MGM -- quietly downgrading special editions

#61

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7/29/04 at 6:54pm

Eric F
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Wait a minute- isn't this against the law?

Classic bait and switch- they change the product but are misrepresenting it as the old one. Keeping the same UPC seems a very slimey thing to do on their part.

#62

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7/29/04 at 9:47pm

Zachary Cohen
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Unless the back of the box still has the special features listed and there's still a "special edition" banner on the new releases, no.

#63

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7/29/04 at 10:04pm

Dwayne
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Shortly before this thread was started, I purchased the scaled-down version of Jeepers Creepers and noticed the UPC not being switched. Being that I already had the SE of part 2, I was annoyed by the thought of them not "matching" (this hobby is a sickness).

Well, I now have the SE. And thanks to this thread, I went out and picked up the following tonight:

Bowling for Columbine SE
Platoon SE

And while I was at it, I picked up Warner's original edition of Amadeus for two features that the current edition lacks:

1. Theatrical Cut
2. Isolated Score

Still need to get Thelma and Louise.

Dwayne

#64

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7/30/04 at 11:06am

Paul.S
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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is another (recent) MGM SE. Hopefully, along with really popular titles like Terminator, they won't dicker with Ugly, Great Escape and Escape From New York so quickly after having just figured out how to do a good 2-disc SE . . .

-p

#65

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7/30/04 at 12:29pm

Marko Berg
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Thanks Paul, I had forgot about The Good, the Bad and the Ugly as well. I've added it to the list. I was actually under the impression this was an announced but not yet released title, but now I see it came out it May. I really need to start paying more attention to MGM SE releases because I don't want to miss out on the good releases.

#66

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8/1/04 at 12:33am

Eric_B_C
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I got screwed recently on "Bull Durham". Picked it up for $10. It has the two commentary tracks. That's it.

What's a REAL kick in the teeth is I've since found the PROPER special edition, complete with documentary etc... For LESS than I paid for the butchered disk.

Since I can't afford to start double dipping (not that I would even if I could, since that just encourages the money grubbing pigs to continue the practice) I'm stuck with the "not so special edition"...

Will keep a close eye on this in future. That's a really scummy tactic. And it should be illegal.

#67

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8/1/04 at 3:28am

Scott Weinberg
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I guess MGM's message to those of us who actually notice these new omissions is clear:

"Buy our SEs early, you fools!"

Tacky move on their part. Not cool.

#68

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8/1/04 at 4:40pm

Marc Fedderman
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I purchased the Valley Girl SE (along with The Sure Thing SE) a couple of weeks ago, when Best Buy offered it as part of a 3/$20 deal. All of the packages looked the same and the advertised version was the SE, so I assumed (the puerile connotation works here) I was buying the "right" one. I didn't realize that I had purchased the stripped down version until after I put it in the player. The indignation set in a few days later and I was determined to return it. I found two SEs mixed in with the other version (about a 4 or 5 to 1 ratio) and went to exchange it for my BB (bonus bereft, not Best Buy) edition. They gave me a bit of a hard time, but when I showed them that the UPCs were the same and explained what MGM was doing, they agreed to the trade. The special features are no great shakes, but I paid for them and I was entitled to them. I'll be sure to scrutinize my special edition purchases more carefully in the future. I plan to let MGM know of my dissatisfaction and encourage others to do the same. Any suggestions as to the most productive way to do this?

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#69

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8/1/04 at 5:15pm

Eric_B_C
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The problem is, for every person that does this, returns the disk, how many are getting screwed without even noticing? To be honest, the Bull Durham issue, I was assuming I'd bought an older version. It was only reading this thread that the penny dropped.

Very scummy as I said. Will watch VERY closely when I approach any Universal movine in future. May even quit buying them entirely. I got into DVD about a year before it really went mass market like it is now. I knew once it became mainstream bad things would happen, but really, this is beyond anything I expected.

#70

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8/1/04 at 11:43pm

Paul.S
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Quote:

Will watch VERY closely when I approach any Universal movine in future.

Well, U has it's issues, but we're talkin' MGM here . . .

-p

#71

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8/2/04 at 4:35am

Jon Hertzberg
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Don't know if this has been mentioned, but there is also a stripped-down version of Terminator floating around. Copies were mixed in with Terminator SEs at a recent HMV 2/$15 sale.

-Jon

#72

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8/2/04 at 8:28am

Paul.S
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Thx for the post, Jon H.

Ugh. So right on the heels of my saying that I hope they don't zap Terminator in my post #64, we now get word that they indeed have. I guess the "Retrospective" and "Other Voices" docus are gone. Where generally are you located, Jon? HMV is in the U.K., yes?

-p

#73

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8/4/04 at 7:30pm

Paul.S
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From a related kvetch file: The Bits posted artwork today for pan-n-scan versions of Manhunter, Lambs and Hannibal. Skedded to street on 8/24, they're apparently being boxed together as "The Hannbal Lecter Series."

-p

#74

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8/5/04 at 7:34am

Jon Hertzberg
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***Thx for the post, Jon H.

Ugh. So right on the heels of my saying that I hope they don't zap Terminator in my post #64, we now get word that they indeed have. I guess the "Retrospective" and "Other Voices" docus are gone. Where generally are you located, Jon? HMV is in the U.K., yes?***

Paul, I'm in NYC. There are a few HMV locations here. But, yes HMV is a British-based chain with, I believe, a good number of outlets in Canada.

The stripped-down Terminator had none of the docs, et al. that you speak of. It might have retained the trailer. I made sure to pick up one of the SE versions. At $7.50, it was tough to pass up.

-Jon

#75

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8/5/04 at 10:56pm

Eric_B_C
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Quote:

Well, U has it's issues, but we're talkin' MGM here

BAH! I meant MGM

LOL!

Will hopefully be hitting the stores soon. Will definitely be wary. Surely there is some legal precedent that should stop them from doing this... Reprehensible.

#76

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8/8/04 at 3:46pm

Kristen
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Just a heads up... Circuit City is having a 2 for $15 sale on the following MGM DVDs:

Jeepers Creepers
Jeepers Creepers 2
The Terminator
Legally Blonde
Uptown Girls
Hart's War
Good Boy!
The Manchurian Candidate
The Thomas Crown Affair
Dances With Wolves
Bowling for Columbine
Out of Time
Die Another Day
Barbershop

This is a great opportunity to stock up on MGM SEs before it's too late (of course, it is possible some of these are the stripped-down versions...).

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#77

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8/8/04 at 10:06pm

John Kilduff
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I forgot about another Special Edition:

"The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai Across The Eighth Dimension"

Cult classic...Killer special features...Sure to bite the bullet soon.

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

Speaking of bullets, Warner could be the magic bullet for MGM's troubles right now (Very big HINT, HINT!)

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#78

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8/9/04 at 4:50am

Marko Berg
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Quote:

Circuit City is having a 2 for $15 sale

Two titles in the list are not billed as Special Editions by MGM, namely Hart's War and The Thomas Crown Affair (I assume this is the remake with Pierce Brosnan as Thomas Crown since that version has been on sale elsewhere recently).

Of these titles, Hart's War has a significant amount of extras, such as audio commentaries, deleted scenes, a photo gallery, and trailers. In this regard, it is comparable to UHF mentioned earlier in this thread by John Kilduff. Also, both movies are dual-aspect ratio, and are therefore good candidates for future scaled-down releases. I haven't heard of MGM downgrading DVDs that they are not 'proper' Special Editions, but it could happen.

The Thomas Crown Affair has an audio commentary by the director and a trailer, I think (I own this disc but haven't watched it recently). Very limited special features and not much to scale down in this release.

Good Boy! is a full screen release, there is no OAR version of this movie available.

#79

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8/9/04 at 12:34pm

Paul.S
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Saw the 'stripped' Bull Durham at my local Costco yesterday. $8.99. But unlike the disc you describe in your post #33, Edward, this disc was not labeled SE anywhere.

-p

#80

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8/9/04 at 1:02pm

Dave Farley
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Best Buy and Borders still have the Bull Durham SE around here. It's going for $9.99 and $10.99, respectively.

#81

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8/9/04 at 1:50pm

Edward Schatz
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I don't believe I said the stripped down versions said SE on the packaging, but rather had the sticker at the top that said SE. If that's what you mean, I'm glad they've at leasted labeled them properly.

Edward

#82

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8/9/04 at 1:57pm

Dan Rudolph
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Buckaroo Banzai is one single-sided disc, so it's probably safe.

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#83

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8/9/04 at 10:41pm

Marc Fedderman
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Last week, after thoroughly scouring the shelves, I got the Bull Durham SE as part of the buy one, get one free deal at CC. They had 2 SEs on the shelf, mixed in with a bunch of stripped-down discs. The sale display didn't have any SEs, so sometimes it really pays to look around.

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#84

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8/9/04 at 11:17pm

Paul.S
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Edward re your post #81: I mean anywhere--no shrink wrap sticker, no spine label. Nothing said "SE" on the stripped Durham I saw at Costco.

Btw, thx for the tip re 2/$15 MGM promo at 'Circus City,' Kristian. Marc F.'s getting Durham at the promo price despite that title not being in your (Kristian's) list leads me to wonder if you can get any two single-disc MGM titles for $15? Rain Man, Platoon, Sure Thing, Mad Max?

Speaking of Terminator-related scrambling to buy--although it is of course not an MGM title--that same Costco visit had me looking at a couple of T2 Extreme Eds. in a cardboard mock up of the prolly-now-discontinued metal slipcase. Lions Gate didn't waste any time: the ink is just dry on their deal to acquire Artisan and these DVDs were already packaged (for Costco) in a blue cardboard sleeve (a la the CD longbox) sporting the Lions Gate logo.

-p

#85

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8/10/04 at 12:22am

Casey Neutron
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Looks like it's time for me to finally buy the SEs of "CARRIE" and "THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS." Both are scheduled for price reductions on August 24th--not a good sign.

#86

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8/10/04 at 3:56am

Jon Hertzberg
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***Btw, thx for the tip re 2/$15 MGM promo at 'Circus City,' Kristian. Marc F.'s getting Durham at the promo price despite that title not being in your (Kristian's) list leads me to wonder if you can get any two single-disc MGM titles for $15? Rain Man, Platoon, Sure Thing, Mad Max?***

The promo at HMV was MUCH more extensive. All of the now scaled-down MGM SE's were part of the promotion, as well MANY other regular catalog releases. All in all, quite a wide range of titles were included. Concurrently, there was also a 2/$30 sale--Mad Max and Platoon were included in that promotion. I do not believe these titles will be scaled-down.

I took part in the 2/$15 sale and my $30 bounty included Terminator SE, 24 Hour Party People, Return of the Living Dead, and Dressed to Kill.

-Jon

#87

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8/10/04 at 5:10am

WillG
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Quote:

Looks like it's time for me to finally buy the SEs of "CARRIE" and "THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS." Both are scheduled for price reductions on August 24th--not a good sign.

Was just thinking about those two titles myself

STOP HIM! He's supposed to die!

#88

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8/10/04 at 7:52am

Marc Fedderman
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Paul,
I got the Bull Durham SE as part of last week's sale. Still it's worth looking for the SEs of this week's sale discs. BTW, $10 is the regular price for BD at Circuit City, making the Costco "deal" seem even less appealing.

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#89

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8/23/04 at 6:54am

TonyD
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looks like BOWLING is comning back in print as a double feature with THE BIG ONE.

#90

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8/24/04 at 12:45pm

WillG
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Add "Hannibal" to the list. Not only is it all stripped down but it is Pan and Scan only now.

STOP HIM! He's supposed to die!

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