Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[belcherman]

My Twilight Time sale order from TT came today. This is how they packaged an order of two discs:

[Show spoiler]

I'm pretty sure most other outfits would have used a bubble mailer.

[bdgking]

For anyone trying to buy more movies before the twilight sale ends here is a low quantity update of all titles almost sold out between both sites .

Stormy weather
Pony Soldier
Beloved Infidel
The Young lions
Roots to Heaven
Royal Flash
Julia
Inferno
Kiss of Death
Anastasia
Prime of miss jeane brodie
American Buffalo
Guess who's coming to dinner
mississippi mermaid
house of bamboo

The majority are ready to sell out fast based on extremely low quantities remaining .

I mention these simply because I see many people here whom regret not buying a certain title here & there .

[Aclea]

It's not everyone's cup of tea, but a shout out to Royal Flash before it disappears...



"Never hit a man when he's down. He may get up."

Despite the enduring popularity of George Macdonald Fraser's novels, the exploits of Harry Flashman, the school bully who made Tom Brown's schooldays such an ordeal and whose subsequently chronicled military career saw him popping up across the globe at historically propitious moments, didn't have much luck with the big screen. An attempt to film Flashman, the first novel, with John Alderton as the bounder and Richard Lester directing was cancelled only days before shooting was scheduled to start in 1970 (probably due to United Artists instead making the execrable The Adventures of Gerard, based on the Conan Doyle stories that were one of Flashman's inspirations and still smarting from the failure of Tony Richardson's Charge of the Light Brigade) and even after Lester and Macdonald were coming off the success of The Three and Four Musketeers, 1975's Royal Flash came almost as close to being cancelled before a last-minute change of studios saved the day only for the film's box-office failure to kill off all hope of sequels.

Which is a shame, because it's a wonderful comedy adventure spin on The Prisoner of Zenda (the novel's conceit is that it was Anthony Hope who stole the idea after Flashman told him of his exploits) which just happens to involve real historical figures like Otto Von Bismarck (a coldly pompous Oliver Reed), Lola Montes (Florinda Bolkan), King Ludwig of Bavaria and even bare-knuckle boxer-turned-Member of Parliament John Gully (`Our `Enry' Cooper, dubbed by Norman Rossington).

Flashman's certainly a wonderful comic hero for an increasingly cynical and disillusioned age. The hero of Afghanistan is almost the British Empire incarnate in all its self-righteous self-serving cynicism, a shamelessly xenophobic exploiter who wraps himself up in all the great British values he doesn't hold but who still constantly ends up doing some good by complete accident and bad luck while trying to fill his boots. He's not exactly a complete coward, though he always tries to manipulate the odds in his favour ("Come on down and fight like a man." "Don't be ridiculous!"), he's certainly a braggart and a bigot and the kind of person who is always absolutely guaranteed to let you down and steal your girlfriend and your last five pounds in the process, yet, as Big George Webley says in one of the Bluray's accompanying featurettes, you still want to be his mate.



While Fraser's first choice for the role, Errol Flynn, was too dead and his second, David Niven, too old, Malcolm McDowall makes a very pleasing and surprisingly acrobatic substitute even if the surface emphasis shifts from charm to selfishness, and he's surrounded by an excellent supporting cast - Alan Bates on wonderfully witty form and an excellent foil for McDowall in the Rupert of Hentzau role, Britt Ekland cast against type as a frigid duchess, Alastair Sim (not given much to do in one of his last roles), Lionel Jeffries, Tom Bell, Joss Ackland, Christopher Cazenove (who could have made a decent Flashman himself had his profile been higher), Michael Hordern, Bob Hoskins and David Jason. It's given top notch production values too, from cinematography by Geoffrey Unsworth to production design by Terence Marsh and some excellent location work in Bavaria. All of which would just be window dressing if it weren't for the film's wickedly entertaining sense of fun that at once manages to debunk period swashbucklers while celebrating them, with Lester throwing in some wonderful sight gags (one with a bored maid washing the floor at an especially dramatic moment in the story is a particular gem) without losing sight of the story. As the TV spot included on the disc says, it's `A terribly funny film with absolutely no redeeming social value,' and one which definitely seems to have improved with age.

Like Fox's DVD release, Twilight Time's limited edition region-free Blu-ray of the general release version doesn't offer any of the deleted scenes (the film was trimmed after previewing badly, losing Arthur Lowe and Roy Kinnear's scenes) but does have the same satisfying extras package, pride of place going to an enjoyable audio commentary with McDowall affectionately looking back on the film (he's particularly good on his warm relationship with Bates and how they had to rewrite the script to appeal to his admitted vanity and on Sim's tendency to sputter his lines causing him to despair of having to dub his lines). Also included are two featurettes featuring Fraser and both his admirers and some of those who worked on the film, one on the making of the film, the other on the Flashman books, and isolated music and effects track and a booklet (a different one to that included on Fox's DVD). The impressive transfer is a noticeable improvement over the DVD version, though like many 70s films it does occasionally have a deliberately diffused look.

[MikeZ.]

You guys that keep up with such things...

If I wait for the price of The Seven Ups to go even lower than $22.95 in a future sale, am I wasting my time ?

Have you seen titles go lower, and lower over time, and various sales ?

As many TT titles as I have, I've nearly always paid full price, but can no longer afford that luxury.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by MikeZ.

You guys that keep up with such things...

If I wait for the price of The Seven Ups to go even lower than $22.95 in a future sale, am I wasting my time ?

Have you seen titles go lower, and lower over time, and various sales ?

As many TT titles as I have, I've nearly always paid full price, but can no longer afford that luxury.

Yes, unless they sell out first.

[MikeZ.]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

Yes, unless they sell out first.

Great ! Nothing ever sells out by surprise for me. Here + Facebook + e-mail, I get plenty of advance notice.

Thank you !

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by MikeZ.

You guys that keep up with such things...

If I wait for the price of The Seven Ups to go even lower than $22.95 in a future sale, am I wasting my time ?

Have you seen titles go lower, and lower over time, and various sales ?

As many TT titles as I have, I've nearly always paid full price, but can no longer afford that luxury.

I'd say it's worth it even full price. I paid full price during the last 15 for 15 sale (Wanted to get something else to go along with Emperor of the North). The transfer is miles better than Signal One and you're getting a bang for your buck with bonus features.

[MikeZ.]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

I'd say it's worth it even full price. I paid full price during the last 15 for 15 sale (Wanted to get something else to go along with Emperor of the North). The transfer is miles better than Signal One and you're getting a bang for your buck with bonus features.

Yeah, I'm reading all the praise, but I just spent a couple hundred on albums, so I need to cool it for a while for an old fart on a pension.

[bdgking]

At SAE only 45 x Anastasia remain before selling out

almost sold out also of Pony Soldier , Roots to heaven , beloved infidel , royal flash , julia , story weather , kiss if death & prime of miss jean brodie

also $6.95 there not sold at twilight is Che , Vanishing & april love

At twilight time

less than 40 units each remain of house of bamboo , guess who's coming to dinner & mississippi mermaid

also close to selling out of : american buffalo , tony rome , young lions , peyton place as well .

[dkelly26666]

I went ahead and grabbed "The Effects of Gamma-Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds", "The Incident", "The Seven-Ups", and the not-on-sale "The New Centurions".

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

I'd say it's worth it even full price. I paid full price during the last 15 for 15 sale (Wanted to get something else to go along with Emperor of the North). The transfer is miles better than Signal One and you're getting a bang for your buck with bonus features.

I paid full price for it too, that one was well worth it both as a release and a film.

[TwilightTimeMovies]

Originally Posted by belcherman

My Twilight Time sale order from TT came today. This is how they packaged an order of two discs:

[Show spoiler]

I'm pretty sure most other outfits would have used a bubble mailer.

Hello,

We have actually instructed our warehouse not to use bubble mailers - as there was a significantly higher rate of damage with cases getting crushed when we did so. The switch to a box actually costs slightly more for us, but we have found the product arrives in better condition.

If you have any feedback on the packaging, please email it to support@twilighttimemovies.com and will investigate. Our aim is to get titles to their owners as quickly as possible without damage.

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by belcherman

My Twilight Time sale order from TT came today. This is how they packaged an order of two discs:

[Show spoiler]

I'm pretty sure most other outfits would have used a bubble mailer.

Originally Posted by MikeZ.

Why I personally stopped using them. The old distributor was 20 miles from my living room !!!, and they packed those little boxes just great for that short drive here.
But then they screwed up, everything changed, and now a poorly packed box has to travel to me, from God knows where ?
SAE, you got me.

I've personally never found a problem with this; all my orders from TT have come in perfect condition.

[EVERYONE LIES]

If I place another order will you guys release Fools Parade and The Mountain Road, two Jimmy Stewart movies that only I care about?

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by TwilightTimeMovies

Hello,

We have actually instructed our warehouse not to use bubble mailers - as there was a significantly higher rate of damage with cases getting crushed when we did so. The switch to a box actually costs slightly more for us, but we have found the product arrives in better condition.

If you have any feedback on the packaging, please email it to support@twilighttimemovies.com and will investigate. Our aim is to get titles to their owners as quickly as possible without damage.

I'm sorry if my post was misinterpreted. My intent was not to complain, but to compliment Twilight Time on going the extra by packaging my small order in a box instead of a bubble mailer as so many other companies would have. I am impressed. Both discs arrived in pristine condition.

Thanks and keep up the good work.

[The Great Owl]

Whenever I order from Screen Archives Entertainment, I write in the comments, “Please ship items in a box to minimize damage. Thanks!”, even if I'm just ordering one Blu-ray.

I have this mental image of the people at SAE talking around the water cooler.
“That please-ship-items-in-a-box guy just ordered something else this morning.”
“That guy is such a pain in the ***.”
“Yeah, he needs to get laid.”

[oildude]

Since this title is on sale and some may be wondering whether it is worth picking up, I am re-posting my impressions from over a year ago. In summary, don't hesitate. One of my favorite releases by Twilight Time.





Tony Rome

I blind bought Tony Rome and LOVED it. Wasting no time in getting going, Tony Rome packs more words and action into its 110 minute run-time than many films of its era.

Sean Connery Bond films excepted, this has to be one of the most non-PC 1960s films I have ever seen. A crime thriller sporting noir underpinnings, with Frank Sinatra as the titular private detective, TR mixes in elements of camp and sexual humor (including one scene where you could make a drinking game out of every time the p-word is used to describe a cat), lots of testosterone fueled dialogue, Sinatra casually butt-patting bikini-clad babes, boozing, a gambling addiction, we-don't-need-no-stinking-warrant break-ins, more boozing, drugs, strippers, lesbians, stolen gems, promiscuous redheads, some blazing gun action, a couple of beat-downs, hoods and thugs......and everyone smokes.

Throw in the time capsule setting of mid-1960s Miami, lots of classic cars, boats, suits, fedoras, a cameo by boxing legend Rocky Graziano, an energetic theme song sung by Nancy Sinatra, and what you get is a tasty brew that I could drink all day.

I can't wait to watch the second film Lady in Cement, especially since it also stars Raquel Welch. The more I watch Sinatra, the more I am sold on him as one of my favorite actors. He chose his projects well, starring in some of the most critically acclaimed films at the top of my best movies list as well as hugely enjoyable action-oriented guy films that I can watch over and over again.


Lady in Cement

Moving on to Lady in Cement, the second feature in the fantastic Tony Rome double bill from Twilight Time, I am happy to report that, although a lesser entry than the first film, it is still another winner. Lady in Cement ramps up the wisecracks and is a bit on the silly side at times compared to Tony Rome, but sticks to the same basic tropes that made its predecessor such a blast to watch. The script isn't as tight and compelling and suffers from some absurd sequences. There is a more light-hearted comic tone, but you still get enough guns, knives, and fists to remind us we are watching Sinatra's tough-guy private eye unleash his own booze-and gambling-fueled brand of righteousness to cure the ills of Miami. Things don't always go Sinatra's way but one thing for sure is that nobody gets their ass beat with more style, shabby class, and wisecracks than Tony Rome.

It's still the 1960s and we still get lots of non-PC goodness. Why clutter up a plot with strong intelligent women when beach lounging babes, poolside heiresses, and strippers are so plentiful and so much more fun. The film kicks off with Sinatra in his tumbledown yacht treasure hunting off the south Florida coast looking for Spanish galleon wrecks from a $2 map. Instead of riches under the waves he finds a few annoying sharks and a naked blonde with her feet encased in cement. That gets the events rolling and from there Lady in Cement never slows down.

There are some good turns here from the supporting cast. Dan Blocker (immortalized for several generations of movie fans as Hoss from TV's Bonanza) plays a hulking small-time hood named Waldo Gronski, who with his quick temper and dim-witted charm is worth the price of admission alone. He has just gotten out of a two-year stint in the joint and hires Sinatra to find his missing stripper girlfriend. He has no money so he hands over his watch as a retainer. Later in the film, fans of a certain age will recognize Director Gordon Douglas' wink at his audience when Blocker is watching television and we hear the Bonanza theme song coming from the screen.

Raquel Welch provides plenty of eye-candy and big (really big) hair as a rich heiress named Kit. This is Raquel in her sexy prime where her hair style changes as frequently as her bikinis and evening wear. Richard Conti returns as the long suffering police lieutenant and Sinatra's friend and former partner.

The 1960s goodness abounds, with even more views of Miami than in the first film, more classic cars, nightclubs and strip joints, and an extended chase sequence through some Miami Beach hotels, complete with a cabana boy offering to set up tourists with all the hookers and blow they need to make their stay in Miami a memorable experience. Best of all are the little things that populate this time-capsule caught on celluloid.......hey, you know it's the 1960s when five bucks (a "fin") is enough money to tempt some stool pigeon to rat out a gangster.

The PQ is gloriously good and colorful; no complaints from this lover of vintage cinema. One thing missing in the sequel is the music that enlivened the first movie. I missed hearing Nancy Sinatra's spirited theme song and the action music that spiced up Tony Rome. This time the dominate theme is a kind of bad martini-lounge sound from Hugo Montenegro, which means jaunty organ riffs accompany many of the chases and beat-downs, sort of like the kind of parody music heard in elevators once upon a time that ear-worms its way into your brain. All in all, Lady in Cement is pretty good and worth your time. Ruder, cruder, and lewder than the first film, it contains many of the same magical ingredients, and while not as good, it just might be more fun.

[tisdivine]

Im taking a “class” on musicals and happened to watch Pal Joey tonight on TCM and I freakin loved it. Of course TT is sold out. Anybody seen any copies around that are around $35-40 ish. I checked eBay but ya know eBay is being eBay lol

[oildude]

From Twilight Time:

Just a heads-up there are fewer than 80 copies remaining of MISSISSIPPI MERMAID, and fewer than 90 copies remaining of HOUSE OF BAMBOO - both titles are sale-priced at the moment, and only available at http://www.twilighttimemovies.com

Low Quantity Alert in the first post has been updated.

[Thomas Irwin]

Originally Posted by tisdivine

Im taking a “class” on musicals and happened to watch Pal Joey tonight on TCM and I freakin loved it. Of course TT is sold out. Anybody seen any copies around that are around $35-40 ish. I checked eBay but ya know eBay is being eBay lol

There are a couple of copies on Amazon that would come out to just a bit over $40 with shipping.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...n=new&qid=&sr=