Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by oildude

I fat fingered an extra keystroke that copied and pasted when I went to submit.

The fingers you have used to dial are too fat - YouTube

[oildude]

I want more - many more - 1950s films from TT.

I love so many of these 50s movies. Besides The Big Heat (sold out), there have been Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison, Love is a Many Splendored Thing, BB&C, Bonjour Tristesse, The Man from Laramie, Born Yesterday, Violent Saturday, The Roots of Heaven, Pal Joey, and Picnic.... all blind buys for me and all magnificent. I think the main thing that has held the latter two back for so long in sales is the initial MSRP of $34.95, but in a sane world the Kim Novak and Rita Hayworth factor should have trumped that.

Genre films like JTTCOTE and Demetrius and the Gladiators are also most welcome. Lost-in-the-vault titles like The Wayward Bus are much appreciated by me, but they are sure to be slow sellers. I am thankful TT puts these out.

In general, I leap at a 1950s title from TT with great anticipation. This is the decade of great discovery for me. And to get to view these treasures in high def for the first time is a dream. With a few exceptions, I cannot say the same about the 1990 releases. This is not to disparage the 1990s, just that the 40s through the 80s are the most interesting period in all of film for me.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by NoirFan

Thanks for the thoughtful capsule remarks oildude, I wasn't necessarily disparaging the content of the films, just giving them as examples of films that were, from the get-go, not going to be money-makers from TT. I'm certainly with you on Gregory Peck: there are a small group of classical-era actors that irk me greatly. George Brent, George Raft and Robert Montgomery are the prime offenders, but Peck was never an actor whose style I warmed to. I worship Deborah Kerr though, so perhaps I'll track down a copy.

I agree that Gregory Peck can be somewhat stiff, but he can be effective when the role calls for stiffness, such as To Kill A Mockingbird and The Gunfighter. Deborah Kerr, on the other hand, can do no wrong. When I was younger I always thought of her as prim and school-marmy, but since seeing her in Black Narcissus, I have a new appreciation for the intensely, repressed sensuality that she brings to most roles. I saw Beloved Infidel years ago and dismissed it as a turbid melodrama. Woman has affair with married, alcoholic, has-been writer -- it ends badly. Go figure! Plus, I don't usually care for biopics. Still, I may give it a revisit at some point, if only because of my admiration for Ms. Kerr.

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by tama

Posted by TT on another forum in regards to some comments and complaints about the picture quality in regards to Solomon and Sheba:

Hi Guys -- as usual we are interested in all your comments -- good and bad alike. We appreciate your general enthusiasm for these older films, but the nit-picking over PQ is a little distressing when you consider that sales for just about every film from the 1950s is practically non-existent. With rare exceptions (THE EGYPTIAN and THE BIG HEAT) every title from this era we have released has lost money. We have to, and I stress have to, release more and more films from the 1970s and 1980s to pay for the older titles that cannot possibly recoup their costs. We remain committed to the decade and have quite a few more 50s titles scheduled, but we know in advance that they are dead in the water. If 4k quality PQ is the required criteria for these films in order to avoid the constant carping and complaining, we can tell you are going to be doomed to disappointment and we will discontinue releasing films from that era - you all say you want these films on blu-ray, but your unrealistic ideas of what they should look like is only going to hasten the end of their availability. We'll endeavor to keep going with them as long as we can, but it's all becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy with regard to the "classics" of yesteryear.

I take issue with this response from Twilight Time. Perhaps TT should step back and realize that they aren't releasing the films from the 1950's that people genuinely care about. It seems they have done well with their release(s) of Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959). Then again, The Left Hand of God (1955) sold out fairly quickly on DVD (why hasn't this title been upgraded to blu-ray?).

In the meantime, I hardly think you can point to Violent Saturday, Woman Obsessed, The Wayward Bus, The Rains of Ranchipur, Pony Soldier, Man in the Dark, etc. ... films that were poorly reviewed when they were first released and have hardly attained cult status in the years since ... and pretend that they are representative of the 1950's.

I can only suggest that if TT would release titles that collectors actually care about (Demetrius and the Gladiators? Really?) that they might see an uptick in sales. In the meantime, threatening and berating their customers is not sound business policy.

[NoirFan]

The vast majority of the 'constant carping and complaining', as far as I have been aware (I don't follow the TT thread too closely, so correct me if I'm wrong), has been directed at Titus, NOTLD, and Heaven and Hell, all of which were released four decades after the 1950's.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by oildude

All three of these are well worth the birthday sale asking price. I hope folks don't let them slip by without serious consideration.

All three are on my want list, but have a lower priority. They just didn't make the cut this time around.

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by NoirFan

The vast majority of the 'constant carping and complaining', as far as I have been aware (I don't follow the TT thread too closely, so correct me if I'm wrong), has been directed at Titus, NOTLD, and Heaven and Hell, all of which were released four decades after the 1950's.

Fans are going to complain, some people are not going to be happy...whatever. It is NOT a big deal. Undoubtedly, the label is successful...so what if they lose money on some releases? Every label does. Debate creates interest and some criticism is at times warranted...other times, issues are blown out of proportion. Again NOT a big deal. Personally, I am not in the TT apologist camp and much further yet from the TT hater camp. In my opinion, most of us would agree that Twilight Time delivers a high quality product.

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by jmclick

In the meantime, I hardly think you can point to Violent Saturday, Woman Obsessed, The Wayward Bus, The Rains of Ranchipur, Pony Soldier, Man in the Dark, etc. ... films that were poorly reviewed when they were first released and have hardly attained cult status in the years since ... and pretend that they are representative of the 1950's.

I'm also wondering where they are getting the idea that people are constantly nitpicking about quality of their 50s films. For the most part, the consensus regarding most of their 50s releases is quite positive.

You're right about the selection -- I doubt many people are clamoring for titles like Solomon and Sheba. The 50s are filled with other titles that TT could conceivably license that would sell better.

[Threat]

Just snagged Birdman of Alcatraz and Philadelphia, both at the $19.95 Birthday price.

The only other two Twilight Time blu-rays I have are The Blob and U-Turn.

[movieben1138]

Couldn't risk it. I'm sure Zardoz will last till the Wednesday promotion, but I didn't want it to whisk away in the feeding frenzy. I had to go ahead and order it separately.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by jmclick

I take issue with this response from Twilight Time. Perhaps TT should step back and realize that they aren't releasing the films from the 1950's that people genuinely care about. It seems they have done well with their release(s) of Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959). Then again, The Left Hand of God (1955) sold out fairly quickly on DVD (why hasn't this title been upgraded to blu-ray?).

In the meantime, I hardly think you can point to Violent Saturday, Woman Obsessed, The Wayward Bus, The Rains of Ranchipur, Pony Soldier, Man in the Dark, etc. ... films that were poorly reviewed when they were first released and have hardly attained cult status in the years since ... and pretend that they are representative of the 1950's.

I can only suggest that if TT would release titles that collectors actually care about (Demetrius and the Gladiators? Really?) that they might see an uptick in sales. In the meantime, threatening and berating their customers is not sound business policy.

I didn't take their post like that at all. They were just trying to calm those with unrealistic expectations about a new 4k scan for every film no matter how large its audience.

As for the films, they can only release what studios license to them for an affordable price. I would bet given what sells well for them they would jump at the chance to get more cult classics and sci-fi stuff if they could.

[nitin]

yeah I assumed their comment had something to do with the fact that there are/were a lot of complaints by those who bought the first Journey disc and have seen caps of the second Journey disc and therefore there seems to be an expectation that every movie should be released from a 4k scan.

Which is obviously not going to happen.

[PuppetMasterBlu]

Originally Posted by nitin

yeah I assumed their comment had something to do with the fact that there are/were a lot of complaints by those who bought the first Journey disc and have seen caps of the second Journey disc and therefore there seems to be an expectation that every movie should be released from a 4k scan.

Which is obviously not going to happen.

That's true, but people tend to expect quite a bit when you are charging 35 bucks.

[Widescreenfilmguy]

I haven't read any bad reviews yet of Solomon and Sheba, I watched it over the weekend and thought it looked fine myself. There were a few weird blips on the far left and right sides of the frame but it was pretty sharp and the color and sound were great IMHO

[Jaymole]

I have held off placing my order on the sale titles & Zardoz, so I am going to press my luck and wait until tomorrow at 4 and place the order so I can get the free signed Breaking Away.

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by movieben1138

Couldn't risk it. I'm sure Zardoz will last till the Wednesday promotion, but I didn't want it to whisk away in the feeding frenzy. I had to go ahead and order it separately.

I was going to hold off on Zardoz because I wanted to focus on buying sale titles this month and I didn't think there would be a signed promo with the sale. Then they announced the promo and I got all set to put in another big order but with the limit being $150 I just couldn't do it. I can't spend that much with the exchange rate (plus I also just ordered 10 blu-rays from Amazon Germany's 10 for 50 Euro sale). But when they said that it had already sold 3000 units I decided just to pull the trigger as I don't want to risk losing out on such a unique title.

[Widescreenfilmguy]

Did anyone miss out on The Blob and would like to trade? Not sure this should be in this thread but thought there would be fans here

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by Widescreenfilmguy

Did anyone miss out on The Blob and would like to trade? Not sure this should be in this thread but thought there would be fans here

Trade with what?
I'm not sure I have anything to trade..

[Widescreenfilmguy]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Trade with what?
I'm not sure I have anything to trade..

Another Blu Ray, I mainly collect TT, Criterion and 3D

[Angel Eyes]

Originally Posted by Blu Titan

Fans are going to complain, some people are not going to be happy...whatever. It is NOT a big deal. Undoubtedly, the label is successful...so what if they lose money on some releases? Every label does. Debate creates interest and some criticism is at times warranted...other times, issues are blown out of proportion. Again NOT a big deal. Personally, I am not in the TT apologist camp and much further yet from the TT hater camp. In my opinion, most of us would agree that Twilight Time delivers a high quality product.

I agree just wish they could make a profit off a 24.95 price point keeping the cost with tax under the 30.00 dollar threshold. I get my Criterions much cheaper than I pay for TT.