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

[Derek_McL]

Interesting Jonny K that you say that a lot of the cheap DVDs are black and white movies with poor transfers. To an extent true but actually I've thought the opposite until quite recently : the older a film is the more expensive it appears to be probably due to restoration costs etc. This certainly applies to silents and putting aside all those public domain films some major studio talkies too.

Here in the UK we have a shop called Poundland which sells loads of disposable modern action movies for £1 ($2.25) along with a few old public domain ones. Now the transfers on these are generally pretty ropey but I would have thought they are closer to the type of stuff you appear to prefer and they have no pesky extras. If thats what you like thats fine,personally I like something a bit deaper but to each his own as they say.

I would agree that some of the extras with modern films are poor. Three or four years ago I would have said that the number of extras on a DVD related to how bad the actual film was. In other words the more extras the worse the film. Most classics titles then were just as expensive sometimes more expensive than new films but they had little or no extras : think of the barbones versions of Singin' In The Rain, All About Eve etc.

Now its all changed with even silents getting audio commentaries. Also while silents remain very expensive the likes of Fox Studio Classics and the Warner Legends discs are bursting at the seams with extras which aren't throw away publicity but real solid interesting pieces. I also think these are available at very reasonable prices. The Fox Classics line has some great movies at about $20($30 Canadian?) if I'm not mistaken. Maybe you don't like extras because you are missing out on substantial pieces on real films.

While I can understand your reluctance to buy something you haven't seen surely there is something pre 1960 say that interests you. You certainly say you are interested in classic cinema : to me thats before 1960. What is the oldest film in your collection ? Looking at the Warner Legends set I think if you bought that or even just Robin Hood or Sierra Madre I think its likely you'd be so fascinated by the extras you wouldn't complain again. Sorry if this all sounds a bit preachy.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

No one can tell me that the extras in any set are free. If they add the extra cost to that one disk or spread out the cost to every disk they sell is the question.

If anyone wants the friggin' extras that's ok with me, but keep them away from the movie. They could easily enclose a coupon that you could send back to them with five bucks and have them send you the extras disks. I think they'd be surprised at how few responses they get.

Glenn

 

[Tony Whalen]

If the studios WERE to introduce a bare-bones edition of movies, I cannot see them selling for half the price of the full-blown SE. Then the SE wouldn't sell as well. So what you'd end up with would be an SE selling for 20 bucks, and a BBE (bare-bones-edition) selling for 17. I'm making a wild guess on that, but I couldn't picture the situation any other way.

Now, that being said, why would the studios create and market a product that sells for less (and spend more money doing so), when they can just create a single product and sell it for MORE to everyone?

Sorry Jonny, I don't think it's gonna happen.

As for extras vs plain... give me the extras. I enjoy 'em a great deal!

 

[Marc Colella]

IMO, Canada's DVD prices are all over the map.

It all depends on where and when you purchase them.

One complaint I have are the price of Criterion DVDs. They're coming down a bit now, but are still outrageously priced.

I recently saw Naked Lunch priced at $72.99 ($55.69 US). Last year I saw Rushmore for $89.99 ($68.67 US) and In The Mood For Love for $99.99 ($76.30 US).

One shop stated that they could order the Truffaut Criterion boxset, but it would cost around $200 CAD ($152.65 US)

I know Criterion doesn't have any Canadian distributors, but these prices are still out of hand.

Thank god for Amazon.ca, their Criterion prices are much more reasonable - and if you pre-order them early you can get a helluva deal.

 

[Bill Williams]

That's why they make those no-extras discs that are classified into one of two huge categories: El Cheapo (aka the $5 bargain bin junk at Wal-Mart) or SuperBits.

 

[Chet_F]

"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."

To do what you want would cost the studios a GREAT deal more $$ to make, add confusion to the already ridiculous amount of version already available, i.e.
1.) American Wedding Rated Fullscreen no extras
2.) American Wedding Rated Fullscreen w/extras
3.) American Wedding Unrated Fullscreen no extras
4.) American Wedding Unrated Fullscreen w/extras
3.) American Wedding Rated Widescreen no extras
4.) American Wedding Rated Widescreen w/extras
5.) American Wedding Unrated Widescreen no extras
6.) American Wedding Unrated Widescreen w/extras

Nope......not a good idea. It would be great for you and maybe 5% of the rest of the poulation but would add additional expenses to the studios to make a new title, etc, etc. Not cost effective and if the studios can;t make $$$ they will not even consider it.

 

[Dave H]

Columbia House....Columbia House....Columbia House.

That is the answer to your pricing problems.

 

[Robert_eb]

You won't buy a film you love on dvd because it doesn't come with the "extras".

Your loss I guess.

 

[Yee-Ming]

Personally, from my perspective it's more a case of "I'm willing to wait and see if an SE comes out", especially having been "burnt" double-dipping on some titles I thought would never get SE treatement. Nowadays with studios regularly revisiting older bare-bones titles with new SEs, unless you're in a real rush to own said title, why not wait?

 

[Chet_F]

"unless you're in a real rush to own said title, why not wait?"

Agreed. But patience has been one of my failings.

 

[JonZ]

Theres alot of sarcasm here and I dont think its necessary.

Your not on a budget fine, but dont get all over someone who is and would like DVDs to be a bit cheaper.

I made this complaint years ago. Paramount was asking for $25 for bare bones DVDs when other studios were offering DVDs with extras for $10 cheaper. It makes a difference when you have a $75 a month DVD budget.

And I always said Id prefer barebones DVDs. Fight Club was a example. The me the DVD was overkill and I wanted a version sans the extras that was $10 cheaper.$10 may not seem like alot but it adds up as your purchases do.

Having said all that, DVDs are very reasonable. You can get a full blown SE like X2 for $14-$16 on release week, which is why I always buy DVDs I want on the week theyre released.

Shop around, the Circuit City near me has almost everything in the $14-$25 range.More expensive titles(Paramount)have come down alot as time goes by.

If your on a budget,I would limit myself to absolute "must haves" for now.Save and get what you can while you can.Back in 98-2000 I had about 80 titles on my Want List and its very satisfying to cross each one off.

BTW, Heres another idea - DVDs without interactive menus!