Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming Video and Digital Downloads › DVD › MGM -- quietly downgrading special editions
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

MGM -- quietly downgrading special editions - Page 3

post #61 of 141
7/29/04 at 6:54pm
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.
Reply
post #62 of 141
7/29/04 at 9:47pm
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.
Reply
post #63 of 141
7/29/04 at 10:04pm
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.
Reply
post #64 of 141
7/30/04 at 11:06am
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
Reply
post #65 of 141
7/30/04 at 12:29pm
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.
Reply
post #66 of 141
8/1/04 at 12:33am
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.
Reply
post #67 of 141
8/1/04 at 3:28am
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.
Reply
post #68 of 141
8/1/04 at 4:40pm
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?
Reply
post #69 of 141
8/1/04 at 5:15pm
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.
Reply
post #70 of 141
8/1/04 at 11:43pm
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
Reply
post #71 of 141
8/2/04 at 4:35am
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
Reply
post #72 of 141
8/2/04 at 8:28am
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
Reply
post #73 of 141
8/4/04 at 7:30pm
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
Reply
post #74 of 141
8/5/04 at 7:34am
***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
Reply
post #75 of 141
8/5/04 at 10:56pm
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.
Reply
post #76 of 141
8/8/04 at 3:46pm
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...).
Reply
post #77 of 141
8/8/04 at 10:06pm
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!)
Reply
post #78 of 141
8/9/04 at 4:50am
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.
Reply
post #79 of 141
8/9/04 at 12:34pm
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
Reply
post #80 of 141
8/9/04 at 1:02pm
Best Buy and Borders still have the Bull Durham SE around here. It's going for $9.99 and $10.99, respectively.
Reply
post #81 of 141
8/9/04 at 1:50pm
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.
Reply
post #82 of 141
8/9/04 at 1:57pm
Buckaroo Banzai is one single-sided disc, so it's probably safe.
Reply
post #83 of 141
8/9/04 at 10:41pm
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.
Reply
post #84 of 141
8/9/04 at 11:17pm
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
Reply
post #85 of 141
8/10/04 at 12:22am
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.
Reply
post #86 of 141
8/10/04 at 3:56am
***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
Reply
post #87 of 141
8/10/04 at 5:10am
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
Reply
post #88 of 141
8/10/04 at 7:52am
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.
Reply
post #89 of 141
8/23/04 at 6:54am
looks like BOWLING is comning back in print as a double feature with THE BIG ONE.
Reply
post #90 of 141
8/24/04 at 12:45pm
Add "Hannibal" to the list. Not only is it all stripped down but it is Pan and Scan only now.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: DVD
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming Video and Digital Downloads › DVD › MGM -- quietly downgrading special editions