DVDs that Inexplicably Remain Extras-Free (1 Viewer)

[cineMANIAC]

I have a vast DVD collection that I'm mostly satisfied with, movies of all genres. I say mostly because there are still some movies that I either refuse to purchase or that I own but have set aside and treat like a reject because of the simple fact that they exist as a movie-only product with an inferior transfer or are just bare-bones but are movies that everybody knows deserves a lot better. We're all here because of our love of movies and, as film buffs, want to see these film get the appropriate treatment from the studios that own them. I've compiled a list of these no-frills DVDs and I invite everyone here to speculate on the reasons why you think these films haven't gotten good DVDs.

1. The Road Warrior/Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. A rumored SE awhile back obviously never materialized. Instead we got a nice-looking Blu-ray with an exclusive commentary but we all know these two films NEED full SE's, especially with a 4th entry on the way. Maybe now we'll get it.

2. The Lethal Weapon trilogy. I admit the director's cuts were nice but that's it? These movies are huge blockbusters - why has Warner treated them like flops? I know the DVD of the 4th film included a featurette that covered the previous films but c'mon!

3. Dead Alive aka Braindead. Peter Jackson became a god after the LOTR films and I assumed Lionsgate would cash in on that with at least a good upgrade of the awful Trimark disc but, here we are, still living with it. Makes no sense.

4. Warner again. A trio of classic films that I like to call the "Warner Hall-of-Shame Trilogy" because they've been relegated to bare-bones mediocrity. They are Papillon (great film), Where Eagles Dare (great WWII movie) and Ice Station Zebra.

There are dozens of others that deserve better DVDs: Runaway Train, Death Becomes Her, Scanners, Escape From Alcatraz, Breakdown, Iceman, Frantic, The NeverEnding Story, the list goes on.

 

[Dick]

It seems uncanny to me that Sony hasn't yet included any special features (including Blu-ray release) for some of their most prestigious features. Oscar-winners A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS and OLIVER! have mediocre DVD releases with no bonus materials. CHINA SYNDROME, nominated for Best Picure, has the same. Commentaries could be provided by some of the cast members and crew. Sadly, directors James Bridges of CHINA SYNDROME, Sir Carol Reed of OLIVER! and Fred Zinneman of MAN FOR ALL SEASONS are all gone -Sony/Columbia never bothered to record commentaries by them while alive, which they could have done), but cast members remain.

 

[Eric Peterson]

"Night of the Hunter" & "Raising Arizona" are two of the biggest exceptions in my book.

 

[Bob Cashill]

Carol Reed died in 1976. James Bridges died in 1993. Fred Zinnemann made his last film in 1982 and died in 1997. Given that the format was just getting started that year I'm not entirely sure one can blame Sony/Columbia for the lack of commentaries from these three directors.

 

[Dick]

Hi Bob. I appreciate your reply, but please re-read my post. I am the first to acknwoledge that Sony could not have provided director commentaries for these films, but some members of the casts of all three, some crew and many film historians are very much alive and would have been able to add some insight into production.

 

[Dave B Ferris]

In the halcyon days, when commentaries seemed almost mandatory, the studios would be creative if the director was deceased. For example, if I remember correctly, George Stevens' son, George Stevens Jr., was used for the commentary on Shane.

 

[Bob Cashill]

No, I think you miswrote it: "Sadly, directors James Bridges of CHINA SYNDROME, Sir Carol Reed of OLIVER! and Fred Zinneman of MAN FOR ALL SEASONS are all gone -Sony/Columbia never bothered to record commentaries by them while alive, which they could have done." I get what you're saying re: the surviving cast and crew, but we can't blame the studio for lacking the clairvoyant ability to see a new format in the future and interview the directors before they passed away.

In any event--and sorry to nitpick this--but there is a CHINA SYNDROME SE, with a doc, Fonda/Douglas interviews, etc.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

My list includes:

* True Lies - Not only is the disc "bare bones", but the included transfer is non-anamorphic and riddled with EE artifacts.

* The Abyss - Nice bonus features, but the transfer is non-anamorphic.

* Original Star Wars Trilogy -- All non-anamorphic, and sourced from tape intended for 1993 laserdiscs. In addition to the loss of detail, NTSC aliasing predominates throughout the presentations. This is no way to treat classic movies.

* Terminator: Salvation -- According to reviewers this DVD will be "bare bones" with a barely adequate transfer. If you want extras you'll have to purchase the Blu-ray.

 

[Brian Borst]

Originally Posted by Luisito34

3. Dead Alive aka Braindead. Peter Jackson became a god after the LOTR films and I assumed Lionsgate would cash in on that with at least a good upgrade of the awful Trimark disc but, here we are, still living with it. Makes no sense.

Don't all of his earlier movies need a decent release? Apart from maybe the Anchor Bay release of Bad Taste (and I don't think that release is that good, apart from the documentary) they all need good releases. I heard a rumor about a Heavenly Creatures SE, so I hope the others will follow. Peter Jackson is very much a dvd fan, so they can't be that far behind.