Major bargain on Hitchcock, Chaplin and John Wayne sets at Sam's Club

[MovieExchange]

This may have shown up at other locations earlier, since we're usually a few weeks behind. My local Sam's Club (Flint, Michigan) had a center aisle table set up loaded with DVD's. Most of them were the Warner season sets we've seen on blowout everywhere, but I also found the following:

Alfred Hitchcock: The Early Years. This sells on Amazon.com for $80.99 (there's another version with a couple more movies for $10 more). Deep Discount has it for $58.80.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000A9GJD/qid=1133737731/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/102-4078421-3524927?s=dvd&v=glance&n=130

The Essential Charlie Chaplin. Also sells on Amazon.com for $80.99
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008OM6Y/qid=1133737629/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-4078421-3524927?s=dvd&v=glance&n=130

The Essential John Wayne. Once again, Amazon.com lists it for $80.99.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000A9GJF/qid=1133737767/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-4078421-3524927?s=dvd&v=glance&n=130

Sam's had all 3 of these collections for $19.97 each

[laidbacklarkin]

The studio that released all these sets is shown on Amazon as Delta. Arent these the same guys that put public domain stuff on DVD and sell them at Dollar stores for a buck ? Just like that other one, Madacy entertainment studio ? Correct me if I am wrong. If I am, I apologize. If not, please be warned these are of rock bottom quality

[kingtopher]

Whoa, I'd snap up that Hitchcock box at that price. I think I'm going to have to get over to Sam's in the next couple of days. Were there a lot of them there?

[MovieExchange]

The studio that released all these sets is shown on Amazon as Delta. Arent these the same guys that put public domain stuff on DVD and sell them at Dollar stores for a buck ? Just like that other one, Madacy entertainment studio ? Correct me if I am wrong. If I am, I apologize. If not, please be warned these are of rock bottom quality

There were 2 different studio names on the sets, but I'll bet they're the same company. Laserlight was the name on the Hitchcock one, Delta was on the Chaplin one. However, the Wayne one had some discs with the Laserlight name, and some with the Delta name. Thanks for the warning on the quality.


Whoa, I'd snap up that Hitchcock box at that price. I think I'm going to have to get over to Sam's in the next couple of days. Were there a lot of them there?

There were 4 or 5 on the table when I was there, no idea if there were more in backstock.

[kingtopher]

There seems to be 3 different "The Early Years" Hitchcock boxed sets from Delta. One with 8 discs, one with 12 discs (the one you linked to) and one with 14 discs. Are you certain it was the 12 disc set? It seems the 12 and the 14 disc ones each have a couple of films that the other doesn't, which is strange.

[MovieExchange]

There seems to be 3 different "The Early Years" Hitchcock boxed sets from Delta. One with 8 discs, one with 12 discs (the one you linked to) and one with 14 discs. Are you certain it was the 12 disc set? It seems the 12 and the 14 disc ones each have a couple of films that the other doesn't, which is strange.

Yes, it's the 12-disc one. I double-checked after I saw there were multiple listings for it.

[arsmith7]

Delta & Laserlight are the same company. These are (at least in the Hitchcock collection) public domain releases. Obviously they aren't great quality but the Hitchcock set has the best available transfers of a lot of Hitch's early material.

[Cameron]

this is why i wish i still had a card

[bboisvert]

I've seen the Delta/Laserlight editions of the Hitchcock and Chaplin films and, while the quality isn't amazing, it is very good for public domain stuff. Aside from the things that have been remastered elsewhere (a couple of the Hitch films via Criterion, the non-Keystone Chaplin shorts via Image), this is as good as it currently gets.

At that price, the sets are a steal. If you're a fan, I wouldn't hesitate.

[kingtopher]

I picked up the Hitchcock box today. Thanks so much for the original post. This has made my day. Just in case anyone is interested, the movies inside were slightly different than Amazon listed. It includes:

The Lady Vanishes
The Man Who Knew Too Much
The Secret Agent
The Skin Game
Number 17/The Ring
Jamaica Inn
Murder
Young & Innocent/The Cheney Vase
Sabotage
Blackmail/Easy Virtue
Rich and Strange/The Sorcerer's Apprentice
The Manxman

[Erreth]

Anyone else been seeing these. I really really want to get the Hitchcock box but my local Sam's had nothing like this set up. Hardly any box sets anymore like last time I was there. Anyone seen any in Southern CA? Anyone willing to pick one up for me??

[unclehulot]

The Delta/Laserlight set certainly does NOT have the best transfers of the early films!! However you have to be R2 enabled. There are three sets from Studio Canal France (2 discs each) that contain superior versions of most of the silent and early sound films. See dvdbeaver.com for details. There's also a German box that has the mid 30s films in superior versions. Don't waste your time with the crappy Delta versions!!

[Erreth]

Well I don't have a region free player and for that price I would pick it up without hesitation. Thanks for the info though regardless, someday maybe. What do those sets run in price anyway?

[Jah-Wren Ryel]

You may have a region-free player and not even know it.
Look it up at VideoHelp.com (http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks) to find out.

[aup]

The Delta/Laserlight set certainly does NOT have the best transfers of the early films!! However you have to be R2 enabled. There are three sets from Studio Canal France (2 discs each) that contain superior versions of most of the silent and early sound films. See dvdbeaver.com for details. There's also a German box that has the mid 30s films in superior versions. Don't waste your time with the crappy Delta versions!!
I saw the review and comparison of the German boxed set on DVD Beaver a while back. What is the best way to buy that set at the cheapest price from the U.S?
Thanks.
aup