Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

Love this post.

Film should always be an adventure, not a routine.

Agreed 100%. It's possibly worth repasting my thoughts from the Olive thread when the issue came up there:

Whenever they announce new titles here on the news pages, the response in the comments is divided into two distinct camps: those who go "Never heard of any of these. Sounds weird. Not interested!", and those who go "I've never seen that and forgot/never knew it even existed - Great, I have to check it out." Sadly, mostly the former...

So much of the fun is discovering something new. They certainly aren't all gems and sometimes you know why they disappeared from view, but every now and then you can find a new favourite almost out of nowhere - TT's The World of Henry Orient, Kino's Cops and Robbers and Olive's Cry Danger spring immediately to mind. Without labels like TT, Olive, Indicator/Powerhouse and Kino I'd probably never have got a chance to see many deep back-catalog films I never heard of but am now happy to have in my collection.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by KJones77

Totally agree here. I recently picked up Fox's release of Panic in the Streets for this reason and recently bought my first pair of non-US/UK releases (The Gunfighter and A High Wind in Jamaica) for this reason. I've similarly prioritized other Fox titles at labels I usually buy from for the same reason you mentioned: I have no idea how long they'll be available.

I know Kino's insider tried to downplay any fears about Fox licensing deals, but from Indicator and Eureka's willingness to express the opposite, I would rather ere on the side of caution. It seems like there is a ticking clock on Fox titles on blu (especially older ones), so I'm not holding my breathe for new releases (like of The Kremlin Letter, which I was hoping TT would put out but now I'll just buy the French release soon or of The Last American Hero where I'll soon pickup the German version) and don't want to let the ones out already slip past me.

It's also one of the main reasons why I finally broke down and bought a region free player earlier this year since many of these Fox films haven't seen a release here and I don't want to miss out on many of these. There's also No Way Out from Eureka I need to get. It's crazy how good Richard Widmark was in playing unsavory characters. Both him and Dan Duryea. Though, Widmark could also play the hero really well.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by StarDestroyer52

I'll blind buy many titles and many at high prices. The blind buy part of collecting is half of the fun for me and generally I have a very good idea of what blind buys I will like. I'd say my success rate with blind buying would be 99% with only the very rare time I make a mistake.

That's true of me as well. Especially when it comes to vintage films. It's the more recent films that I blind buy that end up being the most problematic for me. But even then, the percentage is rather low.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Aclea

It's possibly worth repasting my thoughts from the Olive thread when the issue came up there:

Whenever they announce new titles here on the news pages, the response in the comments is divided into two distinct camps: those who go "Never heard of any of these. Sounds weird. Not interested!", and those who go "I've never seen that and forgot/never knew it even existed - Great, I have to check it out." Sadly, mostly the former...

My story along those lines was the time Criterion announced two Costa-Gavras films: The Confession and State of Siege. There were many fewer people excited about those releases than people who complained about Criterion not announcing Z. And it was most assuredly because they were familiar with the latter and not at all with the former two.

I was on the opposite side: disappointed (to be sure) that Z wasn't on the schedule, but thrilled to pieces that I'd be able to now watch two Costa-Gavras films that I hadn't seen before. And I enjoyed them both.

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by StarDestroyer52

Though, the TT situation has made me realize one thing. I have been trying to slowly buy up many of the Fox owned films that I fear may not be available with the Disney uncertainty. Lately, I've been buying many UK releases of the Fox noirs and other Fox titles like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Song of Bernadette, and Sink The Bismarck since I don't know how long they will be available and many are either OOP in the US or haven't seen a US release and probably never will. The only Fox owned films I feel safe in holding out are the ones Criterion has released and I may even come to regret that too which is one of the reasons I just picked up the BFI version of Night in the City. For example, I still need to pick up the UK versions of Man Hunt, Kiss of Death, and Thieves Highway plus the German release of Drums Along the Mohawk. The situation with The Iron Horse really hurt, I was looking super forward to that and that one hurt, but as I said that was on Disney not TT. I guess there is still the French Sidonis release but from what I understand is that release has forced subtitles where I'm happy to stay with the 2 DVD set that Fox released.

Originally Posted by StarDestroyer52

It's also one of the main reasons why I finally broke down and bought a region free player earlier this year since many of these Fox films haven't seen a release here and I don't want to miss out on many of these. There's also No Way Out from Eureka I need to get. It's crazy how good Richard Widmark was in playing unsavory characters. Both him and Dan Duryea. Though, Widmark could also play the hero really well.

Yeah, ever since the rumblings of the merger I've been collecting Fox titles that have the slightest interest in. I'm kind of glad because it's gotten me more into directors and actors that I either haven't heard of, weren't too familiar with, or getting more into such as Richard Fleischer, Sam Fuller, Henry Hathaway, Jennifer Jones, Tyrone Power, and Richard Widmark just to name a few.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

Yeah, ever since the rumblings of the merger I've been collecting Fox titles that have the slightest interest in. I'm kind of glad because it's gotten me more into directors and actors that I either haven't heard of, weren't too familiar with, or getting more into such as Richard Fleischer, Sam Fuller, Henry Hathaway, Jennifer Jones, Tyrone Power, and Richard Widmark just to name a few.

Fleischer is one of the most underrated directors, what he did with the B movie unit at RKO with his noirs on shoestring budgets is amazing in films like Bodyguard, Trapped, The Clay Pigeon, Armored Car Robbery, and The Narrow Margin are the works of a true master. What someone can do on a shoestring budget working for Howard Hughes of all people is impressive as what he was able to do on films like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I got lucky that I stumbled upon Fuller watching films like Shock Corridor and The Steel Helmet and then moved on to seek out his noir work as a huge fan of the genre and films such as The Crimson Kimono, Underworld U.S.A, Pickup on South Street, House of Bamboo, and the likes which was Ii was so quick to buy Eureka's Fuller Fox set.

[Beckford]

So sad to hear that Twilight Time may be winding down its operation. I've enjoyed so many of their wonderful releases. What with Disney's potential lockdown of the Fox titles, I suppose now I'll never see Blu-rays of long desired titles like "Centennial Summer", "Ramona" "Second Fiddle" and "Sodom and Gomorrah". But - then again - I'll never get over my delight that Twilight Time actually gave us "The Adventures of Hajji Baba". That one - a personal favorite of mine - came right out of left field. Never dreamed I'd see it on Blu-ray. So thank you,Twilight Time for this and all the other treasures.

[skylark68]

Originally Posted by Beckford

So sad to hear that Twilight Time may be winding down its operation. I've enjoyed so many of their wonderful releases. What with Disney's potential lockdown of the Fox titles, I suppose now I'll never see Blu-rays of long desired titles like "Centennial Summer", "Ramona" "Second Fiddle" and "Sodom and Gomorrah". But - then again - I'll never get over my delight that Twilight Time actually gave us "The Adventures of Hajji Baba". That one - a personal favorite of mine - came right out of left field. Never dreamed I'd see it on Blu-ray. So thank you,Twilight Time for this and all the other treasures.

I still hold out hope for a bluray of Sodom and Gomorrah. Great film.

[klauswhereareyou]

Originally Posted by skylark68

I still hold out hope for a bluray of Sodom and Gomorrah. Great film.

I think it's streaming on Amazon Prime right now. Maybe it'll get a Blu-ray release from someone.

[Jobla]

The SODOM AND GOMORRAH laserdisc from Fox didn't look all that great. I suspect that the negatives may be stored in Europe, rather than the US.

[skylark68]

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

I think it's streaming on Amazon Prime right now. Maybe it'll get a Blu-ray release from someone.

Yes, I watched it a couple of weeks ago. It looks okay, definitely better than the pan and scan DVD. I have the old widescreen laserdisc but it's been years since I watched it in that format. The stream still isn't bluray quality though.

[robtadrian]

On the Twilight Time Facebook account, a post about no more releases for the rest of 2019...

[BuraddoRun]

Originally Posted by robtadrian

On the Twilight Time Facebook account, a post about no more releases for the rest of 2019...

Do they normally have Christmas sales? Black Friday? My guess is that they'll have 1 or 2 more sales and come back in January with an announcement, whether that be new releases, slowing down, or closing shop.

[chad_1138]

Originally Posted by BuraddoRun

Do they normally have Christmas sales? Black Friday? My guess is that they'll have 1 or 2 more sales and come back in January with an announcement, whether that be new releases, slowing down, or closing shop.

Last year they had a huge sale from the middle/end of November through the end of the year.

[bdgking]

Low quantity update per this sale at SAE :

Info for anyone whom may not own any of the following wanting to get 1 before they are sold out for good .

Hound of the Baskerville's x 47 remain
Boston Strangler roughly 100 remain
Devil in a Blue Dress roughly 100 remain
Theater of Blood almost sold out as well .

I believe all 4 of these titles will get sold out between today & sales end or at least 3 of these 4 .

Just wanted to give all a chance to get 1 o f before it is gone . I already own a copy of each .

[AKORIS]

Originally Posted by bdgking

Low quantity update per this sale at SAE :

Info for anyone whom may not own any of the following wanting to get 1 before they are sold out for good .

Hound of the Baskerville's x 47 remain
Boston Strangler roughly 100 remain
Devil in a Blue Dress roughly 100 remain
Theater of Blood almost sold out as well .

I believe all 4 of these titles will get sold out between today & sales end or at least 3 of these 4 .

Just wanted to give all a chance to get 1 o f before it is gone . I already own a copy of each .

I really thought that one would have sold out in the first 90 days... it's one of Price's best 70's films!

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by AKORIS

I really thought that one would have sold out in the first 90 days... it's one of Price's best 70's films!

And co-stars Diana Rigg!

I didn't see any low quantity notices at SAE for any of these titles. Didn't see any notices on their home page since their announcement of the sale back on the 15th. Whatever, I did try the cart trick, and noticed that Baskervilles is down to 29 copies.

None of the four above titles are available at TT's own site, so when they're gone from SAE, they're gone.

[bdgking]

It is one of his best films I agree . I would think it will sell out this sale buy who knows ? The reason none of the titles sell out right away is because no matter what the base is for Twilight Time and SAE really is they do not have 3,000 buyers per each title . Thus the bind they are in .
They have many customers I am sure however they have sellers that buy from them I am sure and it is those sellers whom buy 10 , 25 , 100 of certain titles whomever they are is why they have sold out of as many titles as they have .
Yes all of us regular customers whom buy 1 here and there are contributing factors to a sell out of a title but in my opinion the proof is in the pudding so to speak .
If most titles take as many as 7 years for 3,000 units that means that is an average of over 400 and under 500 units per year of any one said title .
Even if they sell out on 5 years that is 600 units per year average and so on .
These stats show that there actual buying base though they have many fans the buying base is really low sad to say .

It is also possible and likely that due to their super high shipping rates and bad overall customers service as I have stated before examples of they may have driven far to many customers away and even driven away bigger sellers that no longer buy from them due to the bad service as to why they are most likely going to go out of business .

I hope they change things around . Instead of ignoring public opinions , their thoughts , insight and advise . I hope t hey actually listen . I believe firmly if they actually listen they could have before or just may now be able to save their business .
At this point it is just a wait and see situation .

Theater of Blood is a great Vincent Price film as was The Mad Magician

[bdgking]

Originally Posted by jayembee

And co-stars Diana Rigg!

I didn't see any low quantity notices at SAE for any of these titles. Didn't see any notices on their home page since their announcement of the sale back on the 15th. Whatever, I did try the cart trick, and noticed that Baskervilles is down to 29 copies.

None of the four above titles are available at TT's own site, so when they're gone from SAE, they're gone.

Your right all 4 only at SAE likely why those 4 will likely sell off fist

Hound is at 18 now . Amazing how updating gets titles sold faster to bad SAE and Twilight Time have not paid attention to this factor before had they . They would have sold out of many titles much faster a long time ago .

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by bdgking

It is one of his best films I agree . I would think it will sell out this sale buy who knows ? The reason none of the titles sell out right away is because no matter what the base is for Twilight Time and SAE really is they do not have 3,000 buyers per each title . Thus the bind they are in .
They have many customers I am sure however they have sellers that buy from them I am sure and it is those sellers whom buy 10 , 25 , 100 of certain titles whomever they are is why they have sold out of as many titles as they have .
Yes all of us regular customers whom buy 1 here and there are contributing factors to a sell out of a title but in my opinion the proof is in the pudding so to speak .
If most titles take as many as 7 years for 3,000 units that means that is an average of over 400 and under 500 units per year of any one said title .
Even if they sell out on 5 years that is 600 units per year average and so on .
These stats show that there actual buying base though they have many fans the buying base is really low sad to say .

It is also possible and likely that due to their super high shipping rates and bad overall customers service as I have stated before examples of they may have driven far to many customers away and even driven away bigger sellers that no longer buy from them due to the bad service as to why they are most likely going to go out of business .

I hope they change things around . Instead of ignoring public opinions , their thoughts , insight and advise . I hope t hey actually listen . I believe firmly if they actually listen they could have before or just may now be able to save their business .
At this point it is just a wait and see situation .

Theater of Blood is a great Vincent Price film as was The Mad Magician

Also a lot of people don't know that online media stores besides amazon exist.