Scream Factory Blu-ray Discussion Thread

[frogmeat69]

Well, I hope it's not a cold winter, with me blowing all of the money for utilities on Scream Factory blu's in the next 6 months. I just can't keep up, and Die,Monster,Die! blows me away!!!!

[spawningblue]

Originally Posted by KrugStillo

I hate the notion that because Night of the Living Dead is public domain that a good company won't touch it. Elite did back in the day and their version is still considered one of the best. Criterion put out Carnival of Souls on DVD a while ago. This just reeks of corporate greed that a company won't do it because others could steal it. So what, they would never do it justice if you did an amazing version. I feel this would be a plus, less money up front. I guess I just don't get that concept cause I would be one of the first in line to get a proper blu release of NOTLD from someone like Scream.

Originally Posted by Undeadcow

I've heard this argument before and find it silly. If a legitimate company, like Scream Factory, release a quality edition of Night of the Living Dead (original) I am sure it would sell like mad. It seems silly to assume two bit knock-offs would just come out of the woodwork and steal the transfer styphoning off sales. Especially on blu-ray the format is "new" enough that knock-offs would seem to have trouble with production (more expensive to press, higher minimum runs, etc).

High definition transfer of Night of the Living Dead already exist and have not been subjected to knock offs. If no one has taken, for example, Netwerk's master from the UK and cloned it in other markets, I don't know what basis there is to assume pirates would hijack Scream Factor's public domain release. How many Island of Lost Souls blue-ray releases have we seen follow Criterion Collection's edition? Not one I know of. Kino releasing Nosferatu (1922) also suggests there is a viable market for publishers to release high definition public domain cult classics.

The fallacy of the "public domain" excuse is mind boggling and I can think of no examples supporting it [not that I'm any sort of expert].

Agreed. It makes no sense. People will buy just about any release by Scream, people would want the Scream version. If they released an excellent package with great extras and cover art it would sell. You constantly see people asking for it so there's a huge demand. Not to mention you would get people from all over the world purchasing it since there isn't a perfect version released yet. We had great editions of this on DVD that sold well enough even though there were hundreds of bootlegs out there. Even with the few losses you would get if someone did copy their transfer it would still easil sell more than half the titles they have released this far. Same thing with Last Man on Earth and House on Haunted Hill. If Scream is too greedy hopefully Criterion tackles these as they aren't afraid to release public domain films.

[redrunner97]

Originally Posted by spawningblue

Agreed. It makes no sense. People will buy just about any release by Scream, people would want the Scream version. If they released an excellent package with great extras and cover art it would sell. You constantly see people asking for it so there's a huge demand. Not to mention you would get people from all over the world purchasing it since there isn't a perfect version released yet. We had great editions of this on DVD that sold well enough web though there were hundreds of bootlegs out there. Even with the few losses you would get if someone did copy their transfer it would still easil sell more than half the titles they have released this far. Same thing with Last Man on Earth and House on Haunted Hill. If Scream is too greedy hopefully Criterion tackles these as they aren't afraid to release public domain films.

Fans will.

People, average browsers who aren't as "into" horror films, but recognize the name, probably wouldn't care if it was Scream or VCI, or Mill Creek, just so long as it was cheap and available easily, like in-store.

[spawningblue]

Originally Posted by redrunner97

When Forgotton Films released their bootleg, Dimension threatened to sue them for using their transfer. That's why its unavailable now, and international companies get permission before using said transfer. That's why its widely available in other countries, but not here.

You are contradicting yourself here. If bootlegs were taken off the market due to being sued, than no one would be able to copy Screams released or they would get sued, if what you state is true.

And yes it would cost a lot to transfer the film to Blu-ray but so all the other movies they release and even with the loss to bootlegs, Night would still easily outsell Ninja 3, Island, Prison, Crawlspace, Beast Within, Eve of Destruction, ect. ect.

[Metallix87]

Originally Posted by redrunner97

That wouldn't stop anyone from ripping it and selling it as an individual blu-ray.

Cliff and Jeff have both explained this countless times, there's a reason why no one's had the balls to put it out yet. Its incredibly risky. And its not healthy to gamble in business.

We'd buy their version first, but others would glady dive into the 5 dollar bin at walmart before spending about 30$ online at Amazon.

I'd kill for them to release it, but I'm being realistic.

That's why a double feature secures the value. Horror fans would still prefer their version for the other film attached with it.

"Day of the Dead" would've been a decent choice for such a strategy.

[spawningblue]

Originally Posted by redrunner97

Fans will.

People, average browsers who aren't as "into" horror films, but recognize the name, probably wouldn't care if it was Scream or VCI, or Mill Creek, just so long as it was cheap and available easily, like in-store.

But fans are Screams market. Most of their titles aren't for the average movie consumer. Is average Joe paying $20 for Eve of Destruction or Ninja 3? in the US you cant even buy them in stores, I doubt Joe is searching out and orderig their titles online. And even if they were in stores I doubt Joe would even pay $20-$25 for the Blu of bigger titles like Holwing or They Live when they he can grab the DVD from the $5 bin. Either way it would still sell better than most of their catalog especially if they loaded it with extras and a cool slipcover.

I don't think the problem is they would take a bath releasing Night, I think it has to do with pride. Even if it made them a decent profit it would still piss them off knowing some bootleg company was selling their transfer for $5.

[redrunner97]

Originally Posted by spawningblue

You are contradicting yourself here. If bootlegs were taken off the market due to being sued, than no one would be able to copy Screams released or they would get sued, if what you state is true.

And yes it would cost a lot to transfer the film to Blu-ray but so all the other movies they release and even with the loss to bootlegs, Night would still easily outsell Ninja 3, Island, Prison, Crawlspace, Beast Within, Eve of Destruction, ect. ect.

TWC is a force unlike any other.

They have an exclusive license on their transfer as a "derivative work", it can not be copied.

But its the only example of someone copyrighting a transfer that I could find. No one stands a chance in hell of making it happen again.

CLIFF EVEN SAID SO!

Everything I'm saying is what he himself has said over and over every time someone brings up NOTLD.

Essentially it aint gonna happen, the end.

[redrunner97]

Originally Posted by spawningblue

But fans are Screams market. Most of their titles aren't for the average movie consumer. Is average Joe paying $20 for Eve of Destruction or Ninja 3? in the US you cant even buy them in stored, I doubt Joe is searching oit and orderig their titles online. It would still sell better than most of their catalog especially I they loaded it with extras and a cool slipcover.

I don't think the problem is they would take a bath releasing Night, I think it has to do with pride. Even if it made them a decent profit it would still piss them off knowing some bootleg company was selling their transfer for $5.

But what about the non-scream market?

The average buyer is willing to buy Night of the Living Dead, thousands of Walmart bins across the country prove that. They sell copies from random distributors by the handfull.

Scream can definitely secure the horror fans, but the people who don't want to pay 25$ or more and buy in-store, which Scream doesn't offer, will have no difficulty in choosing Mill Creek's Edition.

Originally Posted by Metallix87

That's why a double feature secures the value. Horror fans would still prefer their version for the other film attached with it.

"Day of the Dead" would've been a decent choice for such a strategy.

I want nothing more than for Scream to do it, but I don't see it happening.
And Cliff doesn't either, neither does Jeff. For the multitude of reasons already listed.

And again, the horror fans, myself included, would snap it up, but not the lighter general movie fans/collectors.

[demonknight]

Originally Posted by redrunner97

TWC is a force unlike any other.

They have an exclusive license on their transfer as a "derivative work", it can not be copied.

But its the only example of someone copyrighting a transfer that I could find. No one stands a chance in hell of making it happen again.

CLIFF EVEN SAID SO!

Everything I'm saying is what he himself has said over and over every time someone brings up NOTLD.

Essentially it aint gonna happen, the end.

Sadly, not gonna happen. End of discussion.

So... Night of the Demons artwork thoughts?

[spawningblue]

Originally Posted by redrunner97

TWC is a force unlike any other.

They have an exclusive license on their transfer as a "derivative work", it can not be copied.

But its the only example of someone copyrighting a transfer that I could find. No one stands a chance in hell of making it happen again.

CLIFF EVEN SAID SO!

Everything I'm saying is what he himself has said over and over every time someone brings up NOTLD.

Essentially it aint gonna happen, the end.

So why not make a deal with TWC for their transfer?

[Metallix87]

Originally Posted by redrunner97

But what about the non-scream market?

The average buyer is willing to buy Night of the Living Dead, thousands of Walmart bins across the country prove that. They sell copies from random distributors by the handfull.

Scream can definitely secure the horror fans, but the people who don't want to pay 25$ or more and buy in-store, which Scream doesn't offer, will have no difficulty in choosing Mill Creek's Edition.

Exactly, so what's the problem? Scream will make their standard money for a Blu-Ray release, as well as maybe a little extra from those who aren't standard Scream fans, and then a few months later, the crappy versions will come out. I get that they won't see any of that money, but they'll still see the standard Scream money from a Scream release, and then some.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by spawningblue

So why not make a deal with TWC for their transfer?

Why do you think TWC hasn't released it themselves?

[spawningblue]

Originally Posted by redrunner97

But what about the non-scream market?

The average buyer is willing to buy Night of the Living Dead, thousands of Walmart bins across the country prove that. They sell copies from random distributors by the handfull.

Scream can definitely secure the horror fans, but the people who don't want to pay 25$ or more and buy in-store, which Scream doesn't offer, will have no difficulty in choosing Mill Creek's Edition.

Again it would still sell more than most of what they have released even with the bootlegs out there. Like I said, it's a pride thing, even if they made a huge profit from selling 70% of the transfers out there, it would still piss them off that they didnt get 100% of profits thanks to the 30% from bootlegs.

Hopefully Criterion tackles it, they or Synapse are out only hope.

[redrunner97]

Originally Posted by spawningblue

So why not make a deal with TWC for their transfer?

Its possible, I suppose.

As unlikely as it might be though, its still 100Xs more likely than them doing their own tranfer.

Shout is a pretty big indie label, but they're no Dimension or Lionsgate, or even Criterion. They could not financially risk it, I don't think. And the pride factor too.

[spawningblue]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

Why do you think TWC hasn't released it themselves?

The same reason Warner and Lions Gate are sitting on hundreds of unreleased horror titles. Who the hell knows? Have they released many catalog titles? They are the same company sitting on Suspiria!?

[redrunner97]

Originally Posted by spawningblue

The same reason Warner and Lions Gate are sitting on hundreds of unreleased horror titles.

Exactly.

Its the mentality of "I'm not gonna release it, but I'll be damned I anyone else will!"

[spawningblue]

It's just saddening to see everyone afraid to release classic titles like Night, House, Last Man because they won't get 100% of profits. If the release is good enough money will still me made.

I can guarantee these will eventually see a release here though, whether it be from Criteion or Kino or Synapse or someone completely unexpected. Night especially since there are several foreign releases. It's a real shame as horror fans themselves that Scream arent interested.

[Metallix87]

Eventually, they'll have to release more of the classic horror films on Blu, simply because they'll gradually run out of stuff to release.

[redrunner97]

Originally Posted by Metallix87

Eventually, they'll have to release more of the classic horror films on Blu, simply because they'll gradually run out of stuff to release.

They're never going to run out of horror films to release, there are hundred of thousands, if not millions of films in existence, many just aching to be put out.

I do think it will come from someone someday, but not because they ran out of films to release.

[demonknight]

Originally Posted by spawningblue

I can guarantee these will eventually see a release here though, whether it be from Criteion or Kino or Synapse or someone completely unexpected. Night especially since there are several foreign releases. It's a real shame as horror fans themselves that Scream arent interested.

I imagine that Kino would release NOTLD first. I'm honestly surprised that they didn't put it out this year, seeing as it is the 45th Anniversary.