Warner Brothers Archive Collection (DVDs only)

[HarryLong]

Another James Whale finally makes it to DVD ... sorta.

[domino harvey]

Party Girl

Inexcusable. Thank God I bought the French DVD off someone here

[Matt]

Seriously, I can't believe they have an "Add to Facebook" option, yet no way of notifying me by e-mail (let alone RSS) of new additions. And I think more than a few people on this forum are going to be pissed that Party Girl got dumped in the Warner Archive.

[domino harvey]

Of all the shit that got shoveled into the third Gangsters set, they couldn't find room for Castle on the Hudson? And why isn't Johnny Eager being put in one of the noir sets that they are continuing? I'm so pissed at Warners right now, Christ. Remember when they were the best?

[Ivy Mike]

I had been holding out for a standard Region 1 release of Party Girl and Johnny Eager as well (whether in boxsets or standalone), so I will echo some of the dismay. BUT maybe Warner will start improving Archive releases since they are apparently listening to the complaints and feedback (feel free to call me naive).

Not to derail the thread, but does anyone know if the R2 French Party Girl release is audio pitch corrected? I personally prefer to watch PAL dvds slowed down in reclock to accurate speed, but if they're pitch corrected already, then slowing them down is obviously gonna shift the pitch down lower than the accurate pitch. Never really seen pitch correction discussed on these forums (or much anywhere), so I don't know if it's better discussed in a separate thread (or maybe it doesn't bother most people).

[david hare]

Mike I no longer have my NTSC Laser burn to dvdr which I binned when I bought the French disc but from memory - no it isn't pitch corrected. In general, I think Warner and Fox at least only pitch correct "genuine" (i.e.) generic musicals. I actaully wish everyone would do it for everything in PAL land, like MoC's Femme Mariee. It's really simple to do, even home software players can do it.

[Props55]

THE FALLEN SPARROW is another title that should have made a Noir Box. It's one I've never seen and I'd really hoped it would make the cut next time out. Damn WB!

[sidehacker]

Beaver on Westbound.

This looks about a thousand times better than the old VHS copy that has been floating around the internet for awhile now. I completely understand why so many people are disappointed with WB about this whole "collection" but to me, it seems pretty great so far. I'll never see myself paying more than $15 for these releases though, which is why a classicflix account comes in handy.

[Vic Pardo]

Is there any reason why Netflix can't simply buy up all these archive titles from WB and then rent them out?

[domino harvey]

Because Netflix does not rent DVD-Rs

[AfterTheRain]

The Rosalind Russell comedy Roughly Speaking (1945) has just been added to the archive (according to Classicflix)

[JacquesQ]

AAAAARGH ! How fustrated do you get ?
I've been waiting for Coppola's "The rain people" for years, and now it's available in this kind of "made on demand" "Warner Archive Collection", which SHOULD be fine but ISN'T because they will SHIP TO THE US ONLY - and, madly enough, that goes for downloads too !
I wrote to them in order to complain about that state of affairs, but I have little hope of any answer - not to mention an answer suggesting a solution.
So let's use pragmatism against the villains : would someone here - living in the US of course - be OK to receive that DVD for me and re-ship it to me (to France) ? Shipping costs would of course be repaid through PayPal (including PayPal fees).
You can answer here and/or reach me by PM, thanks in advance.

[Gregory]

What's the deal with the blacked-out top of the frame in The Big House at 1:11:11? It looks like it was needed to hide part of the sound stage or something, but I can't figure out a way that makes any kind of real sense.

[so lightly here]

"Party Girl" was a real blast when it stopped at 5:11 a remained there. I am not too thrilled by WB burned discs, I have tons of bootlegs that can make it to the end of the movie. Can't they lacquer the discs or do something with them so they have a little staying power (at least longer than five minutes!)

[HarryLong]

What's the deal with the blacked-out top of the frame in The Big House at 1:11:11? It looks like it was needed to hide part of the sound stage or something, but I can't figure out a way that makes any kind of real sense.

Maybe Roland West had some sort of widescreen clause entered in Chester Morris' contract ...

[skweeker]

AAAAARGH ! How fustrated do you get ?
I've been waiting for Coppola's "The rain people" for years, and now it's available in this kind of "made on demand" "Warner Archive Collection", which SHOULD be fine but ISN'T because they will SHIP TO THE US ONLY - and, madly enough, that goes for downloads too !
I wrote to them in order to complain about that state of affairs, but I have little hope of any answer - not to mention an answer suggesting a solution.
So let's use pragmatism against the villains : would someone here - living in the US of course - be OK to receive that DVD for me and re-ship it to me (to France) ? Shipping costs would of course be repaid through PayPal (including PayPal fees).
You can answer here and/or reach me by PM, thanks in advance.

Sorry I can't help you out as i'm in Canada: but the Warner Archive discs will (apparently) be available through re-sellers such as the "Movies Unlimited" website (which seems to be accepting 'pre-orders'), and it is rumored that they will also be available through Amazon.com, with Movies Unlimited commencing shipping on June 1st.
I've not dealt with Movies Unlimited myself, but other posters on other fora state that they're pretty good. personally, I'm hoping Amazon.com starts to sell these - and not just through their "Re-selling Associates", who seem to be asking for a lot for these discs.
I've been keeping an eye on this lack of international service from the WB Archive as I'm in the same boat that you are: although my desired title(s) differ from the one you're after.

[JacquesQ]

[...] they will SHIP TO THE US ONLY [...]

Sorry I can't help you out as i'm in Canada: but the Warner Archive discs will (apparently) be available through re-sellers such as the "Movies Unlimited" website (which seems to be accepting 'pre-orders'), and it is rumored that they will also be available through Amazon.com, with Movies Unlimited commencing shipping on June 1st.
[...] I'm hoping Amazon.com starts to sell these - and not just through their "Re-selling Associates", who seem to be asking for a lot for these discs. [...]

Thanks a lot for all this information. Still my opinion is that if WB sells those at $20 a piece and you say that Amazon.com merchants are "asking a lot" (with an additional $13 shipping costs per disc, gasp), then we may be slowly drifting away from reasonable prices, particularly for DVD-Rs that at least one person on this forum found to be technically deficient...

For the time being I've found (but not on Criterionforum, oh you selfish American film buffs !) a kind soul willing to re-ship me my Coppola + a previously unreleased Walsh (A lion is in the streets) but I will most certainly find other films that I would like to buy among the titles they will keep releasing, so I will hope for "intermediates" like MoviesUnlimited to sell them at a resonable price. But on the other hand my request for kind help from someone here who lives in the US and would re-ship to me in tne future (with me buying the DVDs and refunding the shipping costs, obviously) remains open...

[bjeggert82]

The Strawberry Blonde is supposedly coming on the 28th. That's according to Amazon.

Does Warner have any release schedule/calendar available for the Archives? I can't find one anywhere. And these last-minute additions are really hard on the pocketbook when you can't plan ahead.

[Ashirg]

Amazon has other Warner Archive exclusives along with Strawberry Blonde:

Look for the Silver Lining
Bordertown (1935)
Colorado Territory
Crime School
Doctor Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
The Male Animal
The Unsuspected
20,000 Years in Sing Sing
The Verdict (1946)

All of them are 28.98 and some came out as early as May 8. No additional information about these, if they are DVD-R or pressed discs and why the price is so high.

[domino harvey]

All of those titles except Colorado Territory, which should have been thrown on the High Sierra disc, would be welcome additions if Amazon is giving real DVDs. But I'm sure this is just like their Nickelodeon cartoon BOD titles, overpriced DVDRs. No wonder Warner Archives feel at home there

[Arthur Bannister]

Amazon has other Warner Archive exclusives along with Strawberry Blonde:

The Verdict (1946)

Damn! I'd been hoping for a Sydney Greenstreet/Peter Lorre set from Warners, but suddenly that seems far less likely. I wouldn't mind owning The Verdict, but not at that price. Almost thirty bucks for a DVDR?! Ouch.

[starmanof51]

Damn! I'd been hoping for a Sydney Greenstreet/Peter Lorre set from Warners, but suddenly that seems far less likely.

Everything from Warners seems far less likely. I have a love/hate relationship with the Archive.

[Matt]

If you buy these through the TCM site, they're only $17.99. Maybe that's only temporary. Dunno. Not all titles are available, though.

[so lightly here]

"Party Girl" was a real blast when it stopped at 5:11 a remained there. I am not too thrilled by WB burned discs, I have tons of bootlegs that can make it to the end of the movie. Can't they lacquer the discs or do something with them so they have a little staying power (at least longer than five minutes!)

I ordered another and have to admit that the disc ran perfectly, and it was a great transfer. However, I really can't figure out why they would do such a good job on a major director and then offer it only on DVD-R. What is up with the former wonderful WB?

[ola t]

If you buy these through the TCM site, they're only $17.99. Maybe that's only temporary. Dunno.

Why, hello there: TCM ships internationally! Postage rate seems to be "$6.50 base charge per order plus $6.00 for each item ordered".