DVD re-releases

[WorknMan]

Heard on the radio today that they've released the movie 'Dirty Dancing' on DVD as the 'Ultimate Edition' .... so, what does this make, the 3rd release of the same damn movie?
Not that I really care much about DVD, but why do studios release the same movie multiple times? I mean, how many different versions of Terminator 2 are there on DVD, like 30?
I dunno about the rest of you guys, but I pretty much avoid purchasing DVDs for this specific reason. When I buy a DVD, I want the one with ALL the extras, and studios know this .. which leads me to believe that these nimrods are purposely holding out, releasing the 'bare minimum' DVD, then releasing the 'Special Edition' 2 weeks later for $3.00 more, after everyone has bought the original. I mean, does this not just piss anyone off besides me ? :x

[RyuHayabusa]

Shane has gone over this before in one of the previous shows. There's like 3 or 4 versions of T2 available, the original T2, Special Edition T2, Extreme T2, and another I believe. It's ridiculous. What's worse is that while they're busy releasing all these multiple versions, there are some good movies that aren't even available on DVD at all. Movies like License to Drive, Gleaming the Cube, and Legend of Billie Jean are not available. While they might not be the greatest movies in some people's eyes, I enjoyed them. Heck, even crap like Supergirl and Sleepaway Camp are available. Why not my favorites?

[Demolition Man]

Sadly the studios feel that they can profit more money from releasing "Dirty Dancing" ten times than "Legend of Billie Jean" even once. I don't get the mindset of the studios sometimes, yeah I can understand if it was one of the early era DVDs that they are re-releasing. "Christmas Story" is a big example of this - the new SE is now out that finally has its original Widescreen version on it along with a boatload of other goodies (just don't stick your tounge to a metal pole folks). There are many DVDs that benefit from the improvements in DVD mastering that got released during the early days, and I don't mind rebuying them if I already own them (I ususally either sell the old edition or give it to a friend who isn't as picky as I am lol).

It also doesn't bother me as much when the studio tells you upfront of multiple editions being release like with the "Lord Of The Rings" films. I congrat New Line for announcing BOTH versions at the same time and making it know that there are going to be two different versions coming out (the theater 2 disc and the extended 4 disc with more extras than you can shake a stick at).

It does bother me however when a studio puts out a disc then not even a few weeks later announced a 3 disc golath edition is coming ("Windtalkers" anyone). Or re-releasing the same film over and over and over and over and... well, you get the point. "Terminator 2" is a BIG example of this, yeah the "Extreme" Edition does have improvements in the picture especially but I still find it beyond annoying how Artisan didn't even offer a freakin rebate or anything for folks who shelled out the mega dollars for the "Ultimate Edition."

(For the record, I got the "Extreme" Edition as a gift)

One other example that really pissed me off is Columbia Tristar & "Lawrence Of Arabia." They first release the 2 disc special edition with loads of extra in a fancy smancy case and charge about $40 or so for it. Okay, I am fine with that. Then they turn around and release a movie only one disc edition for people who don't want to spend all that money and just want the movie. Good, fine, I already got the 2 disc SE (funny, I got that as a gift too).

So they turn around a few months ago and release it under the Superbit line. Okay, so its a movie only edition that is spread over 2 discs and a slightly higher bitrate, right? No. Turns out the idiots who did the mastering for the 2 disc SE (which recycled to the 1 disc bare bones edition) didn't get it done right, colors weren't done right and some other yada yada crap. Now not only does the Superbit have a higher bitrate.. it has a better mastering that SHOULD of been done right the first time.

So, in essence, Columbia Tristar nicely finds a way to get the consumer who wants the extras to buy the 2 disc SE... then if that same person wants the best picture and sound - they are stuck buying the damn Superbit after they spend a good amount buying what should of been a good edition already.

DVD is enough to turn one insane... its bad enough trying to get the studios sometimes to release a film in its OAR (ie: Willy Wonka), but sometimes they go a little too far with rehasing the same thing over and over....

[Qill2]

Now they dont even give you the whole movie in theaters anymore. For example, take Christopher Lee's scenes in the final LOTR movie. There was a big 'scandal' that the final cut of the movie removed a LOT of Christopher Lee's figthing scenes or something . Sort of makes you wonder , since the so-called scandal got so much publicity , if they deliberately cut it out so people will eagerly buy the Special Edition with all of Christopher Lee's restored scenes

[Tornado_of_Souls]

I don't think that would sway many LOTR fans; they're gonna buy the special extended edition regardless. Everybody knows about it and lots of people held out this time to get the extended edition of The Two Towers and passed on the two disc theatrical cut that was released in August.

I think the most double-dipped DVD award has to go to Army of Darkness. These are just the region 1 versions of it:

-- Army of Darkness - 95 Minute Director's Cut - Limited Edition
-- Army of Darkness - 81 Minute U.S. Theatrical Version
-- Army of Darkness - 81 Minute U.S. Theatrical Version - Remastered
-- Army of Darkness - Limited Edition
-- Bruce Campbell vs. Army of Darkness - Bootleg Edition
-- Bruce Campbell vs. Army of Darkness - Boomstick Edition

Don't get me wrong, I love this movie and own one of the above versions, but I'd never buy more than one version of a movie (I take that back, I have two copies of Ninja Scroll; the old one and the new 10th anniversary one and I'll also be buying the 10th anniversary versions of Clerks next year.) If I ever upgrade an older version of a movie, I always trade in or sell my old copy and apply that money towards the new version.

Oh yeah, I also bought the bare-bones Dogma disc before the two disc special edition came out. I sold my old copy of it on Ebay.

[btribble]

Heh, Army of Darkness, I was going to mention that... That, and American Pie. :)

The only DVDs I've been double-dipped on are Evil Dead 2 (gave the old copy to my friend, but kept the old cover art) and the upcoming re-release of Escape From NY. Considered a few others, but thought better of it.

How about the reverse - I've been holding out for years on Blade Runner for a better edition. Apparently the rights are all tangled up and a new release is very unlikely. But still I wait...

[rolisme]

Some re-releases are justified. Take T2 for instance. The first disc was terrible and an early release on DVD. They then took that movie, cleaned it up, offered quite a good selection of extras, three versions of the movie, improved the sound greatly and called it the Ultimate Edition. The next released offer the best feature I have seen, a full 1080P version of the movie on the second disc *drool*. You cannot ask for a better looking movie on DVD. It is worth buying the DVD just for that version of the movie, provided you have the equipment to display 1080P in all of its glory. I believe this is the only DVD you can buy which shows 1080P without having to have a video scaler to upconvert movies to that resolution. Of course it isn't worth it to buy if you don't have a home theater PC and a very nice HD TV, unless you are like me and love that awsome looking metal cover. ;)

[gavv]

Now they dont even give you the whole movie in theaters anymore. For example, take Christopher Lee's scenes in the final LOTR movie. There was a big 'scandal' that the final cut of the movie removed a LOT of Christopher Lee's figthing scenes or something . Sort of makes you wonder , since the so-called scandal got so much publicity , if they deliberately cut it out so people will eagerly buy the Special Edition with all of Christopher Lee's restored scenes


at least in this one case, i'll believe in what the artist (Jackson) says, in cutting RotK scenes, if indeed the final theatrical cut is some 3hrs 15min already, that it was just for time and not deliberate for the dvd's sake. I mean honestly, how many more copies would they think they'd sell considering how many people are/were buying them anyway ^^

gavv

[Qill2]

3 hours and 15 minutes is how long it is in the theaters now? I guess I was wrong then.

[WorknMan]

Some re-releases are justified. Take T2 for instance. The first disc was terrible and an early release on DVD.

I'm sorry, but the only reason I could see that a re-release might be justified is if there was some sort of lost footage uncovered that wasn't available when the original was released. If the studios messes it up the first time, that is their fault. Barring the above senario, the only acceptable method of releasing the same movie in the future is if they put a notice on the cover of the original that there will be another re-release in the future. Just because they announce that there will be two versions of the movie released doesn't mean Joe Sixpack is going to know about it when he sees the movie at Best Buy, and some of us have better things to do with our time than to try and track what versions of which movie the studios will release.

Just say NO to DVD until they stop this madness. Lest you like taking it up the a** ... might as well have some vasoline handy the next time you decide to pony up twice for the same movie.

[PongHit]

The subject for this thread should include "OT."

-PongHit

[Shane R. Monroe]

Don't be fooled people ... re-releases is all about MONEY. But not in the obvious way. I'm no supporter of big business (as you all know) but most people don't know what goes on behind the scenes here) ...

Let's look at the 'two fer" DVD releases. This means:

1) The DVD was initially mastered like crap, spooled straight from the LD, no extras (maybe a crappy trailer), no DTS.
2) The company didn't have the money to really do anything more at the time - namely to secure the extras, spend the time and money on a DVD-9, etc.

So we get the 'initial release'.

In about a year, the company has made some money on DVD. The higher ups flag more budget, now with some cash and a proven selling title under their belt, the make an SE. 16x9, DTS, some nice licensed Criterion extras maybe.

Now we have the SE release too. And we bitch a little, but we suck it up on movies we REALLY like.

Then comes Superbit. This came along because of people like Bryan over here - "I don't care about extras .. I just want the best sound I can get". When people bitch out loud like that, SOMEONE will come along and offer it up. Hence Superbit was born. I promise you that Superbit titles are chosen based on TWO things - the cost to the rights (which is why you have essential bombs like PANIC ROOM getting a superbit release) and the success of the title (or projected success). Both of these keep Superbit releases from happening in time with ordinary releases (what studio will sell out Superbit if its going to directly compete with their own release, right?)

So now we have THREE releases of the title. The original release probably went OOP by this point, so TECHNICALLY we have 2 releases on the shelf.

Then we look at some other interesting conccepts: rights reversal.

Rights to films are traded like Magic cards. Esp. smaller companies. Sometimes big companies like Universal F'up and sign away rights early, then pay for it later (this is why we waited for BTTF for so long - waiting for the rights to revert back). I'm relatively sure this is what happened with Evil Dead.

The company that CURRENTLY owns the "disc" rights (which apparently not only ended up covering LD, but suddenly DVD as well - which pissed off the original companies) shovel out a DVD as fast as they can (with the version THEY have) so they can make money on the license. Maybe even get an SE out a year later before the rights revert back. Then the licensee gets back the movie, and releases one - maybe two - versions of their own. Finally, the movie makes so much money, that they decide to dig deeper in the vaults, get some cels and make COLLECTOR PACKS. So now we're up to 6 releases of the film, and EVERYONE is pissed.

The responsible companies release their information (I knew about Alien Quadology like 2 years ago; in fact, I know about almost ALL the coming SE/remaster/CE stuff, because I pay attention and follow the news - and I make my purchases accordingly - I, too, do not own Bladerunner or Batman - because I know SEs are coming and I can wait) at the time they know and if you follow the trades, you'll know about it. If you play stupid joe consumer, you won't know, and be pissed when your bare-bones edition gets trumped. Its like anything else consumer-oriented.

So, how have I done it? Have I double dipped? Duh. I'm a movie lover. I only own ONE superbit (as a double dip) and that is Labyrinth (because I'm a slut for the film; and now there is a CE coming out too - which is the same release with some extras like a cel, collectible crap, etc) - and I had to keep both releases because I love the extras on the DVD edition. I knew about the SE of T2 ahead of time, so I didn't buy the original release - but I DID upgrade to the Extreme.

My conditions for double dipping are (no particular order):

- OAR or a complete digital restoration of the original. I RARELY buy P&S movies anyway - but if its a total fav, I'll suck it up and get it - unless I know for sure there is a WS coming or I simply refuse to ruin the experience (like Wonka FS; I held up and it worked)
- DTS ... I'm a sound whore now, and DTS spoils my ass. I won't rebuy JUST for DTS, but if there is another reason, this is the sealer.
- Barebones2Extras. If the original release was totally barebones, and the new is SE with the sort of extras I want (Bloopers, B roll stuff, etc) and the cost isn't prohibitive, I'll pick it up.

Its a case by case basis most of the time.

Of course, there are ALWAYS cases of PURE EXTORTION that piss me off - fortunately, the extortion doesn't usually cheat me out of much.

A good example is THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. Full featured SE is released - then ANOTHER version is release with MORE extras and crap. No improvement to the picture, sound, etc. This is basically for people that never bought it before. Did I grumble? Yeah. But did I buy? No.

More and more companies are starting to announce (more so if you know where to look) their plans ahead of time. Anchor Bay, for example, raced a copy of THREE'S COMPANY Season 1 to honor John Ritter - but made it quite plain that an SE would come in the spring. For $13, I bought the initial release, knowing that an SE was coming. If the discs don't sell well, maybe the SE will never come, and I got the goods for $13 ... I'm ok with that.

Point is ... dumb ass no-caring average consumer will easily get taken with DVD (as Bill says, its the company's right to make money on stupid people ... Maybe that was Bryan ... same idea tho) multi-releases. If you take some time, do some research, you'll get burned a LOT LESS (but it will still occassionally happen, unfortunately).

So ... will I fold and get Labyrinth CE? If it has the exact same extras as my original disc, probably - then sell the original. I can handle 2 copies on my shelf - I can't do three.

[Bryan 'KidHype' Smith]

Just say NO to DVD ...thats a funny one.

How about, don't keep buying the same movie over and over again and maybe they'll cut this shit out?

I am not a big extras whore (I do love deleted scenes and additonal footage) but commentaries, boring ass interviews and making of's, i don't need. So i honestly don't care when they re-release the super ultimate criterion double dip remix dvd versions of most of these films since my eyes cant tell the difference from the last version and as long as the first version was 5.1 or DTS, theres nothing new you can shove down my throat and make me re-buy the dvd again. Plus, the originals are worth more money when they do crap like that (kthxIowntheoriginalreleaseofWillyWonka).

[WorknMan]

Point is ... dumb ass no-caring average consumer will easily get taken with DVD (as Bill says, its the company's right to make money on stupid people ... Maybe that was Bryan ... same idea tho) multi-releases. If you take some time, do some research, you'll get burned a LOT LESS (but it will still occassionally happen, unfortunately).

Personally, if I'm in the market to buy a movie, I don't really have the time nor the desire to try and figure out if the company plans to re-release the same damn movie in a year or two. If it's not on the box of the movie I'm buying "Hey, there's gonna be a special edition for this in a year", it's dishonest as far as I'm concerned.
And if they end up re-releasing something when they originally hadn't planned to, then I would expect they would offer a fat rebate for people who were ripped off buying the original.

[crcasey]

My conditions for double dipping are (no particular order):

- OAR or a complete digital restoration of the original. I RARELY buy P&S movies anyway - but if its a total fav, I'll suck it up and get it - unless I know for sure there is a WS coming or I simply refuse to ruin the experience (like Wonka FS; I held up and it worked)
- DTS ... I'm a sound whore now, and DTS spoils my ass. I won't rebuy JUST for DTS, but if there is another reason, this is the sealer.
- Barebones2Extras. If the original release was totally barebones, and the new is SE with the sort of extras I want (Bloopers, B roll stuff, etc) and the cost isn't prohibitive, I'll pick it up.

Well I recently upgraded my stereo system from an old 2.1 to a new DTS 6.1 system. With that update I traded from the old RCA's to S/PDIF. I was a happy camper, all my music and movies sounded GREAT. But then I played one of my movies that had DTS, holy sonic shazzam Batman!

What a difference! I agree with Shane, I am a full on sound whore now also. DTS realy gives those 24Bit/96Khz DAC's a workout. I am even considering updating some of my old favorite CD's to the DTS/DVD audio additions. Has any one tried these? Are the re-masters to DTS as big a jump as 5.1 to DTS? I am curious, maybe this could be the thing that saves the recording business. Put the stereo version out for ITunes and put the DTS versions on the music store shelves. As allways, tell me where I am off base.

[Shane R. Monroe]

Its important to remember that DTS doesn't mean BETTER SOUND necessarily. It simply means a HIGHER BITRATE of encoding. If the mix is crappy to begin with, then DTS won't help it at all.

However, if the 5.1 is excellent, then the DTS can improve the QUALITY.

In the old days, if a film was DTS, it was because it made total use of it and its quality. Now .. a crappy mix can be DTS, and STILL sound crappy.

Now that you have the equipment - check out some of my favorite audio flicks ....

- Pearl Harbor (damn near reference sound)
- Episode 1 (turn the TV off ... just enjoy the sound)
- Matrix
- Twister (jesus, its like you're there)
- Star Trek Nemesis
- Blade 2
- Reign of Fire
- Pirates of the Carribean
- Mask of Zorro (SE)
- Jurrassic Park 3 DTS

There are more .. those are off the top of my head.



My conditions for double dipping are (no particular order):

- OAR or a complete digital restoration of the original. I RARELY buy P&S movies anyway - but if its a total fav, I'll suck it up and get it - unless I know for sure there is a WS coming or I simply refuse to ruin the experience (like Wonka FS; I held up and it worked)
- DTS ... I'm a sound whore now, and DTS spoils my ass. I won't rebuy JUST for DTS, but if there is another reason, this is the sealer.
- Barebones2Extras. If the original release was totally barebones, and the new is SE with the sort of extras I want (Bloopers, B roll stuff, etc) and the cost isn't prohibitive, I'll pick it up.

Well I recently upgraded my stereo system from an old 2.1 to a new DTS 6.1 system. With that update I traded from the old RCA's to S/PDIF. I was a happy camper, all my music and movies sounded GREAT. But then I played one of my movies that had DTS, holy sonic shazzam Batman!

What a difference! I agree with Shane, I am a full on sound whore now also. DTS realy gives those 24Bit/96Khz DAC's a workout. I am even considering updating some of my old favorite CD's to the DTS/DVD audio additions. Has any one tried these? Are the re-masters to DTS as big a jump as 5.1 to DTS? I am curious, maybe this could be the thing that saves the recording business. Put the stereo version out for ITunes and put the DTS versions on the music store shelves. As allways, tell me where I am off base.

[Bill_Loguidice]

I think the most double-dipped DVD award has to go to Army of Darkness. These are just the region 1 versions of it:

-- Army of Darkness - 95 Minute Director's Cut - Limited Edition
-- Army of Darkness - 81 Minute U.S. Theatrical Version
-- Army of Darkness - 81 Minute U.S. Theatrical Version - Remastered
-- Army of Darkness - Limited Edition
-- Bruce Campbell vs. Army of Darkness - Bootleg Edition
-- Bruce Campbell vs. Army of Darkness - Boomstick Edition



Since I've had a DVD player since 1997, I've had the displeasure of buying several first generation DVD's, so I'm the king of getting screwed when a new, better version comes out, considering most of the 1997 - 98 releases were crap, with little or no special features and poor transfers.

I agree that Army of Darkness takes the prize though. I got rid of one version with the theatrical ending version (which I liked) and got the Bruce Campbell vs. Army of Darkness - Bootleg Edition, which only had the non-theatrical ending. I gave up on upgrading to any of the other various versions when on two separate store visits I saw DIFFERENT Army of Darkness versions each time I went. I'm sure your list is complete, but I wouldn't be surprised if there weren't more out there or in the works. The Evil Dead films (the two prior ones) also have received similar treatment if I recall. Talk about milking a cult film's audience for all they're worth...

[Shane R. Monroe]

Reanimator is another one. There are at LEAST 3 (I think 4) versions of it. I waited around to get an UNRATED version, which was the one BEFORE the current one - but by then, I knew the MILLENIUM edition was coming, so I waited. It was worth it.

Now ... I just need the unrated, WS edition of WAXWORK and I can be happy.

[Demolition Man]

Now that you have the equipment - check out some of my favorite audio flicks ....

- Pearl Harbor (damn near reference sound)
- Episode 1 (turn the TV off ... just enjoy the sound)
- Matrix
- Twister (jesus, its like you're there)
- Star Trek Nemesis
- Blade 2
- Reign of Fire
- Pirates of the Carribean
- Mask of Zorro (SE)
- Jurrassic Park 3 DTS


Here's a few more that make excellent demos:

- Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring Extended (DTS)
- Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers Extended (DTS)
- The Lion King (Dolby 5.1, Original Version w/ New 5.1 mix)
- Independence Day
- The Fugitive (namely the train crash scene)
- Pink Floyd: The Wall (very nice DVD with a nice audio commentary, the deleted "Hey You" sequence, nice making-of stuff, and the original trailer.. and the 5.1 mix is very nice too)

Hope this helps....

[Fractalus!]

Anchor Bay, for example, raced a copy of THREE'S COMPANY Season 1 to honor John Ritter - but made it quite plain that an SE would come in the spring. For $13, I bought the initial release, knowing that an SE was coming.

Season 1 SE? Are you sure about that? I thought they reserved the good stuff for the season 2 set.

"... due to John Ritter's tragic and unexpected death, planned supplements for this release were unable to be recorded. Look instead for extensive supplements to be included on the Three's Company: Season 2 - Special Edition release that Anchor Bay has tentatively planned for early 2004."

[Shane R. Monroe]

My information COULD be out of date... but I thought that's what I heard.

S2 SE makes MORE sense, but then ... when do they do stuff that makes sense?

Heh..



Anchor Bay, for example, raced a copy of THREE'S COMPANY Season 1 to honor John Ritter - but made it quite plain that an SE would come in the spring. For $13, I bought the initial release, knowing that an SE was coming.

Season 1 SE? Are you sure about that? I thought they reserved the good stuff for the season 2 set.

"... due to John Ritter's tragic and unexpected death, planned supplements for this release were unable to be recorded. Look instead for extensive supplements to be included on the Three's Company: Season 2 - Special Edition release that Anchor Bay has tentatively planned for early 2004."

[Demolition Man]

What a difference! I agree with Shane, I am a full on sound whore now also. DTS realy gives those 24Bit/96Khz DAC's a workout. I am even considering updating some of my old favorite CD's to the DTS/DVD audio additions. Has any one tried these? Are the re-masters to DTS as big a jump as 5.1 to DTS? I am curious, maybe this could be the thing that saves the recording business. Put the stereo version out for ITunes and put the DTS versions on the music store shelves. As allways, tell me where I am off base.

Bad news is that the DTS CD format didn't really last long, and at most its being used for these days is Quad LP to DTS CD rips and such. There are a few official DTS CDs floating around but the major studios are now re-releasing these titles either on DVD-Audio or Super Audio CD (aka SACD). I will comment that I do own a few DTS CDs and the sound quality is pretty much CD level (44.1 hrz) with 5.1 sound instead of 2 channel stereo. It does sound pretty good for the technology but compared to either DVD-A or SACD its not as good.

Now between DVD-A and SACD my personal preference is SACD namely because:

A) SACD has the capability already of being able to have a disc that has BOTH a standard CD along with the SACD version on the same disc. The new Rolling Stones remasters (along with "Hot Licks") along with the 30th Anniversary of Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side Of The Moon" to newer stuff from Three Doors Down, Sting, and Shania Twain have versions available that are CD/SACD hybrids.

B) The SACD layer on the disc is capable of having both a 2 channel stereo and a 5.1 mix on it. Also SACD is 24-bit sound at a very high range (forgot where its at off hand). Trust me, you will notice the difference compared to the CD format we have been used to. Imagine the analog warmth from vinyl records meeting the clarity of CD then add in the fact that its got the largest amount of range... yeah, its great.

Now on the downside there are no DVD-ROM drives that can read a SACD disc, and you need to have a player that is SACD compliant. Thankfully Pioneer has a VERY good player out on the market for $170 that can also play DVD-Audio too. In my opinion its the best under $200 player on the market, it does nearly EVERYTHING (no WMA playback, and nobody has figured out how to region hack it but I suspect someone will eventually).

Now as far as DVD-Audio, its biggest benefit is that its aimed more towards the folks who prefer the DVD format. It can be played in ANY DVD player since in order to be a qualified DVD it has to have at least a Dolby Digital or PCM track on it. Plus like SACD, the DVD-A layer (which is using MLP, or Median Lossless Packet if I recall right) is 24-bit, but the hertz range varies depending on what the disc is encoded at. No matter what it is however the difference is noticeable. Also with DVD-A many discs also come with bonus material that DVD users are used to. Many discs have stuff like the lyrics on the disc, music videos, and such. I have seen at least one disc offering an audio commentary track from the band, but that's a rare (think it was a Fleetwood Mac one but not sure).

The bad news is at this point of time there is no compatability with CD players, and its overall range is a bit lower than SACD but the difference between the two is not that great to get worried about.

Also for the record most DTS tracks on DVD are 16-bit/48hrz, unless its DTS-ES which is 24-bit/96hrz but your reciever must be DTS-ES compliant otherwise it just downcoverts to 16-bit/48hrz.

Hopefully this information helps out. :)

[Demolition Man]

A good example is THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. Full featured SE is released - then ANOTHER version is release with MORE extras and crap. No improvement to the picture, sound, etc. This is basically for people that never bought it before. Did I grumble? Yeah. But did I buy? No.

Actually Shane, the new "Something About Mary" reissue has a new 16:9 enhanced transfer while the original did not. Also the new reissue has both the original version and a new extended cut of the film you can select from on the menu (the new stuff is added in via seamless branching). I used to own the original until the new one came out, but honestly I only payed a whole dollar for the original so I wasn't out of very much when the new edition came out. Is it worth the money for those few things... well, if you care about having a 16:9 transfer then yeah it is. Otherwise its all up to you.

[Shane R. Monroe]

I may have to check it out then ... I have no real use for 16x9 Anamorphic at this time - but someday will.

Thanks for the heads up.



A good example is THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. Full featured SE is released - then ANOTHER version is release with MORE extras and crap. No improvement to the picture, sound, etc. This is basically for people that never bought it before. Did I grumble? Yeah. But did I buy? No.

Actually Shane, the new "Something About Mary" reissue has a new 16:9 enhanced transfer while the original did not. Also the new reissue has both the original version and a new extended cut of the film you can select from on the menu (the new stuff is added in via seamless branching). I used to own the original until the new one came out, but honestly I only payed a whole dollar for the original so I wasn't out of very much when the new edition came out. Is it worth the money for those few things... well, if you care about having a 16:9 transfer then yeah it is. Otherwise its all up to you.

[Demolition Man]

I may have to check it out then ... I have no real use for 16x9 Anamorphic at this time - but someday will.

Thanks for the heads up.

Shane, didn't you say you own a Sony VVega TV? If so then you should have a 16:9 enhance mode on it so you can play 16:9 enhanced DVDs on it and get the benefit of the increased resolution. My 27 inch model does and let me tell you the difference is noticeable - the detail is much cleaner and more vivid, its night and day compared to 4:3.

Check in your setup menus on the TV, it should be in there somewhere.

[Shane R. Monroe]

I can, but I have to go through a bunch of crap to turn it on and off ... not only reset my DVD player, but also my TV (the remotes don't have "16x9 On/Off" buttons).

And the first time I left it in that mode, my wife would beat my ass, because she wouldn't be able to change it back.

Sooo... Until I have the equipment (like a WS TV) that will compensate for different signals, its just not really a realistic feature for me.

But you're right, the quality IS better.



I may have to check it out then ... I have no real use for 16x9 Anamorphic at this time - but someday will.

Thanks for the heads up.

Shane, didn't you say you own a Sony VVega TV? If so then you should have a 16:9 enhance mode on it so you can play 16:9 enhanced DVDs on it and get the benefit of the increased resolution. My 27 inch model does and let me tell you the difference is noticeable - the detail is much cleaner and more vivid, its night and day compared to 4:3.

Check in your setup menus on the TV, it should be in there somewhere.

[Demolition Man]

I can, but I have to go through a bunch of crap to turn it on and off ... not only reset my DVD player, but also my TV (the remotes don't have "16x9 On/Off" buttons).

And the first time I left it in that mode, my wife would beat my ass, because she wouldn't be able to change it back.

Sooo... Until I have the equipment (like a WS TV) that will compensate for different signals, its just not really a realistic feature for me.

But you're right, the quality IS better.

Strange you mention having to reset your DVD player - mine is set to 16:9 by default only because of my TV's 16:9 enhance mode. If it wasn't for that however then 4:3 Letterbox would be its default (obviously you know damn well by now my feelings on Piss'N'Shit anything).

Also, have you tried turning the TV off with it set to 16:9? On my set it turns off the mode and goes back to 4:3 upon turning the TV back on. Then again, your VVega might be different than mine.

(Turns on the "Generation Gimmie" button found on the back of his head)

Personally I wish Sony would of put a nice 4:3/16:9 button on the remote much like the JVC models that have the feature. Not only does it make it easier to use the feature but for you makes it more useful too.

(Turns off the "Generation Gimmie" button found on the back of his head)

[WorknMan]

Shane,

Where did you get your info about Threes Company Season 1 SE? Would be interesting to see if they would include the first two pilots that had different actresses in them .

[Tornado_of_Souls]

Three's Company Season 1 is not a special edition, simply the first six episodes on a single disc. It was originally scheduled to come out in early 2004, however with the death of John Ritter they kicked it out the door to milk that hype as much as possible.

The Three's Company season 2 disc will be the true SE. It is scheduled for release in early 2004 and is going to include a full-blown tribute to John Ritter as well as a few other special features.

[Qill2]

And fans unwittingly contribute to the master SE DVD advertising plan:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Movies/12/17/film.rings.saruman.ap/index.html


"It would have been nice to see Saruman dealt with, wouldn't it," McKellen said. "He hasn't told me there was a problem. I can't imagine that a man who has made as many movies as Christopher is surprised that sometimes what you've shot doesn't make it into the final movie.

"At least it is not lost," McKellen added, smiling. "It will be there on the DVD, and people will be able to say to Peter, 'You should have put it into the movie!' "

[Spin]

Need some help here:
I was finishing my Christmas purchases (Yeah like yours is done either)
and I saw Wille Wonka widescreen 2001 Is this the lates and greatest?
Thought there may be a special edition.
I also heard of a remake in the works thus is there any chance this would be a poor purchase at this time?

I know you have chattered about this but would like a quick hand. My searches on the net we not very helpful.

Spin

[Shane R. Monroe]

There is a 25th (or is it 20th) anniversary Widescreen edition. That's the current one.

The remake might be good in its own right, but you can't go wrong with the original.


Need some help here:
I was finishing my Christmas purchases (Yeah like yours is done either)
and I saw Wille Wonka widescreen 2001 Is this the lates and greatest?
Thought there may be a special edition.
I also heard of a remake in the works thus is there any chance this would be a poor purchase at this time?

I know you have chattered about this but would like a quick hand. My searches on the net we not very helpful.

Spin

[blacklily8]

Heheh, I enjoyed reading all of the talk here about the double dipped DVDs. I just got a DVD a few weeks ago (my fiance actually won it at a raffle), so I'm just now getting into DVDs. I'm a big movie buff, so, of course, and don't appreciate P&S, etc.

The first DVD I watched was an old gift from an ex who didn't know I didn't have a DVD player. It was Monty Python and the Holy Grail. No special features; I guess this was a barebones. I liked the quality, but felt something was missing; I mean, this wasn't that much better than a VHS tape. I'm like, what's the deal?

I went out to Target's DVD bargain bin and found the original Batman movie (with Adam West). Right away I saw a huge difference. There was a cool animated intro screen, sound effects, and so on. The movie looked bright and powerful on the screen, and I enjoyed watching the interviews with Adam West and Burt Ward. My favorite of all, though, was the Commentary. I guess you guys would probably describe me as a "Commentary whore." The commentary for Batman, done by Adam West and Burt Ward, breathed new life into the film. I know I'll never watch a Batman TV show the same way again.

Piqued by the quality of this commentary, I went in pursuit of other DVDs that had it. I found a Criterion edition of Seven Samurai. Whoa. Totally changes the movie--the commentator (a Japanese film expert) tells you everything that the average Westerner wouldn't know, and points out all of the significant shots and moments that just blew past me the first time. I emerged with all new appreciation of one of my favorite films!

I also found a commentary version of another of my favorites, Logan's Run. This one has commentary from the director, Michael York, and the custume guy. At first I thought, COSTUME GUY? You're kidding, right? Actually, this guy turned out to be the most fun of all; he was able to provide insight and inside info that was simply invaluable to a true Logan's Run buff.

I like the multiple versions of DVDs out there because I feel they each fill a significant niche. I doubt the majority of people would sit through the Logan's Run or Seven Samarai commentary, even though it's excellent. They would just find it boring, just as they would any literary treatment or sustained professional dialogue. That's fine with me, because the thrill of the movie was never intended to be "commentary," but the movie itself! I have no problem with people paying $3 less for a non-commented version; hell, they can even throw in stuff on that cheap version that I don't care about, such as bloopers or film stills.

My ideal DVD release is the uncircumcised Director's version in the correct ratio with awesome commentary. Ideally, I'd have a film expert (preferably someone who has written extensively on the film or the genre), someone from the film (director, perhaps, or script writer, etc), and some arbitrary third choice that could help merge the thoughts of these two men together by asking questions, etc. In other words, a guy who would represent the average film fan (someone like me, for instance), who has seen the film a bunch of times; not an expert or someone involved with the film.

[Bill_Loguidice]

The first DVD I watched was an old gift from an ex who didn't know I didn't have a DVD player. It was Monty Python and the Holy Grail. No special features; I guess this was a barebones. I liked the quality, but felt something was missing; I mean, this wasn't that much better than a VHS tape. I'm like, what's the deal?

I actually was given the special edition of Monty Python and the Holy Grail for my birthday last October. The version you have is the crappy one prior. This newer version has all kinds of extras and is fairly pricey as far as DVD's go. Welcome to the world of DVD's and having to be careful that you're buying the "right" version. It's worth it though. I was an early DVD adopter, getting it back in 1997 not too long after they debuted, and I haven't bought a VHS tape since (and in fact was very fussy watching VHS tapes until my whole family finally got on the DVD bandwagon, so to speak - it's amazing, but now it's RARE to not have households with at LEAST two DVD-playing devices - the technology had an AMAZING adoption rate). Personally, I'm in it for the picture and sound quality first, commentaries second and special features third.

[WorknMan]

I like the multiple versions of DVDs out there because I feel they each fill a significant niche. I doubt the majority of people would sit through the Logan's Run or Seven Samarai commentary, even though it's excellent ... I have no problem with people paying $3 less for a non-commented version; hell, they can even throw in stuff on that cheap version that I don't care about, such as bloopers or film stills.

There is a huge difference between releasing mutiple versions of the same movie for different markets and releasing a barebones version of the movie while purposely holding on to the special edition, knowing full well that many of the lemmings who bought the first movie will buy it again when the special edition is released 3 months later.

[Spin]

So, how have I done it? Have I double dipped? Duh. I'm a movie lover. I only own ONE superbit (as a double dip) and that is Labyrinth (because I'm a slut for the film; and now there is a CE coming out too - which is the same release with some extras like a cel, collectible crap, etc) - and I had to keep both releases because I love the extras on the DVD edition.

Shane I just looked over the DVD deluxe (or whatever it is called) release of Labyrinth 44.95 Hey is it worth it?
I have the plain jane version and was hoping for more.
But 45 bucks it would really have to be worth it.
What’s your take?

Spin

[Shane R. Monroe]

So, how have I done it? Have I double dipped? Duh. I'm a movie lover. I only own ONE superbit (as a double dip) and that is Labyrinth (because I'm a slut for the film; and now there is a CE coming out too - which is the same release with some extras like a cel, collectible crap, etc) - and I had to keep both releases because I love the extras on the DVD edition.

Shane I just looked over the DVD deluxe (or whatever it is called) release of Labyrinth 44.95 Hey is it worth it?
I have the plain jane version and was hoping for more.
But 45 bucks it would really have to be worth it.
What’s your take?

Spin

As I understand it, this is the EXACT same version as what you have, with some collectibles packed in. I'll look at them closer next time I'm at the store.

I bought the superbit because I love the soundtrack and the sound quality is noticably better on my system.

[Spin]

HELP WITH WONKA

Charlie and the chocolate factory
Well I was waiting to see if a better version would come out with the pending remake.
So tell me the facts.
I went to the store and found 2 versions.
Both claimed to be “Special editions”
One was in the hard clamshell and the other in a crap cardboard one.
The cardboard version was produced in 2005 the other 2001 (I think)
Could not see a difference perhaps someone can help.

Thanks
Spin

[Demolition Man]

They are both the same. Warner just "re-released" the same edition, now just in a hard case instead of that crappy snapper. Plus the new "re-release" is WS only, no P&S version in the hard case. :D

[Shane R. Monroe]

Yeah, you want the anniversary widescreen edition.

The first release was a 'flipper' and non-anamorphic as I recall.

Wonka widescreen was one of the FIRST petition driven widescreen movies to get released based on people bitching. The anniversary edition was supposed to be P&S only. We rioted.

[Shane R. Monroe]

As I understand it, this is the EXACT same version as what you have, with some collectibles packed in. I'll look at them closer next time I'm at the store.

I bought the superbit because I love the soundtrack and the sound quality is noticably better on my system.

I bought Labyrinth again .. bastards ... the pack in stuff is really neat from a collector point of view. The physical disc contents appear to me to be the same.

[davykelly]

At last...Blade Runner gets a decent release on DVD

http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/blade-runner-the-final-cut.html

I'm not one to double-dip but I'm up for this...

[sio]

At last...Blade Runner gets a decent release on DVD

http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/blade-runner-the-final-cut.html

I'm not one to double-dip but I'm up for this...


I've got this on preorder. I can't wait to see the "Happy Ending" version again.