The Arrow Thread

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

If it was me i'd just wait for the individual releases which Michael said would appear next year.

Exactly: there is an alternative (unlike Withnail - although I'm sure Arrow will release a standard amaray version eventually for those who want it).

Plus, there's nothing stopping people selling/trading off the Corman/Poe titles they may have bought already if they want the box set - that in itself will further negate the cost of purchasing it.

Overall though (and as others have alluded to), it would have been nice for Arrow to announce the box set before they started releasing the Corman/Poe films and given people the choice whether to hold out for the set or pick up the individual releases - all of their other limited releases have worked in this manner so far whereby the 'bells and whistles' versions are released first, later to be replaced by standard releases. However, we're not privy to Arrow's acquisition and release schedule and they may not have had the rights/considered a box set feasible at that stage.

EDIT: I see Michael has already answered some of my musings on the prior page whilst I was typing this.

[Michael Brooke]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Overall though (and as others have alluded to), it would have been nice for Arrow to announce the box set before they started releasing the Corman/Poe films and given people the choice whether to hold out for the set or pick up the individual releases.

But that would require a time machine. There genuinely were no plans to do a box set when House of Usher and The Pit and the Pendulum were released, nor even any plans to attempt all the other Corman/Poe titles. It was only the surprising success of the first two that made Arrow think that a box set was a commercial possibility.

As for the arguments that "well, they should just have included the four unreleased titles then", I think that would have made a pretty feeble box - what on earth do you even call a collection containing just Tales of Terror, The Raven, The Haunted Palace and The Tomb of Ligeia? It was hard enough coming up with a title for the six-disc box that didn't suggest Corman/Poe completism! (Even at the time of devising the box's name, I thought Six Gothic Tales was a red rag to pedants, who would point out that the Tales of Terror trio meant that there were eight Gothic tales...)

So what Arrow did instead was make it clear on the day of the box-set announcement that all four new titles would be coming out as separate releases - which is not usual practice, as you noted, but it seemed like a good idea in this instance.

[JAMIOUSE]

In a lot of cases it comes down to how much you like a director and how much you want a particular product. If Arrow announced a Bava box with Planet of the Vampires, Five Dolls, Blood and Black Lace - remastered and Bay of Blood - remastered I'd buy it straight away. I love Bava's work and want to own his films on disc.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Exactly: there is an alternative (unlike Withnail - although I'm sure Arrow will release a standard amaray version eventually for those who want it).

Withnail has so many releases on both formats already.

I don't see any real grumble with that one.

If you adore the film then buy the limited box set. If you just want the movie buy one of the other blu's or dvd's.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Michael Brooke

But that would require a time machine. There genuinely were no plans to do a box set when House of Usher and The Pit and the Pendulum were released, nor even any plans to attempt all the other Corman/Poe titles. It was only the surprising success of the first two that made Arrow think that a box set was a commercial possibility.

Indeed - which is why I stated:

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

However, we're not privy to Arrow's acquisition and release schedule and they may not have had the rights/considered a box set feasible at that stage.
)

It's nice to hear suspicions confirmed though, and it at least brings it to the forefront for those who may feel 'cheated' or like Arrow had some kind of agenda regarding the releasing of the box set after having already released some of the titles individually.

[Michael Brooke]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

It's nice to hear suspicions confirmed though, and it at least brings it to the forefront for those who may feel 'cheated' or like Arrow had some kind of agenda regarding the releasing of the box set after having already released some of the titles individually.

No, absolutely not. Indeed, so conscious was Arrow of complaints along those lines that they specifically confirmed the release of the individual titles at the time of announcing the box. You yourself acknowledged that this isn't normal behaviour, so that speaks volumes in itself.

In fact, if the box had contained just four discs, the chances are it would still have had a £60-70 price tag, because the upfront production costs would still have been broadly similar. And how popular would that have been, I wonder?

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Withnail has so many releases on both formats already.

I don't see any real grumble with that one.

If you adore the film then buy the limited box set. If you just want the movie buy one of the other blu's or dvd's.

Exactly. And Arrow's Withnail package was a gamble, no question about it - it had already had two previous BD releases in the UK, so they had to do something pretty eye-catching over and above just putting out a plain old Amaray disc. Hence the personalised packaging (something they'd never tried before), the limited box with a bonus supporting feature, the 200-page large-format book, etc.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Withnail has so many releases on both formats already.

I don't see any real grumble with that one.

If you adore the film then buy the limited box set. If you just want the movie buy one of the other blu's or dvd's.

I think since Arrow went to the trouble of remastering it they'd be nuts not to release a standard amaray in the future to sell in HMV and the like to the casual fan/consumer.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Michael Brooke

In fact, if the box had contained just four discs, the chances are it would still have had a £60-70 price tag, because the upfront production costs would still have been broadly similar. And how popular would that have been, I wonder?

Not very would be my guess!

[J Harker]

As for announcing the boxset at an earlier stage so consumers would have the option of holding out for it instead of buying individual releases of Usher and Pendulum, well fair enough if that was only decided in August then no problem but surely when knocking up a £70 price tag it should be taken into account that some have already paid between 30 and 40 quid towards those very films. Yes they can be sold or traded but not for anywhere near their original cost.

[Michael Brooke]

Originally Posted by J Harker

As for announcing the boxset at an earlier stage so consumers would have the option of holding out for it instead of buying individual releases of Usher and Pendulum, well fair enough if that was only decided in August then no problem but surely when knocking up a £70 price tag it should be taken into account that some have already paid between 30 and 40 quid towards those very films. Yes they can be sold or traded but not for anywhere near their original cost.

This is why Arrow confirmed that the four additional titles would be released separately on the day that the big box was announced.

In other words, reactions such as yours were fully taken into account, and anyone who baulks at buying the box for the reasons you give has the option of picking up all the remaining discs (there are no exclusive "bonus" ones) at their leisure next year.