MovieChat Forums > Ghostkeeper (1982) Discussion > Code Red DVD release = WTF

Code Red DVD release = WTF

posted 12 years ago by Mr_Ectoplasma
3 replies | jump to latest

Now, this isn't really a problem for me because I finally found a way to order it yesterday, but: why has the release of this on DVD been so friggin chaotic?

There were rumblings about a purported DVD release from Code Red about a year ago and I gave up faith that it would ever happen because the updates on it sort of ceased. Then, last month Code Red announced their release of it on their website, and yet when you go to their site and look through their catalogue it is nowhere to be found. It's been officially "out" for several weeks now, but their website doesn't have one iota of info on it. I've seen a post about the DVD however in the Code Red blogspot, but not on their actual site, and a bunch of people have been saying on message boards that the DVD is shipped straight from the warehouse and isn't going to stores.

I hunted around a little on the web looking for more info, and apparently people were having to email Code Red directly, request the title, do some funky PayPal transaction, and were purchasing them that way. I also read that there were only 500 pressings of the DVD since it's such a niche movie, so I sort of freaked out because this is one of my favorites and the chance of it seeing the light of day again is slim to none. Then again, I couldn't find any verification on the "500 copies" claim, so who knows?

Anyway, the whole rigmarole of ordering it seems a little ridiculous to me. I know Code Red is an independent company, but shouldn't these guys have a web store by now?

Instead of dealing with all of that, I found a seller on Amazon (named "the_exterminator") who was selling brand new copies of the Code Red DVD, which I'm assuming were purchased directly from the distributor; the only catch is that they were charging 5 dollars more than what you'd pay if you bought it directly from Code Red. Whatever. The seller is legit and stocks all kinds of Code Red releases (I also bought a 2-disc pressing of "Beyond the Door" from the same seller for 20 bucks, which is also pretty rare), and they're guaranteed factory originals.

So, if you don't want to deal with buying it from Code Red directly, there were 10 copies left as of last night from the Amazon seller. I get that it's not a big-name movie, but none of Code Red's releases are so it seems silly that they'd do a limited pressing of this and on top of that make it incredibly difficult for fans to even buy the thing.

Love the movie, LOVE Code Red for giving it a proper release (let alone with the insanely good transfer and impressive bonus features), but GOOD GOD guys, make the release process a bit more clean-cut next time, k?

Can't wait to finally own this on DVD. My VHS is old and the transfer is, as we all know, pretty bad. I saw screencaps of the Code Red DVD and the print looks gorgeous. Here's the link to the Amazon listing for anyone who wants it http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B007V7Q22K/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UT F8&condition=new (and NO, I am NOT the Amazon seller trying to make money here, just a baffled fan on this movie. Promise).

[–] lewisherschell 12 years ago

I bought mine directly from Code Red and paid via PayPal; it turned up in the post today and I'm watching it right now (just taking a break to make a cup of coffee and check my work emails). It's a very nice release. But you're right, Code Red could improve their web profile, set up some kind of e-store and raise their profile; no end of their releases have slipped by with little or no fanfare, and unless you check the forums it's easy to miss out on their releases - by the time you're aware that they've come out, they're OOP.

'The Exterminator' is, I believe, Bill from Code Red selling his DVDs through the Amazon marketplace system. I guess the extra $5 covers the commission, etc, that Amazon takes from their marketplace sellers.

'What does it matter what you say about people?'
Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958).

[–] Mr_Ectoplasma 12 years ago

Really? That makes sense I guess considering he had an incredible number of Code Red releases for sale on there. I was wondering if it could have been someone in touch with the company. The "Beyond the Door" DVD I ordered from him is purportedly OOP, so I'd expected it to cost more than the $20 I paid for it. I think the Ghostkeeper DVD was $25.

And you're right, a lot of their releases slip through the cracks and are usually under-the-radar, even for horror fans. The problem with these releases are that, since they are done by such a small company, they rarely are able to continue pressing them, and the second they stop production the price of the DVD jumps from $20 to $100 and beyond. They become rarities and get harder and harder to find until another company manages to get the rights and do another release (if that even happens; some of these films are so obscure that it's a wonder they ever got the light of day in the first place). I imagine a year or so from now this Ghostkeeper disc will be worth two to three times what I paid for it, which is frustrating.

Anyway, I got the DVD in the mail on Monday along with Beyond the Door, and have watched it twice. It's actually playing on my TV as I type this. Definitely a great release, and one I'd been hoping for for a long time. The color is infinitely better than the print that is on the VHS I have. I'm surprised how vivid this print is; the colors really pop and the film looks great, even in spite of the graininess and dirt and flecks.

Kind of reminds me of Prom Night in that aspect— for some reason a lot of these '80s Canadian slasher/horror films seem to have gotten the short end of the stick in terms of print quality. So many of them were ridiculously dark, to the point that you couldn't always make out what was going on onscreen. Same thing happened too with Prom Night as far as the DVD was concerned. I believe it was Anchor Bay's very first release, and the print they used was really nice. That DVD went out of print and for years it was impossible to find, and the used copies online got more and more expensive. Some other company released a DVD of it in the early 2000s but the print was a VHS transfer and, like Ghostkeeper, was so dark that you couldn't even see what was happening. Horrible. Finally another company picked it up and put out a new DVD and the film looks better than it ever has.

Anyway, sorry that I'm rambling, but the point is that I really don't want to bite the hand that feeds as far as Code Red goes, because they are a godsend for all of us who love these old B-movies, but I can't help but criticize their shoddy distribution of some of their titles. Still grateful though that there are companies out there that care about and cater to these movies. Cheers!

[–] MikePaul854 11 years ago

Funny you should mention the seller the_exterminator. I bought both my copies of Ghost Keeper and the 2-Disc editions of Beyond the Door and The Dead Pit through him at low prices (Ghost @$25, Door @$20, and Pit @$9.). Great and fast seller.