Will Sony continue MGM's "Midnite Movies" Line???
#1
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Will Sony continue MGM's "Midnite Movies" Line???
Does anyone know what's going on with MGM's Midnite Movies series now that Sony has taken over. I am fearing the worst that the rumors are true about them abolishing the series!!
#2
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Not that anybody has had any information (or even rumors) to share .... but here's the thread from last month asking basically the same thing:
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?t=451642
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?t=451642
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From dvd drivein:
No Conquerer Worm and now they cost more.
I'll reserve judgement till October.
Sony Home Entertainment and MGM Home Entertainment will continue the “Midnite Movies” series with two pirate-themed double features to be released on June 27. The first double feature will consist of Bert I. Gordon’s BOY AND THE PIRATES with CRYSTALSTONE, and FORTUNES OF CAPTAIN BLOOD with CAPTAIN PIRATE, both starring Louis Hayward and Patricia Medina. Both releases will be double discs (rather than a double-sided single disc) and retail for $19.94. Hopefully Sony and MGM will plan for more genre-themed Midnite Movies comes Halloween time.
I'll reserve judgement till October.
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From: Antarctica
Wow - these are WAY-obscure titles and kind of off-track from most of the previous MM releases. It's always great to see any obscure film get released, but I sure hope Sony doesn't base the future of the MM line on sales of these particular two double-features. I can't imagine these two pirate-themed discs will do that well with the common MM fan. Who on earth picked these titles thinking they would sell well? Still, if Sony is going to release stuff like this, I guess ANYTHING is possible in their future release plans, and that's a good sign overall.
#6
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Yeah, the titles are a real head scratcher. At least the MM line hasn't been discontinued, though. I'm glad to see they're going to 2 discs, but I'm not glad to see the price raise! I guess you can't have one without the other.
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From: Antarctica
Well, it appears that Sony has no imagination after all. These obscure pirate films were most likely chosen to simply piggyback onto Disney's theatrical release of "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 2" which comes out on July 7th. I guess they think that people seeing that film will want to seek out other really obscure pirate flicks from the 50's on DVD. Good luck to 'em!
Sony did the same thing late last year by releasing the stand-alone "KONGA" disc to feed off the theatrical KONG remake. So don't hold out too much hope in October for a DVD release of WITCHFINDER GENERAL unless some other studio has a theatrical release of a witchhunting film on their schedule.
Sony did the same thing late last year by releasing the stand-alone "KONGA" disc to feed off the theatrical KONG remake. So don't hold out too much hope in October for a DVD release of WITCHFINDER GENERAL unless some other studio has a theatrical release of a witchhunting film on their schedule.
#9
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I was afraid that Sony might not continue the line, but even more afraid that they would somehow manage to ruin it, considering their less than stellar track record with DVD fans. It looks like those fears were justified, and that they are simply doing what one other member already said: piggybacking popular movies rather than releasing interesting titles. I like pirate movies and will most likely blind buy these (I've actually seen Crystalstone if it's the one from the late 80's), but it definitely doesn't give me hope for the line.
Last edited by Living Dead; 04-06-06 at 02:55 AM.
#10
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From: Los Angeles, California
Not that MGM was great at producing DVDs when it was a standalone company, but the Midnite Movies line was one thing it did well. Sony, on the other hand, is one of the worst DVD producers. They'll surely screw this up. Oh, if only Warner Bros. had bought MGM. (sigh)
#12
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Originally Posted by big e
Are these still being released because I can't find them anywhere? I saw a whole bunch of them at Best Buy before christmas, but now I can't find a single one.
The more I think about it, the more this looks like the end of MM. they still might get released, but the movies will not be there. Hell, Boy and the Pirates and Crystalstone are kids movies, for cryin' out loud! This is going to be Sony dumping crappy releases under the MM label, I think.
#13
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Cover art has changed too, if you look these titles up on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...v=glance&n=130
I kind of like it though.
Here's a funny link on DDD where htey've got the wrong description listed for the movies...
http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.cfm?itemID=MGD014973
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...v=glance&n=130
I kind of like it though.
Here's a funny link on DDD where htey've got the wrong description listed for the movies...
http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.cfm?itemID=MGD014973
Last edited by Living Dead; 04-24-06 at 04:02 PM.
#14
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There's an email writing campaign here explaining that the series is in trouble:
http://www.dvddrive-in.com/reviews/i...campaign06.htm
http://www.dvddrive-in.com/reviews/i...campaign06.htm
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Originally Posted by Walter Neff
Sony, on the other hand, is one of the worst DVD producers. They'll surely screw this up. Oh, if only Warner Bros. had bought MGM. (sigh)
Warner Bros., as a standalone company, ain't that good. Turner Entertainment has done some great releases through that company, but when Warners is on its on....
If the Saul Zaentz catalog hadn't been sold to WB, we'd have a good DVD of the original animated classic The Lord of the Rings right now.

Sony is an okay company. When I first heard that they had bought MGM, the first thing I thought was "Great! Warner Brothers no longer owns 200 Motels!" (Later, I found out that Frank Zappa's family had bought the rights. Well, I'm still glad that the WB's suits no longer own it.)
Last edited by thing-fish24; 04-25-06 at 12:42 AM.
#16
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If you're into classic films and excellent box sets, Warner Bros. is fantastic. That's why many were hoping to see them acquire MGM, whose catalog goes back nearly to the beginning of movies.
If you're into thrown together sets with no extras and little to no care as to what fans want, then Sony is fantastic. It's all a matter of opinion. I buy Sony DVD's too, but I didn't think anyone thaought they were better than Warner.
If you're into thrown together sets with no extras and little to no care as to what fans want, then Sony is fantastic. It's all a matter of opinion. I buy Sony DVD's too, but I didn't think anyone thaought they were better than Warner.
Last edited by Living Dead; 04-24-06 at 07:04 PM.
#17
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From: Building attractions one theme park at a time.
Originally Posted by Living Dead
I buy Sony DVD's too, but I didn't think anyone thaought they were better than Warner.
Now that Sony's at the helm, I'm sure we'll see Triple-Dips of Captain Pirate in the near future.




