MarcoBiscotti

Why does Warner Bros. continue to distribute their animated titles in this unfavorable format when it's been known and stated countlessly that such is unwelcome amongst their consumer support and we've finally apparently surpassed this primitive form of packaging in the live-action class...

Does Warners Bros. really assume that this is all just "kiddy crap" and therefore presentation and efficiency isn't needed because the children won't notice eitherway or care, if they do?

Let's take a look at the couple of sales WB has lost from this customer in recent and coming months...














It's one thing when it's individual compilation issues/episodes of a certain series already made available i.e. Scooby-Doo, etc. but who does Warner Bros. assume really purchases this stuff??

Let's face it, these are nostalgia releases. Rankin-Bass, Rainbow Brite, etc...

The people buying these DVD's are college/university students, people in their early to mid-20's... adults! Yes, the same people who spent the last 4+ years complaining to Warner Bros. about their cheap shoddy case packaging, and yet for some odd reason, WB continues to pull this crap with a number of releases marketed to what they assume to be a different consumer base. Wrong!

I just want to let you know that it is NOT appreciated, and I will continue to not support this tactic by not buying any of these releases as a result.

I know, I miss out. So be it I guess.

If this message gets through, please stop.

I have no other complaints / criticisms to offer in regards to your DVD productions, but it's really dissapointing and frustrating.

I thought we were past this by now.

Rob Gardiner

I hope this isn't taken as a thread crap, as that is not my intention. But I think we should choose our battles. I'm an adult, and I don't care about the packaging on these (or any other) titles.

Are they complete and uncut? Are they presented in their original aspect ratio? Is the picture quality good? Sound quality? These are the issues worth complaining about. I would never boycott a beloved film based on its packaging.

AnthonyC

I agree with Rob. And I doubt that college students are the main purchasers--most likely it's parents of young children.

And in the end, does it really matter? As Rob said, who cares about the packaging? I'm not a big fan of snappers but I'd rather get a good movie in a snapper case than not have the movie at all.

Paul_Scott

its disappointing to see so many of my favorite Warner titles in the cheap looking/feeling snapper packaging- especially because so many of them use the Vintage key art in the jacket design.
i've been tempted to go and scan all those in and make keepcases out of all of them, but my first attempts didn't work out so well (couldn't defeat the moire'ing).
i still want to do it as the look of the original art under plastic in a keep case is soooo much nicer.


but to have a snapper case keep me from buying a favorite title at all?
seems just silly, or more appropriately, a very confusing set of priorities.

Joe Karlosi

I'm the first guy to say I don't care for the snapper cases, but there's just no way I'd ever think about passing up a title I want just because of its packaging.

I've never begrudged anyone the right to complain about a DVD's packaging or artwork; I do it myself, and I like nice boxes and art and have always believed in having the right to voice an opinion against it if it's unappealing. But when it comes to not buying the title at all just because of its packaging, I just don't understand that.
And I really don't think it affects the companies in the least.

MarcoBiscotti

I apparently care, very much s Rob.

It's all been discussed before, but part of the reason people collect DVD's, is so that they can go back in 20-30 years and rewatch beloved favorites and share them with their family and children. Snapper cases are likely to get broken, damaged and dented within a year or two of purchase. Unlike most other releases which can be replaced if a case is flawed, you are forced to go out and repurchase the same DVD all over again because the design and concept is just not user friendly. Furthermore they are difficult and awkward to store amongst other titles in your collection and they are just unappreciated.

Regardless, the point of this thread is to address the issue of why WB has chosen to adhere to our longtime wishes to offer regular keepcase packaging for their catalogue releases yet still remain to offer these snapper cases for certain animated titles despite the fact that we - the people who spend our money on the product - say we don't like them?

It's quite obvious that this is a matter of marketing demographs because you'll notice that certain stand-alone titles like "The Iron Giant" which seem to have a more mainstream following, are being released in regular keepcases while the supposed "generic kiddy fare" continues to be neglected and shown dissrespect which is basically what this comes down to?

I just wanted to post this thread to say that I am not happy about it and I'm sure I'm not the only one in the world that feels this way.


PS - Do you really think that the prime consumer base of a title like "Rainbow Brite and The Star Stealer" would be parents/soccermoms (most likely generations after their time) purchasing for their children? This is an archetypal release for nostalgiac twenty-somethings, females in particular of whom it garnered quite a significant cult following. This would be a perfect example of the 80's TV show revival trend happening now and believe it or not, it's driven by the adults who remember these shows and films from their past and are looking to revisit the memories, not from parents of young children. There's enough animated children's shows accessible to fill that fix, lesser-remembered 20+ year old cartoon features don't get greenlit without some sort of substantial demand or consumer base and that doesn't come from children nor middle aged parents. Just look at the main drive behin DVD sales to begin with. Parents can find cartoons on television and in rental stores for their children to watch. They obviously do affix to sales, but collector's like us are drive the market. Way off-topic...

Mike Wadkins

damn and i was going to buy all those titles !

maybe they have a few snappers to get rid of on low key films

remake what remake ?

Joe Karlosi

Try doing what I do to secure the snapper cases... There are clear plastic slipboxes designed to protect them. I've put all my snappers in them since I began collecting in 1997, and they're as mint as Day One.

MarcoBiscotti

And for the record, it's not about me refusing to buy the titles out of spite or whatever... what it essentially comes down to, is that I have hundreds of titles on my want list, so why should I give these priority specifically when the issuing studio obviously isn't giving priority to the input and criticisms from their customers? I have other things to spend my money on.

What bothers me though, is that I would ultimately not have to make such decisions, as I want to own and watch these movies, but I grew tired of replacing titles because of broken hub trays or cracked plastic snaps and pulling out DVD's months after purchase, only to find the packaging dented and worn while all my other films sit nicely on my shelf in perfect display condition. Thus, seeing as I do not support the idea of these snappers, I chose to simply stop purchasing them.



The point however, that I would've liked to express, is WHY Warner Bros. has altered their packaging policy when it comes to live-action titles... but yet these new releases are being offered in this cheap design style yet again?