DARK SHADOWS FORUMS

Members' Mausoleum => Calendar Events / Announcements Archive => Calendar Events / Announcements '25 I => Calendar Events / Announcements '03 I => Topic started by: Darren Gross on April 09, 2003, 07:52:27 AM

Title: Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April 22!
Post by: Darren Gross on April 09, 2003, 07:52:27 AM: The usually tightlipped Warner is going to have an online chat on April 22nd.

The feedback and interest generated on these chats is not thought of lightly amongst the marketing execs.

If you want to see a restored NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS on DVD than I urge as many of you as possible to sign up and take part. By asking a question such as "The lost footage from NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS was recovered a few years ago- when can we look forward to a DVD release of this film?" or just registering your enthusiasm for seeing both movies on DVD, you will undoubtedly help the restoration efforts.

The last time I posted a chat date nobody joined. Please don't let that happen again.

I would take part myself, but it would seem unprofessional to root for your own project at a studio your in mid-pitch with! We're hitting them from the TV and Video side again right now and showing public interest could be what clinches the deal.

As many people make pleasant suggestions, the better.

The last time one of these chats happened, the main gripes were WILLY WONKA only being released in pan n'scan, BATMAN BEYOND RETURN OF THE JOKER's hoped-for uncut release, and people wanting SOUTH PARKand BABYLON 5 in season sets...ALL of these things have come to pass. :D

You'll have to register an account (it's free) with the forum and there will be further instructions as the day draws closer.

Anyone that's definitely going to take part, please email me or post here- that way I can see how we're doing.

Thank you.

www.hometheaterforum.com (http://www.hometheaterforum.com)
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: Gothick on April 09, 2003, 09:00:36 PM: I'm rooting for you, Darren, but I am hopeless with those chats.

I gave up on them years ago after a couple of times trying to log on and failing. Seems as if they always have problems with gonzo hackers flooding the rooms, etc.

Some people just have to ruin everyone's fun.

But honestly you would think restoring the DS films would be a no-brainer even for a WB exec. I mean, have they ever tried doing a Net search for "Dark Shadows" and then looked at a few of the 300 plus sites that pop up?

Best wishes with your project,

Gothick
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: victoriawinters on April 10, 2003, 04:01:29 AM: if the chat is in the middle of the work day Pacific Daylight Time, then i won't be able to come. hopefully, it will be at night time Pacific time.

do let me know the time. i belong to the home theatre forums already.
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: Connie on April 10, 2003, 07:56:17 AM: Darren,

If I am home and able to get on computer I will most CERTAINLY participate.

When the date gets a little closer could you inform us of the time and HOW to enter the chat?? Don't have much experience with that.

Thanks,

-Connie

Restored NODS on DVD....YES!!
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: Darren Gross on April 10, 2003, 08:23:35 AM: Right now the only info on the chat is the day (April 22).

As soon as more info- time, procedure etc. is announced, I'll post it here.
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: Darren Gross on April 12, 2003, 11:07:20 PM: Chances just got even better...Warner's seems to be opening up their horror vaults a bit.

Just read that in August as aprt of a Halloween promotion, they'll be releasing HOUSE OF WAX/MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM, THE THING (51), THE OMEGA MAN, SOYLENT GREEN, WAIT UNTIL DARK, THE HAUNTING, and OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN.

Bodes well for the future. Perhaps we can get slated as part of next year's Halloween promotion!

I'm a bit weary of them starting to do double-features though. The last thing we want is NODS dumped onto the same disc as HODS. If NODS is a supplemental feature it gives them no impetus to spend any extra effort or money on the films. Ideally we'd like to have a commentary track, trailers and perhaps a featurette for each film. On NODS, it'd be great to have a restoration featurette and a section of reconstructed lost scenes, utilizing stills and audio.

Both films deserve their own discs without cramming them on one side , dumping the extras and compromising the bit rate.
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: Birdie on April 13, 2003, 03:07:32 AM: Darren,
Good Luck. I would love to participate but my chances of getting much computer time the next couple of weeks seems slim. My husband is working almost 24/7 ona project for work. Mkes you wonder if it really is a good thing that he can log on to work at home.

Birdie
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: Darren Gross on April 14, 2003, 10:51:25 PM: The chat details have been posted at: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/ronsreviews/announce.html (http://www.hometheaterforum.com/ronsreviews/announce.html)

Tuesday April 22

8pm EST, 7pm CST, 6pm MST, 5pm PST

Chat duration - strictly 2 hours

Here are the rules as posted:

Please remember that REAL NAMES are mandatory. Those who log in with a nickname will be removed.

During the chat session, do not type any questions or comments unless it is your specified turn. Calling out questions or remarks out of turn will get you removed.

Due to server lag, the order in which you vie for a turn (typing "YO") will NOT be listed the same on the Moderator's end. If you think you have been skipped for a turn - you have not. All decisions regarding order of "YO" is at the discretion of the Moderator.

Absolutely, positively, you are not to send private messages to our guest nor the chat Moderator(s). Any private messages/whispering will result in you being removed from the chat area. Do not bother the Moderator(s) or guest privately during the chat.

When it is your turn, limit yourself to ONE question. Do not ask multiple questions within a question. We are trying to give the opportunity for as many members to ask a question in a limited amount of time.

****If you're going to contribute to this chat, please post here on the DS board or email me at moviemandg@earthlink.net

Thanks
D
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: victoriawinters on April 15, 2003, 04:10:06 AM: 5:00 p.m. PST on a Tuesday will be a no way jose for me. I wish you luck. If you have a url where we can pre-submit questions, I can do that. Otherwise, I'm of no use to you this go around.

But what I can do for you is spread it around to all the other DS sites I frequent. Hopefully, more central and east coast can join in the fun.

*Sigh. Wonders why every single chat must be during the work day on PST.*
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: Darren Gross on April 15, 2003, 05:50:21 AM: Unfortunately, they do not offer to have questions submitted in advance.

D
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: Brian on April 16, 2003, 02:50:43 AM: Darren, I'm putting it on my calendar, and I'll do everything possible to "be there." I'm really shocked at the negative reactions so far--come on folks--let's get out priortied straighten out out here. :-

Brian
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: CastleBee on April 18, 2003, 05:49:18 PM: I'm going to put it on my calendar and do my level best to be there also. I've only done a couple of live chats before and they were very low key and no pressure so I don't really count them. But I'm willing to give it a try since I would love [luv] to see the two films on separate DVD's with all the additional info and features you mentioned. Well, I'm off to register...
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: Debra on April 19, 2003, 06:52:32 AM: I have heard about this from some of the other boards that I am in so I will definetely try my best to be there too.
Deb
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: Aristia on April 20, 2003, 09:09:59 PM: 7 PM CST is perfect for me. I've never participated in one of these before, but I will give it a try!
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: Darren Gross on April 20, 2003, 09:53:07 PM: I should make one small note.

If 3 or 4 people bring up the restored NODS during the chat, that's perfect! :D

Any more and it would seem suspicious...especially since the participants will have answered the first inquiry, and want this not to seem like a campaign or plot.

My suggestion is, that if you see someone has asked about it while waiting for your turn, ask about a different title, say HODS or whatever old Warner or MGM title interests you, but note your interest within the question.

For example, "Let me say that I'd also love to see the restored version of NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS on DVD, but I was wondering if there were any plans to put any of the Val Lewton films on DVD?"

There's tons of films in the MGM catalog, including the classic musicals, all the RKO titles, THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS, GREED, Greta Garbo titles, etc. that have yet to be announced for DVD release.

Remember, the more polite, courteous and professional the question, the more likely the particpants are going to answer it, and the more serious they'll take the request.

Good luck!
Darren
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: ClaudeNorth on April 21, 2003, 02:46:16 AM: Darren,

I REALLY want to participate in this chat, and will try my best to do so. I have several titles in mind that I'd love to ask about.

Incidentally, I've never quite understood the whole MGM-Warners video rights swap thing. Does Warner now own the entire MGM catalog? And didn't MGM once own many Warner titles?

I suspect that if MGM had retained the rights to the DS movies, the restoration would have happened by now. MGM seemed to issue more laserdiscs (remember them?) than any other studio, and they appear to be committed to making off-beat titles available, e.g. their fun MIDNITE MOVIES series.

Here's hoping the chat generates some positive results!

Regards,

John
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: Darren Gross on April 22, 2003, 12:28:26 AM: Warner owns all of MGM's films that were made prior to 1986.

MGM used to own the pre-1950's Warner library which they bought decades ago. When Warner acquired the pre-1986 MGM titles, they also reacquired all their old First National and pre-1950 Warner releases.

The current MGM is so cheap and clumsily run that it's doubtful that they would have put up the money for the restoration. The two films probably would have been released to DVD, but as a double-feature and would not have been restored. MGM rarely spends money for new transfers for these catalog DVD releases. They usually utilize transfers freshly made by the TV department who would have recently made an international sale of the title and are required by contract to provide a new transfer. The video dept just darts in and utilizes the transfers without spending a dime from their own dept.
This obviously excludes new theatrical releases and the occasional 'A' title.
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: ClaudeNorth on April 22, 2003, 01:58:13 AM: Quote from: Darren Gross on April 22, 2003, 12:28:26 AM
Warner owns all of MGM's films that were made prior to 1986.

MGM used to own the pre-1950's Warner library which they bought decades ago. When Warner acquired the pre-1986 MGM titles, they also reacquired all their old First National and pre-1950 Warner releases.

Thanks for clearing that up! Now I know which film titles I can ask about in the chat tomorrow. Oh, the list I have!

Quote from: Darren Gross on April 22, 2003, 12:28:26 AM
The current MGM is so cheap and clumsily run that it's doubtful that they would have put up the money for the restoration. The two films probably would have been released to DVD, but as a double-feature and would not have been restored. MGM rarely spends money for new transfers for these catalog DVD releases. They usually utilize transfers freshly made by the TV department who would have recently made an international sale of the title and are required by contract to provide a new transfer. The video dept just darts in and utilizes the transfers without spending a dime from their own dept.
This obviously excludes new theatrical releases and the occasional 'A' title.

This is a surprise to me, as I've been impressed with the MGM releases I have seen, in terms of quality and choice of titles. They give the appearance of a company that is on the ball, even if they're not.

Regards,

John
Title: Re:Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April
Post by: Patti Feinberg on April 23, 2003, 02:04:00 AM: Having NO clue (ahem) to what this was, and reading Darren's message at 8:47...

guess who got the LAST question in?

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

"DS Movies will always be under consideration"

(what political office was that dude running for)?

THANKS DARREN

Patti