Regulus

I don't condone purchasing Bootlegs, but I don't blame those who do, with the exception of those who just cannot wait for a currant movie to be sold on DVD. Unless you have some kind of terminal Illness, waiting four months will not kill you!

"Sometimes there's no other option"

Isn't this the truth? There are countless Titles out there that Hollywood simply REFUSES to release, usually because of:

A. Corperate Greed. Either a Characture that was on one Movie or TV Show is now "Owned" by another Studio, BOTH SIDES demand Royalties, and as a result this Show is not available on DVD, and in some cases not even seen on TV anymore! The 1966 "Adam West" Batman stands out as a prime example here.

B. "Political Correctness". A Movie or TV Show, Popular in its time, is no longer seen because something in it "Offended" a Group (Usually a "Minority") or a Star said something (Usually Political and/or Religious) that also "Offended" Some Group. The Studio that owns such as show fears there will be retributions if they release it, so they don't. Disney's Song of the South is one such example.

So what's a person to do? You know what they say, "Where there's a will there's a way". If someone refuses to sell somebody something they want, that person will find someone else to get it from.

jjcool

Must not buy many titles.

DeanoBKN

While I will NEVER own a bootleg of something I can purchase on DVD/Blu-Ray, it's become quite clear we will NEVER see The Wonder Years on DVD, unless they remove the music. The complete collection I found online only cost $45, and the quality isn't that bad considering every episode was ripped off of ABC Family airings.

Trevor

Yeah, we're getting into dangerous territory here, but I'm thinking about buying several TV series collections that will likely never see official releases with all the music.

If they ever release them, I'll re-buy the legit versions, but I need my WKRP fix now darn it!

Lazerrus

I have a few bootlegs I made myself from Laserdisc or VHS due to no dvd release. Nightflyers and Lightyears. I dont know why these never made it to dvd and if they did I would buy them for sure but until then at least I have these. Thank you lite scribe and scanner!

Regulus

I admit I've "Jumped the Gun" a couple of times, buying an "Unofficial" Set because I feared it would NEVER be released or because a couple of seasons had been released, but not the remainder of the series. But then the Show DOES receive an Official Release, or the remainder of the series gets Released. However, when this happens I go out and purchase the Legit version, then introduce "Mr Bootleg" to "Mr. B.F. Hammer"!

spawndude

WOW. I'm surprised this thread hasn't been locked or deleted.

I seriously doubt very few people get their mail order of a out of production DVD or something that has never been released on DVD and think "dad gumit, its a bootleg!"

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

I've never understood this. Why buy a bootleg when you can ask a friend that knows how to find stuff to just download it for you instead. It's the same source the bootleggers, or terrorists(depending on where you get your news from), are getting it from only now they wouldn't be profiting from it.

hilts

It's the only DVD in my collection. I joined DVD Talk spending years scavenging for the best deal. Even bought DVD Profiler just to keep track of it. Now it's in a case that looks like a goddamn carnival ride! Boot or not, I've been hosed.

Trevor

I wouldn't be surprised if someday soon every DVD and BD is released in an econo-case. But I hate them too.

ShellBeacher

Heh. For anyone who knows about MGM's current troubles, it's kind of interesting to note that they're apparently saving every penny they can, already -- if their DVDs aren't going OOP, they're being packaged in these el cheapo cases: I recently picked up a copy of Raise the Red Lantern and was surprised to find it packaged in one of these. As I opened it up, I nearly punched a hole through the backside with my finger, because I was pressing on one of the areas that was only...paper. ;-) Not a boot, but I sure felt like I was being duped like one...

More on topic, I think I picked up a couple of the Asian swordplay Azumi movies from a few years back, before they were released here...knowing full well they were boots, but not really expecting them to get any decent release in the U.S.

story

This thread title is misleading. I thought it would be about instances in which it became obvious pretty quickly that a new purchase was actually a bootleg but, oh well, the buyer didn't replace it with a legit version for whatever reason.

I've never done that, by the way.

Ash Ketchum

I was in a Chinatown store to buy RED CLIFF II last year sometime and I had picked up a legit copy of it from the shelf and handed it to the clerk. Often in these stores, they have shelf copies for display and the clerk will pull out another copy at the counter to sell you. She did that here and I thought nothing of it until she rang up the price, which was considerably lower than what was listed on the package of the display copy. I was baffled and later, while sitting in a nearby restaurant, I looked through my purchases and was startled to find that my copy of RED CLIFF II had a photocopied cover. When I got home and checked it out, it was obviously a DVD-R copy of it and not an officially pressed copy. So I was pissed. And I don't understand why she didn't sell me the more expensive copy, since that's what I wanted. I'm guessing maybe they only bought one shelf copy and one other copy to burn DVD-R copies and photocopy the cover to sell a lot of cheaper copies.

I eventually went back to Chinatown and bought a legit copy of RCII from my regular dealer (P-Tunes), which had not yet gotten it on that initial trip, and I decided to avoid the other store (Lai Lai) until such time as they have something I really need that no other store has. (Lai Lai is good about having old Shaw Bros. and Cathay titles in stock that I didn't buy when they first came out. And those are legit.)

Cedrock

Oh yea. One i kind of thought would be. Both from ebay.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, a couple of days before release.
Halloween 6 Producers Cut....this guy didnt even make an effort with disc art. It was just a white plain disc.