Do studios really make money when they rerelease a title as an SE? - DVDfile.com forum for DVD, Blu-Ray, and HD-DVD

Blade · 06-26-2001, 07:45 PM

(I should have named this, "Are studios really trying to gouge us when they rerelease a title as an SE?".)

I was just reading the Pet Peeves thread in this forum, and one of the first ones mentioned was the habit of studios, lately, to rerelease movies with special edition content (vs. a barebones initial release).

Now I understand and agree with being upset over recent releases like Notting Hill and The Mummy, but old titles like the Fugitive, and Pulp Fiction don't bother me as much.

But regardless of the timing, does it really follow that the studios make money off us (the hardcore DVD buyer) by doing this? I mean most DVD buyers probably don't love movies as much as we do (we who spend a significant amount of our time talking about movies and DVD every day). So when they buy the first edition to come out, that's likely to be the only copy they buy unless it's a movie they really love.

As such, it seems likely that the only people rebuying these discs are people like us. But their bigger market is going to be people who didn't buy the original version (a very large number considering the explosive growth of the format). So it seems more likely that these new special editions are really an attempt to add value to their product. To differentiate their discs from their competitors.

Perhaps this early in the game (when there's so much growth that the market can't be said to have matured yet) these rereleases are not an attempt to gouge us (like what used to happen with all the laser disc rereleases) but rather an attempt to appeal and capitalize on an still growing DVD market.

In other words, I think the negatives for us (having to buy titles twice to get them "done right"), are not so much an intended consequence, but rather an unintended consequence of the studio's actions.

Any thoughts?

------------------
-David
My DVDs and HT

[This message has been edited by Blade (edited 06-26-2001).]

saraswati · 06-26-2001, 07:58 PM

i agree here. it's one thing when they rerelease something after less than 6 months, especially when they don't really do much of an overhaul.

however, i would gladly pay for special editions of some of the movies i already have bare bones. if woody allen hit his head and decided to do special editions of classics like Annie Hall and Manhattan, i would have them, whatever the cost. if anchor bay bought the rights to Joe's Apartment and did a 2-disc tin set with a better (non pan&scan) print, some extras, and the original MTV shorts, i would definitely pay for that. alas, these are things i can only fantasize about...

i don't see most of the special edition madness as a way to fleece us (we don't represent the majority of the DVD audience anymore), i see it as a way to give those new to DVD a better product. the studios and filmmakers are finally waking up to the possibilities of DVD.

this is especially true because the best way not to get fleeced is to not be such an obsessive collector and blow your wad the second you hear a mention of a title you sort of want.

------------------
deep in the heat of the bush...

06-26-2001, 07:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
Blade Actor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Oahu, Hawaii	Do studios really make money when they rerelease a title as an SE? (I should have named this, "Are studios really trying to gouge us when they rerelease a title as an SE?".) I was just reading the Pet Peeves thread in this forum, and one of the first ones mentioned was the habit of studios, lately, to rerelease movies with special edition content (vs. a barebones initial release). Now I understand and agree with being upset over recent releases like Notting Hill and The Mummy, but old titles like the Fugitive, and Pulp Fiction don't bother me as much. But regardless of the timing, does it really follow that the studios make money off us (the hardcore DVD buyer) by doing this? I mean most DVD buyers probably don't love movies as much as we do (we who spend a significant amount of our time talking about movies and DVD every day). So when they buy the first edition to come out, that's likely to be the only copy they buy unless it's a movie they really love. As such, it seems likely that the only people rebuying these discs are people like us. But their bigger market is going to be people who didn't buy the original version (a very large number considering the explosive growth of the format). So it seems more likely that these new special editions are really an attempt to add value to their product. To differentiate their discs from their competitors. Perhaps this early in the game (when there's so much growth that the market can't be said to have matured yet) these rereleases are not an attempt to gouge us (like what used to happen with all the laser disc rereleases) but rather an attempt to appeal and capitalize on an still growing DVD market. In other words, I think the negatives for us (having to buy titles twice to get them "done right"), are not so much an intended consequence, but rather an unintended consequence of the studio's actions. Any thoughts? ------------------ -David My DVDs and HT [This message has been edited by Blade (edited 06-26-2001).]

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06-26-2001, 07:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
saraswati Actress Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: New York City?!	i agree here. it's one thing when they rerelease something after less than 6 months, especially when they don't really do much of an overhaul. however, i would gladly pay for special editions of some of the movies i already have bare bones. if woody allen hit his head and decided to do special editions of classics like Annie Hall and Manhattan, i would have them, whatever the cost. if anchor bay bought the rights to Joe's Apartment and did a 2-disc tin set with a better (non pan&scan) print, some extras, and the original MTV shorts, i would definitely pay for that. alas, these are things i can only fantasize about... i don't see most of the special edition madness as a way to fleece us (we don't represent the majority of the DVD audience anymore), i see it as a way to give those new to DVD a better product. the studios and filmmakers are finally waking up to the possibilities of DVD. this is especially true because the best way not to get fleeced is to not be such an obsessive collector and blow your wad the second you hear a mention of a title you sort of want. ------------------ deep in the heat of the bush...