Has MGM turned bilingual? (1 Viewer)

[ChristianB]

I'm not disagreeing with you either. But guessing from sales of the DVDs in Canada (not international), people don't mind buying them with bilingual packaging. Remember, it's a "packaged good" and treated this way. Most consumers don't care about packaging or original artwork or lack of a DTS track etc etc. They just buy the DVD, they're not HT fanatics or "collectors". They are consumers. I'm sure some don't like it, but do you think they're going to buy it online and pay more and risk getting taxed etc etc - the headaches of importing all for the sake of an English cover? I seriously doubt it. Unlike other studios that offer a choice, we don't with some studios.

And the official word from MGM is simply "it's easier/cheaper for them to produce bilingual packaging (when the DVD has a French track) as opposed to making different versions etc etc". I call it lazy

Christian

 

[Lew Crippen]

Just a question from an uninformed person: ‘what is the problem with bilingual covers;?

 

[Sven Lorenz]

Let's please not start THAT discussion again.

Some people just think that bilingual DVDs look ugly - other people consider the cover just to be part of the packaging.

Although I always ask myself why people who tolerate bilingual covers don't just throw the packaging away and store their DVDs on those spindles that CD-R come in - after all, it's only packaging, right?

 

[CraigF]

^^ I don't mind them either. I think the problem people have with them is they're cramped, as the info has to be repeated twice, and that the U.S. covers are considered as "gospel", and any deviation is "false". There may be an issue with those who wish to sell their discs, as there is the perception that Canadian bilingual covers are less desirable, to Americans, than English-only ones. This is probably true... Personally, I don't care about the cover, unless it's *very* special, I'll buy whatever has the best content with an English or other film-native audio track.

 

[Jeff]

The bottom line is, they are not the original covers!

 

[CraigF]

The bottom line is, they are the original covers to Canada. Which gives them equal claim to "originality" as those from everywhere else.

The covers in every other country are not the same as the U.S. ones either, as the U.S. makes up about 5% of the world's population, though admittedly a MUCH larger percentage of DVD purchasers. The covers are not even (necessarily) the same in other English-speaking countries.

It is my opinion that your perception is very restricted in scope, though I am not saying that bilingual covers are pretty.

If you don't like the cover artwork that may be chosen for Canada, then that's a different issue.

If you take exception to another language besides English being used on an English-language movie cover, then I could see that POV. Would make it tricky for any non-English movie sold here though.

 

[Jeff]

They're original to Canada alright and just awful looking at that. These are english movies and the covers should be in english.

 

[Greg Madsen]

I was happy to see that the only french is on the removable cardboard slipcase on the box. No other french on anything else.

 

[Jeremy Brupaste]

I was looking through a video store trade magazine up here in downtown Canada, and although I forget what the title was, an upcoming MGM DVD was advertised. It had the usual review blurbs, pricing information, and a list of special features.

"Bilingual Packaging!" was listed as a special feature.

Doesn't sound very special to me.

Somewhere in Quebec, ten people are happy.

 

[Greg Madsen]

You hit the nail on the head with that one.

I read an article once online that stated that even most French people preferred English packaging.

 

[SebastienLX]

All this about bilingual packaging is probably a doing of our *cough*great*cough* Quebec Provincial Government saying that there MUST be a french version of everything.. What a load of crap!

The geniuses that thought of that are probably the same that made the law about sweepstakes and gambling that make it so that most sweepstakes taking place are often mentionning, in availability, "Excluding Quebec".. Bunch of dimwits!

And for the records, yes, I am from Quebec, and yes, I am French, and yes, I despise our government.