Cinema is Dope

Viz Pictures has bought the North American theatrical and DVD distribution rights to the live action series Death Note. Both films in this series will be screening at Fantastic Fest this year!

“Both films were smash hits in Japan upon their initial release and the established popularity of the manga in the United States, combined with the highly anticipated debut of the anime series, will prime audiences for the excitement and tension that the live feature films bring to the story.” ~ Seiji Horibuchi President and CEO of VIZ Pictures

::: Read the Press Release

::: Shusuke Kaneko (Interview I did on Twitch)

Fantastic Fest Screenings:

Death Note

Sunday, September 23
12:30 PM

Wednesday, September 26
9:05 PM

Death Note: Last Name

Sunday, September 23
3:30 PM

Wednesday, September 26
11:45 PM

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So at the last point of contact with Deep Discount DVD for those catching up this happened (full story here):

August 22:
I get an e-mail this morning from Deep Discount DVD saying: “Our records show that your original order was for the DVD “Who Can Kill A Child“. Please provide us with the order number for “The Last Hunter“.” Hmm. Ok. I just sent them an e-mail with all the contact information and details on Monday. Hope dims. I send an e-mail back taking the e-mail I sent on Monday but detailing it out like I’m having to explain the situation to a 4 year old. I have no idea if I will ever get this movie from them. I’ll give it until the end of September and at that point I will have to cancel my order completely.

***

Let me at this junction point out that I can login to my account on Deep Discount DVD and see that “The Last Hunter“” was never shipped to me. In addition it shows it under the order # I have used in all my correspondence with Deep Discount DVD. In the e-mail from above I referenced that order #.

Just now I got this response from Deep Discount DVD:

* I blacked out key information on purpose.

How is it that suddenly my order number doesn’t work for both movies? I see them both associated with the same exact order number when I login to “my account” and go to - View Orders > Order Details, for it!?! How can I see this information in the same system but they cannot.

Here is a screenshot as of now for my order under “my account” with Deep Discount DVD:

* Personal details of course blacked out.

For some strange reason I don’t see myself ever buying a DVD from them ever again. Cue the line “the computer says no” from “Little Britain” at this Abbott and Costello routine their customer service department has me in.

Really in dealing with online “discount” retailers it really is like going to a high stakes table in Vegas. Sure you can win big, but you can also come up a a big loser. While using Deep Discount DVD I might could save a lot of money but there is a good chance I won’t be seeing anything I bought anytime soon. So my choice is roll the dice and save a buck or buy movies at a higher price but get them in the mail in a reasonable time with no headaches. While I love saving money it really doesn’t mean a *&*#(($ thing if I have no movie to watch.

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Timeline:

June 24:
I order the two movies on Deep Discount DVD - The Last Hunter and Who Can Kill A Child.

First Week of July
I get Who Can Kill A Child in the mail with no mention of why the other movie I ordered isn’t with it.

July:
I look on my account at various points and The Last Hunter shows in process. I’m a bit confused as others that I know have gotten this DVD no problem. So it doesn’t seem to be an issue of shortage as to why I haven’t gotten my DVD.

August 9:
I finally feel I’ve waited too long and contact Deep Discount DVD off their website trying to find out if I will be getting The Last Hunter anytime soon?

August 10:
I get an e-mail back saying they can’t find my order in question and if I can please provide them with all my contact information and related info in the purchase I made. I guess Deep Discount DVD has a system that isn’t sophisticated enough to look up customer order information by name, e-mail address and order number. Hmm. Ok. I respond back with as many details as possible. Later that night I get an e-mail saying they are sending out a replacement DVD for The Last Hunter and an apology for the delay. I still get charged for the full amount and only a slight sorry. No offer of free shipping on the next order or anything. Not that I expected that but it certainly is nice when a company realizes it was their fault and makes such an offer.

August 20:
I check my mail and a package from Deep Discount DVD is in it! I breath a sigh of relief… only to discover the package contains - Who Can Kill A Child. I immediately e-mail Deep Discount DVD with the previous e-mail (that has all the contact details) and state this latest mishap.

August 22:
I get an e-mail this morning from Deep Discount DVD saying: “Our records show that your original order was for the DVD “Who Can Kill A Child“. Please provide us with the order number for “The Last Hunter“.” Hmm. Ok. I just sent them an e-mail with all the contact information and details on Monday. Hope dims. I send an e-mail back taking the e-mail I sent on Monday but detailing it out like I’m having to explain the situation to a 4 year old. I have no idea if I will ever get this movie from them. I’ll give it until the end of September and at that point I will have to cancel my order completely.

Summary:
These “discount” retailers online seem like a great bargain. They promise cheaper costs and reliable service. Often times these companies do not seem to be set up to handle volume. If you order something with them at a peak time your essentially screwed. With the home video market having exploded with increasing DVD sales there are more and more companies trying to exploit this craze with minimal operating costs through online sites offering great “discount.” It sometimes works out great for us consumers when we can buy a DVD without having to pay a premium. Though the rub is that as the consumer buying has escalated these companies seem to have cut back on service and looked at more ways to cut operational cost while trying to meet increased business volume. Just look at eBay! Have you ever had an issue there? There customer service is an entirely automated non-human system that really makes you feel like your dealing with HAL from 2001.

With companies like Deep Discount DVD I can honestly say at times I feel like I’m buying from two college kids who are running the business out of their apartment with the movies kept in several closets and their mom out on the balcony handling packaging. No wonder then that one order in every thousand might be messed up.

In summary a discount is surely always a nice thing for most of us consumers. The shrinking service associated with getting that discount isn’t. As much as I like to buy things cheaper I have to say having been burned several times this year is “reliable” is the only word I’m now going after when I buy a DVD online. With this in mind if you have online DVD retailers you buy from that are reliable please post a comment and let me and others know who they are. Lets get the word out about the ones that understand providing service. Give me a discount? Great! Though I have to say getting the “actual DVD” is even better!

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::: BLUE UNDERGROUND & FORGOTTEN 70′S CINEMA - Interview with Bill Lustig

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In the coming future US DVD label Media Blasters will be releasing Shaw Brothers titles. News broke earlier this month but want to be sure I chime in on it. Dragon Dynasty and Image have been releasing Shaw Brothers titles, which some of you will already find yourself familiar with. The new releases from Media Blasters sound to be featuring titles that haven’t been released by Celestial in their Region 3 Hong Kong releases. I’ve bought several hundred of their Region 3 Hong Kong releases since they have been coming out the past several years. Since I haven’t already mentioned it here, for the record my alltime favorite Shaw Brothers film is “Boxer from Shantung.” My favorites tend to be of the dead serious non-comedy variety where man becomes a warrior standing up to overwhelming odds. A lot of people in the US seem to think every single kung fu film made was a comedy, which I can safely say is not true.

Of the announced titles here is what I recommend:

* Heroes Two - A bit too disjointed but features some really nice fights.
* The Master - Wonderfully inventive in how the filmmaker realizes the kung fu action. The fight scenes flow and ebb like rich works of operatic art.
* Challenge of the Masters - The end fight alone is worth getting this one. From a technical stand point and as a fan of great kung fu fights the final fight brings down the house.
* Martial Club - I loosely remember liking this one enough to recommend it.
* Flag of Iron - Fun.

Didn’t care for:

* The Brave Archer - Spins in circles without ever taking off.

Haven’t seen:

* The Deadly Duo - Ti Lung and David Chiang films always strike interest in me and usually work more than they don’t.
* The Ten Tigers of Kwangtung
* Black Magic 2 - The first in this series worked for me. Seems to play better with people that have 50+ Shaw Brother films under their belt versus newcomers.
* Five Elements Ninjas - Everyone I know that has seen it love it.

Source: Advanced Media Network

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