Bonjour, (François de)Paris -- (Voila! A Sondheim reference!!)
Small labels like FSM have revolutionized the archival film music industry (and I don't mean archival in any way that is negative about sound quality).
Major labels won't press fewer than 5,000 CDs of any title, and prefer many more than that. Soundtracks, on the other hand, don't traditionally sell more than a couple of thousand except for that rarity like "The Passion" or "Titanic" or anything by John Williams (well, almost anything).
A number of people -- including our very own Nick Redman, FSM's Lukas Kendall, Varese Sarabande's Robert Townson, and yes, even Bruce Kimmel (!!) -- knocked down many barriers by issuing limited editions of film scores and original cast albums by cutting special deals with the owners of the music and, in the case of film scores, the American Federation of Musicians union which normally requires compensation equivalent to performance pay for every member of the orchestra hired to perform a certain score. That means the musicians got paid twice for the music and that was okay as long as a large label was footing the bill, but the small labels couldn't pay these fees routinely ($50,000 to $100,000 are figures I've seen just for union fees). A breakthrough was achieved when the union agreed to take a significantly lesser fee (nominal, possibly, rather than substantial) if the scores were released in limited numbers (primarily aimed at a core group of collectors). We seem to have achieved a happy medium with the $19.95 single-CD and $24.95 double-CD of older film scores, stereo or mono, clean sound or archival (in the sense that the sound has degradation).
While it is true some titles have sold out when they reach a broader market (like "The Omega Man" and, for some reason, "Lucy 'Mame'"!), most have not, yet the labels are still able to release music on a regular basis.
I wasn't aware that $19.95 was all that much compared to European prices. I know some of my British friends find the FSM prices lower than what they find of regular titles in stores. I guess that's their penance for not adopting the Euro.
As for eBay, anything is game there. I know that recent sell-outs like "The Robe" and "Jerry Goldsmith at 20th Century-Fox" have been fetching big bucks, but if the sellers want to make even more, they should hold out for a year after a title is announced as sold out.
For instance, I have two mint copies of "Lucy 'Mame'" I'm holding back for just such a time when the whole world wants it and wants it bad!!!
But, then, the time for action may have passed and everyone who ever wanted one may now have one.
If that's the case, some lucky people are going to have a special Christmas present one year!!!!