Pre-Barnabas Episodes on DVD - UPDATE

[BuzzH]

Just got an email from MPI who asked me for the email address of the poster from MPI.  Maybe we're being scammed by a troll!     Anyway, I'll let you know what they say.  Stay tuned....

[mpi_marketing]

I just checked with Julie in our customer service department regarding the information they have been providing to the poster who posted after my clarifying post.  I work in the marketing department here at MPI & I can assure you that the information I have provided in my post is correct.

While we are not ruling out a retail release for these collections ever, there are no plans to make them available anywhere but to club members.  We felt that we owed the members of the club this exclusive chance to complete their collection since there were a few merchandise items that have been teased, but not officially released.

If anyone has any further questions about these release plans, please use the "Contact Us" form on either www.mpihomevideo.com or www.darkshadowsdvd.com or email me directly at either darkshadows@mpimedia.com or webmaster@mpimedia.com.

Thank you,

The MPI Marketing Team

[Charles_Ellis]

Notice that they didn't address the price issue!!!  Just some corporate gobbledygook. If they really cared, they'd lower the price and widen the release.  Mind you, I do want to complete my collection of episodes, but not with a virtual gun at my head!!!!!

[Midnite]

Just got an email from MPI who asked me for the email address of the poster from MPI.  Maybe we're being scammed by a troll!

The identity of the MPI representative, as well as that of a second [inactive] account that was also created in 2002, has never been called into question by either MB or myself.

If anyone has questions about the validiity of claims made by a registered member, please contact one of the Forum administrators with your concerns rather than make public accusations.  Thanks!

[I Ching]

This is from MPI's "Dark Shadows DVD" website (www.darkshadowdvd.com):

As a Dark Shadows DVD Club member, you'll enjoy:

- FREE SHIPPING (via US Mail) for all Dark Shadows Orders
- Exclusive Discount Offers on limited Dark Shadows Merchandise
- Exclusive Opportunity to purchase the soon-to-be-released
  Dark Shadows Collector's Series DVD Collection[/u]
- And (like we already said!) exclusive advance preview shipping of
  New Dark Shadows DVD Collection Releases[/i]

It is exactly what mpi_marketing has posted.

[BuzzH]

I CANNOT believe they are doing this to us!!!  I've bought every available DVD and now they are nickel and diming us by telling us we have to join their damn club to get the pre-Barnabas episodes!  That's just the most blatant attempt to force us to join the club and pay $60 for them instead of $42 from Amazon.  The person I spoke to ACTUALLY said, "But, if you join the club, you get a Barnabas bobblehead and a collector's case!"  Like, why the hell would I want a stupid bobble-head??!!  What kind of useless crap is that???!!!  It's BAD BUSINESS, that's what it is!!  I think those of us who do not belong to their club should start a petition saying we want these episodes too and like Charles said, we don't want a virtual gun pointed at our heads to join their club to get them.  I get them from Amazon because I can save $18 on them!  If I'd known they'd pull this crap I NEVER would have shelled out over $1,000 dollars for the 25 boxsets I have!  MPI, you suck!

[I Ching]

Buzz, I agree with you, but I have just given in to the blackmail and joined the club (cancelling Volumes 24 and 25 on pre-order from amazon.com, and kissing $36.00 in savings good-bye).

Why should MPI care from what retailer the DVD's are purchased?  I purchased every single volume on VHS directly from MPI.  I call THAT being a loyal customer.  And what "benefit" did I get for that?  Reward me now by giving me a "club" discount on the DVD's!

[Charles_Ellis]

I am proud to say that I get my  MPI DS DVDs from eBay!!!!!!!!  And they're cheaper, too!

[Gothick]

Why should MPI "care" about anything other than selling DVDs?

As Grayson used to say, the thing about show business is, it's a BUSINESS.  (and she was a socialist!)

I wonder how good the sales on the old "Collectors Edition" VHS tapes were?  My guess is that among other things, they're hoping to generate some buzz for product that's viewed as not moving terribly well in the first place with the pre-Barn shows.

On with the motley!

G.

[BuzzH]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!  I just spent 30 minutes writing a reply to katsfan and LOST IT when trying to preivew it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!     

[BuzzH]

Why should MPI care from what retailer the DVD's are purchased?  I purchased every single volume on VHS directly from MPI.  I call THAT being a loyal customer.  And what "benefit" did I get for that?  Reward me now by giving me a "club" discount on the DVD's!

OKAY!  I'm gonna RE-WRITE this!!!!  This isn't what I originally wrote, but I'm too tired (and pissed that the other post went astray) to re-write the whole thing.  Not to mention the fact that I don't remember everything I said.
====================
Right on katsfan!  Why indeed should MPI care where we get our DVD's?  They probably get some sort of kick-back or percentage anyway by allowing Amazon or Best Buy etc...to sell their product, right?  How does it work anyway, anyone know?  Anyway, you want me to join your club?  Make it worth my while!  Sell the DVD's to me cheaper than anyone else and/or allow me to get my boxset before non-members.  But don't offer me a stupid piece of junk bobblehead that looks nothing like Frid!  What the hell am I supposed to do w/that anyway!?

I feel that EVERYONE should be allowed to buy the pre-Barnabas episodes, not just so-called CLUB MEMBERS!  I don't have a problem w/them getting them first, just so long as ALL fans eventually get to enjoy them.  It's not fair, not to mention BAD BUSINESS, to screw over ppl who have supported your company for 16 years!  Hasn't MPI made enough money off of ALL of us by not only selling an entire set on VHS but now on DVD?  I know MANY fan who bought both, talk about double-dipping!  Not that I'm angry about that, or think they shouldn't re-release them on another format.  But don't screw us over now by offering a VAGUE promise to MAYBE release them to the general public at some UNSPECIFIED time!  They're just trying to scare ppl into joining their club so they can make MORE money off of us!  And THAT'S reprehensible, IMHO!!  Hell, I didn't even bitch when they chopped out all my favorite bloopers (Bathia Mapes comes IMMEDIATELY to mind!)  Mind you, I wasn't HAPPY about it, but it didn't deter me from buying the EPISODES so that I could enjoy them again and again on a more durable format.

Like Barnabas, I feel betrayed!  They've betrayed all of us.  I had to get a second job to pay for my DS 'habit' (DVD's, Festivals etc...) but that job ended at the end of 2005 and I took a $5,000 pay cut as a direct result.  I'm HURTING for that 5 grand and if I can save $18 every two months by getting my DVD's through Amazon, why shouldn't I?  Isn't that the American way---fair market competition?  Why should *I* be punished because I can't afford to pay $60 for them.  I'm not DISLOYAL to MPI by not joining the club, I'm just POOR!

The other thing that bothers me is that THREE different MPI reps LIED to me this week when they each assured me that they weren't going to w/hold the pre-Barnabas eps from the general public!  I feel like a chump, especially since I posted here numerous times to try and re-assure my fellow cousins that they wouldn't do that to us.  Up until today I was their biggest cheerleader!  But no more!  I guess I'll have to resign myself to NEVER owning these pre-Barnabas eps on DVD.  Good thing I have them on tape!  

[FireRose]

Although final release details have not been completed, the tentative plan is to release these episodes in 6 collections with 35 episodes each plus all-new bonus material.  These collections will be made available exclusively to members of the DVD Club & they will not be available at retail outlets other than the DVD Club at this time.

Well from what I understand to join the DVD Club one must have a credit card. At least it implies that on the application form.
But the thing is not every Dark Shadows fan has a credit card so they can't become a member of the club. So that is going to leave alot of the fans out because they aren't able to become a members of the club.

I wonder if MPI has taken that into account with this brilliant idea of theirs? Especially if I'm clear on the only way to become a member of the club is by having a credit card.

So is  credit card customers the only ones who can become members of the DVD Club?

FireRose

[drwhotrades]

Thank you for sharing that with us, drwhotrades. And welcome to the forum. 

Thanks for the welcome - longtime lurker (as well as DS fan), but I never post, mostly because I don't have much to say!

[mpi_marketing]

To answer the above question, it is possible to join the DVD Club without a credit card.  Members can sign up to join the club by calling our customer service at 800.323.0442 & requesting the DVD Club membership form.

Thank you to all for your feedback on these releases.  You have all raised some interesting points, so I will make sure to bring these up at the internal meetings to finalize these releases.

Once we have an official release plan for these titles, I will make sure to return to the forum with that information.

MPI Marketing

[Darren Gross]

is  credit card customers the only ones who can become members of the DVD Club?

I'm sure a checking account Check Card would work just fine.