What is with this flood of DVD ads?
Suddenly my email is filled with ads for collections of movies and old television shows on DVD. Someone must have broken into the vaults of some movie studios, or the files of some defunct "air check" company.
Suddenly all those B-movies are considered worthy of DVD treatment. B-movies were those low budget productions made to fill the play list in Double Feature movie houses. Shot on public land, or borrowed sets, the rent was cheap. The talent was too, featuring one fading star on his way down and aspiring young talent just off the list of extras hopefully on their way up. The shooting schedule was, let's say, parsimonious. If nobody blew his lines, "That's a take. Next set up."
Television too. The schedule had to be filled. Something had to be made to appear on the other channels, even when we were all tuned to Lucy. Pity the poor producer who had to film a series or sit-com to run opposite Father Knows Best. Produce it on a shoe string, sell it to a soap company for sponsorship, run it in an unpopular time slot, store it in a film library, move on to the next project.
And there they lie, waiting to be discovered by the DVD industry.
But why now, all of a sudden? Have the copyrights expired, now after fifty years? Did the film libraries burst a seam and the goods spilled out?
Well, I will enjoy this bonanza while it lasts. I just bought thirty-nine episodes of Sherlock Holmes mysteries, the complete series for $12.99. I remember I liked that series way back when. The actor who played Sherlock was no Basil Rathbone, but the character of Dr. Watson was sensible and an improvement over the movie versions. (I'll bet the Basil Rathbone movies will be on DVD too.)
I'll be able to buy movies featuring my own Godfather, Richard Arlen, in his later low-budget years. I will enjoy those. Fifty movies boxed in a set of 13 DVDs for $22,95.
My problem is time. When will I find time to watch all these movies. After all, I have the contemporary television to watch, all hundred channels. I already have DVDs lying about unwatched. I bought some at the 99 cent store.
All this entertainment. And I still like to read.
7 comments:
lol.. reading is good! so are movies!.. such a hard choice sometimes lol..
I'm waiting for the tv series of Beauty and the Beast to hit dvd's!.. loved the show and it was only 3 seasons of it.
I wonder why the rerun the same things when there is so much out there?? hmm.
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oh my, you sound like my Dad..all your movie watching. Maybe they are coming out for Christmas purchasing. Have fun watching them all!! xox
Good Question. Guess we won't be seeing you around here much with all that watching you have to do. Ain't life grand? Paula
Rene just appied for a 30 year mortgage, and says that means she'll live to at least 96. Maybe it does work that way-the more you have to do the longer you have to do it in. You could stretch all those B movies out until eternity, I thunk! Margo
John and I have bought collections of old Westerns, Roy Rogers and such, and rented Peter Gunn, and borrowed The Outer Limits. The companies put these shows out because they get the rights for next to nothing, and the public will buy it it it's cheap enough. Never underestimate the power of nostalgia! - Karen
Wow what a bargin watch them when nothing good on tv (thats what we do:))
Deb
I love old movies, especially 'The Thin Man' series..... Popcorn, soda, a rainy day complete the perfection!! There is no other couple like Nick and Nora!! Don't forget Asta!!
Jackie
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