Monday, June 20, 2016

That really isn't in print on DVD?

I'm mentioned quite a few times how movies get released to DVD but because they're not continually in print, they're not always available to purchase new. I've been looking at the TCM lineup for the next few days, and am surprised at what seems to have gone out of print, if it's ever been released at all.

The morning and afternoon lineup today is a bunch of Errol Flynn movies, including some pretty well-known ones. The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, for example, is coming on at 3:30 PM. Despite having two big-name stars in Flynn and Bette Davis, this one has fallen out of print. Amazon lists it as having been released both as a standalone DVD and part of a box set of Flynn movies, but both of them are out of print basd on the limited number left in stock.

Tuesday's morning and afternoon schedule is devoted to Jane Russell. Only one of those movies, The Las Vegas Story at 6:30 AM, seems to be available from the TCM Shop. Of course, this particular day's lineup doesn't have quite so many well-known films as the Errol Flynn lineup. I'm not certain if Macao (11:30 AM) is out of print, but at the TCM Shop they only offer an import, while the Amazon offering is even pricier. The Outlaw (2:30 PM) is apparently available via the streaming download route, but not available at all from the TCM Shop.

But the most surprising omission comes tonight. Marie Dressler is the Star of the Month, and we get four more of her movies. Three of them are listed on the TCM schedule as being available for purchase from the TCM Shop; the one that isn't is Min and Bill at 8:00 PM. If you search for it on the TCM Shop, you find something more surprising. It's listed as being on backorder. This is odd, considering that Min and Bill is one of the movies that has been released to DVD courtesy of the Warner Archive Collection. Those are supposed to be MOD, which I always figured meant that you order it, and then they press the DVD and send it to you. This is why it's a bit pricier. And yet the MOD is on backorder? The odder thing is the price is also specifically mentioned as being on sale, and several dollars cheaper than the MOD on Amazon, which does seem to be "in print" if you will.

Those Errol Flynn movies, however, really need to be re-released.

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