Twilight Time Announces March/April 2014 Releases (1 Viewer)

[RolandL]

Unfortunately, it is a Twilight Time release, so when I purchase Used Cars I'll probably lament about the price - "That's too f**king high!"

Just a joke for the handful of people who have seen Used Cars. Actually very happy to see it getting a release.

- Walter.

"$50 never killed anybody"

 

[schan1269]

"$50 never killed anybody"

That's funny...LOL

Speaking of Alfredo Garcia(Isela actually)...

Maybe this means one day we'll get Drum. We got Mandingo.

 

[cineMANIAC]

Watched the Alfredo Garcia trailer and I'm not sure what to make of it - looks like an arthouse political thriller. A $35 blind-buy might be out of the question for me.

 

[Bob Cashill]

Though intriguing in its own, road to hell way, ALFREDO GARCIA is unclassifiable--not really arthouse, political, or much of a thriller.

 

[Mark Edward Heuck]

I'm hoping TT will be able to port the very funny commentary track for USED CARS with Kurt Russell and Robert Zemeckis - it's informative and Russell is a great raconteur.

Maybe the trailers too?Also glad to see FEVER PITCH return via their Film4 deal - a very underrated Nick Hornby story with a fun Colin Firth performance.

 

[Richard V]

Used Cars, All the King's Men, and ESPECIALLY Conrak for me, a film that is SHAMEFULLY long, long, long overdue.. Now if someone at Twilight Time would discover Where the Lillies Bloom I'd have another of my Holy Grails.

 

[ROclockCK]

For anyone perceiving a shift in Twilight Time's product focus by era, you're not imagining it:

This chart includes both Blu-rays and DVDs. In brackets are the (sellouts) during each period. The asterisk indicates 2014 product through April '14, none yet for sale.

It's clear that TT's 2011 debut catalogue practically belonged to the 50s & 60s. 2012 saw a spike in 50s titles, however in 2013, that bias shifted almost as dramatically to the 70s. So far in 2014, their mix seems more evenly spread out across the decades, with an edge given to the 60s and 70s, but again continuing retrenchment from the 50s.

Anyway, just the kind of stuff you notice when you have a few minutes to spare during a 'snow day'...

 

[John Hermes]

For anyone perceiving a shift in Twilight Time's product focus by era, you're not imagining it:

This chart includes both Blu-rays and DVDs. In brackets are the (sellouts) during each period. The asterisk indicates 2014 product through April '14, none yet for sale.

It's clear that TT's 2011 debut catalogue practically belonged to the 50s & 60s. 2012 saw a spike in 50s titles, however in 2013, that bias shifted almost as dramatically to the 70s. So far in 2014, their mix seems more evenly spread out across the decades, with an edge given to the 60s and 70s, but again continuing retrenchment from the 50s.

Anyway, just the kind of stuff you notice when you have a few minutes to spare during a 'snow day'...

I hardly look forward to each month's announcements like I used to.

 

[dana martin]

I hardly look forward to each month's announcements like I used to.

I have the opposite approach, clearly they are releasing more titles than they did in the first year, two a month was the average, now that is up to three, and while some may complain, I think that they are giving a good mix of more contemporary and classic catalogue titles.

All complaints aside, how many of the major studios are doing the same on a monthly basis?

 

[Moe Dickstein]

Also you have to consider they may have run through the older titles that are "ready to go" and don't have an endless selection of any film they want - the transfer has to be done and of acceptable quality

 

[Twilight Time]

For anyone perceiving a shift in Twilight Time's product focus by era, you're not imagining it:

This chart includes both Blu-rays and DVDs. In brackets are the (sellouts) during each period. The asterisk indicates 2014 product through April '14, none yet for sale.

It's clear that TT's 2011 debut catalogue practically belonged to the 50s & 60s. 2012 saw a spike in 50s titles, however in 2013, that bias shifted almost as dramatically to the 70s. So far in 2014, their mix seems more evenly spread out across the decades, with an edge given to the 60s and 70s, but again continuing retrenchment from the 50s.

Anyway, just the kind of stuff you notice when you have a few minutes to spare during a 'snow day'...

Thanks, Steve, we learn a lot about our business from your dinky charts and graphs…as you can see though, our commitment to the 1960s is rock-solid, and we have, mostly through our new deal with MGM/UA, greater access to classics from the 1970s than we had before (the 70s being a seminal decade in American filmmaking.) However, we have backed away a little bit from the 1950s, which is undoubtedly the most challenging decade sales-wise…we still have quite a few in the hopper but they have to be more strategically placed, meaning grouped with titles that are likely better sellers. In 2013 we released 28 titles, in 2014, we anticipate releasing a minimum of 56. While this may ultimately prove to be a foolhardy step-up in output, by this time next year we will have a real handle on the Blu-ray market, and will tailor our schedule accordingly in 2015...

all best,

Nick.

 

[lukejosephchung]

Thanks, Steve, we learn a lot about our business from your dinky charts and graphs…as you can see though, our commitment to the 1960s is rock-solid, and we have, mostly through our new deal with MGM/UA, greater access to classics from the 1970s than we had before (the 70s being a seminal decade in American filmmaking.) However, we have backed away a little bit from the 1950s, which is undoubtedly the most challenging decade sales-wise…we still have quite a few in the hopper but they have to be more strategically placed, meaning grouped with titles that are likely better sellers. In 2013 we released 28 titles, in 2014, we anticipate releasing a minimum of 56. While this may ultimately prove to be a foolhardy step-up in output, by this time next year we will have a real handle on the Blu-ray market, and will tailor our schedule accordingly in 2015...

all best,

Nick.

An average release crop of 4-5 titles/month, Nick? Considering how well-presented and chosen your titles are, I'm all for it!!!

 

[Twilight Time]

An average release crop of 4-5 titles/month, Nick? Considering how well-presented and chosen your titles are, I'm all for it!!!

Yes, that's the way it shakes out, although we are mindful of the fact that releasing 5 titles per month places a strain on those who like to collect all our releases…but in a sense it's the law of physics, the more studios that come on board ( and we are currently negotiating with another), the more titles we are obligated to put out…but we'll soon learn if we are trying to do too much too soon...

 

[ROclockCK]

Thanks, Steve, we learn a lot about our business from your dinky charts and graphs…

*sigh*...too many years in Technical Communications Nick. Sometimes I just gotta see that chart or graph to understand my own point, you know? For example, off the top, I would have bet a fin that your initial roster for '14 was skewing much newer, when, in fact, the numbers say it's a fairly even distribution (so far) across film eras, slightly favouring the 70s.

…as you can see though, our commitment to the 1960s is rock-solid, and we have, mostly through our new deal with MGM/UA, greater access to classics from the 1970s than we had before (the 70s being a seminal decade in American filmmaking.) However, we have backed away a little bit from the 1950s, which is undoubtedly the most challenging decade sales-wise…we still have quite a few in the hopper but they have to be more strategically placed, meaning grouped with titles that are likely better sellers.

Unfortunately, the 50s well into the 60s could be considered seminal eras too...but more so in terms of the art and craft of film music. Actually, I'm reminded of your commentary on the Fantastic Voyage disc where you rightly noted how innovative - even daring - this period was for A-list studio scoring, especially at Fox under Lionel Newman. I certainly understand the 'Sophie's Choice' economics of TT championing too many obscure movies from the 50s or 60s with interesting scores, but I think a lot of your pokier 50s titles in particular might have sold better if score vets like you and/or academic peers such as Bond and Burlingame had laid down some feisty discussion about why that title mattered and still does. In fact, it was through your FV score discussion that I first learned about the Leonard Rosenman/Alex North connection circa the early 50s...duet or ensemble, what a great commentary Pony Soldier could have had!

Of course, you guys must do what you need to do market-wise to keep those catalogue taps flowing; I understand that. But the 50s through 60s were also very fertile ground creatively, especially at the composer end of things. There's still more to that story trapped inside your bean...

BTW, when do we get some Lalo?

In 2013 we released 28 titles, in 2014, we anticipate releasing a minimum of 56. While this may ultimately prove to be a foolhardy step-up in output, by this time next year we will have a real handle on the Blu-ray market, and will tailor our schedule accordingly in 2015...

Hmmm...I still count 29. Is it possible you are forgetting Christine because the infernal thing came and went so fast?

 

[bujaki]

I have been buying all your releases, sometimes against my wife's wishes. But I have prevailed, since I own them all. However, as you state, an average of 5 releases per month @ $30 each is a bit rich for a retiree. I shall continue to support you in all your efforts to the best of my financial ability. I appreciate the excellent work you are doing and I am sure you will continue to hold to your high standards. Best of luck!

 

[ahollis]

Yes, that's the way it shakes out, although we are mindful of the fact that releasing 5 titles per month places a strain on those who like to collect all our releases…but in a sense it's the law of physics, the more studios that come on board ( and we are currently negotiating with another), the more titles we are obligated to put out…but we'll soon learn if we are trying to do too much too soon...

If you need any help, I will certainly volunteer.

 

[JoHud]

Thanks, Steve, we learn a lot about our business from your dinky charts and graphs…as you can see though, our commitment to the 1960s is rock-solid, and we have, mostly through our new deal with MGM/UA, greater access to classics from the 1970s than we had before (the 70s being a seminal decade in American filmmaking.)

Also, I think the decades will continue to skew moreso to the 60s and 70s largely due to the recent MGM deal. While they have some good 50s titles, anything in that library from the 40s or earlier is largely from their share of the Monogram library and a smattering of independently copyrighted films. Even MGM during it's DVD heyday barely went into their Monogram holdings with the notable exception of the Charlie Chan films, and that largely stems from many of those Monogram films having fallen into the public domain.

I mean, I'd like someone to remaster those pre-50s MGM-owned films because what has filtered out (again, excepting Chan and a few others) has been pretty ancient in terms of their video and audio transfers, but I seriously doubt TT or MGM would go through the trouble.

 

[Steve...O]

I don't get the negativity towards TT that I sense in some of the posts. Not all of their releases appeal to me and I only buy the ones that I know I'll watch, but I do appreciate and respect the diversity of titles that they release because there is certainly something for everyone in their catalog. Their work is also first rate from the transfers to the supplements. They also get mega kudos for including English subtitles and being "fan friendly". Their approach, in my opinion, is much better than one which releases an enormous amount of product but at the expense of quality which leads the consumer to regard them as missed opportunities.

Please keep up the great work, Nick, and best wishes for continued success in 2014 and beyond!

 

[JohnMor]

I agree, Steve. I love the diversity of their catalogue.

 

[mikeyhitchfan]

Thanks, Steve, we learn a lot about our business from your dinky charts and graphs…as you can see though, our commitment to the 1960s is rock-solid, and we have, mostly through our new deal with MGM/UA, greater access to classics from the 1970s than we had before (the 70s being a seminal decade in American filmmaking.) However, we have backed away a little bit from the 1950s, which is undoubtedly the most challenging decade sales-wise…we still have quite a few in the hopper but they have to be more strategically placed, meaning grouped with titles that are likely better sellers. In 2013 we released 28 titles, in 2014, we anticipate releasing a minimum of 56. While this may ultimately prove to be a foolhardy step-up in output, by this time next year we will have a real handle on the Blu-ray market, and will tailor our schedule accordingly in 2015...

all best,

Nick.

Any chance of getting some MGM/UA Hitchcock releases like The Paradine Case, Sabotage or Young And Innocent?