Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[ShellBeacher]

Originally Posted by drb124

Looks like Gun Fury is sold out. I’ve got to think they have people buying large quantities.

I'm thinking so. All I know is that there were a decent number of Cutter's Way within the last 48-72 hours, but yesterday afternoon I took a walk, left my phone at home, and received the TT final email when I got back. As soon as I checked stock (Sunday early eve my time), Cutter's Way was already sold out!

[octobercountry]

So sorry to see Twilight Time go; I've purchased many of their films over the years. I was curious as to how much of an impact the label had on my blu-ray collection, so I looked up the statistics that are listed under "My Blu-ray.com" (at the upper right of this page). And yep, sure enough---I've bought more from Twilight Time than any other distributor!

[Majin Blu]

Originally Posted by BluProofie

Just out of curiosity(I’m obviously in no hurry), how long do they typically take to ship? Also, how good is their packaging? Never ordered from them before.

Recently, they took about 2-3 days to ship it out for me. It took 2-3 days to get here and they pack stuff nicely. It's in a big box with brown packing paper stuffed around for protection.

[Aclea]

I was going to post this review this weekend anyway, but now it takes on more of a valedictory tone:



The Chairman (aka The Most Dangerous Man in the World) starts off with an amazing photomontage title sequence by Paul Brown Constable dealing with overpopulation and the rise of the Red Guard in Mao’s China accompanied by the increasingly strident tones of Jerry Goldsmith’s superb score that sets the scene for a much better film than you get. Any hope of a serious political thriller is quickly lost as soon as Arthur Hill’s cycloptic general turns up and it turns out the bug implanted in Gregory Peck’s skull is also a bomb. What you get instead is a fairly glossy, fashionably cynical shot-on-location thriller that briefly touches on humanistic issues in a couple of scenes – the best of them a literal and ideological ping pong game with Conrad Yama’s Chairman Mao - before getting back to the spy stuff that’s neither James Bond nor John Le Carre but pure Hollywood hokum in the 60s mould. Ironically, although the producers harboured the notion of filming in China in a monumental fit of delusion, it was the Hong Kong and Taiwanese authorities that really objected to the subject matter (as either too defamatory or deferential to Mao as the prevailing mood would have it), with the film ending up in the same Welsh locations that had passed for China in The Inn of the Sixth Happiness and Satan Never Sleeps.

J. Lee Thompson’s direction is occasionally visually ambitious, but seems to have suffered in the editing, with several very obvious edits to alternate takes interrupting what were clearly intended as continuous camera moves, though he manages to get a surprising amount of tension out of the last couple of reels as Peck makes his unlikely action-packed dash for the Russian border (this being a combined US-UK-Russian operation). It’s a shame that, like Fox’s DVD, this is the US version (as are all worldwide home video releases), relegating the slightly racier scenes to the extra features – who’d have thought there’d ever be a movie with Gregory Peck having his trousers undone by a naked woman on her knees?

It’s attained some historical interest in the past decade or so, and not just because of the scenes in a down and dirty Hong Kong before it was a neon city of skyscrapers or the presence of the industry’s then go-to Asian actors Keye Luke, Burt Kwouk (who is very obviously dubbed by Bond movie voiceover regular Robert Rietty but does get his big machine-gun toting grenade throwing action hero moment in this one), Ric Young and Anthony Chinn. With the Chinese box-office such an important part of Hollywood’s financial calculations, it’s simply inconceivable today that, even with the Chinese government carrying out genocidal policies against the Muslim population in Xinjiang, any major studio, or even a moderately well-funded independent, would make a film where the Red Chinese are clearly the villains and the ruthlessness of their political system openly criticised today.

With Disney apparently stopping all work on restoring Fox titles for the time being, the disc appears to use the same older transfer Fox used for their DVD, but there is a noticeable improvement in the quality – good enough to notice that the lovely Zienia Merton is wearing a body stocking in part of her deleted nude scene - and no ‘reimagining’ of the original colour scheme. TT have carried over the extras package from Fox’s special edition DVD – audio commentary by Eddie Friedfeld and Lee Pfeiffer, two racier deleted scenes from the international version (one explaining what the butterflies are doing in the bedroom scene), trailer (unfortunately with sound out of synch by a whopping 80 seconds!) and what is referred to as a 17-minute mini-movie but which is actually a show reel put together for exhibitors to get them to book the film and which features alternate takes and one additional deleted scene but which, unfortunately, is also slightly out of synch: so is the version on the DVD release, but not as noticeably. (It’s surprising Fox didn’t use this as the basis for a Super 8mm release in the 70s since other show reels like the 1979 Dracula, Buck Rogers or Capricorn One turned up on the format). Like the trailer, this seems to be the only instance of Nick Redman’s passing affecting a TT disc: he supervised the extra content, and as this was one of the label’s last releases it’s sadly understandable that the label’s quality control on the supplements dipped on this occasion. They’ve also added an isolated music and effects track for Goldsmith’s superb score - the original master tracks have long been lost or mislaid - and the usual booklet.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this on a rewatch, but then it seems to be one of those films I blow hot and cold on depending on what kind of mood I'm in: I enjoyed it as a kid, was disappointed when I saw it again on DVD but found the hokum much more engaging this time. Your mileage may vary.

Incidentally, how's this wonderfully tacky Scanners-inspired UK VHS cover for taking the premise rather more literally than anything on screen?:

[spatafore]

yikes! the shipping is high, $15 for 5 titles.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by Aclea

I was going to post this review this weekend anyway, but now it takes on more of a valedictory tone:

[Show spoiler]The Chairman (aka The Most Dangerous Man in the World) starts off with an amazing photomontage title sequence by Paul Brown Constable dealing with overpopulation and the rise of the Red Guard in Mao’s China accompanied by the increasingly strident tones of Jerry Goldsmith’s superb score that sets the scene for a much better film than you get. Any hope of a serious political thriller is quickly lost as soon as Arthur Hill’s cycloptic general turns up and it turns out the bug implanted in Gregory Peck’s skull is also a bomb. What you get instead is a fairly glossy, fashionably cynical shot-on-location thriller that briefly touches on humanistic issues in a couple of scenes – the best of them a literal and ideological ping pong game with Conrad Yama’s Chairman Mao - before getting back to the spy stuff that’s neither James Bond nor John Le Carre but pure Hollywood hokum in the 60s mould. Ironically, although the producers harboured the notion of filming in China in a monumental fit of delusion, it was the Hong Kong and Taiwanese authorities that really objected to the subject matter (as either too defamatory or deferential to Mao as the prevailing mood would have it), with the film ending up in the same Welsh locations that had passed for China in The Inn of the Sixth Happiness and Satan Never Sleeps.

J. Lee Thompson’s direction is occasionally visually ambitious, but seems to have suffered in the editing, with several very obvious edits to alternate takes interrupting what were clearly intended as continuous camera moves, though he manages to get a surprising amount of tension out of the last couple of reels as Peck makes his unlikely action-packed dash for the Russian border (this being a combined US-UK-Russian operation). It’s a shame that,like Fox’s DVD, this is the US version (as are all worldwide home video releases), relegating the slightly racier scenes to the extra features – who’d have thought there’d ever be a movie with Gregory Peck having his trousers undone by a naked woman on her knees?

It’s attained some historical interest in the past decade or so, and not just because of the scenes in a down and dirty Hong Kong before it was a neon city of skyscrapers or the presence of the industry’s go-to Asian actors Keye Luke, Burt Kwouk (who is very obviously dubbed by Bond movie voiceover regular Robert Rietty but does get his big machine-gun toting grenade throwing action hero moment in this one), Ric Young and Anthony Chinn. With the Chinese box-office such an important part of Hollywood’s financial calculations, it’s simply inconceivable today that, even with the Chinese government carrying out genocidal policies against the Muslim population in Xinjiang, any major studio, or even a moderately well-funded independent, would make a film where the Red Chinese are clearly the villains and the ruthlessness of their political system openly criticised today.

With Disney apparently stopping all work on restoring Fox titles for the time being, the disc appears to use the same older transfer Fox used for their DVD, but there is a noticeable improvement in the quality – good enough to notice that the lovely Zienia Merton is wearing a body stocking in part of her deleted nude scene - and no ‘reimagining’ of the original colour scheme. TT have carried over the extras package from Fox’s special edition DVD – audio commentary by Eddie Friedfeld and Lee Pfeiffer, two racier deleted scenes from the international version (one explaining what the butterflies are doing in the bedroom scene), trailer (unfortunately with sound out of synch by a whopping 80 seconds!) and what is referred to as a 17-minute mini-movie but which is actually a show reel put together for exhibitors to get them to book the film and which features alternate takes and one additional deleted scene but which, unfortunately, is also slightly out of synch: so is the version on the DVD release, but not as noticeably. (It’s surprising Fox didn’t use this as the basis for a Super 8mm release in the 70s since other show reels like the 1979 Dracula, Buck Rogers or Capricorn One turned up on the format). Like the trailer, this seems to be the only instance of Nick Redman’s passing affecting a TT disc: he supervised the extra content, and as this was one of the label’s last releases it’s sadly understandable that the label’s quality control on the supplements dipped on this occasion. They’ve also added an isolated music and effects track for Goldsmith’s superb score - the original master tracks have long been lost or mislaid - and the usual booklet.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this on a rewatch, but then it seems to be one of those films I blow hot and cold on depending on what kind of mood I'm in: I enjoyed it as a kid, was disappointed when I saw it again on DVD but found the hokum much more engaging this time. Your mileage may vary.

Incidentally, how's this wonderfully tack Scanners-inspired UK VHS cover for taking the premise rather more literally than anything on screen?:

I picked this up yesterday, having equivocated on a few occasions since its release. I enjoy these sorts of capers, but for some reason that I really can't explain, I've never found Peck - fine actor that he is - to be a convincing leading man. At the sale price it was too good an opportunity to miss. And glad to hear Goldsmith is on form.

Thanks, Aclea!

[drb124]

Originally Posted by ShellBeacher

I'm thinking so. All I know is that there were a decent number of Cutter's Way within the last 48-72 hours, but yesterday afternoon I took a walk, left my phone at home, and received the TT final email when I got back. As soon as I checked stock (Sunday early eve my time), Cutter's Way was already sold out!

I should specify that Gun Fury is sold out from SAE. It had already sold out from TT. So unless they find some extra copies, I guess it’s gone.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by Reddington

I picked this up yesterday, having equivocated on a few occasions since its release. I enjoy these sorts of capers, but for some reason that I really can't explain, I've never found Peck - fine actor that he is - to be a convincing leading man. At the sale price it was too good an opportunity to miss. And glad to hear Goldsmith is on form.

An appetiser for that Goldsmith score:

Main Title from The Chairman (From the Original Soundtrack Recording for "The Chairman") - YouTube

[UnionJackMix]

Originally Posted by spatafore

yikes! the shipping is high, $15 for 5 titles.

Really? What would be a reasonable amount for you?

[spatafore]

Originally Posted by UnionJackMix

Really? What would be a reasonable amount for you?

FREE over $50 or something like that.

[Luke Dodge748]

I don't own a single TT bluray, but I'm a big fan of boutique blurays, and this is a blow to collectors and the industry in general. And I think this was the moment a lot of us fans knew would come, with this damn virus, but was hoping would not. I don't think TT will be alone here, either. While I am not familiar with a lot of their movies or are simply not my thing, I am always expanding my bluray collection/movie passion, and this is a big loss. I'm genuinely sorry to see them shut their doors...

Best of luck to all the employees.

[Will G]

The entitled shipping expectations are a plague & are going to destroy every small online business in the country. I'm so tired of hearing it I can hardly even read this thread. Thanks Amazon!

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by Will G

The entitled shipping expectations are a plague & are going to destroy every small online business in the country. I'm so tired of hearing it I can hardly even read this thread. Thanks Amazon!

As someone who has been selling on E-Bay for years, I wish I could hit the Thanks button more than once on this. Not just the expectations for the cheapest price possible (which means the seller has to pay the extra costs out of pocket) but the unrealistic idea that everything should arrive in 2-3 days, even items that are crossing an international border.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

As someone who has been selling on E-Bay for years, I wish I could hit the Thanks button more than once on this. Not just the expectations for the cheapest price possible (which means the seller has to pay the extra costs out of pocket) but the unrealistic idea that everything should arrive in 2-3 days, even items that are crossing an international border.

Me too. And it's actually got worse since the lockdown.

[ShellBeacher]

Originally Posted by Luke Dodge748

I don't own a single TT bluray, but I'm a big fan of boutique blurays, and this is a blow to collectors and the industry in general. And I think this was the moment a lot of us fans knew would come, with this damn virus, but was hoping would not. I don't think TT will be alone here, either. While I am not familiar with a lot of their movies or are simply not my thing, I am always expanding my bluray collection/movie passion, and this is a big loss. I'm genuinely sorry to see them shut their doors...

Best of luck to all the employees.

I don't think TT's demise really has anything to do with the coronavirus. This was a long time coming, and it's always been a relatively small operation. Diminishing physical media sales in general may have contributed, sure, but I think Nick Redman's passing is what ultimately became the turn in the road to decide to wrap things up.

[captveg]

Originally Posted by drb124

Looks like Gun Fury is sold out. I’ve got to think they have people buying large quantities. I guess I’ll have to try to get that one off the secondary market.

Same with The Stone Killer, Rapid Fire...


These are flying off the shelves. I imagine secondhand sellers are buying 50-100 at a time.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by ShellBeacher

I don't think TT's demise really has anything to do with the coronavirus. This was a long time coming, and it's always been a relatively small operation. Diminishing physical media sales in general may have contributed, sure, but I think Nick Redman's passing is what ultimately became the turn in the road to decide to wrap things up.

Not so - as I wrote in an earlier post, both Brian and Nick decided to close the company some time ago:

Originally Posted by Aclea

That's not the case: without Brian Jamieson there never would have been a TT, something often overlooked because he shuns the spotlight and because Nick was the public face of the company. As Brian notes in his email, it wasn't just a two-man band either.

However, both men had decided to close the company this year some time ago - they originally planned it to last ten years and review it if it lasted nine. Slower sales, higher licensing fees and the shrinking market were factors, as well as the loss of Fox. Nick's untimely passing simply accelerated the process.

It's possible we may just have seen a few more titles had both men been able to wind things up together, but even if Nick were still with us they had already decided to adhere to the original 2010-2020 timeframe for the company (the company was formed in 2010 even though their first release was 2011).

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by dragon53

Anyone have a freezing/playback problem with Twilight Time blurays?

Once and only once: my first copy of Stormy Weather. Examined the data side, and noticed a very, very small "bubble" in the plastic. Got in touch with TT, sent it back, they checked it, agreed with my assessment, and sent a replacement that played fine.

Since I never know when I might get around to watching any given disc, I try to scan through every disc I get in short order, to check for egregious flaws. I usually chapter-skip through; if there's there's a flaw that will freeze the playback, it won't skip past it, so a chapter-skip will find it.

[erlinmeyer]

Originally Posted by spatafore

yikes! the shipping is high, $15 for 5 titles.

Assume you are paying $14.95 for the movie. The total with free shipping is basically the total you got with the $15 shipping separated.
If you bought a single movie from Amazon or Best Buy, shipping is usually $3.99.

[Bradsdadg]

Three more on my watching/maybe list have sold out on TT:

Our Man in Havana

It's about Time DVD

Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds