WB initiates DVD on demand (Disney should do this too!)

merlinjones · Post by **merlinjones** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:24 pm

From Variety (more at link):

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111800 ... =1009&cs=1

>>Warner Bros. is opening its vault--which contains more than 5,000 films never made available on DVD--to home viewers.
The studio's Home Entertainment Group is launching a branded manufacturing-on-demand operation, offering films and TV titles whose limited sales potential have prevented a traditional retail release. Starting March 23, consumers can order 150 classic Warner movies for $19.95 each at new studio site WarnerArchive.com. The studio will ship a made-to-order DVD, in a shrink-wrapped case with cover art, to consumers within five days of purchase.<<

ajmrowland · Post by **ajmrowland** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:29 pm

WB doesn't worry about their reputation as much as Disney does.

merlinjones · Post by **merlinjones** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:40 pm

>>WB doesn't worry about their reputation as much as Disney does.<<

I don't understand the comment. How can Disney's releasing library titles hurt their reputation? It could only help.

This would be a great way for Disney to get out all the fabulous Wonderful World of Color, Zorro, MMC, etc episodes - - and all the great old movies and shorts that haven't been released.

ajmrowland · Post by **ajmrowland** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:43 pm

Oh, well, I was thinking of Song of the South and others, but I guess I should say that they worry too much about titles that don't make much money as they used to.

merlinjones · Post by **merlinjones** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:48 pm

>>Oh, well, I was thinking of Song of the South and others, but I guess I should say that they worry too much about titles that don't make much money as they used to.<<

Why the negativity? You don't think art should be available to consumers who want it if technology can make that more economically feasible? Why not?

I applaud WB!

SpringHeelJack · Post by **SpringHeelJack** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:50 pm

Really, more studios should just do this. Amazon has this for some older Nicktoons like "Hey Arnold!" and "Doug" and it's really great. I bet if Disney even did do this, "Song of the South" wouldn't be one of the titles available. If and when it sees the light of day, they're going to want to have a large-scale campaign to avoid any possible backlash.

ajmrowland · Post by **ajmrowland** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:53 pm

merlinjones wrote:>>Oh, well, I was thinking of Song of the South and others, but I guess I should say that they worry too much about titles that don't make much money as they used to.<<

Why the negativity? You don't think art should be available to consumers who want it if technology can make that more economically feasible? Why not?

I applaud WB!

Nom I like the idea. Please, forgive me if everyone else's pessimism has rubbed off on me. I want Disney to do this.

Escapay · Post by **Escapay** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:48 pm

merlinjones wrote:I applaud WB!

As do I!

I was reading the list at www.warnerarchive.com and was glad to see four Garbo films available there. Of course, this likely means I won't see a "Garbo Signature Collection, Volume Two" for awhile but glad to know that Love, Wild Orchids, The Single Standard, and The Kiss are available on the DVD format.

In addition, was glad to see Variety mention the Warren Beatty film All Fall Down being available as well.

As much as I'd love to see Disney do this, I can't imagine they will. Their film library (not counting Touchstone, Miramax, etc.) is not as vast as Warner's (or any major studio) and they can't even put most of their titles on DVD the right way the first time. And given the treatment most of their DMC-exclusive titles got (old laserdisc transfers, no chapter stops or special features), I wouldn't want Disney to suddenly offer MOD to their even more obscure material. BUT, if they did it right (proper transfers, OAR of 1.37:1 or matted widescreen when intended, and easily-clearable features like trailers or vintage interviews/tv specials), I'd welcome it.

However, I can see this work for the vast amount of television material they own but don't see fit to put on proper DVD. I certainly wouldn't mind getting some "Disneyland" or "Mickey Mouse Club" serials on DVD without having to hope for a Treasures release. Plus, a lot of people (at least on UD) want "Aladdin" and "The Little Mermaid" TV series on DVD (I didn't care for either, even if Aladdin is one of my favourite DACs), so MOD again would be a good opportunity for them to get it.

albert

slave2moonlight · Post by **slave2moonlight** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:57 pm

I think a lot of us who want Disney to do this definitely have their wide library of TV material in mind as a good part of what we'd like to see from it. Though, I also wouldn't expect the quality levels to be better than, say, what we get from DMC releases. I would also be concerned that Disney would see this as a way to simply stop releasing anything but their most popular titles as mass retail releases with all (or some) of the bells and whistles.

Anyway, I find this interesting because I didn't know anyone was even considering doing this and yet it came across my mind as a good idea fairly recently. People are always saying, "Disney will never release that because the demand isn't high enough," (especially about the animated series, many of which I badly want to own; or imagine finally getting the rest of Gargoyles, Swamp Fox, and Lizzie!), but I thought this would be a good alternative. I really hope Disney does get into this, if they do it right and don't let it affect their regular releases, but I'm glad someone else is doing it first, because I feel if Disney came out with it first they'd be charging 60 bucks per DVD or something. Isn't that what they do with their educational titles right now? Well, anyway, I applaud WB as well and hope we see more of this, and perhaps machines in retail stores where we can insert a card or cash and have it burn and eject a disc, eject a case, and print a cover insert for us, ha. I would love to my local grocery store, search Disney's Fluppy Dogs on a kiosk, slide a 20 dollar bill into a slot, select "burn and print", and go home with a store-bought looking DVD of it, ha.

Mickeyfan1990 · Post by **Mickeyfan1990** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:48 pm

I for one would like Disney to do this so I can see Amazing Animals again. Universal soould do this too so I can get my hands on a US Phantasm II DVD.

yukitora · Post by **yukitora** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:38 pm

This would be good for the Disney TV shows.

They would never do this for the animated features canon though.

Mr. Toad · Post by **Mr. Toad** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:45 pm

This is great. While none of the current movies really strike my fancy I am thrilled to see that coming in the next few months are TV shows and the biggest omission in TV on DVD will be fixed - Maverick.

drfsupercenter · Post by **drfsupercenter** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:23 pm

$20 for a custom made DVD?

I can custom make a DVD for free... even if I just get the VHS or something... Heck, most REAL DVDs are under $20, complete with boxart and more.

But I do like the concept. If only it was more like $10. And hm. Amazon has DVD on demands for Hey Arnold? I should look into that. Like, they actually let you download ISO files you can burn? Or what?

And I want to see the rest of Gargoyles make it to DVD too! *For now, plots to rip his friend's HD DVR and make his own fanmade DVDs, that'll show Disney to mess with him*

ajmrowland · Post by **ajmrowland** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:27 pm

They could even just combine movies with TV and call it "Disney On Demand", and I'd probably like it.

goofystitch · Post by **goofystitch** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:32 pm

The price isn't right. $20 for a bare bones catalog title that was printed on demand? Amazon.com has had a similar service that Nikelodeon has been using for season sets of their older programs, such as Doug.

Bob Iger said about a month ago that Disney is looking at the possibility of having an online subscription service where consumers can view their older films not available on DVD. Its a more cost effective way where consumers spend less and don't have to waste shelf space and Disney can allocate their plastic supply to more high profile releases that are guaranteed to sell and not end up in discount bins.

slave2moonlight · Post by **slave2moonlight** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:33 pm

goofystitch wrote:Bob Iger said about a month ago that Disney is looking at the possibility of having an online subscription service where consumers can view their older films not available on DVD. Its a more cost effective way where consumers spend less and don't have to waste shelf space and Disney can allocate their plastic supply to more high profile releases that are guaranteed to sell and not end up in discount bins.

Consumer research shows (I know, I've been a part of these studies) that the majority of the public still prefers to get hard copies of movies/TV shows for their money rather than digital files, for a variety of reasons. And to subscribe to a site where you can watch stuff on demand isn't the same as owning it either. This less popular material is going to appeal more to nostalgic collectors than anyone else, and they want to have something to collect, not to pay a subscription to a service where they can see them once and a while. And a manufacturing on demand system is all about not wasting supplies. The DVDs only get made to order, so there is no waste for the discount bins. In that respect, it's just as good of a deal for Disney, plus they get to charge more since hard copies are involved and the consumer gets something they can collect and watch whenever without subscription fees. The price may seem high, but they could charge more if they wanted, and hopefully the product quality is decent. It'll probably be better than most bootlegs though.

a-net-fan · Post by **a-net-fan** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 7:46 am

I have no interest in sitting at the computer and watching a movie. I think Disney should go ahead and offer a service like this for titles it has no plans of releasing.

SpringHeelJack · Post by **SpringHeelJack** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:58 am

I too prefer having a physical copy as opposed to a download or streaming video, mostly just because I really don't like watching movies on my computer. It's just more practical to have a hard copy for me.

Ioz · Post by **Ioz** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 3:55 pm

I wouldn't mind if Disney did something like this. Maybe, we could finally get the rest of the Disney Afternoon cartoons they abandoned this way. I just ordered Charles in Charge Season 4 through Amazon this way. It is supposed to ship this week.

JoeyOhhhh · Post by **JoeyOhhhh** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:13 pm

Regarding price, I believe Warner has stated it will not be on DVD-R discs, but a real pressed disc. Considering Amazon charges more for DVD-Rs, I can live with that pricing for titles that aren't really being massed produced.

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