The Silver Screen Oasis

Sony is starting up an On Demand program, much like the Warner Archive.

They're calling it "Screen Classics By Request." Here's the link:

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/c ... y-request/

One of the titles in their initial offering is Borzage's No Greater Glory. SOLD! ;)

An update on this:

Sony has not yet officially announced this program, and the DVDs don't even have a release date on them (although you can put through an order). Nonetheless, the page is up so of course people were bound to notice. :)

And now (drum roll) the official press release. However, no mention of whether widescreen movies will be enhanced for 16:9 televisions. Hopefully this will be cleared up soon.

SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT LAUNCHES “SCREEN CLASSICS BY REQUEST”

Movies-on-Demand Service Featuring Never-Before-Released Deep Catalog from the Columbia Pictures Archive
Debuts September 13th

www.Columbia-Classics.com

CULVER CITY, CALIF. (September 13th, 2010) – Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) opens the Columbia vault on September 13th offering a selection of films never before released on DVD with the launch of “Screen Classics by Request.” Consumers will now be able to purchase authentic, high-quality DVDs of more than 100 classic movie titles covering a 75 year span from the Columbia Film Library. Additional titles will be made available monthly through the new “Screen Classics by Request” Web site (www.Columbia-Classics.com) and will retail at $19.94 SLP, plus shipping.

To order movies, consumers visit www.Columbia-Classics.com, make their selection, and upon purchase, a state-of-the-art manufacturing on demand (MOD) system creates a made-to-order DVD showcased with original theatrical art when available.

Among the titles initially available will be The Pumpkin Eater (1964) with Anne Bancroft and Peter Finch, Footsteps in the Fog (1955) starring Stewart Granger and Jean Simmons, Sam Wanamaker’s The Executioner (1970) with George Peppard, The Juggler (1953) starring Kirk Douglas, the Sherlock Holmes mystery A Study in Terror (1965), I Never Sang For My Father (1970) with Melvyn Douglas and Gene Hackman, Genghis Kahn (1965) with Omar Sharif, and Les Voleurs (Thieves, 1996) with Catherine Deneuve.

“The launch of Screen Classics By Request is an important step in the evolution of our multiplatform distribution strategy,” said John Calkins, SPHE’s Executive Vice President of Global Digital and Commercial Innovation. “We look forward to making the rich history of the Columbia archive available in new ways through a variety of retail and distribution partners that best serve the appetite of the discerning movie enthusiast.”

Consumers can also visit the www.Columbia-Classics.com Web site for “first looks” at upcoming Blu-ray and DVD releases from the studio, to view “behind the scenes” still photography from some of the initial film productions, and to request their favorite films for release.

From Lou Lumenick's NY Post column on September 13 about the Sony Screen Classics on Request Program:

"Now that the Warner Archive Collection has proved MOD is a viable business model, I'm hearing rumblings that Fox may join the fray next year."

http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/movies/dv ... LGKYbPv0tO

(How did Warner sneak in here?) ;) But YAY if Fox is finally going to make the plunge! I still have reservations about the whole MOD thing but it is a good way to get out titles that otherwise would never see the light of day. Still...I don't want more Tyrone Power or Betty Grable on MOD... I want them on real, pressed discs! I know, I'm spoiled.

Looks like these are available at DD, too. Slightly cheaper and free shipping:
http://www.deepdiscount.com/columbia-pictures-classics/

A friend of mine who watches older films on Fox Movie Channel says a lot of widescreen films formerly run in pan and scan movies are now being shown in their correct wide aspect ratio. He thinks this is another indication that Fox is ramping up for an MOD program like the Warner Archive and Sony's Screen Classics on Request. I sure hope so!

Movie Classics has become a huge business for the Hollywood expansion boys. The problem is it is short lived and as BOOMERS and beyond die out this business will go away. People under 40 just don't care about classics. So their choice to start up better be quick or it will fizzle. Of note is the prices for purchase. $19.99 is way to high for purchasing. If you intend to build a library the prices must be lower and do not concern yourself about "aspect ratio" as this will only cost more and create movies that are too rare.

I moderate my viewing and limit purchases to $10.00 and under and take the production any way I can get it. I very rarely buy over $10.00 and my collection is now up to 340 flicks. I savor my collection and usually watch 2 movies per night. However, in this day and age my six kids, their kids, and most of my contemporary friends will not watch these classics as I do. Most of them are turned off by B/W. My specialty is "The Musical" and my collection includes the best and brightest from that era. I have other genre as well but mostly musicals.


Uncle Stevie

Sony Screen Classics are on sale at DD:
http://www.deepdiscount.com/Columbia-Pi ... cs-See-All

Classicflix.com has announced some Columbia Classics on the horizon:

Sony has announced four Columbia Classic DVDs for release on May 1st.

Two Boston Blackie quickies, One Mysterious Night (1944) and A Close Call for Boston Blackie (1946), are being released. Chester Morris stars with supporting players Janis Carter, Lynn Merrick, Richard Lane and George E. Stone. Lew Landers and Budd Boetticher direct.

Also out is Strange Affair (1944) starring Allyn Joslyn, Evelyn Keyes, Marguerite Chapman, Edgar Buchanan and Nina Foch; and She Played with Fire (1957) with Jack Hawkins and Arlene Dahl.

Deep Discount is having a sale on the Sony Picture Choice Collection on-demand DVDs. Most are about 40% off and these are titles that usually are not part of the Warner Archive sales. (And yes, Mother May I Sleep With Danger is included in the sale!)
http://www.deepdiscount.com/Sony-MOD-Li ... Code=26862

MichiganJ wrote:Deep Discount is having a sale on the Sony Picture Choice Collection on-demand DVDs. Most are about 40% off and these are titles that usually are not part of the Warner Archive sales. (And yes, Mother May I Sleep With Danger is included in the sale!)
http://www.deepdiscount.com/Sony-MOD-Li ... Code=26862

Well, I guess there had to be a Tori Spelling fan somewhere.

moirafinnie wrote:Well, I guess there had to be a Tori Spelling fan somewhere.

Wait, you mean there's someone who is not a Tori Spelling fan!?! Obviously they haven't seen Mother May I Sleep With Danger!*




*I'd never heard of the film and when perusing the DD list, the title was too intriguing not to look up on IMDB. Into the shopping cart it went!)

Odd cheek bones, big chest? Never heard of her.

Spelling? Any relation to Bee?