Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[gates70]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

What is there to beware of? They clearly state that policy in a big red box and you have to actively choose to take the cheaper option agreeing to take the risk of not being reimbursed if the parcel gets lost. Seeing as they DO offer a cheaper option, I'd hazard a guess that the "extortion shipping price" is what they actually get charged themselves to send a parcel out of country with a declared value of $70.

The "beware of" is the "at your own risk" for the international people that want to shop there. I've ordered from the US a bunch of times in my life and have never had a company say that it was at my own risk. That's pretty bush league actually.

[vilha]

Originally Posted by TheOneWithThePrize

You didn't happen to opt for the more expensive shipping option? Then SAE would be inclined to mark it with the correct amount in case of a lost/damaged package.

Yes I had registered shipping but for example Diabolik uses that too and they mark the value lower than it actually is. BTW the registered shipping cost $25 extra and when I tried to use the tracking number it says "USPS Tracking™ is unavailable for this product for FINLAND."

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by gates70

The "beware of" is the "at your own risk" for the international people that want to shop there. I've ordered from the US a bunch of times in my life and have never had a company say that it was at my own risk. That's pretty bush league actually.

I'm in Canada and have been ordering from them for years and have been aware of that policy for years because as I stated above, it's clearly noted in a big red "you can't miss this" box. I've always taken the cheaper option knowing full well that if the parcel got lost then I'm SOL. In this case, it's you who is SOL and because you're mad at yourself for taking a risk and getting burned, you're lashing out.

[warrian]

Originally Posted by gates70

The "beware of" is the "at your own risk" for the international people that want to shop there. I've ordered from the US a bunch of times in my life and have never had a company say that it was at my own risk. That's pretty bush league actually.

I'm sure it has to do with the limited edition nature of the product itself. But I for one do appreciate the additional warning, even if the terms and conditions state the policy clearly. Nothing hits home like an actual customer experience when it comes to something like this IMO.

Thanks for taking the time to share and elaborate.

[gates70]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

I'm in Canada and have been ordering from them for years and have been aware of that policy for years because as I stated above, it's clearly noted in a big red "you can't miss this" box. I've always taken the cheaper option knowing full well that if the parcel got lost then I'm SOL. In this case, it's you who is SOL and because you're mad at yourself for taking a risk and getting burned, you're lashing out.

Oh please. I've been ordering from them for years as well. If you'd lose out at the price they sell their movies, especially with the conversion, you'd lash out too. You can check that holier than though attitude at the door as far as I'm concerned. It shouldn't be a risk. Like I said, any other company I've dealt with have had replacements with no problems at all (not that I've had stuff go missing often).

[gates70]

Originally Posted by warrian

I'm sure it has to do with the limited edition nature of the product itself. But I for one do appreciate the additional warning, even if the terms and conditions state the policy clearly. Nothing hits home like an actual customer experience when it comes to something like this IMO.

Thanks for taking the time to share and elaborate.

Exactly. If this other guy experienced this, he wouldn't sit on his high horse talking that way.

[oildude]

Guys, please do not derail this thread any further discussing import duties and a shipper marking titles cheaper than what you paid, and rants about overseas shipping costs for replacement insurance. Nearly a page of posts on the topic already is enough. It is a buyer beware situation. You want full replacement, you pay the higher rate. You also apparently get marked for full value for import duties. You want it cheaper all around, you pay the non-insured rate and take you chances that the shipper marks it cheaper than what you paid, your shipment isn't lost, and your country doesn't slap on import duties. This is not going to end well, posts are starting to degrade into insults and rants, and I don't want to have to come clean this up later. Please let's move on. Thanks

On a stock note, John Carpenter's Vampires disappeared from the SAE website during the last 20 minutes of the sale. Looks like the only stock remaining is now at the Twilight Time site.

[eapfan69]

I finally pulled the trigger on the sale and got

Blue Lagoon
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation
Experiment in Terror
Major Dundee
In Like Flint
Two Rode Together

I was mostly driven by the low-quantity issue. Besides the fact that the 1960's and 1970's are my favorite decades for movies, I like James Stewart. I saw Blue Lagoon at the theater back in the day, the first R-rated movie that I was allowed to attend, so there is a nostalgia factor involved with that one.

I was very surprised to find a used copy of Those Magnificent Men in the Their Flying Machines recently for $18.88 (including shipping) and jumped on it immediately.

[cakefactory]

Yeah, I finally bit on a few with low quantity alerts which I probably wouldn't have ever bought otherwise (Major Dundee and Blue Lagoon).

I do remember ironically watching Blue Lagoon with a hornball girlfriend when I was in college and missing about 30 minutes of it. When we shifted our attention back to it, I remember feeling like I hadn't actually missed any of it, plus I remember thinking the ending was just as dumb as Ebert described! But, I'll give it another shot. If nothing else, all the scenery should look nice in HD, and it will bring back pleasant memories.

Major Dundee had a write-up on the AV club recently, plus I do have several Peckinpah movies already and love a few of them so I am somewhat curious.

The good thing about these low-quantity things is that even if I end up hating them I can probably re-sell them for at least somewhat close to what I paid for them.

Anyway, I splurged like a maniac and got:

Major Dundee
The Blue Lagoon
Birdman of Alcatraz
Swamp Water
Sense & Sensibility
Bunny Lake is Missing
Judgment at Nuremberg
10 Rillington Place
The Last Detail
The Big Heat
Fat City
Exodus
La Bambola di Satana
Vampires (i watched this already and thought it sucked, though Laura Palmer sure got really attractive in the years between Twin Peaks and this!!)

They're really on top of the shipping this year, I already received both shipments (I ordered on the 15th and then again on the 25th).

[eapfan69]

I was tempted to splurge a bit more, but I've been anticipating the August releases, so I held back. I would like to pre-order all of the August releases other than Theater of Blood. I'll wait on that one.

[oildude]

A bit of trivia concerning today's date, both from 1916:



Today is the 100th birthday of the incredible Olivia de Havilland, still with us and God bless her. Happy Birthday and many more, in good health and cheer. She can be seen in Twilight Time's catalog in the OOP DVD My Cousin Rachel, and in the upcoming Blu-ray of Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte.


On a grimmer note, today is also the 100th anniversary of one of the darkest days in the history of Great Britain. The opening day of the long, bloody 141 day struggle on the Western Front of WWI known as The Battle of the Somme. The offensive was designed to relieve the pressure on the French Army locked in a death struggle with imperial Germany at Verdun. I imagine today is a solemn day of remembrance in the UK.

July 1, 1916, saw the British suffer over 57,000 casualties, including 19,240 killed, in a single day. It was the single most terrible and bloody event in the entire history of the British Army and scarred the UK for decades afterward. More losses on that day than the British suffered in the Crimean War, the Boer War, and the Korean War combined. And there were to be 140 more days to come, though none remotely close to the horror of that first one. RIP to the memory of those who gave their all so long ago.

[RalphoR]

^
Thanks for sharing. I didn't realize Olivia was 100. That's awesome! Her sister Joan Fontaine almost made it there. 96 years old when she passed a few years back.

On a TT note. It looks like there's been quite a mad dash to get that last order in for this sale (I actually resisted which is shocking in and of itself). I'm wondering how many new titles will make it into the low quantity update?

[BluOrbit]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Exactly! Especially for Tracy's speech at the end. Those are real tears in Hepburn's eyes.

Real tears? Sorry, but I can't help but think that's a bit of a naive reaction - an actor producing real tears isn't exactly a monumental moment in the history of film. If an actor can't cry in a scene that requires that kind of emotion then he/she ain't much of an actor to begin with.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

I see a few people already threw their two cents in, but I also wanted to point out that Bite the Bullet is a great film. It has a very interesting premise with a stellar cast of stars and familiar character actors. The main horse race plot is exciting with a few interesting subplots, some of which dip into more traditional western territory. For an Oscar winning filmmaker Richard Brooks seems kind of overlooked these days but I've loved every one of his films I've seen.

Originally Posted by docc

Bite The Bullet has everything... grand western adventure, stunning cinematography, brilliant music score by Alex North, wonderful ensemble cast. Worth many repeated viewings, I'm surprised this hasn't sold out yet.

Thanks. A TT title I've completely overlooked. Sounds like a great blind buy. Of course, I've missed it this time around at the sale price - but straight to the top of my SAE TT Wishlist.

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by RalphoR

On a TT note. It looks like there's been quite a mad dash to get that last order in for this sale (I actually resisted which is shocking in and of itself). I'm wondering how many new titles will make it into the low quantity update?

I'm guessing a few of the older ones that have ended up in the top seller lists at some point during both of the last sales will, like "Bunny Lake is Missing" and "Swamp Water."

The OP should be updated if SAE really did sell out of Vampires and the only remaining stock is now at TT's site.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by cakefactory

The OP should be updated if SAE really did sell out of Vampires and the only remaining stock is now at TT's site.

Waiting on confirmation from TT that the only remaining stock is at their site. It is possible SAE ran out of existing stock available on hand for the sale but could get more in the future.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by BluOrbit

Real tears? Sorry, but I can't help but think that's a bit of a naive reaction - an actor producing real tears isn't exactly a monumental moment in the history of film. If an actor can't cry in a scene that requires that kind of emotion then he/she ain't much of an actor to begin with.

You should read about their relationship and the fact that Tracy was at death's door when doing this film. This was hardly a typical scene interaction between the two of them and her ability to Cry on Cue was never in doubt.

[oildude]

From Twilight Time. I will adjust the OP accordingly.

LOW STOCK UPDATE:
EXPERIMENT IN TERROR is now completely SOLD OUT (thanks for all your stellar support as always!)
MYSTERIOUS ISLAND is down to fewer than 10 copies remaining (and these are only available at http://www.twilighttimemovies.com)
JOHN CARPENTER'S VAMPIRES is now SOLD OUT at SAE but what little stock remains is likewise only available at http://www.twilighttimemovies.com - thanks all, for making the recent promotion such a resounding success!

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by oildude

From Twilight Time. I will adjust the OP accordingly.

Nice that Experiment in Terror has sold out (well, not so nice to see a worthy film no longer be available, but...)

I'm curious, though, how little "what little stock remains" is for Vampires.

[oildude]

Pre-order date: Wednesday, July 27th at 4 pm EST

Special Features: Isolated Score Track / Audio Commentary with Film Historians David Del Valle and Nick Redman / Original Theatrical Trailer