Possible Time Warner—MGM marriage? (1 Viewer)

[MatthewA]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...imewarner_dc_7

 

[Rex Bachmann]

"Time Warner, MGM Hold Early Merger Talks"http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20031219/bs_nm/media_timewarner_dc_7:


"Please, no.

Please, no.

Please, no.

. . . . ."

 

[MatthewA]

Why "please no?" Something about DVDs, right?

Since Metro didn't buy Universal, I think it just might happen.

Let's look at what would happen:

Positives:
—All MGM films would be in one place for the first time in nearly 2 decades
—Maybe a reconstructed "Mad World" would finally happen

Negatives:
—Possible end of the MGM name? That would be sad.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Well, I think Rex may just be bummed about the further consolidation of the entertainment industry - the "three companies own everything" feeling.

 

[Damin J Toell]

Unless TW decides to keep MGM's home video department in operation as an indepedent unit, you can say goodbye to two things which many people dig about MGM's DVD releases: inexpensive and plentiful releases of relatively obscure genre titles, and full uncut versions of films. Don't plan on seeing the Last House on the Left disc stick around for very long.

DJ

 

[Aaron_H]

I don't think I would like this...

If MGM Home Video was dissolved (not kept as an individual unit), I would miss the MGM name and really hate to see WB distribute MGM titles in their crappy snapper cases.

Might be a silly reason, I guess, but I really don't like the snappers!

 

[Mark Hamilton]

I seem to remember the olden days when MGM discs were in fact packaged in snapper cases and were usually merchandised with Warner product.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

Not entirely true. Warner has distributed unrated and NC-17 from New Line (Crash), Morgan Creek (True Romance) and Castle Rock (Striptease). Warner's ridiculous policies only apply to the true WB releases. Weird though, that this doesn't apply overseas where they are selling massive amounts of the unrated Eyes Wide Shut and Friday The 13th. So far, having a region-free player has allowed me to obtain the unrated versions of every film I've desired. I just picked up the uncut Malena from Korea which is 18 minutes longer than the Miramax release.

 

[Brian W.]

And gobs and gobs of pan-n-scan titles taken from old laserdisc masters.

 

[MatthewA]

Well, it seems TW backed out; not willing to pay what Metro wanted.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...ndustry_mgm_dc

Things need to change at MGM. Their restoration/preservation activities seem to be marginal at best (but I hope I'm wrong).