Here's an idea - DVDs without extras! (1 Viewer)

[Jonny K]

I'm annoyed that DVD prices are so high. It costs about 25 dollars (CAN) for a new DVD, and that means my student budget doesn't allow for much movie purchasing.

I'm only interested in the movie, I don't care about the how they made it (nothing like picking apart a good movie), or the deleted scenes (deleted for a reason), or the director's/actors commentary. I only want the movie at high quality with good sound (DTS perhaps). Kinda like Superbit...

When I go to buy movies, I've found some that are very affordable. For instance, "The Replacement Killers" is rather inexpensive at about 15 dollars. What do you get? Just the movie. And that's all I want. It annoys me that all these new movies coming out have 20 hours of special features on 3 discs which make the new releases so very expensive. Look at the Lord of the Rings extended editions. Awesome movie quality. But I don't care about the extra 2 bonus discs - I just want the movie!

Can't the studios release a movie-only version of the DVD at a lower cost? I would be ALL OVER that.

 

[Jeff Bock]

Why would you want the extended editions of the Lord of the Rings? Those scenes were deleted from the theatrical cut for a reason.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

So the movie could get more showings each day... not creative reasons.

 

[Beast]

Problem solved, buy VHS instead. No need to worry about those nasty extras that are all over the DVD's. And most of the big name titles still get released in Widescreen. Sure, you won't get your DTS sound or optimum picture. But it will be cheaper and you won't have to deal with those awful extras.

You mentioned Superbits, but those cost as much as most decent full feature DVD's anyway. Or just buy movies you really really want. Instead of buying 2 mediocre movies for 20.00, buy one for 25.00. Also pre-order and shop around. It really does make a difference. Especially the first week of release.

 

[Andy_MT]

i'm with Jonny K. as important as i think extras are for the format, i'm finding myself preferring to watch another film over extras these days. it would be nice to pay less for a stripped down version. case in point - x-men 2. not really interested in the second disc. it'd be great if there was a cheaper, single disc edition. although i'm sure studios would not want me to pay less.

maybe i would be more interested in extras if i didn't have so many other dvds. when you have a sizeable collection on hand, extras take second place (for me anyway). i suppose this is the reason i like the recent cheap, featureless "le paramount" dvds. although it is a shame they don't offer better versions for those that want more.

 

[Roger Rollins]

Jonny K will be happy to know that both MGM and Paramount have set the standard for delivering most of their DVD releases without any of those awful extras:frowning:

 

[oscar_merkx]

isn't Little Big Man with D Hoffman without extras, does not bother me as I have always wanted to buy classics whether or not extras are there.

 

[greg_t]

DVD is cheap. Very cheap. What would you do if DVD's were priced like laserdiscs were?

 

[SvenS]

You have GOT TO BE KIDDING! The added scenes in the EE versions of FOTR/TTT where not deleted because they sucked! They were deleted because the theaters would not allow a 4 hour plus film to run in their theaters taking away one whole screening per day/per screen. The EE's are superior in EVERY WAY and if you really are a LOTR fan there is no debating the EE's are the only way to go!

 

[Michael Qualen]

Buy used DVD´s - dont watch the extras - problem solved !

 

[Glenn Overholt]

I'll join the club too, but not just for the money. I would rather have a studio spend their time on another movie instead of the extras.

Glenn

 

[Marc Colella]

I remember Peter Jackson stating that the theatrical cut was the definitive cut and was his vision, and that the Extended Edition's are merely something just for the fans.

So I guess it's a choice between the director's vision and a longer movie.

Back on topic:

DVDs in Canada get cheaper a few months after it's release. HMV offers alot of quality DVDs in the 2 for $30 and 2 for $40 deals. You can have the film and all the extras at these good prices.

If money is a problem, just be patient and don't purchase them on their release date.

 

[Jeff Jacobson]

 

[Dan Mertz]

The extras are the only reason I buy some DVDs. I never would have bought T2 on DVD if it wasn't for all the extras. Sure, its nice to have a high quality version of the movie but I've seen it a million times. I love Office Space, but I will not buy it on DVD until they add some extras to it.

As for deleted scenes, most of the times I hear a director comment on a deleted scene, it was deleted to make the movie shorter not because the scene was bad. I do agree with Jonny K about behind the scenes stuff...I don't want to see how they made the movie. Special effets don't look as "real" if you know how they were done. The extras I am interested in are deleted scenes, bloopers, and commentaries.

 

[Patrick McCart]

When you can buy the 2-disc SE's for Singin' in the Rain, Casablanca, and Once Upon A Time In The West for under $20... is it really worth trying to get extras-less DVD's?

Even the LOTR extended editions are cheap. $26 at Wal-Mart.

Extras simply don't add a huge amount of cost to a DVD. The original Casablanca disc cost me $16. I paid $19 for the SE. $3 for more extras and a new transfer is cheap.

Heck, Paramount is releasing a 3-disc SE of The Ten Commandments for $14.99 next year.

 

[Chazz_S]

Exactly. I happen to prefer the version that PJ prefers as a movie(theatrical). Although the EE's are very interesting to watch.

 

[Rob T]

I love the extras even though I generally only watch them once.
The DVDs do cost more up here, but that's the price of having a sucky dollar.

 

[Jonny K]

Clearly people are mis-interpreting me. I'm not saying "cut out all extras forever!", I'm saying "offer a no-extras version". I'm not here to debate the value of extra features. I simply want a less expensive version without said extras so it won't cost me a fortune for a DVD with stuff I won't watch on it.

The Lord of the Rings EE DVDs cost 40 dollars up here. Most new releases are 25. The only DVDs you can get for cheap are the ones nobody wants to buy (crappy movies).

 

[Julian Lalor]

What, like the following?:

Once Upon a Time in the West (CAN$17 from DVD Soon)
To Live and Die in LA SE for $19
Polanski's The Tenant for $11
French Lieutentant's Woman for $16
Scrooge (bit late, I know) for $14
Ferris Bueller's Day Off for $15
Election for $15
Citizen Ruth for $19
Chinatown for $14

Yeah, real crap there. Some even had a bunch of "crappy" extras, too. :rolleyes

 

[greg_t]

I highly doubt that will occur. For one, the studios would then have the extra cost of producing and distributing two seperate releases. That cost will be passed along to the consumer. Some titles do get a "no extras" release. Several titles that originally come out in a two disc SE get re-released down the road as a one disc. Some examples are Gladiator, Shrek, Lawrence of Arabia, and Moulin Rouge.