Topic: Has VIVA stopped releasing R1 Disney titles?

[Mr. Hankey]

A few years ago, VIVA was locally releasing R1 versions of their Disney titles (like Pirates of the Caribbean 1, The Lion King, Freaky Friday, The Haunted Mansion, Brother Bear and many others) at about the same time as their R3 counterparts, at very good prices.

Have they officially stopped doing this, and does anyone know why?

It seems so, since we never got the 2-disc R1 versions of Cinderella nor The Lady and the Tramp - just lousy single-disc "official" R3 versions.

I'm just making sure, before I pre-order my The Little Mermaid: Platinum Edition from Amazon. Sayang din, e.

[firewired]

Yes Viva stopped R1 imports some time ago. Aside from being more expensive to bring in, many of the titles weren't exactly flying off the shelves. The brand manager I used to deal with isn't with the company anymore so I don't know if her successor will reconsider this decision. It's doubtful though. Viva's window for discounting new R3 releases is down to 3 months now on the average, which I'm sure is painful for them.

[ranran]

maybe if they had released the R1's with the slipcase, it would be a different story. 

[techdude]

Even R3 arrives very late when compared to R1...Lady and The Tramp R3 arrives this June, February pa ata sa R1...

Then wala pa Leroy and Stitch R3...

I think most R1 they release comes with slipcase.  The Lion King 1 1/2, I bought had one... but their policy of discounting is backfiring, now nobody buys their 750 releases, when they become 350 or less so quickly...

[Mr. Hankey]

maybe if they had released the R1's with the slipcase, it would be a different story. 

Actually, they did - both my Pirates of the Caribbean and my Lion King 1 1/2 I got at Astro have their slipcases. Maybe nasira yung mga slipcase for other copies while on display?

Yes Viva stopped R1 imports some time ago. Aside from being more expensive to bring in, many of the titles weren't exactly flying off the shelves..

Thanks for the info, firewired. I think it's a question of which titles were released. Of course stinkers like Haunted Mansion and Brother Bear were stuck on shelves. But I don't recall seeing too many R1 discs of Pirates of the Caribbean hitting 299 during sales.

If anyone from Viva is reading: If you ever decide to bring in R1 titles again, it probably could work on a title-by-title basis. Don't just bring in every Disney title that's released. If you're not sure which ones will probably sell well, you can always ask us over here. 

Right now, I'd say The Little Mermaid: Platinum Edition, Cars and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest would probably be the only sellable ones to consider for 2006...

[ranran]

If anyone from Viva is reading: If you ever decide to bring in R1 titles again, it probably could work on a title-by-title basis. Don't just bring in every Disney title that's released. If you're not sure which ones will probably sell well, you can always ask us over here. 

Right now, I'd say The Little Mermaid: Platinum Edition, Cars and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest would probably be the only sellable ones to consider for 2006...

i agree, all DVD distributors should consider consulting with PinoyDVD for best results. 

then again maybe some of them are, considering the Warner dual releases with the deluxe editions and other DVDs that include slipcovers, but something tells me C-Interactive is still not doing anything about their releases. 

[Mr. Hankey]

Even R3 arrives very late when compared to R1...Lady and The Tramp R3 arrives this June, February pa ata sa R1...

I noticed this late release has happened to ALL of VIVA's imported titles - Disney (the ones you mentioned), Fox (Cheaper By the Dozen 2 still isn't in stores) and MGM (Into the Blue and The Pink Panther came out much later than their R1's).

Bakit kaya? When the release date is months after the R1, they lose a few more customers who get tired of waiting and decide to go for the R1 instead.

[Mr. Hankey]

Now that VIVA has begun importing R1 DVDs again (High School Musical R1 was released today), maybe they could let us know if we'll also be getting local R1 releases of Cars and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest?

[techdude]

With the beautiful 1-disc Mermaid...  I want R3 Cars!  Tutal, parehong 1-disc rin naman.   At Php 550(sana), it's a steal.   Then double-dip na lang pag nag-double-disc sa R1 later on...

[ranran]

i agree techdude, mas practical nga naman.  after all they're both single disc.