Dark Force Entertainment Discussion Thread

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by miribeau

To clarify my previous misunderstood post, I feel a bit sad that there isn't enough demand for a second pressing. As to what people had to go through to get it, people are actually starving to death in this world, getting murdered and all sorts of other horrible things. I don't give a crap what someone with $35 to blow on a movie has to go through in order to spend that money and get the movie. So, you and I will have to amicably disagree on the issue of "the hoops" and how important or unimportant they are. For the record, I just can't waste my caring on something like people with money not being able to spend it as easily as they want to.

But you’ll waste your caring on there not being enough demand for a second pressing of DEAD PIT, even though people are still starving to death and being murdered. You’re still worried about first world problems, so please don’t be hypocritical.

Originally Posted by miribeau

Dead Pit is OOP. Its remaining copies are bundled, to facilitate sales of films like Zombie Nightmare, which is a good call, as it will help them sell those films and make more money which will lead to more film releases, even if it takes a couple of months to get them all sold. The individual units sold out and, then, because David felt sorry for people, he un-bundled already-bundled copies to sell individually with a limit of one copy per customer. I would not have done that but he was worried that people were not getting what they wanted and sacrificed some earnings to do that for those customers, because profits have been high enough to aid in doing more film restorations and because, as I've said before, he's a nice guy.

[miribeau]

Originally Posted by WinterBox

Dead Pit is still selling on Ebay way above the $35 price point set by DK on their own site.

Stop with the blatant lies.

1) Dark Force was charging $40 to the US, $44 to Canada and $48 overseas for Dead Pit. He never offered free shipping on this title as a stand alone, without adding other items, even for US customers, and it was always with shipping for international sales, due to postage costs.

2) Ebay US isn't the only place I'm watching, but if name calling is your primary goal, it wouldn't make much sense for you to check all the other listings, before throwing around that particular L-word, so have at it.

However, back to the issue of Dead Pit, I'm stunned people bid those last two Ebay US auctions up so high, particularly given the buy-it-now options bypassed on several of these auctions, in order to wait a few days and then pay an extra $10. Also, given how many people are selling where they don't have pay whatever the ebay percentage is at this point, it is even more surprising. It reminds me of how some people buy VS titles with slips from the Ebay US outlet, when they can't get the slip at Amazon, because they either won't buy from VS or still haven't figured out that they have a store. Then again, international bidders and all.... Ebay's international stores and Amazon Marketplace Sellers are the only ones I have found willing to ship overseas on Dead Pit.

[Member-222782]

Ignore buttons are useless if people quote the charlatans. Man, I've never read so much drivel in my life.

[miribeau]

Originally Posted by WaverBoy

But you’ll waste your caring on there not being enough demand for a second pressing of DEAD PIT, even though people are still starving to death and being murdered. You’re still worried about first world problems, so please don’t be hypocritical.

It isn't a waste of caring, to me, if people who have worked on a film I really like aren't getting as much credit or attention as I'd like them to get, especially when I know any of those people. If a film I like isn't popular enough to take off, then the people who made it don't get as much attention. Granted, film is only about 1/6th of my business, but I always care when the hard work of others doesn't garner as much interest as it should, or as much as I think it should, based on the effort I know they put into it.

Also, caring that the work of specific filmmakers and actors gets attention isn't a first world problem. This is most specifically a Hollywood problem and just because I don't live there anymore doesn't mean I stopped caring about work getting attention. I never said I care more about unknown people around the world than people I actually know. I said I don't care about people I don't know getting to spend their money as easily as they would like to spend their money when other people I don't know are being murdered and starving and so on. It would, however, be hypocritical for me to care about the issue of second pressing if I didn't know anyone involved in any capacity.

So, from what I'm gathering here, I seem to be the only one who feels a little sad that there wasn't more interest in Dead Pit, the film not the slipcover. Is that the case?

While I'm not particularly interested in Ator, for reasons I've stated before, I'm genuinely interested in Breeders, The Banker and, most especially, Mirror Mirror. Are any of you guys interested in those, enough to buy any of them or was there a different title you all were interested in? Based on the number of people saying they weren't going to buy Dead Pit, and then saying they didn't, I'm just wondering if anyone else here is actually a fan of the Dark Force label.

[HorrorBlu]

I don't understand how anyone finds out any news or information about Dark Force here when we are forced to skim mirabu's boring novels looking for the rare relevant announcements.

I'm confused if the intention is to help Dark Force, because all it does it bury the useful info we come here looking for.

[miribeau]

Originally Posted by HorrorBlu

I don't understand how anyone finds out any news or information about Dark Force here when we are forced to skim mirabu's boring novels looking for the rare relevant announcements.

I'm confused if the intention is to help Dark Force, because all it does it bury the useful info we come here looking for.

Do you actually want news? Everyone told me to stop posting it so I did. A while back I gave an update, as I understand it. Here it is again....

#6 and #7 are coming out in August, if all goes well. #6 will have a glow-cover, owing to the friendliness of the little Gates of Hell picture to that format. #7 will be a standard edition blu release, like 1-5.

Breeders is coming out in August, assuming that the cover is ready in time. They are already pretty far along in the glow-cover manufacturing process but no specific date has been given.

The Banker has been announced.

Ator, he of too many clothes, has been announced, and will be in the limited edition glow-cover series.

Mirror Mirror has a guy, an interviewer, travelling around to get as many special features as he can gather for the blu-ray. This is the reason for the delay and, quite frankly, it is a very good reason, as most fans really want to see or even just hear more interview features.

David and Bill are planning a live feed to detail some upcoming releases for both lines and tell us all what's going on.

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by miribeau

It isn't a waste of caring, to me, if people who have worked on a film I really like aren't getting as much credit or attention as I'd like them to get, especially when I know any of those people. If a film I like isn't popular enough to take off, then the people who made it don't get as much attention. Granted, film is only about 1/6th of my business, but I always care when the hard work of others doesn't garner as much interest as it should, or as much as I think it should, based on the effort I know they put into it.

Also, caring that the work of specific filmmakers and actors gets attention isn't a first world problem. This is most specifically a Hollywood problem and just because I don't live there anymore doesn't mean I stopped caring about work getting attention. I never said I care more about unknown people around the world than people I actually know. I said I don't care about people I don't know getting to spend their money as easily as they would like to spend their money when other people I don't know are being murdered and starving and so on. It would, however, be hypocritical for me to care about the issue of second pressing if I didn't know anyone involved in any capacity.

So, from what I'm gathering here, I seem to be the only one who feels a little sad that there wasn't more interest in Dead Pit, the film not the slipcover. Is that the case?

While I'm not particularly interested in Ator, for reasons I've stated before, I'm genuinely interested in Breeders, The Banker and, most especially, Mirror Mirror. Are any of you guys interested in those, enough to buy any of them or was there a different title you all were interested in? Based on the number of people saying they weren't going to buy Dead Pit, and then saying they didn't, I'm just wondering if anyone else here is actually a fan of the Dark Force label.

Lack of sufficient interest for a second DEAD PIT pressing is the very definition of a first world problem. Again, please don’t be hypocritical. And what >we’re< gathering here is that you’re so desperate to defend indefensible business practices that it’s become surreally comical.

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by miribeau

Do you actually want news? Everyone told me to stop posting it so I did. A while back I gave an update, as I understand it. Here it is again....

#6 and #7 are coming out in August, if all goes well. #6 will have a glow-cover, owing to the friendliness of the little Gates of Hell picture to that format. #7 will be a standard edition blu release, like 1-5.

Breeders is coming out in August, assuming that the cover is ready in time. They are already pretty far along in the glow-cover manufacturing process but no specific date has been given.

The Banker has been announced.

Ator, he of too many clothes, has been announced, and will be in the limited edition glow-cover series.

Mirror Mirror has a guy, an interviewer, travelling around to get as many special features as he can gather for the blu-ray. This is the reason for the delay and, quite frankly, it is a very good reason, as most fans really want to see or even just hear more interview features.

David and Bill are planning a live feed to detail some upcoming releases for both lines and tell us all what's going on.

News is most welcome; cringeworthy mental gymnastics trying to defend the indefensible, not so much.

[miribeau]

Originally Posted by WaverBoy

Lack of sufficient interest for a second DEAD PIT pressing is the very definition of a first world problem. Again, please don’t be hypocritical. And what >we’re< gathering here is that you’re so desperate to defend indefensible business practices that it’s become surreally comical.

Again, I'm not talking about a lack of interest in a random second pressing of some random film, but, lack of interest in a film specific people worked really hard to make. My concern is for them, for their work, for their work being seen and appreciated by as many people as possible, hence me giving so many copies of the DVD over the years.

I don't think you meant to say that being a friend and caring about people you know is a first-world problem. As I'm sure you know, people the world over care about their friends.

If I knew anyone very well who worked on Ator, I would never refer to it as a mistake of a film in which a beautiful man was forced to wear too many clothes while not doing any of the things he does so well on film. Breeders will never get criticism from me and is a very fun film that everyone should buy.

[WaverBoy]

You want to release a limited edition, great! Even at $34.95. Just make sure that you:

1. Put a limit of 1 or 2 per person to fend off scalpers.

2. Let each release succeed on its own merits. Don’t push people to buy a movie they don’t want in order to be able to buy one that they do want.

3. Keep the goddamned store open for longer than seventeen minutes at a stretch. You know, like maybe 24/7 like is commonly done in this era.

It ain’t rocket science. Quit with the bullshit games, and you won’t get richly deserved wrath and ridicule. Customer goodwill is always preferable to customer ill will, and in the long run will result in being much better for business.

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by miribeau

Again, I'm not talking about a lack of interest in a random second pressing of some random film, but, lack of interest in a film specific people worked really hard to make. My concern is for them, for their work, for their work being seen and appreciated by as many people as possible, hence me giving so many copies of the DVD over the years.

I don't think you meant to say that being a friend and caring about people you know is a first-world problem. As I'm sure you know, people the world over care about their friends.

If I knew anyone very well who worked on Ator, I would never refer to it as a mistake of a film in which a beautiful man was forced to wear too many clothes while not doing any of the things he does so well on film. Breeders will never get criticism from me and is a very fun film that everyone should buy.

It’s still a first world problem. The film was made and has been released on VHS, DVD and Blu-ray even. Yet, many films are worked on for years but never see the light of day in any form, and nobody makes any money off them except for unscrupulous producers. And, people are still getting murdered. Don’t attempt to call other people out on their worries over first world problems when you’re not above such a thing yourself. You’re only digging yourself in deeper. And seriously, please quit trying to cast Darkforce’s rotten business practices in some sort of altruistic light. Just stop. Consider yourself laughed out of court.

[kraven]

First world problems are the only ones that matter.

As for the bundles. I like them, they allowed me to get dead pit for $25, which is how much it should cost. DF just needs a way to get the discount if you add a new release and an old movie individually. I want the carrier, but the movies is ****ed up so it shouldn't cost $25.

[miribeau]

Originally Posted by WaverBoy

It’s still a first world problem. The film was made and has been released on VHS, DVD and Blu-ray even. Yet, many films are worked on for years but never see the light of day in any form, and nobody makes any money off them except for unscrupulous producers. And, people are still getting murdered. Don’t attempt to call other people out on their worries over first world problems when you’re not above such a thing yourself. You’re only digging yourself in deeper. And seriously, please quit trying to cast Darkforce’s rotten business practices in some sort of altruistic light. Just stop. Consider yourself laughed out of court.

Again, caring about friends' work getting recognized isn't a first world problem. People all over the world, including the third world, care deeply about their friends. On this issue, you and I just aren't going to agree.

As to David, he was clear that he was un-bundling those copies of Dead Pit because of specific fans who weren't able to get a copy. Sacrificing money so a few fans can get what they want is altruistic, which is why I wouldn't have done it. I have a family and they come first and they would never allow it. He put those fans first, prioritizing their wants.

Add to that, many of those fans have bucket-lists and won't buy films in the future because those films aren't a priority for them. Some purchasers in the last batch have openly referenced their bucket-lists. How many of those buyers will also buy Breeders, The Banker, Ator and so on, instead of prioritizing what they want from VS or Mondo?

If it weren't for bucket-list-buyers, holding off on films, Bill would have been staying in a larger apartment, that left a safety space between the toilet and the shower, like in every home I've ever lived in. Someone on another board was referencing annoyance over one of the many really dedicated reviewers here, Svet in this case, I believe, talking about how money can buy happiness. Well, it can and it can't but, in Bill's case, it could have changed his life significantly, where that horrible accident was concerned.

So, when David gives up money so fans will be happy, where is the appreciation? Everyone seems as down on him recently as they have ever been and only one person on this board, other than myself and Ruined, has been expressing genuine interest in the upcoming Dark Force releases.

Nearly every response I read here criticizes Dark Force for their business practices and, when they go out of their way to be extra kind to a small group of customers who wrote in about not getting a copy, the criticism continues, unabated.

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by miribeau

Again, caring about friends' work getting recognized isn't a first world problem. People all over the world, including the third world, care deeply about their friends. On this issue, you and I just aren't going to agree.

As to David, he was clear that he was un-bundling those copies of Dead Pit because of specific fans who weren't able to get a copy. Sacrificing money so a few fans can get what they want is altruistic, which is why I wouldn't have done it. I have a family and they come first and they would never allow it. He put those fans first, prioritizing their wants.

Add to that, many of those fans have bucket-lists and won't buy films in the future because those films aren't a priority for them. Some purchasers in the last batch have openly referenced their bucket-lists. How many of those buyers will also buy Breeders, The Banker, Ator and so on, instead of prioritizing what they want from VS or Mondo?

If it weren't for bucket-list-buyers, holding off on films, Bill would have been staying in a larger apartment, that left a safety space between the toilet and the shower, like in every home I've ever lived in. Someone on another board was referencing annoyance over one of the many really dedicated reviewers here, Svet in this case, I believe, talking about how money can buy happiness. Well, it can and it can't but, in Bill's case, it could have changed his life significantly, where that horrible accident was concerned.

So, when David gives up money so fans will be happy, where is the appreciation? Everyone seems as down on him recently as they have ever been and only one person on this board, other than myself and Ruined, has been expressing genuine interest in the upcoming Dark Force releases.

Nearly every response I read here criticizes Dark Force for their business practices and, when they go out of their way to be extra kind to a small group of customers who wrote in about not getting a copy, the criticism continues, unabated.

Please refer to my numbered list above and quit making me laugh harder at you.

[Jope]

all this talk of dead pit being OOP and there'll be no second pressing is utter bs.

to repeat, bill owns the title, which means he bought it flat out. he's additionally paid to have an HD master done. no way this all starts and ends with the lousy 15k defalco paid him for it. that would be very obviously leaving money on the table, and bill's not an idiot.

there WILL be another release of this title, whether or not it bears the code red or dorkforce label.

enough's enough with the sky-is-falling, trying-to-generate-a-panic from our once-banned mouth air-raid siren.

[Ruined]

I don't understand your complaint miribeau the last 10 copies of deadpit on eBay sold in the $40-$60 range with most of them at $59. Also only bundles left are expensive ones or ones with really old titles.

[miribeau]

Originally Posted by Ruined

I don't understand your complaint miribeau the last 10 copies of deadpit on eBay sold in the $40-$60 range with most of them at $59. Also only bundles left are expensive ones or ones with really old titles.

It's not a complaint. I just think it is sad that there wasn't more interest than this, at the end. The copies selling on ebay are primarily shipping internationally, not domestically, which means they are selling for a similar amount and to people who were probably asleep when Dead Pit went up on the Dark Force Superstore, not to people who could easily have bought it from David. The ones selling on the Amazons are not as easy to track but, given several were internationally based, I assumed they were also international orders. The others, on other sites, are easily trackable and have gone for less money but also have gone domestically.

Back when Dead Pit was being prepped, David had said he was having it restored. He had paid to have restorative work done on top of paying to be able to press and sell 1000. The other person said he thinks Bill will release his own version, because Bill is smart. I agree that Bill is smart but that is why I don't think he will release his own version. Given that the Code Red HD on Amazon is different, it wouldn't be the restored version, unless Bill paid David to be able to use that restored version, with the work he had done. Why would he do that at a point when 1000 have already sold and he might not be able to sell 400? Bill is far too smart to spend money on a release that someone else already put out, especially given the great catalogue he has to pick from. Bill is sitting on so many great films and Dead Pit is already out and done. Was it your understanding that they had made a deal in which David's restored version would be available to Bill at no cost?

EDIT: Since the store is open, I checked. Dead Pit is labeled as being from a "Brand New 2k Scan from Original Negative with Extensive Scene-by-Scene Correction", which makes sense, given the apparent differences from the HD at Amazon Digital.

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by kraven

First world problems are the only ones that matter.

As for the bundles. I like them, they allowed me to get dead pit for $25, which is how much it should cost. DF just needs a way to get the discount if you add a new release and an old movie individually. I want the carrier, but the movies is ****ed up so it shouldn't cost $25.

Bundles are fine as long as they’re not forced bundles. If the offer was one title for $30, two for $50, that would be great. But if you can only get the title you want if you buy it with a certain other title, nope, that’s bullshit.

[eric_angelus]

Dead Pit is and has always been a fine B movie, but it is also been a movie that has been known for its gimmick because distributors then knew they needed something to make it stand out from the pack...hence light up VHS case which did stand out and made people rent it.
But you didn't have to beg the video store to let you play with the box. Or treck to the video store at 2 in the morning. You also did not have to rent some shitty D list action movie in order to rent Dead Pit. The cute box added to charm and made people notice a move that frankly was not much different than the hundreds of other straight to VHS product filling shelves at the time.
That's the difference.
I am not by any means knocking Dead Pit or its fans., but face it...it's not Re-Animator, it's not Hellraiser. It does not have a huge fan base...and a lot of the casual admirers are not interested in owning it if they have to jump through hoops or purchase additional product they do not have any interest in.
It's like going to concert to see a band that has one song you kind of like but you have to sit through some atrocious opening act that plays for about 2-3 hours. Oh and that ticket to hear that one song you kind of like? 100 bucks. No thanks, not me.

[Dark Force]

Originally Posted by miribeau

David announced that Bill is back in town and they will be doing a live feed, together, in person, because Bill is doing better, which is wonderful news.

On to the not so wonderful news, the store has been open for a while and, this time, nearly all bundles are still available. What's worse, the ebay sold prices have fallen to below MSRP. At this point, everyone who wants Dead Pit may actually have Dead Pit. While I always like to see big runs of 3000 blus, because I want as many people as possible to be able to purchase and see every film I think is cool, I'm definitely seeing the live-action play version of "why so many vendors do 1000 or 1500 and then move on to the next film". I'm also starting to understand why it took six or seven years to polish off that 1000 run of Berserker, even though I bought and gave away so many, plus the ones I kept. People are fine living without, that is to say, people who are nothing like me.

Put another way, RIP Dead Pit second pressing.

Now, Dark Force is bringing on Breeders and, yes, I am excited about another glow in the dark slipcover. I'd buy it without one, but I sure am glad it will have one.

Hopefully we'll get an update soon on what the interviewer is up to when it comes to gathering special features for Mirror Mirror, along with information on all the other Dark Force releases and Bill's upcoming Code Red plans. As to Dead Pit, I'm glad they've been able to successfully get it to that nearly sold out stage.

Hello, this is Tom the acting General Manager of Dark Force. I have been out the last few weeks attending a film course at USC. I did want to comment on this post to clarify some of the information here. The Dead Pit Collector's Edition with customized slipcover has continued to be an enormous seller at the Dark Force Superstore. As of the last listing of remaining inventory which had individual units and 5 bundles available everything sold out very quickly and as of tonight only the 3 highest bundles remain available with only 1 of each. Meanwhile Dead Pit continues to sell for much higher than our MSRP on Ebay and very likely will skyrocket even higher when we are officially out of units for sale which will be very soon. We have no plans to do a second run of the present Collector's Edition. Only in discussion would be a run without the slipcover and alternate wrap at a standard price. We are expecting to have Breeders and The Gates of Hell Collector's Editions available any day now.