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Simon Pegg asks the US not to buy "How to Lose Friends..." DVD

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Simon Pegg asks the US not to buy "How to Lose Friends..." DVD

Old 01-04-09, 11:35 AM
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Simon Pegg asks the US not to buy "How to Lose Friends..." DVD

from collider.com:


Written by Matt Goldberg

It isn't often that a director will ask fans NOT to buy a DVD of their film. After all, good DVD sales translates into future work for that director. But what if you made a killer DVD and the studio said, "No, thanks"? Such is the case with the upcoming DVD release for director Robert B. Weide's movie "How to Lose Friends & Alienate People" starring Simon Pegg.

Posting on his MySpace blog, Pegg writes about all the cool features that will be missing from the U.S. DVD, saying:

I was very disappointed when I heard about the lack of extra features on the US DVD of How To Lose Friends And Alienate people, particularly when Bob and I went to great lengths to ensure they were available. I, together with Edgar Wright and our team, have always strived to make our DVDs worth buying by loading them with extra content. We even invented never before seen DVD extras such as the Homage-o-meter, the Plot Holes comic strips and the trivia track, such was our desire to make the finished product indispensable. On projects where my responsibility was solely as an actor, I have strived to suggest content and have always been slightly ashamed of the discs that offer little. With HTLF Bob Weide, a man at pains to collaborate and achieve the very best he possibly can, was adamant that we work together to produce a DVD that offered a completist's overview of the finished piece, having devoured the content on the Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz DVDs respectively. It actually became a catchphrase on set and in the edit when anything went wrong or had to be left out. So many times, I heard Bob invoke the mantra "thank god for DVD extras."



Whether or not you liked the movie or not, you have to admit that those are some creative features. Furthermore, when a film that didn't kill at the box office puts in that kind of effort, then larger releases need to step up since the fans are clamoring to go into greater depth with the film. So why remove all of this stuff? Is the economy in such poor shape that we're charging by the megabyte?


In a press release (also posted on Simon's blog), Weide explains:

"It boils down to sloppiness and apathy. All of the material was absolutely cleared for all territories. There were just too many cooks in the kitchen and the left hand failed to communicate with the right hand. The ball was gently placed in those hands, and they dropped it." Weide reports that he sent numerous e-mails to those charged with integrating the bonus material, offering to clear up any problems or questions they might run into along the way. "The responses I received were somewhat dismissive, until they finally wrote me saying 'thank you'… they had all the material in hand. I later found out they never obtained it. If they had told me the truth, I would have had the tapes on their desk within 24 hours." Weide says that by the time the truth was revealed, MGM told him that "The ship had sailed," meaning the DVD replication had already taken place, and there was no going back.



Weide request that fans not buy the Region 1 DVD doesn't stem from a place of retaliation or bitterness. It's just common sense: why should you reward a studio for making a DVD that's missing content? It would be one thing if that content never existed but unless they're planning some crazy double-dip special edition, then it makes no sense to give these extras to Region 2 DVDs but not Region 1. Weide suggests that you should pick up a region-free player and I have to say that it's not a bad suggestion. The Onion's AV Club just released a list of great flicks that you can't get here in the states if you don't import.



As for Pegg and Weide, I'm sorry that there hard work will go mostly unseen here in the states but you can always rent and with so many ways to rent DVDs these days (Netflix, OnDemand, etc.), maybe studios shouldn't skimp on great DVD extras when they're readily available.



http://www.collider.com/entertainmen...d/10318/tcid/1
Old 01-04-09, 11:41 AM
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what "fans" of this movie?? this just belly flopped at the box office - who cares?
Old 01-04-09, 11:57 AM
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I admire their dedication to DVD fans; and will at least give it a rental if a loaded edition ever occurs.

And sure, I'll "boycott" a DVD I had no plans to buy anyway.
Old 01-04-09, 12:00 PM
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No problem. It didnt do much for me so Ill be sure to not buy it.
Old 01-04-09, 12:10 PM
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Loved this movie, really pissed that they fucked it over. I wonder if the UK BD release will have the extras and be region free.
Old 01-04-09, 12:31 PM
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that sucks about the extras, i may have to import this, but it can wait because i already have a clone of the bare bone dvd release.
Old 01-04-09, 12:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Elpresidentepez
"It boils down to sloppiness and apathy. All of the material was absolutely cleared for all territories. There were just too many cooks in the kitchen and the left hand failed to communicate with the right hand. The ball was gently placed in those hands, and they dropped it."
In the originally scripted release, Weide actually ended that by saying, "The ball was gently placed in those hands and their butterfingers, and they dropped it." Cheated yet again!
Old 01-04-09, 12:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Trevor
I admire their dedication to DVD fans; and will at least give it a rental if a loaded edition ever occurs.

And sure, I'll "boycott" a DVD I had no plans to buy anyway.
Ditto
Old 01-04-09, 12:47 PM
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Pegg movies that aren't directed by Edgar Wright are generally crap, so done and done.
Old 01-04-09, 12:50 PM
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Yeah I will wait and buy the R2 of this cheap from Amazon.uk if that version has all the extras... (Still the US release will contain two commentaries which is more than most studio films seem to get nowadays.)
I also still need to order the R2 edition of the Pegg-starring Big NOthing which has some exclusive Pegg-Centric featurettes and a Pegg Commentary.
Old 01-04-09, 01:12 PM
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I actually thought this film was funny. and cute. Oh well.
Old 01-04-09, 01:26 PM
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Never saw it but I'll join in the boycott
Old 01-04-09, 02:09 PM
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I only care about Megan Fox-centric features.
Old 01-04-09, 02:39 PM
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this movie was actually very funny.
as hot fuzz received a three disc treatment just four months after the single disc release, i really wouldn`t be surprised at all, if the company also kept the extra materials for a special edition down the line.
or maybe, as the theatrical release was a major flop, they simply didn`t bother to put any effort into the dvd release whatsoever.

ps. which is too bad, because a nude shower scene extra with megan fox would have been highly
appreciated
Old 01-04-09, 03:34 PM
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Not buy it? Not a problem.
Old 01-04-09, 04:55 PM
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It's great that Simon Pegg is supporting his Director on this one. It's clear that he's an actor who wants to make sure his fans get their moneys worth out of a DVD release.

Whenever I hear of something like this happening for the release of a movie that didn't make a ton of money I immediately think the studio is holding out so they can get people to purchase a special edition down the road. Personally it is my preference that fans of a film should be able to easily purchase a release loaded with special features without having to track down another regions release, or buy a movie multiple times.
Old 01-04-09, 07:43 PM
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I'm still waiting for a DVD release of:

Spoiler:
Old 01-04-09, 07:46 PM
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I thought this movie started off really funny but then just dragged on and on... I was going to rent it to give it a second chance and was hoping for some good extras but with this news, I probably won't even rent it...
Old 01-04-09, 07:55 PM
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maybe we should boycott both releases so we can have revenge after what they did to us with the 3-disc release of Hot Fuzz...
Old 01-04-09, 10:40 PM
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When did this even come out? I remember seeing the trailer AGES ago.
Old 01-04-09, 11:38 PM
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Sad how studio's don't think of the fans. They'll of course later re-release it and make people double dip....fuckers
Old 01-05-09, 12:20 AM
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Originally Posted by mcfly
When did this even come out? I remember seeing the trailer AGES ago.
They dumped it out late summer with almost no marketing and it tanked huge. I think it was only in my local theater for two weeks.
Old 01-05-09, 07:22 AM
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Damn, I went and seen this and actually forgot that I did until my wife had to remind me...
Old 01-05-09, 08:57 AM
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Originally Posted by animatedude
maybe we should boycott both releases so we can have revenge after what they did to us with the 3-disc release of Hot Fuzz...
Ohh murder, he funny I like him.....as if!
Old 01-05-09, 09:08 AM
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Originally Posted by Groucho
Pegg movies that aren't directed by Edgar Wright are generally crap, so done and done.
Pegg without Nick Frost is like a sundae without the ice cream and banana.

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