The Midnite Special

HD-DVD is officially dead, and Blu-Ray holds the dagger. Et tu, Blu-Ray?

Since I don’t own either kind of player, yesterday’s announcement means little to me. I assume I’ll eventually upgrade to a high-def home vid format, but considering the piles of unwatched “traditional” DVDs I’ve amassed, it’s hardly a priority.

More importantly, as cursory search reveals, the pickin’s ain’t plump. Of the tiny horror crop currently available on the Blu-Ray format, there are only a handful of flicks I’d be interested, all of which I already own in standard DVD form (or, in the case of the original Dawn of the Dead, on standard DVD, VHS, Beta, Laserdisc, Video CD, stone etching, cave painting, etc.). Old-school DVD (what do you even call that, anyway? Clear-Ray?) is where it’s at for obscure discoveries or treasured trash, and fans of both will find good news over at DVD Drive-In.

Fox/MGM have launched a new site for their Midnite Movies line, and in addition to trivia, trailers, and my favorite page layout of the last 14 minutes (just listen to the crickets!), the site offers the opportunity to buy previously out-of-print double-features (along with all of the current/new releases) directly from Fox, all wrapped up with garish cover art that makes me want lick Sam Arkoff's ear. You’re not gonna find The House on Skull Mountain on frickin’ Blu-Ray, doll.