I have started to hate dvds lately for the one simple reason and that is re-releases. It seems like there is no point to buying any dvd simply because there could be another release planned. Take for instance Black Hawk Down which was released with a decent set of supplements then we get the Black Hawk Down 3 disc DE which I thought would be end of that. Now we get Black Hawk Down 3 disc superbit edition in Korea. WTF are they trying to pull?They could have easily released this set in the US.

I am just getting very aggravated because of this. I wish it would stop but I fear it's going to become worse and worse. Soon every dvd will be re-released at some point or another.

Does anyone feel the same?

...

It's a part of collecting anything. You might aswell give up using a PC because two months from now they will release a faster processor aswell as dropping the price down and so forth. this is the way of life. Deal with it or get off the train.

There is tons and tons of films that get better treatment in other countries and to turn the table, there is tons and tons of films that get better treatment here in the states then anywhere else. Don't you think it's sort of unfair to those over sea's aswell?

The most important part of all this is... NO ONE IS MAKING YOU BUY ANY OF THEM! they don't have a gun to your head, they don't make your other version of the film burn into flames so you HAVE TO buy the newer version of the film. the best suggestion is be an educated consumer. for BLACK HAWK DOWN, when the first one was released it was very common knowledge that it was not going to be the end of all ends version. A lot of people held out because of it and waited till the deluxe version or are still waiting for a superbit version. YOU HAVE TO BE A INFORMED CONSUMER. I can not stress that enough. learn what you are investing your cash in because it is Your cash. the studio's do this for everything. look at computer games.. game comes out at around 49.99, a couple months later it is re-released in a "Game of the year" version or a "Gold" version which offers extra material and in many cases, at a cheaper price.

Remember, no studio is making you buy the re-release, and we normally get a big heads up here on the forums if their is any trace or tiny piece of info that a re-release better version will be out in the future.. so be informed.

You're right. DVDs are evil.

Send your entire collection to me immediately and SAVE YOUR SOUL!!

I don't mind re-releases so much as long as the new version has different extras. I have the choice as to whether or not it's worth an upgrade.

What really bugs me is when a studio takes a nice set off the market, replaces it with a bare-bones version, then re-releases the original formerly OOP version again a year or two later, ala Fight Club.

Don't forget the bottom line is the movie. I don't by very many re-releases for extras unless the extras are really outstanding.

I still have this version of Seven:



It's a flipper!!!

As long as the disc is anamorphic, 5.1 and has a commentary I won't upgrade.

Titles I have upgraded are Texas Chainsaw (for 16/9 and 80 minutes documentary), The Hitcher (for 16/9, doc, comm), Thelma & Louise (doc), Straw Dogs x 2 (16/9, 2 different comm, different docs).

I will NOT upgrade for DTS or Superbit. Although these are preferable on initial release.

Anchor Bay suck for the re-release stunts they pull!

I don't buy a title the minute it is released anymore. I simply wait a few months (or more). If a title is going to be released under Sony, and it's popular, there is a VERY good chance it's going Superbit soon.

Anchor Bay is great for their reissues... Can anyone say Army Of Darkness.

But like it was mentioned before, rereleases are just one of the parts to collecting.

I solved this one a couple years ago and simply stopped buying bare-bones releases.

Cuz sure enough, as soon as you buy it the studio announces a Special Edition.

The simplest solution is to look at that first release, look at what features it has, and think to yourself: "Are these features good enough that I wouldn't want a possible re-release?" If not, just rent it, or heck buy used. I've bought tons of discs used and saved tons of money.
No one is forcing you to buy and re-buy. Just check out all the reviews before you buy, and don't worry yourself to death over a re-release that may or may not happen.

It's hardly anything new. I've been reading this complaint since I first came to the forum.

A basic sense of discernment goes a long way. I never found that blanket rules like "no non-AW", "OAR only", or "no barebones" work. There are too many exceptions to make the rules usable.

Everyone collects DVDs for their own personal reason.

I don't feel the need to have every disc jammed with extras. Some films, like "A Christmas Story" I simply love to watch. Sure it is pan-n-scan, sure it is bare-bones, but the simple fact of the matter is, that's the only disc available. So my family and I get to watch it and enjoy it NOW. Not in the greatest presentation, but
it suffices.

Same goes with Sixteen Candles. The film is hillarious and I'm glad to have paid $8 two+ years ago for this barebones disc and have the opportunity to watch it.

Night of the Living Dead... this is one film that I will always upgrade if "original" extras keep getting added. I bought Elite's first disc... nice extras, two fantastic commentary tracks... a really super disc for a landmark film. When they released their NOTLD:ME, it had even more extras. THAT I upgraded...

Planet of the Apes: Evolution. When first released, elitists thumbed their noses at it because it wasn't anamorphic. They were holding out for the anamorphic release that was never to materialize...and they're still waiting. (Unless they have a region-free player)

There are many more examples.....

The point is, if you make a disc-by-disc decision rather than some general blanket rule, you'll reduce the need to upgrade, and get greater enjoyment out of those titles that you DO.

Ditto on what sracer said. I personally just let go and enjoy the ride. The only time I ever upgraded was the Sixth Sense DVD, and that's because i got the Vista Series for 13 dollars. (I sold the original for 10 bucks... hehehe).

Recently, I was able to get Lawrence of Arabia 2-disc for 12 bucks with the mis-print ad from Target, and then found out two weeks later a Superbit release (with a better transfer and restoration by Robert Harris) will be coming out this fall. Am I mad? Nope. The Superbit won't have the extras that the LE does.

With BHD, it was known that a rerelease was coming before the first one appeared on store shelves.

I don't think "Black Hawk Down" is a good example of this because i remember hearing about both the special edition and the Superbit release(though i do remember hearing that there was a possibility that the SB was just a rumor)when the first disc was first released(as evitagen just said). I think in some cases, rereleases arn't a bad thing. With Pulp Fiction and Resvoir Dogs, there was a good 4 year wait between the barebones release and the special editions. And i love the way Elite did there rereleases of Night, Re-animator,and I Spit. Again it was a good 4 or 5 years between releases and it was well worth the upgrade.

Getting back to the original post. I don't think Sony/Columbia really cares that the US and Korean releases are different since there are so few people in the US that can play discs from other regions. Hell how many releases from Europe are 2 disc special editions compared to 1 disc here in the US from any number of studios. This is what their marketing told them that region will buy. I almost can understand when people complain about double dipping but we're talking two different, noncompeting releases from 2 different regions. Geeze how the hell do you call that double dipping?

I buy most DVDs with confidence that they will be the only version I need unless it's a movie from Columbia/Tri-Star. Never buy the first release of a new movie from them because there's GOING to be a special edition or Superbit down the road (and not even that far down the road). This policy may or may not apply to some of their catalog titles, but err on the side of suspicion.

Yeah, stick with VHS.

They won't screw you around with re-issues on those.

Sony and to a lesser extent Anchor Bay are really the only companies that concern me when it comes to re-releasing movies on DVD.

As stated above, Sony almost never releases a film just once. Often times, you have an initial bare bones release to placate the rental chains. Then you have a special edition anywhere from 6 months to a year later. And finally you get a Superbit release for those who actually want high quality video and audio. Of course, Sony could make everything a lot easier on the consumer if they'd simply release a 2-disc special edition with DTS the FIRST TIME AROUND! Or at the very least, the second time.

Anchor Bay I'm more forgiving of. They have a limited number of titles in their library, so they have to milk them for all they're worth. Plus their prices are pretty low. Still, it is frustrating to buy a 2-disc "limited edition" or Army of Darkness only to see it get re-released half a dozen times. And it's even more annoying that MGM(albeit in Region 3) releases the Director's Cut with a great-looking transfer and 5.1 audio, yet Anchor Bay has had at least 4 tries now and is still issuing the same piece of crap.

I have yet to upgrade any of my DVDs and saved myself lots of money.

The movie is the most important part of the DVD, so I am fine watching it on my 27 inch TV.

I simply don't buy re-releases. As long as the original release is anamorphic and DD 5.1, I have no reason to upgrade.

I never watch extra's anymore, and don't care about DTS as it doesn't sound much better on my system.

That said, my buying has dropped of drastically, but that's just do to lack of deals. In the good old days you could easily score DVDs from Reel.com, 800.com, etc. for under $10. Now it's tough to find anything less than $15-20 that doesn't involve a lot of hassle.

I probably bought 10-15 DVDs last year, only 4 or 5 so far this year.

But this is also compounded by the fact that I haven't been watching movies as much in general the past year or so as I've been busy, and I don't buy movies I haven't seen.

I used to get really frustrated with the sheer number of re-releases popping up as I felt that I needed to upgrade at some point.

Now, I don't upgrade unless there are significant differences between the two versions...with video quality heading that list.

So far, I've only upgraded one DVD since I established some hard criteria for upgrading.

You don't have to buy anything, incuding DVD re-releases.

When I upgrade, I simply sell it (usually on Ebay) and come out OK. It doesn't really bother me since DVDs are the only thing I am into as far as spending money/collecting. It's not as if I blow money all of the time anyway.

Finally, reading forums such as this lets you know when a re-release is coming or rumored. Unless you have been hiding under a rock, you had to have known a Superbit BHD was coming sooner or later.

Not for anything, but even before the first Black Hawk Down DVD was released, people in THIS forum NEW BEFOREHAND that there was going to be atleast three releases.

This was reported at DVDFile and also posted at HTF. So what's the whining about again?