criterionforum.org

Posted: **Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:34 am**

HistoryProf wrote:
MyNameCriterionForum wrote:Is Race With the Devil OOP? Just got shuffled to the "save" section of my Netflix queue with no warning (fuckers) and amazon is out...
I would guess so, considering the prices it's commanding ($50 for this? Really?)...it's a silly little movie, but hardly worth those prices. And it's on one of the movie networks pretty regularly.

Like a knife through my heart, man.

Posted: **Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:59 pm**

More MGM OOPs just announced, including:
Attack!
Hallelujah I'm a Bum
OC & Stiggs
Run Silent, Run Deep
Terror in a Texas Town
Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice?

Posted: **Mon Jul 05, 2010 7:10 pm**

domino harvey wrote:Terror in a Texas Town

a western with Sterling Hayden attacking people with a whaling harpoon ... get it while you can folks.

Posted: **Mon Jul 05, 2010 7:54 pm**

Terror in a Texas Town is also available through Optimum in the UK if you can no longer locate a R1 copy

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Terror-Texas-To ... 618&sr=1-1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

edit: in case anyone was wondering how the Optimum compares; here are the A/V specs from clydefro's DFDTimes' review

Terror in a Texas Town has previously been released in R1 by MGM and now hits R2 from Optimum. The PAL disc looks to be about the same or identical in terms of the transfer. It's presented in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio, enhanced for widescreen televisions, and the transfer is progressive. A constant infusion of grain, noise and white specks hinder the image. It's passable, but doesn't seem touched up to any positive degree. The white sky looks especially noisy. Sharpness is likewise okay, though not impressive. Contrast and detail aren't likely to win over anyone either, but viewers willing to get lost in the film will probably be fine. Frankly, I feel like this should look better than it does, though it's not bad enough to really deflate one's enjoyment.

The mono audio is given a two-channel English Dolby Digital track. No real problems here. Volume levels are a little weak and not always consistent, but dialogue is easily understood. The confrontational score also presents no issues. I didn't hear any hiss or pop in the track. Unfortunately, there are no subtitles at all included and such an omission always warrants a strong complaint. There's no real excuse in putting out a DVD that lacks subtitles.

Posted: **Mon Jul 05, 2010 7:59 pm**

And speaking of R2, unlike the R1, the UK version of OC and Stiggs is anamorphic 2.35, despite what's on the box, and you can get it in a box with four other MGM Altmans for ~8 pounds on Amazon.co.uk

Posted: **Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:03 pm**

MGM discontinued Altman's The Long Goodbye as well about a month and a half ago, in case anyone doesn't own it yet.

Posted: **Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:04 pm**

ianungstad wrote:MGM discontinued Altman's The Long Goodbye as well about a month and a half ago, in case anyone doesn't own it yet.

Which is also included in the above set \:D/

Posted: **Tue Jul 06, 2010 1:04 am**

I noticed on Mike's Movie Mayhem that MPI Media discontinued their "ultimate" edition of Tobe Hooper's Texas Chainsaw Massacre on both dvd and blu this week. I wonder if they've lost the rights? If so, I imagine there will be a bidding war over the title. Doubt it's the kind of title Criterion would be interested in. Maybe Anchor Bay or Blue Underground will wind up with it.

Posted: **Tue Jul 06, 2010 1:19 am**

MyNameCriterionForum wrote:Is Race With the Devil OOP? Just got shuffled to the "save" section of my Netflix queue with no warning (fuckers) and amazon is out...

It's safe to assume that almost any halfway decent movie released by Anchor Bay went OOP back when Starz bought them (2006? 2007?). I'm surprised it lasted on Netflix as long as it did.

Posted: **Tue Jul 06, 2010 4:05 am**

ianungstad wrote:...Tobe Hooper's Texas Chainsaw Massacre... Doubt it's the kind of title Criterion would be interested in...

I bet they'd love to release it.

Perkins Cobb wrote:
MyNameCriterionForum wrote:Is Race With the Devil OOP? Just got shuffled to the "save" section of my Netflix queue with no warning (fuckers) and amazon is out...
It's safe to assume that almost any halfway decent movie released by Anchor Bay went OOP back when Starz bought them (2006? 2007?). I'm surprised it lasted on Netflix as long as it did.

I was just shocked by the sudden move from my queue to "unavailable"... usually it goes to "short wait" then "long wait" first.

Also, if Starz owns the title (I'm only assuming here) I wish they'd at least stream it on netflix like so many others of their catalog.

Posted: **Tue Jul 06, 2010 4:48 am**

Interesting ... Yeah, I've seen that happen once or twice lately, also, now that you mention it. (In once case, this happened to the first disc of a TV series, still in print, with the subsequent discs still listed as available.) Maybe Netflix has changed its procedure for deciding they don't have enough stock left to keep a title in circulation? Something to keep an eye on.

Posted: **Tue Jul 06, 2010 5:13 am**

In case anyone missed out, Kingpin is OOP. The bowling classic, get it while you can!

Posted: **Tue Jul 06, 2010 6:29 am**

Race With the Devil is a 20th Century Fox title. All of the titles that Anchor Bay licensed from Fox (Race With the Devil, Cemetery Man, License to Drive, Mischief, Freaked and couple of other titles that I'm drawing a blank on) went OOP pretty quickly.

Since Criterion has a great relationship with Fox, it'd be great if they licensed Cemetery Man and released it on Blu-Ray.

Posted: **Tue Jul 06, 2010 3:45 pm**

Perkins Cobb wrote:Maybe Netflix has changed its procedure for deciding they don't have enough stock left to keep a title in circulation? Something to keep an eye on.

It probably merely reflects the increased cutbacks on dvd production by the studios. All the more reason to check those queues and put anything OOP to the top of the line. Watch it before it's gone.

It still totally varies. Bunuel's "Gran Casino" and Fassbinder's "Stationmaster's Wife" recently changed to "unavailable" on Netflix with no warning. DW Griffith's "Battle of the Sexes" and Zurlini's "Desert of the Tartars" are currently merely on "short wait." All four of these are OOP.

Posted: **Tue Jul 06, 2010 4:33 pm**

ianungstad wrote:I noticed on Mike's Movie Mayhem that MPI Media discontinued their "ultimate" edition of Tobe Hooper's Texas Chainsaw Massacre on both dvd and blu this week. Doubt it's the kind of title Criterion would be interested in.

I don't see why not. It has a place in history and it would be a good source of revenue.

Posted: **Tue Jul 06, 2010 7:31 pm**

dwk wrote:Race With the Devil is a 20th Century Fox title. All of the titles that Anchor Bay licensed from Fox (Race With the Devil, Cemetery Man, License to Drive, Mischief, Freaked and couple of other titles that I'm drawing a blank on) went OOP pretty quickly.

There were a lot of these. Also Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, Warning Sign, Without a Trace, Death Hunt, The Entity, The Turning Point, and Off Limits, just off the top of my head. (Plus there were other Fox licenses that Anchor Bay announced but never released, like Damnation Alley.) Anybody remember any others? I should track them down while I still can.

Regarding Gran Casino (and The Young One, also toast on Netflix), are any of the other Lionsgate / Studio Canal sets OOP?

Posted: **Tue Jul 06, 2010 7:45 pm**

Perkins Cobb wrote:Regarding Gran Casino (and The Young One, also toast on Netflix), are any of the other Lionsgate / Studio Canal sets OOP?

The Bunuel set is still in print.

Posted: **Tue Jul 06, 2010 8:11 pm**

Perkins Cobb wrote:
dwk wrote:Race With the Devil is a 20th Century Fox title. All of the titles that Anchor Bay licensed from Fox (Race With the Devil, Cemetery Man, License to Drive, Mischief, Freaked and couple of other titles that I'm drawing a blank on) went OOP pretty quickly.
There were a lot of these. Also Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, Warning Sign, Without a Trace, Death Hunt, The Entity, The Turning Point, and Off Limits, just off the top of my head. (Plus there were other Fox licenses that Anchor Bay announced but never released, like Damnation Alley.) Anybody remember any others? I should track them down while I still can.

That's right. They also licensed the tv remake of Vanishing Point.

God, I'm kicking myself for not picking up Race With the Devil, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry and The Entity.

Posted: **Tue Jul 06, 2010 9:22 pm**

Jesus...$80 for Barbara Hershey getting it on with a ghost? This is all just fucking ridiculous! I'm starting to think maybe a pawn shop stop might be in order....they have hundreds of dvds...a whole lot of crap, but I bet stuff like this is just collecting dust there.

Posted: **Tue Jul 06, 2010 10:09 pm**

Numero Trois wrote:
Perkins Cobb wrote:Maybe Netflix has changed its procedure for deciding they don't have enough stock left to keep a title in circulation? Something to keep an eye on.
It probably merely reflects the increased cutbacks on dvd production by the studios. All the more reason to check those queues and put anything OOP to the top of the line. Watch it before it's gone.

It still totally varies. Bunuel's "Gran Casino" and Fassbinder's "Stationmaster's Wife" recently changed to "unavailable" on Netflix with no warning. DW Griffith's "Battle of the Sexes" and Zurlini's "Desert of the Tartars" are currently merely on "short wait." All four of these are OOP.

Yes, good call Sinous. And the varied availability at Netflix is puzzling. I wonder if theft is involved once word gets out? Another example was Teshigahara'a wonderful Rikyu which was long OOP but still rentable for several years (sadly, no more).

Posted: **Tue Jul 06, 2010 10:13 pm**

dwk wrote:
Perkins Cobb wrote:
dwk wrote:Race With the Devil is a 20th Century Fox title. All of the titles that Anchor Bay licensed from Fox (Race With the Devil, Cemetery Man, License to Drive, Mischief, Freaked and couple of other titles that I'm drawing a blank on) went OOP pretty quickly.
There were a lot of these. Also Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, Warning Sign, Without a Trace, Death Hunt, The Entity, The Turning Point, and Off Limits, just off the top of my head. (Plus there were other Fox licenses that Anchor Bay announced but never released, like Damnation Alley.) Anybody remember any others? I should track them down while I still can.
That's right. They also licensed the tv remake of Vanishing Point.

God, I'm kicking myself for not picking up Race With the Devil, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry and The Entity.

Well, at least The Entity is on instant watch. Or, more perversely, you could get Other Cinema's Experiments in Terror and watch Peter Tscherkassky's amazing dis/reassembly of it, called Outer Space.

Posted: **Wed Jul 07, 2010 7:50 am**

MyNameCriterionForum wrote:And the varied availability at Netflix is puzzling.

Surely it must come down to the cash. Keeping tens of thousands of titles in stock must be expensive. Stray titles they don't get in stock like Ten Days Wonder or Fat Girl are a tiny fraction. It sounds weird that they don't have those in stock, but I imagine to them it's just a detail.

MyNameCriterionForum wrote:I wonder if theft is involved once word gets out?

The average worker will never be concerned with titles that happen to go out of stock. Especially when it comes to processing centers that handle tens of thousands of discs daily. Besides that, out of print DVDs are an arcane subject for most people. Netflix usually puts a title on 'save' months after it officially goes out of print. Since that is the predominant pattern, theft is not the most plausible reason. Theft of obscure titles in dozens of processing centers simultaneously doesn't sound like a plausible scenario.

Netflix FAQ wrote:Out-of-print discs: Despite the size and diversity of our inventory, we occasionally find that demand for certain titles exceeds our best efforts to meet it. This is especially true of out-of-print titles and titles for which we experience heavier-than-usual breakage. As soon as inventory conditions permit, we will once again make these titles available. Customers who already have one of these titles in their Rental Queue and decide to remove it may find that inventory restrictions prevent the title from being added back into their Rental Queue.

What's a sinous?

Posted: **Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:49 pm**

Numero Trois wrote:
MyNameCriterionForum wrote:I wonder if theft is involved once word gets out?
The average worker will never be concerned with titles that happen to go out of stock. Especially when it comes to processing centers that handle tens of thousands of discs daily. Besides that, out of print DVDs are an arcane subject for most people. Netflix usually puts a title on 'save' months after it officially goes out of print. Since that is the predominant pattern, theft is not the most plausible reason. Theft of obscure titles in dozens of processing centers simultaneously doesn't sound like a plausible scenario.

Renters, not employees.

Numero Trois wrote:What's a sinous?

Good one, "Joey"

Posted: **Sun Jul 11, 2010 10:18 pm**

Wyler's the Little Foxes

Posted: **Sun Jul 11, 2010 11:17 pm**

dadaistnun wrote:Paramount's Marx Brothers set (The Cocoanuts / Animal Crackers / Monkey Business / Horse Feathers / Duck Soup) has been discontinued, as has Cronenberg's The Dead Zone.

This is the silverscreen set, right? Is this worth getting while I can? I recall some complaints about the transfers, or am I misremembering? Also, is it worth it to get the other Marx Bros. set if I can find a good price on it?

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