double Feature, 2 discs) - DVD 

I apologize, a few omitted words from my posting altered the statistics a little.  But the bottom line is the same, the increase in rentals, video-on-demand & Blu-ray sales is not enough to cover the loss of DVD sales.

This impact is affecting more than just the home video market. For the past 25 years Hollywood has gotten used to relying on the sales of home video to justify the expense of producing the movies.  If the studios can not find another way to make money on the secondary market, we could see a reduction in the financing of new movies.

On another note about the Double Feature DVD releases, this is to try to get sales on titles possibly overlooked by some of the buying public who did not want to spend much money on DVDs.  Offer a 2-for-1 and you might be able to squeeze a few more dollars out of the buying public for that title.  Actual production costs of the discs, once mastered, is quite small.  So once the re-mastering costs are recouped, distributors can bring down the cost of the discs or sell double feature versions.  The reduction in profit margin still means an increase in profit if the sales go up.

In some cases Sony (and other studios) offer multiple movie packages for first time title offerings .  An example is the new Bad Girls of Film Noir DVD release.  These are low production cost DVD releases and the studio feels that chances of good sales are increased by offering these multiple title sets up front.

DVD sales could always go back up when the economy improves.  The non hi-tech customers who are happy with their DVDs performance may have money to spend again.

Would I buy a Blu-ray copy of a Monty Pyhton title? I doubt it, they shot much of their stuff on grainy film, it would not benefit from Blu-ray.

The "We" is the home video companies, not the Home Theater Forum.
All download sites are taken into consideration on this, none of them keep a title available for an unlimited amount of time.  The length the download is kept available depends on the contracts the download site signs.
Titles in the Public Domain are likely to stay available as long as the title is active, if it receives little download requests it could still be removed to free ups erver space for another title.  Just like the local libraries work keeping books & videos on their shelves.

Please, back to this thread's topic.
Further derailments will not be allowed.

Thanks.


Cees

Getting back to the topic:  I'm starting to get panicky.  I wish they'd announce the final volume already.

I don't think we're going to hear anything for a while. If it comes out in June, we'd hear an announcement sometime in April or early May. I've given up already on an announcement happening anytime soon. I'll get a copy if I see it on a store shelf later this year. But Sony definitely dropped the ball on this one. It's been a successful run. Why ruin it with a delay?

Mike S. from Sony posted saying that the last volume needed more extensive remastering and might take longer than the others. No reason to read a perceived delay as intentional.

Several pages back in this forum there was a discussion on when the final volume would come out and why the delay.  Mike Schlesinger answered the question with the below statement.

If I may answer: yes, they are. The problem is that since they were never released in any video format, restoration will take longer than usual, so please be patient.

Mike S.

It appears that the elements for the final group are not in the best of shape.  So I have no problem waiting while they bring the shorts up to the excellent standards of the past released volumes.

That's great if that's really the reason but I don't trust what I read about delays anymore. If anything, the elements for that final group looked better than any of the early ones even when they were on amc and in syndication. I think studios have their own agendas. I'll be surprised if we see this volume come out at all this year.

The same thing happened to "The Lucy Show" with CBS/Paramount. Season 1 sold extremely well and even won an industry award. Yet, they waited almost a year before giving the green light for Season 2. Now, their excuse for further delays is "more remastering needs to be done". Two different studios. But that same sad excuse doesn't fly anymore.

The one person I trust is Mike Schlesinger.  What he has said has all come true in one form or another about Sony releases.  He was right on top of the news when some titles were delayed to 2010 and now we are seeing those announcements come to past.  If he says the volume is coming but taking time so they do it right, then it is so, after all the shorts have never appeared in any form of home video and they have not been sold to as many outlets as the Curly shorts have.

I must say also that the last released volume was not up to par with the previous one IMO, such as the framing issue on a couple of the shorts and the general quality of some of the lesser know titles.

the only issue was one misframed short, and in some spots the 3D were very uncompatable, and hope this would be adressed if they go HD later, in line with the 3D blu-ray spec; but all in all this has been a wonderful run on a series, an i thank sony/columbia for doing this right. while the other studios are going away form pressed disc. its nice to know that some items are going to be tr eated as top tier entertainment, if Moe Howard could only go back now and renegotiate that contract, makes you wonder.

serioulsy every other short feature is now being done away with, WB ?? where are the rest of the Popeyes? or it has gone to an overpriced inferior DVD-R MOD, which i have no intres in, if the were pressed dics it would be different. i have time to wait, just give me the oppertunity to rewatch the 7 sets over again.