Netflix. -It's Not What's In The Stores!!
 

I've noticed that lately Netflix has been saving money by having their own special runs with certain studios (sort of like big name cola companies producing generic sodas on contract). A lot of the discs I get don't have art on the disc, -just a plain gray side ith the title ("Matrix Revolutions", some Disney/Touchstone titles). More aggravating, though, are their "reconfigured" discs they're palming off. For example, Netflix has re-pressed several Fox discs that feature material on two sides and only provided obe side. "Myra Breckinridge" only features an edited cut of the film, -they left off the unedited version on the B side. All the extras from the B side of "The Grapes of Wrath" are missing, -there's only the film now (with commentary). What else are they screwing up? Let's keep track...

how do you know it's netflix? maybe it's a special edition designed for the rental market in general?

^
I also believe that since the matchstick men release i rented was a gray covered edition and was labeled "RENTAL RELEASE ONLY" so that is prob it.

Well. I've done some looking around, since I've noticed this, and I know that DVDOvernight has the commercially available "Grapes of Wrath" and Blockbuster (and everyone else) had the one-disc "Secondhand Lions", but Netflix had a gray-cover two-disc version. That also happened with "Schindler's List". Blockbuster would seem to be the logical choice if this was something for the "Rental Market" rather than just "Netflix". I haven't seen this happen anywhere else, but if I missed something somewhere, I'm open to proof. I don't mind them saving a buck, but getting cheated on the quality makes me want to re-think the size of my rental agreement...

maybe netflix cut a deal with some studios where they can press their own discs to keep costs low and pay a royalty? I personally don't care since I would be buying the movies if I wanted the extras.