Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[Bradsdadg]

That is too bad that they don't update social media with titles that have sold out. I know they used to be on top of that... :/

[thatguamguy]

I think as far as things they used to do that they don't do anymore, that's certainly on the list, but there are a few major things above it. Like, remember back when they released movies?

[klauswhereareyou]

Originally Posted by thatguamguy

I think as far as things they used to do that they don't do anymore, that's certainly on the list, but there are a few major things above it. Like, remember back when they released movies?

I guess at least they had a good run if they no longer put any future titles. I'm thankful they got a lot of older Fox stuff out before and shortly after the Disney takeover.

[easydreamer]

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

So either Where the Sidewalk Ends was "low quantity" before the sale, or it sold a heck of a lot of copies during the sale.

Where the Sidewalk Ends had been at low quantities in SAE ever since the end of the year sale started in last Nov, according to the emails received from them. There has been no mention of it in the emails from TT Movies since Nov 2018 (a year prior), and at that time the stocks had already been fewer than 25 (per email). Most likely it had been sold out at TT Movies soon after.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

I guess at least they had a good run if they no longer put any future titles. I'm thankful they got a lot of older Fox stuff out before and shortly after the Disney takeover.

Agreed. But it was a punch to the gut about The Iron Horse as I was so looking forward to that and was ready to preorder too. Dang Disney.

[Acer2010]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

One of many many Twilight Time titles that were begging to be released from my still-unwatched stack...



At the nondescript Consolidated Companies workplace, Judy, a mousy divorcee played by Jane Fonda, Violet, a beleaguered senior office supervisor played by Lily Tomlin, and Doralee, a spunky administrative assistant played by Dolly Parton, daydream about turning the tables on their sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot boss, Franklin, who sexually harasses his female employees, takes credit for their ideas, and spreads rumors about sleeping with them. When a series of random accidents lands Franklin, played by Dabney Coleman, in the hospital, these three women sense an opportunity to turn their fantasies into reality by taking control of their department.

I was only eight years old when the 1980 office satire, 9 to 5, landed in theaters, so my first exposure to the film was by way of the infectiously catchy Dolly Parton title song that was ubiquitous for months on end on every radio station in my rural Georgia hometown. This blockbuster release, which blends the slapstick of 1940s screwball comedies with the sharp cynicism of 1970s political cinema, is a hilarious, yet affecting pop culture milestone based on a pitch from Fonda and directed with a fast-paced exuberance by Colin Higgins (Foul Play), but the song, which graces the opening credits with bouncy lyrics that were relatable even to my third-grade male self, is the engine that drives the whole endeavor. It is impossible for me to listen to that music without smiling, and that feeling reverberates throughout the 109-minute run time of the narrative. Even today, this is a shining example of how the right soundtrack choices can elevate a good movie to greatness.

Fonda, who was well-known at the time for her activism, plays against type to brilliant result. Tomlin's performance is more grounded, exuding a weary exasperation that elicits a universal sympathy from audiences, but still proves humorous, especially during one of my favorite scenes where her character, disguised as a doctor, interacts with a hospital volunteer. Coleman portrays the villain with a terrific smarminess that, to this day, makes him one of most memorable characters whom we would love to hate.

Parton, however, miraculously manages to be the Most Valuable Player of the entire project, although this was her first feature film role. Her natural showmanship and sense of timing commands attention during her every moment on the screen. I crack up laughing every time during a car trunk scene where her character nonchalantly asks her friends, “Would you come over here for a second?” She and Higgins would collaborate again soon after in The Best Little *****house in Texas, which also stayed at my local hometown theater for weeks.

In lesser hands, 9 to 5, which is sadly just as relevant in today's workplaces as it was four decades ago, might have been a well-intended, yet forgettable undertaking. The music and screen presence of Parton is a perfect spoonful of sugar to make the medicine go down, though, and her inclusion in the movie, another sharply strategic idea from Fonda for the purpose of attracting a larger target audience, was a choice for the ages. My latest revisit to this film was a fine way to celebrate Parton's birthday.

This Twilight Time Blu-ray shines with a great-looking transfer fitting of the original no-frills look of the main feature. The two commentary tracks are both hugely entertaining, as are the supplementary interviews and documentaries.

Does anyone know if the Twilight Time Blu-ray of 9 TO 5 was sourced from a 4K restoration?

[Bradsdadg]

Well I spoke too soon


"Thanks to Blu-ray movie buffs who whom Twilight Time owes its ongoing gratitude, two more treasurable titles have sold out, the daffy farce THE FORTUNE (1975) and the dark noir WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS (1950), the 158th and 159th discs to do so. The Sales continue through January 31 on the Elvis Presley favorites FLAMING STAR (1960, at SAE only), WILD IN THE COUNTRY (1961) and KID GALAHAD (1962) as well as the 3-for-$25 Package of Titles (30+ to choose from) at both http://www.screenarchives.com and https://www.twilighttimemovies.com/. Only one week remains to grab some great entertainment bargains!"

[SeanJoyce]

Still gutted that we'll probably never get Widmark's The Last Wagon on Blu.

[solovoyager]

I forgot how stocking of Twilight Time titles work? Can someone explain it to me? Does Screen Archives tend to always end up with the last amounts of individual titles? Or does TwilightTimeMovies.com? Or does it vary, depending perhaps on when the Blu-ray was released?

Part of the reason I ask is I see Screen Archives appears to have just 5 copies of LA MOGLIE PIU BELLA (THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WIFE). TwilightTimeMovies.com has at least 20 copies (the maximum amount allowed in one's shopping cart).

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by solovoyager

I forgot how stocking of Twilight Time titles work? Can someone explain it to me? Does Screen Archives tend to always end up with the last amounts of individual titles? Or does TwilightTimeMovies.com? Or does it vary, depending perhaps on when the Blu-ray was released?

Part of the reason I ask is I see Screen Archives appears to have just 5 copies of LA MOGLIE PIU BELLA (THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WIFE). TwilightTimeMovies.com has at least 20 copies (the maximum amount allowed in one's shopping cart).

For a few years SAE was, effectively, the only distributor of Twilight Time releases. So, they were more likely to have a larger stock of the earlier releases. Once Twilight Time established their own website (and shop), it became more scattershot as to which one would run out of stock on a later release first.

I suppose a lot of it depends on which one has a larger customer base for the TT releases. I've ordered from both, but I tend to gravitate to SAE first.

[rdodolak]

Also remember that they may not have the entire stock at their facility. Additional stock may still be at the warehouse so it's hard to tell if a title nearing selling out if more quantity is still available.

[mja345]

Gave Fred Zinnemann's "Behold a Pale Horse" a spin last night. It's a joyful romp that affirms how wonderful life is.....Just kidding, it's an incredibly moody, dark, depressing film that I think is one of Zinnemann's overlooked masterpieces.

While "Behold a Pale Horse" perhaps will never gain the near-unanimous love that some of other Zinnemann's best films have, this film is so damn effective at creating a palpable mood, a sense of dread, and uses the rural French and Spanish locations to perfection. Gregory Peck delivers a powerhouse performance as Republican guerilla fighter Manuel Artiguez, a once-proud man now weary and beaten down by life, 20 years after the Spanish Civil War. He is recruited by a young boy named Paco to kill a Spanish police officer (Anthony Quinn), who killed his father and also happens to be searching for Peck. Peck is subsequently aided by a priest (Omar Sharif), intent on warning Peck to not come back into Spain to search for Quinn or to visit his dying mother.

Peck's performance is among his best IMO, as he injects the character with an enigmatic darkness, making the character complicated but not impenetrable. Sharif is also strong as the priest, clearly willing to help Peck but unsure what to make of him. One of the few criticisms I have is that Quinn's character is slightly underdeveloped. In fact, the film could have used an extra 15-20 minutes to develop Quinn's character a bit more, to juxtapose how he believes in nothing of substance and is rewarded for it, while Peck has been forced to essentially go into exile for what he believes in. Zinnemann makes the interesting choice of making Quinn's character not necessarily an evil man, but a vapid, shallow one.

TT's disc delivers a stunning presentation. In fact, I can't imagine watching this film in a lesser format than BD. The atmosphere is so crucial to the story and setting the mood of the film. This is a film that gets overlooked during Zinnemann's run of brilliance, perhaps because it is so dark and foreboding, but it's up there with his best work. Highly recommended.

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by mja345

Gave Fred Zinnemann's "Behold a Pale Horse" a spin last night. It's a joyful romp that affirms how wonderful life is.....Just kidding, it's an incredibly moody, dark, depressing film that I think is one of Zinnemann's overlooked masterpieces.

While "Behold a Pale Horse" perhaps will never gain the near-unanimous love that some of other Zinnemann's best films have, this film is so damn effective at creating a palpable mood, a sense of dread, and uses the rural French and Spanish locations to perfection. Gregory Peck delivers a powerhouse performance as Republican guerilla fighter Manuel Artiguez, a once-proud man now weary and beaten down by life, 20 years after the Spanish Civil War. He is recruited by a young boy named Paco to kill a Spanish police officer (Anthony Quinn), who killed his father and also happens to be searching for Peck. Peck is subsequently aided by a priest (Omar Sharif), intent on warning Peck to not come back into Spain to search for Quinn or to visit his dying mother.

Peck's performance is among his best IMO, as he injects the character with an enigmatic darkness, making the character complicated but not impenetrable. Sharif is also strong as the priest, clearly willing to help Peck but unsure what to make of him. One of the few criticisms I have is that Quinn's character is slightly underdeveloped. In fact, the film could have used an extra 15-20 minutes to develop Quinn's character a bit more, to juxtapose how he believes in nothing of substance and is rewarded for it, while Peck has been forced to essentially go into exile for what he believes in. Zinnemann makes the interesting choice of making Quinn's character not necessarily an evil man, but a vapid, shallow one.

TT's disc delivers a stunning presentation. In fact, I can't imagine watching this film in a lesser format than BD. The atmosphere is so crucial to the story and setting the mood of the film. This is a film that gets overlooked during Zinnemann's run of brilliance, perhaps because it is so dark and foreboding, but it's up there with his best work. Highly recommended.

I put BEHOLD A PALE HORSE on the back burner for awhile but you've just
persuaded me to Buy It Now.

[ShellBeacher]

Originally Posted by silverlakephil

Since Nick Redman's passing last year, no one really knows. They had big shoes to fill, with all the work he was dedicated to (restorations, commentaries), so I don't think they've found anybody to replace him, hence the lack of any announcement for new titles.

Julie Kirgo is out/has stepped away, too, according to a recent Twilight Time Facebook comment thread.

[klauswhereareyou]

Not happy that the cheapest shipping option at both Screen archives and Twilight Time now is USPS first class. I guess if it keeps them afloat then okay, but I never had any issues getting stuff in one piece from them when they had cheaper shipping options.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

Not happy that the cheapest shipping option at both Screen archives and Twilight Time now is USPS first class. I guess if it keeps them afloat then okay, but I never had any issues getting stuff in one piece from them when they had cheaper shipping options.

Yep. Nearly $7.00 to ship two Blus. There are very few titles I need anymore that would justify that kind of gouging. If they need to somehow sneak in additional profit by hiking up shipping fees, that sours me enough to skip their offerings altogether. I’m usually pretty lenient with retailers if they make an effort to meet customers halfway, such as KINO and others who offer a threshold for comped shipping, but this kind of policy and apparent subterfuge is uncalled for and does not present them in a good light. If they need additional revenue to survive as a business, be upfront about it and charge more for the product itself. Their reasoning about the increased shipping may be indeed be sound, but without any evidence to back up their claims, we are being asked to believe it on faith. And I don’t believe it.

[movieben1138]

It seems dubious to me, too. I've ordered from them for the better part of a decade and, so long as it's been an option, I have always chosen media mail. I have never had a damaged or lost package and I have ordered A LOT. This has all the earmarks of a company wanting to boost their own profits by pocketing the difference.

[octobercountry]

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

Not happy that the cheapest shipping option at both Screen archives and Twilight Time now is USPS first class. I guess if it keeps them afloat then okay, but I never had any issues getting stuff in one piece from them when they had cheaper shipping options.

Screen Archives does have a cheaper shipping option; you have to choose it during checkout. (It automatically defaults to first class shipping, but you don't have to keep it that way.) Oh, their shipping is still high, but by changing the shipping option at least I saved $4.00 on my last order, when I bought six of the Twilight Time sale blu-rays.

Edited to add: So---SA shipping, using the cheaper rate, came to about $1.62 per disc on a six-disc order. That's not great, but heck, I don't mind it all that much.

[erlinmeyer]

Originally Posted by octobercountry

Screen Archives does have a cheaper shipping option; you have to choose it during checkout. (It automatically defaults to first class shipping, but you don't have to keep it that way.) Oh, their shipping is still high, but by changing the shipping option at least I saved $4.00 on my last order, when I bought six of the Twilight Time sale blu-rays.

Edited to add: So---SA shipping, using the cheaper rate, came to about $1.62 per disc on a six-disc order. That's not great, but heck, I don't mind it all that much.

From Facebook:
Screen Archives Entertainment
January 22 at 2:35 PM ·
We are sorry to inform you that due to excessive loss and damages, we will now no longer be offering the Media Mail shipping option. All US orders will only be shipped via First Class Mail and Priority Mail Services, which has always been the standard mailing method available on our site. This is based on weight and not able to be chosen for a preference. All currently pending orders with the Media Mail option selected will still ship via this method. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
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[hariseldon]

Originally Posted by octobercountry

Screen Archives does have a cheaper shipping option; you have to choose it during checkout..

I think it's been a while since you ordered. SAE has eliminated the optional shipping option in the last week or two.