Final Fantasy DVD Release idea..... (1 Viewer)

[DarrylWHarrisJr]

Well since I have all kinds of home entertainment digital media (DVD, cd's, games, and needing more use out of my PS2 I think Sony should include either a playable demo or movie preview of their upcoming Final Fantasy X game already out in Japan on the the Final Fantasy Spirts dvd when it's released! Afterall Sony seems to have a tight relationship with Squaresoft (the makers of FF game series) and could seem to promote the DVD and game at the same time since the game is exclusive to PS2.
Better yet they should make a SUPER edition, at game's release with the full movie, the game AND the soundtrack with a disc packed with extras! Boy, that could be key in helping Sony develop their "media system" for CD DVD and games..
What do you think?
BTW.. the PS2 is my secondary system for the bedroom (my wife can stand to see my play games for hours on end!)
------------------
A man never chooses to live...but chooses to make a life.
http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mycollect...alias=Darryljr

 

[Sean Laughter]

Well, if the rumours of a separate release of the DVD with PS2 compatible extras is true then I think it would make more sense to pack a FFX demo with that rather than with this first DVD because the buyers of that second release would be the most likely to own a PS2. If you put that FFX demo disc with the first release you're including something that a large part of the potential customers couldn't even use -- unless they think someone will go out and buy a PS2 just to play the demo for some reason

 

[Morgan Jolley]

There is a PS2 version of the movie that only plays on the PS2 coming out next year. You can replay some scenes in real-time and change the angles so that you can redo the movie in your own "style." The soundtrack for The Spirits Within has a video preview of FFX (with the Japanese voices) and I hope to god that they put a video of FFX with the English voices on the DVD of TSW. The PS2 version of the movie will come out after the game (the game should be out next february, the movie around next spring) and including a demo would be sort of pointless.
I have read many reviews of FFX and have many videos. Including a video on the DVD would be a GOOD idea.

 

[teapot2001]

I think it's a good idea to put a movie preview FFX on the DVD version like they did on the soundtrack.
I found some new info on the DVD from a poster named Jed Garfunkel at Amazon.com:
"ZUMA DIGITAL, the innovative design and development studio that enables powerful new applications for new media, has produced an evolutionary milemarker in the home entertainment industry for Columbia Tri-Star Home Entertainment with the DVD release of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. The DVD is scheduled for release 23 October 2001.
Columbia Tri-Star tapped the team at ZUMA for all areas of the DVD production including the filming, editorial and post for all of the added-value features, the design and creative as well as the ROM and Web content. Final Fantasy will ship as a two disc DVD-9 set.
"Our goal was to realize a new paradigm in the development of interactive entertainment", notes Blaine Graboyes ZUMA founder and chief creative officer, "both in our approach to the entire production as well as our vision for the final product."
ZUMA worked directly with Square Pictures, the film's production company, to best understand, explore and present the project on DVD (as opposed to the established approach of reusing previously produced EPK and marketing materials). ZUMA collaborated directly with Square and Columbia in the development of the added-value content and visual design for DVD, beginning in November 2000 through August 2001.
Disc One is a traditional DVD-Video movie, although the design and functionality of the disc is possibly the first instance of DVD content being produced at an equivalent level to the feature film itself. Special Features include 4 commentary tracks and a Boards and Blasts version of the film, showing most of the film in development from storyboards to rough animations to final film.
Disc Two truly explores the boundaries of the DVD format, disposing with a traditional hierarchical, outline menu layout, and instead using an Interactive Documentary as the central content and navigational system. During the 30 minute documentary viewers can watch special feature segments which are accessed when link out windows appear on screen. The entire documentary and link outs are composited into a holographic interface, similar to the film itself, giving the entire DVD a seamless feel between movies and games.
In addition to the 30 minute original documentary, ZUMA produced 17 link out segments ranging from 45 seconds to 11 minutes in length (some with optional commentaries), covering subjects such as the render farm at Square, the GAIA theory, pre-concept art, and compositing breakdowns. A Highlights Menu provides access to a dozen other features including the Character Files (video bios on the 7 main characters, their animators and VO actors) and the SHUFFLER (allows a user to re-edit a scene from the film). In total Disc Two contains over 100 minutes of original added-value content.
After nearly ten months of collaboration between ZUMA DIGITAL, Square Pictures and Columbia Tri-Satr, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within will reach the public on DVD in October, establishing a new milemarker for the possibilities of interactive entertainment, and proving that the DVD format can be used as an artistic medium beyond the film."
~T

 

[Quint van der Vaart]

Somehow I feel a Superbit coming on for this movie.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I heard the Special Edition was a superbit.
The thing that amazes me is how much there is for this DVD even though the movie tanked. Nonetheless, the Thriller video will make it all worth it.
Can't wait for the PS2 version.

 

[teapot2001]

Well, they were working on the extras for the DVD while finishing up the movie, so it would be a waste not to include all the extras.
I'm positive the movie will make it's money back. The cost of the movie was $90 million ($135 - $45 million for the studio), and so far it has grossed around $60 million worldwide. When it is released in Japan, I see it making at least $100 million.
~T

 

[Anthony Thorne]

Not sure if a SuperBit will be necessary. There are a heap of extras on the first disc, sure, but the movie itself isn't that long. I'd guess it would be easier to cram a lot of this stuff onto your average dual-layer disc when the film is under 2 hours.
I hope FINAL FANTASY is a smash in Japan, mainly as I would love to see Square do more CG features in the future. I loved the movie and I'm happy that there will be a great Special Edition DVD of it on my shelf very shortly.
Anthony (who apologizes for the heartless, asshole, racist behaviour of our government down here this week with the Tampa refugees).

 

[teapot2001]

I hear that Square is going to begin making the second Final Fantasy movie this fall. They just need to find a studio to distribute the movie.
~T

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I haven't heard anything about Square making another movie yet. Could you post a link or something or tell me how you heard?
Hironobu Sakaguchi has said before that he wants to make another movie with the same character models in different roles. One example he gave was that Gray was a mob leader and Aki was a detective trying to find him and bring down his mafia family. I think its a neat idea, I just hope they don't rush the next movie.
Now that they have all the people and the hardware in place, they could probably make a movie that looks better than TSW and is longer for less than half the price.
Final Fantasy X made enough money to make another movie and another game, so they will cover up the bruise from TSW by next summer (if not make it disappear altogether as though it never existed).
I'm sure they will make another movie. If you can't wait, just buy Final Fantasy X and unlock the Theater secret (you can watch the videos from the game in a movie theater). Final Fantasy X's CG videos are truly amazing. Imagine Square making another FF movie, only with a more fantasy style, and thats how visually stunning this game's CG is. Look for a trailer from the TSW soundtrack for it.

 

[teapot2001]

Morgan, here you go: http://finalfantasyheaven.htmlplanet.com/fftsw.htm
Also, I read that September's Official Playstation Magazine has news of the next movie.
I didn't know FFX had a feature that will allow you to watch all the CG video segments. That is something that I have been wanting.
~T

 

[Sean Laughter]

There was a rumour on Aint-it-cool-news (yeah, yeah, I know) that said that Square was hired to do the CGI for some short completely CGI film based before the sequel to Matrix, like a interim story between Matrix I and II I think.

 

[Dan Brecher]

You know, I never saw the movie. I enjoy the games a lot but was upset to see them sell out somewhat in making the movie a generic "run, get the hell out of here" type sc-fi romp.
That said, the DVD intrigues me so I may well check this out upon its release, even if that descritpion of disc 2 sounds like it could be Abyss style navigation hell! It's a pity I am only in the situation where with sight unseen stuff I can still only buy them and not rent them (at least with US Region 1 releases).
Dan (UK)

 

[DarrylWHarrisJr]

Dan you are right... I thought the movie would have done wayyyy better if they stuck to stuff that was in their video games...not some "run" movie...the characters of FF are brave beings fighting the deadliest monsters...i was disappointed to see them only fight one monster (the ghosts) instead of many, and no guardian forces... to me this movie was a real let down but I'd still get the DVD for animation quality and detail (should be reference disc I hope)
NOTE TO SQUARE: next time you use the name Final Fantasy in the movie...let's us believe that we are in the Final Fantasy universe and leave the sci fi to Ridley Scott and James Cameron...
------------------
A man never chooses to live...but chooses to make a life.
http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mycollect...alias=Darryljr

 

[Sean Laughter]

I dunno, I didn't feel the movie was really a "run away" movie at all, I think that was just the way it was marketed. It really had more to do with the themes of the games than anything else.
I mean, the basic idea of the movie is practically the exact same thing as Final Fantasy VII on Playstation (my favorite FF game for "mood"). However, I do think it would have served them to have gone with a more vibrant visual design. If anyone has seen footage from the CGI for FFX on PS2 I think you'd agree that a movie with that design would have rocked -- well, as long as the script was ok of course.

 

[teapot2001]

You know, I never saw the movie. I enjoy the games a lot but was upset to see them sell out somewhat in making the movie a generic "run, get the hell out of here" type sc-fi romp.

Dan, I think you will be very pleased with the movie if you know that Final Fantasy is much more than summons, moogles, medieval fantasy settings, etc. Each game has that specific Final Fantasy feel and so does the movie. The trailers and TV spots may have led you to believe that it is just a "run, get the hell out of here" type sc-fi romp, but it is so much more. In fact, I've read many reviews that thought the movie was boring, so it just isn't an action flick. Also, if you are observant, then you will notice things such as chocobos, familiar names and sites, magic, a summon creature, etc.
~T

 

[Sean Laughter]

Also, if you are observant, then you will notice things such as chocobos, familiar names and sites, magic, a summon creature, etc.

I must not be observant I liked the movie, just didn't notice any of those things, mind pointing out some times they happened? I had even heard there was a chocobo in it (like on a sign or something) and was looking for it but never saw it.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I remember seeing Hironobu Sakaguchi, but thats all. There are other hidden things everywhere.
The movie didn't really have the same theme as FF7. Why? Because every game has the same themes, just one of them sticks out the most. FF7 and TSW were written around the same time, so some similarities would make sense. The similarities with the game can be tied to FF8 also, since FF8 is mainly about love, which is a big theme in the movie. FF9 could also be linked, since the "meaning of life" theme can be applied.

 

[Sean Laughter]

Well, I think it has more to do with FF7 then any of the others. I believe in an interview Sakaguchi said as much. FF7 is also the only game to really deal with life as a concrete scientific principle and Sakaguchi has said in many interviews (one I have on tape even ) that he wrote FF7 after his mother died and so he wanted to deal with life as an energy and something that could be manipulated in a scientific way. This is the same theme in TSW, the Gaia and the transmutation of life into a concrete energy that can be manipulated and affected through scientific means.

 

[teapot2001]

There are 8 chocobo cameos in the movie. I've only been able to spot 1 in my 3 viewings; it appeared as the outline of the blood on the major's hand. The DVD will come in handy for finding the chocobos.
One of the phantom creatures in the cleansing mission wasteland looks similar to Leviathan.
I consider the 8 spirits to be a form of magic. It is used to cure Aki and to counter the Alien Gaia. The ending sequence looks like Aki cast magic on the Alien Gaia with the 8 spirits.
~T