Night of the Living Dead (1990) - Out of Print

[Yankees0222]

Originally Posted by thephantomcat

It's not a fact that it's a rip off. That's your opinion. TT releases forgotten films of yesteryear that otherwise might not see a Blu-ray release. $30.00 for a Blu-ray that may never again see the light of day is a good trade off.

Agreed! Which is why I blind buy all of my twilight time releases I have. I appreciate what TT does in helping some of these great films (*ahem* rapture/swamp water*ahem*) that we would never get anywhere else in a million years (with the only possible option being Criterion). Spending an extra $15 on these movies are definitely worth it to me *shrug*

To each their own I wouldn't tell anyone how to spend their money.

[thephantomcat]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Another thing that I'm wondering about. We know the cinematographer Frank Prinzi was involved in some way when the master for this was done in 2010. Are we in agreement here that this master was likely being primed for a 20th Anniversary Blu-ray release? I think the timing would certainly indicate that. Now, If that's the case then I have to question what has transpired since then? Not only was this movie shelved and no 20th Anniversary edition released, but it was handed off to Twilight Time instead of a wide release some 2 years later. If I had to guess, I'd say someone higher up at Sony was not pleased with the end result and decided it wasn't a quality enough product to deserve a 20th Anniversary release, or even a wide release in general. Thoughts?

Studios look at things like DVD sales to detirmine if a movie deserves a Blu-ray release. If they only sell a few hundred discs a year, they see no need to release it. If quality of product was a concern, only reference quality Blu-rays would ever be released.

[Uncontrol]

Originally Posted by thephantomcat

It's not a fact that it's a rip off. That's your opinion. TT releases forgotten films of yesteryear that otherwise might not see a Blu-ray release. $30.00 for a Blu-ray that may never again see the light of day is a good trade off.

I, along with probably most people, would consider artificially limiting supply to jack the prices up and lower overhead to be shady business. I understand why someone would consider that to be a rip off.

If TT was so interested in providing us with the "forgotten films of yesteryear", they wouldn't purposely limit the supply.

[thephantomcat]

Originally Posted by Uncontrol

I, along with probably most people, would consider artificially limiting supply to jack the prices up and lower overhead to be shady business. I understand why someone would consider that to be a rip off.

If TT was so interested in providing us with the "forgotten films of yesteryear", they wouldn't purposely limit the supply.

If 3000 units was such a limited suplly, then As Good As It Gets and Steel Magnolias would be sold out by now. Over 19,000 people on IMDB gave AGAIG 10 stars and it has yet to sell 3,000 copies. 20,000 have rated Steel Magnolias and 3,900 have given it a 10 star rating. Not sold out.

Theres nothing shady about what they've been doing. It's good business. Or should they invest millions of dollars in pressing hundreds of thousands of discs to sell them for 7.88 in the Walmart bin and the most of them to sit unsold in a warehouse?

[Bradleystp]

Sat down and watched the blu last night. It is pretty dark. Is it awful, no. But it is definitely dark, and makes some scenes very hard to see (especially when she first goes in the house). It is very odd how you can watch the trailer in its original "look" right on the disk.

I understand that Savini thinks it looks wonderful, and I think in some scenes, it looks fine. But even the beginning where she first gets to the house is way too dark. And the birds chirping away makes it very weird....

I popped in my old DVD right after, and was really surprised how good the DVD looks. Personally, (with no offense to Savini), I think i greatly prefer the original version of the film over the new darker version. I will probably pop in the DVD over the Blu if I watch it again. That is something nobody should ever have to say.

[Uncontrol]

Originally Posted by thephantomcat

If 3000 units was such a limited suplly, then As Good As It Gets and Steel Magnolias would be sold out by now. Over 19,000 people on IMDB gave AGAIG 10 stars and it has yet to sell 3,000 copies. 20,000 have rated Steel Magnolias and 3,900 have given it a 10 star rating. Not sold out.

Theres nothing shady about what they've been doing. It's good business. Or should they invest millions of dollars in pressing hundreds of thousands of discs to sell them for 7.88 in the Walmart bin and the most of them to sit unsold in a warehouse?

This isn't as black and white as it was a year and two ago.

Shout Factory, Synapse, BU, Criterion, Olive Films and plenty of even smaller labels release even more obscure titles not only better, but cheaper too. If they can do all of that AND do in-house transfers, what excuse does TT have?

[deepbreathsanddeath]

If no replacement programme is set up with TT then I'll probably just sell mine on ebay. By the sounds of it, this isn't really a blu-ray worth keeping for any other reason than the fact that it's a collectable item which personally isn't a good enough reason for me to hang onto it.

[BluPat]

Originally Posted by Uncontrol

This isn't as black and white as it was a year and two ago.

Shout Factory, Synapse, BU, Criterion, Olive Films and plenty of even smaller labels release even more obscure titles not only better, but cheaper too. If they can do all of that AND do in-house transfers, what excuse does TT have?

Exactly. They have no excuse.

[thephantomcat]

Originally Posted by Uncontrol

This isn't as black and white as it was a year and two ago.

Shout Factory, Synapse, BU, Criterion, Olive Films and plenty of even smaller labels release even more obscure titles not only better, but cheaper too. If they can do all of that AND do in-house transfers, what excuse does TT have?

Does anyone have any statistical data showing how many units they've sold of their titles? Quaterly reports of units shipped and returned? That kind of information would go a long way towards proving whether they're making money.

Also, Criterion has been around for almost 30 years with around 40 employees is worth millions of dollars and is partnered with Hulu. It is not a small label. It also deals in mainstream classics initially releasing John Carpenter's Halloween.

As far as the others dealing in "even more obscure titles", being so obscure probably means lower liscencing fees and cheaper prices.

[Whirlygig]

Originally Posted by thephantomcat

If 3000 units was such a limited suplly, then As Good As It Gets and Steel Magnolias would be sold out by now. Over 19,000 people on IMDB gave AGAIG 10 stars and it has yet to sell 3,000 copies. 20,000 have rated Steel Magnolias and 3,900 have given it a 10 star rating. Not sold out.

Make 3,000 lollipops in your garage. Open the garage door. Try to sell them to passersby (at more than twice the price of other lollipops, no less). Will you be surprised if you haven't sold all 3,000 after a few days? Even though you know there are almost 7 billion people out there, most of whom like lollipops?

That's essentially what TT is doing. It really is a small minority of the home video buying public that goes anywhere online where they would become aware of their lollipops. I could see my mom, and millions of other moms, impulse buying Steel Magnolias at Wal-Mart for $8 in a heartbeat, but she'll never sit on the computer and search for it, or order it, in a million years.

Their huge sellouts are the titles that internet-savvy, home video junkies are more likely to care about. The ones that target younger males with disposable income. We're all sitting here on the internet, oh look, Steel Magnolias, big whoop -- HORROR movies??? SCI-FI??? NOIR with GUNS and BABES? GIMME GIMME!

[Lemmy Lugosi]

Originally Posted by deepbreathsanddeath

If no replacement programme is set up with TT then I'll probably just sell mine on ebay. By the sounds of it, this isn't really a blu-ray worth keeping for any other reason than the fact that it's a collectable item which personally isn't a good enough reason for me to hang onto it.

Bingo. I'm a speculator (not trying to get anyone riled, just stating the fact), and there'll be pretty much zero market for these in a year. Everyone who wants one will have one, and keep it until the format's dead. The ones that aren't kept (many folks have said they'd watched it once and were selling it) will end up as BuyBacks fodder. It'll always be around, though the demand may last for several months, until all the curious ones have at least seen it.

And, eventually, some entrepreneurial chap will see that there is some serious demand for this title in it's natural state. We'll have another blu, from at least one region, I'm sure. It may even be marketed as "finally seen in it's original state!!!", etc.

Here's to hoping.

[Whirlygig]

Originally Posted by thephantomcat

Does anyone have any statistical data showing how many units they've sold of their titles? Quaterly reports of units shipped and returned? That kind of information would go a long way towards proving whether they're making money.

You know what proves they are making money? They keep doing it. Funny how you are interested in some hard evidence to back up arguments now, but you didn't seem to care earlier whether the director of this film was on audio recording testifying that the original film opens in daylight.

[illini2000]

Originally Posted by Uncontrol

This isn't as black and white as it was a year and two ago.

Shout Factory, Synapse, BU, Criterion, Olive Films and plenty of even smaller labels release even more obscure titles not only better, but cheaper too. If they can do all of that AND do in-house transfers, what excuse does TT have?

Olive Films titles are not cheaper. You may save a couple dollars because Amazon carries them, but they still list for $30. The special features on their discs are next to nothing.

Twilight Time licenses titles from studios for 3000 copies, period. They sell them at the price listed on their website and use the transfers they're provided. If people are so dissatisfied with this process, then don't buy from them. If you feel so robbed and victimized because of a $30 blu-ray, why on earth haven't you listed it on ebay immediately, made your profit and moved on with your life. Them selling a disc for $30 is no different from a media store selling something for full suggested retail price.

[Uncontrol]

Originally Posted by thephantomcat

Does anyone have any statistical data showing how many units they've sold of their titles? Quaterly reports of units shipped and returned? That kind of information would go a long way towards proving whether they're making money.

Also, Criterion has been around for almost 30 years with around 40 employees is worth millions of dollars and is partnered with Hulu. It is not a small label. It also deals in mainstream classics initially releasing John Carpenter's Halloween.

As far as the others dealing in "even more obscure titles", being so obscure probably means lower liscencing fees and cheaper prices.

So, you applaud TT for releasing obscure titles, but when other labels do it.. They're only doing it because it's cheap? Lol okay.

And does it really matter how many units were sold? Obviously they're making profit otherwise they wouldn't be in business, let alone expanding their output.

I can't imagine anyone unbiasly comparing Scream Factory output with TT's horror releases and not seeing what I see.

[thephantomcat]

Originally Posted by Whirlygig

Make 3,000 lollipops in your garage. Open the garage door. Try to sell them to passersby (at more than twice the price of other lollipops, no less). Will you be surprised if you haven't sold all 3,000 after a few days? Even though you know there are almost 7 billion people out there, most of whom like lollipops?

That's essentially what TT is doing. It really is a small minority of the home video buying public that goes anywhere online where they would become aware of their lollipops. I could see my mom, and millions of other moms, impulse buying Steel Magnolias at Wal-Mart for $8 in a heartbeat, but she'll never sit on the computer and search for it, or order it, in a million years.

You don't think of 7 Billion people in the world, there are 3,000 mothers with Blu-ray players who use the internet? ."

[UNCMT9]

Originally Posted by thephantomcat

You don't think of 7 Billion people in the world, there are 3,000 mothers with Blu-ray players who use the internet? ."

Agree with this notion. TT could put out 3,000 pieces of crap (Maybe this film?- eye of the beholder I assume) and people would still buy them. If you had a larger number of lollipops, you may have trouble selling them, but there will always be a desire for anything limited.

[thephantomcat]

Originally Posted by Whirlygig

You know what proves they are making money? They keep doing it. Funny how you are interested in some hard evidence to back up arguments now, but you didn't seem to care earlier whether the director of this film was on audio recording testifying that the original film opens in daylight.

I've never said the original film didn't open in daylight. When did I say that?

[thephantomcat]

Originally Posted by Uncontrol

So, you applaud TT for releasing obscure titles, but when other labels do it.. They're only doing it because it's cheap? Lol okay.

And does it really matter how many units were sold? Obviously they're making profit otherwise they wouldn't be in business, let alone expanding their output.

I can't imagine anyone unbiasly comparing Scream Factory output with TT's horror releases and not seeing what I see.

I've made no statements regarding the other labels' motivation.

[Whirlygig]

Originally Posted by thephantomcat

You don't think of 7 Billion people in the world, there are 3,000 mothers with Blu-ray players who use the internet? ."

People in the world.
Moms.
With Blu-ray players.
Searching the internet for "Steel Magnolias Blu-ray".
Willing to spend $30+ to place an order.
And put their credit card on "teh intarwebs".
3,000.
Within a month of release.
Obviously not.

People in the world.
Moms.
With Blu-ray players.
Walking around in Wal-mart.
Finding "Steel Magnolias" Blu-ray - $7.99.
Willing to throw it in the cart.
3,000.
For however long Wal-mart leaves it on the floor.
More likely.

[thephantomcat]

Originally Posted by UNCMT9

Agree with this notion. TT could put out 3,000 pieces of crap (Maybe this film?- eye of the beholder I assume) and people would still buy them. If you had a larger number of lollipops, you may have trouble selling them, but there will always be a desire for anything limited.

If that were the case, then all of TT's titles would have sold out.