Don't Be A Cheapskate! The Public Domain DVD Chronicles

Whenever I venture in my favorite video store or big boxstore and I am looking at the various DVD titles, I have noticed there were many of certain titles which have been issued by different video companies. Most of the titles are classics like "Night Of The Living Dead", or "White Zombie" or 'The Little Shop Of Horrors". But there are many new direct to DVD atrocities that make Ed Wood seem like Orson Welles. You can find these cheap DVD's anywhere from singles, Double Features as well as those multi mega packs with 20-50 movies. The video companies delivering this schlock include "Goodtimes Home Video", "Madacy Home Video", "Brentwood Video", "Mill Creek Entertainment, as well as "Alpha Video". The only plus about Alpha are the beautiful art on the covers. I only wished that the films on their DVD's were just as beautiful. Their prints are mangled, missing footage, fuzzy looking, altogether AWFUL! Retromedia is a mix bag. Operated by low budget filmmaker, Fred Olen Ray. Some titles are great (Like "The Deathmaster") to downright awful looking (Like "The Curse Of The Vampires"). But at least Retromedia has Extras that most budget labels have. There is a couple of labels like Mill Creek and Passport that have their "Watermarks/Logos" on the corner of the screen continuously. Now these P.D. companies aren't really new. They have actually been around since the dawn of the home video revolution. "Goodtimes Home Video" and "Video Treasures" were among the first. In those days, while most of the other major video labels offered prerecorded VHS movies from $39.95 to as high as $99.95, depending on the movie. The p.d. video companies offered their videos for a then affordable $14.95. To make them affordable, they recorded them in the dreaded SLP mode. There were times that they were recorded in the better LP mode, it still wasn't as good as SP. Goodtimes (founded in 1984) actually released most of their 80's VHS titles in LP. Most of the time, you spend 10-20 minutes just to track the movie (if your lucky). It wasn't until the DVD era, that you really realize how bad their film prints are since you don't have to track them anymore. It is funny though that I have seen some DVD's that seem to be mastered from video sources rather than film. Though thankfully gone today, Simitar Video was the worst offender of the budget labels. Most of today's budget dvd's average around $9.99 though there are so-called"Dollar DVD's" at Wal-Mart, Dollar Tree and Walgreen's, but you have heard the old saying: "You Get What You Pay For"! So remember, aviod, if possible, those cheap budget dvd's! They're just not worth it!

July 29, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday Night, July 29 at 11:45PM on KCRA Channel 3, Bob Wilkins showed the Roger Corman classic, "A Bucket Of Blood" starring Dick Miller. This is a repeat showing of the movie (last shown on October 1, 1966) though as with all of Bob's shows, they were still new. For a brief synopsis of this film, check out the "October 1, 1966" post. This movie is in the public domain, which means it is available by different DVD distributers though I highly recommend the "MGM" DVD of this title as it is derived from the original negative and looks the best.

Guilty Pleasure: "Pirahna" (1978)

This title is an example of the fish-terror genre at its cheesy best, with pirahnas attacking innocent swimmers. The movie is being screened @ midnight Saturday July 28 at Sacramento's "Crest Theatre", 1013 K Street, as part of its annual Trash Film Orgy. Come early to experience the "Miss Trash" competition. For more information, call (916) 44-CREST or go to their website at http://www.thecrest.com/ or check out Trash Orgy's website http://www.trashorgy.com/

Former KTXL News Anchor, Pete Wilson passes away.

Last Friday, July 20, KGO-TV ABC-7 News Anchor and KGO AM 810 Talk Show Host, Pete Wilson passed away of a heart attack during hip surgery at the age of 62. Pete Wilson was the main news anchor at KTXL-TV 40's 10:PM "NEWSPLUS" from 1979-83 back when KTXL was an independent tv station and where Bob Wilkins was a horror host at. My condolences to his family.

"Midnite Movies" return this fall!

The Midnite Movies line of DVD's are making a return on September 11 after a two year hiatus. MGM, through a distribution deal through Fox, will have two single DVD's while Fox themself will release a slate of Double Feature Midnite Movies DVD's on the same date. MGM will release more later. Check out the awesome covers! Many of these movies have either played on Bob Wilkins shows or playing at a local movie theatre or Drive-In during the Bob Wilkins era and mentioned on his show!

July 22, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday Night, July 22 at 11:30PM, Bob Wilkins showed a true classic, "Carnival Of Souls" (1962). "After a traumatic accident, a woman becomes drawn to a mysterious carnival. Is she alive or dead?" This is a must see film that was directed by Hek Harvey and starring Candice Hilligoss. This movie has been released on many DVD (as well as VHS and LD) labels due to its supposed P.D. Status. It is available solo (by Image Entertainment as part of their Wade Williams Collection as well as by Alpha Video), colorized (by 20TH Century Fox Home Entertainment/Legend Films), paired with "Horror Hotel" (Diamond Entertainment) and "Dementia 13" (Marengo Films), as part of a 50 Film pack (Horror Classics from Mill Creek Entertainment) and available in a 2-Disc Special Edition from "The Criterion Collection (The Theatrical Cut and Director's Cut plus Extras!). The Criterion version is the one to buy!

July 15, 1967 Schedule

Well I am back, after some computer modem problems. I hope it doesn't happen again. On Saturday Night, July 15 at 11:30PM, Bob Wilkins repeats a movie that he shown back on March 18, 1967 : "Monster From The Surf" (AKA "The Beach Girls And The Monster"). For a brief synopsis of the film, check out the March 15, 1967 post. In fact, there will be many repeats coming up.

Computer Modem Problems!

I want to apologize for not posting Bob Wilkins TV listing for July 15, 1967 as I was having computer problems. Actually modem problems. My ATT/Yahoo DSL Modem bit the dust on Saturday Night July 14, and since the warranty had already expired, it would have cost me in excess of $100 for a replacement, so I decided the time was ripe for me to dump ATT in favor of ClearWire Wireless Broadband. I am happy again. I hope to have the "July 15, 1967" listing posted before the end of the week and get back to my regular schedule.

Big Things Happening To This Blog Later This Year!!!

Some big things will be happening! On August 20, I will be celebrating the One Year Anniversary of this blog. Then on September 10, will be the One Year Anniversary Of Bob Wilkins show on KCRA Channel 3 in 1967. I will be doing a retrospective on Bob's past year on KCRA Channel 3. PLUS Soon I will be doing a "100TH Post" on this blog. And as with "Famous Monsters" and "Fangoria" with their 100TH Issue, I will be doing something special too! Also I will be taking a brief hiatus on September 15 as I will be vacationing in beautiful Montana. I'll figure out things too. As for the continued future of this blog. As always, I have to thank Scott Moon for his continued support of this blog. He has an excellent website at http://www.bobwilkins.net/ If you haven't, Check It Out!!! Another friend who continues to help is Perry Martin of Anchor Bay Entertainment.

Ramblings On A Hot Day!

Well, this is my first non schedule post in a while. I have been very busy at my job. Plus I have been treasure hunting in my storage unit here in my apartment complex. Lots and Lots of Junk to most people but treasures to me. I have literally hundreds and hundreds of VHS Video tapes of stuff I have taped off from television as well as prerecorded stuff not yet available on DVD yet. Surprisingly, a lot of my VHS tapes are of Pro Wrestling that I taped off of Television and PPV. I was really into wrestling back in the 1980's and 1990's. Mostly NWA/WCW Wrestling. Some Midsouth/UWF, AWA and Smoky Mountain. But at the same time I have found some Bob Wilkins tapes I bought years ago or through Bob Shaw. Speaking of which, I have some Bob Shaw KTVU Specials. I have some John Stanley Creature Features stuff as well as a Godzilla Special he did for KICU TV 36 back in 2000. I am still looking for the Bob Wilkins/KCRA Reunion Special he did back in 1995. With all of this going as well as very hot weather here in Stockton (It reached 109 degrees on July 5) which has just gotten me exhausted. I hope to post more soon!

July 8, 1967 Schedule

On this particular Saturday at 11:15PM on KCRA Channel 3, Bob Wilkins showed an excellent Warner Brothers classic from 1946 and starring Peter Lorre and directed by Robert Florey (Murders In The Rue Morgue-1932). "Evil is running amok in an italian village, mostly in the estate of a deceased pianist where murders begin to take place. What is this supposed evil? The deceased pianist's hand!"

July 1, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday Night at 11:30PM, on KCRA Channel 3, Bob Wilkins showed "Frankenstein 1970" (1958) starring Boris Karloff. "Baron Victor Von Frankenstein has fallen on hard times, he was tortured and disfigured by the nazis in World War II. In need of money, he allows a film crew to film a documentary on his monster making ancestors at his castle, however the Baron has ideas of his own, using the money to create his own hulking monster." An excellent movie from "Allied Artists Pictures". Warner Home Video, owner of the Allied Artists Film Library, is rumored to be releasing this title soon. A special edion DVD I hope!