When is it going to get cheaper?

here's a new topic: are there any discs out there that you have been hesitant to purchase because you can't justify paying what, in your mind, is too high a price? i've got one, and it's been a thorn in my side for a long time:

Flesh for Frankenstein
after reading jeremy's excellent review of this fine flick, i was again reminded of how needlessly expensive this DVD really is. hey, the sucker is $33.96 at dvdexpress. that's thirty three dollars and ninety six cents! we've talked about this before, but it's worth mentioning again.

sure, criterion pioneered the 'special edition' DVD format we've come to love (even before there was a label known as 'special edition'). sure, they went out on a limb to release this title - at a time when most companies wouldn't touch it with a 10' pole. it still doesn't mean they are going to get my $33.96 for this film.

clearly from the review, there are various problems with this disc. the image could have been better, the sound cleaned up. extras are slim. a slide show with stereo music? ummmmm, okay.

i want to buy this movie. i really do. it's not that i can't afford it. it's just a matter of principle. it's too goddamn much money.

now, maybe if they place it in one of those nifty tins....

(sorry Django)

[Dave]

My typical response: "You got it good - obviously you weren't around in the laserdisc days".

How would you feel paying $30-$60 for a barebones disc, and $60+ for special editions? Sometimes those laserdisc special editions sold for over $100.00. Sure, they'd often be big box sets but even a 2 disc SE could go for $80.00 (e.g. The Howling SE LD).

Yes yes, laserdisc was a niche market whereas DVD has already gone mainstream. Cheaper prices should come with the territory. And that is indeed true - that's why you see special editions like Fight Club and Seven sell for $25 - $30.

Criterion is always going to be a bit more expensive. They're a smaller studio and something like Carnival of Souls isn't going to sell nearly as well as Fight Club or Seven. I'm all for supporting Criterion's work if it helps keep them in business. And don't say something like "well, Anchor Bay is small and their prices aren't as expensive". That's true, but Anchor Bay has large retail distribution. Synapse, Elite and VCI have affordable prices, but you generally don't find as many supplements on their discs as you would Criterion.

I know it's hard to justify, but Criterion is almost always worth the extra money. Coming from laserdisc, their prices still seem cheap to me. Anyway, that's my 3 cents!

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David W. Anderson - dave@horrordvds.com
Webmaster - www.horrordvds.com

I wish Buena Vista's titles would drop down. I still haven't bought Halloween 6 & H20 yet, but i have 6 on laserdisc

[Paff]

Well, I agree with both landrvr AND Dave here.

(by the way, on that Flesh for Frankenstein review, the daughter is NOT played by Carla Mancini, but by Nicoletta Elmi. That mistake was on the LD, and it looks like no one corrected it for the DVD. Nicoletta Elmi's been in far too many Italian horror films to get dissed the way she has on this disc)

Anyway, like Dave said, if you REALLY want overpriced discs, try Criterion LASERS! Both Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula (and c'mon, ya gotta have BOTH) listed at $50. I managed to find a cutout of FFF for $15, but BFD (heheh) still cost me $30 used. If you want these movies, ya gotta pay. Them's the breaks.

But I also weigh in with my wallet when it comes to buying discs. I know the Criterion Carnival of Souls is a bargain for what's on that disc, but for that money I could have 2 DVDs or 3 (or 4) laserdiscs. I'm not bitching at Criterion or calling them overpriced, but I do hesitate on some films if the price is a little higher. I'm not made of money. Of course, for some movies (Repo Man for instance) I've paid the higher-than-average price and never thought twice about it.

Finally, Flesh for Frankenstein IS worth $30. Because to know death Otto, you have to....

[Mark Relford]

f**k death in the gall bladder!

I treat myself to a Criterion once in a while. landrvr, you're missing out on a horror classic!

I want Heaven on DVD, but it's a little pricey.

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"Have you ever had an Egyptian feast?"

"They're back from the grave and ready to party!"


[This message has been edited by Mark Relford (edited 12-28-2000).]

[DVD Connoisseur]

A while ago, I was thinking that the H G Lewis and Mario Bava DVDs are quite highly priced compared to other, more mainstream movies. This had put me off sampling these titles for some time. I must say, however, that I must have been suffering from memory loss as it wasn't that long ago when I would be paying over twice the price for a bare bones LD. When I think of how much I paid for some box sets I could cry! The Star Wars Definitive Collection cost me the equivalent of $350! The Phantasm Signature Edition cost me $165 (aprox), A Nightmare on Elm Street cost me $125, and so on! In those days, internet shopping was a dream for most individuals so we had to buy from dealers in the UK, who pocketed a handsome profit from every transaction. DVD and the internet is a dream come true. Sometimes I pinch myself just to make sure this is all real....

my typical response to the laser disc comparison: you can't compare. no way, no how. two different mediums that emerged in two very different economic climates and marketplaces. at the time you guys were shelling out the big bucks for those laserdiscs, i could barely afford to buy a pack of ramen noodles. it's all relative, i suppose...

now, i seem to recall that when the very first DVDs appeared on the scene, they were not the very nice $15-25 dollars per disc price that we see today. no, sir. weren't they more like $40+?

that aside, c'mon. flesh for frankenstein is still an overpriced disc. i don't care if criterion is comprised of one little old guy who is starving to death, and needs the money to feed himself AND put his cancer-ridden wife in a treatment program. they should lower the friggin' price.

it's been on the street for over two years now, and the price hasn't budged an inch. my local tower records on clark street has 8 copies of this DVD. how many copies did they have last month? 8. how many did they have two months ago? 8. how many copies did they have a year ago? 8. how many copies have they sold in the past year? according to the friendly salesperson that checked: none. there ya go.

hey, criterion can charge whatever the hell they want for a DVD. that's there choice. i just wonder when tower records is going to start charging criterion rent for taking up shelf space?

I'm not a laserdisc-er, so this is the opin of somebody who got into DVD pretty early as a start to his laser-ness.

But I find Criterion's prices make them a "must-want" buy - that is, I don't take fliers on Criterion (or other) $40 titles, I only buy them if I really want the movie.

For instance, I had no problem paying $40 for RoboCop or Silence of the Lambs.

But I've never been able to talk myself into getting Frank or Drac. I'd like them, but not enough. Yet.

[DVD Connoisseur]

landrvr, please don't mention ramen noodles again - you're making my stomach rumble! I agree with you on the Criterion issue - I've just ordered Robocop but it was a real moral dilemma forking out that much dosh for what isn't, at the end of the day, a splendid disc. I also have reservations about the Armegeddon DVD - it's serious money.

[Paff]

Another thing to consider is that Criterion is pretty much the only independent laserdisc company that has been able to survive in the DVD age. (How many DVDs has Elite released in the last year? They used to put out quality laserdiscs left and right). If that means a higher than average cost, then that's what THEY have to do to avoid eating Ramen noodles.

Or would you rather us just add Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula to the post of "Laserdiscs not available on DVD"?

Yes, it sucks, but ya gotta live with it sometimes.

Jeez, what are you guys bitching about. I once paid $125.99 for the Alien CAV LD Boxed Set just so I could use the stupid trailer for a class project.

And doing so ment I had to skip going to or renting movies for two months.

Anyway, you cats know my stance on Criterion and how I have it in for them more so then even Anchor Bay. I only just a few weeks ago copped out and bought Brazil, which surprisingly was perfect disc wise making it and Time Bandits the ONLY CRITERION DVDs I haven't have problems with.

I sense a pattern here if I could just put my finger on it...

Point is, just cause it says "The Criterion Collection" doesn't mean its the best there is. Having seen both versions, MGM's (BOO, HISS) Spinal Tap is above and beyond better then Criterion's. Just as I imagine their Silence of the Lambs and Robocop discs will be.

If you dig the movie, then go for it...

[mutleyhyde]

Hey, about that Armageddon set; I saw a single case of it at Worst Buy yesterday. What's up with that? Are the two discs inside still, or have they found a way to fit everything on one disc, or - choke - have they done away with some extras? I guess I could have looked on the back and found out, but dared not take the time as I was wrestling through the post-Christmas mayhem with fellow treasure hunters.

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"When I go to confession, I don't offer God small sins - petty squables, jealousies - I offer him sins worth forgiving!"

May the Hammer eternally bleed!
M. Hyde

Armageddon (another one I have the Criteron of) was originally released by Disney as a one-disc, fairly bare bones DVD.

Criterion did the two-disc one that just has the "Armageddon" logo on it.

Disney's has Ben Affleck, Bruce Willis, etc., on the cover.

[ArrowBeach]

If you arent picky with picture quality, Andy Warho's FRANKENSTEIN (a gore classic) or DRACULA isnt that badly priced. Anchor Bay wants 30.00 (20.99 at most on line store) dollar for barebone DVD like CANNIBAL MAN, DONT TORTURE TH DUCKLING, VAMPIRE HAPPENING, while the Andy Warhol films are priced at 28.49, like buy.com, at most on line store. extra 7.50 isnt a bad idea, thats a price of 2 hot dogs and a small fry at the movies, isnt it? And reember FRANKENSTEIN and DRACULA is same priced as the godawful NOTLD LT edition Anchor Bay put out that sadly out sold Elites NOTLD. ):

Besides in terms of collectability, a criterion DVD when it goes OOP, they are priceless. I doubt CANNIBAL MAN will be worth more, do you? So Criterion DVD hasa re-sell value IMHO.

[This message has been edited by ArrowBeach (edited 12-29-2000).]

Yeah, Arrow, but if you bought NOTLD 30 you got that *GREAT* soundtrack CD!

But you do have a good point about the OOP status - I hope saying that won't start another Salo thread.

[This message has been edited by AceRimRat (edited 12-28-2000).]