MGM Midnite Movies "dead again" remark (1 Viewer)

[R-T-C Tim]

I believe this film was shot in full-screen since it is widely documented that 'Curse of Frankenstein' was Hammer's first feature length widescreen production - they were trialling widescreen lenses in short films during 1955 and 56 which lead to a few interesting shorts.

I have to admit, I was rather underwhelmed by last year's line up - although I did get the Amicus double-bill and the Vincent Price box (but in that case, fortunately two of the three 2-film sets were ones I had missed out on).

Perhaps they released too many in one go, leading to people just buying their favourite titles. They could have held onto half of them and released them this year and perhaps seen more sales.

 

[Randy Korstick]

Agreed. Witchfinder General was the only one I bought as well for the same reason. They have so many better films to release. Release the Hammers MGM. We need US releases so We can get good transfers without Pal speedup, import fees and a special player needed.

 

[AlanBrom]

This is another MAJOR reason why I want those MGM hammers in Region 1. Please MGM, wake up, please!

 

[JeffT.]

For the record I think that I bought ALL of the MGM Midnite Movies titles released last year...or at the very least say 99.9% of them!

If you recall MGM in conjunction with 20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment released a good two years worth of titles and this may well account for the seeming delay now.

Also consider that these were (at least in my area) retailing for $12.99 each (in Canada) where before (under the exclusive aegis of MGM Home Entertainment) they sold for $9.99 each (in Canada). Fortunately I acquired all of mine in a discount bonus sale of two for $20.00 or something like that at my local Futureshop.

If there is just one DVD release that would come out this year from this always enjoyable series my choice would be a SF doublebill of THE TIME TRAVELLERS (1964) and QUEEN OF BLOOD aka PLANET OF BLOOD (1966) both fully restored and digitally remastered anamorphic widescreen transfers with the accompanying theatrical trailers.

Just release that single (double feature) offering and I for one will be more than satisfied!

Jeff T.

 

[AlanBrom]

I bought them all too. But it doesn't sound like we'll be getting any this year, not a one.

 

[FrancisP]

The last set of MM that were released pre-Sony was available in walmart in a MM display. Given the economy there should be room for lower cost releases. Also the MM releases seem to have issues with obtaining them. I seem to remember the last two set of MM releases having issues with being able to get them even from on-line retailers.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I get so tried of the "did they sell well?", "the studio says they didn't sell well enough!" garbage. It's high time studios realized these titles are not going to sell as well as the newest blockbusters. Period. They ought to stop raising the bar so high, and start accepting a modest bunt or a single now and then instead of a Home Run each and every time.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Tell that to the studio investors. The studios are in the business of making money, not satisfying the taste of movie buffs without any regard to profitability. By the way, I give the studio personnel more credit than to not expect what you have bolded in your last post. Also, as someone already alluded to, the retailers play a big part in this because if they don't stock the product then the studios can't sell the product.

 

[FrancisP]

I don't give studio personnel much credit. The problem with the studios is in the marketing department. They would much rather deal with blockbusters.
Blockbusters sell themselves and the studios have the upper hand. With classic films, the marketing department has to work. That is something most of the marketing departments don't want to do.

As for retailers, there are retailers out there that are looking for inexpensive titles. Walmart usually has a Halloween display that they use to sell inexpensive titles. I suspect Costco might be another alternative. Again its a question of whether the marketing department is willing to work.

 

[TravisR]

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.

 

[FrancisP]

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]

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

 

[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.

 

[AlanBrom]

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.]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[AlanBrom]

I was mentioning this before, as it seems like they are releasing nothing in terms of pre-1980 horror or sci-fi, which is very unusual for MGM. If they don't want to use the Midnite Movies banner, couldn't they just throw us a few bones, perhaps release the Hammers or a few titles like TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN or something. And you're right about the UA library, so much there to be explored including THE BLACK SLEEP, THE NEANDERTHAL MAN, CURSE OF THE FACELESS MAN, etc.