Sony's ongoing Double-Dip Series: Big Fish (1 Viewer)

[MarkHastings]

Really? Oh, my bad - I see I was looking at ANOTHER release of it.

So, they released it 4/04, then released an update (not sure what the update was though) in Feb. 2005, and now another release?

 

[Marko Berg]

The second "release" was probably a price drop of the original edition.

 

[Lane_S]

We are starting to see this more and more with (from my collection) Phantom of the Opera, Lemony Snicket, Constatine and the upcoming Batman Begins. My personal gripe with this is the main retailers discount the single disk version release week, but not the double disk. So far, however, I've been lucky in that Costco has stocked the deluxe versions of the films above at a good price.

As far as double dipping is concerned, by now everyone should just expect it. Thanks to the ever shrinking window between a film's run ending and the DVD being released, producers are being asked to deliver the DVD at the same time as the finished film, meaning in many cases there is just no time to do the sexed up DVD at first.

Sure - in a perfect world all studios would do a Peter Jackson/Robert Rodriquez and say "It'll be a barebones DVD Tuesday, but here's what we will be releasing in a few months...", but the fact is that the studios exist for one purpose, to move as much product and earn as much money doing it as possible. They've learned that most film fans and soccer moms will gladly shell out $15 -$18 to get a movie "now" and plenty of the hard core fans as well as others who initially thought about buying but passed, will be tempted six months on when all the extras are glued on.

So - if things like extras and DTS are really important to you - do not buy the initial release of any major DVD on release day if (1) it made decent box office, (2) it has strong "geek appeal" or (3) there is a good chance a sequel will be greenlighted. I guarantee there *will* be a second coming of that DVD, and it will be a "better" version in terms of quality and/or extras.

With "Big Fish" - I enjoyed but did not "love" the film, I haven't watched it in many months (but remember the audio and video as being acceptable) and I don't care about the book - so no double dip here. But when Kill Bill Ultimate Edition or Blade Runner Deluxe (yeah, right) comes out, I will gladly pull out the AmEx day and date.

 

[Damin J Toell]

No, price drop only. MSRP went from $27.98 to $19.98. The new edition will also be at the lower price point.

Take a deep breath. You'll give yourself an aneurysm if you keep -ing.

DJ

 

[MarkHastings]

But the 2nd release had artwork change...didn't it?

 

[Damin J Toell]

I need to find an ambulance smiley.

DJ

 

[svenge]

Don't you mean a waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahmbulance?

 

[CraigF]

Any new info on this release, anybody have it yet? Rumor is it is essentially the same as the R3 set in Marco's pic, with the original disc/case and the hardcover book in a slipcase. I pre-ordered it since I don't have the first release and this one is only a bit more (I was going to buy the original yesterday but decided to check what you guys said first).

 

[Travis Brashear]

It's on its way to me presently from Overstock.com so I'll let you know when it arrives...

 

[Travis Brashear]

It is the IDENTICAL (packaging and all) disc that has been available for the last year-and-a-half. Sadly, though the case is still sealed by security stickers, it is not factory-sealed in cellophane. So those of you, like myself, that already owned the stand-alone disc and hoped to trade this duplicate out for some other title somewhere are out of luck (I'll have to sell my duplicate now). The DVD is paired with a very slim, rather paltry hardback mini-book featuring production artwork. All of this is housed in a brown, aged-looking slipcover. Definitely NOT worth the upgrade unless you a) don't already own the film or b) can sell off your original stand-alone disc for a value close to what you pay to get this edition.