imp66

I have seen soooo many threads over the years complaining about studios double-dipping with SE's and "Ultimate Editions" and "Extreme Editions" and Superbits and "Super-Dooper, It Doesn't Get Better Than This, We Swear This is the Last Time" editions. I'm one of those who gets sick of 20 different editions of stuff (see Terminator 2).

NOTE: PLEASE READ BEYOND THE QUESTION ITSELF!

My question is this: Why shouldn't the studios double dip?

I agree that they should do it right the first time. But look at it this way. If you scroll through a couple of pages here in the Talk forum, you will see at least five threads entitled "Will we ever see an SE of .........?" If I was a studio rep who surfed the forums, my impression would be that people WANT us to double dip. If you guys don't want it, why ask for SE's or redo's or whatever on movie after movie after movie?

So, after that long rant....flame away

PS - Since I know several studio guys frequent here (I think Martin Blythe is one???) how about some comments from the studios themselves? Why double dip?

shanester

It's all about money$$..Most people (like me) sometimes can't resist buying a movie when it first comes out even though I know there's a good chance they might release a SE down the road...

It's an addiction that I only have with dvd's for some reason!..The compulsion to buy everything the first time "on sale" and as a pre-order of course...

imp66

That's my point. For the people who complain about it (myself included), and say "Why do they do this?"....well here's your answer. Because they can. People will buy it when it comes out, they'll rebuy it when it comes out again, and some of us will re-rebuy it again when it comes out again, again.

So, back to my thread title....Why double-dip? Why not! (at least from a studio view-point)

spyzdope

I don't mind if the studios double dip, as long as they tell me they're going to do so. In my opinion the double dip on LOTR was a great one (I still own both, BTW), since they included different material on each one, and they informed us from the very beginning that there would be an Extended Edition released in the future.

IMO, every studio should come up with a superbit ripoff name (megabit, ultrabit, etc.) so they can release a bare-bones superbit-type release quickly, in order to please both the A/V people as well as the impatient people. Then, they could take their time to make an outstanding SE, to be released later. As long as they inform us from the beginning that they plan to do this, I'm all for it. For the record, I don't have a quality Home Theater setup (so I can't even tell the difference between a superbit and regular release), so I would rather wait for the SE in almost every case (I'm an extras whore, too).

pdjennings

Excellently put imp!! The complaining has always puzzled me. (heh... see sig) I mean... the whole point of this collective group is that we are movie fans and DVD collectors. And yet, the common theme in any sort of release thread is "aww damn... i wanted a 'loaded' dvd!" .... & so, after a time, the studio/director/producer will revisit it and give us what we ask for... and then the bitching starts.

Plus... remember the almighty mantra: NO ONE IS 'MAKING' YOU buy A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G..... EVER. DVDs, in general, are made available because they know the real fans of something WANT to buy it ..... and that those who want MORE of something ... will not mind buying it twice -- if they wish to. That's part of the fun! And again,... I'll echo - DVDs are cheap! Repurchasing something so cheap a year later isn't going to break anyone.... especially if you're a fan/collector of the movie in question.

I know I certainly don't mind. I would rather have a "bare bones" DVD in my hand right away than to go without owning the film (for months? years?) in question.... just on the assumption/hope/fear that another version is coming.

Us buying DVDs = Them making DVDs. Can't have it both ways, folks.

Josh-da-man

How many people will really re-buy DVDs that are re-released?

I have a feeling that's a really small percentage.

But one thing I think double-dipping does do is re-promote the titles that are being re-released. Also probably gives them more visibility and shelf space at retailers.

Now, look at something like "Mothman Prophecies." It was originally released as a barebones DVD about a year ago. A lot of people (and rental places) bought copies because it was a new release. At this point, it's become a catalog title, with a big slow down in sales and a likely price cut in the near future. By re-releasing it now as a SE, they get to repromote the title, get new shelf-space, and don't have to reduce the price. And, yes, some people will buy it again. But I don't think it's the prime motivator in such decisions.

As far as the nobody is forcing you to buy it arguement, that is very true. On the other hand, consumers are frustrated because they want the studios to do it "right" the first time. It's gotten to the point it feels like SEs are being "withheld" to be released at a later date. I can certainly understand the frustration people have.

I'm at a point now where I don't even bother buying things when they're released. I just wait for either a re-release or a price cut. No problem, really, as there are plenty of things I can buy instead. I am patient.

milo bloom

Ah, I've been waiting for a new double dip thread to put forth my new buying advice for DVDs:

Get the thought into your head that every DVD will be double dipped at some point. Seriously, imagine you're living in a world where every movie (not just Army of Darkness) gets a new release every year. With that in mind, go to the store, pick up a DVD of the movie you want, and think, if I bought this now, would these features be good enough for me that if I get hit by a meteor immediately after watching them, I could die happy? If the features are "good enough for now" then they're "good enough forever".

YMMV of course, it's just a thought.

Avid

I've been buying DVDs for two years now, and anything that I think will get a special edition down the road, or does not have a good transfer, I wait for the studio to do it again.

A lot of titles that I want have come out as special editions and I have passed on those as well. When the special edition is an extended or director's cut that does not include the theatrical cut I don't buy it. So far I have not gone back and bought the barebones version previously released because the new SE always has a better transfer.

I also want the special edition extras on the theatrical cut. I am one of the few people who actually watch everything on the DVD. I like extras. If the extended cut is included I watch it, but I consider it an extra.

It really does suck when a film I love and have waited to get the SE treatment finally comes out and it is not the version released to the theater. Of course it is my choice to buy or not, and one hundred percent of the time I have not bought.

DarthMaul420

Exactly! LOL

I like having the choice of re-buying new editions. No one forces you to buy anything so why complain? The only downside I have always complained about with double dips is that many studios will work on that release while they have many films sitting somewhere never to be touched.

In regards to AOD, keep in mind Anchor Bay is not a studio per say. The Evil Dead Series has sort of "kept the boat afloat" through the years! Sorry for the bad pun.

FuzzyBallz

Simple. Too many suckas out there who will buying anything new movie studios throw at them. More suckas, more money for the execs.

Ps. The proposed idea is set in a perfect world. Unless you live in one, the sucka part doesn't apply to you.

Panda Phil

Exactly. I learned this lesson a few months after I started buying DVD's. Unless it's some super obscure title I almost never buy a bare-bones disk. I figure eventually a SE will pop up. So far it's worked pretty well. Out of almost 150 films, I've only gotten nailed by Somewhere in Time, Fear and Loathing in LV, and The Right Stuff.

Hey, I'm patient.

BizRodian

The only problem I have with DDing is if a studio releases barebones, then a few months later releases a SE. Obviously planned all along.

ctyankee

That's kind of like saying I don't mind if I'm being lied to as long as they tell me they're going to lie to me. O.k. not a great analogy but please ... don't you feel the tug of the hook in your cheek?

You've bought into this time element to put out a good DVD SE. I don't buy it. Maybe a few years ago but not anymore. The time to get the director is to have him record his commentary (if you want one) as part of his movie contract. Those making of features are already in the can as well as actor's sound bytes they use for promos for the film.

DTS or enhanced sound? Doesn't take any more time to release that than some other audio they put on their bare-bones edition. How often have we seen the SE with the better audio ...

Let's face it. Marketing wants to sell you the same stuff over and over making the smallest amount of changes they can. VHS, Laserdisc, DVD - now multiple releases of DVD and soon super DVD (in whatever form that becomes).

Their way of viewing the is maximizing their asset. They see it as a business.

It not that hard to figure out releases that are barebone (on purpose) with the SE to follow. You can smell them a mile away. True, for someone that doesn't care about the SE, it's not a big issue. For the rest of us, let the buyer beware.

However, if consumers were smart enough to resist substandard releases, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

But, that's why some people end up with a second home by the lake and why others end up in a van ... down by the river.