To all studios - The "3 Complaint Super Angriest" thread (modified to fit your pc) (1 Viewer)

[Robert Ringwald]

I honestly stopped buying re-releases unless they have significanly more extras that I want, or some kind of increase in picture/sound quality.

Otherwise, forget about it. I spent money once... no need to do it again. How often am I going to watch the extras anyway?

 

[Chris Bardon]

The forced trailers/commercials thing really really bothers me. I think that Finding Neverland has a truck commercial or some crap like that on it? Is there really anyone who buys/rents a movie, sits down to watch it, sees this commercial delaying them seing the movie, and thinks "Hey, I need a new truck..."?

We already bought the damn movie-quit trying to sell us more crap! If you want to include trailers as "special features", go right ahead-just don't force us to watch em every time we put the disc in the player...

 

[MarkHarrison]

I agree with the first point, but not the other two.

"How often can you squeeze the consumer dry?" you ask. None in my case. I simply don't double dip. Those who do, do so willingly. And that's why it continues to happen. Because people continue to buy every release. I'd rather spend my money on discs I want but don't already own. It's been said a zillion times, but no one is forcing you to double dip! It's not the studio greed that makes the double dip market thrive, but the greed of the consumers who have to have the biggest and best. If the market wasn't there, the practice would stop.

The stupid naming (some of which I find clever) doesn't really bother me in the slightest. If that's one of the biggest gripes about DVDs these days, then the studios should pat themselves on the back for getting all the important stuff right.

 

[Jack Briggs]

You know, the gist of this thread does not sit well with me.

To wit: I think that almost any major studio release of a new film can be expected to reappear in a more elaborate edition. Just something that one learns to expect. Either one likes the film well enough to double dip or, while still liking the film, does not care to buy the special edition. Seriously. If you hate to double dip and you feel like the studios are bleeding you, then, well, don't buy the damn super-duper edition. (And, frankly, it seems to me elaborate editions are streeting often at the same time as the bare-bones edition. Often, I just go with the bare-bones edition.)

As for the other complaints: I do not like altering the aspect ratio of a film for any reason. But, seriously, how often is that happening? Judging from the original post, it seems as if that's happening about half (or more) of the time.

Forced trailers: Bad. Sure they are. And I am glad they are not prevalent. However, I can sit through the things on the few discs that have them. Whoa! Did I say "few discs"? Yes, I sure did. Out of a rather large library, too.

So, come on now.

 

[Nils Luehrmann]

From the title and topic of this thread, despite the tone, shouldn't this be in the Studio and Manufacturer Feedback forum?

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Well, this is more of a venting thread than something designed for the studios to read.

I agree that complaining about the silly names is getting worked up over nothing. That doesn't belong in a discussion of real issues like surprise double-dipping and forced trailers.

 

[Michael Allred]

Perhaps I'm misreading the tone of your post so if I'm wrong, my apologies, but it seems you're trying to invalidate my complaints by making them seem insignificant. Maybe my points don't bother you as much as me but you can certainly make your own point without making a flippant "come on now" comment.

If I misunderstood, perhaps you can clarify?

 

[Jack Briggs]

No, you're being defensive. And I am not being flippant. In essence, you're blowing these issues out of proportion.

 

[TravisR]

In all fairness, isn't that only on the Canadian version of the movie? Not that that makes it better (especially for Canadians) but it isn't all copies of Finding Neverland with a commercial at the front of it.

 

[Ruz-El]

I just read this thread, I get the vibe that it's goinjg to shut down for being too snarky, which is a shame as I love the title on it. I have to agree with Michael Allred
on most points though.

Yeah we don't have to double dip, the choice is ours, but the classy thing to do is to let people know before hand. This practive of duouble dipping is costing the studios money, both in manufacturing 2 sets of product, and in guys like me who no longer buy mainstream releases new. Taking "Eternal sunshine Of The Spotless Mind" as an example. I really wanted this on DVD, but in reading on the HTF about special features rumored that didn't show up on the final disc, raher than buying it new, I bought it previousely viewed for $10 2 weeks after release. Not 2 weeks later was it announced that a more elaborate 2 disc edition would be coming out. I flipped the single disc for $13 bucks and bought the new one on sale when it came out. I don't pay more than $13 for new mainstream titles anymore, as they always seem to get redone by the studios, I'd rather spend prime dollars on special editions that are going to last a while, mainly catalog titles or more unique films that you know aren't going to be revisited anytime soon.

Forced trailers suck, but I can live with them more than I can live with forced commercials or public service anouncements. Commercials suck in the the theaters, and they suck on DVD as well. If people don't complain about Finding Neverland, than the studios well just try to slip more and more on us. If the studios insist on forced commercials and trailers, at least make it so they have something in common with the film, like a commercial directed by the director of the movie, or featureing one of the actors.

J6P has had DVD for a while now, and DVD collecting is no longer a niche reserved for collectors like comic geeks*, and trekkies**. There is really no reason that DVD's should be made without the correct aspect ratio for the film, or include the original sound track as an option. DVD buyers are sophisticated enough that if they had no choice between Pan and OAR, they would still take the OAR. Oh they might bitch about the black bars, but they would still buy it so they could see Ice Cube spend a week looking after some kids. Buy offering full screen titles, you are catering to the lowest common denominater, a type of consumer who I am smug enough to say doesn't deserve DVD and all it has to offer.


*I am one of the said "Comic geeks", and would like to point out that comics are actually GRAPHIC NOVELS!! You're just not sophisticated enough to appreciate the intricate art of graphic story telling.

** Trekkies are such nerds!!

 

[Glenn Overholt]

I agree with Jack on the double-dipping. The collectors will buy, and buy again, and buy again! Stop it already!

On the OAR issue, I am wondering if films released in FF only were also on VHS once. If that is true, I think that the studios would just get their VHS master, dump it into their machine, and have it spit out FF DVD's. It just tells me that the studio spent a whole 5 minutes on it.

Gee, talk about cheap.

Ok, I know that the studios only see $$$, but if one film really sells well, would it be so terrible to get the extra money and put it into releasing other films in OAR?

Part of the reason I don't like the way the studios are treating these films is because if they were on VHS once upon a time, then that meant that they were put on VHS because they knew that they would sell well.

I did see on the news that HD tuners had to be in all 25" or larger TV's by next March. The Feds pushed the date up for a change, and if we're lucky, all of these new HD sets will also be 16:9.

Glenn

 

[Michael Allred]

Then please explain how I'm "blowing these issues out of proportion." I don't see how I'm exaggerating anything, I'm giving specific examples then following with an opinion that I believe is using a reasoned stance. I'd agree with you if all I was saying was "OMG! All DVDs suck now! It's ruined I tells ya! Ruined!" but I'm not.

 

[Jeff D Han]

I agree with you, Michael. About the double-dipping
issue, your point about Alien Vs. Predator, and the
post about Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind are
excellent examples of studios not being honest with
us consumers. If these multiple releases would be
out at the same time, then it's all up to us which
version of a film to add to our collections, and our
complaining would be greatly reduced.

 

[Nils Luehrmann]

OK, so if folks feel compelled to rant about studios I guess to be fair we should also rant about HT enthusiasts.
At this rate, in a few years any DVD released without a stellar transfer, perfect audio mix, and oodles of special features will be considered yet another example how inconsiderate, short-sided and greedy the studios are.

Oh, and of course even if there are tens of thousands of DVD titles, the fact that even less than 0.1% are MAR only will continue to cause certain DVD enthusiasts to go ballistic and treat the studios like inhuman money hungry beasts with the intelligence of a garden slug. :rolleyes

Guess maybe they'd prefer not having any DVDs at all...

[rant over]

 

[Robert Crawford]

Nils,
Your last post doesn't belong in this thread! This thread is about issues that members have in regard to studios and it shouldn't be derailed by making comments to muddy the water.





Crawdaddy

 

[Robert Crawford]

Even though, I think some of the comments here are a little over-the-top there are some legitimate concerns that I agree with and apparently so do retailers.

http://www.videobusiness.com/article...1&catType=NEWS

 

[Nils Luehrmann]

Muddying the water???

Well heck, then light those torches and burn the studios down...

Sorry for trying to put a real perspective on an escalating problem.

 

[Michael Allred]

Nils, a little bit, yeah.

I'll be right at the front of the line when studios do a great job not only with their product but how they treat the consumer however in these specific examples, they are clearly not doing anyone any good. Nobody is saying everything the studios do is awful. This is why we're trying to be specific.

If the studios would listen, maybe some of their high profile re-releases wouldn't be projected to sell about 25% of the original releases.

 

[Nathan Phillips]

It's definitely a case-by-case thing. I'm buying "Jaws" again mostly for the mono track. I bought "The Crying Game" and "Strangers on a Train" twice. But I like my one-disc versions of "Dr. Strangelove" (despite it being a movie I love more than all the others named here) and "Eternal Sunshine" just fine.

I agree, though, that the repackaages often come at a ridiculous speed, the recent Fox titles mentioned coming to mind, as well as that very silly expansion of "Eternal Sunshine" (honestly, what was the deal with the cover art that reduced the cover image to make room for all the critical hyperbole? was that just an Oscar bid or what!?). And to echo another extreme case mentioned, I honestly cannot BELIEVE how many DVD's there are of the "American Pie" movies.

 

[Randy B A]

The problem with double dipping is a catch 22.

If the consumes buy the DVDsthe studios feel that it is popular and then release a special edition.

However, If consumers don't buy the bare bones edition then the studios frrl the movie is unpopular and do not release a special edition.

Also if we just rent the bare bones edition and wait for a special edition before purchasing then we are talking rental windows like the vhs days. That would make bbv happy.