Enemy Mine (1985) (Limited Edition to 3,000) — SOLD OUT

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by toddly6666

Twilight Time...the most strategically smart company since Criterion - even convincing people to spend a lot of money on regular films such as As Good as It Gets, Steel Magnolias, Night of the Living Dead, and now Enemy Mine which would all normally be sold for 10 bucks on Blu-ray if it was released everywhere!

That may be true but they haven't convinced enough people to make a profit, yet. Although they may have recouped the costs on a few particular titles, I believe Nick Redman has stated TT, overall, is still in the red; at least for now.

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

That wasn't exactly were I was trying to go with my post. Someone stated that if TT hadn't released it, it was their guess (actually more of a statement) that it and all of their other titles would never have been released on blu-ray. In my opinion, I'm not so sure of that. Fact is TT just got it first.

It's easy to agree on this point when discussing the likes of Rapture, Swamp Water, The Wayward Bus, or the upcoming The Sound and the Fury - none of the other cottage catalogue labels would have touched those titles, not even Criterion (as evidenced again by the simple fact that none of them did).

Where this subject always gets 'sensitive' is around more 'recent' titles (if you can actually call a 27 year old movie that), which previously had a much higher profile on home video. Those who grew up with these movies always available in some form seem to assume that they will automatically warrant a wider, cheaper retail release in any new format...just...well...because that's the way it's always been. The fact is, as studios have been telling us for well over a year now, and it's finally starting to sink in, we simply cannot assume that anymore. With every new video format, many titles invariably get left behind, and it's been no different with Blu-ray, if anything, much worse. Even with all the recent announcements by other cottage catalogue labels, that still leaves enormous schwacks of pre-millennium movies with little or no prospect for Blu-ray release unless some enterprising soul(s) decide to take a fly on creating another new specialty label.

Twilight Time is just one piece in that catalogue title mosaic, doing the best they can within their limited, capped unit (and profit) model. Yet at the rate of a mere 24 titles per year from only 2 studios, even TT can never hope to do more than scratch the surface, so they just go after the most appealing high def ready titles available to them which have the best chance of selling through before their limited 3 year licensing window expires. My larger point is, given the current licensing mood of most studios, if this catalogue Blu-ray thing was such a slam dunk you'd see even more players in the game by this point, and they'd all be conducting business from their yachts anchored off the Caymans. But they're not because it's hard to be that right all of the time. No matter who goes after a title like Enemy Mine, or how, the numbers are still puny by modern home video standards. If the studio can't sell 100,000 at $10.00, then is the right mix 3000 at $30.00, or 15000 at $15.00? For some titles, maybe there's no profitable price point in hard media form.

In this new reality for catalogue on Blu-ray, we have to get used to the fact that some titles will go high end and limited via TT/SAE mail order, while others will go out wider and cheaper via traditional retail channels. Neither model guarantees a profit; TT's merely hedges against massive losses. In either scenario, we should be rejoicing over any catalogue titles that do manage to get done, and done well, however produced and marketed.

As home video consumers, we all pick our hills to die on, but $30 bucks for a fave movie in high-def that *might* not get released otherwise, just isn't one of mine.

[Patobone]

When I was a kid, I was terrified of the underground tentacle thingies and meteor showers. I loved this movie then, Im sure I'll love it now that Im older. Deffinetly ordering this.

[Seymour]

Originally Posted by ROclockCK

It's easy to agree on this point when discussing the likes of Rapture, Swamp Water, The Wayward Bus, or the upcoming The Sound and the Fury - none of the other cottage catalogue labels would have touched those titles, not even Criterion (as evidenced again by the simple fact that none of them did).

Where this subject always gets 'sensitive' is around more 'recent' titles (if you can actually call a 27 year old movie that), which previously had a much higher profile on home video. Those who grew up with these movies always available in some form seem to assume that they will automatically warrant a wider, cheaper retail release in any new format...just...well...because that's the way it's always been. The fact is, as studios have been telling us for well over a year now, and it's finally starting to sink in, we simply cannot assume that anymore. With every new video format, many titles invariably get left behind, and it's been no different with Blu-ray, if anything, much worse. Even with all the recent announcements by other cottage catalogue labels, that still leaves enormous schwacks of pre-millennium movies with little or no prospect for Blu-ray release unless some enterprising soul(s) decide to take a fly on creating another new specialty label.

Twilight Time is just one piece in that catalogue title mosaic, doing the best they can within their limited, capped unit (and profit) model. Yet at the rate of a mere 24 titles per year from only 2 studios, even TT can never hope to do more than scratch the surface, so they just go after the most appealing high def ready titles available to them which have the best chance of selling through before their limited 3 year licensing window expires. My larger point is, given the current licensing mood of most studios, if this catalogue Blu-ray thing was such a slam dunk you'd see even more players in the game by this point, and they'd all be conducting business from their yachts anchored off the Caymans. But they're not because it's hard to be that right all of the time. No matter who goes after a title like Enemy Mine, or how, the numbers are still puny by modern home video standards. If the studio can't sell 100,000 at $10.00, then is the right mix 3000 at $30.00, or 15000 at $15.00? For some titles, maybe there's no profitable price point in hard media form.

In this new reality for catalgoue on Blu-ray, we have to get used to the fact that some titles will go high end and limited via TT/SAE mail order, while others will go out wider and cheaper via traditional retail channels. Neither model guarantees a profit; TT's merely hedges against massive losses. In either scenario, we should be rejoicing over any catalogue titles that do manage to get done, and done well, however produced and marketed.

As home video consumers, we all pick our hills to die on, but $30 bucks for a fave movie in high-def that *might* not get released otherwise, just isn't one of mine.

But as we've seen, companies like Image, Mill Creek, Anchor Bay, Shout Factory, etc. do not pass up on releasing licensed titles from the majors (Examples: Sleepwalkers, Damnation Alley, Terminal Velocity, License to Drive, the list goes on for middle of the road titles). Doesn't it make more sense for Sony and Fox to offer titles like Rapture, Swamp Water, and The Wayward Bus to TT versus titles like Fright Night, Night of the Living Dead '90, and Enemy Mine? The former are 1000x more niche than the latter. Very few people are complaining about TT's business model when it comes to the former, it's titles like the latter that cause problems.

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by Seymour

But as we've seen, companies like Image, Mill Creek, Anchor Bay, Shout Factory, etc. do not pass up on releasing licensed titles from the majors (Examples: Sleepwalkers, Damnation Alley, Terminal Velocity, License to Drive, the list goes on for middle of the road titles). Doesn't it make more sense for Sony and Fox to offer titles like Rapture, Swamp Water, and The Wayward Bus to TT versus titles like Fright Night, Night of the Living Dead '90, and Enemy Mine? The former are 1000x more niche than the latter. Very few people are complaining about TT's business model when it comes to the former, it's titles like the latter that cause problems.

A better question would be "Why didn't those other labels jump on Fright Night, Night of the Living Dead '90, and Enemy Mine?" Or "Why didn't Criterion go after a certified classic like The Big Heat?"

This issue arises from the studios' decision to license, and turns on the choices made by the other cottage labels Seymour. TT isn't operating in a vacuum.

[BJQ1972]

Originally Posted by ROclockCK

A better question would be "Why didn't those other labels jump on Fright Night, Night of the Living Dead '90, and Enemy Mine?" Or "Why didn't Criterion go after a certified classic like The Big Heat?"

This issue arises from the studios' decision to license, and turns on the choices made by the other cottage labels Seymour. TT isn't operating in a vacuum.

TT haven't exactly 'jumped on' some of the titles they've released - they were offered to them by Sony. I have no objection to their pricing model - if people don't want to pay it then don't - but i think that by releasing titles like Steel Magnolias they are not endearing themselves to some sections of their target audience.

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by BJQ1972

TT haven't exactly 'jumped on' some of the titles they've released - they were offered to them by Sony. I have no objection to their pricing model - if people don't want to pay it then don't - but i think that by releasing titles like Steel Magnolias they are not endearing themselves to some sections of their target audience.

So TT is supposed to wait until everyone else has passed on a title? Or check fan sites for consensus on what titles are appropriate?

Sorry BJQ1972, but what business operates like that?

[Seymour]

Originally Posted by ROclockCK

A better question would be "Why didn't those other labels jump on Fright Night, Night of the Living Dead '90, and Enemy Mine?" Or "Why didn't Criterion go after a certified classic like The Big Heat?"

This issue arises from the studios' decision to license, and turns on the choices made by the other cottage labels Seymour. TT isn't operating in a vacuum.

Well, Sony struck their deal with Image in 2010. Maybe Fright Night, As Good as It Gets, Night of the Living Dead '90, etc. weren't offered because Sony wasn't sure what they wanted to release themselves. I can only assume something similar occurred regarding Fox/Shout Factory/Anchor Bay and Enemy Mine. I just can't see companies like Image, Shout Factory, Mill Creek, and/or Anchor Bay turning down much (when it comes to '80s/'90s middle-level titles) if anything at all.

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by Seymour

Well, Sony struck their deal with Image in 2010. Maybe Fright Night, As Good as It Gets, Night of the Living Dead '90, etc. weren't offered because Sony wasn't sure what they wanted to release themselves. I can only assume something similar occurred regarding Fox/Shout Factory/Anchor Bay and Enemy Mine. I just can't see companies like Image, Shout Factory, Mill Creek, and/or Anchor Bay turning down much (when it comes to '80s/'90s middle-level titles) if anything at all.

This was certainly true with the DVD format Seymour, but with Blu-ray I haven't seen much action from this era by either Anchor Bay or Image. Shout Factory's DVD output always was spotty. Mill Creek a straight-to-bargain-bin joke.

Assumptions are risky in this area because none of us have access to those companies' books or their long range product plans.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by toddly6666

Twilight Time...the most strategically smart company since Criterion - even convincing people to spend a lot of money on regular films such as As Good as It Gets, Steel Magnolias, Night of the Living Dead, and now Enemy Mine which would all normally be sold for 10 bucks on Blu-ray if it was released everywhere!

Twilight Time, and no other film distributor have the power to influence, nor Coerce anybody to purchase anything they don't want to buy. The consumers have the freedom to decide whether if they want to purchase the item or not, regardless of its price. People are responsible for their own actions, nobody else.

[Rhoq]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

Looks like an interesting film.

Enemy mine [1985] - Theatrical Trailer - YouTube

One of my all-time favorite movies and it it has held up incredibly well over the years. This is a must-have purchase for me.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Rhoq

One of my all-time favorite movies and it it has held up incredibly well over the years. This is a must-have purchase for me.

I thoroughly enjoy the opening. The first 30 minutes has you hooked for the rest of the film.

[hudakj]

Is it wrong that I'm going to be buying this title to see the gorgeous on location cinematography and gambling on whether it's attached to a good movie?

And I agree that there is no guarantee another 3rd party would have picked up some of these titles anytime soon. Image and Shout release a pretty tiny amount of Sony and Fox licensed deep catalog films respectively and appear to have had a rather limited selection of films to license. The Mill Creek deal is potentially lucrative, but the ink is still dry on that one and there have been no fruits of that deal thus far.

Criterion has always had a pretty full schedule of films licensed from several media companies both American and abroad, so its not sensible to expect them to pick up that much of Sony's and Fox's slack since they are only able to fit in a comparatively small amount of films from each company in their annual release schedule. Not to mention they are still in the process up upgrading their back catalog of already licensed and released films to blu-ray.

[Flex Mentallo]

Nothing can stop me from owning this movie. My family and I quote this movie to this day.
Awsome movie. Awesome score. Awesome acting.
Hell in the Pacific may be the better movie but Enemy Mine is way cooler.
I'll be preordering this movie day one. This time around, for this title, price is no issue.

[Hellboy]

Definitely in for this one.

[DNinja]

It looks like this will be my first purchase from Twilight Time. I've been interested in a few of their titles before but couldn't get past the $30 price point. I'll make an exception for Enemy Mine. I never owned the DVD but I've probably seen it 20-30 times on TV over the years. I'd really love to watch it in HD.

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

I thoroughly enjoy the opening. The first 30 minutes has you hooked for the rest of the film.

...speaking of which, here's another good reason for loving this movie and jumping on TT's Blu-ray:

[Page14]

Twilight Time and Criterion (and now The Beatles too) are blowing my self-imposed $10 bluray limit all to heck! But that's okay. It's easy to justify when I think of other things I spend $30 on without even thinking twice about (for example, a tank of gas [or half a tank] or a ticket to a somewhat meaningless sporting event/concert or even just a parking fee for said sporting events).

[HDMe]

And nobody has yet asked (or answered) the burning question...

Will Zamis get 4..5 ?

[danny24]

Originally Posted by Beast

Great movie. But I'll stick with DVD rather than support Twilight Time. Ludicrous company.

They are the ones putting some of these films out on Blu-ray. The studios don't want to release them fearing they wouldn't move enough product and be losing money on these catalogue titles despite doing an HD master. I haven't seen Enemy Mine, just a little of it on cable TV so I am debating a blind buy purchase. Supporting them will only help with more future releases on Blu-ray of movies the studios wouldn't ever greenlight a wide release on. For fans of these movies this is a dream come true, what if one of your favorite films wasn't out on Blu-ray yet and Twilight Time is set to release it on Blu-ray, that would probably make you happy.