DVD Enthusiasts v DVD Snobs (1 Viewer)

[JohnTRU]

I had a conversation with a friend the other day about DVD enthusiasts and their comparison with dvd snobs. He seemed to think that you're one or the other, but never both. He firmly admitted to being a snob. Here's what we came up with;

DVD Snob:

Wants everything to do with the movie, and won't settle until they get it. Hypothetical snob conversation: "I want commentaries, one with the director (even if the director doesn't like doing them, hasn't done them before and has said they will never do them - eg. Spielberg) and another with the actors (even if they have nothing interesting to say at all, except to describe the action on screen - eg. Arnie). I want a flawless transfer, in its correct aspect ratio, anamorphic, and I won't settle until I get all three, and will complain until all three are acheived - and no, three separate releases to get them right won't do (although I will be in line to buy all three releases). With soundtracks - I want Dolby and DTS soundtracks. Any studio that doesn't remaster their soundtracks into these two formats is useless and I will boycott their product from now on. However, that being said, if the original, seventy-year-old mono track isn't included, then there's no sale. I want deleted scenes, and I want them all. Even if there's a selection of over an hour of cut footage, if the mythical, 10-second scene where such and such happens isn't included - then no sale! Isolated score would be nice, no cancel that, Isolated score is essential. With extended versions of the film - I know I've whinged for months on end about having an extended version with over an hour more inserted into the film, and now that you've given me what I was asking for, you better make sure the original version is there too, even though the extended version is better and I will never probably watch the original again. Oh, and double-dipping? Please make sure that if you, the studio, decides to re-release a package, you *must* include everything from the previous release, no matter how many discs the title spreads out to. I never know how many versions of the second theatrical trailer I need (you know, the one that only went for thirty seconds, and wasn't really a full trailer, rather a teaser trailer that didn't have anything to say about the film except "We're coming and you must buy a ticket", you know the one!). Oh, and finally - cover art. If it isn't some variation of the poor original poster for the film, then there's no sale.

DVD Enthusiast:

"Oh look, the special edition of Goodfellas is out. I might buy that, I've been looking forward to it for a while."

 

[Glenn Overholt]

I'm going to skip right through all of your items - but reading that was an eye-opener, and got me LOL a few times. At any rate, this DVD-snob you know, just how many DVD's does he own?

Glenn

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Customers who want something better are the only reason companies improve their products. Those of us who are picky are doing the rest of you a favor.

 

[Rich Romero]

This is true.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

I'm in the middle- I'm a snob because I want every movie properly presented (but that means multichannel sound for movies that were done with it, and mono sound for movies done that way) but can do without every bit of bonus footage that exists.

 

[Kai Zas]

Yup, same here. I barely have time to sit through all my movies, let alone watch the extras or listen to the commentaries. I'll settle for barebone editions if there's a better soundtrack or better transfer to be had. Heck, I even double dip for some superbits. I prefer extended cuts and director cuts, I almost never go to the theater, so I don't know what I'm (not) missing anyway. If there are a lot of negative reviews about the extended cut, I might settle for the theatrical release, but that has never happend. I do sometimes indulge myself with a giftset, however. I have this huge E.T. box set of which I've only seen the new edition, not the old cut. Didn't read the book. Same will happen with that nice Aladdin box that's on the way. I'm still wondering what I was thinking when I bought that Wickerman box, though.

 

[Tim_Stack]

I'm a snob in that I don't buy crappy flicks, in general - I hope for all the goodies, and will hold out for them if I have an idea it's coming. But as for the other stuff mentioned, I could care less. Trailers? Only interested in older ones I've never seen, like Star Wars.

 

[Brian L]

Definitely NOT a snob, although I will accept that the snobs do help all of us get better DVDs. Maybe an enthusiast, but even then, I rarely get militant about anything relating to DVDs.

But having dived in to the DVD pool early in '97, I have yet to watch one single DVD with the commentary track turned on, and there are perhaps 250 discs in the collection at present. And as for extras, of the few I have watched in their entirety, I have only watched them once. I think the best ones I have actually gone through were with one of the SW prequels, but I expect if/when I watch the bonus that came with the OT, that will change. But again, watch 'em once, game over for me.

I would be perfectly happy if I could always buy a bare bones, correct OAR, anamorphic transfer. If its got DTS, thats a bonus. But charge accordingly, i.e. cheap.

For the collectors, put out a super duper collectors set in a fancy box with all kinds of goodies. And charge accordingly for that too.

BGL

 

[Mark Lx]

You touched on one thing that always baffles me. If you get a director's cut with added footage and nothing taken out, in other words longer (I can list several examples), why would ever watch the theatrical version. Assuming you've already seen and loved that version, every other time you watch the film you want to see as much as possible. Some multi-version editions don't have as much added value as they propose, in my opinion.

 

[Brian L]

It would really depend on the film, would it not?

Sometimes, stuff left on the cutting room floor was put there for a reason, right?

Probably the best example I would give is Apocalypse Now. This is perhaps my favorite film of all time, but I really did not see that the added footage in Redux did anything but slow the film down (the Playboy Bunny scene where the crew parties with the bunnies after their chopper goes down in particular).

I am certainly not saying that directors cuts should not be available, but I do like when the option to play the theatrical or directors cut exists. Gives the user the choice.

BGL

 

[ZackR]

Exactly. More is definitely not always better!!

 

[Mark Oates]

I'd say you've touched a raw nerve more than anything, John. Personally I think there's a third category of DVD user - the DVD Junkie (whom I'll readily admit to being). The DVD Junkie will buy just about anything on DVD just to have that particular content on a shiny disc. He tries to con himself that he's a discerning buyer of discs but when you look at his collection there are all kinds of things on the shelf that nobody who's done a film appreciation course would own, most were pre-orders and if you press, he'll admit that he buys titles just for the comfort of having the title there to refer to any time he likes. The collection contains titles as diverse as Citizen Kane and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, and he'll admit he bought the Die Hard SE so he could put the bomb-down-the-elevator-shaft sequence through his HT setup in DTS.

DVD Junkie acquisitions fall into two categories - a good trip will have him making mellow noises about the quality of the transfer. A bad trip will see him obsessing about edge enhancement, modifications to the sound mix (which only he can hear) or pouting about the lack of an audio commentary.

You'll never hear a DVD Junkie thread-fart, but he can bore for his country on any subject within the topic of film and television production.

And he's completely in touch with his inner child - otherwise why did he buy the HR Pufnstuf set?

 

[JohnTRU]

About 100. He doesn't import from Region 1, and seems how Region 4 gets shafted out of material and quality for what seems like the majority of releases these days, he's stuck with the product put into stores down here.

 

[JoshuaB.]

As long as I get a reasonably good transfer and OAR, I'm usually content. I enjoy a good director and/or cast/crew commentary, deleted scenes, substantial documentary (not that EPK fluff), but I realize not every film I enjoy will be lavished with such attention. If there's a film I really like that gets a superb upgrade in the A/V areas, then I would seriously consider an upgrade. I have tastes that bounce all over the spectrum: foreign, cult, classic, TV, etc., so I guess I'm an amalgamation of DVD snob and enthusiast.

 

[Don Giro]

I fall into this category. I have Kane and Full Throttle. I pre-ordered Full Throttle sight unseen so I could have the "complete" Charlie's Angels remake "experience" on my shelves.

It's the extras that sucker me in. In the early days of DVD, the fact that a disc had an audio commentary would often seal the deal for me if I was "on the fence" about buying it. I have at least 500 commentaries I have yet to listen to, and I probably never will get around to listening to most of them, but I'm glad they're there.

I know how much space there is on a dual-layer DVD, and, by God, I want as much of that space filled up as possible. If there's any room left after what has been used up by stunning picture quality and sound, I want that remaining space filled with audio commentaries, docs, trailers and TV spots (NOT forced), EPKs, still galleries...anything to fill up all that extra space. If it pertains to the title in question and it fits on there, by all means, I want it on there..

 

[Robert Floto]

Get out of my head, Mark!! You're freaking me out!!

 

[TommyT]

I'd put myself somewhere between Snob & Enthusiast. I've got a collection of 114 titles & my rationale for buying them is to build a collection of films I'll watch until I'm too old to see or hear 'em. In the instance of Goodfellas, I put off buying it for yrs despite the fact that its one of my favorite films. When I started collecting 4 yrs ago, there was a surge of new titles & re-releases that were being produced with all kinds of extras. So I thought I'd wait & see if improved vers of titles I loved would be released. GoodFellas, Pulp Fiction, Trainspotting, Monty Python & the Holy Grail, Black Hawk Down, The English Patient are all examples.

 

[Kenneth]

I liked to think of myself as a moviephile before DVD and I hope that DVD has only made me more of one. I rarely replace discs except for favorites where the reissue improves the presentation or is a director's cut. The extras are nice but I won't buy or skip a disc because of the extras alone. I actually wish we could get even more movies onto DVD rather than so many rereleases of titles that are out. Although I know some are hung up due to rights I would love to see such classics as:

What's so bad about feeling good
The Naked Prey
Twilight's Last Gleaming
Laura

and others also

For me it is about the movies. As long as they are done reasonably well (I understand that not every film will get a pristine restoration) and there are not errors on the disc I am usually happy.

Kenneth

 

[MarcusUdeh]

I’m a snob, but only after joining the HTF!

 

[Dave_P.]