TV on dvd--a possibly dissenting viewpoint. (1 Viewer)

[Jesse Leonard]

It took DECADES for many films to get released onto VHS and LD!
I am of the camp that thinks TV on DVD isn't slowing down classic movies coming out on DVD. The studios don't have a limited supply of resources. If something is going to sell well (or at least they think it will) then the studio will find a way to allocate resources to get the product out! If anything, TV on DVD is letting studios know that there is a demand for smaller, older movies and TV series.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

I really didn't mean to frame my question as a TV vs. Classic Films thing.

In my own collection I have many tv sourced dvds--I'm a Stephen King miniseries junky, have Buffy 1, Lonesome Dove, Gettysburg, Kindred the Embraced, Simpson's 1, I Claudius, Oz 1, both versions of the Dune miniseries, and many more, and will look forward to having more tv dvds in the future, especially of shows that were excellent but not on long enough to make it into syndication.

The availability of some series within a few months of first running on network tv, without waiting for them to drop out of syndication, is also very exciting--I'd love to have CSI on dvd, and plan to at least rent 24. And I will have the Mr. Peanut episode of The MTM Show if at all possible.

But I also have Lost Horizon, Citizen Kane, King Kong on LD, Double Indemnity, The Big Sleep, The Women, Some Like it Hot, North by Northwest, and half a dozen more classics at least and would love many more of those too.

Of late I've pre-ordered a number of special-interest,classic or near classic titles like Duel, Ed Wood and Sunset Boulevard, only to get notification via e-mail that the scheduled release date had been cancelled or delayed. Perhaps the simultaneous explosion of tv-dvd announcements led me to speculate that there might be a relationship between the two, or that there might be a conflict arising.

I think I'll choose to be optimistic and go with the theory that tv dvd profits may help studios afford to restore and release classic movies. Certainly a Citizen-Kane quality presentation is worth waiting for. If it takes profits from Manimal on dvd to make a first rate anamorphic transfer of Judgement at Nuremberg possible, then I'm all for it.

As for the limited production facilities, this may possibly be a problem at present but will no doubt change.

I remember when CDs were first introduced the choices were rather limited due to a shortage of production facilities, and that has of course since become a non-issue. Surely dvd will be the same if it isn't already.

 

[Eugene Esterly]

IMO, I believe that releasing TV shows on DVD is not hurting anything. TV shows on DVD is generating more money for studios. I agree with Jeff Kleist. The money made from TV shows on DVD can help generate money to restore classic films.

An article that i read several weeks ago said that FOX has already made over $100 Million dollars from releasing their TV shows on DVD. That money can help release more TV shows on DVD & also help to restore movies which are not in good condition.

 

[Jeff_HR]

That money can help release more TV shows on DVD & also help to restore movies which are not in good condition

That assumes that this money is going to be directed toward the release of older catalog titles. I don't suppose anybody here is sitting in on the spending decisions of any Studio & can actually give first hand evidence of where this $$$$$ is going?