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Review Wanted: Total Movie 40 movie pack

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Review Wanted: Total Movie 40 movie pack

Old 04-21-02, 12:10 PM
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Review Wanted: Total Movie 40 movie pack

Now that people have started getting their 40 free movies from Total Movie, I'm interested in hearing how the sound and transfer are for any/all of the included movies. The deal is still available, so I'm sure there are others out there who would like to get some feedback on the quality of the discs before subscribing. Thanks.
Old 04-22-02, 03:19 PM
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I'm aware of the problems (for those of you who are not, see: http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...0&pagenumber=1). They seem to be getting their act together and are in the process of rectifying outstanding issues. I'm more interested in a review in the 40 pack itself rather than a rehash of past problems. Any further discussion of customer service issues should probably go in the thread listed above.
Old 04-22-02, 04:26 PM
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I'd like to hear about the actual 40 DVD's as well. Please don't post thoughts/criticisms of the magazine or its practices in this thread, but just a review of the 40 DVD's. If you want to whine or complain about your experience, do it in another thread.
Old 04-22-02, 06:22 PM
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I did see a small run down of the package in that other thread. The packaging sounds nice, and the selection of films is decent, one guy had a badly scratched disc and couple of minor scratched ones have been reported.
The transfers sound like they are far above madacy quality from the few peole who have chimed in elsewhere, there is also one disc which has artwork on it rather than being a flipper.

Last edited by Apocrypha; 04-24-02 at 10:47 AM.
Old 04-29-02, 08:16 PM
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If you're strictly a DVD afficianado, no, you'd be disappointed. The menu for each disc basically worthless. You have the option of playing the movie or chapter select. But the chapter select only offers (literally) Chapters One through Four with no description of the scene you'll go to. The picture and sound quality is not impressive, but that's due to flaws in the source material, rather than the DVD authoring. Of course that varies from film to film. No other additional materials on the discs.
There's no descriptions of the films other than the title, on the disc or in the packaging. People that don't like cardboard fold-out cases would probably complain about the packaging; two discs each in a pasteboard folder, with plastic sleeves for each disc, all ten folders in a box set (about the thickness as four amaray cases). There are a couple of errors in the printing. The guide on the back lists the Crime movies as Comedy & Romance. Also the Noire & Mystery folder lists DOA as one of the movies instead of Sabotage (that switch was made at the last minute, but it is listed correctly on the box back).

However, if you're a film buff or are gaining interest in film history, it's a nice little package. I was making an entry in my DVD Profiler, looking up each film at IMDB.com. There's a wide range of type of films, some with historical significance. For instance, the silent Cyrano de Bergerac (1923) was colorized by hand, taking three years in the process.
It's an interesting mix of movies to be all packaged together. There's classic silent films like The General and Intolerance, comedy duo films from Hope & Crosby, Abbott & Costello, Martin & Lewis, a folder of Roger Corman films and a folder of schlocky films for some mocking amusement. And much more. A total list of the movies can be found here.
I'd like to describe the set as having your own late show films. They're not really films that I would set out to buy, but if I came across many of them flipping through TV channels, I might take the time to watch them, like the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies, of which there are three in this set. Plus having them makes me venture into films I wouldn't otherwise watch.

I'm mostly happy with mine, but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. Personally, I would add a pamphlet describing the movies, which I'm going to do myself anyway. There's people out there who just like the glitz and bells and whistles of DVD. Those people would sneer at this set. But if you like old movies and would like to have them in a convenient form, I recommend it.
Old 05-07-02, 03:34 PM
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I like the fact that the package looks more like a box set. The problem I have with the movies that come with the issues is they are hard to store and look off from the rest of the collection. I have seen a few of the movies in a film class I am in and I am sure I will watch a few more.
Old 05-21-02, 12:02 PM
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We've watched a few of the movies(Assasins of Youth and Killer Shrews). Generally, I was pleased with what I saw, even though Assasins had some very, very dark places throughout the film, probably due to the source material.

As for the presentation and packaging, I plan on trading the packaging out for different packaging. Either Double Alphas or something, and creating Artwork for them. I appreciate the packaging, but have had a few discs slip out in the course of moving the packaging around. If nothing else, it will be a good project.

I'm pleased with what I've gotten. I plan on watching most of these films, just to see what they're about.

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