Just saw Tom Weaver posted this at the CHFB
it's too juicy not to post here

WORLD WITHOUT END/SATELLITE IN THE SKY
WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH/MOON ZERO TWO
BATTLE BENEATH THE EARTH/THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR

Double features exclusive to Best Buy will be out on 7/29. All 16x9 transfers...original art on covers...$19.97 SRP.

Hopefully WHEN DINOS will be the longer version, or else these girls may get upset!

Groovy! I'm seriously jazzed about WHEN DINOSAURS RULED.

And less than two weeks notice!

Would buy DINOS in the HIGHLY UNLIKELY event of an uncut disc. O/W no interest.

I hope like hell that these titles are better distributed than the Paramount/Legend exclusive titles have been.

I'm really psyched about WORLD WITHOUT END, a perfect film for those who love QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE. It should be in CinemaScope 2:35-1.

. . . well, I certainly hope this is just another joke by the person who pulled off the Obama cover for THE NEW YORKER - it is more than I can stand to think we have to go through another of these "exclusive" deals on the heels of that LEGEND mess . . .

Wade, this will give us a perfect opportunity to judge the quality of Best Buy's distribution prowess, or lack thereof.

If these Warner titles are well distributed, then we'll know that Legend was the problem regarding the shoddy distribution of the Legend/Paramount exclusives.

Howsomever, if the Warner titles end up sequestered in hamlets like Lacey and Marysville again, then we'll know that Best Buy is the culprit for the poor retail marketing.

. . . well, by gosh, John, you certainly know how to make a fella feel better about this deal . . . of course, there seems to be no mention of these titles at the BEST BUY ONLINE STORE, but then they are only due in two weeks . . . please let me know if they ever show at a BEST BUY within my driving distance . . .

Someone posted on the CHFB that the titles are listed on the BB site generically as "Sci-Fi 50's" and "Sci-Fi 70's 1 & 2".

This is great news. I'm buying all three discs. Considering that the Best Buy/Warner Classic Sci-Fi sets were fairly easy to find, I expect these new sets will be easily accessible too.

Well, Warner surprised us with uncut TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA, so who knows?

Are these exclusives even distributed to Best Buy stores in Canada, or is it US only? I don't think I've ever seen one at the store closest to me - not the Universal science fiction titles, not the Paramount / Legend titles. You would think the issuing companies might enjoy having people buy their product, but instead opt to make it as difficult as possible. It's a very puzzling business practice.

As well as with things like EYES OF A STRANGER and DEADLY FRIEND. I think there's a good chance we'll get an uncut print (fingers crossed) - didn't WHEN DINOS air on TCM years ago in its uncut version? You can see the uncut scenes on YouTube as someone has uploaded the complete feature (in Spanish!). The nudity is always welcome and uncut is always preferable, but it really doesn't make or break the film. The outfits in the film are so skimpy as it is that even without the nudity, there's still a lot of eye-candy going on. Fox only released the cut ONE MILLION YEARS BC on DVD (and that was cut more severely) even though they released the uncut version on laserdisc.

As far as this whole Best Buy fiasco goes, I personally don't think the studios have much of a choice in their dealings with Best Buy as far as how good the distribution is. Do you really think that Legend really only wanted the BB stores in the middle of nowhere to carry their titles? Highly doubtful. I'm sure they would have liked every BB store to carry all of their titles. I'm pretty sure BB calls the shots and lays down the rules and guidelines whenever arranging a deal like this. BB is one of the biggest B&M retailers for this type of merchandise and studios do rely on them for a good percent of their profit margin. BB also limits what titles they want on their shelves (especially older catalog titles) and it's not that easy to get them to stock your product. "We'll let you into our stores, but you need to give us exclusives, and we will only give you some of our stores to test this out." Apparantly, a company like Legend thought this looked attractive - give BB five exclusive titles and they'll put a whole bunch of our other ones in their stores as well. BB said 'only certain stores', though, and that does suck, but they lay down the rules. The only way for Legend to get into BB at all was probably by following BB's limited distribution plan.

Is it worth it for them to even deal with BB? Who knows? I do know whenever there is an exclusive of this sort (the Universal Classic Sci-Fi sets, etc.), I always head out to BB and pick them up and usually something else there as well. Good to get traffic in the stores. So BB definitely benefits from arrangements like this. I guess the studios do, too, or they wouldn't keep making these exclusive deals that so many of us find ridiculous. I don't know if Legend did the right thing agreeing to this limited-store deal, but maybe they are testing us Mobians to see how persistent and determined we are to find those 5 titles. I've bought about 10 Legend titles from BB alone and I'm sure there are others out there doing the same (if they can find the right stores, of course). It was also a lot cheaper buying them at a BB store then on Legend's website. So these may be selling better than any of us think, and I'm pretty sure they'll eventually be available elsewhere. Looks stupid overall from the outside, but there has to be an underlying reason why these exclusive BB deals continue.

Sorry for the giant rant! I'm even more long-winded than usual!

Some good thinking there, Jeff. As much as I personally despise Best Buy, I must admit that they did do a good job with the Universal Classic Sci-Fi titles (when they were in print).

The Paramount/Legend exclusives promotion, by most accounts, has been a debacle, with both Legend and Best Buy appearing clueless.

I can only hope that the late July Warner Sci-Fi exclusives campaign is managed more like the Universal packages were, and less like the phantom distribution of the Legend/Paramount exclusives.

On One Million Years BC it baffles me why the USA keeps getting the short version. In the UK, there have been several releases (the latest by Optimum) and they have always been the full length version. In fact, the shorter version has never appeared in the UK at all (TV is always the full version too).

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the fully uncut version of WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH has never been released on home video anywhere, has it? It's aired on TV uncut in the US and overseas, but a full-length legit release has so far been a bit of a stubborn thorn in the side of this title.

Mike - I agree with you that I don't believe the uncut version has ever had a VHS or DVD release. Even the UK VHS was the US G rated version. As you say, it has turned up on TV and Cable screenings occasionally.

If Warners does accidentally (or intentionally) release the uncut version, they better make sure not to put that old "G" rating on the back cover. It could be SWAMP THING all over again if a parent ends up seeing nudity in a G-rated movie she just bought for the kids (especially considering G represents even more childish fare today than it did back then).

The covers have now been posted on the DVD Drive-In site. All of them employ original poster art.

GREAT NEWS, folks!!!

WHEN DINOSAURS RULED is the complete UNCUT version! Victoria Vetri's naked butt and naked boobs in all their glory! :blink:

Go get it quick before the recall, as the big old "G" rating is on the back of the case!!!

Jeff stole my thunder. Yes, reports are circulating that WHEN DINOSAURS is the uncut version. And yes, the packaging carries a G rating, so I bought two copies, just in case it is pulled from the market, ala SWAMP THING (was it SWAMP THING, or RETURN OF SWAMP THING, that was pulled, and was it ever reissued with a proper rating?).

Seems to me that this same thing may have occured with the MGM release of COUNTESS DRACULA/THE VAMPIRE LOVERS. However, I don't think that the title was gone from the marketplace for very long.

I've only begun to spot-check, but WORLD WITHOUT END looks great in good color and CinemaScope.

It appears that most Best Buy stores will be carrying these titles--I got mine in Bellevue, WA. At least they should be available until a possible recall (I'm speculating about that)

. . . yes, a very nice collection of films, plus it was a pleasure to walk into my local Best Buy and actually find them sitting right there on the New Release's shelf - so, perhaps the trouble with the Legend stuff was Legend after all . . .

It was SWAMP THING that pulled off the market. AFAIK, the "R-rated" SWAMP THING has never been released in the U.S., outside of that brief (accidental?) DVD appearance. MGM did reissue the PG theatrical version on DVD.

The uncut SWAMP THING was also released on VHS along with the DVD. It was during the early days of DVD, and titles were still being released in both formats. I still have the tape, but never upgraded to the disc.

As far as the new Warner titles, Best Buy's online site shows they are available in all their locations, at least in my area. These were much easier to find, compared to the Legend titles. The store I went to today had multiple copies of all three on the New Release shelf.

Judging from the box, I thought WHEN DINOSAURS was the cut US release. Great to hear it's uncut! Marshall, I take it you'll be getting this one, eh?

SWAMP THING had been on the market for a long time (a year or more maybe?) before the recall. Mobians and fans knew it was the longer euro-cut with the PG listed on the case from reading reviews such as in Video Watchdog. It had been available everywhere quite easily for a while - it was only when some mother in Texas rented it at a Blockbuster for her kids and saw the nudity and fondling scene - she complained and that's when the recall finally took place. The later reissue is the edited correct PG version. The uncut version has not been reissued.

VAMPIRE LOVERS/COUNTESS DRACULA said PG for COUNTESS on the original release, but the version of COUNTESS was the uncut UK version. It was quietly pulled for a short period and then reissued with the back-cover changed to say "unrated". The disc itself remained the exact same with a small "PG" still imprinted on the inner circle.

It will be interesting to see if anything happens with DINOS. Things like DEADLY FRIEND and EYES OF A STRANGER already had an R-rating so a bit of extra gore didn't really stir any feathers, but a DVD with a G-rating that includes nudity may raise an eyebrow, or two.

My local Best Buy had all three, but I had to go there, because I couldn't find them on the Best Buy Web site. Now, I think I know why. None of the DVDs are shelved by title, but rather under "W" in the Sci-Fi section...for Warner Brothers. I don't know who Best Buy thinks is going to be searching its Web site for "Warner Brothers" when looking for MOON ZERO TWO, but...

Maybe Best Buy is dumber than Borders... <_<

Yes, it's nice to finally see all of DINOSAURS. The DVD runs 1:39. (Is the additional three or so minutes the nude love/swimming scene, or is there more besides that added? There's doesn't seem to be additional T&A.) It doesn't make the movie any less irksome--I hate the use of lizard footage, which is more intrusive than it is in ONE MILLION YEARS B.C.--but it's easier on the eyes. :)

And the NoHo BB in NYC had all three, in "New Releases." Plus...some (by no means all) the Legend pictures, like FRAMED and MANDINGO, in their own kiosk (I saw ...JOEL DELANEY elsewhere on the shelves).

The BB website has them as Sci-Fi 70s #1 (DINOS), Sci-Fi 70s #2 (ULTIMATE WARRIOR), and Sci-Fi 50's.

Yes, this longer version also includes additional effects footage during the tidal wave sequence.

If you're not watching this movie for the dinosaurs, it's pretty obvious what you are watching it for, and it's definitely not the script. :lol:

I forgot about an earlier scene with a different caveman who hooks up with his dark-haired cavegirl, rips her top off, and has his way with her. There's brief nudity in that scene, too, and although the scene isn't that extreme, it definitely does not belong anywhere near a G-rated movie as do the other scenes mentioned earlier. Without the restored scenes, this movie would still easily get a PG-rating today considering the blatant exploitation of flesh (tiny loin-cloth bikinis) throughout. But with all the restored footage intact? There's no way this disc can remain as is with a G-rating on the cover. I'm sure WB is already aware of this issue considering how fast word spreads on these forums. Recall, reissue - something's gonna happen.