Universal snubs the on-line comminity: No reviews of E.T. and Back to the Future (1 Viewer)

[CaptDS9E]

I remember the days where studios like paramount, fox, disney and many others didnt even release dvd's. The online community wether it be this forum, digitalbits, dvdfile, dvdresource ,etc.. killed divx, got a lot more people into dvd, and kept on those studios to start releasing dvd product. . A little over a year ago studios came on here for chats about what titles we would like, features, and for our general concerns about what was happening to the foram. All of a sudden they abanden the online community because the format has gone mainstream. Sorry to tell them but even with dvd mainstream the people that are on these online communities buy a bulk of the dvds out there or recommend them to there friends who dont use these communities. I know that I have recommended titles to around 100 people . Id like to see a normal consumer who has 100-1000 dvd's in there house, or a normal consumer who builds real home theaters like a lot of our membership just so they could watch the studios movie product in the best way. There are a few of course not from the online community that have them . They are also known as Famous people who are on MTV cribs. Ron hit it right on the head. When they want to release HD-DVD who are the first people that it will intrest?. The normal consumer? Not in a million years. They just got hooked on dvd and you expect them to change real quick. Its enthusiasts like all of us will be the first ones. The ones who will buy first generation players, and dvd's and get the format moving for 2 years until the general public starts phasing in. When i bought my first dvd player it was a $700 toshiba. A normal consumer at the time wouldnt pay that just to buy a few movies from MGM and WB. Something similar happened this year. A few studios decided to try us out again and release D-VHS. A few people that have $$ to blow may buy it. Spend $1000 for a deck and $50 for tapes which will degrade over time on top of the already expensive larger HD-TV sets. No normal consumer will buy them. The people that buy them are the enthusiasts, but most of us are waiting for HD-DVD. Then i will spend the $$ for a HD-TV set, a hd-dvd player and anything else i may need. The studios have forgotten where it all started. But just remember the day of just WB and MGM, look back and remember where it started then and where it has ended up now

capt

 

[David Ely]

Well ... looks like I'll have the first online review. I have the 2-disk set in front of me. I couldn't justify spending more than double for the collector box.

Unfortunately I've only been able to go through this DVD on my computer. The video quality seems pretty solid. It's definitely the best E.T. has ever looked on home video. The print looks to be free of dirt and scratches. Colors are strong and only minimal film grain is present. It pretty much matches the quality of the print that I saw during the 20th anniversary release.

Sound quality seems pretty good too. Unfortunately my computer doesn't have a DD or DTS setup. I will crank the disk on my main system tomorrow.

One thing that I need to mention is the case. I HATE THIS CASE!!!! I wish I had a digital camera so I could so it to you. To start things off, the entire case is made of the same material as the Beauty and the Beast slip cover. This means it can get damaged very easily. There is also no solid back edge to the case. The whole case unfolds to be completely flat. Here, try this.

1) Take a piece of paper and fold it in half
2) Fold each of the halves in half

There, that's a perfect model of the case. I'm sure there will be some people who like it, but I definitely don't. If you're not careful when picking it up, the entire case will unfold. I hope you can all picture what I'm referring to.

Another problem I have with the case is that Universal seems to hide the fact that this the 20th anniversary edition. There is no way for consumers to know by looking at the front of the package that this isn't the original film.

Haven't had a chance to go through the extras yet. According to the packaging, the extras last 1 hour and 55 minutes. So it would be pretty easy to watch the movie and extras in one sitting.

If anyone has specific questions about the DVD I'd be glad to answer them. Just post them here.

 

[Anthony_H]

Well Ron... its simply seems the studio used you just to the moment it APPARENTLY no longer benefited them...and then discarded you. They tried to pimp you... for lack of a better term. No offense implied. Now the thing I would advise to do is that when HiDEF rears its head, you will again be of interest to the studios..they will come sniffing around, as this is where the forward thinking individuals reside. Make them pay for their lack of interest and ride the crest. USE THEM....

 

[Jeff Adkins]

Another problem I have with the case is that Universal seems to hide the fact that this the 20th anniversary edition. There is no way for consumers to know by looking at the front of the package that this isn't the original film.

I haven't had a chance to go through it either, but I noticed there is a sticker over the shrinkwrap saying it contains both the 2002 version and the original version. I thought this was only going to be in the box set.

Jeff

 

[rhett]

There is no question that online reviews are far more comprehensive and informative than any print publications that I am aware of. I think the main reason is, is that us reviewers are FANS of cinema, not doing it merely for a paycheck. I really think studios need to realize the work that is being done online to promote their products, because thus far it has gone largely overlooked.

Print publication may reach the masses, but online publications reach the die hard consumers who purchase much more than the average buyers. The online community is a huge asset, and if studios choose to snub it, then it is their loss, plain and simple.

 

[Seth Paxton]

I'd just like to add that I put a lot of stock in the opinion that Ted shared on page 1 of the thread. Business around Universal lately has been, shall we say, "busy". Especially HR I would think.
That can change the way a company operates in a heartbeat.

 

[Terrell]

Universal has not had good PR lately. They've made one bad decision after another. This is just another in the long line of pathetic and weak excuses. Of course I'll buy E.T. and Back To the Future. But others studios, who I imagine are also very busy, manage to send out screener copies with no problem. I refuse to let Universal off with an excuse.

Universal, get off your butt and start doing things right. The E.T. garbage was your first mistake. Then came the total access mess. Now this. Universal was once one of my favorite studios. Now they're bringing up the rear. Now FOX, New Line, and Disney are my favorites.

I have the 2-disk set in front of me. I couldn't justify spending more than double for the collector box.

Neither can I. I wouldn't buy the collector's box based on principle alone.

 

[JulianK]

Declan,
I wouldn't put too much faith in DVD Review magazine. Twice recently they've been caught out reviewing features on A-list titles that don't exist (a DTS track on the Region 2 From Hell and a commentary track on The Others).
Most of the print magazines have long lead times, and discs simply aren't ready in time for them to publish their "exclusive" reviews. Many reviews are written from copies from other regions, or VHS copies.

 

[Dharmesh C]

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter, we'll be talking about LOTR, Star Wars and Spider-man very soon if not already. Universal, who???

 

[Declan]

Yeah, Julian forgot about those two reviews.......they were in this months with Blade2 on the cover are'nt they. Have actually lost my copy of that so might have to buy another. Actaly the best DVD mag that I can remeber getting was Total Movie which was 50/50 split between Theatrical and DVD reviews. Excellent read but unfortunatley only (now) avaialble in the US (as it's a US mag, obviously).

I also see that Sum Of All Fears is going to be another Ron Review in a few days time so at least Paramount is issuing screeners. So hopefully we'll get an online review of Indy boxset (when released).

 

[David Lambert]

Another studio (to remain unnamed) blatantly not
only shrugged us off at the last minute during
our California visit, but also declined to invite
us to a major press event that other print Press
was invited to.

A year earlier, at a huge outdoor Press event,
that same studio personally asked if I would
mind not being included in the Press seating area.
Meanwhile, I ended up delivered 2 pages of pictures
covering the event while the Press delivered a few
meager lines of text article.

I've been trying to think: which studio invited Ron/HTF to a press event last year that was covered with 2 pages of pictures?

 

[ChrisMatson]

Sounds like Ron's referring to the Godfather event coverage.

 

[Larry Sutliff]

[

I've been trying to think: which studio invited Ron/HTF to a press event last year that was covered with 2 pages of pictures?

I was thinking perhaps Lucasfilms for THE PHANTOM MENACE DVD announcement?

 

[Robert Dunnill]

I never for a moment believed that "we" defeated DIVX (as a product conceived by one retailer, it was doomed to failure)

My highly-placed insiders at Divx told me that Rick Sharp ordered an end to to the product due to the frustrating dealings with the studios, and their reluctance to release material to the format. Spielberg's personal order pulling the Saving Private Ryan release was apparently the last straw.
No doubt Universal is holding back on the BTTF and E.T. screeners as a cost-savings measure, and because they don't feel that their costs don't justify the marketing benefits that online reviews would bring. Other studios do the same with ultra-hot A-titles; I've heard rumors that Sony will not be releasing screeners of the upcoming Spider-man disc, either.
RD

 

[John C]

Universal Vivendi is doing a lot of cost cutting things which have pissed off many. For example, Universal now owns sci-fi channel. They cut Farscape to save money. And even though Ron Moore claims he knows better than the fans that a Battle Star Galactica remake is the right way to go, I wouldn't be surprised to find that he was pressured to cut corners and costs all the way around. Maybe Universal should stop making new movies and TV so that way they can make tons of money on their old stuff?

 

[TonyD]

ok i guess i'm not in on the phrase but why are people referring to universal as VIVENDI

 

[Aryn Leroux]

David Ely: i have a question for ya. have you checked out the reunion special yet ? i was wondering if it is the full show that aired last year or has it been shortened? Thanks!

 

[Malcolm R]

ok i guess i'm not in on the phrase but why are people referring to universal as VIVENDI

'Cuz that's their name. From their company profile:

"In April 2002, Universal Studios and USA Networks, Inc. combined strengths to create Vivendi UNIVERSAL Entertainment (VUE), the U.S.-based film, television and recreation entity of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company."

 

[Robert McClanahan]

That sucks.

 

[David Lambert]

My question is do the reviewers get to keep these advance copies of movies?Do equipment reviewers get to keep the amps,speakers and receivers they get delivered to their homes to review?

Don't know about the hardware, but yes on the movies: reviewers by-and-large get to keep them.

The exceptions tend to be when the review copies are "check discs"; in other words, beta product used for quality inspection before the production begins. Check discs are usually sent to "special" reviewers who can be trusted to return them after the review viewing has happened, and there is usually a deadline. This doesn't usually happen until after the check discs pass all the tests and will be approved as the "final" version.

Otherwise, yes we keep the films.