Regon 1 discs released earlier outside the U.S.? (1 Viewer)

[stephen^wilson]

I've often wondered why some internet site outside of America get region 1 discs earlier than the official release dates(sometimes weeks in advance).For example,Star Trek:Nemesis and Equalibrium have been on sale on some sites in Britain for 3 weeks now and Die Another Day was on sale from today.Anyone have any thoughts/ideas on why this curious practice happens?

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Because the discs are manufactured much earlier than they are put on shelves, and since the distributors and import shops there have no reason to bother with street date since they aren't supposed to have them anyway, they sell them.

Die Another Day is officially released in the UK, US has to wait a month for an inferior disc for some reason

 

[Neil_Duffy]

Well...I have been to beleive that discs are ready and available to ship well before their 'official' release date. The companies in the UK or pehaps Jersey are not bound to US laws where by if you are caught shipping product/breaking release dates the studios/DVD rep can punish the retailer.

Not saying there is a law to stop retailers selling bfore the street date, but it's done as a goodweill gesture so as to keep in business.

 

[Yumbo]

why do you ask?

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

This site gets their discs way, way early: http://www.dvdslimited.com/

The prices aren't low though (but they used to be higher). Like they say; most releases arrive 2 weeks before the US street-date!

Warner titles particulary arrive very early.

PLAY get MGM titles quite early too - and great prices to boot: THE FOG: SE only costs £10.99! The Midnite Movie range titles are low too.

It's only when it comes to Criterion titles that Play lets itself down: £24.99 for quite a lot of the 1-disc SEs.

Best to go to CD-WOW! for your Criterions if you live in the UK and you want them fast and reletively cheap.

If you want rock bottom prices on Criterion titles, it is best to to type "Criterion" into this site's search box: Link Removed

The Hitchcock 5-film/6-disc Boxed Set is only £58 from www.digitaleyes.com[/url]!

Well...I have been to believe that discs are ready and available to ship well before their 'official' release date. The companies in the UK or pehaps Jersey are not bound to US laws where by if you are caught shipping product/breaking release dates the studios/DVD rep can punish the retailer.

I'm not sure about laws, but the reason that Jersey-based sites like Play have low prices (especially on region 2 titles: THE MISSION: SE (RRP: £19.99) is only £13.99!) is due to the tax exemption of the island.

Great stuff for region 1+2 big-time collectors like myself!


Gordy

 

[Dan Rudolph]

The street dates aren't so much a matter of law as contract. If you break street, the studio can wait until the street date to ship future discs to you to make sure you don't do it again. Import shops and such who aren't dealing with the studios anyway can break street all they want.

 

[James Lambert]

Sorry Gordon, I may be mistaken but I believe linking to sites who break street dates is frowned upon on this forum. If it's OK please ignore my email

I'd also just like to second CD WOW for cheap Criterions! I would mention the cheap R2 Buffys but don't want to open any cans of worms.

 

[oscar_merkx]

well technically Gordon is not breaking any rules as they are non us sites. I believe it is only the US sites are not allowed to be mentioned.

Agreed on the cheap prices from CD WOW re Criterion

 

[ChristianB]

The problem lies with the studios and distributors. Studios ship product at different times to different distributors who in turn, ship to all of their customers. No wonder video stores and other retailers are always complaining that they don't have their product when the competition is already selling/shipping it.

Wouldn't it be fair to ship to everyone at the same time?

I know here in Canada, some studios have cracked down on street date violations and early shipping. Universal introduced bilingual packaging as one way to track their own product. For example, a copy of say 8 Mile shows up somewhere way before street, then Universal could trace the source of where it came from and from whom.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Wouldn't it be fair to ship to everyone at the same time?

Here, here! Well said!

Films should be released globally in cinemas in the same week or a least the same month.

All the big studios should try to release their DVDs in all countries in the same week/month also. Some (not all, though) region 2 editions of Warner, Universal, Paramount titles aren't released until 5-12 months after the region 1 edition, and then when the do arrive, the are bare-bones! The upcoming MGM region 2 edition of Buckaroo Banzai most certainly is!

This is why I must have a multi-region player and buy region 1 DVDs for low prices on the Net. The region 1 edition of Buckaroo Banzai is brilliant and the British Banzai fans are justifiably livid on losing out on such brilliance. Retail is £12.99; the region 1 SE can be acquired for £2-3 more at British-based e-tailers. Tough choice, eh!?


Gordy