Criterion is working on a new edition of this...

Perhaps, but they did go back and release the rest of the Image DVDs that were going for major money on Ebay and they have re-released the Classic Monster films after taking them out of print for a time. I wouldn't consider it impossible for them to revisit these films.

MST3K is the baffling one. That series has enough of a cult following for Rhino to continue to release sets and for Shout Factory to make a deal for the boys to work on new riffing DVDs. You would think there would be enough interest for this to get a release. Criterion should honestly consider licensing it.

From another board, and I don't have any reason to doubt it:

Universal will be releasing two collections around Halloween as Best Buy Exclusives:

Horror Collection:
Man-Made Monster
Horror Island
Captive Wild Woman
Night Monster
The Black Cat (1941)

Sci-Fi Collection:
The Deadly Mantis
The Land Unknown
The Leech Woman
Cult of the Cobra
Dr. Cyclops

I'd suggest buying 130 copies of each, keeping them sealed, waiting for them to go OOP and selling them on Ebay for $110 each.

Yeah, it goes without saying I won't be waiting around to buy these. Especially the horror set.

Ya, let's see just how fast these sets sell out. I guess Universal was overall pretty happy how their first BB-exlusive set sold (even though many here complained) since they're doing two more the same way. Get 'em fast this time.

I'll be getting them both, but I predict that the sci-fi set with "The Deadly Mantis" and "Dr. Cyclops" will definitely be the one that folks will want when they go out of print.

Hi:
You are quite right, and I am sorry to have vented my frustration on re-sellers of this item, who in fact did not create the current situation. I'm just upset with whoever is responsible for creating this "exclusive" marketing strategy, which appears to "exclude" potential customers by effectively denying them access to these products.
I have contacted Univeral Studios and BestBuy to see if I can get an explanation and perhaps encourage them to sell these items to the Canadian market.

Regards,
Doug

I had my local Best Buy check stock at the stores from mid-Oregon up to Washington, and of course they all show 0 stock. What I don't understand is that they show 34 in stock at their district distribution center, but the stores have no way to order them! Is Best Buy under a directive from Universal to pull this title from their shelves and return them?

I'll be there the first day to ge them because there will probably be a lot of people who do that very thing.

I'm going to call the local BB's the night before these go on sale to let them know not to bother putting them out on the shelves. Keep them in the boxes, because I'm buying every single one they have! Then I'm going to put them on Ebay, and buy a hover-car with all my riches.

I'm betting specualtors will burn themselves on these. They'll create a false over-demand early on that the studio will misinterpret. When they sell out fairly quickly, the studio will only be encouraged to run off more copies. they'll inadverently glut the market- and by the time that stock is ever exhausted, you'll still have a dozen specualtors at any given time trying to unload their copies to the 6 people at any given time that are looking for it.

another thing to consider is- the first set had a stronger line-up of material.

I think there is a conflict with two different studios owning the movie that's riffed in the film and the film itself. Otherwise I'm sure it'd be in print. Studios don't like to work together and it's a pity.

Universal owns both MST3K -The Movie as well as THIS ISLAND EARTH (the movie being riffed within). There are a few of those old Image releases that Universal hasn't revisited yet, such as MATINEE. I'm sure they will get around to that and MST3K-TM eventually.

I didn't mean I was going to buy a bunch and hoard them t sell, I meant that I wanted to get a copy of each for myself before other people start hoarding them.

Universal does own both, and released them in a 2 disc set in Region 2 last year, which makes it even more annoying that they're making us wait.

Nope.

Universal has demonstrated time and time again (United 93, Munich) that when they say LIMITED edition, they mean it.

They did? Can you (or someone else) provide a link? I've never seen or heard of this, can't find any trace of it on any R2 site, and would be interested in purchasing it.

http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B000...lance&n=284266

Obviously, the packaging and menus are German, but both discs contain English soundtracks.



Edited to add : Xploited Cinema has them in stock for 19.95

Thanks a lot!

But at least both of those were also released in unlimted editions, too.

I wouldn;t mind so much if the Best Buy Exclusives had something extra (like special packaging) to be followed by general "standard" releases ...which is usually how these things work, mostly because studios know store exclusives just cut down the potential number of buyers.

Store exclusives are usually marked by something like a figurine that acts as a hook.

Indeed, last year, the Sci-Fi Collection had a Battlestar Galactica disc - one of the things that lead many people to think that a general release would follow. As did the "Best Buy Exclusive whilst stocks last" sticker.

My guess is that Best Buy are springing some of the costs on these sets - and in return they get ALL the sales of it.

Still seems kinda dumb to me though.

Well, I was browsing around a local BB yesterday (killing time before picking up some friends at the airport) and managed to find a copy. I went through what many have already posted: "Do I really want this? Will I just resell? Am I just feeding a vicious cycle?" Pausing for a minute, I thought about how much I really love TISM and enjoy Tarantula as a wonderful B. In the end, I bought it, ripped open the wrapping, and enjoyed TISM that night, and I feel sort sort of good about it.

Sure the money would have been nice, but then that's a direction I'd hate to take my hobby. If there are better releases down the line, I'll resell, but only then and at a reasonable price.

Well, I've made $450 made reselling a few of these sets recently and it'd be a blatant lie to say that isn't great.

I bought a copy for myself back on day one and will definitely be hanging onto it since I enjoy the films; the other five copies sat untouched in the local Best Buy ever since (that's nine months), so I picked up four of them (two a few weeks ago, two more last weekend) and left the final fifth copy on the very rare chance someone here is after it. Best Buy apparently won't ship from area to area unless it's a "sister" store in the nearby vicinity, so folks who wanted the set but didn't have access to it, now have a copy and paid whatever they were willing to pay. That's fine with me.

Don't get me wrong; the money would be awesome. I just know once I go down the "acquire stuff just because I know I'll be able to make some money when I resell" route, it'll be a hard habit to break, and I'd rather keep my DVD habit strickly something I do out of love of film rather than something I do for financial gain. Sure, I could use any scratch I'd pick up to pick up other rarer stuff I'd like, but keeping my buying within my budget only adds to the fun of the chase for bargins.

I looked at my BB hoping to turn a profit and buy some DVDs I actually want, but no luck!

One on ebay now with about two hours to go, up to $83. Darn I wish I had waited to sell mine. Sold like 5 copies and only made like $10 each back when they first came out.