Universal Classic Monster Discs Withrdawn?! (1 Viewer)

[Terry H]

Hey, is it JUST me, or did the Lugosi "Dracula" look pretty lame? I mean, I KNOW it's old but the spanish version looks MUCH better! Surely they could have done SOME kinda restoration or search for a better print! I mean, this IS a Classic!!!!

I also thought Dracula was in terrible shape. If they did any restoration work at all it wasn't nearly enough. Invisible Man and Bride also looked pretty bad. I sure won't be rushing out to buy any more.

 

[MartinTeller]

Sweet! I was just about to eBay my Dracula and Wolf Man (purchased for $10 each at the flea market). Now maybe I'll make a fat profit on 'em!!!

 

[Craig W]

Universal knows there is a market for these titles, but like some here said that they were overpriced. These old but enjoyable movies should have been selling for no more than $15 in the first place.

I would not be surprised if they are pulling them now just to rerelease them around Halloween again at a new reasonable price.

 

[Dan Brecher]

Son of a.... Where'd I put that damn credit card?

Dan

 

[Jason Hughes]

Universal knows there is a market for these titles, but like some here said that they were overpriced. These old but enjoyable movies should have been selling for no more than $15 in the first place.

That is why I am afraid to buy them now. The minute (actually 1 month and 1 minute ) after I buy them, Universal will announce a re-pricing.
I have always said the high prices on these were a missed opportunity for Universal. They would have sold a TON more is the MSRP was $20.

 

[Sarah S]

Too bad CH doesn't have these listed in their catalog; otherwise I could just do a couple of enrollments and catch up.
Buy them now & see them re-released cheaper later, or don't buy them now & see these disappear forever. I wish they would make some sort of statement either way.

 

[Patrick McCart]

I emailed Universal about these titles. I'll post something as soon as I get a reply.

 

[David Lambert]

The only "logic" is that there's only so much room on store shelves for a finite number of copies of a finite number of titles.

Moratorium means that some titles are removed from those shelves for a while and give newer titles a chance to see if they succeed any better.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder". When demand resurfaces for a title that's on moratorium, it gets reoffered. If sufficient demand never surfaces, it quietly slips to OOP status.

I don't like this, but that's life in the big Retail city!

 

[Jason P]

This may be a stupid question, but does this mean that those that are already on store shelves will be removed on the 18th, meaning come the 19th none will be found, or is it like Snow White, where there are still ones on the shelves but no new ones will be shipped?

(Wow, that was quite a poorly constructed question:b )

 

[Dave Mack]

Hey!
I saw absolutely NO copies of any of these at Tower Viseo in NYC today! Maybe they are already getting yanked!
:frowning:
Remaster these! Restore!! At least Drac. Frank. and Bride of...!!!!
D

 

[Malcolm R]

does this mean that those that are already on store shelves will be removed on the 18th, meaning come the 19th none will be found

This is where you get into the difference between RECALL vs. MORATORIUM.

As I understand it, MORATORIUM is just a fancy word for out-of-print. The distributor is not going to manufacture any additional copies, but they also don't want a warehouse full of discs, so all copies in retail stores will remain and the distributor may even take and fill additional wholesale orders as long as copies remain available in their warehouse. I've never known any studio to pull copies out of stores for a title on "moratorium."

RECALL, on the other hand, is when all copies are pulled out of stores because of a defect or some legal issue that was not settled prior to release. With recall, you shouldn't be able to find any copies as retailers are supposed to pull all unsold copies and return them to the distributor. Which means, if you buy on street date and your title is recalled soon after, you may end up with a valuable collectable (provided the issue wasn't a defect that renders the disc unplayable . . . then you have a rare coaster).

I believe the Universal Monster titles are going on moratorium (though, as far as I can tell, this still has not been confirmed), not being recalled. So you should be able to find copies in stores for several weeks/months, depending on current inventories, until the available wholesale supply is exhausted.

 

[Keith Paynter]

reduntant post removed due to redundancy...:b

 

[David Lambert]

Malcolm R is correct in his description of Moratorium vs. Recall.
The only thing I would do differently is characterize the idea of Moratorium as "temporarily out of print".
As I said, sometimes it becomes permanently OOP, if demand is not sufficient to warrant the rerelease. However, titles that "go on moratorium" are EXPECTED to have rerelease demand.
Those that aren't expected to have that demand simply go OOP.

 

[Richard Smith]

Horror DVDs has got a story up on this. It says that they've spoken with Universal and it is going to happen. I wish that Universal had issued an earlier warning about this. At least Disney gives you a month or so, not one week!
Richard(Off to try and find the money for Creature From The Black Lagoon andThe Invisble Man.)
PS The Abbott and Costello discs aren't on the list.

 

[millercv]

Ok most of them are avail through Columbia House (just not the double features).

I know because I just ordered the ones they had that I was missing (and a couple that I have for the future). They have a deal for 7 for $29.99 with no shipping and you have to buy 4 more in the future.

Hope this helps,

Chris

 

[Eric Peterson]

DVD Planet still has them. I order all of the Double Features except for Werewolf of London/She-Wolf of London and the total was $115 with shipping!

Not too bad!!

 

[David Tolsky]

Guys, I'm having my wife look into this officially. She works at Universal's home video department. I still need 3 double features to complete the second set!

 

[Greg_S_H]

Guys, I'm having my wife look into this officially. She works at Universal's home video department. I still need 3 double features to complete the second set!

While she's asleep, whisper in her ear: "The Incredible Shrinking Man. Richard Matheson commentary track. The Incredible Shrinking Man. Richard Matheson commentary track."

 

[StevenA]

They have a deal for 7 for $29.99 with no shipping

I couldn't find this on the Columbia House website.

 

[Ben Motley]

David, thank you and your wife very much. Keep us as informed as you can. You rock.