Where do you find your advanced DVD copies most?

[Squid Lips]

I was just wondering where you guys notice the most advanced copies of DVDs turn up? There is a local place here in L.A. that regularly gets advanced copies of some DVDs. Right now they have Clooney's SOLARIS ,THE SPIDER and ANTWON FISHER . They tend to charge $30 for the early arrivals, but sometimes I notice that BB gets titles in a week or so before their release dates.

[Mac]

We like to call those "bootleg" DVD's. I highly doubt they accidentally got the real Solaris or the real Spider (since a DVD hasn't been set yet) on accident.

[Jerm]

I almost never see an early copy of a DVD. It seems like their just a myth, or like those posters you have to stare at before you see the hidden 3-D image. Those don't really work, do they?

[Alexandr]

Those can't be legit, if they were the official studio releases, they would be setting themselves up for a big ol' lawsuit. eBay tends to have press screener dvds, which are semi official.

[the narrator]

i don't think Solaris has even been announced yet

[chrisp450]

I doubt those are real....but what do I know...

Usually the furthest ahead you will find a movie is MAYBE a week or 2...sometimes a little more, but not too often.

Before I got smart and realized that I don't really need dvd's early(unless its one I just have to have) and I get my discount at BB...I would occasionally find titles at Borders. With lesser known titles(or even just not huge releases) you can sometimes find dvd's at big stores, such as Best Buy....
For the most part, very big releases are kept in the back, as most employees know the street dates on these(ie. Harry Potter on Friday).
Besides those 2 places, I have seen a few dvd's early at suncoast, and sam goody....but not too often.

Now though, I usually just wait so that I can get the best price, or just use my discount.

[Squid Lips]

Actually these aren't bootlegs. I have purchased from these guys before. I got The Bourne Identity three weeks before it's release. Also picked up Blue Crush, Minority Report, Signs, etc anywhere from a week to almost a month before their releases. They are always the same official releases too. They have Drum Line there as well right now.

But I was wondering where some other discs turn up early? I bought Sex and Lucia a week before release at Best Buy recently and have seen WalMart get a few every once in awhile.

[asphodel5]

I don't doubt the legitimacy of Antwone Fisher, but Spider hasn't been announced yet. I heard rumors of a September release. That seems a tad early (although it would be nice).

I've seen a few titles out early at Best Buy before. Usually they are smaller MGM releases. I remember seeing The Long Goodbye, The Producers and an Audrey Hepburn DVD out early sometime during the fall. Sometimes the Borders near me slips up on their small releases too. I bought things about a week early from them a few times. The thing that frustrates me is that nearly every time I see something out early, it isn't something that a really want. There are exceptions though...

A lot of the things that I get early are from online pre-orders. The usual time frame for delivery is usually the Monday- Wednesday of release week. Sometimes I get lucky and sometimes I have to wait a little while. It can be frustrating, but it is less of a hassle to know that I'll have something such as L'Atalante within a few days with no real effort on my part, instead of having to drive around town and find out that no store near me even has it in their computers. Wow, that sentence got a little bit long!

[PolloDiablo]

Theres a Blockbuster near me that always seems to have titles about a week before street date,but because of their outragous prices I usually try to wait untill I can pick it up at Best Buy.

[Icon769]

I think they're probably legit. The only reason is because the place where I see boolegs for sale they usually have them between 5 and 13 dollars. Sometimes with keepcase and printed cover art, sometimes without. And most of the times they get movies hella early. Some guy nearme for example had A Man Apart, last year when it was still being called Diablo. Bootlegs would be impossible to move at $30 a pop.

The only movie I've ever bought early was Comicbook Villains, and that was a screener. I never bothered to update to the regular release though since it was a bare bones. Also, the swaptmeet near me sometimes gets nonbootleg DVDS anywere from a month to a week before street date, always selling at regular price: $15 or $16

[Mac]

Originally posted by Squid Lips
Actually these aren't bootlegs. I have purchased from these guys before. I got The Bourne Identity three weeks before it's release. Also picked up Blue Crush, Minority Report, Signs, etc anywhere from a week to almost a month before their releases. They are always the same official releases too. They have Drum Line there as well right now.

But I was wondering where some other discs turn up early? I bought Sex and Lucia a week before release at Best Buy recently and have seen WalMart get a few every once in awhile.

1) If they ARE actually getting DVD's a month in advance, they have connections like that of God. I used to work for a video store, and therefore know that AT BEST you get a movie 2 weeks in advance.

2) Like we pointed out, Spider hasn't even been announced for DVD yet, since it JUST HIT THEATRES. This is a bootleg or a screener copy, which they shouldn't be selling. If you want me to prove a point to you, why don't you email the company with the store you got the DVD from and see what they say? If you want me too, heck, I'll do it.

3) Solaris doesn't street till June 10th, Antwone is still 4-5 weeks away. I doubt these are real too, but at least they've had dates announced.

Yes. It is possible for movies to get streeted early. USUALLY, if it's a major title, it's only a week early. I picked up Serving Sara a week early, and Barbershop a couple of days. Warner Bros is basically threatening the lives of the store managers if they street Harry early (they did with the first one--- 25,000 fine for streeting early, I believe), so you won't really find that one.

However, it's very common to find smaller titles (indie films, DTV, kiddie STV tapes, anime, etc.) on video. I saw Personal Velocity at Best Buy on March 8th. However, to see big movies early, and for it to be so frequent leads me to believe that these AREN'T the copies you're supposed to be buying.

[Deez108]

I've bought a fair number of titles on the Friday before street date at the local rental store. Sure the prices are inflated by usually 5-10 bucks, but its kinda nice to pick up the movie for the weekend.

[TheDarkling]

The earliest I've ever gotten anything was Angel S1 two weeks in advance. That was a happy day . If I see anything out early it's usually at my local FYE and they seem to put most TV shows, indie movies, and music DVDs (although those are usually from lesser known/underground acts) out sometimes a week or more in advance. I swear, someone really must be asleep at the wheel there!

[Dark_ph0enix]

The guy I get my dvds from ususally gets them roughly 3 weeks before they're released, to 3 days before. However, he had Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on official dvd, well over a month ago. I posted screen caps of the menu in a thread somewhere on this site.

He also gets screeners, which I don't usually purchase, however about 3 weeks ago he got in a perfect copy of PhoneBooth, which I'll admit to purchasing.

[SilentBob]

After some discussion ,we have decided to close the thread down. The above mention dvd's are most likely bootlegs, because some aren't to be released for a few more months and one hasn't received an Official release date. On these grounds we tend to think the mention dvd's are most likely bootlegs and as we all know 'Bootlegs are Bad.'

Thanks
silentbob