Warner Archive adds more classic films

MOD service to have more than 300 titles by year end

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 4/23/2009

APRIL 24 | Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group has added 15 classic films, including Gene Kelly/Judy Garland movie Thousands Cheer and Katharine Hepburn’s A Woman Rebels, to its new manufacturing-on-demand service.

The studio’s ‘Warner Archive Collection,’ which offers made-to-order discs for $19.95 plus shipping, now has 165 classics available on the service, which launched last month. By year’s end, the MOD program, accessed at WarnerArchive.com, will have more than 300 titles available. Consumers also can download the titles to their PCs for $14.95 each.

At the same time, the studio has launched a free podcast series, The Golden History of Hollywood, on iTunes, among other sites. Hosted by Warner Home Video senior VP of theatrical catalog marketing George Feltenstein, the podcast includes behind-the-scenes interviews of classic stars featured on such programs as MGM’s Good News radio show.

“The launch of Warner Archive exceeded our wildest expectations,” said Feltenstein. “We’ve had such a tremendous response to this effort to the point where we had to bring additional resources online to meet demand. Clearly there is an insatiable appetite for classic movies and television shows.”