DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
General Discussions => Current Talk Archive => Current Talk '24 I => Current Talk '06 II => Topic started by: retzev on August 08, 2006, 01:36:44 AM
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There's been a lot of MPI bashing here lately, and I want to say that I think they're doing us a great service and they deserve to make a little money for their efforts. The DS Collections (and most of their releases for that matter) serve a niche market, and I just find it hard to believe that their profit margins are all that obscene.
I got to thinking about this after trying to figure out how much it was going to cost me to collect all of the otiginal DOCTOR WHO on DVD, and comparing the cost to collecting DS.
Here's a bit of my post on the WHO forum that got me thinking about this:
"Assuming that all episodes will eventually be released, 700 Who episodes (including reconstructions, animations, etcetera) for $2500 comes to about $3.57 per episode. 1225 Dark Shadows episodes (all of which are extant, save for one reconstruction which includes the audio in its entirety) for $1600 comes to about $0.76 per episode - clearly the better bargain."
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OK, so the DOCTOR WHO episodes undergo extensive restoration - http://www.restoration-team.co.uk/ - and are stacked with extra features. On the other hand, DS looks fantastic on DVD, and I don't really care that much about extra features (1225 eps of DS and 700 eps of WHO are more than enough entertainment for my schedule.)
MPI's MSRP is around $60 per Collection? I've never paid that much for a set, they're easy enough to find for $40-$50. I think the DS DVD Collections are a tremendous bargain...
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Word! ;D I agree. It's awesome that MPI has been releasing the complete series of DS videos and DVDs for so long. I think the complaints were mostly about merchandise and possible non-Collector's Club availabilty of the pre-Barnabas episodes (which I doubt would be a long-term thing anyway). Wish I had the cash to collect the DVDs. I have all the videos but only a couple of the DVD sets.
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My only gripe w/MPI is them forcing ppl to join their club to get the pre-Barnbas eps. I was their biggest supporter and cheerleader until then. Having said the above, I am appreciative that they have released this very unique series to both VHS and DVD. How many other soaps are, or will be realeased to DVD. Probably none.
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My only gripe w/MPI is them forcing ppl to join their club to get the pre-Barnbas eps. I was their biggest supporter and cheerleader until then. Having said the above, I am appreciative that they have released this very unique series to both VHS and DVD. How many other soaps are, or will be realeased to DVD. Probably none.
Without MPI, I would never have had the opportunity to watch the entire DS series. 8)
However, I wasn't aware that you had to join the club to be able to get the pre-barnabas episodes. Isn't that also the case if you want the DS bobblehead dolls?
Even so, good job to MPI!!! :)
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However, I wasn't aware that you had to join the club to be able to get the pre-barnabas episodes. Isn't that also the case if you want the DS bobblehead dolls?
You can buy them, I *believe*, w/out being a member. But if you join the club I think you get Barnabas for free. Club members, is that correct?
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Okay well, call me a cynic but, ... I send my order in to whichever organization can give me the best deal. I appreciate MPI in the same way I do Honda - they have a product I desire and they are producing it in a format I like. I'm simply not going to pay sticker price for it, if I can help it. I show my appreciation to them by continuing to buy. The way I see it all's fair because for both MPI and myself - it comes down to a cash thing.
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Okay well, call me a cynic but, ... I send my order in to whichever organization can give me the best deal. I appreciate MPI in the same way I do Honda - they have a product I desire and they are producing it in a format I like. I'm simply not going to pay sticker price for it, if I can help it. I show my appreciation to them by continuing to buy. The way I see it all's fair because for both MPI and myself - it comes down to a cash thing.
I agree 100% CastleBee, that's a good way of putting it.
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You can buy them, I *believe*, w/out being a member.
Yep, you can still buy the bobbleheads without being in the club.
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Okay well, call me a cynic but, ... I send my order in to whichever organization can give me the best deal. I appreciate MPI in the same way I do Honda - they have a product I desire and they are producing it in a format I like. I'm simply not going to pay sticker price for it, if I can help it. I show my appreciation to them by continuing to buy. The way I see it all's fair because for both MPI and myself - it comes down to a cash thing.
Couldn't have said it any better!
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I thought you had to join MPI's club to get the Barnabas bobblehead. But I've seen others for sale on their website.
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Overall, my experience with MPI has been very positive. As we agree, they are a niche video company and have been very good to Dark Shadows and other Dan Curtis productions over the years. We do have to allow they are a smaller company, so you're not going to get the $14.99 double features you might get at a major studio DVD line. I likewise appreciate the efforts they have done in quality mastering the lines, with of course the noted accidental edits on one of the early DVD sets. I also have had very good relations with their telephone and mail order areas. I would note they have had good deals on the VHS at the shows over the years, but I am not aware they ever did any discounting in the DVDs at the shows, at least never when I've asked...
I do wish to clarify that not all of the Bobble heads are available to non-club members. While anyone may order the Barnabas, Josette or Werewolf figures have been offered to all, the bobble heads for Quentin and Angelique are (or were, they may be gone) only available to "club" members.
Michael [vampy]
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I thought you had to join MPI's club to get the Barnabas bobblehead. But I've seen others for sale on their website.
I think they sell them at Fests too, at least I've seen them all on the MPI table inside the case. But never bothered to see what the deal was as I wasn't interested in them anyway. ;D
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Boy, I sure wish I had those bobbleheads. but it's difficult to find them, especially as a set in the case. :(
Maybe some day. ;D
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I thought you had to join MPI's club to get the Barnabas bobblehead. But I've seen others for sale on their website.
When I got it awhile ago I just called and asked if I could order the Barnabas Bobblehead. They said "sure" and I got one. They didn't mention the collector's club at all (I'm not in it).
EDIT: Just read CyrusL's post. So some are and some aren't available to non-club members. I'd collect them if I had the cash, but they're expensive.
Also, why don't they sell these in regular "hipster" stores like Newbury Comix (a New England chain) and Hot Topic? They have all kinds of characters in bobblehead form, many of which are way obscure. I think some of the DS ones (particularly Barnabas) would do well in a regular retail outlet.
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When I got it awhile ago I just called and asked if I could order the Barnabas Bobblehead. They said "sure" and I got one. They didn't mention the collector's club at all (I'm not in it).
Great! That's good to know. And thanks, CyrusL.
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I did pick up the Barnabas bobble-head at the fest and I'm looking forward to eventually getting a Dr Hoffman bobble-head if they produce one. I hope she's wearing the white lab coat and has the helmet style hair do.
I have to agree that MPI has done a good job on the VHS and DVD tapes overall. I'm collecting the Dallas DVDs and the quality (pardon my French) sucks! However, the first season of Dallas is in pretty good shape compared to the subsequent seasons. I heard, but don't know for sure, that the Dallas DVDs are being produced in another country at a very cheap rate.
I look forward to getting the Collector's series on DVD.
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I have the Barnabas and Josette bobbleheads, which are the only two I wanted. I'm not interested in having all of them.
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I know the purists love the flashy DVD's with post card and fancy box.....but i have joined the economy tour which includes the following
I am close to having all 1225 episodes on dvd after going to sears and buying a dvd-r vhs combo machine where i can dub and edit all the dvd's to my liking. Perhaps an illusion, but my dvd copies of the pre barn collectors series looks fresher than the original 54 volumes on vhs.........and thanks to Netflix i have had the dvd collections shipped to my home where i dubbed vhs copies back to dvd with amazing results....no bobbleheads, no club to join, and not having to wait till next year to see pre barn on dvd......happy happy joy joy!
I also did this with all the previous MPI vhs releases of special DS things like bloopers and music video etc. The only thing i wonder is what is the longevity of a DVD-R....and should i keep my vhs stock as back up.......decisions decisions. all this to say...thank you MPI for making the DS run available either on vhs or dvd... >:D
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I have the Barnabas and Josette bobbleheads, which are the only two I wanted. I'm not interested in having all of them.
Oh man, I wish I had the bobbleheads! Much to my sorrow I don't have any of them. :'( :(
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I think I want a bobble head of Barnabas to put on the dashboard of my car.
If nothing else, it might inspire yet another version of an old standard - perhaps something a little like this...
Plastic Barnabas
Well, I don't care if I blow a tire
Long as I have my plastic vampire
Bobbling on the dashboard of my car
Through all spells and incantations,
We will travel every nation,
With my plastic Barn I will go far.
Woo HOO! [headbang]
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That is hilarious, Castlebee!
I would also love to have a Barnabas bobblehead to put on the rear window, bobbling along as I drive! That would be too funny.
Nancy
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That's so funny, CastleBee! I need a bobblehead Barnabas, now! ;D
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i too have a dvd recorder but i choose to purchase the entire series on dvd. i have the entire collectors series on vhs and all the other episodes either from mpi or recorded off the new jersey network. the quality of the dvds purchased from mpi look so perfect especially in the color episodes. they look far superior than the vhs releases or any tv/cable broadcast. i too notice that anything recorded or copied on dvd does seem to improve the picture quality but nothing compares to the mpi dvd releases. renting the dvds and going from dvd to vhs then back to dvd was a good decision rather than going from the mpi vhs releases of the post barnabas episodes, however you could have also bought an inexpensive dvd player and played back the dvds on it and recorded them on your dvd recorder. just be thankfull mpi didnt put copyguard/macrovision on their releases!
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I was at the Fest and they forgot to bring size XL of the new commemmorative sweatshirts and many of the fans gave them a hard time justifiablely so.
This article states that MPI has sold over 300,000 units of the Dark Shadows DVDs. Let's see. 300,000 x $60.00 = mucho dinero. lol And that is not including the DS VHS versions sales or the non- DS items in its huge library.
http://news.pajamasmedia.com/entertainment/2006/08/25/10467478_Spooky_soap_oper.shtml
The fact that nowhere on its "40th Anniversary" T shirt does it reflect the words 40th Anniversary that they were selling at the Fest which should say much about MPI. However, they did remember to reflect its website's address on the shirt. Perhaps they wanted to wait until they received more profits.
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They let us buy the bloopers DVD 3 months early at the fest, so thumbs up there.
And as far as the "must join the club to get the DVDs" rule, you must look at the wording on the flyer:
"Currently, only members of the DVD Club will have the opportunity to purchase all 6 DVD Collections of Dark Shadows: The Beginning series before they're made available to the general public."
Sounds like they'll be available to anyone, just not as soon as they're available to club members. Since I'm only on Collection 5, I've got plenty of time to wait and see what happens...
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The following is contained in an article posted on PJM News:
Dark Shadows" launched the acting career of Kate Jackson, spawned several hit records and two feature films starring the TV cast, "House of Dark Shadows" (1970) and "Night of Dark Shadows" (1971). Both are set for DVD release next year, as is a seven-disc CD set of music from the series.
[clap]
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Nice article. The mention of "Sombras Tenebrosas" reminds me of an essay I wrote for French class in the spring of 1972. The assigned subject was "My Favorite TV Show", so of course I wrote about "Ombres Sombres", closing it with a declaration of undying loyalty to a cancelled show.
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Very cool that the two movies will be released on DVD next year, and that there will be a boxset of music! 8)
Thanks for sharing! :)
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And as far as the "must join the club to get the DVDs" rule, you must look at the wording on the flyer:
"Currently, only members of the DVD Club will have the opportunity to purchase all 6 DVD Collections of Dark Shadows: The Beginning series before they're made available to the general public."
Sounds like they'll be available to anyone, just not as soon as they're available to club members.
Cool Housefly, thanks for posting that info. I suspected as much, but they hadn't said for sure, so it's nice to know that eventually ALL fans will be able to buy the pre-Barn eps.
The fact that nowhere on its "40th Anniversary" T shirt does it reflect the words 40th Anniversary that they were selling at the Fest which should say much about MPI. However, they did remember to reflect its website's address on the shirt. Perhaps they wanted to wait until they received more profits.
How lame is that, not mentioning the 40th Anniversary on their so-called 40th Anniversary shirts! Well, just contact BOBUBAS, he's got a gorgeous 40th tee, the BEST one he's ever done IMHO, and HE mentions the anniversary on his shirt. ;)
P.S. Jimbo, I think we met Sunday nite after the banquet, correct? That night was a blur, had two HUGE cocktails, LOL! ;D
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How lame is that, not mentioning the 40th Anniversary on their so-called 40th Anniversary shirts! Well, just contact BOBUBAS, he's got a gorgeous 40th tee, the BEST one he's ever done IMHO, and HE mentions the anniversary on his shirt.
P.S. Jimbo, I think we met Sunday nite after the banquet, correct? That night was a blur, had two HUGE cocktails, LOL!
Hi BuzzH. You had two huge cocktails? Well that is only what you remember. LOL Yes it was I. It was great to finally meet you. Yes BOBUBAS out- did himself this year. That what a nice tribute to the 40th Anniversary. What a great looking shirt. Can't say the same for MPI.
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just contact BOBUBAS, he's got a gorgeous 40th tee, the BEST one he's ever done IMHO, and HE mentions the anniversary on his shirt.
Yes BOBUBAS out- did himself this year. That what a nice tribute to the 40th Anniversary. What a great looking shirt. Can't say the same for MPI.
Thanks for the plugs Buzz & Jimbo. ;D This years design was very well received. I'm still accepting orders for the Vampire collage, 40th ann design, as well as my 2003, 2004 and 2005 designs. If anyone here is interested, please feel free to e-mail me at; Bobubas@aol.com
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I think some of the above attachments are already on the boards, so they'll be replaced below with links to the original posts as they're found. Just click each link to see the images--
Re: 2004 Tarrytown Design
Re: Hollywood Info -- parking, sites of interest, etc.
Re: 2006 Dark Shadows Festival Tee Shirt Design
The 2003 design is on this webpage: http://bobubas.topcities.com/ds_fest_2003.htm