Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[The Crimson King]

Not interested in the new releases. I'm relieved, my wallet needs a break (and also not interested in any of the last two Criterion monthly announcements). After a busy period of buying (for me) recent releases The Big Heat, Where the Sidewalk Ends, The Last Detail, Remains of the Day, and Sense and Sensibility, it's nice to have a break and wait for the next TT sale to get the 5 or so other older releases I'm still wanting. Truthfully, I like Twilight Time for releasing things others wouldn't but the price is still a little much for me. I'd rather have a cheaper general release or a Criterion with great extras, but if it's the only way to get the said bluray releases, then so be it.

14 TT releases for me (once The Big Heat and Where the Sidewalk Ends arrives).

[tardif]

I am just curious why the extras are typically very slim and frugal on Twilight Time releases?

From what I understand, the company has been in business for several years now and presumably doing reasonably well financially. Where other companies like Arrow, Criterion, Shout/Scream Factory, Code Red, 88 Films etc (to name but a few) seem to produce a decent amount of new special features, Twilight Time very rarely produce exclusive making of documentaries and special features, other than a commentary track or music track or reproducing old extras from prior DVD releases.

Surely by now, you would think Twilight Time could step up their game a little and provide a little more bang for our buck? I don't mind paying extra for their releases if the price justifies the package.

I'd be curious to know if they have provided any justification for their sparse extras in the past?

[solovoyager]

Originally Posted by oildude

The Member of the Wedding (1952) is directed by Fred Zinnemann, one of the greats of cinema. I have never seen it, but I am most definitely in for this one. Based on the 1946 novel by Carson McCullers and a subsequent stage play adaption (with many of the play's cast starring in the movie), it is a coming of age story set in the South. It was the film Zinnemann made between High Noon and From Here to Eternity.

The more Zinnemann we get on Blu-ray, the more that is right with the world.

Would love the Zinnemann-directed The Day of the Jackal on Blu.

[onetet]

Originally Posted by Akijama

Here's the May / June lineup, courtesy of HTF:

Nice announcements. I'm in for at least:

EUREKA (1983) BLU-RAY - May 10th

INSERTS (1975) BLU-RAY - June 14th

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1959) BLU-RAY - June 14th

THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK (1971) BLU-RAY - June 14th

[rdodolak]

TT is venturing into erotic drama, I see ...

APPASSIONATA (1974) BLU-RAY - May 10th

http://www.rewindfilm.it/eng/FilmDetails.aspx?id=56

[jcs913]

Frankly, selling off most of my TT OOP titles has really paid off. Make a little money and still get the release at $29.99... What's not to like, especially when their business model is becoming predictable.

[Mr. Eddy]

Originally Posted by Brad1963

This year 4 MGM/UA titles, the just announced Rollerball, plus Thunderbolt & Lightfoot (April) The Train (later this year) and a 4th which I am going guess to be Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia.

The fourth title is going to be Alfredo Garcia.

Originally Posted by Nick Redman

Fat City streets tomorrow, pre-orders are up...we did put out AG [Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia] and the first run is gone although it'll be making a comeback next year so worry not...

NOTE: Credit goes to rdodolak as source. Post #19090 on this thread. When I quote the post the Redman quote wasn't showing.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by solovoyager

Would love the Zinnemann-directed The Day of the Jackal on Blu.

Me too. Absolutely one of the must-have titles yet to be released on BD.

[dragon53]

By coincidence, I was thinking about THE DAY OF THE JACKAL today. I saw it on tv many years ago and watched it on dvd about a year ago. A Blu-ray version would be great.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

Like I said before, not reissuing a movie just opens the door for another movie that hasn't been released at all on Blu-ray. Look at the bright side. IMO, Blu-ray in general has far too many reissues and too few debut releases. The format as it is releases only a fraction of the catalog that DVD does.

Twilight Time releases are different from the 10 re-issues some catalog titles have gotten from studios. The latter aren't limited releases, so there's no need for people to get a second, third, fourth, or fifth chance to buy something since 99.9% of them never go out of print. While even the TT genre titles that used to sell out quickly are still available for a while, it's not exactly a bad thing for people to get a second chance with 3,000 more copies being produced. It's not like they are putting out a bunch of re-issues at one time that would actually be keeping them from putting out others. It's been pretty much one title per two month announcement period at most, and there's no guarantee they would have released something else instead.

I was late to the game buying some of their genre stuff, and while that's obviously partially my own fault, it has been a blessing to get a second chance to buy titles like Journey to the Center of the Earth, Mysterious Island, Fright Night, etc. I'll hopefully feel the same way about Rollerball when that releases again as well.

[Blu Titan]

Great to read the news about Rollerball...missed it the first time around.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by oildude

The Member of the Wedding (1952) is directed by Fred Zinnemann, one of the greats of cinema. I have never seen it, but I am most definitely in for this one. Based on the 1946 novel by Carson McCullers and a subsequent stage play adaption (with many of the play's cast starring in the movie), it is a coming of age story set in the South. It was the film Zinnemann made between High Noon and From Here to Eternity.

The more Zinnemann we get on Blu-ray, the more that is right with the world.

I like The Member of the Wedding a lot, mostly because I am a big Julie Harris fan, but you have suspend disbelief A LOT to accept a grown woman portraying a 12 year-old tomboy. If you can do that, it's very rewarding, but mostly for the performances by Ms. Harris and Ethel Waters.

[deltatauhobbit]

If there really are no more re-releases coming ever again, that's a bit of a shame since I was hoping The Egyptian would make a return since I didn't learn about the label until well after it was gone.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

Like I said before, not reissuing a movie just opens the door for another movie that hasn't been released at all on Blu-ray. Look at the bright side. IMO, Blu-ray in general has far too many reissues and too few debut releases. The format as it is releases only a fraction of the catalog that DVD does.

That's really not the case with Twilight Time. Since they started reissuing titles, their pattern has generally been to release five new titles a month. In months containing a reissue, the reissue is a sixth title.

Jan 2015 - four new titles + Fright Night reissue
Feb - five new titles
Mar - four new titles + Journey to the Center of the Earth reissue
Apr - six new titles

Mar/Apr is an aberration, as Zardoz was delayed

May - five new titles
June - five new titles
July - five new titles
Aug - five new titles
Sep - five new titles
Oct - six new titles

Slight aberration, as Vampires was released separately from the other October titles. It was originally scheduled for September, but even then, it would've been released separately from the other September titles.

Nov - five new titles
Dec - four new titles + Mysterious Island reissue
Jan 2016 - six new titles

Dec/Jan was another aberration, as Harlock: Space Pirate was delayed from December to January.

Feb - five new titles + The Big Heat reissue
Mar - five new titles
Apr - five new titles + Thunderbolt and Lightfoot reissue
May - five new titles
June - five new titles + Rollerball reissue

So, it's clear that reissues are an additional slot, and don't take up a slot for another hypothetical new release.

[RalphoR]

Just Hound for me.

[docc]

Originally Posted by solovoyager

Would love the Zinnemann-directed The Day of the Jackal on Blu.

It's at the very top of my Blu-ray wishlist but being from Universal I'm doubtful it will ever happen unless a European label picks it up. Really looking forward though to Zinneman's 'Julia' later from TT

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by tardif

I am just curious why the extras are typically very slim and frugal on Twilight Time releases?

I can see this being a valid question three years ago, but recently, TT has done a much better job of providing a solid assortment of extras on many of its releases. Take the Fox noirs, for instance. TT is porting over the original DVD extras and then often providing at least a new audio commentary on top of them.

[Ruemorgue10]

I was really hoping Runaway Train would be among the newly announced titles. Been waiting for that one a long time.

[antennahead]

Originally Posted by solovoyager

Would love the Zinnemann-directed The Day of the Jackal on Blu.

Absolutely!!!

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by docc

It's at the very top of my Blu-ray wishlist but being from Universal I'm doubtful it will ever happen unless a European label picks it up. Really looking forward though to Zinneman's 'Julia' later from TT

Yeah I'm thinking at this point Koch Media in Germany might be our best hope for Jackal, they release a lot of Universal stuff.