Gary D.

I still don’t have a DVD, but at one time I did a lot of trading with members of a classic-film group, particularly from a former actor, who had a major role in two mini-series of the 1980s and a couple of films on his own. Unfortunately, his career was derailed by crippling arthiritis.

Anyway, I could never think up with some long-forgotten title that he didn’t have. Thanks to him I have a crystal-clear copy of The Last Days of Pompeii (I originally saw it on television (Anglo-British-Italian?) but could never find a copy. The sets are very realistic and the acting terrific.

I wish I had a better copy of Brat Farrar, however--the one I have is mediocre. I thought Mark Greenstreet a good actor--he was, I learned, Sydney Greenstreet's nephew.

Also, I was given a Merle Oberon/Turhan Bey flick, One Night in Paradise, which wasn’t quite as remarkable as I had remembered it.

When a friend was in the U.K. some years ago, I asked her to pick up a copy of Song of the South for me—then available in your area, not in ours, because of the politically correct situation here. She did, somewhat grudgingly, even though the video store was just across from her London hotel—the last copy in Blockbuster's. It was, of course, in PAL format and it took me some years before it dawned on me that I could have it converted—I did, thankfully. Now, I understand one can no longer obtain it in Great Britain—only in Japan, if one doesn't mind the Japanese subtitles.

batman

If you are referring to the Steve Reeves version of The Last Days of Pompeii that is available as a legit R1 film and as a multi-region disc from South America. It was one the best 'sword and sandal' films IMHO.

Mark Greenstreet is indeed Sydney's nephew. He was OK in Brat Farrar but his stage perfromance as Sherlock Holmes was one of the worst I have ever seen from a professional actor!

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

Gary D.

No, the Last Days of Pompeii I have was a mini-series from the 1980s. Without checking, I can't recall the names of the actors--but quite a few of them were British. Of course, one American contribution was Ned Beatty (he was 'manhandled' on that infamous boat trip with Burt Reynolds in Deliverance). When I first heard that Beatty was in it, I thought, 'What the heck?' Surprisingly, he was very good as the prosperous fish-saucer dealer. The eruption and the aftermath were spectacular, and I can't understand why it's not being reshown.

I am not a fan of Steve Reeves, nor did I see his rendition of Last Days.

dremble wedge

Laurence Olivier and Anthony Quayle were also in it. It was supposed to be released on DVD in the UK last September but the releasing company went bust. Pity, I'd like to see it.

RAREFILMFINDER

Another good topic which carries on from the public domain.
Where do you start if you want to charge.I have been caught out a few times buying a title that someone has ordered and getting stuck with it.Unlike a lot of people who transfer at home ,I use a graphics company for the discs and have the artwork made up elsewhere.
I have a film that sold on ebay for £110.00 along with a few titles that I will only sell through a website.
Having brought up the subject of people who copy the copiers and a member missing the point of it. I will explain a bit more.
If say there is a film on ebay that is being sold for £50.00 average as most cons on ebay involve auction rather than buy it now.With the seller now more easily being able to hide the item sold ,you have no check on how many times they have sold that title.But when ebay first started most couldnt hide their sales.So if you knew how to check it was quite easy to see the con men.Theres a few still doing well I come across years ago.
I would sell the same film at a buy it now price as that way you knew what you were buying and in general it stopped the con sellers but the downside was they would report you.I know because I am totally banned and friends connected to me have lost their accounts as well.Ebay is the worse website to deal with directly as there is no such thing.
Most of the films I have sold on ebay have been copied time and again.How do I know,because I have numerous accounts for buying and selling all types of things and its quite easy to put 2 and 2 together if you buy from the same person that you have sold to through a different account.
Earlier the figure of 50p appears which I wont waste my time on that.
The £5/10 was a ballpark figure which seems fair depending on the rarity of the film.What gets me is when you find a rare film and sell it to someone for £10 say,they then put it straight on ebay for £5 and you have wasted your time and effort finding ,transfer to dvd and supply artwork and I havent had time to even list it on my own website.I have just had a film transfered onto dual layer and they are a nightmare.Serious problems with them as the cost and time starts rising if an error appears whilst burning.Waste of time at the moment.
One other point someone mentioned and that was if someone supplied a film throught his forum that then appeared on ebay.Its a double edged sword as a member might already be trading on ebay and selling a title that a fellow member has a better copy of.Would he then be banned for upgrading and improving the quality of the dvd they sell?
What happens if say I find a film that was only ever screened on tv and I buy a copy but edit out the breaks and dub the over voice at the end,would I be banned for then selling it on my website or to other members/
Great forum.

lenny

intervision

I sold Armchair Thriller - High Tide for £55 once.
Some people will pay any amount to add to their collection

Steve Crook

So you're doing something that is essentially illegal, and yet you complain when other people do illegal things with the results of your illegal acts?

Nice

Steve

Gary D.

Every time I view a VHS tape (again, I am technologically backward), there's always this warning about the FBI . . . imprisonment . . . (Gestapo, kicking in doors?) for illegal, unauthorized copying. Since I've never charged for a tape, I figure this was okay. Over the years I've probably spent hundreds of dollars (probably on Song of the South alone), spreading that worthiest of Disney films (I haven't liked a Disney film since The Rescuers series).

I wanted to copy two old James Mason films--The Desert Fox and Five Fingers--and they were protected--57-year-old films! And yet, I copied two Leonardo films--Catch Me If You Can and The Aviator without problems.

I have purchased films over E-Bay, but the highest I paid was $50 for The Happy Time, which is a very rare 1952 black-and-white film about a French Canadian boy. Actually, I spent $100 on it, because the first copy, from a different source, was very lousy, edited, and cut to pieces. The second copy, which someone recorded from a home-viewing screen, was almost perfect. The only way you would know it wasn't quite professionally done, was because, at the closing credits, a dark hand momentarily flashes on the screen.

I like to keep films in my library to see over and over again, as my mood suits me--as I do books--old friends that I go back into to say hello again. I have seen that little film Brief Encounter numerous times, which proves one doesn't have to spend untold millions to make a classic, enjoyable flick.

I like it when someone makes a film that gets rave reviews--equivalent to a garage inventor (Bill Gates and friends started out in their garage). Unfortunately, we don't seem to have so many of them any more.

A film that is consistently cited as being a 1940s classic is Detour, with the now unknown Tom Neil and Ann Savage. I think it was made (by Val Lewton?) in the space of a week and probably cost less, even in today's dollars, for less than Tom Cruise spends on yearly haircuts. Brits should feel at home with a part of it--someone reversed the negative (at least on the copy I saw) and the Lincoln Continental is right-hand drive, driving on what we consider the 'wrong' side of the road.

David Brent

My young nephew always gets the latest films weeks before their general release.
He will not tell anyone where he gets them but I believe he downloads them off the web.

Most film copies are of good quality although the occasional one has timing codes and numbers at the bottom of the screen. The copies obviously leak from some of the studios themselves.

Dave.

MovieLover12

I havn't seen a copy in 3 years.

Steve Crook

A copy of what? It helps to use the button so that people know what you're commenting on

Steve

MovieLover12

Anyy copy at all. Want me to list all of those that I have come across?!!

RAREFILMFINDER

Some of the newer copies out there are no different to the video pirate days of heads and people walking across the scene.The worst ones are in horrors when someone coughs or sneezes and you jump.Great just like a B movie.
Whats the worst copy you have come across?
My worst one was you see the opening title but someone in front moved and the lens gets covered to hide the dvd camera but the idiot forgets to remove it.It was like a silent movie in reverse.
lenny

sippog

Why buy a car boot bootleg of a new film? Because you can't wait to see it. A little patience and the film will be in the cinema or not too long afterwards on a proper DVD. But, as Carrie Fisher said about modern culture: "instant gratification takes too long".

I've given into the temptation a couple of times to buy those kind of bootlegs and always regretted it. The poor quality and the sort of problems described on this thread generally made watching them a very unsatisfactory experience. Worse, it ruined what might have been a good experience if I'd waited.

You should also ask yourself (if you like and appreciate movies) if, while you're waiting, you really can't find something to watch instead that's been around for a while. If it always has to be the newest blockbuster at the multiplex then you're just the sort of sucker who deserves to be exploited

MovieLover12

No picture and they still sell it. Its like they're put out if they have to rerecord. Its shocking that movie pirates are so far up their own you-know-whats.