Independence Day: Limited Edition (seriously)
02-23-04, 10:10 AM
#1
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Louisville
Posts: 7,595
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Independence Day: Limited Edition (seriously)
http://192.217.197.208/software/dvd-...004/02_22.html
You've got to be kidding Fox.
Also just announced from Fox is yet another DVD reissue of the blockbuster Independence Day, and one that apparently no one was asking for. Dubbed the ID4: Limited Edition, this single-disc set will street on May 11th and includes the extended cut of the film (with 9 minutes of restored footage) presented in anamorphic widescreen, plus the original theatrical cut accessible via seamless branching. Extras fans can expect include the same audio commentaries from the previous DVD releases, including a track with filmmakers Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin and a second by Oscar-winning effects artists Volker Engel and Doug Smith, plus - new to this reissue - an exclusive sneak peek at Emmerich's latest disaster epic, "The Making of The Day After Tomorrow." Retail for this quickie cash-in will be $19.95.
02-23-04, 10:18 AM
#2
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Completely un-needed.
02-23-04, 10:54 AM
#5
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Posts: 4,521
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ha! I couldn't care less. I have this theory concerning re-releases of certain types of "popcorn" movies. Movies that are largely dependent on hype, fads and novelty for their success (such as ID4) generally don't live long - in other words, they have a high "growing-out" ratio (for lack of a better term). I believe that almost everybody who ever liked ID4 will at some point outgrow it, however old they were when they first saw it. This happens remarkably fast; possibly as soon as a year after the first viewing of the film.
After a while, the silliness/ineptness/etc of the film will begin to "shine out", savagely limiting the enjoyability of the film on subsequent viewings. This isn't just because of the film "dating" technically or thematically (look at the ongoing popularity of the original Star Wars); it's mainly due to the thrill of the film being a cheap one, a quick one, in the first place. (Interestingly but not surprisingly, ID4 was written over a weekend.)
It's not necessarily a matter of the viewer developing a more cultivated taste in films but more like a matter of the film's facade falling off. This phenomenon illustrates why it's never a good idea to leave low-quality elements in a film on the basis of having it flanked by oither more thrilling or spectacular stuff. In time, even the scene that was one of the main selling points of the film (e.g. ID4's "Today, we celebrate..." speech) can be voted the cheesiest moment in film history. I certainly hope Emmerich's new film will have something more tangible and lasting.
For this reason a re-release, no matter how much "good stuff" it has going for it, will very likely not generate much interest, even though the film has been out of print (as I understand the previous Five Star edition of ID4 has been). I suspect the same fate will befall, to a lesser extent, Spider-Man. The re-release looks not only desperate but downright embarrassing because it only serves to highlight the film's shortcomings. In this sense the "let sleeping dogs lie" approach may be the best one. But try telling the studios that.
Rant over...
After a while, the silliness/ineptness/etc of the film will begin to "shine out", savagely limiting the enjoyability of the film on subsequent viewings. This isn't just because of the film "dating" technically or thematically (look at the ongoing popularity of the original Star Wars); it's mainly due to the thrill of the film being a cheap one, a quick one, in the first place. (Interestingly but not surprisingly, ID4 was written over a weekend.)
It's not necessarily a matter of the viewer developing a more cultivated taste in films but more like a matter of the film's facade falling off. This phenomenon illustrates why it's never a good idea to leave low-quality elements in a film on the basis of having it flanked by oither more thrilling or spectacular stuff. In time, even the scene that was one of the main selling points of the film (e.g. ID4's "Today, we celebrate..." speech) can be voted the cheesiest moment in film history. I certainly hope Emmerich's new film will have something more tangible and lasting.
For this reason a re-release, no matter how much "good stuff" it has going for it, will very likely not generate much interest, even though the film has been out of print (as I understand the previous Five Star edition of ID4 has been). I suspect the same fate will befall, to a lesser extent, Spider-Man. The re-release looks not only desperate but downright embarrassing because it only serves to highlight the film's shortcomings. In this sense the "let sleeping dogs lie" approach may be the best one. But try telling the studios that.
Rant over...
Last edited by Tyler_Durden; 02-23-04 at 11:02 AM.
02-23-04, 11:49 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 658
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
gimme a break, for every one of you guys complaining there are probably 10 on this forum that would pick this title up in a second if they saw it at best buy for 10 bucks, stuff like this makes money, as for ID4 losing its rewatchability, I would say yes but no more than any other movie, and for me personally (even though I don't own the DVD and probably won't ever) it has above average rewatchability because I love apocalyptic cheese, heck I would probably buy this on a whim if I saw it for under 7 bucks
02-23-04, 12:15 PM
#10
DVD Talk Special Edition
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Jakarta, INA
Posts: 1,958
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
isn't the 5 star edition got the "extended cut" or "alternate cut/ending" too?
i can't remember whether its in the deleted scene section or branching like T2
FOX released the single disc theater cut awhile ago (the same time they pulled out the 2-disc SE) & now i think they're trying to release the "extended cut" from the SE too...
no big deal for me, they have the right to milk the title if they wanted to
for those who already got the 2-disc SE won't lose anything from it
just my take
i can't remember whether its in the deleted scene section or branching like T2
FOX released the single disc theater cut awhile ago (the same time they pulled out the 2-disc SE) & now i think they're trying to release the "extended cut" from the SE too...
no big deal for me, they have the right to milk the title if they wanted to
for those who already got the 2-disc SE won't lose anything from it
just my take
02-23-04, 12:17 PM
#11
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
I think the film holds up well as fun big budget camp/cheesy entertainment which is what it was intended to be in the first place
Only those who bitch & moan about all 'popular' films at the moment,including the mindless action films while pretending to be 'serious' film critics love to gang up & rip films like these apart. They never intended to be Citizen Kane,so why act like they were but failed severely? That proves who the stupid person is in this case
Anyway I already own the great 2 disc SE release & see no need to ever repurchase the film at all.
If someone missed out on that release & does not care about extras. I see nothing wrong with them having the opportunity to own the film for a decent price.
Only those who bitch & moan about all 'popular' films at the moment,including the mindless action films while pretending to be 'serious' film critics love to gang up & rip films like these apart. They never intended to be Citizen Kane,so why act like they were but failed severely? That proves who the stupid person is in this case
Anyway I already own the great 2 disc SE release & see no need to ever repurchase the film at all.
If someone missed out on that release & does not care about extras. I see nothing wrong with them having the opportunity to own the film for a decent price.
02-23-04, 01:48 PM
#13
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Louisville
Posts: 7,595
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by fumanstan
The only thing that confuses me is... there already is a single disc release of this. So the only difference is the ability to get the original cut?
The only thing that confuses me is... there already is a single disc release of this. So the only difference is the ability to get the original cut?
02-23-04, 01:48 PM
#14
DVD Talk Gold Edition
I liked ID4 (and Armageddon for that matter since they are kind of similar) --- good mainstream "let's save the world" action movies. I have the original 5-star ID4 so there has been no reason for me to buy any other release. The transfer still looks very good even though it's almost four years old.
02-23-04, 02:19 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 355
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I thought the version of ID4 out there now was definitive.
I suppose this is nothing more than a tie-in with The Day After Tomorrow. Speaking of which, can anyone tell me how that movie is not simply ID4 without the aliens?
I suppose this is nothing more than a tie-in with The Day After Tomorrow. Speaking of which, can anyone tell me how that movie is not simply ID4 without the aliens?
02-23-04, 02:26 PM
#18
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 9,334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This piece of shit now is entering Army of Darkness territory for re-releases:
ID4 Five Star
ID4 Single Disc
ID4 Digipack
ID4 Limited Edition
Heck the list doesn't even include the pan and scan versions out there.
ID4 Five Star
ID4 Single Disc
ID4 Digipack
ID4 Limited Edition
Heck the list doesn't even include the pan and scan versions out there.
02-23-04, 02:35 PM
#19
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Posts: 4,521
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by Julie Walker
Only those who bitch & moan about all 'popular' films at the moment,including the mindless action films while pretending to be 'serious' film critics love to gang up & rip films like these apart. They never intended to be Citizen Kane,so why act like they were but failed severely? That proves who the stupid person is in this case
Only those who bitch & moan about all 'popular' films at the moment,including the mindless action films while pretending to be 'serious' film critics love to gang up & rip films like these apart. They never intended to be Citizen Kane,so why act like they were but failed severely? That proves who the stupid person is in this case
02-23-04, 03:57 PM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 406
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I happen to love this movie for what it is: Good, brainless camp. I can pop it in and enjoy it any time. I have the two disk set, but I don't see any problem with these re-releases at a different price point. They're designed to appeal to different segments of the audience. Buy it or don't. If it flops, it's no big deal.
