MGM -- quietly downgrading special editions (1 Viewer)

[Eric F]

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.

 

[Zachary Cohen]

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.

 

[Dwayne]

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.

 

[Paul.S]

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

 

[Marko Berg]

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.

 

[Eric_B_C]

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.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

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.

 

[Marc Fedderman]

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?

 

[Eric_B_C]

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.

 

[Paul.S]

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

-p

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

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

 

[Paul.S]

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

 

[Paul.S]

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

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

***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

 

[Eric_B_C]

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.

 

[Kristian]

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...).

 

[John Kilduff]

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!)

 

[Marko Berg]

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.

 

[Paul.S]

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

 

[Dave Farley]

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