Diamond DVD's ?

[Scott]

The Diamond series of DVD's are they decent quality. They sell for $6.99 at suncoast video. Some of them have a double features like:

1. House on Haunted Hill & Last Man on Earth
2. Giant Gila Monster & The Killer Shrews

Some single movies for $6.99 are:

1. Seven Doors of Death
2. House by the Cemetary

How is the quality on the "Midnight Movie Series" for about $15 dollars. Here are some of the titles I was curious about:

1. Killer Clowns
2. Planet of the Vampires
3. Die Monster Die

Has anyone seen the quality of these copies are they good?

[PoorLogic]

The "Midnight Movie Series" DVD's are usually excellent. I have "Killer Clowns From Outer Space" (this DVD has a TON of extras!), "The Man With X-Ray Eyes" and "The Thing With 2 Heads" and all were excellent as far as video & audio quality. I paid $9.99 for each of them at Best Buy - you might want to check for these titles online:

www.dvdpricesearch.com

this will give you a list of at least 10 different retailers and will offer the best price with shipping included.

Hope this helps!

Matt

[Andrew]

The MGM "Midnight Movies" are the best bang for your buck in DVDs - hands down.  Some of the movies are real classics and often the DVDs are widescreen and of very good to excellent quality transfers.  Killer Klowns from Outer Space is packed with extras and the movie looks great.

Diamond... ...er, usually this means a horrible transfer.  The Killer Shrews and Giant Gila Monster disc is a perfect example.  It sucks big time.  On the other hand, the DVDs of "Slave of the Cannibal God" and "Creature" were okay.  You're pretty much playing roulette with the Diamond discs.

Andrew

[Scott]

Ok thanks guys, I guess $6.99 is to good to be true. I was really hoping to see the Fulci films for the first time with the Diamond widescreen versions for the price of $6.99. Would you say Andrew that a Diamond copy is equal to an EP on VHS? Don't tell anyone, but i actually bought them before I posted, but I haven't opened them yet and I have the receipt. I guess I just don't want to pay alot to "own" movies. Actually you probably can't find a good copy of Killer Shrews or Gila Monster.

[Gerry]

Andrew wrote:
> You're pretty much playing roulette with the Diamond
> discs.

That pretty much sums it up.  I've had more problems with Diamond discs than any other DVDs I've bought.  Either the DVDs themselves were defective and had to be returned (multiple times) for replacements, or the quality of the picture was really poor.

Keep in mind too that Diamond falls into that area of gray market dealers that produces public domain films on DVD, but doesn't always own a print or do the original mastering themselves.  In otherwords, they may just use a laser disc or VHS of another public domain title by a legitimate company (Sinister Cinema/Something Weird Video etc.) and copy it for their own product. They get away with it because it is extremely hard to make a case against them in court, but that doesn't mean we as fans have to support such activities.

I for one will never buy another Diamond DVD.

[Chris K.]

I for one am no fan of the Diamond DVD's. Though they did release two Lucio Fulci films HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY and THE BEYOND (U.S. Title: THE SEVEN DOORS OF DEATH), they were later released by Anchor Bay. Guess which one has better quality and extras? If you said Anchor Bay, then you know your stuff.

As for the MGM "Midnight Movie" DVD releases of the American International Pictures films (from what I heard, MGM bought the rights to all of the AIP films so I expect them to release the more obscure ones like TERROR FROM THE YEAR 5000 or JOURNEY TO THE SEVENTH PLANET), those are top noch to for a price of $14.00. The quality is EXCELENT and worth the cheap price.

Just stay away from Diamond (just recently, Diamond released a bad panned and scanned DVD of THE FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS even though Image and Englewood Entertainment released the film in it's original Letterbox 2.35:1)!

[StatCat]

I wouldn't say diamond's quality on dvds is anywhere near an EP tape. The House by the cemetery was done pretty well for the price and the quality is excellent. I own two other dvds by them last man on earth/house on haunted hill and mutant. Mutant played fine and has a decent transfer but the movie sucks bascially and the double feature of last man.../ wouldnt work on my player.

[Flangepart]

Got the MGM "Monster that challanged the world". Realy like that old beastie. Good solid transfer. and for $10 at Best Buy.

[HorrorMovieBuff]

I agree with Andrew, with the Diamond ones, you're playing russian roulette.  I only bought their Creature DVD because guess how much it was?  You ready for this?  Originally it was $7, but I got it on sale brand new for $3!  That's about all their DVDs are really worth.  Never buy their House By The Cemetary DVD, thing's cut to crap because:

Their version's R-Rated!!

Get the Anchor Bay version of HBTC, it's uncut and a great transfer!  Plus two of the filming locations are in my home state of Massachusetts!!

[Andrew]

Funny that you should mention this one.  To me, the Diamond DVD of "Creature" was one of their better transfers.  It replaced an old VHS tape that I'd had in my collection before.

Andrew