Blockbuster again bullying the DVD industry-this time about menus (1 Viewer)

[Travis_W]

From Davis DVD:

In the midst of the discussion, Prior, who is currently finishing up work on Columbia's Panic Room two-disc special edition, said that the Blockbuster chain has apparently demanded that menu pages on the multi-disc set shouldn't point to bonus features that are on the disc. That way, Prior suspects, Blockbuster has the option of renting each disc separately. If this is indeed the case, the panel speculated that Blockbuster may begin demands such as this on a title-by-title basis. (thanks to Troy for the news)

I think this is more so Blockbuster doesn't have to include the second disc or perhaps even charge more for it. Who knows, whatever the true reason Blockbuster needs to stop bullying the home video buisness, it's not like they're the ones making the movies, they should just shut up and do their thing. At least Blockbuster finally offers widescreen though-I will give them that.

 

[David Lambert]

I think the original article at Video Business described this better:

 

[Tony-B]

:rolleyes

All Blockbuster is concerned about is their business. They must realize that DVD is not their format, and they can't be in control of it! Same goes for Wal-Mart.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Amazing thing is, guys, that all these stores
have managed to influence the industry.

Look what happened when stores like Walmart
threatened to stop carrying widescreen DVD titles.

 

[Jeff D Han]

If Blockbuster's intention is to rent a 2 disc set
in seperate cases and charge more money for one
special edition, they are just doing it for a
money grab. Some of us DVD collectors base their purchases
through renting to see if we like the film and features.
If rental stores are going to start taking more money
and become user-unfriendly, we might as well start
blind-buying and not give our money to them. What will
these stores do when they want to sell these 2 disc sets
as previously viewed? Will they sell these in seperate
cases and throw out the original packaging?

 

[Bill J]

I can't imagine that the average Blockbuster customer would be willing to spend extra money for a bonus features disc. I also don't see how the extra money could be worth the hassle this would create.

 

[David Lambert]

As respectful as I am of Mr. Prior's ideas on BBV's motivations for this instruction, I think there's a different reason that we might want to consider.

BBV is concerned about renting out multi-disc sets and not getting both discs back. It's difficult in a mass-market retailer (or rentailer) environment to hire a staff at near-minimum-wage prices that is also responsible enough to make sure that everything came back the way it should.

BBV surely realizes (I hope!) that the average consumer isn't going to essentially pay twice the rental fee just to get the supplement disc for Daredevil. Especially when they can own it for $10-$15 at places like Target, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy.

Surely BBV also realizes that in situations like Gangs of New York, folks are going to yell and scream when they get the first disc home (the only one they think they'll need), and then find out they need a second disc...at the stadard rental fee, of course.

No, a possible motivation is that they just don't want to have to keep up with the 2nd disc at all, rental-wise, but they don't want customers coming in and complaining that they KNOW that BBV should have provided a second disc for the rental of this title, because the menu of the first disc refers to it.

 

[RickER]

I have not walked into a Blockbuster in 15 years...ever since they tried to get 95 bucks from me on a unreturned tape. I HAD returned it. Thank God it was a title they only had one copy of...it was on the shelf. I asked how do i prove it if it had been a 100 count new title. They didn't have an answer, but they sure were willing to burn me for something that was THEIR fault. I know this isn't the point of the thread...but Blockbuster just seemed to forget about the little guy a long time ago...Anyway, sorry to go off topic, i just wanted to Blockbuster BASH. I always buy...never rent, and if its a title i don't like...i sell it on the used market.

 

[Travis_W]

Look what happened when stores like Walmart
threatened to stop carrying widescreen DVD titles.

So that's where it began. I've always wondered what the official reason was for the sudden flood of fullscreen DVDs as I never though the customers would actually call the studios. It's all Wal-Mart as always.

 

[Dean Kousoulas]

Amazing thing is, guys, that all these stores
have managed to influence the industry.

Look what happened when stores like Walmart
threatened to stop carrying widescreen DVD titles.

Let's not forget Fox, which released fullscreen DVD's with their pitiful and depressing sticker "Formatted to fit YOUR screen. No black bars." Instead of educating, they tried to steer consumers away from widescreen.

As for Blockbuster, this is almost as funny as renting a new DVD on it's release date and finding scratches and fingerprints on it already. (It's happened with Jason X) I wonder if they will charge a double fee for renting out Gangs Of New York, since the movie is split between 2 discs.

Dean

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

DVD-18 would solve this problem.

Neil

 

[Dan Shogren]

Look what happened when stores like Walmart

Good old walmart. Destroying the world's entertainment one format at a time. First books, then magizines, now movies. Whats next, clothing and food products? Here at WAL MART we refuse to sell any nacho dip that does not feature a giant smiley face on it and it must contain enough booze to give you a hangover in seconds. Just so our stupid customers dont have to go to the bar, and our store. We'll be a one stop shopping center! BWAHHAHAMHAHA!

 

[Tony-B]

First books, then magizines, now movies

What about music?

 

[Jesse Skeen]

Yes, you forgot music- Wal-Mart won't carry any albums that have the Parental Advisory warnings on them (but they DO carry less harmful items like guns and cigarettes!), so the record labels put out edited versions to satisfy them.
I demand there be no more 2-disc sets on anything that could have used a DVD-18 instead. I also demand that movies start immediately when I hit the Play button on my machine, I don't want to see any stupid menus unless I hit the Menu button. I don't want any "bonus material" that I personally don't find interesting on any disc either. My demands should be as good as Wal-Mart's- have the people from the studios ever BEEN to their stores?? I went to one last week to buy some blank DVDs and it was a very surreal experience! Plus they do put out new discs before street date, which studios are supposed to get upset about.
Oh wait- this thread was about Blockbuster, right? I didn't know they were still around.

 

[Tony-B]

Wal-Mart won't carry any albums that have the Parental Advisory warnings on them!), so the record labels put out edited versions to satisfy them

Still, the basic lyrics are there!

Oh, and I also forgot to mention "M" rated video games.

 

[Malcolm R]

If the studios would grow a pair it would also solve the problem. The studios simply need to lay down the law that this is our product and we'll present it however we decide to present it. Home video is so popular that NO ONE, not even Wal-Mart, would suddenly remove all the movies from stores if they were in widescreen only, or Blockbuster if the 2-disc sets are linked by menus.

Where else are Wal-Mart and Blockbuster going to get movies if not from Hollywood? And if they don't carry what Hollywood is offering, then people can go to other places than Wal-Mart to buy DVD's and Blockbuster can simply go out of business.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

DVD-18 would solve this problem.

Ick. No thank you. I can't describe how much I HATE DVD-18s. They're ugly without the pretty picture, and while my eyesight is good enough at the moment to read the tiny lettering that indicates which side is which, give me a few years and there is no way I will be able to read it. Plus, if a person has a multiple disc player, they can put both discs in and not worry about getting up to flip the disc. And you just feel like DVD-18 require that much more care - I always feel afraid whenever I go to pick one up.

So no, I don't think DVD-18 would solve the problem. What would solve the problem would be for Blockbuster to issue both discs.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

Where else are Wal-Mart and Blockbuster going to get movies if not from Hollywood?

Bollywood?

 

[Brian Lawrence]

On the other hand I kind of like this idea. I personally find it very annoying when I click on the special features listing on the menu and then have to wait 10 seconds for a screen to come up, telling me that the special features are on the other disc.

I mean, if the theatrical trailer is on disc 2 then why the hell should the menu on disc 1 have a listing for it?

 

[Glenn Overholt]

I think that if I were a studio I'd run a special batch just for BB, and put half of the extra features on disk one, just so that the movie would be split onto both disks.

Of course, I'd never make up new labels, and BB would have to deal with all of the irate customers that brought it back saying that they didn't see all of the movie! BB would have to cough it up, but in the meantime any other rental outlets (that would have the whole movie on one and the extras on 2), might get more business.

Glenn