This is a DVD extra thingie - gives you a newsreel, a short film and a cartoon. You can watch 'em on their own or (and this might be the point) before the movie so you get an "authentic" vintage 30's/40's movie-going experience.
I think it's a magnificent idea, tbh! I mean, you gotta imagine how vast the archives must be as far as short films and cartoons are concerned, it's great that they're getting them out somehow. The newsreels are often worth a lol or two, too. Only problems: Leonard Martin "hosts" them (so you have to listen to him babble on for a few secs) and sometimes the cartoons are chosen thematically instead of chronologically (so having, say, a full colour Looney Tune before
"Bullets Or Ballots" might ruin the mood a bit.)
I've seen them on my
"Warners Bros Gangster Collection" and
"Warner Bros Tough Guys Collection" boxes (which are oh so worth it.) Word is they have them on the Errol Flynn box as well, but I'm not sure I really wanna invest in a box of Messieur Flynn's ouevre. Anyone else stumble upon them? Aren't they great?
― Daniel_Rf, Wednesday, 28 March 2007 11:26 (eighteen years ago)
Yeah, here in Portugal they're actually selling the
"Tough Guys" three DVD box as
"Gangsters Collection, Vol.2", which is annoying cuz THEY'RE NOT GANGSTERS IN THOSE MOVIES! The three R1 flicks that are missing from the European version of the
"Tough Guys" set are the Cagney flicks - I'm guessing they want to come up with a new Cagney set?
The Noir collections don't have the Warner Night thing, I don't think. Totally want to buy 'em all anyway. Also similiar on a design/format level -
The Warner Controversial Classics Collection!― Daniel_Rf, Friday, 30 March 2007 21:35 (eighteen years ago)
one year passes...
Warner offers classics on DVD and download
By Kenneth Li in New York
Published: March 23 2009 04:38 | Last updated: March 23 2009 04:38
Warner Brothers will on Monday launch a service that makes available hundreds – and eventually thousands – of out-of-circulation classic movies and television shows for downloading and on DVDs as Hollywood studios seek new markets to offset a decline in DVD sales.
The new service does not involve any contemporary, well-known titles and will probably remain a small source of revenue for the company.
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The Warner Brothers Archive Collection service will allow consumers to download or buy DVDs of movies such as Possessed, starring Clark Gable and Joan Crawford, and Once Upon a Honeymoon, which stars Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers, for the first time since DVDs made their debut in 1997.
The service was developed during the past two years by creating a DVD publishing process that is cheaper than conventional DVD systems, which company executives said were costly and required a minimum order of 15,000 to 20,000 copies.
The new system, which is called “manufacturing on demand”, is designed for smaller publishing runs and involves using a lower-cost printing process for DVD covers.
“We have developed this new methodology to monetise more of our assets,” said George Feltenstein, senior vice-president of theatrical catalogue marketing at Warner Home Video.
“It is very expensive to put a movie on DVD through traditional [means],” he said.
Warner’s launch comes as weaker DVD sales have caused panic in Hollywood. New-format Blu-ray disc sales have yet to take hold and thereby take up the slack.
DVD sales in the US dropped 15 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year. Shelf store space dedicated to DVDs has also been crimped by the closure of big chain retailers such as Circuit City.
Time Warner, Warner’s parent company, has dabbled with offering vintage programmes for viewing on the internet in the past few years, including the In2TV service launched by its AOL division in 2006.
It also offers a system, on a small scale, which allows consumers to order film DVDs at store kiosks. At today’s launch, 150 titles will become available with 20 more television programmes and movies to be added each month. By the end of this year, 300 titles will be available, according to the company.
DVDs will cost $19.95 each and downloads will be available for $14.95 per title.
Warner Brothers’ new online store can be found at www.WarnerArchive.com.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009
― Nurse Detrius (Eric H.), Monday, 23 March 2009 14:28 (sixteen years ago)
two years pass...