MGM Midnite Movies

[Lino]

From DVDdrive-in:

Midnite Movies Mess!
NOTE: We are taking a short vacation but will be back at the beginning of April with more updates and to announce the winner of the “Easter Treats” giveaway.
We have been getting a flood of e-mails asking what’s going on with the March 22 MGM Midnite Movies releases. Well, we’re in the dark like everybody else and couldn’t get any concrete information. All we know is that the titles were released on March 22, but for some reason are only available for sale in Canada, not at U.S. Best Buy stores, or anywhere else in the U.S. for that matter. Three of the double features (FIREBALL 500/THUNDER ALLEY, THE MINI-SKIRT MOB/CHROME AND HOT LEATHER and MORONS FROM OUTER SPACE/ALIEN FROM L.A.), will be available everywhere on June 7, but there is no sign that the others (including PANIC IN YEAR ZERO!/THE LAST MAN ON EARTH and VOODOO ISLAND/THE FOUR SKULLS OF JONATHAN DRAKE) will be available for sale in the U.S. any time soon. We purchased our review copies from the Canadian site, DVD Soon. Our only suggestion is to order them from a Canadian retailer like DVD Soon, Amazon Canada, DVD Plus and others. This is turning out to be a real headache for the many fans of this series, but they are out there for sale, even if it is only in Canada. Let’s all hope for better things for the Midnite Movies series in future and that releases continue at some point.

[Lino]

And another one from the new batch:

http://www.dvddrive-in.com/reviews/t-z/ ... 575960.htm

[Lino]

Gary's review of the Lovecraft inspired double-feature of Die, Monster, Die!/The Dunwich Horror is up:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReview ... r_die_.htm
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReview ... horror.htm

If you are into these films then you should consider yourself fortunate - these are decent DVDs worth their value.

[Lino]

Please help save the Midnite Movies line. With the Sony takeover, MGM DVD's future is uncertain. Make sure you tell them you want this line of films to continue. There are still a lot of films waiting to have a DVD debut and now it's the time to tell them that you want to see them on that format. Go here and sign the petition:

http://www.dvddrive-in.com/reviews/i-m/ ... save05.htm

[cafeman]

In case people haven`t realised this, Midnite Movies stopped being Best Buy exclusives a while ago. I ordered some recently from DVDPacific, as soon as I realised that they`re available. I`m hoping this is permanent, but...who knows?

[Lino]

Don't forget to sign the petition, guys! It's already 800+ and counting! Amazing for just TWO days! Let's show Sony that we DEFINITELY don't want this line to end, ok?

[fliggil]

I have recently been getting into the world of 50's-60's scifi and horror and I am reading a great book on the subject. I thought I'd recommend it as the author (Kevin Heffernan) gives some really interesting information on the horror films of that time regarding their presentation, distribution, etc., Arkoff, AIP, all that good stuff, anyways, here's the title.

Ghouls, Gimmicks, and Gold: Horror Films and the American Movie Business, 1953-1968

by Kevin Heffernan (2004)
ISBN: 0-8223-3215-9

Very informative and entertaining read, check it out.

[Theodore R. Stockton]

The last group of best buy exclusives are on multiple us sites dvd planet, amazon,etc. I don't know when because I got pissed at them and stopped paying attention when they decided to make most of the releases double features including one movie that I already had.

[KJB2]

Petition signed. By the way, I'm still waiting to see if my order for the 'Last Man . . .' and 'Fireball 500' discs are going to show up from DVDSoon. They're currently still listed as "On Order", which could mean anything. (And let me state that I REALLY don't like their policy of charging one's CC as soon as the order is placed, and then only offering "store credit" if said order is cancelled - serves me right for not reading the fine print).

[fliggil]

Just picked up the double feature of House of Usher/Pit and the Pendulum, just curious if anyone knows if all of these Midnite Movies don't include an insert? I was kinda surprised not to find one here, I can't remember the last time I bought a movie that didn't have one.

[justeleblanc]

zup flig, i actually can't remember the last time i bought a movie that did have an insert, save for criterion. if i were to take a guess, i'd say these films don't come with inserts. especially if it's MGM.

[Lino]

Just picked up the double feature of House of Usher/Pit and the Pendulum, just curious if anyone knows if all of these Midnite Movies don't include an insert? I was kinda surprised not to find one here, I can't remember the last time I bought a movie that didn't have one.

None of the MGM MM's have inserts. I think you have enough information about the films on the back cover to entertain you for a few minutes. And at that price, you can't ask for anymore than that.

Personally, I've never used inserts to guide myself through chapter selections, so I'm ok with that.

Don't forget to sign the petition, guys! We're now close to 1800 signatures!

[Lino]

If you bought the Last Man on Earth DVD and were dismayed to see that it had no trailer for it unlike most MGM Midnite Movies DVDs (it has however an invaluable interview with Richard Matheson), here's quite a scoop: the italian trailer for that film (don't forget that it was an italian co-production) to be found on the italian DVD edition.

And again, I urge you all to sign the petition if you still haven't - it only takes a minute:

http://www.dvddrive-in.com/reviews/i-m/ ... save05.htm

[cafeman]

If they shut this line down, what`s left to buy from MGM? Bond and Rocky?

[Gordon]

Witchfinder General in August?

http://hollywoodgothique.bravejournal.com/entry/10433

As part of the American Cinematheque's tribute to late horror star Vincent Price, one of the actors best films from the late 1960s was screened, first at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, then at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. The film in question is WITCHFINDER GENERAL, and the screening was an important event for several reasons, not the least of which was that it served as a sort of preview for the film's release on DVD, which will take place in August.

The UK R2 edition is pretty good: decent anamorphic transfer; the alternate nudity scenes and a good documentary on director Michael Reeves. But the transfer could be improved upon, as could the sound.

[Michael]

Of all the MGM Midnite Movies, which one is your favorite? I would like to check out a few more titles.. so many to catch up with!

So far my favorites are: Attack Of The Killer Klowns (so hysterical and clever!), Empire of the Ants (loved that movie and Joan Collins when I was a kid), and Tomb of Ligeia (my personal favorite Vincent Price film; very beautiful & ridiculously unknown).

[Lino]

Witchfinder General in August?

http://hollywoodgothique.bravejournal.com/entry/10433

As part of the American Cinematheque's tribute to late horror star Vincent Price, one of the actors best films from the late 1960s was screened, first at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, then at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. The film in question is WITCHFINDER GENERAL, and the screening was an important event for several reasons, not the least of which was that it served as a sort of preview for the film's release on DVD, which will take place in August.

The UK R2 edition is pretty good: decent anamorphic transfer; the alternate nudity scenes and a good documentary on director Michael Reeves. But the transfer could be improved upon, as could the sound.

Fantastic news, Gordon! And from that same site:

"Over the year’s the film has become a major cult classic. Last year, WITCHFINDER’s new distributor in the States, MGM-United Artists, fully restored the movie, reverting to the original title with its original opening and closing scenes and, very importantly, its original music. On behalf of all those involved in making WITCHFINDER GENERAL, living and dead, I thank MGM-UA profusely for the wonderful work they’ve done on our movie. We look forward to August of this year, when they release it for the first time in the United States on DVD. So in tandem with the screening at the Aero Theatre, this will be the very first public screening ever of the movie in the United States under its original, correct title."

The upcoming DVD is supposed to be a complete restoration, sort of a composite of the uncensored American version with the British title, the original music, and no narration (the American print had Price quoting the Poe poem over the opening and closing senes).

If this is not put in jeopardy by all this Sony commotion, it might even indicate that we will have another batch of Midnite Movies in August as has been happening every year now - which are of course amazing news to us all fans! This is one of the most requested titles ever since the line has been upgraded to the DVD format and if indeed it does materialize, this will mark a stellar year for the fans. Let's hope so!

[cafeman]

Of all the MGM Midnite Movies, which one is your favorite? I would like to check out a few more titles.. so many to catch up with!

So far my favorites are: Attack Of The Killer Klowns (so hysterical and clever!), Empire of the Ants (loved that movie and Joan Collins when I was a kid), and Tomb of Ligeia (my personal favorite Vincent Price film; very beautiful & ridiculously unknown).

My fave would be Corman`s The Trip. Following it, The Pit and the Pendulum and shockingly, the TV special An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe, the finest Vincent Price performance ever recorded.

[jesus the mexican boi]

Of all the MGM Midnite Movies, which one is your favorite? I would like to check out a few more titles.. so many to catch up with!

So far my favorites are:
Tomb of Ligeia (my personal favorite Vincent Price film; very beautiful & ridiculously unknown).

This is my favorite, too. For all their modest budgets, the films of the Corman-Poe cycle had great production values, thanks to great set designers and cinematographers (using Cinemascope). Ligeia is also haunting, at times surreal, and the only other film that approaches it is Masque of the Red Death. I still want a pair of those sunglasses Price wears.

Trivia: The guys in Mean Streets go see this at the theater after stiffing the kids for fireworks.

[cafeman]

Just watched A Comedy of Terrors and was blown away! It didn`t beat The Trip but is now at No.2 on my Midnite Movies list.

As for Tomb of Ligeia, I was kind of underwhelmed by it. It doesn`t hold a candle to Usher or Pendulum as far as I`m concerned. Generally speaking, his two British productions I find significantly inferior to his AIP Poe flicks. They`re still fun and intriguing, but not as well made as the other ones.

[Gordon]

I consider The Mask of the Red Death Corman's most accomplished film. It had the highest budget and longest shooting schedule and the cast and crew all excelled themselves, especially Nicolas Roeg's gorgeous, lurid scope cinematography and graceful camera roaming around the amazing sets (the great Robert Jones was the A.D) and I have always loved David Lee's doom-layden score. Corman pulled everything together tightly and Price's heartless villainly is enthralling.

Tomb of Ligeia has a different style to the other films; it has a deeper psychological and is less hysterical compared to the other films. I think its a fine film, on its own terms.

The Comedy of Terrors was directed by the great Jacques Tourneur, of course and is a hoot! I love it. Karloff is wonderful and Rathbone's, "What place is this?!" is hilarious!

The Trip is exactly what it claims to be. As ever, excellent dream sequences by Corman. Proof that Dennis Hopper was fucked up and tormented Fonda before the success of Easy Rider!

[Lino]

This might prove to be good. Let's hope so:

David Bishop Named President of Worldwide Brand Integration Strategy for Sony Pictures Entertainment

David Bishop has been named President of Worldwide Brand Integration Strategy for Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) effective immediately. The announcement was made by Jeff Blake, Vice Chairman for SPE, to whom Mr. Bishop will report.

In his new post, Mr. Bishop, who will be located at SPE’s headquarters in Culver City, will oversee the integration of MGM assets across the various SPE worldwide distribution entities including the worldwide home entertainment, international theatrical and international television divisions. Additionally, he will work with SPE senior management across the company’s various divisions to target and help coordinate the implementation of new business opportunities.

In making the announcement, Mr. Blake said, “David Bishop is a highly respected entertainment executive with strong and innovative management experience in various areas of our business. He joins SPE as it enters an exciting new era characterized by technologies which have provided revolutionary new distribution streams for our products worldwide. Additionally, with our access to MGM’s storied library, SPE now has the world’s largest repository of film and television programming for these markets. Subsequently, David’s strategic knowledge of content distribution and marketing will play a key role in maximizing the potential of our broadened portfolio and in targeting areas of future opportunities for the company.”

“I am delighted to be able to join Jeff and his outstanding management team as SPE enters this new period of growth,” noted Mr. Bishop. “The market demand for digital entertainment content is growing exponentially and it provides us with unique opportunities to explore. The success of these businesses will, of course, lie in the strength of our content resources and their appropriate exploitation. Subsequently, a special focus of my responsibilities will be the seamless and efficient integration of the joint assets created by the great legacies of SPE and MGM over the company’s various distribution streams. I look forward to working with all the talented people at Sony to make this happen.”

Prior to joining SPE, Mr. Bishop’s career with the MGM Home Entertainment Group spanned more than 15 years, most recently as President and Chief Operating Officer. At MGM, he oversaw worldwide operations for the home entertainment division which included home video and DVD, consumer products, on-line, interactive games, video-on-demand, pay-per-view and emerging technologies groups as well as MGM’s international theatrical marketing and distribution unit. Before joining MGM Home Entertainment, he spent three years at LIVE home video where he was responsible for US and Canadian home video operations and eventually became President and Chief Operating Officer. As the head of LIVE Home Video, Mr. Bishop built the company into the largest independent distributor in the industry.

[Lino]

A Beaver update:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReview ... -earth.htm

[Lino]

Fireball 500/Thunder Alley review is up at DVDdrive-in:

http://www.dvddrive-in.com/reviews/e-h/ ... ey6667.htm

[filmfan]

It's "Wild in the Streets" for me.

"Fourteen or FIGHT" !!!!