Show your support for the DS Movies restorations! WARNER HOME VID chat-April 22!

[ClaudeNorth]

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

[Darren Gross]

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.

[ClaudeNorth]

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!

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

[Patti Feinberg]

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