Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[diverdave]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

Placed an order on 5/10 as well, still not shipped. I reached out and they've assured me that all I'll get all the titles I ordered, so that's all I really care about. I'll get em when I get em.

Great post! There is so much angst here over waiting a few weeks for some movies to be shipped.

People need to remember that the warehouse shipping capacity is way down due to Covid-19 precautions. They can't just bring in a bunch of temps to handle the surge.

David

[Brandon K]

Originally Posted by diverdave

There is so much angst here over waiting a few weeks for some movies to be shipped ... People need to remember that the warehouse shipping capacity is way down due to Covid-19 precautions.

You're missing the point in that I don't think anyone has been upset about the wait in and of itself. Many people have specifically stated that they totally understand the wait due to the number of orders and other factors such as COVID19 conditions. The reason people are frustrated is that items are being cancelled from orders, while at the same time orders placed significantly later are being shipped ahead of still-unshipped orders placed on the first day of the sale, in direct contradiction of TT's initial promise for how the shipping of orders would be handled... and the waiting compounds the situation, because folks don't know the actual status of their order while alternative options are changing. (As a side note, some people paid a lot of money upfront for "some movies" during this sale, but how few or how many items people ordered is irrelevant - to each their own, the situation remains regardless.)

One person described it best, a page back, when they said it was "unprofessional" - I'd fully agree.

[jmclick]

Well, this is a puzzlement ... The Black Stallion and Gidget have reappeared on Twilight Time's website as available to order. ??!!! If I didn't know better, I would suspect that this stock liquidation isn't being handled very efficiently ...

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by James Luckard

In fairness, I'd like to know if this fulfillment company handles any other boutique labels. I'd gladly avoid them in future. I've only bought one other TT title direct through them, I've always ordered through SAE and their well-oiled machine before.

I'm pretty sure that Twilight Time is Cinemagistics' only site. They came online around the same time as Twilight Time's online store (2015).

https://washington.intercreditreport...-llc-603512346

I also think that I read in one of the announcements that when Twilight Time ceases to exist, Cinemagistics will, too.

Fine by me.

[Aclea]

Unfortunately that's the way most companies work these days - last year when there wasn't a virus to complicate issues Indicator's last ordered, first shipped fulfilment meant some people waited a month for their orders in their annual sale despite claims of laying on extra staff. Other retailers have had similar issues - especially Amazon, but my order of in stock items from Intrada took six weeks to ship (by contrast, my smaller order from Varese Sarabande shipped promptly). When small outfits are swamped with orders it often becomes a case of doing what's practical rather than what's ideal, and when you farm it out to a third party, regardless of specific instructions they often fulfill the easiest orders first so they can claim they're reaching or exceeding the agreed daily rate of orders dispatched even if they're shipping fewer units.

Yes, it sucks, but even in the best of times good help is hard to find, and these ain't the best of times.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by ASAPadam

Someone here theorized that they may have run out of packing boxes for large orders, and it might be harder to acquire supplies in a pandemic. I'm sure they got tons of orders for 8 or more Blu-rays on May 10, something that was atypical for them before the liquidation. And they already have our money — they charge immediately — so they've already "moved the stock."

I had a large May 10 order ship on May 12 (Order #70xxx), but I placed it around 1 pm ET, before they lowered the prices, so it seems they were going in order for that one. But I placed a second order later that day, around 8 pm, after the price drops (Order #72xxx), and that order hasn't shipped. There were nearly 1800 orders during those seven hours alone (going by the order numbers), and I imagine most of them were really big. It's a pretty safe bet the warehouse didn't have 2000 large Priority Mail boxes ready for use. But this is all speculation...

I suspect that it's a lot easier for warehouse workers to fulfill an order with 10 copies of the same title than it is an order with 10 different titles. I also think that's why we're seeing titles go from 50+ to zero so quickly.

[hariseldon]

CRITICAL LOW STOCK ALERT SAE

HOT ROCK -- now at 25 copies so sell out may be in minutes

I've been on the road all day so didn't get a chance to do any morning updates, Just got in and this was the first thing I saw

[bdgking]

Boom !


The Hot Rock is now Sold Out at SAE

as mentioned yesterday they are really low on

Zelig
RollerBall
Alamo Bay
Gran Bollito
Cutters Way

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by hariseldon

CRITICAL LOW STOCK ALERT SAE

HOT ROCK -- now at 25 copies so sell out may be in minutes

I've been on the road all day so didn't get a chance to do any morning updates, Just got in and this was the first thing I saw

Gone now.

[jayembee]

For what it's worth, TTM's "Sale" section seems to have resolved the phantom listings issue. They are currently down to four full pages (64 titles) with only The Barefoot Contessa having no Add To Cart button.

On edit: Inserts is also missing the ATC button. I don't know if this is new since I first posted this message, or I missed it previously.

They've also apparently replenished stock on some titles. In addition to the three titles in my order that still have the "Sold Out, cannot be reordered" note, I had two others with a "Out of Stock, cannot be reordered" note, but those two no longer have that note, and those titles are back in business in the Sale listing.

[hariseldon]

TTM.com

Single copies of
3 Worlds of Gulliver
Gidget -- now SOLD OUT again
Wuthering Hts
Black Stallion Returns appear to be available.

This was happening occasionally before the clearance, but 1st I've seen in a couple weeks. Not sure if they decided to make the safely inventory limit a bit tighter to leave a couple copies or is somebody's order got cancelled (CC or PP rejection/chargeback, a bad shipping address, or somebody yelled loud enough to get a cancel).

Usually these 'comeback' titles have been 1-3 copies, Stanley and Iris and Next Stop Greenwich Village pulled back nearly 100 copies before selling out a second time after the Clearance Sale started

The April Love page screwup is still there, but somebody appears to have gotten an order through sometime overnight and there was only 3 copies this morning. Somebody like me I guess still had it in the wishlist or a cart ready to go

Originally Posted by jayembee

Gone now.

Not shocking, it was a popular title at TTM and sold out before the clearance sale started. Once again -- at <50 SAE isn't going to hang around long

[jayembee]

So...at this point, there are only two titles left in TTM's sale listings that I don't have (or don't have on order): Hussy and Sunshine. I'm really tempted to place an order for those two, if only to see if they get packed and shipped before my May 11th order.

[hariseldon]

Originally Posted by jayembee

So...at this point, there are only two titles left in TTM's sale listings that I don't have (or don't have on order): Hussy and Sunshine. I'm really tempted to place an order for those two, if only to see if they get packed and shipped before my May 11th order.

Never have quite figured out why SUNSHINE is listed with TT discs

I'd almost bet 4 digit sums that order would ship first

[rocknblues81]

Placed my order on the 10th and recieved my order today.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by hariseldon

Never have quite figured out why SUNSHINE is listed with TT discs

(1) Well, it's kinda sorta the same company. Just a separate imprint.

(2) It's only listed with the TT discs in the Sale listings (as were ClassicFlix titles before they all sold out). In the "All Titles" drop-down, it's in the separate "Redwind Productions" category.

[trentdiesel]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

I generally wait at least a year before returning to a movie, so I'm already priming for a sweaty southern night next summer with this, Cat and a bottle of bourbon

Curious to hear your thoughts!

Watched The Long Hot Summer earlier today and I enjoyed it quite a bit. My only regrets were waiting this long to see it and not having the aforementioned bottle of bourbon with me as I watched. Now I'm even more excited to see Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, I really felt like I was in the sweaty south as I watched it. I thought Welles was fine although I am a bit of an apologist when it comes to him, Newman was great as was Woodward. I'd give a pretty hearty recommendation to anyone who has not seen it, to do so and I'd say it's a safe blind buy for anyone who likes this general type of film.

[kvnbhovis]

Originally Posted by belcherman

I'm pretty sure that Twilight Time is Cinemagistics' only site. They came online around the same time as Twilight Time's online store (2015).

https://washington.intercreditreport...-llc-603512346

I also think that I read in one of the announcements that when Twilight Time ceases to exist, Cinemagistics will, too.

Fine by me.

I'm thinking Classic Flix may be handled by the same company. Their website is similar and Classic Flix titles have been sold on the TT website.

[TheHistorian]

On May 10, stuff was vanishing as I was filling my cart, and there was a problem with getting the 10 for $115 deal to work. Eventually, I got so frustrated that I just ordered a few titles that I could still get and really wanted, dropping everything else. The next day I went shopping at Screen Archives and eBay and picked up everything I missed. I paid a bit more for those, but still a great price. An I've received all the items I didn't order from the TT site, so it was probably money well spent.

[SeanJoyce]

Originally Posted by trentdiesel

[Show spoiler]Watched The Long Hot Summer earlier today and I enjoyed it quite a bit. My only regrets were waiting this long to see it and not having the aforementioned bottle of bourbon with me as I watched. Now I'm even more excited to see Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, I really felt like I was in the sweaty south as I watched it. I thought Welles was fine although I am a bit of an apologist when it comes to him, Newman was great as was Woodward. I'd give a pretty hearty recommendation to anyone who has not seen it, to do so and I'd say it's a safe blind buy for anyone who likes this general type of film.

Glad you enjoyed it; I'm glad I finally woke up smelling the roses before it sold out.

Can't believe Cat's eluded you; there's A LOT more drinking in that one, and it's a much stronger movie. Newman and Ives are sensational there, and I don't think Taylor has ever been sexier. So many things came together for that one, and it still remains my favorite Williams adaptation.

That one can also be enjoyed with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf if you want hard bourbon drinkers shrinking away from Liz Taylor

[Show spoiler]Burton's "bourgon" monologue is one of my favorite pieces of screen acting.

[trentdiesel]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

Glad you enjoyed it; I'm glad I finally woke up smelling the roses before it sold out.

Can't believe Cat's eluded you; there's A LOT more drinking in that one, in a, frankly, much better movie. Newman and Ives are sensational there, and I don't think Taylor has ever been sexier. So many things came together for that one, and it still remains my favorite Williams adaptation.

That one can also be enjoyed with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf if you want hard bourbon drinkers shrinking away from Liz Taylor

[Show spoiler]Burton's "bourgon" monologue is one of my favorite pieces of screen acting.

Awesome, the next Warner sale I will snag both of those. I'm playing catch up as far as classic films go, I'm much more of a horror and action aficionado but I've always liked and respected the classics I've seen. Thanks for the help building up that part of my collection