"Say Goodbye to Classics" on DVD/Blu-Ray...
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 5:38 pm
Excellent but depressing article on the state of catalog titles being sold at retail --
http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/08/06/say- ... -classics/
Looks like my fears about the lack of catalog/classic content in HD is coming true, because it's not just Blu-Ray that won't be seeing vintage titles. They're not coming out on DVD either in the numbers they once did.
Bottom line: if you want classic movies be prepared for more "Warner Archive" styled offerings on DVD (i.e. manufactured-on-demand). And if you care about HD, get a recorder for titles you might see on HDNet Movies, MGM HD, etc. because they won't be coming to Blu-Ray -- only big ticket titles like GONE WITH THE WIND will be.
" George Feltenstein, a senior vice-president at Warner Home Video (which still has some classics scheduled), says that “most of the studios have pretty much said ‘Screw it, we’re out of here, we’re not going to do this.’ ”
Even before the recession, studios had to cut back due to the closing of many retail chains that used to stock their products; Feltenstein says, “If the economy of the world had not deteriorated, our release schedule would still be less than it was.” But older movies are particularly vulnerable because the cost of restoration is growing, and their fan base is shrinking. It used to be that TV broadcasting built a market for old movies; Humphrey Bogart became a cult figure after his death, thanks to TV. But today, the only station that shows old films is Turner Classic Movies. And DVDs can’t sell based on the purchasing power of TCM viewers alone.
http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/08/06/say- ... -classics/
Looks like my fears about the lack of catalog/classic content in HD is coming true, because it's not just Blu-Ray that won't be seeing vintage titles. They're not coming out on DVD either in the numbers they once did.
Bottom line: if you want classic movies be prepared for more "Warner Archive" styled offerings on DVD (i.e. manufactured-on-demand). And if you care about HD, get a recorder for titles you might see on HDNet Movies, MGM HD, etc. because they won't be coming to Blu-Ray -- only big ticket titles like GONE WITH THE WIND will be.
" George Feltenstein, a senior vice-president at Warner Home Video (which still has some classics scheduled), says that “most of the studios have pretty much said ‘Screw it, we’re out of here, we’re not going to do this.’ ”
Even before the recession, studios had to cut back due to the closing of many retail chains that used to stock their products; Feltenstein says, “If the economy of the world had not deteriorated, our release schedule would still be less than it was.” But older movies are particularly vulnerable because the cost of restoration is growing, and their fan base is shrinking. It used to be that TV broadcasting built a market for old movies; Humphrey Bogart became a cult figure after his death, thanks to TV. But today, the only station that shows old films is Turner Classic Movies. And DVDs can’t sell based on the purchasing power of TCM viewers alone.