Sunday, December 21, 2014

DOLLAR DVDS: PART THREE


Screengrabs from JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER from POP FLIX / ALLEGRO. I watched this movie in the theater and on television countless times. It was a childhood favorite. Jim Davis ( 1909 – 1981 ), also appears in it. Most folks remember him as Jock Ewing ( from the nighttime soap DALLAS ).

PART THREE OF THREE

A SHORT RANT.....

I've read - and seen - news reports referring to chains like DOLLAR GENERAL, FAMILY DOLLAR, and similar chains, as "DOLLAR STORES".

Those chains are NOT dollar stores!... I repeat, they are NOT dollar stores!... Dollar stores sell EVERYTHING for ONE DOLLAR OR LESS!.... That's why they're called DOLLAR STORES!


Screengrabs from THRILL SEEKERS ( aka THE TIME SHIFTERS ), by DIGIVIEW

You rarely find any true bargains at DOLLAR GENERAL or FAMILY DOLLAR. The last time I walked into one of those stores, they had USED DVDs for SIX DOLLARS each! How the hell does that qualify as a bargain?!

DOLLAR TREE is a TRUE dollar store!

FYI: A few years ago, one of my local BIG LOTS had some "dollar dvds" for THREE dollars each! The discs were from PC TREASURES. Just for the record, I stopped shopping at BIG LOTS.


Screengrabs from SOMEONE IS WATCHING from DIGIVIEW. Stefanie Powers and Margot Kidder appear in this flick.

THE LIST.....

Here's a SHORT list of DOLLAR DVD companies.

All of the following labels were sold for one dollar in my area. I've been told, some of these brands were sold for higher prices in other parts of the United States.

I repeat, this list only represents the companies that I have found locally.

The companies are listed in random order.....


Cover for MOONSTALKER ( aka CAMPER STAMPER ) by GLOBAL

GLOBAL MULTIMEDIA CORPORATION - Discs were sold in cardboard folders with peg-holes cut into the top. DVD fits into a pocket ( inside the left half of the folder ).



Cover and screengrabs from THRILL SEEKERS ( aka THE TIME SHIFTERS ), by DIGIVIEW


Cover and screengrabs for SOMEONE IS WATCHING from DIGIVIEW

DIGIVIEW ENTERTAINMENT / BUDGET ENTERTAINMENT / TUTUM ENTERTAINMET - Their discs were sold in plastic slimline cases.


Cover and screengrabs for EL BURRITO DE NAVIDAD Y OTROS CUENTOS, aka THE LITTLE CHRISTMAS BURRO AND OTHER STORIES, from BUDGET ENTERTAINMENT ( aka DIGIVIEW ENTERTAINMENT ). There are a total of FOUR features on this disc, and extremely short preview clips. Plus, Spanish and English audio. That's A LOT for a buck!


Screengrabs from EL BURRITO DE NAVIDAD Y OTROS CUENTOS, aka THE LITTLE CHRISTMAS BURRO AND OTHER STORIES ( BUDGET ENT / DIGIVIEW ENT )

As I've said before, after DIGIVIEW disappeared, they came back under various other names. One of those labels was BUDGET ENTERTAINMET ( the "fine print" reveals it ). I'm almost positive TUTUM ENTERTAINMENT was another. But, I can not find my TUTUM discs, so I can't verify it as fact. I don't know if any other names were used.



Covers for MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM / SUDDENLY, and THE WILD RIDE / THE VIOLENT YEARS double features by PC TREASURES

PC TREASURES - Discs were sold in plastic slimline cases.



Cover and screengrabs from DRAGNET three episode pack ( 1950s version ), from TELEVISION CLASSICS ( aka GENIUS ENTERTAINMENT )


Covers for MOON OF THE WOLF / PRISONER IN THE MIDDLE and ABILENE TOWN / TRAPPED double features from MOVIE CLASSICS ( aka GENIUS ENTERTAINMENT )

GENIUS ENTERTAINMENT / MOVIE CLASSICS / TELEVISION CLASSICS - Discs were sold in cardboard envelopes with a flap on the right side. Later on, they started selling them in plastic slimline cases.



Cover and screengrabs for WAR OF THE MONSTERS / GAMERA VS MONSTER X double feature ( by EAST WEST ENTERTAINMENT ). In regards to video quality, this was NOT one of their better releases. The disc also has a EAST WEST ENTERTAINMENT mini catalog ( in slideshow form ).

EAST WEST ENTERTAINMENT - Discs were sold in plastic slimline cases. It was my favorite "dollar dvd" company.



Cover of BODY COUNT by PHASE 4 FILMS. All the nudity, bad words, and violence are still there.

PHASE 4 FILMS - Discs were packaged in thick cardboard envelopes with a slot on top.



Covers for WRONG NUMBER and VICTIM OF BEAUTY from KREATIVE

KREATIVE DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT - Their discs were sold in cardboard envelopes with a slot on the right side.



Cover for LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS / THE TERROR double feature, from FAMILY VALUE COLLECTION

FAMILY VALUE COLLECTION / TREASURE BOX COLLECTION - I think their discs were sold in glossy carboard folders, but I can't remember for certain ( I no longer have any of them ). They also sold them in plastic slimline cases.



Front and back of THE THREE STOOGES and THE LITTLE RASCALS DVDs from TGG

TGG DIRECT - Discs were sold in flat blister packs ( same way they sell HOT WHEELS ). They also packaged some discs in "dome" shaped blister packs ( resembling Christmas tree ornaments ).



Cover and screengrabs from JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER / THE MONSTER MAKER double feature from POP FLIX / ALLEGRO

POP FLIX / ALLEGRO / SILVER SCREEN GEMS / TV's GREATEST HITS - Discs were sold in slimline plastic cases. They also sold them in generic style cardboard folders with peg-holes cut into the top ( just like the folders used by GLOBAL ).


ST. CLAIR VISION - Discs were sold in plastic slimline cases. They also sold more expensive multi-movie collections. I no longer have any of their discs.


DOLLAR DVD - Discs were sold in thin cardboard envelopes with a slot on the right side. They named their company DOLLAR DVD... Gee, how clever ( I'm being sarcastic ). I no longer have any of their discs.


There are numerous other brands that I can NOT remember.

I hope these DVDs make a comeback. The time is right for them to return.

2 comments:

  1. I think the day of the DVD is about over (and Blu-ray with it) as everything seems to be moving to streaming. I give the DVD/Blu-ray era 5 more years, 10 at the most. But who knows, that may force the disc companies into selling even major studio films for a buck. Me, I love the experience of hunting for public domain b-movies for a buck at the dollar stores. Now, they're all on YouTube or the Internet Archive for free...

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  2. That won't stop me from making a couple of micro-budget films this year and "releasing" them (more like allowing them to escape) in slimline cases, of which I've bought 100 black ones and 100 in various colors.

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