Dane

Here it is for those who hate the ugly suitcase.

Seashellz

Right! I was hoping for this

I wont be ecologically wastefull. Ill just buy the R2 edition, and save near $20

wow
£15.00 (-VAT) with shipping from Amazon it will come out much less:
$55.00+9% WA state sales tax=$60.00 USD-Case included!
£15.00+£4.00=£19.00 (all rough estimates)=$38.50 USD
hmmmmmm...
$60 or

richard1.1

Great news! I have no room for the suitcase anyway. I'll def be getting this version as long as all the extras are present, warner are pretty consistant across all regions.

Jay G.

Australia is also getting the 5-disc Digipak:
http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/795590

PopcornTreeCt

So it's only Americans that are screwed into buying the briefcase?

toddly6666

I don't understand - within the briefcase, isn't the 5 disc USA version inside it's own DVD case? From the photos of the inside of the case, it looks like a pretty thick DVD box case.

tonyjg

No - us Aussies hae the option of either the 2 disc or the 5 disc - with or without briefcase - and we are truely getting screwed for the briefcase !!

EzyDvd have it up for $A189 for the case - $89 without ($100 for a case ??)

Let me convert that for you - $A189 is equilivant to $U156 !!

would you be ordering it for this price ???? (I didnt - pre-ordered from Amazon com)

calhoun07

Wow...such hatred towards the briefcase.

You all KNOW that if the UK or Japan or some other country was getting the briefcase and we were just getting the digipack here, all of you would be whining about how nothing cool like that gets released in America, and you'd be ready to sell your children to score a set from Japan.

Unfreakingbelieveable.

Are DVD fans just in general that hard to please?

toddly6666

Isn't a 5-disc Digipak inside the briefcase as well???

tonyjg

No hatred here - i'm looking forward to it - it will look nice on the bookshelf - and better in the DVD player

Jay G.

Yes, but some people don't want the briefcase and the other "toys" that come with it, and resent that they'll have to buy it in order to get 5th disc in the US. In the UK and Australia consumers are getting access to the 5-disc digipak by itself, while losing out on the 4-disc digipak. That actually makes more sense, since anyone who wants 4 discs of Blade Runner content likely wants a 5th disc as well, as long as it doesn't cost $30 more and in oversized packaging.

Jay G.

You can't please everyone all of the time. The problem is that you're lumping all DVD fans together. The same DVD fans that are complaining about the briefcase now are not the same ones that'd be complaining if we weren't getting it. The fans that like deluxe packaging are not the ones complaining. As this thread points out, it's the fans that don't like deluxe packaging that are complaining, and ironically are considering importing the non-deluxe packaging from another country just to avoid it.

Aussie fans are complaining too, but for a different reason; namely that their releases cost significantly more than the US releases.

HD fans don't seem to be complaining much at all. I guess it's likely because they're getting the 5-disc digipak for not much more than the DVD 4-disc, and for near the same price as regular 1-disc HD disc releases. Really, the most they could complain about is that the HD briefcase sets cost more than the DVD briefcase set, although not a whole lot more considering. Even the HD briefcase sets are less than the Aussie DVD briefcase set.

toddly6666

there shouldn't be any complaining at all. This is BLADE RUNNER - the definite edition DVD, the DVD(s) we have all been waiting since the existance of DVD and people are complaining about packaging or paying a little bit extra money? Amazon is selling the briefcase for $55, which is extremely cheap and well worth paying over $100 for Ridley Scott's work of art. Anyone also complaining about DVD covers/cases are certainly ones that can afford buying tons of DVDs. A DVD boxset costing 55 bucks is nothing when added to a DVD collection of over 200 DVDs.

Jay G.

I disagree with that sentiment; there's almost always room for criticism. Just because a release has been greatly anticipated doesn't mean it can't have its flaws, especially when Warner has seem to have gotten it right in other regions.

Think about the release of the Unaltered Original Star Wars Trilogy on DVD. Even though those films were greatly anticipated, the sub-par presentation of it on DVD was certainly worthy of at least some complaint.

Also, your criticism of affordability seems off-base. While there are certainly many people here who can afford the high price of the briefcase set, even if they don't want the extra stuff, there a plenty of other film fans for which paying $30 more for one extra disc may just not feasible. I know that I personally didn't purchase the Collectors Editions of the LOTR EEs because I couldn't justify to myself the extra cost, even though I'd have loved to have had the extra disc on most of those sets.

Even if one can afford it, $30 is the price of at least one other film on DVD, so Warner is asking that people not buy another film in order to get that extra disc, whether or not they want the deluxe packaging as well.

It's fine to put things in perspective, and paying around $55 for five cuts of this film is a great value considering things like LD. However, when you put it in even more perspective, like how DVD buyers can get four cuts for $30 less, and that HD disc buyers can get all 5 cuts, in HD, for $25 less, there is certainly room for complaint about the 5-disc briefcase set being the only all-cut option for US DVD buyers.

toddly6666

JAY,
George Lucas is an a-hole though. Why would any movie-maker release non-anamorphic letterboxed versions of their most iconic films? Ridley Scott is not an a-hole, and he's giving his fans all the versions of his films, supposedly in anamorphic.

If one buys the single disc remastered version for 15 bucks and also the Final Cut 2 Disc version coming out for 15 bucks, that's 30 dollars. We all know how DVD companies charge an exta 10 dollars for some extras on typical DVDs, which is already ridiculous. So what's the point now complaining when you can get two more discs for $25 more? That's the norm in DVD cost land. And it's not just extras on those discs, but also different versions of the film. An anamorphic DVD of a film, even if it's just like an extra, is worth a bit more than the usual $10 more for the typical extras dvd.

I already own the Remastered DVD that came out recently, and I'm going to just buy the 2-disk Final Cut DVD, because I know that I watch extras just once. But you know that a lot of DVD collectors are horders, and have to have the best versions of DVDs, even if they watch the extras just once. People will complain as if they are victims, but will still buy the Blade Runner DVD briefcase. If you already own the recently released Remastered Director's Cut DVD, I recommend just buy the Final Cut, and rent the extras from your local video store. That would be the wisest thing to do. Most DVD collectors not only rarely watch the extras of their DVDs, but a lot of times DVD collectors don't even watch the movies they buy.

Please don't act naive about marketing - you know that the dvd companies are trying to get people to convert to HD or Blu-Ray DVD players with the 5-disk DVD release costing $28, while comparing it to the $55 regular 5-disk DVD set. This Blade Runner movie is a big one to get regular DVD people to convert to HD DVD. Star Wars could do the same. If a 6-movie Star Wars prequel/trilogy boxset comes out on HD or Blu Ray DVD costing a total of $30, guess what, they are going to sucker people into buying HD or Blu Ray players. And then thanks to the cheap HD/BR DVD releases of Blade Runner or Star Wars, people will then continue to buy more HD/BR DVDs once they own the HD/BD player.

Jay G.

The personality of the filmmaker doesn't really come into it though. People aren't complaining about Ridley Scott making another cut of the film, they're complaining about Warner, the studio releasing it, charging $30 more for one more disc than another release they have, when the HD release and DVD releases in other regions pretty much just give buyers the 5th disc.

And that would cost more than the 4-disc version coming out, which is available for about $25, and you'd have less extras and two less film cuts than the 4-disc. I don't see your point here.

Due to the 4-disc release, it's actually only one more disc for $30 more, or more than double the 4-disc's price.

Is it worth $30 though? You don't even think that the 4-disc, with it's two additional discs, two additional film cuts, and more extras, is worth $10 more for you.

The question is though: will any rental outlet actually have the 5th disc available for rent? People'll probably be lucky to find the 4-disc available for rental in some places; why would a rental place spend $30 more than the 4-disc for one extra disc, especially when you consider that they could buy an extra 4-disc set instead for less?

For a comparison, The LOTR collectors editions had an extra disc as well, and neither Netflix nor Blockbuster offer the extra disc available for rental. Only the bonus disc from the first collectors edition is kinda available, in that it had been available separately before the CE, but the CE version has bonus material not available on the original release.

Again, this seems pretty beside the point. Who cares if someone never watches the 5th disc; if they want it, should they have to pay $30 more for it?

Again beside the point. Of course marketing comes into play. Warner US knows that it can sucker some people who want only the 5th disc into buying the deluxe packaging for $30 more. And of course Warner is using the appeal of all 5 discs at a low price-point to entice some people into the HD waters; it's tempting me. However, just because we know we're being manipulated by marketing doesn't mean we can't complain about it, especially when it's as blatant as this US release is.

toddly6666

JAY G.,
alright, alright...I just don't think money is a big deal for a dvd that one really wants. If a person really really wants something, they will buy it at any cost....so...what are you going to buy when the DVDs come out?

Jay G.

While $30 might not be a big deal to you, it can certainly be a big deal to people with small budgets. That they may sacrifice an extra cut of the film to save $30 is a choice they may make, but it's an frustrating choice to make when, as evidenced by the HD and other region releases, they really shouldn't have to make that choice.

Even for someone who can easily afford the extra price, paying more than double the 4-disc DVD price for one more disc of content would still be annoying.

And while there certainly are people who will have to have the 5th disc and buy the briefcase set regardless, I don't see why they can't complain about it.

I'm leaning towards one of the HD digipaks. However, seeing as I don't own a player for either HD format yet, I may not be buying it right when it's released. Then again, I did own the original Director's Cut DVD of Blade Runner before I owned a DVD player.

toddly6666

Jay G.,
I would like you to show me a DVD collector with small budgets. Anyone with a DVD collection of over 100 DVDs or someone who says "I can't afford all these DVDs," is not someone with a limited budget. It's called obsessive-compulsive, and these are DVD collectors who will spend any money, even if they can't afford it, to buy a DVD they want. A small-budgeted DVD collector is like an oxymoron - it makes no sense.

Jay G.

I wasn't talking about "collectors," I was talking about people in general, as evidenced by the pronouns I used. Your pronouns were also referring to people in general. I don't think one necessarily has to be a "collector" to want to see the work-print of this film, just a fan of the film in general should suffice.

100 DVDs really isn't that much of a budget drain, especially if it's been spread out over several years. If someone's collected 100 DVDs in 8 years, that's only slightly more than 1 DVD a month. Also, Considering that there a plenty of budget DVD titles and sales that put the cost of a new DVD sometimes in the $4-6 range, while PVD deals can be about the same, and one can easily be both a DVD collector and one for whom $30 more for one disc, for a total of $55 for one film, doesn't seem that feasible.

If these type of people that you describe actually exist, then it makes the actions of Warner US even more repulsive, since they're actually exploiting a mental disease (OCD) to "force" people to buy the most-expensive option they can't afford. Also, it seems unnecessary on Warner's part, since the OCD folks would likely buy the briefcase version anyway, even if it didn't have an exclusive disc, just because it existed as a release. I'm thinking along the lines of people like xage and his Evil Dead collection, which consists of all the available different releases, regardless of whether the content is different (although I don't think xage actually has clinical OCD).

Regardless of the OCD angle, and regardless of affordability, does it actually seem right to you that in order to purchase the 5th disc on DVD in the US one has to pay more than double the price of the 4-disc set, regardless of whether or not one actually wants the deluxe packaging? That seems complaint-worthy to me from almost any angle.

toddly6666

JAY Z,
well i've already long ago, before HD or Blu Ray, become saddened to the way DVDs are marketed that I really don't care, nor am I surprised, that a DVD company will charge more than double. So therefore, I don't think it's unfair. As I have observed on Tuesdays in DVD stores, as well as looking at DVD collector's lists, I am really saddened to see that people really do buy the same movie on Special Edition, then the Ultimate Edition, then the Anniversary Edition releases, then the Tin cover edition, then the Oscar cover edition, etc. You know that DVD companies can sucker the regular people masses, as well as DVD Collectors, into buying an updated DVD of certain movies every year, such as SCARFACE/ or any other mafia movie (easy way to take money from minorities), DIRTY DANCING/GREASE (easy way to take money from girls), STAR WARS (easy way to take money from geeks), EVIL DEADS (easy way to take money from horror fans), and so on.

I just see it as this - final Blade Runner versions for $55 bucks. And that's that. No more other versions to worry about getting suckered into buying. Spending the $55 is just insurance knowing that this is it, no more damn sucker versions of this movie. And if you own an HD or Blu Ray player, then even better, cuz they are cheaper. But Star Wars, on the other hand, will be suckering the consumer as long as new home video formats exist. Lucas and co. will milk the public dry with his flicks. I already expect Lucas and Co. to do something massively sadistic when he ever releases his original trilogy on HD. I won't be surprised if it's going to be marketed in a way that you have to buy an HD-DVD player as well as a Blu Ray DVD-player to see them in HD.

I agree with you that USA DVD companies don't always do the right thing, such as this Blade Runner DVD scenario that you are upset over, or the constant DVD re-releasing that I'm upset over. But overall, USA DVD buying is, most of the time, more beneficial to the customer than not:
1. Most new DVDs are pretty cheap, between $15 and $20
2. I know many stores in the USA that release Region 1 DVDs before release date
3. Most USA DVDs have tons of language/subtitle options (you can count on French and Spanish subtitles being offered)
4. There are tons of DVDs that come out every week.
5. The DVD video/audio quality of new Region 1 movies (of new movies) is consistently good now.

Now, I live in French-speaking Geneva, Switzerland, and DVD shopping sucks ass:
1. Every week, one or two new DVDs is released in this country.
2. DVDs rarely have English subtitles or even subtitles in German or Spanish for their neighboring countries.
3. French love to force French subtitles onto their non-French movies.
4. DVD release dates are always vague or unknown.
5. New DVDs are as costly as older ones, not cheaper in the first weeks of release.

PopcornTreeCt

I wouldn't whine about it. I don't buy into the silly crap they package with DVDs.

Jay G.

It's interesting that you've made the logical leap "common = fair." it may be ubiquitous and there may be noting we can do to effectively stop it, but that shouldn't mean that people should just bend over and take it without complaint or criticism.

They certainly have successfully suckered you, as you're buying a new Blade Runner DVD about a year after your last purchase. Again, I don't see why people can't complain about it when it does happen.

Are you absolutely certain of that? I mean, you yourself bought a re-release of Blade Runner that had no difference from the original release aside from remastered video. With this DVD set, at the least you may be tempted by an HD version somewhere down the line. And even if you get the HD version now, the extras are in SD, so there's the opportunity for an "extras now in HD!" version down the line.

Even ignoring the HD upgrade, there's almost always room for added features. New sound options, new extras, old extras dug up. Most of the re-releases you mentioned really weren't for new cuts of a film, just more features and maybe better video and audio. I know for Blade Runner, at the least there's the C4 documentary that didn't make the final set that could be incorporated into a later release.

Look at LOTR. After each film received both a 2-disc and a 4-disc set with completely separate film cuts and extras, most thought that there was no likelyhood of another release. Then New Line released the 2-disc LEs with both cuts of the film and an all-new documentary for each film. And now, I think there's even rumors of HD releases with even more special features.

So if you're trusting a DVD to contain the definitive, never-will-be surpassed presentation of a film, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

Overall, yes studios treat consumers fairly well with DVD releases. We're not talking about the overall here though, we're talking about one specific DVD release and its respective pricing scheme. One can still complain about a specific DVD release even if, "overall," the situation is favorable.

toddly6666

Jay G, although I too am suckered of buying DVDs, as I already told you, I'm just buying the Final Cut 2-disc DVD, since I already have the recent remastered Director's cut. And that's all.

People double dipping just for extras from standard to HD sounds pretty funny to me. I personally don't care if extras are all scratched-up, full screen.

Jay G.

It's interesting that earlier you wrote that the $55 price tag for the briefcase set was "nothing," and that it'd be "well worth paying over $100" for it, yet those statements don't seem to pan out in your own personal purchasing decision. Hell, you've even deemed the film unworthy of the $10 extra it'd cost you to get 2 more cuts of the film and more extras.

I don't see why, if you yourself don't see the value in paying so much for a certain edition, you don't think other people have a right to complain about the disparity in value between editions.

That was only one of several scenarios I listed for possible future double-dips on what you had deemed to be a "future-proof" set. Likely any upgrade in the current extras' video quality would be paired with upgrades in other aspects of the set. Even if the changes weren't enough to attract double-dips, it may be enough to attract new buyers to the film.