Why is 'City of God' going for so much?
 

I don't get it. Is there something I am missing. This DVD is coming out in June, so why are people paying upwards of $70 on eBay for the quickly recalled, genuine, retail DVD now? Is it because they do not realize it is coming out again in June? It is going to be the same exact DVD in June correct?

So why would they fuss and pay that...it makes absolutely no sense! Anyone have some rational explanations because I am truly flummoxed? http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/images/...eadscratch.gif

Also, how is the film for those who have watched it..I'm getting it next week and can't wait..that $70 better be worth it
http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/images/smilies/tongue.gif

So they can say they have it and other people don't.

My life is isn't so sad that I have to spend $70 on a dvd that I could get cheaper if I waited a few months, just to feel better.

Yet your life is so sad that you're eager to jump on a chatboard and condemn total strangers for spending their own money the way they see fit...

To the thread starter: why do you care? I mean, really...?

People (especially Americans) are impatient. They see something they want, they want it right now, and they pay a lot more than what they would pay if they wait.

Why do you think people are in so much debt? Because they spend money they don't have because they don't want to wait until they can get it.

America is a culture that thrives on instant gratification. eBay is a perfect example.

Perhaps you haven't noticed that this is a forum for DVD <b>COLLECTORS</b>. People here tend to want to have different releases of discs, and to people with the money to spend it's worth the $50 to have a copy to make copies of to sell on eBay until the legitimate release comes out.

The ROI on that $70 purchase is just fantastic. ;)

Er, "America" is shorthand for a country, not a culture. And we're a diverse country, to boot. Which means, in practical terms, that for every American willing to pay $70 for a DVD, there are thousands more who aren't so willing. Further, of those willing, some are doubtless impatient by nature and some are in debt by circumstance. Still others, however, have the money to spare and don't mind spending it.

Which is what makes this country great: choice and opportunity.

Trotting out simplistic cartoons of "Americans" that reduce such a diverse collection of peoples to a stereotype for the purpose of dimishing them is the sign of a flaccid mind -- one content to mouth tired and easy cliches and draw thick-lined caricatures in place of doing any actual thinking or observing.

Do yourself a favor and put the crayons away, KSC2-303...

http://www.deephousepage.com/smilies/usa.gif Thanks for the threadcrap.

Next time how about specifically answering the question instead of going off into a geopolitical polemic about the inherent greed and impatience of American capitalism.

P.S. eBay is practically universal and covers many nations aside from the US. :hscratch:

At least I know I have my nice Region 4 two-disc set. And for less than $30 months ago. It still amazes me that people would spend a lot of money on a region one, recalled disc when you can just get a region-free player and the disc (better extras and nicer packaging) for cheaper. But to each their own. :)

You can get a region-free player for $40? A decent one?

Where?

celluloidwisdom,

I don't want to get into a whole "thing" here, but as an American if there is one common strand I've seen amongst the people is there demands to be judged on an individual basis since we're all "unique" and "diverse".

Of course, these are also the same people who will paint a broad stroke against anyone who isn't part of their social segment.

meritocracy,

I guess you completely missed the first sentence of what I said.

Let me repeat:

"They see something they want, they want it right now, and they pay a lot more than what they would pay if they wait."

I think that pretty much answers why people are paying so much. Sorry if you had trouble understanding that.

jough,

Apex is the cheapest region free player with PAL to NTSC conversion, but of course it sucks as a DVD player.

I personally invested in a Malata DVP-520 for its perfect PAL to NTSC playback, along with the ability to zoom out to eliminate tv overscan.

If you have an Xbox, you can mod it which allows you to do anything, including DVD playback of other regions, and since the Xbox has a built-in PAL to NTSC chip, all the better.

I had no trouble in comprehending your point. The fact that in your repost you fail to quote yourself accurately by omitting the operative phrase "They (especially Americans)", I find particularly telling especially when one takes into account the fact that the remainder of your post was only in relation to this topic. Your post rang through loud and clear and did really nothing more than define your myopic conception of what constitutes "American Culture". It seemed intentionally worded so as to draw a contrasting point of view as opposed to answering what was in essence a very simplistic question concerning the market forces of supply and demand. Thanks for your facetious attempt to edify, but I find that no further clarification defining your view was needed.

Usually when people bid on eBay, they throw caution and sanity out the window. I know I have in the heat of bidding on a few occasions paying more than I would have for items.

But in this case, it is more of impatience than anything else. I can see bidding on a DVD like that if the recall had to do with disc content (like Ed Wood), but there is no point.

supply and demand

Instant gratificaton is going to a store, paying for an item, and walking out of the store with the item.

eBay is placing a bid, waiting for the auction to end, contacting the seller, making the payment, waiting for the seller to ship, and wating for the item to reach you.

Your "perfect example" is perfectly useless.

When will you get City of God quicker, paying $80 for an eBay copy now, or waiting 3.5 months and buying it at Best Buy?

I do agree with one of the posters here, I mean sure it's a lot of money to pay for a release that is going to be out again in a couple months, but I mean its their decision if they want to spend that much money. A part of me thinks somewhere in the 70 dollar spending, lies maybe bragging rights? I'm not saying thats what it is, but I'm sure its rather nice to have something you know a lot of people dont?

Simply put:

(A) It's NOT June and there is no guarantee that it will be on the shelves come that time.

(B) You cannot guarantee that the re-release will not be edited. Sorry about the double negative

A person with money has the right to purchase this title at the fair market value. Just because a rumor exists on a re-release does not mean they are idiots or wrong for purchasing the title on ebay.

By that same token...
Does this mean that I'm a "sad" human being, everytime I buy a newly released hardback book, because I don't want to wait 6 months for the paperback to come out? :p

My copy only sold for $56.

Amen botha! I've had to be careful not to get into a bidding war during the last hour of auctions. I totally forget that I'm poor and start feeling like D. Trump or some shiznit. I know I've bought things in the past that I wanted that weren't easy to get for a premium price. Those things made me happy, and I'm sure the CoG dvd will make those folks on ebay feel the same (not talking true love, family, world peace happiness...just happy).

I go the option you've ignored - order from the UK, Australia, etc. My $75 brand-name region-free player has served me well. You're probably still waiting for the <i>Splash</i>SE, or <i>Ed Wood</i> or <i>Last Exit To Brooklyn</i> or <i>Trainspotting</i> or... or... well, you get the idea.

First you could just buy the R-3 dvd of this from a place like dddhouse for 9 bucks if you want to watch it now.


Second, if you want a good Region free dvd player, look up the Toshiba 4900 in the International forum here, and see how you can have a region free player for 79-89 bucks, with great Pal conversion and good overall quality with a SIMPLE 1-time hack. (or an even easier remote hack you have to do each time you put in a DVD)

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=342250

I just picked one up at Sam's Club for $39.99 for a friend of mine (since I already had a region-free player). It was an Apex, which I know some people are a little uncertain of because they're priced so cheap, but I've had my Apex AD-660 for 3 years now and it works great (not to mention that's extremely easy to flash the firmware in most of them and make modifications to allow a ton of things that most dvd players won't do, such as playing Divx files and deactivating the macrovision).

Wow! I really didn't think this post would get so existential.

To the poster who asked why I cared in the first place...mere curiousity is all..if you read my post clearly i was wondering if I missed something about this release that might have been special as opposed to the re-release down the line (ie: something may be changed for re-release that would make this a valuable commodity to have and thus warrants the $60-70 asking price) otherwise there is no need to get so defensive as your retort seemed (if it wasn't intended as such than I apoligize, and if you did buy one for $70..more power to you and you will have the "bragging" rights for the next 3.5 months).

To the poster who made the reference to buying the hardcover edition book sooner than the paperback..great analogy! I never would have thought of linking the two consumer goods up but it makes for a very reasonable argument.

Anyway, back to at least one of my topics in my original post...so how is the DVD? movie, extras, and all??

So a few of these slipped out as well. :D Personally, it depends on how much I want a movie in my collection will I be willing to spend much over the MSRP. This doesn't happen to be one of them.

Especially, since there is an announced release date of June '04 AND it's playing locally at a multiplex here in Chicago.

But, if you have the $$$, happy bidding.