Better Off Dead Not a SE!? (1 Viewer)

[Walt Riarson]

*sigh*
Yet another great DVD that could've been. If only MGM had this title. :frowning:

 

[Prentice Cotham]

I'm ecstatic to get this DVD and I could give a rat's ass about the special features. Just give me an anamorphic widescreen, which this title has never had a widescreen release, and I'm extremely happy.

 

[rutger_s]

If MGM had Better Off Dead, we'd probably have a subpar anamorphic widescreen transfer with a stereo soundtrack and still no supplements. The price might be nice at $14.95 but I'd rather have a nice anamorphic widescreen transfer mastered in high-definition.

If getting a back catalog of titles means that a few DVDs are movie-only, so be it.

At least Top Secret! finally has bonus features: audio commentary, alternate scenes, and storyboards.

Supplements don't make a DVD great, a good/great film makes a great DVD.

 

[MartinTeller]

Supplements don't make a DVD great, a good/great film makes a great DVD.

A good/great film makes a great VHS, too. I mean, if you already own a copy of this movie (which I realize many people don't) is it worth the $$ to upgrade just for widescreen and improved picture quality? We're not talking about a masterpiece of cinematography here. Yeah it's a funny movie, but I doubt that anamorphic widescreen will make it that much funnier. (Note that cinematographer Isidore Mankofsky's resume consists almost entirely of TELEVISION productions).

I would probably buy it if I didn't already have it on Beta.

 

[Greg_Y]

is it worth the $$ to upgrade just for widescreen

I would think seeing the movie as the director originally intended it would be pretty important.

No matter what the film is or what you think of it, it deserves the best possible presentation. Sounds like you are more of a person who enjoys DVDs than films; that's fine. But, this is the Home Theater Forum, after all. Not the Home Deleted-Scenes-and-Commentary Forum.

 

[Brian McHale]

As far as I'm concerned, watching video tape is downright painful compared to DVD. No zoom, no "time left" display, no selectable subtitles and you have to rewind the damn things!

When I first got into DVD, I tried to only pick up movies that I didn't already have a good video tape copy of. Now, if they give me an affordable, watchable, anamorphic OAR presentation, ADD TO CART.

Not to mention that my copy of Better Off Dead is a taped-off-cable Beta.

 

[Jodee]

I am such a DVD snob, I won't watch things on VHS now. If someone tries to offer me a movie on VHS, even if I want to see the movie, I won't take it, because I know I won't watch it.

I still have a few VHS tapes for archival purposes: stuff that isn't on DVD. But I seldom will reach for them.

Watching a pan & scan VHS instead of buying a widescreen DVD of a movie I love just seems weird to me.

 

[MartinTeller]

Ah, the old "you're not a film lover" attack....

I never said it doesn't DESERVE the best possible presentation. But sorry if I don't think it's worth $25 of my money to see the "director's intention" (and we all know that "Savage Steve Holland" was renowned for his masterful use of frame) for a movie like Better Off Dead. You are, of course, free to spend your money however you please. Without some bonus features, it's not a must-have purchase for me (unlike other barebones releases like, say, Mulholland Drive), if that's okay with you.

 

[Ken Seeber]

But sorry if I don't think it's worth $25 of my money to see the "director's intention" (and we all know that "Savage Steve Holland" was renowned for his masterful use of frame) for a movie like Better Off Dead.

As has been pointed out in other posts, while $24.95 may be the MSRP, in reality "Better Off Dead" will street for well under $20 at most stores and online retailers.

 

[MartinTeller]

Well, yes, of course. But still, this is a $10 purchase for me at most. Everyone has their own personal balance of features vs price for a particular movie. I was just expressing mine. Throw in a commentary, and it has added value. I'd pay more for that.

Every film deserves to be presented in the best possible manner... AND with the best possible supplements.

 

[David Lambert]

MartinTeller, I think I've gotten the point you expressed in all of your posts which I've quoted...and yes, it's okay with me how you spend or don't spend your money. You won't buy this edition of Better Off Dead, and that is definately your choice. I will agree to disagree with you, and I hope everyone else does too. Let's move on, shall we?...before an admin comes along and accuses anyone of either trolling or thread-farting. :frowning:

 

[Walt Riarson]

Regarding MGM's "subpar" anamorphic releases, take a look at a film like Theater of Blood (or half the other Midnight Movies series) on DVD by MGM, and then I'd like to hear you complain about their quality. Most are barebones, except for a trailer, but all of those can be purchased for under 10 bucks at most retail stores.

MGM releases batches of catalogue titles at one time. Whether they're your taste or not, that's for the individual to decide. Most of the time, I've found their transfer quality to be quite good, and definitely not worth the shoddy reputation a lot of you people have given them. And for whatever reason, most around here praise Paramount to the high heavens.

In reality, you'd think it'd kill Paramount to do something half-way interesting or creative with the medium.

I wasn't here when the said poll was conducted, but someone re-posted the results about a month ago in a different thread, and didn't Better Off Dead come in first? It came in first, and they are putting nothing but a trailer on the disc? That is just sad, people.

 

[Philip Verdieck]

I'll be there release day. I have waited a long time for it. Its definitely a "must have" for me.

 

[Jim_C]

>>I will agree to disagree with you, and I hope everyone else does too.

 

[MaxY]

Banging Head on Wall trying to make the pain go away.
Oh I got to say something about this.
Life is like a box of Choclates and extras are often like pouring ketchup on on something that tastes bad and eating it any way.
If a Film is good, then it is good regaurdless of extras or not. If a Film is bad then no amount of extras can help it, unless you consider Angela Jolie's extras in Tomb Raider.
I am shock that a self declared film lover would make a comment like No Commentary no sale, or "A good/great film makes a great VHS, too. I mean, if you already own a copy of this movie (which I realize many people don't) is it worth the $$ to upgrade just for widescreen and improved picture quality? We're not talking about a masterpiece of cinematography here. Yeah it's a funny movie, but I doubt that anamorphic widescreen will make it that much funnier"
Oh My My some people have gotten very spoiled by DVD. I remember when you could tell a real film lover by a huge stack of record sized discs that cost $35-$40 a pop and had widescreen version of movies on them.
Being a film lover is about, loving the movies and not wanting to see chop and slashed versions of them, sure a film lover can enjoy extras but most prefer the film to the extras.
BTW MGM has done a wonderful job of putting out great anamorphic transfers on tons of bare bones discount priced catalog title DVDs. I love these. They give me a chance to get a movie I like with a good widescreen transfer and not spend a bunch of money that goes in to the annoying animated menus and extras that often go unviewed.
I have listened to a bunch of commentary tracks and most of them are real snorers that not only can't hold my interest but make it hard to even keep my eyes open. Sometimes though you will find a gem of a commentary track but more often then not... on them.
Max

 

[Michael St. Clair]

A good/great film makes a great VHS, too.

I'm sorry, could you rephrase that? I don't think I understand what you are saying...no comprende....

 

[MartinTeller]

EDIT: nah, forget it. Ain't worth it.

 

[Brian McHale]

Every film deserves to be presented in the best possible manner... AND with the best possible supplements.

In an ideal world, this would be true. Unfortunately, there are way too many films sitting in studio vaults to make this practical. If studios really did the SE treatment for every film they released on DVD, propbably 80-90% of their back catalog would NEVER be released.

I think we can all agree that films like Citizen Kane and Casablanca deserve special treatment. In addition, blockbuster movies like Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark are obvious candidates for DVD mega-sets.

However, there are a ton of movies, like Better Off Dead or Ruthless People (both of which I'll buy, BTW), that have their fans, but cannot possibly warrant the full SE treatment.

Which would you rather have:

1. 90% of all films released barebones, in anamorphic OAR?

- OR -

2. 10% of all films released as Special Editions?

I think most of us would rather have a barebones version of every movie we love then have SEs of 20% of the movies we love.

 

[Carlo_M]

I will be picking this up right away.
Those who know about how Paramount's treats their movies can rest assured that we will get a good transfer, and good sound. It will also be OAR. This was a low-budget film made in an era where there was little to no thought of film preservation and "added value" material. It does not surprise me that there are no extras on this DVD.
If your VHS/Beta/VCD copies are enough, then cool, stick with those. But for those of us who want this movie in the best possible audio/video possible, this announcement is a gift from above.
THANK YOU PARAMOUNT for releasing this title.
BTW, I'd LOVE a bare-bones, non-SE version of Star Wars Trilogy. Hopefully Lucas can take a page out of Paramount's book.

 

[MikeM]

I'll be buying this bare bones version as well.
I was lucky enough to see Better Off Dead a month or so ago at a midnight showing on the big screen, and it was GREAT. As a huge fan of this movie, I'll buy it, commentary track or not.