DVD Release Score Card - Third Quarter

In our quarterly assessment of classic titles released on DVD, we can actually report that more titles were released (60) during this past third quarter, than in third quarter 2008 (55). However, that is mainly due to two companies with vastly increased output (VCI & Sony).

Year to date, classic releases on DVD are down 27%. And we are likely to see worse year to year numbers when all is said and done for 2009. This is mainly due to the fact that new releases for feature films from the major studios have come to a halt. In fact, not a single new release of a feature film was announced in the entire month of September (Warner Archive, Blu-Ray & Re-Releases Excluded).

The top chart (below) compares releases during the third quarter this year and last. The bottom chart compares releases for the first nine months of 2009 with 2008.

In brief:

Major Labels

• Sony was up last quarter mainly thanks to their Screwball Comedy Sets
• Universal was up, but is down for the year overall and is likely to remain so even with the upcoming Claudette Colbert Collection
• Paramount is up and continues to make use of its T.V. library
• Warner is down drastically, but the stats do not take into account the Warner Archive Collection which at present sits at 253 titles
• MGM & Fox: Are they still in business?

Smaller Labels

• VCI continues to excel with its British sets, Serials, Westerns & mainly B selections
• Criterion is up with three recent Art House releases in addition to That Hamilton Woman
• Infinity is even, but we can expect Spike Jones and Jerry Lewis sets this fall
• Kino is down for the quarter and way down for the year to date
• Shout! Factory is even, but their overall pace has slowed too
• Timeless Media is up and will probably be about even for the year
• MPI is down while Flicker Alley and All Day look to be comfortable at a one release a year pace

Modifications

We have permanently stopped tracking the studios below as they seem to have abandoned classic film releases all together. Could Fox & MGM be next?

• Legend Films
• Roan
• Weinstein Co.
• Classic Media
• Image Entertainment
• S'More Entertainment

Criteria

• Only titles that are new to DVD are counted (no "Special Editions" or Blu-ray)
• Boxed sets count the tiles in the set and not the set itself (ex. The recently released Doris Day Spotlight Collection counts as 5 and not 1)
• Re-released titles don't count, except ones that are were out of print (ex. Rembrandt in the recent Korda Eclipse Collection)
• Not included here are PD labels like Alpha
• Warner Archive titles are not included
  
• Yellow is for studios behind last year's pace. Green for ahead.

DVD SCORE CARD - Third Quarter:

DVD SCORE CARD - Year to Date:

DVD Release Score Card - Second Quarter

In our quarterly assessment of classic titles released on DVD, there's no other way to put it -- it stinks. Last quarter's Score Card showing a 20% decline in output even looks good when compared to the second quarter.

Classic releases on DVD are down 133% between April and June this year when compared to last and down 68% for the year overall. The top chart (below) compares releases during the second quarter this year and last. The bottom chart compares releases for the first six months of 2009 with 2008.

In brief:

Major Labels

• Only Sony was up last quarter, but isn't exactly blazing a trail. Although their Jack Lemmon Collection was a welcome release last month.
• Universal stayed even, but only thanks to the release of their Pre-Code Collection.
• MGM's seven releases don't look so bad, except when compared to last year's thirteen.
• Paramount is down, but at least seven are on the schedule for the next three months.
• Warner is down drastically, but the stats do not take into account the Warner Archive Collection which at present sits at 198 titles.
• Most abysmal is Fox which only released Man Hunt this quarter and has a grand total of only three titles released so far this year.

Smaller Labels

• VCI is down this quarter, but up for the year overall. They're also set well for for the third quarter with 20 titles already on schedule.
  
• Infinity is doing well with it's TV releases and should keep a steady pace the rest of the year.
• Criterion is down with the Korda Eclipse Collection being their only recent release.
  
• Kino is far behind and looks to have set their pace at one release per quarter.
• Shout! Factory is behind, but has Mister Ed - Season 1 and The Patty Duke Show - Season 1 due out.
• Timeless Media had a goose egg this quarter, but will catch up with a couple of more TV shows and a couple of western features on tap.

Silver Lining

Most understand that precipitaing the reduction of classic film releases are the overall reduced demand in the marketplace for DVDs and, of course, the economy. But, as mentioned above, Warner has released 198 Archive titles and has turned a bad situation into a boon for classic film fans. Through Archive, Warner will release at least 300 Archive titles by years end. Most of which would probably not make it to a standard DVD release.

Even more encouraging, if the 198 were added to the numbers below, overall releases would be up this year 314 to 195 over the first six months. There are no bells and whistles, and they're not restored, but at least they are out of the vaults. Hopefully the other major studios will follow suit shortly.

Criteria

• Only titles that are new to DVD are counted (no "Special Editions" or Blu-ray)
  
• Boxed sets count the tiles in the set and not the set itself (ex. The recently released Doris Day Spotlight Collection counts as 5 and not 1)
  
• Re-released titles don't count, except ones that are were out of print (ex. Rembrandt in the recent Korda Eclipse Collection)
• Not included here are PD labels like Alpha
• Warner Archive titles are not included
  
• Yellow is for studios behind last year's pace. Green for ahead.

DVD SCORE CARD - Second Quarter:

DVD SCORE CARD - Year to Date:

Classic DVD Release Score Card

Just putting in print what we all know -- classic movie DVD releases are down this year. But not by as much as you'd think (about 20%). The chart below compares releases from minor and major labels during the first three months of this year and last.

As expected, Warner Bros. continues to lead the pack in number of releases and is ahead of last year's pace. VCI is second and is way ahead of last year.

Of the studio labels, Sony is ahead of last year, while Fox and Universal's output are downright pathetic (although good things are coming down the road). Paramount is about even, with both this year and last's being made up entirely of TV shows.

Although Infinity Entertainment hasn't slowed down, the economic downturn has hit smaller labels the hardest. All Day, Flicker, Classic Media, Image Ent., Lions Gate, Shout Factory!, S'More and Weinstein all have zero releases scheduled.

Not included here are PD labels like Mill Creek, Alpha and Televista.

Criteria:

• Only titles that are new to DVD are counted (no re-releases or "Special Editions")
  
• Boxed sets count the tiles in the set and not the set itself (ex. The recently released Warner Romance Collection counts as 4 and not 1)
  
• Does not include Blu-ray
• Yellow is for studios behind last year's pace. Green for ahead.

DVD SCORE CARD: