I avoid bilinqual covers like a plague.

Me too. Unless they are very cheap (ie second hand).

The Back to the Future set probably has the worst bilingual packaging ever. Id have all the Star Trek ones now if they didnt have bilingual packaging (Im too lazy to order them from the states at moment )

Why does French have such an illogical foothold on Canada, some of you may ask? The answer is: who knows? Suffice to say, the billions and billions of dollars that have been spent by the Government here to enforce it doesn't really seem worth it. Making 75% of the country suffer to keep the other 25 reasonably happy (the hardcore French are still always pissed off about something) will surely go down in the world history books under the heading "Bad Decisions", right next to the Edsel and New Coke.

But back to DVDs: Assuming we believe what the studios say, 25% of DVD consumers in Canada are French. Of that, how many of them WANT French covers? I know plenty of French people here who prefer English covers and hate the bilingual ones just as much as I do.

Bilingual covers are done in part to: thwart thrifty Americans wishing to save a few bucks thanks to the favourable exchange rate and to save money (printing one totally bilingual cover is cheaper than printing separate English and French ones).

And to any American out there who doesn't understand the fuss: come to Canada, have fun, spend money, then marvel at the majesty that is our out of control political correctness and unbearably ugly and confusing DVD covers.

There is no official language of the United States.

The Coffee and Cigarettes dvd that came out last week wasn't bilingual! Thank god for that.I think it's the big releases that are getting the bilingual treatment.Like Agent Cody banks 2...etc
I don't think their catalog titles will go bilingual.

Beware, sarcasm ahoy!

Actually, a number of their catalogue releases actually do sport new and improved bilingual packaging! Titles such as Terminator (Le Terminator) and Thelma and Louise (Thelma et Louise) now reflect the true nature of Canada, because we're all idiots up here and even the French people here don't understand what "The Terminator" means but are all clear now thanks to the "Le Terminator" on the front and side. I can't tell you how many times I saw French people picking up Thelma & Louise, only to put it down because they just weren't sure it was the film "Thelma et Louise" they knew and loved.

Thank you, MGM, for clearing up the confusion!

I got nothing against my French speaking brothers here in Canada, but I do hate how they put other langauges on the front and spines of my DVD covers. Why? Because I love the artwork, and like it to look how it should. I don't care about the back of the DVD. Put all the French they want, it's just that, for display purposes, I want it in English...

Yep, you are right. I just finished reading an article about the Quebec thing and it mentioned it. Don't know why I always thought we did.

The Quebec situation is pretty mind blowing. I didn't realize how much the rest of the country bent over for the minority until reading about it.

There's no french track on Coffee and Cigarettes, no bilingual packaging.

and yes, catalog titles are affected as well.

Obviously I am from Canada. Do any studios make billingual covers in the U.S.? No. Maybe you should have read my original post properly.

You got served.

We're not the ones who get pissed when they see french on their cereal boxes. Screw the "suffering" majority.

That said, bilingual covers suck. Nobody french or english likes them.

I love the Blade II cover I saw the other day. In both french and english. Blade II and Blade II.

Canada was founded by French and English, and there is still a large french population. I'd say making food products with french directions on it, it's pretty smart, and no one really cares.

Bilingual covers on DVD, however, are a different story. No one likes them on either side. They are just a cheap way for studios to try and please everyone, while really pissing everyone off. It's not a language issue, it's a stupid business issue.

How do you say monosodium glutamate and corn starch in French?

glutamate monosodiques et fécule de maïs

or so says google

Switzerland is considered one of the nicest countries in the world - they have what 2-3 official languages? German/French/Italian.

Sorr for the OT

BOOOOO!!

dvdsoon is pretty much the only source i buy R1 dvd's from (they are so cheap!). haven't had bad luck with the bilingual monstrosities lately, but i think my (soon arriving) copy of 'it's a mad mad mad world' is bilingual... *grrr*

I think a country that has more than 1 official languages is cool.. I'm from canada and now that i think about it, being "forced" to take english & french in highschool up to grade 11 helped me understand a bit of french... Instead of looking at it as a negative look at it as a positive

Shhh... you'll interrupt the ranting.