Warner Brothers withholds films from Blockbuster

[itirnitii]

Originally Posted by Hot Head

No rights...been discussed

So... is it OK to rent the movie out, as long as there is no authentic cover art? I'm still really confused. How does hiding the cover art do anything I guess is the real reason I keep asking.

It has to one of three things:
(1) That Warner Bros is actually saying "it's ok for Blockbuster to purchase our movies from elsewhere and rent them, as long as they remove the cover art."
(2) That it's somehow legal if the cover art is not showing
(3) That Blockbuster is trying to surreptitiously hide the covers hoping that a Warner Brothers representative doesn't notice if they investigate the stores.

All three seem really stupid and I guess that's why I can't wrap my head around this situation. It just seems so silly or I'm missing something obvious. Either Blockbuster can or can't rent the movies out and to me it seems like cover art should have no bearing on this at all...

I understand Blockbuster doesn't have the rights -- but what I'm really asking is: what is the actual motivation behind still renting the movie out, but changing the cover art? What is this accomplishing and how?

[inkedangel]

Originally Posted by itirnitii

So... is it OK to rent the movie out, as long as there is no authentic cover art? I'm still really confused. How does hiding the cover art do anything I guess is the real reason I keep asking.

It has to one of three things:
(1) That Warner Bros is actually saying "it's ok for Blockbuster to purchase our movies from elsewhere and rent them, as long as they remove the cover art."
(2) That it's somehow legal if the cover art is not showing
(3) That Blockbuster is trying to surreptitiously hide the covers hoping that a Warner Brothers representative doesn't notice if they investigate the stores.

All three seem really stupid and I guess that's why I can't wrap my head around this situation. It just seems so silly or I'm missing something obvious. Either Blockbuster can or can't rent the movies out and to me it seems like cover art should have no bearing on this at all...

I understand Blockbuster doesn't have the rights -- but what I'm really asking is: what is the actual motivation behind still renting the movie out, but changing the cover art? What is this accomplishing and how?

Blockbuster along with other video companies out there have "license" to rent movies. So if someone isn't willing to let these companies get the movies before the street date or is blocking them getting the titles through a distribution company, they can go purchase the movies and rent them. Yes this pisses off the studio but technically right now that's all they can do is sit and be pissed. I've worked for another company that did it with the titles that were considered "Blockbuster Exclusives". Couldn't get them thru a distributor so we went and bought them and put them out for rent. It pissed of the Blockbuster around the corner from me and they tried over and over to get me in trouble for doing it but in the long run, I was able to since the company held license to rent movies.

[itirnitii]

I understand that Blockbuster is not being given these movies from Warner Brothers and is using backdoor tactics to get them out on their shelves. What I'm asking is what is with removing the cover art?

[Baby Firefly]

How are they going to get ENOUGH copies of HP and Hangover NOT to piss off the customers that are left?

[Hot Head]

Originally Posted by itirnitii

I understand that Blockbuster is not being given these movies from Warner Brothers and is using backdoor tactics to get them out on their shelves. What I'm asking is what is with removing the cover art?

No license...simple...you are passed the point of being helped on this question

[djblade]

Haven't you notice Warner brother is trying to cut off blockbuster employees from buying at bust buy, walmart, target! You cant buy more than 5 copies and if they find out your working for blockbuster, they wont sell you ask you to leave

[inkedangel]

Originally Posted by djblade

Haven't you notice Warner brother is trying to cut off blockbuster employees from buying at bust buy, walmart, target! You cant buy more than 5 copies and if they find out your working for blockbuster, they wont sell you ask you to leave

When I was at Walmart, I didn't tell the guy where I worked till afterwards. He had to do several transactions to get me all of crazy stupid love. The department manager and a video vendor were there. They thought I worked for Netflix. I guess the rep for Netflix in our area shops at that store. Their computer system would only let them do 5 per format on each transaction. Should be interesting to see if we are able to pull off the Harry Potter buy. I think I will have to do it the same way, with the department manager. He said he didn't care who I worked for that a sale was a sale, we weren't asking for a tax exempt on the purchases, we weren't asking for discounts, that since we were paying regular price he was going to let me buy all my copies. Only thing he limited on was he let me grab all but 2 of his combo packs so that he still had a couple left.

[Glass Half Empty]

It helps if you have a relative that is a manager at a store that sells dvds

[Baby Firefly]

I may have to pop into the (only) BB left in my state this Friday to see how many copies of HP they manage to scare up....

[HelloItsMeMOM]

There is no need for a license. All rentals in the USA are covered under the first sale doctrine. It is stupid that they are destroying the cover art.