Warner Brothers Archive Collection Blu-rays

[senseabove]

I've scoured the web for reports of WB's layoffs and haven't found any (just endless HBO Max articles), but they're evidently widespread enough to impact every aspect of the company...

Here's a note from someone who was laid off from Warner Archives specifically

[swo17]

Well this sucks but I'm still going to buy to support their animation department, because what other option is there?

[hearthesilence]

I've scoured the web for reports of WB's layoffs and haven't found any (just endless HBO Max articles), but they're evidently widespread enough to impact every aspect of the company...

Here's a note from someone who was laid off from Warner Archives specifically

Aw fucking hell, Patterson was a good guy, he actually went out of his way to help me out on something. I know they mentioned COVID-19, but I have a nagging feeling the new regime (as it was alluded to in the post) would have meant all of their jobs were on the chopping block even if the pandemic never hit.

[Ribs]

Well this sucks but I'm still going to buy to support their animation department, because what other option is there?

I generally feel this same way, as for WB's library there's just probably never going to be another option, and despite dramatics in 99% of cases like these the Blu-ray is still ultimately preferable to whatever previous release there was. We can just hope that if and when the third volume with the remaining shorts is released in a year's time it has more attention (and, complete stretch here, that they could maybe include a handful of the most egregiously botched cartoons here to try and make up for it).

I don't really think the Bugs Bunny set seems to be anywhere near as much of a "botch job" based on what I'm seeing other than them taking the cheapest possible option WRT disc size and the compression involved. It's not Warner Archive but Warner Home Video which has nowhere near the same track record.

I finally got my sale order shipped yesterday, and they sent me two identical boxes each containing a set of my ten movies sent via next day shipping that arrived today.

[dustybooks]

If there isn’t a third Avery set I’m going to be deeply annoyed as they haven’t gotten to “King Size Canary” yet! (And also for lots of other reasons of course.)

[ianthemovie]

If there isn’t a third Avery set I’m going to be deeply annoyed as they haven’t gotten to “King Size Canary” yet!

Not to mention "The Blitz Wolf"! Sad to hear that Warner has botched Volume 2 but I guess anything on disc is better than nothing. I hope Volume 3 materializes next year in some form.

For what it's worth I placed an order with Warner Archive last week and it arrived today. Hopefully all of yours are on their way.

[domino harvey]

I preorder the WA Blu titles I want from Amazon and they always arrive on release date. I do often notice that they’re usually out of stock for a while if you didn’t preorder though

[PfR73]

Funny, I also emailed them the other day after not having received my order either (and being a bit worried with "ships within 5 business days" still listed next to each release), mentioning that I was expecting it sooner as I need to send out some movies for Christmas presents on the West coast so a timeline would be helpful, and I haven't received a response yet.. wait, that's not funny at all

Ditto. I placed an order on Nov. 28th that hasn't shipped and had emailed them this morning. No response yet.

[dustybooks]

I preorder the WA Blu titles I want from Amazon and they always arrive on release date. I do often notice that they’re usually out of stock for a while if you didn’t preorder though

I preordered The Pirate from Amazon but it's been in limbo for a few days. (I've been having a lot of Amazon trouble lately, but that's another thread.) Libeled Lady showed up Sunday. But you're right, definitely better results than I'm getting from my WBShop orders -- I ordered 4 catalog Blus in the sale, plus two of the DVD-R sets. So far I've received one of the DVD boxes and nothing else has even shipped...

[Ribs]

At least one person at Blu-ray's forums called to ask about their sale order and WB responded by cancelling it, so I would just be patient, the delays are universal.

[therewillbeblus]

At least one person at Blu-ray's forums called to ask about their sale order and WB responded by cancelling it, so I would just be patient, the delays are universal.

That's absolutely outrageous. Customer service reps not being able to handle questions without shutting down should be the ones getting laid off. That's literally their job.

[therewillbeblus]

Today I finally emailed a second time threatening to cancel the order and bring the issue to Twitter/forums, and received this cursory response:

"Please note that the manufacturer of Warner Archive discs is currently experiencing production and shipping delays, due to a combination of greatly increased order volume and staffing requirements dictated by current conditions. Orders are currently shipping approximately 12 business days after receipt.

If you placed an order during our Black Friday/Cyber Monday 4 for $44 sale and you received an order confirmation, we have your order and so does the manufacturer. These orders are shipping as quickly as possible, and you will receive a shipping confirmation with a tracking number once your order is on the way."

I sent a second message (though not an aggressive one) this morning, and received this exact email response back

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

I placed an order with Warner Archive on 11/27 and it barely shipped on Monday. I ordered five Blu-rays and are due to arrive tomorrow. Warner must've been delayed with these shipments, something I've never experience before.

[Reverend Drewcifer]

Boogie Nights is up as an Archive DVD title, although not a Blu Ray. All the WTF for this. Can anyone explain the upside for this decision?

[Glowingwabbit]

Boogie Nights is up as an Archive DVD title, although not a Blu Ray. All the WTF for this. Can anyone explain the upside for this decision?

Defending Your Life was the same in the Dec lineup and then poof Criterion announces it, so it may mean it's been licensed out to a label.

[Reverend Drewcifer]

Boogie Nights is up as an Archive DVD title, although not a Blu Ray. All the WTF for this. Can anyone explain the upside for this decision?

Defending Your Life was the same in the Dec lineup and then poof Criterion announces it, so it may mean it's been licensed out to a label.

I'll go ahead and sacrifice the goat, then.

[FrauBlucher]

Boogie Nights is up as an Archive DVD title, although not a Blu Ray. All the WTF for this. Can anyone explain the upside for this decision?

Defending Your Life was the same in the Dec lineup and then poof Criterion announces it, so it may mean it's been licensed out to a label.

Well, this was a Criterion Laserdisc. So...

[domino harvey]

The existing Boogie Nights Blu is already ridiculously stacked, what a pointless Shout Factory-type acquisition this would be

[cdnchris]

Maybe they could add the John Holmes documentary excerpts like the LD, or even the whole thing? Outside of that I think everything else was ported over from the LD. But I could still see them just wanting to add the title back.

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

Exhausted: John C. Holmes, the Real Story was censored on the old laserdisc and is very easy to find on every adult video website on the net, but it does include an amusing P.T. Anderson commentary. I think it's also worth noting that I believe the commentary on the laserdisc has never made it's way to DVD. It has PTA alluding to doing drugs (and the amount of weed smoked on set) and Mark Wahlberg talking about spraining his penis during sex, two things I'm not sure the current versions of these two would want floating around out there.

[cdnchris]

Ah, I was always under the impression the 2-disc DVD added the commentary from the LaserDisc after the original DVD only included the solo Anderson track (which also made it's way to the 2-disc set). The 2-disc set seemed to work extra hard to replicate the LaserDisc, right down to the packaging (I think the liner notes were even the same), so that's probably why I thought it was more or less a copy of the LD (except for the documentary missing).

I remember way back in the day when I would choose between the LaserDisc or DVD version of a film, and Boogie Nights is the one I still regret going with the DVD edition instead (the original single-disc one). Ah well.

[Drucker]

I bought the existing blu-ray last week so it seems I've finally caused an upgrade.

[fdm]

Well I haven't really bothered with scratched up WB Archive discs I've gotten for a long time (mostly because I haven't purchased a dvd-r from them for a long time either), but every so often one of the MOD blu-rays has some scratches on its playing side. The ones I've gotten to have played so at this point it hasn't been a big deal, but sooner or later there's going to be one that won't work...

So I thought this was interesting, appended to my BF order ship notice that I finally got today:

ALL SALES ARE FINAL STARTING DECEMBER 3, 2020.
Click here for more details.

Of course the Click here link does not work.

So if you get a defective one you're SOL? Or if a disc is missing or it's the wrong one?

[therewillbeblus]

I bought the existing blu-ray last week so it seems I've finally caused an upgrade.

I bought it last month too, one of the longest blus in my Amazon cart that I never bothered to cash in on (I saw the film so many times in my youth every scene is etched into my memory, and I just never pulled the trigger)- it's such a great package they'd have to include something pretty rare to even consider another release an upgrade

[agnamaracs]

Boogie Nights is up as an Archive DVD title, although not a Blu Ray. All the WTF for this. Can anyone explain the upside for this decision?

Bigger gripe: DVD-only Ball of Fire