Netflix (DVD Delivery Discussion Only)

[Drucker]

Has anyone else noticed it taking an extra day to register that your discs were received? I used to have real luck with send day one, receive day 2, get new disc day 3. Now for them to get my discs is taking an extra day. Don't know if it's USPS cutbacks...or Netflix...hm

[Perkins Cobb]

Has anyone else noticed it taking an extra day to register that your discs were received? I used to have real luck with send day one, receive day 2, get new disc day 3. Now for them to get my discs is taking an extra day. Don't know if it's USPS cutbacks...or Netflix...hm

There are rumors of shipping center cutbacks, but they actually scooped my returns up this Monday (despite there being no mail delivery) and had me some new ones on Wednesday. Hopefully you're just getting some temporary throttling...?

(I am routinely waiting an extra day, or two, for Blockbuster though.)

[jheez]

You're probably being throttled for being a "heavy" user. Happened to me several times.

[Perkins Cobb]

Surprisingly, Netflix acquired Wellman's Wings ... but only on DVD. Water, water, everywhere....

Also surprisingly, they're advertising on this page! Whyncha take that money and buy some damn discs instead, Reed.

[aox]

Surprisingly, Netflix acquired Wellman's Wings ... but only on DVD. Water, water, everywhere....

That's awful. Remind me again why I am paying the BD extra fee? If they aren't going to purchase the BDs at least put the film up in streamable 720p.

[yeahimajerk]

I stopped paying the BD fee when I added Hulu+ for the Criterion content. That was the best thing I ever did as I was noticing less and less Criterion Blu's in rotation on Netflix. I kept the regular Netflix for DVDs and for Blu's (if it's something I want to see - like a mainstream new release) I have to go old school - either to Redbox or Family Video.

[Perkins Cobb]

I kept the regular Netflix for DVDs and for Blu's (if it's something I want to see - like a mainstream new release) I have to go old school - either to Redbox or Family Video.

Well, you're lucky, because I don't have either of those where I live. If Netflix or Blockbuster don't stock a Blu, my only option is $$$.

[swo17]

I have the Redbox option, but it generally doesn't stock any of the new releases that Netflix deems not worth offering on Blu (Gantz, Nostalghia for the Light, Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno, The Mill and the Cross, etc.) or any new Blu releases of classic titles either, obviously.

[cdnchris]

The Safeways around me rent out DVDs and they used to rent out Blu-rays, actually getting solid titles, but I've noticed that most of them have stopped getting Blu-rays in, or only get very few titles in on the format. I still have the Red Box option and Blockbuster, I guess, but if Safeway's dropping Blu-rays from their rentals I can't see that being a good thing.

[yeahimajerk]

When I said "new releases" I meant somthing more akin to like Moneyball, Tree of Life - something of that nature. I can usually find something like that at Family Video, if need be. Also, the Redboxes are decent for something that I have to get for the family to watch, like a mainstream comedy or action film - those were previously all the Netflix Blu option was good for when I had it. But yes, both Redbox and Family Video are terrible for classics or anything that we'd be into here on this board. There are no Blockbusters with in like 3 counties of me and only one of their "express" locations, so I am hesistant to switch to them.

[Perkins Cobb]

Still only a handful of Redboxes in NYC. One of them is near me, but the last time I looked, it only had 10 or 12 titles on Blu. A long way from fulfilling just my mainstream new release needs.

[Feego]

A few DVD titles that had been demoted to the "Saved" section of my queue, including I Was Born, But..., Pink Narcissus, Seance on a Wet Afternoon, and Story of a Prostitute, are back up for rental, albeit with a "Short Wait."

[Perkins Cobb]

Yeah, same here. Affair in Trinidad (a Sony "martini movie"; can't remember if they ever had it to begin with), all the discs in the TCM Errol Flynn set (albeit with a "very long wait"), and only The Match Factory Girl from the first Kaurismaki Eclipse set.

I wonder what they're doing over there ... are they actually acquiring new discs, or just putting back some inventory that had been pulled for some reason? Feels more like the latter.

[MyNameCriterionForum]

WTF is up with the Mysteries of Lisbon DVD on Netflix? Amazon says it's three discs and 257 minutes... Netflix says one disc and 119 minutes? C'mon!

[Michael Kerpan]

WTF is up with the Mysteries of Lisbon DVD on Netflix? Amazon says it's three discs and 257 minutes... Netflix says one disc and 119 minutes? C'mon!

Netflix sent me both discs of the film itself last week, and I just returned them. ;~}

[MyNameCriterionForum]

I don't see more than one disc listed (DVD, not BD) on their site

[Michael Kerpan]

I don't see more than one disc listed (DVD, not BD) on their site

Can't check now -- firewalled. I seem to recall picking both discs, but it was a while ago...

[Elmyr]

If you look on the left side of the page for Mysteries of Lisbon it says that they will ship both discs to you simultaneously. The extra features disc is not currently available.

[Perkins Cobb]

Whole bunch more of these older DVDs (some OOP) bouncing back up from the saved section into my queue with long or mostly short waits: The Cruel Sea, Kim, Roxie Hart, Female Yakuza Tale, Arabian Nights, Call of the Wild (1935), Hammett, Operation Amsterdam, Bloody Birthday (probably the old one, not the Severin reissue from last year, but not sure).

I'm pretty confident now that these are not new acquistions, but that Netflix has lowered its stock threshold for keeping titles available. In other words, their supply of Roxie Hart dipped below a certain number of units and they listed it as unavailable; and now they've thrown whatever stock they have left back into circulation. A good move as far as I'm concerned, but also another fin de siecle sort of gesture in terms of their physical media commitment.

[bringmesomechemicals]

I've been perplexed for some time about the version of Cul-de-sac that is streaming on Netflix. It is listed as a 99 minute film and boasts the Criterion artwork. Of course, the film as released on disc by Criterion is 112 minutes in length. It sure seems odd that Criterion would allow Netflix to use their artwork to promote a bastardized version of the film when Netflix cannot even be bothered to procure a physical copy or two. Especially given the difference of opinion that led Criterion to Hulu's doorstep, the collection tucked neatly under their cyber arm.

[Perkins Cobb]

Recent Netflix Zombies (i.e., back from the dead) bounced up from Unavailable to Short Wait: Trail of the Lonesome Pine, Cairo Station, The Moon in the Gutter, Immortal Sergeant, Track of the Cat, The Virgo the Taurus and the Capricorn, Delirium, everything from the Tyrone Power Matinee Idol Collection that had wasn't previously available, an Falcon Crest: Season 1 (no, I'm not embarrassed; what are you trying to say?).

If anybody spots any other OOP goodies reappearing, it'd be helpful to me if you noted it here. I used to have hundreds of OOP titles saved, but Netflix punished my insolence a few months ago by erasing my entire queue.

[starmanof51]

Recent Netflix Zombies (i.e., back from the dead) bounced up from Unavailable to Short Wait: Trail of the Lonesome Pine, Cairo Station, The Moon in the Gutter, Immortal Sergeant, Track of the Cat, The Virgo the Taurus and the Capricorn, Delirium, everything from the Tyrone Power Matinee Idol Collection that had wasn't previously available, an Falcon Crest: Season 1 (no, I'm not embarrassed; what are you trying to say?).

If anybody spots any other OOP goodies reappearing, it'd be helpful to me if you noted it here. I used to have hundreds of OOP titles saved, but Netflix punished my insolence a few months ago by erasing my entire queue.

Not OOP, but the Criterion Imamura box that they carried for about a minute and a half on initial release before mothballing it has reappeared. Wyler's The Good Fairy. Son of Fury from the other Fox Tyrone Power box.

[Perkins Cobb]

Thanks; I've been meaning to stage an early Wyler roundup, so that one helps. Keep 'em coming -- this has to be the Netflix equivalent of a closing-out, get-'em-while-they-last sale.

In other Netflix-related news, Redbox has announced that it's partnering with Verizon to compete with Netflix on streaming (not many details yet), and they've also purchased their primary competitor, the Blockbuster-branded DVD kiosks. Which may be of some interest to New Yorkers, who have a zillion BB kiosks but only a couple of Redboxes, because Redbox has a slightly artier selection and actually stocks some Blu-rays.

[Feego]

Marat/Sade is back.

[Lemmy Caution]

Redbox is going into streaming in partnership with Verizon.
Here's a short article about it