Warner Archives.... Your thoughts?

[Cordy_Biddle]

OK...so I think I'll just swallow my pride and start buying titles from the Warner Archives series next year. Even though I'm not thrilled about DVD-R formatted discs (having bad experiences in the past with the Sinister Cinema label).

Has anyone had trouble playing Warner Archives discs? I've heard these are replicated to the highest possible quality, but you never really know. I'm really looking forward to making "When Ladies Meet" and "Ice Follies..." (both Joan Crawford titles) as my first purchases.

Feel free to be as honest as you can...these discs aren't exactly the cheapest on the market so before I throw my money down a possible "rat-hole", I'd like to hear your experiences...

[Escapay]

I haven't bought any DVD-R's from the Warner Archive Collection, though I do like a variety of titles they offer.

My problem, though, is that some of the titles are ones I'd rather have gotten on DVD with special features. The 1962 film All Fall Down, for example. Or some of the Garbo silents (a "Greta Garbo, Volume 2" Box Set could easily be done with the remaining films not on DVD). Now that they're in the WAC, there's less possibilities of them getting a regular DVD release (even though I think Warner said that just because a title's in the WAC, there's still the chance it will get a DVD release). The lack of Special Features in general (beyond a trailer sometimes) is another strike against the Archive Collection. Especially since Warner is one of the few studios who release such old catalogue titles with a vintage short or two, cartoons, radio programs/promos, etc.

A part of me wishes that instead of DVD-R's they were regular DVDs. Like the Disney Movie Club exclusive discs. Maybe then I'd be more inclined to buy some. But because they're DVD-R's, it's like...well, you might as well take an old laserdisc or VHS and burn it yourself (even though I'm sure the Archive DVD-R's are of better quality). I've read a few reviews for Archive discs (from places like DVDTimes and DVDTalk) and the comments about the a/v quality are often mixed.

albert

[carolinakid]

I purchased several of the musicals (Thousands Cheer, Broadway Rhythm, Luxury Liner, etc.). The picture was acceptable but there was no closed captioning (which I like to refer to to get some of the song lyrics I can't understand). Of course, I'd prefer if they were remastered deluxe editions, but I've resigned myself to the fact that this is the only way I'll ever be able to get these films on DVD. I do think $20 is a bit steep, I think $10 would be a fairer price.

[Cordy_Biddle]

I really most wanted to know if anybody had experienced problems in playing the discs.

[Ioz]

I bought Yogi's First Christmas and Flight of the Dragons. The picture quality of both are good, but obviously not remastered. The Flight of the Dragons DVD worked fine for me. On both my DVD players, Yogi glitches on me at the FBI warning and turns off. I have to turn my DVD player back on and then it plays fine.

[milojthatch]

I'm excited by the possibilities of this (as well as what Nickelodeon and Universal are doing with Amazon) and hope it catches on to other things, like tv shows that have only one season out on DVD or airline versions of movies maybe finally available to the general public. The possibilities are there for both!

[KennethE]

Like IOZ, I too bought "Yogi's First Christmas." The disk had a fault and got stuck halfway through the film, (right on the part when Yogi fell down the stairs wearing Mrs. Throckmorton's ice skaes.) It could not play any farther.

Fortunately, I e-mailed Warner Archive, and they were nice enough to send me another DVD of "Yogi's First Christmas," which played just fine.

[Darby]

I purchased Irwin Allen's City Beneath the Sea from WAC and have had no problems with it at all. The video and audio are fine given the unremastered source material.

Darby

[bradhig]

I have no problems till today. I bought The Night the Bridge Fell down which is on two discs Disc two keeps stopping at the same point no scratches but no matter want I run it on PS2 .dvd player it stops. Also these things aren't working on my DVD RW drive in my computer nor our Blu ray player.

[Disney Guru]

I had purchased Yogi's First Christmas last December, worked well when i first saw it. A couple months ago a friend was over and wanted to see it i pulled it out wouldn't work. Looked at the dvd and literally within a couple months had already started to go bad. And i stored it with all of my other studio released dvds that play just fine. Was a bit ticked off.

[bradhig]

Got another copy of the same movie today same problem.

[Lazario]

Has anyone heard of MGM / 20th Century Fox doing the same thing with MGM's movies as Warner Bros. has done with this Warner Archive(s) thing??

Sorry if this is intruding / off-topic, but I hate starting new topics.



I love this cover design. But Amazon.com informs me they are definitely DVD-R.

[Ioz]

I had purchased Yogi's First Christmas last December, worked well when i first saw it. A couple months ago a friend was over and wanted to see it i pulled it out wouldn't work. Looked at the dvd and literally within a couple months had already started to go bad. And i stored it with all of my other studio released dvds that play just fine. Was a bit ticked off.

Eek, I hope mine don't get like that. I knew DVD-Rs didn't last as long as pressed DVDs, but I didn't think they'd be that bad. I'm glad Shout! is doing pressed DVDs with their Shout! Factory Select program for titles such as C.O.P.S. Volume 2 and Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 3.