Budd Boetticher classics coming to Sony MOD (1 Viewer)

Amazon lists four of the Ranown westerns starring Randolph Scott and directed by Budd Boetticher for release on DVD-R October 2: Decision at Sundown (1957), Buchanan Rides Alone (1958), Ride Lonesome (1959) and Comanche Station (1960). The decision to release these individually in the burn-on-demand program is puzzling since they are available as DVD's in the box-set Budd Boetticher: The Collector's Choice, which also contains The Tall T (1957) and the feature-length documentary A Man Can Do That , and is still in print. Links:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0096PBCO8/
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0096PBD7E/
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0096PBCIO/
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0096PBCLQ/
One would think individual releases would be upscale instead of downscale, on Blu-ray.

I don't think it's puzzling at all as those boxsets are probably getting scarce and the studio can make more money off the MOD program. Also, as much as you and I would like to see these titles on BRD, I seriously doubt the number sold units could make Sony enough profit to justify releasing them. Now, sourcing them out to somebody like Olive and use whatever elements are available for a BRD release might work if a good business case can be made to do so. IMO, I'm wondering how long Olive will continue to sell the BRD they have because we never do see any sales numbers from them and you have to wonder if both parties, Paramount and Olive are making enough of a profit to continue their arrangement beyond their current contractural agreement.

I'm not the least bit concerned how much money Sony is making from its home video division. One department feeds another. One department does better one season and then it's another department's turn the next season. The corporation is healthy and in the black. The 5-disc Boetticher box-set is still in print and can be bought for the price of 1 Twilight Time Blu-ray. You'd think Blu-ray would be the next step for the Ranown films, not DVD-R. I don't believe these decisions are financially driven, and I'm confident that Blu-ray editions would be very profitable indeed.

I certainly hope that the Ranown films will eventually make it to Blu-Ray. They are fairly frequently suggested pick-ups on Twilight Time's Facebook page. The CinemaScope titles could immensely benefit from the increased resolution. Since they're such short films, perhaps Blu-Ray Double features would be possible.

Originally Posted by Richard--W /t/323917/budd-boetticher-classics-coming-to-sony-mod#post_3978167
I'm not the least bit concerned how much money Sony is making from its home video division. One department feeds another. One department does better one season and then it's another department's turn the next season. The corporation is healthy and in the black. The 5-disc Boetticher box-set is still in print and can be bought for the price of 1 Twilight Time Blu-ray. You'd think Blu-ray would be the next step for the Ranown films, not DVD-R. I don't believe these decisions are financially driven, and I'm confident that Blu-ray editions would be very profitable indeed.

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Then we disagree because I believe such decisions are financially driven as these studio executives don't keep their job by being sentimental to western film lovers.

Robert Crawford said:

 Then we disagree because I believe such decisions are financially driven as these studio executives don't keep their job by being sentimental to western film lovers.

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Of course they're financially driven! In what universe are major corporations doing it out of the kindness of their movie lovin' hearts?

Originally Posted by Thomas T /t/323917/budd-boetticher-classics-coming-to-sony-mod#post_3978324
Of course they're financially driven! In what universe are major corporations doing it out of the kindness of their movie lovin' hearts?

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Don't ask me, I'm not the one saying they're not financially driven.

For the collector who's had the in-print pressed discs for years, these MODs are a waste of DVD-Rs, particularly when Sony's output is anemic compared to Warner's. New stuff, please!

I meant the decision to NOT release the films on Blu-ray isn't financially driven. Of course these films will sell on blu-ray. If they can sell on MOD, they will sell on blu-ray.

Bob Cashill said:

For the collector who's had the in-print pressed discs for years, these MODs are a waste of DVD-Rs, particularly when Sony's output is anemic compared to Warner's. New stuff, please!

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I don't know who at Sony chooses what to release on MOD, but I can only describe their output in the last 6 months as incredibly boring. Run-of-the-mill B movies are fine, and I'm sure they have their fans, but considering the amount of great films they're not releasing it seems a bit ridiculous. I don't know if they are holding on to them for future TCM releases, or licensing to third parties, but in my opinion they could be reaching a much bigger market if the release slate was improved. Warner is the best at providing variety for everyone week in and week out. Sony would be in a much better position if they just took fan suggestions via Facebook or anything else.

Post of the day, Matthew. Sony, take note--we love the quality of your MOD product, but the quality and the quantity of the movies are insufficient. I haven't bought a Sony title in months.

What became of Mike Schlesinger? Is he still with Sony / Columbia? He was largely responsible for the persuading the studio to release many titles from their back catalog including the Budd Boetticher and noir sets. He monitored the posts here.

It would be really nice if Twilight Time re-issued the Columbia Boetticher box on Blu-ray. You could probably fit all of the films on only a couple of 50 GB Blu-rays.