General Discussion Digital Movie/TV Deals (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

The Big Clock has been on my Blu-ray wishlist. It’s getting really hard to justify spending $20+ on a disc when you can pick up the movie for only $3.99. Why is the Universal version still available for purchase? Does Arrow not have exclusive digital rights?

Who knows? This whole digital system is whack at times. Yesterday, another digital of "The Natural" showed up on iTunes. Both appear to have the same theatrical version of the film in 4K/Dolby Vision/Atmos with no bonus material. Furthermore, the new digital shows it's available for purchase at 7.99 and it's not in my digital library while the other version shows it's in my digital library.

 

[Cranston37+]

Out of curiosity and for just $3.99, the Arrow stream looks exactly like the iTunes stream I purchased back in 2017 for $4.99. Perhaps, Universal updated that stream too. I'll try to do a deeper comparison between the two streams later on.

Here's an interesting thing - I have owned only the Universal version since it came out (2ish years ago?) and just noticed it's been changed to the Arrow version...

(It is still in my MA account)

 

[Robert Crawford]

Here's an interesting thing - I have owned only the Universal version since it came out (2ish years ago?) and just noticed it's been changed to the Arrow version...

(It is still in my MA account)

Yeah, I took a deeper dive this morning and the current Universal version looks better than what I remembered in this post. It wasn't nearly as clean without speckles and such when I watched it last year.

 

[Cranston37+]

Yeah, I took a deeper dive this morning and the current Universal version looks better than what I remembered in this post. It wasn't nearly as clean without speckles and such when I watched it last year.

Robert,

As I said in the post above, it looks to me like my Universal version has been replaced with the Arrow, but I base that off of the artwork having changed and the studio listed as Paramount.

Since you have both, what are the studios listed as for each? Does your Arrow version start with the newish Universal logo?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Robert,

As I said in the post above, it looks to me like my Universal version has been replaced with the Arrow, but I base that off of the artwork having changed and the studio listed as Paramount.

Since you have both, what are the studios listed as for each? Does your Arrow version start with the newish Universal logo?

Well now, the Arrow digital I just bought is now unavailable to watch with only the Universal digital available to do so. I'm going to ask for a refund!

 

[Todd Erwin]

Who knows? This whole digital system is whack at times. Yesterday, another digital of "The Natural" showed up on iTunes. Both appear to have the same theatrical version of the film in 4K/Dolby Vision/Atmos with no bonus material. Furthermore, the new digital shows it's available for purchase at 7.99 and it's not in my digital library while the other version shows it's in my digital library.

iTunes has been acting wonky the last few days, with slow load times and often when the purchased title finally loads, it shows as not being purchased.

 

[Cranston37+]

Well now, the Arrow digital I just bought is now unavailable to watch with only the Universal digital available to do so. I'm going to ask for a refund!

Proof that I purchased the Universal version (it's in my MA account):



The Arrow version I now have in iTunes:

 

[Robert Crawford]

Well now, the Arrow digital I just bought is now unavailable to watch with only the Universal digital available to do so. I'm going to ask for a refund!

Okay, I had both versions on my Wish List. For some reason, it tells me the Arrow version is unavailable on my Wish List. When I search my iTunes digital library, both versions are listed and I'm able to access both versions. Furthermore, both versions have exactly the same opening credits without any differences.

Edit: https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/posts/4753834/

 

[Robert Crawford]

Proof that I purchased the Universal version (it's in my MA account):

View attachment 59979

The Arrow version I now have in iTunes:

View attachment 59980

In MoviesAnywhere, only the Universal version is listed on my MA account. The same with Vudu. In iTunes, I have both versions listed in my iTunes digital library with different artwork.

 

[Mark-P]

I ended up buying The Big Clock, (along with Distant Voices, Still Lives) as I just couldn’t pass up those bargain prices on titles for which I was unwilling to pay premium BD prices. Since I only own the Arrow version of The Big Clock, it did NOT port to MA for me, nor did I expect it to.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

Looks like I just missed it. The Arrow version has been pulled.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Looks like I just missed it. The Arrow version has been pulled.

Yes, it's been pulled, but it's still in my digital library minus the ability to preview it, but I can still play the movie.

 

[Mark-P]

Looks like I just missed it. The Arrow version has been pulled.

HA! I thought there was something fishy about two different sources having digital rights. Arrow probably only had Blu-ray rights and mistakenly thought they had digital rights as well. No one challenged them for the past two months. iTunes will of course honor all those sales though they may redirect that revenue from Arrow, directly to Universal.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

HA! I thought there was something fishy about two different sources having digital rights. Arrow probably only had Blu-ray rights and mistakenly thought they had digital rights as well. No one challenged them for the past two months. iTunes will of course honor all those sales though they may redirect that revenue from Arrow, directly to Universal.

I should have know better than to wait. Arrow said their sale will last 15 days, so I was waiting to see what dropped this morning from the normal Tuesday sales.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

Yes, it's been pulled, but it's still in my digital library minus the ability to preview it, but I can still play the movie.

So that's pretty good evidence that one doesn't lose a title they've purchased simply because the rights have switched hands.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I’m having a technical issue with something I bought from iTunes and am having tremendous difficulty finding an actual email address to write to someone to request a refund. Never had an issue before with a purchase so this would be my first time reaching out. Can anyone whose been down this road before share the contact info for getting in touch with iTunes to request a refund?

 

[Cranston37+]

I’m having a technical issue with something I bought from iTunes and am having tremendous difficulty finding an actual email address to write to someone to request a refund. Never had an issue before with a purchase so this would be my first time reaching out. Can anyone whose been down this road before share the contact info for getting in touch with iTunes to request a refund?

reportaproblem.apple.com

or

Settings - iTunes - view Apple ID - Purchase History - click on the item - Report a Problem

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Thanks so much! Problem reported, hopefully refund will arrive soon.

I rented a movie that wasn't formatted properly. The movie itself was 1.66:1, which was pillarboxed inside a 1.85:1 frame, which was then letterboxed within a 1.78:1 frame - so black bars on all sides. Something that shouldn't be happening for a movie first released in 2019. My guess is that the distributor supplied Apple with something based on the theatrical DCP rather than a proper home video master.

 

[Matt Hough]

The Big Clock is one of those Arrow titles on sale for $3.99, but with no bonus material.

I saw that this evening and bought immediately.

 

[Mark-P]

I saw that this evening and bought immediately.

You must have got it right before it was pulled. I'm glad I bought it yesterday as now it's too late.