Double Dipping: The Thread To End It All
 

I have a question that I've been contemplating within the last year and a half or so about double dipping and maybe you all can answer it. The studios have been pushing out collector's edition, ultimate editions, super-uber-best-one-of-them-all dvd collections on almost every popular dvd release, both new and old, for a couple years now and I know how much people seem to despise it YET....why do dvdtalkers....one of the most knowledgable, front most, most informed group of people when it comes to dvds, act all surprised when the inevitable almighty newer and more improved dvd comes out? If history shows us anything, there's more than likely going to be another special or ultimate or uber-cool dvd collection coming out for your favorite movie, eventually. Studios know people are and will pay the extra money for the new dvd for whatever reason. So my rant is since we all consider ourselves pretty smart, why buy the bare bones edition and when you KNOW there's going to be a special edition? If you have the patience and wait, all you'll do is save yourself money b/c the original dvd will do nothing except go down in price anyways and then you can really decide if you want to own it as opposed to buying it on release date and then grumbling about the double dipping. Of course some just want to buy it to have it, but then I wonder for the majority of us, we have so many dvd's as it is, do you even get a chance to watch it within a "appropriate" time frame as it is, or does it just sit on your shelf and collect dust cuz you've got so many in your que as it is? That's all.

-phatboy out

oh do a search, this topic has been done to death. no need to litter.

(BTW, it's OK to use the Enter key once in a while).

I think double-dipping is more to get the people who just haven't bough the DVD yet. "Hey, remember me! Well now I'm $5 less, remastered, and have a movie ticket for my sequel!" I will constantly pick up discs like this (for example, Pitch Blacki). End result? I'm happy.

To others, they just don't need to get the new improved version. I still have my original flipper copy of Se7en. I just don't see the movie enough to upgrade it. End result? Still happy, because I got to see the movie when I saw it and didn't have to wait forever.

To others, they are super collectors and will not mind buying the movie over and over. Look at the triple-dip thread and look at how many copies of Evil Dead [/b]/ Evil Dead II / Army of Darkness have been sold.

It all comes down to a simple economic question. It is either worth it to you or it is not. For people really tight on cash, they can always sell their old DVD, hunt around for the best deal, etc.

The people who complain are the OCD collectors who have to have something just because it came out. I complain because I usually want to get the Überultimate version of anything I get, but those sets rarely have sales. I shouldn't be mad at the studios, I should be mad at myself.

Note I only ever complain if the first release is sub-par (picture quality wise) or lacks the sound it was mixed in (DD, DTS), not in OAR, or not the approved cut. This, for example, means I get to complain that Magnolia is still non-anamorphic. When these things happen, I don't buy the initial release and wait. Except now I've been patiently waiting for 5 years and am miffed. :)

I seriously doubt this thread will end double dipping.

Yeah, tons of threads on this. But I always swing the bat when someone throws a pitch my way. It's in the blood.


Because, like a child, I can't wait or just plain refuse to wait? Life is short? Because I can afford to do what I want? A: all of the above.

I'm building a library. Don't give a shit about the price and I know what I want to own and what I don't. I don't buy shit I don't like. If it's crap...it's supposed to be crap. I'm a big spender when it comes to cheese.

Just like $...time can be managed. A library is for enjoyment ANYTIME. Even years from now. Why the need to cram it all down our throat ALL the time? I buy it fast to build. The watching and learning is paced. Only a hardcore collector would understand.

Yep. I'm not a collector, so when I'm buying a DVD I just look at the specs and extras and see if it's good enough for me. If it's not I don't buy it, if it is, then I'll have no need to upgrade.

I do like when studios annouce the better version is coming though. That way I can decide whether the first release is good enough, or whether I'd rather wait for the second release (which I did for the LOTR EEs, and I'm doing for Kill Bill and will do for Sin City).

I agree...very misleading title

I don't mind double dips...some have been better than the last and further between releases, but altogether no big deal...

The good news is many times they throw in a free movie ticket (like I robot, day after tommorow, and man of fire with the free fantastic four ticket.)

the problem isn't when the double dip adds a bonus disc, or more special features....the problem comes when they start dropping features like they did for Bourne Idenity, Apollo 13, Alien and etc.

I like the idea of having a disc with a theatrical cut, and then a later DC special edition like Kill Bill or Sin City. Some people don't want both, and feel the DC is always the one to watch....however I think sometimes the editor is king (Blade Runner comes to mind)....or better yet put both on the disc like strangers on a train or T2 Judgement day....

I also think that if the initial run is running low, why not do a new disc with new features, rather than a second pressing of an old disc.

I've never understood why people around here seem to believe that double-dipping was invented along with the DVD.

Many CDs have been released several times, sometimes simply remastered, often with "bonus tracks" and "never-before-released" alternate cuts.

Even paperback books sometimes went through a double-dip sort of thing, with a new "now a major motion picture" edition with photos from the movie.

What's more surprising than double-dipping is that anyone is actually still surprised by it.

I think most of us on here hate:

Unnecessary/inadequate double dips - like not giving a title the SE treatment upon the first release. Or re-releasing a title and changing up special features.

Double dips for the sake of double dipping - a title being re-released with 1 new feature to promote an upcoming sequel/capitalize on some related property.

Personally, I've double dipped titles that were either a poor release first time around (usually most of the titles I bought early on).

Now I just wait it out.

Are you sure about that? I thought it was one of New Line's Platinum series and I'm pretty sure all of those are 16x9. I haven't played mine since I got a 16x9 display and it's packed away, but that seems odd.

No, you don't. It isn't true.

DJ

Hmm, guess it sounded right in my head when I wrote it. I was referring to it as in this is the final thread discussing double dipping, not preventing double dipping.

Also this thread was meant more for those who gripe when a SE version of a dvd comes out and they act like it's such a shocker, then those who buy it then don't mind buying it again.

Another reason to avoid double dipping - sometimes the second DVD release is worse than the first (ie:The Bourne Identity).

right...because there has never been a thread about this in here before! :chainsaw:

Also, if no one buys the 1st release, the studio may decide that there is no demand for the title and cancel any super special edition they were planning down the line.

The very title of this thread implies that there have been other threads on this topic. So why open a new one? It seems to me that you can't even claim you weren't aware of the other threads.

That said, I've answered this question in other threads and feel no need to double dip on my opinions.

See this is a good example. The thread may be a "double dip" of previously discussed material, yet people still took time to respond to it. Just as movie being re-released is going to attract new purchasers and just make people curious in general.

Then why post making the OP feel bad?



The bigger problem here is me not waiting for Movie Gallery's Buy2 Get2 Free promotions. I mean, my queue is huge...I can wait to buy those there: original cases, inserts, good condition..That is huge amount of money saved.

Fortunately for me, I'm a late comer to DVD, so double dipping hasn't been much of a problem. For instance, I'm a Trek fan, but I never had any of the movies on DVD before, so I'm only getting the directors/special/collector's editions.

And I am a sucker for anniversary/collectors/special/directors editions. I'll snatch those up much more easily than an older release, especially for old favorites. The main thing I look for in such releases is improved audio/video, widescreen/anamorphic, etc. Extras are nice, but not a driving factor.

So that's why I'd buy a new edition of older movies, but not of more recent ones - like I, Robot - of which I already have the first release. And while I've bought the new releases of the Star Trek movies, I won't rebuy the last one, Nemesis, because I can't imagine how the video/audio could be improved over what was already released.

Darn, I thought this thread was about ending the phrase "double dipping." :(

I did think it was some sort of open letter/plea/petition to stop it...I guess the only way is to stop buying the second edition...but for some people that's their first, so likely that will never happen.

Usually you like to think a new release - especially of an older movie - is going to be better, with an improved transfer. But that hasn't always been the case, has it? Most notable examples???

Magnolia has always been anamorphic and the transfer is quite solid, please end your - 5 year :eek: - wait and pick it up.

On double dips... Eh, whatever. Sometimes I'll double dip, other times I won't. If it's a fairly barebones release and we know there's a new edition in the works (ala Kill Bill, etc), I'll just trade or sell the first release when the new SE comes out. In the meantime I've had time to watch and enjoy the film several times. Double dips don't really bother me nor surprise me, there's always going to be double, triple and quadruple dips. Buy em' or don't, no big deal IMHO.

I don't mind double dipping as long as we're given a choice. A lot of the times, they release the movie and then a few months announce a newer version. That's when I get pissed as I would of waited. I am thankful for movies like LOTR and Kill Bill, we all know well in advance there will be/were other versions. So my main gripe is not being able to choose which version to buy.