Warner Brothers Archive Collection (DVDs only)

Discuss North American DVDs and Blu-rays or other DVD and Blu-ray-related topics.
Post Reply
Message
Author
Props55
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:55 am

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#101 Post by Props55 » Sat May 09, 2009 8:24 pm

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!

User avatar
sidehacker
Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2007 2:49 am
Location: Bowling Green, Ohio
Contact:

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#102 Post by sidehacker » Sun May 10, 2009 12:06 pm

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
Joined: Fri May 01, 2009 6:24 am

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#103 Post by Vic Pardo » Sun May 10, 2009 4:56 pm

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

User avatar
domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#104 Post by domino harvey » Sun May 10, 2009 5:01 pm

Because Netflix does not rent DVD-Rs


User avatar
JacquesQ
Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:14 am
Location: Third-row-center-seat (more often couch, actually)

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#106 Post by JacquesQ » Fri May 15, 2009 2:11 am

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.

User avatar
Gregory
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:07 pm

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#107 Post by Gregory » Fri May 15, 2009 3:01 am

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
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:38 am

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#108 Post by so lightly here » Thu May 21, 2009 4:03 am

"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
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:39 pm
Location: Lebanon, PA

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#109 Post by HarryLong » Thu May 21, 2009 9:47 am

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
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 4:26 pm

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#110 Post by skweeker » Thu May 21, 2009 12:29 pm

JacquesQ wrote: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.

User avatar
JacquesQ
Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:14 am
Location: Third-row-center-seat (more often couch, actually)

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#111 Post by JacquesQ » Thu May 21, 2009 12:56 pm

skweeker wrote:
JacquesQ wrote:[...] 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...

User avatar
bjeggert82
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 9:36 pm
Location: www.deepfocusreview.com
Contact:

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#112 Post by bjeggert82 » Tue May 26, 2009 10:44 am

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.

User avatar
Ashirg
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:10 am
Location: Atlanta

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#113 Post by Ashirg » Wed May 27, 2009 6:31 am

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.

User avatar
domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#114 Post by domino harvey » Wed May 27, 2009 7:01 am

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

User avatar
Arthur Bannister
Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2008 1:01 am
Location: On board the Circe

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#115 Post by Arthur Bannister » Fri May 29, 2009 3:06 am

Ashirg wrote: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.

User avatar
starmanof51
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 3:28 am
Location: Seattleish
Contact:

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#116 Post by starmanof51 » Fri May 29, 2009 12:01 pm

Arthur Bannister wrote: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.

User avatar
Matt
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#117 Post by Matt » Fri May 29, 2009 5:57 pm

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
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:38 am

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#118 Post by so lightly here » Sat May 30, 2009 11:55 pm

so lightly here wrote:"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?

User avatar
ola t
They call us neo-cinephiles
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:51 am
Location: Malmo, Sweden

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#119 Post by ola t » Mon Jun 01, 2009 10:58 am

Matt wrote: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".

User avatar
Antoine Doinel
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2006 1:22 pm
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Contact:

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#120 Post by Antoine Doinel » Mon Jun 01, 2009 11:10 pm

Those shipping rates are insane. For 1 title I would be paying $12.50 US for shipping. For 2 titles, I could buy a whole other DVD. Pass.

So I thought the Warner Archive was going to be shipping to Canada "soon"? I guess it's the same "soon" they're using for Greed and Magnificent Ambersons. Argh.

Sir Pinochle

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#121 Post by Sir Pinochle » Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:22 pm

Sooooo. I can't order "Strawberry Blonde" from the warner site (wbshop)? I have to order it from amazon?
Then where do I find a list of the warner archive titles available exclusively from amazon?

User avatar
domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#122 Post by domino harvey » Tue Jun 02, 2009 7:28 pm

New Archive Titles, buncha Gary Cooper, Dick Powell, and Borzage

Bright Leaf
Colleen
Flirtation Walk
Happiness Ahead
One Sunday Afternoon
Operator 13
Ready, Willing, and Able
Saratoga Trunk
Shipmates Forever
Task Force
Today We Live
Four's a Crowd

Jonathan S
Joined: Sat Jun 07, 2008 3:31 am
Location: Somerset, England

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#123 Post by Jonathan S » Wed Jun 03, 2009 1:44 am

In the old days (up to about six months ago) Warner would have thrown in the Paramount-produced 1933 One Sunday Afternoon with their first remake Strawberry Blonde... but their new philosophy seems to be why do that when they can sell them separately and charge twice as much, even making the Walsh film an ultra-expensive Amazon exclusive!

Given they've previously released much inferior Cagney and Cooper titles in retail boxes on pressed DVDs, it really does look like there's no hope for proper releases of the vast majority of remaining Warner-owned classics.

User avatar
domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#124 Post by domino harvey » Tue Jun 16, 2009 5:56 pm

Some Marie Dressler and silent titles added:

When a Man Loves
the Sea Hawk
Reducing
Politics
Old San Francisco
Min and Bill
Let Us Be Gay
the First Auto
the Divine Lady
the Better Ole
Beau Brummel

User avatar
HerrSchreck
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:46 am

Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection

#125 Post by HerrSchreck » Tue Jun 16, 2009 8:00 pm

Old San Francisco is one of the more visually interesting, mediocre silents I've seen... probably somewhat insulting to Chinese people with all the racial flimflammery flying fore & aft.

Little Angelo Rossito has a crazy little part in this film too-- a vicious little midget bouncing around in a cage he's kept in, laughing and sneering and getting erections of schadenfreude over Warner Oland's misfortunes.

Post Reply