It's been common practice among a few American film companies to release films in the DVD-R format the past couple of years. Now, while this is obviously not the best way to release films it does mean we get the chance to watch stuff that might not otherwise get a DVD release. And some of these films are presented in their correct ratio and remastered so we're not necessarily talking about copies off old VHS tapes that are quickly slapped onto a DVD-R (although reportedly not all releases look equally great).
However, so far it's been a bit of a jungle as to what has been available in the DVD-R format and what hasn't - not least since most regular shops don't stock these "releases". This week it all became just a little easier as Amazon has just launched a special store where you can browse all these titles!
According to this article the shop will list both old releases as well as new upcoming ones. You can browse either via genre or all films at once (the genres are listed on the left). Unfortunately, the DVD-R store is an Amazon.com store only, i.e. you can't access it via Amazon UK (I haven't checked Amazon Canada or the other branches but I wouldn't think they've put up similar stores either). A full-on kick in the nads to Eurotrash and Brits alike as this means higher postage rates and the risk of getting an extra customs fee slapped on top of the price. But is that going to discourage the fanatical film fan? Not at all, not at all.
For the new NEVER BEFORE ON DVD shop go here.
Ooohh!! Nice find!
ReplyDeleteAlthough.... lots of these have already hit DVD.... just not in Region 1. I've got "Razorback" on the original Aussie disc.
... But I've been seriously wanting "From Hell It Came" for like... well... forever.... Time to snatch up that one for sure!! ;)
Thanks, miss Nekoneko!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, you're quite right. But you know how it is to mainstream Americans: if it's not in America it doesn't exist, haha. I have the UK dvd of "Razorback" and from memory I think it's actually the same as the Aussie dvd (with extras and all). And "From Hell it Came" has been out on a legit English friendly dvd from Spain the last couple of years (I own it). But it's cool that something like "The Deliberate Stranger" is now available (I actually bought a bootleg of that from eBay UK a couple of years ago).
I think I'm gonna get a couple of these dvd-r's, one of them being "Curse of the Faceless Man" which actually DID have a reg. 1 release from Cheezy Flicks (or some such) but is now way OOP.
I'm always reluctant to buy from Amazon due to their atrocious labor relations record, but this sounds tempting. Thanks for the tip.
ReplyDeleteHey Buddy, I'm too lazy to look thru that list. Can you tell me if the films The Key Witness starring Jeffrey Hunter & Dennis Hopper as well as the World Without End flick featuring Aussie boy Rod Taylor are included on there??? Onya Matey
ReplyDeleteFully Baked
@Goodkind; You're welcome, mate.
ReplyDelete@Fully Baked; You're so lazy you can't use the search function?
Yep buddy, lazy is my middle name. Maybe I should change my name to half baked or half wit! :)
ReplyDelete