Warner Archive Discussion Thread (FEEDBACK) (1 Viewer)

[Simon Howson]

The discs themselves are burned, not pressed. None that I've seen have had any problems, and press vs. burn should not be a controversy.

If they are all burned, then I'll just back them up to ISO images when I get them.
I hope at the least they are dual layer discs. If they are simply single layer then that could be a big problem for films over 100 minutes.
But wouldn't it be CHEAPER to press discs rather than burn dual layer blanks?

 

[Jeff<>]

This is great news! WB is still sitting on several horror/cult/exploitation films that I hope will be considered.

Topping the list (personally) would be NIGHT SCHOOL (1981) which is an underrated 80s slasher flick with Rachel Ward. Hopefully they'll also include the theatrical trailer (WB gave amazon access to it awhile back for their video on Demand service)

Other titles I'd purchase:

- DEADLY EYES

- TWO ON A GULLOTINE

- HOUSE OF WOMEN

- BEYOND THE FOREST

- THE AWAKENING

- NEW YEAR'S EVIL and HOSPITAL MASSACRE (if they still have the rights to these Cannon films)

- WHEN TIME RAN OUT - The Expanded version and not the cut 109 version they just released.

- MURDER BY PHONE

- THE PACK

I'm sure I am missing plenty.

I REALLY wish I could be avialable for the WB chat on Mon. Can anyone ask them about these titles in my abscence? (I can't imagine that I'd be the only one not curious about them.) Much thanks!

 

[mdnitoil]

So they are DVD-Rs after all? If so, I think, if nothing else, some people might be concerned about their longevity.

Precisely. I still buy manufactured DVDs under the delusion that I don't have to ever purchase the movie again. New editions may come and go, but the disc I bought in '97 plays the same today as it did back then. I don't have quite that same level of confidence with burnt media.

 

[Timothy E]

I predict these will be very profitable for Warner Bros. Many of these films are appealing to us film lovers but I doubt that many of them would be big sellers at retail. This method allows the studio to offer many films that would not be profitable in an ordinary retail release.

I wonder whether we are going to see the classic Warner Bros. cartoons released in this manner. I would love to see "season sets" of the Warner theatrical cartoons (with each season covering a calendar year of releases, eg., 1946, 1952, and so forth). The Golden Collections were okay, since they included some great cartoons, but we want to see ALL of these cartoons, not just these "Best Of" compilations that have been around since the beginning of VHS. I love "One Froggy Evening" as much as the next guy, but how about some of the great Bugs Bunny cartoons that have never seen the light of DVD? (Which is Witch, Bushy Hare). Or the censored 11, at long last. Whether released in this niche market or at retail, these type of Warner Bros. cartoon chronological sets would do very well, like the Popeye and Three Stooges sets, and I am mystified that this is not being done.

Will we see WB TV shows released on DVD in this manner? I cannot believe that Maverick has never been released in season sets. Will this form of marketing permit Warner Bros. to give us some of these classics? Another poster suggested the Joe McDoakes series, and I could see these selling well in this niche, if not at retail.

If these do well for Warners, are we going to see the other studios offer some of their more obscure titles in this manner? I have been waiting years for the release of Gunn (1967) starring Craig Stevens (Peter Gunn) and Ed Asner, written by William Peter Blatty (The Exorcist), and written and directed by Blake Edwards (Pink Panther, The Party, Victor/Victoria). With this pedigree of talent, I am flabbergasted that this film has never been released on VHS or DVD. This is just one example, and there are many other films out there that deserve to be seen and released on DVD.

 

[borisfw]

Put my order in 5 movies for 75 not too bad.I hope they keep those type of sales or coupons on a regular basis.Thanks for the posting of the code to get the discount.

 

[J Hall]

Could this be the method in which WB finally releases "The Bowery Boys" series?

If so, sign me up!!!

 

[borisfw]

Now if other studios,are you listening Universal,would only follow this path.

 

[Junior_V]

I just saw the other thread about Warnes releasing classics. I was very excited to see some that ive been dying to see for along time is comming. I was so happy. That was until I saw that they wont be shipped outside US. BIG FAT SLAP IN THE FACE!

This is so rude! Im so mad! Ive been a faithful buyer of Warner Classics for 4 years now. I have given alot of my money to them, and this is how they treat me? I won't be buying anymore from them! No "Forbidden Hollywood Collection vol.3" for my money! No "Warner Gangster Collection vol 4" for my money! No "Greer Garson movies" for my money! I just download them for free!

Beast of the City

Betrayed

Chained

Dance, Fools, Dance

Emma

Forsaking All Others

Goodbye, My Fancy

Homecoming

Honkey Tonk

Ice Follies of 1939

Idiot's Delight

The Kiss

Laughing Sinners

Love

Love On The Run

Mannequin

Mrs Parkington

Payment On Demand

Possessed

Private Lives

The Shining Hour

The Single Standard

Somewhere I'll Find You

Spring Fever

Strange Interlude

This Woman Is Dangerous

Three Comrades

We Were Dancing

When Ladies Meet

Wild Orchids

30x 19,95 = 598,50

They are losing 600 dollars on just 1 person. I sure hope they are reading this and that someone will take it up on the chat tomorrow! Goodbye Warnes!

 

[Simon Howson]

to ever purchase the movie again. New editions may come and go, but the disc I bought in '97 plays the same today as it did back then. I don't have quite that same level of confidence with burnt media.

Maybe if a Warner Archive DVD sells really WHV will issue the film as a regular DVD along with extra features?
But if they want to be fair to loyal customers they should offer a trade in program so customers who already bought the Archive version would get a significant discount on the regular release.
I have a feeling that classic film fans will surprise even WHV, and that they will be inundated with orders for these DVDs, at least, for the next few months.

 

[Jeffrey:K]

Amy I the only one who's been pining for LEPKE?

I was hoping WB and the other labels with large catalogs would do something like this, since my wish list is populated almost exclusively with hard-to-market obscurities.

 

[Sammy-G]

Private Lives? Three Comrades? And The Patsy as a poll option for the next release? I may just cry. I know I will after the first bill comes in.
WHV, I love you.

 

[J Hall]

I just ordered the 5 titles with the special code and the account set-up was very easy. I'll have the 5 films by 3/27. If all is well, more orders are on the way.

It was tough to pick just 5 but since I'm a western buff, I went with "Cattle Town", "A Distant Trumpet", "El Condor", "The Trail of '98" plus "I Was a Communist for the FBI".

(I can't recommend "The Trail of '98" enough...One of the most spectacular silent films I've ever seen).

 

[Robert Crawford]

I hate to beat this horse, but since Warner is using the internet as an avenue to sell these titles then they need to address the "outside of USA" issue since the internet is a global entity.
Crawdaddy

 

[Sumnernor]

But be advised that postage to your tiny little continent in the shark-filled ocean far, far away is the single most expensive shipping point for us Americans.

A number of times I have received packages from Amazon sent to Munich via Auckland ("Direct Letter, Auckland Mail Center, Auckland, New Zealand"). I have also received a few times things from other companies this way. It must be cheaper. I would think sending directly US to Germany would be cheaper - evidently not????

 

[Robert Crawford]

They are losing 600 dollars on just 1 person. I sure hope they are reading this and that someone will take it up on the chat tomorrow! Goodbye Warnes!

Don't cut off your nose to spite your face.
Furthermore, how about boycotting Fox while you're at it. Also, how about Paramount and Universal too.
At least Warner is making an effort to get out classic films to consumers even if this latest marketing effort towards those outside the USA is non-existent for the moment. Hopefully, they will find a way to service everybody in this latest endeavor.
Crawdaddy

 

[JeffMc]

So they are DVD-Rs after all? If so, I think, if nothing else, some people might be concerned about their longevity.

Exactly. My enthusiam for this series just dropped a bit. DVD-R's are just not reliable and a decent percentage of them do go bad over time. I do understand why they would be done this way and I'll still be getting some of these, but the 15 I originally was going to purchase just shrunk by half. As a collector, "archive" titles should mean that they will remain playable in a collector's personal archive. DVD-R's will play today, but what about in a year? I have had my fair share of DVD-R's going bad over time.
I don't want to rain on this though. This is still a very exciting development for classic movie fans. Even with my hesitation and lack of confidence with DVD-R's, I am still buying a bunch of them so it's all good.

 

[Jeffrey:K]

I have a friend in the U.S. who has bought some Best-buy exclusives for me. My first thought was to ask him to order everything that BOTH of us wanted, and then get him to post them all to us. But that effectively means paying for postage twice.

I just placed an order and it appears that the standard shipping option is free. I did get charged a sales tax.

 

[Corey]

What wonderful news!!! All these titles I've bitched and moaned about for years are finally coming to dvd. The Gable and Crawfords, the remaing Garbo silents, Gable & Turner, and more Norma Shearer!!! I would've never thought that I would see We Were Dancing. That makes me excited at the prospect of having Her Cardboard Lover, Two Faced Woman, and Page Miss Glory, too.

 

[Patrick McCart]

I'm puzzled by all the backlash on DVD-R releases. It's better than nothing and if proper quality discs are used, there's no worse longevity issues than pressed DVDs. I have DVD-Rs from 2001 that still play fine, granted I keep them in cases or folders. The only times I've had problems are some self-made DVD-Rs using cheap discs.

 

[Daniel BARBIEUX]

I have the funny feeling that all these titles will be available on eBay US soon; of course, the seller will ship internationally