d2cheer

Good answer... I don't mind the "blind buy" threads either. But why do the theads bother everyone so much? If you don't like the topic DON'T READ THEM!! Simple as that, I really don't understand why everyone suddenly feels the need to act like a Moderator....

Groucho

What's funny is 90% of the "blind buy" threads the person starting it has already made up their mind. So, they decide to buy Battlefield Earth but want a pat on the back for making that decision:

"Is Battlefield Earth a good blind buy?"

This will be followed by 100 resounding "NO!" posts, and one "It was okay, I guess" post. The original poster will then respond to the "Yes" guy and say "Thanks for your help...guess I will buy this after all!"

GuessWho

The additional clutter is making looking for real news & information threads like searching for a needle in a haystack.

DarthMarklar

I have asked Static Cling to respond to this, but I haven't heard anything yet.

But doesn't the category "DVD Review" mean they are reviewing the DVD? IMHO, "Movie Review" would be for movies that aren't on DVD & "DVD Review" encompases every detail of the DVD, if it was just for movie reviews on DVD, then it would be titled "DVD Movie Review"
I agree with GuessWho on the fact they clutter up the category. Considering there is an entire category for DVD reviews, why is so hard to ask people to ask for reviews there?


p.s. To quote Static Cling again:
"It does seem like there are a lot of these threads. If it keeps up... and it probably will... I'll probably start moving them to DVD Reviews. Because if you're asking if a disc is a good blind buy, you're basically asking how good the disc is."

Jackskeleton

Best suggestion I have heard.

to me a "Blind buy" thread is pretty much worthless and not to thread crap, I stay out of them. All they are asking you for is if you have seen it and what did you think of it. Frankly, I don't share the same views as many here and so I would never ask a bunch of strangers if so and so is a good buy considering my taste of movies. Thats what a REVIEW is for. To have the talk about the movie (and yes, I understand asking about a dvd also includes talking about the extras) should be kept in a review forum, which this place has. The real question is are the talks about the extra so important that it needs to be here cluttering up the rest of the good discussions? I don't think so really.

I say throw the "Blind buy" threads into the review forum and call it "Reviews and Recommendations". It fits the bill perfectly.

This post in the thread says it all if you ask me about the "blind buy" threads

oooh so true.

The Bus

I was referring to it as an investment of (my) money and (my) time -- with the result not more money (the only time I sold a DVD was when I got two copies of The Killer from eBay), but enjoyment. In essence, yes, Blind Buy and DVD Review threads are very similar.

My suggestion?

Make a DVD News, Rumours forum (for upcoming news and announcements and general questions on DVDs)
Make a DVD Review and Recommendations forum (for specific discussion on titles that have been released already)

Have an admin fine tune it, but the only way to eliminate the blind buy threads are to remove specific discussion entirely.

das Monkey

Frankly I don't care what forum these threads go in, but it's an oversimplification to imply that anyone starting a Blind Buy thread should just go read some reviews elsewhere. DVD Talk is a community, and as such, many of us have grown to know which posters have similar taste to ours. If I'm reading through a Blind Buy thread and see multiple positive reviews from posters who tend to like the same films as I do, then that peaks my interest. I may still not like it, but it certainly increases the chances. While it's great in theory to assume that we can purchase and watch every single movie ever made and simply discard those we don't like, that's no very practical. Blind Buy threads serve a purpose, and I don't buy any claim that they're overwhelming the forum. If you don't like them ... don't read them.

das

Music

Khan

I agree 100%.

This is the internet. You gotta have some standards or you get drowned by morons. Quality vs quantity ratios are under assault everywhere you look.

Music

I disagree 100%.

This is the internet - the Information Superhighway - if you can't handle all the traffic, then pull off the road.

Drowned by morons? Are you attacking fellow DVD Talk members? Pure nonsense.

Quality is in the eye of the beholder.

The Bus

All your news are drowning my blind buy threads out.

DarthMarklar

Mr. Music and The Bus, Whereas I don't totally agree with Khan (in the respect that Blind Buy threads are posted by morons) I agree that Blind Buy threads need thier own category. Isn't that why there's a Review category (to help keep the DVD Talk category leaner? I don't see what's wrong with a specific category for them.

And the comments about "Don't read them" is not a good argument. It's virtually IMPOSSIBLE to do a search without coming up with 100 hits. If I want to find out if there's a technical glitch on a specific DVD, I don't want to have to weed through 50 reviews!!! Keeping this forum "clean" just makes things easier in the long run.

d2cheer

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by GuessWho
The additional clutter is making looking for real news & information threads like searching for a needle in a haystack.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


So you say and since when is your opinion greater in value to any of ours??? It is just your opinion, we have ours, you have yours. No more value no less....
This is a message board, man deal with the posts you don't like by not reading them.

DarthMarklar

Are the people who think 'Blind Buy' threads are ok the same people who bash others when they post a thread about the original 'Star Wars' coming to DVD????

Isn't it hypocritical to bash someone who doesn't know if Star Wars is on DVD (because of the many threads out there that state otherwise), but then support others who are asking questions about DVD's (when there are Reviews out there)?

das Monkey

<BLOCKQUOTE> • Quoth DarthMarklar •<HR SIZE=1>Are the people who think 'Blind Buy' threads are ok the same people who bash others when they post a thread about the original 'Star Wars' coming to DVD????

Isn't it hypocritical to bash someone who doesn't know if Star Wars is on DVD (because of the many threads out there that state otherwise), but then support others who are asking questions about DVD's (when there are Reviews out there)? <HR SIZE=1></BLOCKQUOTE>

While I don't think anyone should bash a newbie about anything, those are two completely different things.

Whether or not <B>Star Wars</B> is on DVD is a fact, and regardless of what source you get the information from (as long as it's truthful), the fact will remain the same. A "review" of a film is complete opinion and depends very heavily on the author. One review will differ significantly from another, and there's always room for a fresh and unique interpretation of events.

Your analogy is very flawed.

das

Dr. DVD

One more simple question thread turns into a war of buying habits. Go figure.

Jericho

Blind Buy threads do take up space, but in all my time here I've never had a problem with too many of them.

I think the reason most people, don't like them is that they're stupid and lazy. What's the point of asking a bunch of complete strangers if a film is good? I suppose that if you've been here long enough and know others tastes, getting an endorsement for a particular poster could help you in buying a DVD. But if that's true, why don't you ask them personally? No need to start another thread.

Additionally, most Blind Buy threads focus on Movie reviews and little on DVD reviews. Although they do combine both, what people are looking for mostly is opinions of the movie. That's fine. But there are countless threads already discussing movie X in the Movie forum and countless reviews online about the movie from critics.

And if you want a DVD review, there's a whole forum for that plus the reviews done by people on this site.

Basically they add nothing new. The information people are seeking is already out there, posted on this forum once, if not many times. It's just people are too lazy to find it.

The Bus

If Blind Buys belong in the review forum, so do 'Errors with [Title X]' as well --- DVD Review and Commentary or DVD Feedback or something along those lines. DVD Talk should be kept to news, rumors, and announcements, and talks about DVDs in General.

GuessWho

A reported error on a DVD IS news and IS an announcement.

The BTTF framing error was definitely news.



You cannot compare that to someone asking for a mini review of a movie.

Music

You are all very silly people

DarthMarklar

My analogy was to point out the fact that many people get upset when someone posts a question without first doing a bit of research. Hence, Most (I say MOST and not ALL) Blind Buy threads seem to be new members asking for a review.

I've also seen Blind Buy threads (i.e. Bourne Identity) posted BEFORE the movie hits the DVD stands. That would mean they are asking for Reviews, which they can find in the Review Category. Why not find the review for Bourne Identity and reply with a Blind Buy question instead of opening a new thread?

p.s. I'm not saying you can't talk about the movie, I just think it's silly to post a brand new thread on it.

GuessWho

Did everyone who saw Chicago, Adaptation, or Kangaroo Jack over the weekend post threads about their upcoming "investment" in a blind-buy ticket purchase?

DarthMarklar

Here's a list of my favorite responses:

"worst movie I have ever paid money to see"
"DO NOT BUY THIS MOVIE"
"STAY AWAY FROM THIS FILM"
"Don't buy. Will become blind after watching"
"NOt worth it, wait until you can get it for $5.99..."
"Bought it as a blind buy. Having just watched it, I am seriously rethinking that purchasing practice."
"I liked it, but I think most people should rent it first."
"I thought it was a good movie, but for average joe moviegoer i dont think they would like it too much."
"I predict that in 5 years this movie will be favorably reevaluated"
"I absolutely loved the movie, but the commentaries alone should make this DVD worth a purchase."
"I don't think it's a good blind buy. It's one of those films you will either love or hate."
"I personally disagree with it being one you either love or hate because I loved it and hated it"
"Good movie, you won't be disappointed."
"I'll be blind buying as well!"
"Nope don't buy it. Yuck"
"Not only is it not good, but there have been 2 threads this week in Movie talk discussing how bad it is."
"I own it but I believe it to be overpriced."
"Probably the best DVD I bought last year. Period."
"I recommed this one!"
"I'll just go w/ a simple yes"
"Buy it!!!! I bought this sight unseen with the intention on watching it and selling it on ebay as I do with The Sopranos dvds. I wound up keeping it"
"I purchased it as a blind buy and didn't regret it at all."
"just get it."
"i didn't like it."
"I would rent both... neither has any replay value for me."
"Liked it!"
"Solid movie, but rent it first."
"Saw it in the theater and thought it was an ok flick, nothing spectacular though. I'm still debating on buying it."
"Probably the best blind buy I ever did"
"That is a great buy"
"Wonderful, wonderful film."
"there was a ton of stupid plot holes and poor writing mistakes."
"God yes.... brilliant movie!"
"I bought it blind, and I'm very glad I did."
"Great, great film. Only the most cynical and bitterest people won't enjoy it."


And my ALL time favorite:
"YES!"

--

If I post a blind buy thread and everyone agrees to get it, I get it, and HATE it, can I ask you all to reimburse my purchase?

Music

DarthMarklar

I've got both volumes

If you haven't seen either one, I HIGHLY recommend them. They are GREAT Blind Buys. So run right out and buy both...heck, buy 2 of each, they're well worth it Come on now, I hope to see both of these in everyones DVD collection links

p.s. I crack myself up