Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
#1
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
Thought this might be useful for those of us who like these labels and want information on the occasional sales for them.
I'll start things off with the following, all ROAN from Deep Discount:
BLACK AND BLUE COLLECTION $3.24
ROY ROGERS COLLECTION $4.86
S.O.S. COAST GUARD $4.86
THE MYSTERIOUS MR. WONG $3.24
I'll start things off with the following, all ROAN from Deep Discount:
BLACK AND BLUE COLLECTION $3.24
ROY ROGERS COLLECTION $4.86
S.O.S. COAST GUARD $4.86
THE MYSTERIOUS MR. WONG $3.24
#2
DVD Talk Limited Edition
re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
There's a few more Roans there also. As there search engine sucks, you have to look closely. I highly recommend both the Lugosi's Dr Echo mentioned.
Others I saw the other day: (don't know if they're sold out):
SECRET OF DR KILDARE $3.24
LAST FRONTIERS $3.24
ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP $4.86
BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT $3.24
Others I saw the other day: (don't know if they're sold out):
SECRET OF DR KILDARE $3.24
LAST FRONTIERS $3.24
ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP $4.86
BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT $3.24
#3
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
(I can't believe with my OCD wracked brain I actually misspelled a word in the title of this thread. Irony biting me in the ass again! Mods please repair this before I go crazy. Too late!).
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re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
Good idea for a thread Professor! I've been collecting all of Roan's releases and serials that VCI puts out for a long time. Here are a few more deals I discovered at Deep Discount (Note, sometimes they list a studio other than Roan, but the UPC's listed are fro the Roan releases):
They Made Me a Criminal/Lady Gangster $3.24
Illegal $3.24
Zorro Rides Again $4.86
The Light of Western Stars $3.24
Suddenly $3.24
The Vagabond Lover $3.24
Max Allen Collins: The Black Box Collection $11.36
Does anyone have a list of all of Roan's releases? Their page on Troma's site is good, but it doesn't list the OOP titles. (My Xmas present to myself was a copy of Roan's Fighting Sullivans which has been pricey for a long time.) I think there are a couple of their older releases I still need to track down.
P.S. Fixed the title.
They Made Me a Criminal/Lady Gangster $3.24
Illegal $3.24
Zorro Rides Again $4.86
The Light of Western Stars $3.24
Suddenly $3.24
The Vagabond Lover $3.24
Max Allen Collins: The Black Box Collection $11.36
Does anyone have a list of all of Roan's releases? Their page on Troma's site is good, but it doesn't list the OOP titles. (My Xmas present to myself was a copy of Roan's Fighting Sullivans which has been pricey for a long time.) I think there are a couple of their older releases I still need to track down.
P.S. Fixed the title.
Last edited by John Sinnott; 01-11-12 at 11:35 AM.
#5
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
John, thanks for correcting my spelling error!
And thanks to you and Moo for the additional Roan titles on sale at DD. I didn't have a chance to scope them all out, but these are genuine bargains before they go OOP. I also would be interested in a complete ROAN title list as I am guessing Troma will most likely divest themselves of this subsidiary sooner or later.
ILLEGAL is an interesting film, the only one I have ever seen from Warner Brothers' British studios of the 30's, Teddington Studios.
And thanks to you and Moo for the additional Roan titles on sale at DD. I didn't have a chance to scope them all out, but these are genuine bargains before they go OOP. I also would be interested in a complete ROAN title list as I am guessing Troma will most likely divest themselves of this subsidiary sooner or later.
ILLEGAL is an interesting film, the only one I have ever seen from Warner Brothers' British studios of the 30's, Teddington Studios.
#6
Senior Member
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
John, thanks for correcting my spelling error!
And thanks to you and Moo for the additional Roan titles on sale at DD. I didn't have a chance to scope them all out, but these are genuine bargains before they go OOP. I also would be interested in a complete ROAN title list as I am guessing Troma will most likely divest themselves of this subsidiary sooner or later.
ILLEGAL is an interesting film, the only one I have ever seen from Warner Brothers' British studios of the 30's, Teddington Studios.
And thanks to you and Moo for the additional Roan titles on sale at DD. I didn't have a chance to scope them all out, but these are genuine bargains before they go OOP. I also would be interested in a complete ROAN title list as I am guessing Troma will most likely divest themselves of this subsidiary sooner or later.
ILLEGAL is an interesting film, the only one I have ever seen from Warner Brothers' British studios of the 30's, Teddington Studios.
#7
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
Wow, how did I miss that? I keep close watch on TCM and record anything and everything that is rare. Of course I don't always have time or desire to watch all that I record, so it's possible I have some in my library from those airings and don't know it. I know they show a lot of rare UK films, e.g. those from Gaumont and Rank, but I haven't noticed any with the Teddington Studio banner on them. TCM is where I saw ILLEGAL many years ago.
Thanks for the notice, I will be on the lookout for future airings.
Thanks for the notice, I will be on the lookout for future airings.
#8
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
The most complete list I've seen of Roan, both available and OOP, is DVD Aficionado. http://www.dvdaf.com/search.html?pub...n+Group*rgn_us
As for titles still available, Troma's webstore has some of these pretty cheap last I checked. If you plan to buy several of them it evens out their high shipping charges a bit. After doing a lot of research on Bela Lugosi's White Zombie, I discovered that the Roan edition is the optimal edition to get.
As for my Deep Discount contribution:
Horror Classics 8: Dead Men Walk/The Monster Maker
ITEM #: AED002023
List Price: $14.95
Price: $4.86
#9
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
Note, dd is running out of the Roans quickly.
There is still a full list of Roan's on the Troma site, though the majority shows as oos.
I remember trying to order some Roans from Troma a few years back. No longer remember what the problem what, but do remember they made it so difficult to place an order that I gave up.
There is still a full list of Roan's on the Troma site, though the majority shows as oos.
I remember trying to order some Roans from Troma a few years back. No longer remember what the problem what, but do remember they made it so difficult to place an order that I gave up.
#10
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
I shudder to even remember it! Thanks to the timely correction from John and a steady stream of meds, I have rid myself of the experience entirely!
You are right about the WHITE ZOMBIE copy from Roan, it was an immense source of pride for the Roan brothers on Laserdisc and they made sure that its transition to DVD was just as meticulous and exemplary. There is no better version anywhere.
I also highly recommend the other double you mentioned, particularly DEAD MEN WALK, which features an incredible performance by the always impressive, if a bit hammily so, George Zucco. And THE MONSTER MAKER is a very unsettling bit of B horror as it uses a genuine disease for its scare element.
Finally, if you missed out on the Marketplace sales for the Roan Pre-Code triple mentioned in a separate thread, please note that the Alpha version of MILLIE is actually one of their better transfers and looks and sounds great.
You are right about the WHITE ZOMBIE copy from Roan, it was an immense source of pride for the Roan brothers on Laserdisc and they made sure that its transition to DVD was just as meticulous and exemplary. There is no better version anywhere.
I also highly recommend the other double you mentioned, particularly DEAD MEN WALK, which features an incredible performance by the always impressive, if a bit hammily so, George Zucco. And THE MONSTER MAKER is a very unsettling bit of B horror as it uses a genuine disease for its scare element.
Finally, if you missed out on the Marketplace sales for the Roan Pre-Code triple mentioned in a separate thread, please note that the Alpha version of MILLIE is actually one of their better transfers and looks and sounds great.
#11
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
Decided to go back to DD for more Roan goodies and picked up:
BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT $3.24
(listed as OOS, but confirmation e mail says it's in stock)
ILLEGAL $3.24
(same as above, listed as OOS on site, but not in e mail)
INVISIBLE GHOST $6.49
(not as cheap as other Roans on sale, but reviews were good so I went for it)
ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER $5.34
(VCI title I picked up to get free shipping. Reviews were good)
BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT $3.24
(listed as OOS, but confirmation e mail says it's in stock)
ILLEGAL $3.24
(same as above, listed as OOS on site, but not in e mail)
INVISIBLE GHOST $6.49
(not as cheap as other Roans on sale, but reviews were good so I went for it)
ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER $5.34
(VCI title I picked up to get free shipping. Reviews were good)
#12
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
Illegal & Bowery are showing as "out of stock" From a ton of recent experience with DD, I wouldn't count on getting anything that's out of print that shows as oos.
#13
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
I shudder to even remember it! Thanks to the timely correction from John and a steady stream of meds, I have rid myself of the experience entirely!
You are right about the WHITE ZOMBIE copy from Roan, it was an immense source of pride for the Roan brothers on Laserdisc and they made sure that its transition to DVD was just as meticulous and exemplary. There is no better version anywhere.
You are right about the WHITE ZOMBIE copy from Roan, it was an immense source of pride for the Roan brothers on Laserdisc and they made sure that its transition to DVD was just as meticulous and exemplary. There is no better version anywhere.
I also highly recommend the other double you mentioned, particularly DEAD MEN WALK, which features an incredible performance by the always impressive, if a bit hammily so, George Zucco. And THE MONSTER MAKER is a very unsettling bit of B horror as it uses a genuine disease for its scare element.
Has anyone brought up that these Roan/Troma/Synapse/Intervision sales are all part of the same CAV Distribution sale going on at DD & DVD Planet? This handy list should hit several brands with one stone (lowest priced first): http://www.dvdplanet.com/promos.cfm?roomID=146&sort=pa. (DVD Planet's easier to browse, but the DVDs are like 15 cents cheaper at DD.)
Slightly OT, but after finding The Last Horror Film I saw on Criterion Dungeon that apparently the Tromasterpiece Collection DVDs have gone OOP? http://criterion.mono.net/15542/Trom...e%20Collection
Finally, if you missed out on the Marketplace sales for the Roan Pre-Code triple mentioned in a separate thread, please note that the Alpha version of MILLIE is actually one of their better transfers and looks and sounds great.
Anyway, I'll copy-paste Page 1 of the cheapest Roan/CAV results:
$3.08 Los Polivoces
$3.39 Alien Blood
$3.39 Bowery at Midnight
$3.39 Escape From Hell
$3.39 Illegal
$3.39 John Wayne: The Early Years Collection
$3.39 Kickboxer
$3.39 Light of Western Stars
$3.39 Monster in the Closet
$3.39 Mysterious Mr. Wong
$3.39 New Gladiators (Yep, the Fulci one)
$3.39 Sucker: The Vampire
$3.39 Suddenly [50th Anniversary Edition]
$3.39 The Black and Blue Collection: Bluebeard/Black Dragons/The Black Raven
$3.39 The Secret of Dr. Kildare
$3.39 Vagabond Lover
$3.39 Very Classic Christmas
$3.39 Yellow River Fighter
$5.01
Beast From Haunted Cave [Special Extended Version]
Brain that Wouldn't Die (Synapse Editions)
$5.01 Blood Junkie
$5.01 Coons! Night of the Bandits of the Night
Oh yeah, and go to page 8 & you'll find The Beast in Space: XXX Version under $10.
http://www.dvdplanet.com/promos.cfm?roomID=146&sort=pa
#14
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
Oh, Alpha DVDs are actually worth acquiring? Alpha editions have come up a lot when I look for titles on Swap A DVD, but I always kind of wrote off "the oldies.com brand". So, let's say has "Movie X" available from Alpha, Trinity, Diamond & BCI/Echo Bridge. I usually go with the latter. Is Alpha better than other public domain labels? (Once again, I'm mainly just looking for gothic horror to shove into my overstuffed DVD collection.)
Thank you for the dd planet list. I wonder if Troma is shutting down?
#15
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
Illegal is oos at DP also. They do have a very good price on Vampire Circus in this sale, though. $9.89 for blu/dvd combo pack. I'm somewhat tempted on that one.
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Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
Of the ten Roan titles I ordered from DD yesterday, all listed as "in stock", only six shipped toady. The four that didn't make it are: Illegal, Zorro's Black Whip, Max Allen Collins: The Black Box Collection (and I really wanted that one), and Zorro Rides Again. Oh well...
#17
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
I'll post my shipping updates from DD on this, but they better not stick me with any delivery charge if they wind up canceling anything from my orders.
Deadpan, thanks for the list!
As far as Alpha goes, Moo is a great guy and I respect his judgment, but in general I have to agree to disagree with him about Alpha. It's all relative with these public domain companies, but I have had good luck with Alpha titles for the most part and find the quality almost always at least watchable. Of course, as with any label, including ROAN, it varies from title to title. I would not dismiss Alpha outright though and have several of their DVDs in my collection. Unfortunately Alpha reviews are scarce online, but always check Amazon for the title you are interested in and see if someone has said anything about the quality.
If you own any Mill Creek sets, usually it's the same quality as Alpha and that's no doubt because they copy each other's transfers. So that's a bit of a barometer.
Deadpan, thanks for the list!
As far as Alpha goes, Moo is a great guy and I respect his judgment, but in general I have to agree to disagree with him about Alpha. It's all relative with these public domain companies, but I have had good luck with Alpha titles for the most part and find the quality almost always at least watchable. Of course, as with any label, including ROAN, it varies from title to title. I would not dismiss Alpha outright though and have several of their DVDs in my collection. Unfortunately Alpha reviews are scarce online, but always check Amazon for the title you are interested in and see if someone has said anything about the quality.
If you own any Mill Creek sets, usually it's the same quality as Alpha and that's no doubt because they copy each other's transfers. So that's a bit of a barometer.
#18
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
Speaking of reviews, I can't find one for the LEGEND edition of SUDDENLY, but it supposedly is restored and enhanced, which I assume means anamorphic widescreen? I don't know about the ROAN version, but the HAL ROACH release on IMAGE is a bad PAL conversion with speedup.
And I digress.... Amazon's system for reviews of public domain titles is a maze since they put the same ones under each version. So is the weird tradition there of people reviewing the film itself instead of the DVD. Everyone is a closet critic no doubt, but why anyone who posts at Amazon thinks we need yet another synopsis of the film being sold along with their two cents of a content review is beyond me.
And I digress.... Amazon's system for reviews of public domain titles is a maze since they put the same ones under each version. So is the weird tradition there of people reviewing the film itself instead of the DVD. Everyone is a closet critic no doubt, but why anyone who posts at Amazon thinks we need yet another synopsis of the film being sold along with their two cents of a content review is beyond me.
#19
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
#20
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
I have a suspicion the current batches are going to be the last chance to get Roans at reasonable prices. Hopefully whoever is doing this dump isn't done dumping yet. The only Roan title I've seen on any wholesale list that I have access to was Lugosi's Invisible Ghost; though the same list had tons of Tromas.
BTW, for Bela fans (like me), with the POSSIBLE exception of the out of print Lugosi estate titles of Bowery At Midnight & Devil Bat, imo all the Roan Lugosi's are the best print of each film ever released on NTSC dvd.
BTW, for Bela fans (like me), with the POSSIBLE exception of the out of print Lugosi estate titles of Bowery At Midnight & Devil Bat, imo all the Roan Lugosi's are the best print of each film ever released on NTSC dvd.
Last edited by MooMooMooMoo; 01-05-12 at 09:38 AM.
#21
DVD Talk Special Edition
Vci/roan/alpha + troma/synapse/cav
I haven't seen Intruder or Embodiment of Evil. Or am I confusing one of them with Dark Sky?
Bah, screw it. Can we extend the umbrella of this thread to all the companies covered by the CAV Distribution sale?
My pleasure. I also found a few things cheaper at DVD Planet that I bought there:
Mill Creek: Obscure Cult Cinema, Gorehouse Greats (each of these is ~$2.40 more at DD)
Dark Sky: The Amicus Collection
As for Alpha, do any of them have bonus isolated audio tracks?
That's one thing I like about some of those old OOP Image DVDs. I love isolated audio & score tracks.
...Whuh? Did I read correctly that Alpha's Galaxy Invader DVD includes audio commentary?! It's cheaper than the Rifftrax VOD, I'll say that much.
Sometimes I mistake Legend Films for Johnny Legend, hah. I'm disappointed that LF didn't release any more 70's Paramount catalog titles like Phase IV. Their main revenue today seems to come from Rifftrax & 3D post-conversion.
And I digress.... Amazon's system for reviews of public domain titles is a maze since they put the same ones under each version. So is the weird tradition there of people reviewing the film itself instead of the DVD. Everyone is a closet critic no doubt, but why anyone who posts at Amazon thinks we need yet another synopsis of the film being sold along with their two cents of a content review is beyond me.
#22
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
I don't want to sound like I'm raving about Legend (I'm not), but i would place them at least at VCI level (possibly slightly above); & definately above Alpha, Echo Bridge & Mill Creek.
Last edited by MooMooMooMoo; 01-05-12 at 09:48 AM.
#23
DVD Talk Limited Edition
#24
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
Deadpan, I don't know of any isolated score tracks on Alpha, but there are some that do indeed have commentaries on them, e.g. most of the Ted V. Mikels exploitation flicks they inherited from IMAGE. And some Alphas actually have trailers too, but not many unfortunately.
As for adding other lower tier DVD companies to this thread, why not? I just picked what I considered the big three of public domain and buried treasure DVD distributors, but feel free to add deals from outfits like LEGEND (even JOHNNY!), ECHO BRIDGE, MILL CREEK, etc.
#25
Re: Official VCI/ROAN/ALPHA Bargain Thread
As for adding other lower tier DVD companies to this thread, why not? I just picked what I considered the big three of public domain and buried treasure DVD distributors, but feel free to add deals from outfits like LEGEND (even JOHNNY!), ECHO BRIDGE, MILL CREEK, etc.
http://www.hamiltonbook.com/hamilton...65+EN/catalogs
All 3.95:
Best of Match Game
Boris Karloff: Master of Horror
Day Break: Complete Series
Fun With Ozzie and Harriet
Great WWII Campaigns
Hollywood vs. the Mob
Incredible Stories, Vol 2
Journey to the Moon
Love Loss and Affliction 12 Movie Collection
Rampage: Killing Without Reason
Sam Kinison Unleashed
Very Best of the Price is Right
Adventures of Flash Gordon (14 episode one, not full series)
Beetle Bailey: The Complete Collection
Booker: Collector's Edition
Cobra: Complete Series
1st and Ten: Complete Collection
21 Jump Street: Complete Third Season
21 Jump Street: Complete Fourth Season
Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin
Aliens Among Us
Beatles and the King
Best of Howdy Doody
Best of Password
Billy the Kid: 20 Movies
Classic Adventures: Vol 1
Game Show Moments Gone Bananas
Great Indian Wars
Greatest American Hero: 2nd Season Complete
Hunter: 2nd Season Complete
Iron King: Complete Series
Legend of Prince Valiant (16 Episodes one, not complete set, which I HIGHLY recommend, and can be found cheaply elsewhere)
Lone Ranger: The Legend Begins, 32 Episodes
NASCAR Presents: Greatest Finishes & Greatest Dominators
Roy Rogers Collection: 20 Movies
Sonny Chiba Collection
Super Robot Red Baron
Vegas: City That the Mob Made
Very Best of All-Star Family Feud
5.95
Tenspeed and Brownshoe
9.95:
America Stories of War: 24 DVD Collection
Comedy Kings: 50 Movies
Cowboy Legends: 50 Movies
Essential Ozzie and Harriet: 100 Episodes
Nightmare Worlds: 50 Movies
Way West: 50 Movies