Sunrise Letter Campaign: Possibly save YOU up to $40. (1 Viewer)

[Jack Briggs]

Peter: Re your post, we must take up the issue of Gentleman's Agreement in a dedicated thread. I think we will have fun with that movie! JB

 

[Adam_S]

ohhh maybe we can convince Fox to release "Iron Horse" in region one the same way they're releasing Sunrise (at least it'd be available for region one, I know there's an awesome region two disc, but cheating region coding is too much of a hassle for me). That'd be a good alternate for the second half of the year (push Sunrise the first half and Iron Horse the second half). I'm seriously considering buying all the series, there's no way I could ever get all the criterion collection, but I could get all of Fox's classics, that makes collecting a little more satisfactory. plus most of these are probably great films as well; three titles a month that's nothing, even for a student (like me), especially since these will be in non-saving-up-for-christmas season.
Now if ONLY we could convince Warners MGM and Paramount to do the same.
especially MGM, how about Sergeant York, Northwest Passage (god I would kill for an ultra resolution or equivalent restoration of this film, it would look so beautiful, shot in three strip technicolor, and I believe took home the oscar for color cinematograpy that year), and One, Two, Three. I mean come on MGM you release all those wretched Midnight Movies, how about opening the vault on some films that are actually good, and not just guilty pleasures (nothing wrong with guilty pleasures btw, but they shouldn't supercede quality cinema :-p)
To those that are sending in letters, how about planting an alternate suggestion to fox, whatever newsreel footage or extra material they have on any of the films but couldn't fit on the respective dvds, combine the special material together onto one dvd and offer it, instead of a film as the offer inthe buy three get one free; and if you really like the idea, suggest that fox put together a retrospective documentary on the history of their studio, it's output, stars, successes, moguls etc... to anchor the disc.
Adam
Adam

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yes, that would be a good discussion thread.
Crawdaddy

 

[oscar_merkx]

I have the R2 The Iron Horse which is absolutely fantastic to watch and great to own.
Having said this, there is no commentary or retrospective interviews on the disc. So if Fox were to release this in r1, I would gladly buy this one as well.

 

[oscar_merkx]

here are the specs for the first three Fox classics in January 2003
Fox also has three cinema classics on tap for January 14th, the first in their new Studio Classics series of restored and remastered special editions.
One of the most decorated films in Oscar history, All About Eve features a newly-restored 1.37:1 transfer, first-ever audio commentary by Celeste Holm, Bette Davis and Anne Baxter promotional spots, "MovieTone News: Academy Awards Honor Best Film Achievements" and "MovieTone News: Hollywood Attends Gala Premiere of "All About Eve" vintage newsreels, a restoration comparison, the complete original screenplay, and theatrical trailers.
Another Oscar winner for Best Picture in the lineup is How Green Was My Valley, also newly restored and presented in 1.37:1, with extras including an audio commentary by Maureen O'Hara, a still gallery, the complete original screenplay, and trailers.
Rounding out the slate is Gentleman's Agreement, presented in 1.37;1 full screen with an audio commentary featuring Gregory Peck, Celeste Holm and director Elia Kazan, a still gallery, the complete original screenplay, and theatrical trailers. Retail is $19.95 each.
http://www.dvdfile.com/software/dvd-...002/10_02.html
fab

 

[Brandon Conway]

Interesting that they are listed as 1.37:1 transfers.

 

[oscar_merkx]

Why is that ?

 

[Brian Perry]

I have never seen Sunrise, but based on what has been said in this thread, I think those who are questioning the marketing plan don't understand Fox's strategy here.
Sunrise will not be available for individual sale. Thus, Fox will lose money on every single pressing of the movie. In retail terms, it's a loss leader. The goal is to increase sales of the other 36 titles. If Sunrise were available individually--and I think Fox could easily offer it via mail-order/website--it would reduce the effectiveness of their marketing of the other 36 titles.
So it's not that Fox is overlooking a chance to sell Sunrise. It is being used as the carrot to get consumers to buy other DVDs.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Peter: Re your post, we must take up the issue of Gentleman's Agreement in a dedicated thread. I think we will have fun with that movie! JB
Yes, that would be a good discussion thread.

Yes, but that would mean I'd have to see it again! It's been more than 20 years since my one & only viewing, so I'm not sure what I could add. Maybe a store near me will get it for rent when this reissue comes out...

 

[Malcolm R]

Interesting that they are listed as 1.37:1 transfers.

That is the OAR of most classic films.

 

[Douglas R]

here are the specs for the first three Fox classics in January 2003

Wow! These are going to be must-buys for me. Looks like this is going to be a great series.

 

[Adam_S]

Once again amazon stays on top of all dvd releases, and dvd retailers. Amazon has all three of these new editions up for sale, no cover art, but at least you can go ahead and preorder them.

Despite the inevitable higher price, I think I'm going to order from Laser's Edge whenever they make the titles available for preorder in two or three months (they're always the last putting up non bighit new releases, I think they still don't have disney treasures wave two available, or at least the last time I checked), these are dvds I'll want ASAP, and waiting for media mail 'supersavershipping' for days and days would be agony with amazon (plus I've had problems with their media mail shipments before).

Adam

 

[Seth Paxton]

I don't get why Crawdaddy and Jack are so confused here.

This isn't a revolt against the studio (well, unless Patrick M is looking for that). I echo what Peter and Patrick Larkin already said.

FOX DOES HAVE THE MONEY TO PRODUCE THE DISC. THEY ARE PRODUCING THE DISC.

You can't give something away for FREE (making zero off of it) without first MAKING THE FREAKING THING.

So what in the hell sort of confusion is going on in your brains that says that somehow magically they can get production money to make FREE copies available, but they can't get production money to sell copies???

That makes zero sense in any possible scenario. There must be something else to it (as I have pointed out in the Cali trip report thread).

Let me repeat what I said in that thread here...

To clarify -

Current
Fox makes X copies of Sunrise.
Orders for (free) copies arrive via Internet/Mail-In.
Copies are shipped out.

Could Be
Fox makes X copies of Sunrise.
Orders with payment for copies arrive via Internet/Mail-In.
Copies are shipped out.


What part am I missing here? How is "current" better or easier than "could be"? Which method better gauges the true popularity of Sunrise?

As best as I can make out the approach here is that many people who wouldn't buy it will be willing to pick it up "on a goof" since its free, after buying several FOX classics.

Because the people that buy the other titles just to get Sunrise would certainly be buying copies anyway and thus would not increase the demand for Sunrise copies under the "free" system (which is the only thing I can guess at with the assumption that FOX wants to get needed numbers up for cheaper production).

Maybe an ADVANCED order system would be of benefit cases like this. I think most classic fans would shell out the money beforehand to FOX directly which would allow FOX to know the numbers needed up front AND give them some cash-in-hand to use on the actual production.

Sunrise is not exactly the last classic title that I think people would be willing to pay for ahead of time. And smaller companies have already taken this approach to some titles (like My So Called Life IIRC). Not saying it goes as well with those companies, but then they don't have their shit together like FOX does either.

I'm just trying to think of reasonable solutions that allow studios and fans to both be satiated here.

Hopefully you understand that I am suggesting that the one and only reason that makes sense to me is that marketing believes that free copies of any title will mean more demand than if it were sold, so that means high enough production numbers to make it reasonable to produce. But this is dependent soley on the idea that you will add demand from people who WILL buy classic films but DON'T know or care about Sunrise and will only take it for free.

And it ignores the simple fact that FOX will still make LESS money off this process than if it sold to the group that would buy it anyway (any amount sold > more given away free). UNLESS FOX believes it will add enough income from people buying the other 3 titles just to get Sunrise, but then that is a paradox with the initial principle that Sunrise does not have enough demand to warrent a sellable release. It's all a total contradiction.

The only other idea I could think of was that FOX will wait to receive these free requests before actually making the Sunrise lots all at once. That's why I then suggested that they simply take paid orders beforehand themselves and they can "pretend" to be getting free orders while taking our $25.

What the hell was wrong with Peter's suggestion that ANY classic titles qualify to get a free classic disc? And what is wrong with making Sunrise available for PURCHASE via the EXACT SAME METHODS for receiving the free copy? I mean, the free copy has to get made, my free order must be taken, the free copy must be shipped to me. Take out the word "free" and replace with "$25" and tell me how FOX is worse off? That's freaking retarded to even suggest that. We all know that $25 is greater than $0 ALWAYS, if the rest of the process is kept equal here.

It's very hard to imagine why that is not possible.

I'm not going to boycott, I'm certain I will find 3 titles to buy, but that doesn't make the current process more understandable. I'm PLEASED to get a free copy of Sunrise as long as there exist 3 other titles that I would normally buy. But if there aren't 3 that we would have bought anyway then doesn't it mean that the truth is that Sunrise is actually being LEVERAGED to create sales for other titles, which in turn implies that FOX views Sunrise as a STRONG title that could create such leverage.

We get the fact that the demand isn't there, okay. Stop telling us that. Just explain how this method is better than what Peter or I suggest. And the whole debate is critical because it has implications on how future "limited" titles might or will be released. We aren't debating just for the sake of bitching here.

 

[Brandon Conway]

That is the OAR of most classic films.

I'm aware of that. They usually transfer them 1.33:1, however, so I found the 1.37:1 listing a bit odd.

Not that it makes a huge difference or anything.

 

[Patrick_S]

Is there going to be a limit to the number of "free" copies of Sunrise one person can get?
It stands to reason that many people will actually be buying 6, 9, and 12 and so on of the 30 plus titles that are part of the classics series.
If you can get a copy for every three classics you buy there certainly are going to by many copies of Sunrise available on Ebay.
Then those who only want to buy Sunrise will have an option. All be it probably an expensive option but still an option.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Seth,
Why would you make a bad assumption that I'm confused about this situation? I understand perfectly the viewpoint of those that think the "Sunrise" dvd should be for sale, but I also understand Fox's position and the reasons behind their actions.




Crawdaddy

 

[Brandon Conway]

They would logically have some way of keeping track of who they sent the Sunrise DVD out to, otherwise someone who bought all 36 titles would make a killing on ebay.

 

[Rain]

I intend to obtain as many copies of Sunrise as I can depending on how many of the other titles I purchase.
Why should someone be disqualified from getting additional copies--they would still have to buy 3 other titles to get each copy of Sunrise.
Unless getting more than one copy is prohibited, I'll probably make any extra copies I end up with available to other HTF members via reasonable trades.

 

[Seth Paxton]

otherwise someone who bought all 36 titles would make a killing on ebay.

Impossible. The demand for this title is too low to warrant sales of it.
More seriously, doesn't the idea of FOX limiting your free copies because you would SELL them on Ebay basically go against their reasons for not selling copies themselves, ie they don't think decent demand exists for sales? I honestly don't see why they would keep you from getting a free copy for every 3 titles you bought, why should they?

 

[oscar_merkx]

I think that is a very good idea Rain, and since I will also probably have a 2nd or 3rd copy or more of Sunrise DVDs, I suggest we offer these to other HTF members.
Anyone else think this is a good idea.