Newest Wave of MGM Limited Edition MODs Show Big Improvement

by Tony Dayoub

The initial run of MGM Limited Edition's manufactured-on-demand (MOD) DVDs (which I reviewed for Wide Screen a few months ago)—a shoddy product made by Amazon.com subsidiary CreateSpace—made a lot of customers unhappy. In my earlier review I said the "line feels like the chintziest of all of the MOD collections, which is a shame considering it carries some of the most interesting titles..." Since then, MGM has switched to Allied Vaughn (which also manufactures Warner Archive's MODs) in order to fulfill their orders. Though problems reportedly continue here and there (you can read the ins and outs of this transition at DVD Talk), I am much happier with the resulting product, which now includes a rudimentary menu, and the occasional special feature. After the jump I review a small sample from this latest batch.

Guess Why Young Lucille Bluth Is So Happy?

by Tony Dayoub


Jessica Walter in The Group (1966)

No, it's not because there is definitive word of an Arrested Development theatrical release.  And that isn't really Lucille, just the fetching young Jessica Walter, at the start of her career, playing the catty Libby in Sidney Lumet's The Group. It is one of nine discs I look at this week at Wide Screen in a brief consumer guide on all of the made-on-demand (MOD) collections sprouting up everywhere. I've been frustrated at the lack of information available comparing the quality of the various MOD lines (outside of the widely promoted Warner Archive). So I took it upon myself to create a central repository in which to discuss which collections give you the most bang for your buck, have the most interesting selections, and look and sound the best. I even throw links to sites where you can purchase discs from each of the lines (you can find those at the back of the issue). Now, you have a practical reason to start your free trial subscription.

Comment here on what you liked, anything I missed, or what I could have done better.

CONTINUE READING AT NOMAD EDITIONS: WIDE SCREEN

DVD Review: The Warner Archive Collection

If you're a movie buff, then by now you've heard of Warner's clever DVD scheme, an initiative to address thousands of film fan's requests to release hundreds of titles still unavailable. They've opened their vault and begun an MOD (Manufacture-On-Demand) program under the moniker of The Warner Archive Collection, with 150 titles for all manner of cinema lovers be you of the classic stripe or the cult fan. At first glance, I found a whole lot of movies I hate to admit I wasn't familiar with. But I, most excitedly, also found at least 4 titles I've longed for: the George Pal-produced Doc Savage (1975), directed by Michael Anderson (Logan's Run), and starring Ron Ely (Tarzan); Countdown (1968), directed by Robert Altman (pre-M*A*S*H), with James Caan and Robert Duvall; The Rain People (1969), directed by Francis Coppola (pre-Godfather) and starring Caan and Duvall again; and An Enemy of the People (1978), an oddity in which Steve McQueen performs Ibsen (surprisingly underrated piece of acting I must say). When offered the opportunity, I requested one of these for review in order to gauge the quality of the picture and sound on movies I was already familiar with. But due to the already high volume of demand, I assume, I received a film I didn't know too well, Strange Interlude (1932), with Norma Shearer and a young Clark Gable. Rather than trying to pick apart a film of which I'm not really too well-versed, I'll instead concentrate on what you might really want to know: Are these DVDs worth getting? The answer is an unqualified YES!!! Many of these films would be unavailable to the cinema lover, scholar, or yes... blogger, if it weren't for Warner's decision to implement this program. They plan on adding at least 20 titles a month (both film and TV) to this collection with the hope of reaching 300 titles by the end of this year, according to Daily Variety. For $19.95, plus shipping, they will manufacture a DVD of any title you order, create a box with some custom art, and get it to you within 5 days. If you'd rather download it digitally, you can do that for $14.95 and view it immediately. Now looking at my copy of Strange Interlude, I can give you some quick first impressions. The video and sound quality are not the best. The print has some noticeable scratches and dust. The sound has a vague hiss heard throughout. Warner is up front about this. At the website, each film has a preview clip that allows you to judge for yourself the quality you can expect. Here is the clip for Strange Interlude: Warner's aim is to provide these films at a nominal price to a small group of fans for that movie. One of the ways they save on production costs is by releasing the films as is, with no additional extra features, chapter stops every 10 minutes, and the most basic of menus (Play is the only option) on a DVD-R. But if you have a long cherished movie or TV series that is dear to you, you'd probably be happy with its availability in any form. And the logical conclusion to this is that if enough people buy a particular title, Warner will probably reconsider an upgraded edition for the mass market. Visit WarnerArchive.com for a list of all titles currently available and vote for a number of the next 20 titles that will be offered in April. Video courtesy Warner Home Video