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How important are DVD Extras to you?

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How important are DVD Extras to you?

 
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Old 05-05-04 | 12:49 PM
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I used to care but now, honestly, it really doesn't matter that much to me. Most of the extras you get are nothing but P.R.-fluff anyway. Truly Special Editions like Panic Room are the only ones that get me excited any more.

Now, if I know a movie is going to be released in a souped-up version at some point I'll usually wait for the better version. But I'll gladly buy a movie (Shakedown for instance) that's got no extras if it's highly improbable that it'll ever get a Special Edition release. Just depends...

Bought my first DVD in March, 1998 so I've been collecting ~ 6 years now.

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Old 05-05-04 | 01:59 PM
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I don't give a flying **** about extras. They justify higher prices and multiple discs... I don't have time and I don't have space for extra discs.

I'm a movie fan first and foremost. I'll take widescreen anamorphic high-res video with quality 5.1 mix any day of the week over filler and fluff.

If I can pay less for a barebones single disc release, just show me where its at.

I haven't had time to watch over 250 movies, let alone allocate time for commentary, features, etc.
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Old 05-05-04 | 02:27 PM
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Depends on the movie and what the extras are. If it's a movie I really like or is of some historical importance, then I want to see more behind-the-scenes stuff. I'd like to get my money's worth for higher priced DVDs that have extra contents to justify the cost.

There can be such a thing as overkill. Some DVDs have way too many extras, too many commentary tracks, too many hours of stuff. It's more time and effort than I would really want to get involved with -- sometimes I'd just like to enjoy a movie for it is.
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Old 05-05-04 | 02:36 PM
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So as far as I can tell, the want for extras seems to die off as the years go by and the collection grows. This is about what I expected, because that's how I feel more or less. Even still, I usually will pick up the 'best" version released because I'm a packaging/edition whore who wants the best version if I'm going to buy a film at all.
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Old 05-05-04 | 03:55 PM
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Like them but not neccessary for me to purchase. Most extras are a watch once and forget just after watching the movie. Sometimes there are some special historical documentaries but other than that I scan them.
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Old 05-05-04 | 04:15 PM
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Quality of extras > quantity of extras

For example, I devour every single extra on a Criterion disc and usually enjoy them all, whereas on, say, a disc from Columbia I'll just browse some of the extras that might look interesting but rarely do I come across something worth the time.

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Old 05-05-04 | 04:26 PM
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I rarely watch any extras so I guess they're not that important to me!
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Old 05-05-04 | 04:30 PM
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Director commentaries are essential for furthering my enlightenment in how to read film...
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Old 05-05-04 | 04:34 PM
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extras to me are nothing more than a bonus...icing for the cake. the film is what I want and if it has a ton of extras...great. if not...fine.
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Old 05-05-04 | 04:44 PM
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Depends on the movie. I watched virtually all the extras on the EE's for the LOTR movies.

I watched most of the POTC extras.

If I love the movie, I watch most or all of the extras. If the subject matter really interests me, I'll also watch (pirates, for instance).

If I really like the actors or directors I'll watch to see what they have to say in the behind the scenes stuff.

There are some films I own, where I haven't really paid much attention to the extras at all.
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Old 05-05-04 | 04:53 PM
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Right after I watch the movie I make sure to watch all the extras. On over 90% of my DVD's I have only watched the extras that one time though. I buy it for the movie and wouldn't mind if there were no extras if the DVD was a lot cheaper.
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Old 05-05-04 | 05:21 PM
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Very important. They can make the difference in my mind between buying or not buying a borderline title.
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Old 05-05-04 | 05:26 PM
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Not very important. The only exception for me is a movie that is about something i have an interest in (ex. lawrence of arabia), in that case i'd like to watch the documentaries about the event or person.

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Old 05-05-04 | 05:34 PM
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The extras really help; sometimes they can "make" the sale. When I love a movie, I want to watch as much about the movie as I can. The appendices for the Extended Editions of the LOTR movies are incredibly amazing. They really entertained me for hours and broadened my appreciation of the love and labor that went into those films. I'd still buy a great film that is short on extras (see e.g. "Lost in Translation"), but the bonus materials always help.
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Old 05-05-04 | 10:12 PM
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Its interesting because when I first started out buying dvd's I was all for the extras. After years of VHS crap it was revolutionary to me that you could get the movie and making ofs plus commentaries etc. Fascinating.

Now after years of collecting the percentage of extras that I have actually watched would be less than ten percent. So the wonder of the extra has well and truly slipped.

For mine if the movie is in wide sceen 16x9 enhanced and is in 5.1 format im happy. After all you buy the dvd for the movie.
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Old 05-06-04 | 01:07 AM
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I couldn't care less about extras 90% of the time. Audio/video quality being equal, I would gladly buy barebones for a few bucks cheaper every time if it were an option.

The only movies I have watched the extras for are LOTR, Pixar's stuff, some of the Matrix extras, things like that. I could live without any of those as well if it meant even lower prices. I just want a great presentation of the film.
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Old 05-06-04 | 01:25 AM
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Totally important. There are more DVD's than I can possibly own. Thus, there has to be some standard by which I can choose one over the other, since for most films, there's nothing in the films themselves to make me choose, since I enjoyed them both equally, etc.

This has the side benefit of almost never being subjected to a double dip scenario, since I skip the bare bones version.

The only barebones discs I have are my most favourite of favourite films, and ones that I know will never have a Special Edition released.
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Old 05-06-04 | 04:42 AM
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Re: How important are DVD Extras to you?

Originally posted by Psychlowne

Personally, as stated above, I just don't have as much time as I used to. Not to mention finding a reason to sit down and watch two "Appendecies" discs (per EE) filled with hours and hours of extras seems a bit tough for me (who actually watched all that?). Lately I've realized that if you give me a perfect transfer, great audio and maybe (if I'm lucky) as a bonus: a commentary, I'll be more than overjoyed.
I've watched, and enjoyed, all the EE extras multiple times. I find it all very interesting how such a massive film was made. Those extra's feel more like real documentaries (which I love) as opposed to fluff.

I treat commentary tracks like talk radio. Since I've most likely seen the movie/tv show already, I can just have it on in the background as I clean up, read, or while I'm online. I really enjoy them and do not like when they aren't included as an extra.

Extra's really don't factor into my purchase though. I may be disappointed if a dvd I've been looking forward to doesn't have the amount of extra's I would like, I will still most likely buy the disc(unless I know a better edition will come out i.e. the EE's).
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