Buffy R1 packaging - not nearly as good as R2 (1 Viewer)

[PhilipG]

File this under "trivial details you wouldn't care about if your day was less boring".
Differences between the R1 & R2 Buffy season one sets:
R2: embossed silver Buffy logo on cover
R1: Buffy logo is white, non-embossed
R2: package unfolds to reveal a crucifix. As you unfold each disc, the disc details for it are revealed on the back of the next disc sleeve (really cool).
R1: standard X-Files foldout
R2: 28 page glossy b/w guide to season one, containing detailed synopses, quotes, facts and trivia
R1: 12 page glossy colour guide to season one, containing brief synopses and basic production credits.
R2: The Hepburn "I Quit" music video
R1: strangely absent. Many can live with this.
Interestingly this comes at the same time as the Star Trek packaging differences, with R2 getting snazzy "medkit" cases, and R1 getting relatively dull-as-nails boxes.
However, back to Buffy, and the R1 video/audio came out superior in my head-to-head test (importantly, there is no PAL-speedup in the R1 version - so much better!).
Comments, anyone?

 

[Michael St. Clair]

To be honest, I really don't care about the packaging. To me, it's always about the content. I'd never buy an import for the packaging, the material and media quality would have to be better.

 

[TheoGB]

Hmm. I never notice the PAL speedup. But IIRC you get some interview snippets with Joss talking about some episodes which *is* extra. The Buffy version of I Quit. Well, yep, the original video wasn't that good and the song's hardly inspired so - HEYHO!
The crucifix isn't that good be honest.
More importantly (third time I'm posting this point today - maybe I'll just stick it in manufacturer feedback too ) SRP is $40 I thought. That means R1 will now be about 17.99 on mailorder over here but the R2 will be £40.
If Fox keeps this up I guess I can be bothered to wait another year to get my mitts on Buffy S3 for a reasonable price, considering it's not widescreen.
I'm guessing they'll DEFINITELY have to do a better job on S2 R1 - bad chapter stops and some horrific encoding, plus their original scratchy packaging. :rolleyes

 

[PhilipG]

To be honest, I really don't care about the packaging. To me, it's always about the content. I'd never buy an import for the packaging, the material and media quality would have to be better.

You seem to have missed my point, which is that R2 Buffy was released at the beginning of last year, and it came in cool packaging - so why did Fox downgrade? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The booklet that comes with the R2 version even had American spelling, so goodness only knows why they didn't use that for the R1. The obvious reason they did this was to save money, but really, we must be talking just a few pennies here, no?
I'm certainly not suggesting people should import the R2 for the packaging when the video/audio is inferior!

 

[Gerard Priori]

I have all the region two BUFFY sets they released so far, so I'm not really too upset about the region one packaging. But you're right, the region two set looks nicer, and the booklet from the R2 version is full of fun trivia that should have been included with the domestic edition. I'm really puzzled as to why the booklet was dropped in favor of the flimsy insubstantial insert included with the R1 box.

-Jerry

 

[Rich Malloy]

I know it's partly because Artisan has recently raised the bar so high for television series with their TWIN PEAKS set, but I'm not in the least satisfied with Fox's work on BUFFY. Yes, this is a small thing, but certainly indicative of a lack of care.

Although Buffy's my favorite show on TV right now, I haven't ordered season 1. I hope they put a little more effort into Season 2 (my favorite season).

 

[Frank Anderson]

Cool packaging = keepcase w/ booklet

I haven't seen any cardboard that holds up better than plastic.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

I know it's partly because Artisan has recently raised the bar so high for television series with their TWIN PEAKS set, but I'm not in the least satisfied with Fox's work on BUFFY. Yes, this is a small thing, but certainly indicative of a lack of care.

I hate to be redundant, but if you are not 'the least bit satisfied', I suggest you remember an old adage about not looking a gift horse in the mouth.

I am far more than 'the least bit satisfied' with Fox and Paramount releasing complete season episodes at a reasonable price (and without over compressing them like Stargate SG-1).

 

[Rich Malloy]

I hate to be redundant, but if you are not 'the least bit satisfied', I suggest you remember an old adage about not looking a gift horse in the mouth.

Smart aleck, eh?
Well, unlike this "gift horse" of which you speak, I've yet to be offered a "gift BUFFY-1". Last time I checked, they all seem to want money for it! And there's not a thing wrong with checking out the teeth and gums when one's expected to pay for it.
Or are you offering me this gift horse? If so, you can be sure I'll remember that ol' adage. So, please drop me a private message, and I'll forward you my addy.
But till then, caveat emptor, n'est-ce pas?

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Given the price of Star Trek TOS, Farscape, and the shotgun approach of R1 releases like South Park and Friends, I consider the way these releases (specifically, Buffy and ST:TNG) are being handled to be a gift.

If they were charging what some other studios are charging for TV series (and/or releasing scattered episodes), you bet I'd be criticizing the packaging.

 

[Ian_Fisher]

Personally, I don't care...I'm just thrilled to have the show on DVD!

But when I first read about the R2 packaging, I thought, "that's kinda cool, but I'm going to have to unfold that monstrosity on the floor or something just to get a disc I need!" It's hard enough for me to clear off enough space in my junky apartment to open the X-Files sets up!

 

[TheoGB]

know it's partly because Artisan has recently raised the bar so high for television series with their TWIN PEAKS set, but I'm not in the least satisfied with Fox's work on BUFFY.

Exactly what bit aren't you satisfied with?

I upgraded my VHS complete Season box to this DVD and was more than satisfied. An excellent two commentaries from Joss Whedon, a nice booklet and all the eps in DVD form.

S2 will be no different to R2, I would imagine: four commentaries, three featurettes.

If you're expecting commentaries on every episode I think you're expecting an awful lot of a working crew. Two eps is already 80 mins so that's really not bad value for money in my book. It's not like you guys in the States even own an original VHS version, is it?

Compared to what you could be faced with - lacklustre straight to DVD affair, this is pretty good. Be thankful you're going to get anamorphic widescreen from S4 onwards, too.

 

[PhilipG]

Ian, not really. You open up one flap to get disc 1, another for disc 2, and a third for disc 3. Just as much surface area as R1's, except that two more flaps (the bottom of the crucifix shape) can unfold with extra info & pix. Can't find anywhere with a photo, but it kind of looks like this:
3
1x 2
x
x

 

[Frank Anderson]

Perfect example of why to use 3 disc keepcase.

 

[Christian Preischl]

Hi,

FYI, the booklet from the Region 2 Season 1 Discs is just an excerpt from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Watcher's Guide. I guess that's why there was American spelling.

Chris