The Godfather is Paramount's announcement here is the news 4 disc box set

[Hank]

Paramount Pictures is getting set to officially announce the early-October DVD release of the Godfather Trilogy this coming Monday. In an homage to films themselves, Paramount and director Francis Ford Coppola are taking to the streets of Brooklyn for a June 11 media event.

Following a 4 p.m. news conference, the studio and the director will host an Italian street festival on 8th Street between 3rd and 4th avenues in the Park Slope neighborhood. The street will be decorated to take on the look and feel of '50s New York. Nearly 1,000 guests are expected to attend.

Not coincidentally, the gala is being staged on the block where the Morisi-Coppola Pasta Factory is located. The event is also being used to promote Coppola's new line of pasta, Festa Macaroni.

The Godfather films will be available this coming October as part of a 4-disc boxed collection that will include Coppola commentary tracks, documentaries, featurettes and deleted scenes. (source: Video Business)

I live on 5th Avenue and President in Park Slope... right down the block.

Ummm, hi, Mr. Coppola. Love your pasta!

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http://www.wordsfromhere.com

[Damian]

YIPEEE!
I'll have my chianti and pasta sauce ready for this set!


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"They're us....we're them!"
-Damian

[tomdkat]

Looks like October 9th is the date:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...899047-7852959

Peace.....

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My DVD Profiler List

[Poidog]

Paramount is [updated word after today's Cliff's Notes] still on my S-list for worst studio but it makes me wonder why they release an overpriced bare-bones Planes, Trains & Automobiles and can release this boxed set for only $75-100. When they release P,T&A for a lower price or extras worth the $30, then I'll buy it. It makes my FS laser disc seem priceless.

People take shots at MGM but at least they charge what they're giving. A bare-bones title for $15? Wow. Heck, even some of their $15 titles are anamorphic, DD5.1, and contain a trailer. And these films are SUBJECTIVELY not as good as The Godfather. But comparing Paramount to MGM is not the issue here (see my signature).

It certainly may be a rights issue but why charge $30 for a bare-bones title? Why release family fare like Charlotte's Web for $25? Why did they also release those three football movies for only $25? It certainly is a slap in the face to the consumers.

However, to look at the good in all of this (and to stay on-thread), I'm glad this boxed set is only $75 (MAP, but let's see who sells it for that price) to $100. That IS a step in the right direction.

Now, all we need is an Indiana Jones boxed set like this at a similar price...

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Aloha & Mahalo Nui Loa,
Poidog, one of the "Bitchalots" I guess for still disliking the fact that I won't pay $30 for something that just contains the movie even though I think the movie and upgrade in anamorphic and DD5.1 is great. You pay for what you should get, especially when you compare it to something from the SAME company. And I'm not even judging them with other studios ... I'm judging them against themselves! Just because M:I-2 is a junker movie than P,T&A does it mean that we have to pay the same price for them because M:I-2 has more special edition content?

BTW, I'm glad the Godfather Collection is cheaper per disc than their usual stuff. That's why I posted this post in the first place (so I guess I'm only half-a-"Bitchalot").

And ... I used to be an avid laser disc collector shelling out bucks for boxed sets and such. Don't even compare DVD to LD when it comes to price. That's the past. This is now. People have certain powers of "opinionation" here, but this forum is what I've got (and all I'll get).

[This message has been edited by Poidog (edited 06-12-2001).]

[MiamiLoco]

It's too bad they didn't somehow make a "In-Continuity" feature, where you can somehow put the flicks in continuity (at least part 1 and 2). I heard they released a VHS tape a few years back that did this. With all this technology, what a shame =(

[Dehrian]

Actually, Poidog, the MSRP on this set is $99.99, not $75. That's just what Amazon is selling it for at discount.

But still, it's five discs (with two discs for Godfather II, which sounds about right as the movie's quite long), and that breaks down to $20 a disc, which is alright by me, especially for movies this good. You'll likely be able to pick up the set at Best Buy on release day for $65-$70, especially if they're promoting it as aggressively as their press release indicates they intend.

And MiamiLoco, the chronological version was done for LD (which is no longer in print, and sells for quite a bit on ebay); it still airs every once in a while on USA. I don't care for it much, as the joy of watching Godfather II for me is seeing the comparisons and contrast in the rise of both Michael and Vito, jumping back and forth between the two. The chronological version takes away from my favorite (and, I feel,the most rewarding) aspect of Godfather II. It's interesting to see once, but I'm glad they're making the original versions available.

[This message has been edited by Dehrian (edited 06-11-2001).]

[Blade]

Well, I think this is less an issue of "worth" than one of a rigid pricing structure.

I believe most of Paramounts titles go for 29.99 and while we normally see a discount in boxed sets, given the unique packaging and the amount of additional content, I certainly think this set is worth the $100 MSRP price tag.

But I don't really think that that's necessarily the logic Paramount is applying here. They price everything at $30 and that's pretty much what they did with Planes Trains and Automobiles and many other titles.

Here's a sampling from my own DVDTracker list:

Mission Impossible 2: Special Edition Paramount $29.99
Airplane! Paramount $29.99
Talented Mr. Ripley: Special Edition Paramount $29.99
Rules Of Engagement: Special Edition Paramount $29.99
Officer and a Gentleman: Special Edition Paramount $29.99
Star Trek 2: The Wrath Of Khan Paramount $29.99
Searching for Bobby Fischer Paramount $29.99
Braveheart Paramount $29.99
Sleepy Hollow Paramount $29.99
Untouchables, The Paramount $29.99
Terms Of Endearment: Special Edition Paramount $29.99
Trekkies Paramount $29.99
What Women Want Paramount $29.99

As shown by the variety of the movies and DVDs in the above list, it's not about the movie or the extras for them. They think 29.99 is a good price point for DVD.

If their market research showed they could make more money by charging a lower or higher price, they probably would.

Perhaps one way of looking at it is to think that the bare bones editions' profits help offset the costs of doing an SE like the Godfather Trilogy.

I do think there is one valid complaint: not selling the movies individually for those who only want I and II. But I can see where they wouldn't want to eat into the sales of the boxed set, which looks like it cost them quite a pretty penny. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to find that about $10 of the price goes to covering the packaging. Besides, this is fairly common (Rocky is a recent example of this) and not an especially loved habit of the studios, certainly not limited to this release.

But I haven't really seen all that many complaints (except for the seperate release issue). But then I don't frequent newsgroups.

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-David
My DVDs and HT

[mahavishnu]

To throw a severed head into Cliff's bed:

$100 retail is a rip-off!!

First of all, extras are exactly that - extras. I don't expect to pay more for extras ($5 at most). Second - At 200 minutes, Godfather 2 should be on one disc. So basically, Paramount are charging $100 for three films!! Sure, the discs might retail for $30 seperately.... but the point of a boxset is that you pay less for more, so to speak. One film cost $30, two cost $55, three costs $75 (retail price). It's an especial kick in the teeth for those of us who don't want all the films (and lets face it, most people don't want Godfather Part 3, and I don't want the first one either).

As for 'cheap pricing is a privaledge'... Cost is one of the main reasons laserdisc was such a minority interest. I, for one, couldn't ever afford to get into laserdisc. Maybe mr. cliff can afford to pay $50 a film, but most of us can't. Secondly - DVDs are cheaper to produce than Laserdisc. Not only that, they're cheaper to produce then VHS!! Now think about that...

[Scourge]

Hmmm... I just paid $100 for the Tenchi Muyo OVA Box Set. If I were to put Tenchi Muyo on a quality scale next to the Godfather trilogy, I'd think it would tip generously in the direction of the Godfather. If you like it, shut up and spend the $100.

--Scourge .

[This message has been edited by Scourge (edited 06-12-2001).]

[Adjuster]

$75 bucks for 3 movies (and an extra disc with 3 1/2 hours of extra content and over 300 screens of text material)...why are we even talking about this? THAT'S A FUCKING BARGAIN AT TWICE THE PRICE!!!

Originally posted by Maha
$100 retail is a rip-off!!

No way this thing will be selling for the $100 MSRP so don't even bring it up. This thing will retail in the $75 area and maybe less at B & M stores. Since there's three movies and 3 1/2 hours of extras in the set, that's about 1 hour of extras and 100 screens of text material per film. Is that worth $25? Are you kidding? HELL YES!

the point of a boxset is that you pay less for more, so to speak. One film cost $30, two cost $55, three costs $75 (retail price).

Umm... that seems to me to be the case with this new Godfather set so I don't see your point.

My only beef is that they are not available separately. However, once I got a look at the cool box art, I now want the whole set, just for the sake of completeness.

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"I've got a bad feeling about this...."
I AM JEFF'S DVD LIST

[DVDriven]

Originally posted by mahavishnu:
To throw a severed head into Cliff's bed:

$100 retail is a rip-off!!

First of all, extras are exactly that - extras. I don't expect to pay more for extras ($5 at most). Second - At 200 minutes, Godfather 2 should be on one disc. So basically, Paramount are charging $100 for three films!! Sure, the discs might retail for $30 seperately.... but the point of a boxset is that you pay less for more, so to speak. One film cost $30, two cost $55, three costs $75 (retail price). It's an especial kick in the teeth for those of us who don't want all the films (and lets face it, most people don't want Godfather Part 3, and I don't want the first one either).

How much value you place on the extras is, IMO, a subjective perception. You've quantified it as being $5; I think it's worth more. It's not a case of who's wrong or right; it's a matter of opinion. PARAMOUNT has set an MSRP that's higher than most other studios, but if they believe this is what the market can bear, all the more power to them. It's not often that retailers will sell any of their library titles at MSRP anyway, so it's not really a moot point in my book. If it was another trilogy or series, I would probably think that a $100 tag would be much, but not in this case. I won't say it's a bargain, but I do happen to think it's right.

As for 'cheap pricing is a privaledge'... Cost is one of the main reasons laserdisc was such a minority interest. I, for one, couldn't ever afford to get into laserdisc. Maybe mr. cliff can afford to pay $50 a film, but most of us can't. Secondly - DVDs are cheaper to produce than Laserdisc. Not only that, they're cheaper to produce then VHS!! Now think about that...

I couldn't afford laserdisc either (then again, I was in college at the time). But I digress....

When I consider the amount of time and money invested in such a project, and it's reflected in the final product, I would happily pay for it. The medium they've opted for is cheaper to produce than VHS, but when you consider the amount of work that's involved in creating a better overall product, the higher asking price is justifiable. When you look at a film's VHS counterpart, how many are loaded in the same manner as the DVD? What about the cost of in-film commentaries, menus, featurettes and other extras?

I do agree with Mr. Cliff when he said that 'cheap pricing is a privilege'. The hobby has become much more accessible to the masses, but it is still an expensive hobby. If a studio prices its films for guaranteed sell-through, lucky for you and me; if not, that's their decision. It's a 'take it or leave it' proposition put forth by PARAMOUNT; neither you nor I are entitled to anything. It's all about business.

[Blade]

Three (more ) things:

1. DVD isn't a privilege, it's a consumer product, so people are going to complain when they aren't getting what they want.

2. When you look at what New Line has been able to do at an msrp of $25, it makes it a little hard to swallow other studio's higher prices. Which is not to say Paramount is evil, but it does not mean that we shouldn't complain when we think a price is unfair either.

3. LD pricing. My dad has a LD player, so I remember the prices and they were outrageous (to my budget ), but I don't think that that's a valid reason to say we should "shut up" and be happy with DVD's lower price point. DVD is a mainstream product in a way that LD was never able to achieve and as such the pricing comparisons aren't really relevant. DVD has been around long enough to establish its own price levels and by those standards, the Godfather Trilogy is on the outside limits of those standards. But, in my opinion, still well within them.

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-David
My DVDs and HT

[Dehrian]

Wait, let me get this straight. Some of you are actually complaining that this set is over-priced?

You should be able to walk into Best Buy the day they're released and pick this set up for somewhere between $65 and $75. That's, at most, $25 per film. Plus you're getting an entire disc devoted to supplements.

Don't take this personally, but, to quote John Cleese, "Are you totally deranged?"

Really, what the hell were you expecting? Free samples from Avon?

[DVDriven]

Originally posted by Blade:
Three (more ) things:

1. DVD isn't a privilege, it's a consumer product, so people are going to complain when they aren't getting what they want.

I disagree. The fact that you and I can afford to indulge in such a hobby lends credence to the point that we are, to a point, 'privileged'. It does require, at the very least, a small investment on our part before we can 'step into the pond' (I've excluded the aficionado/videophile from this argument). In a free market system, individuals can set whatever prices they think the market will bear. If PARAMOUNT believes that they can ask $100 from its consumer base and receive it, why should they ask for less? Where is it stated that they need to abide by the pricing schemes other studios employ? They have a product that we want, they realize this, and they've set their price point. If you're unhappy, you can send them a message by withholding your funds. It is a consumer product, but it's also not a necessity: you want it, you pay for it.

2. When you look at what New Line has been able to do at an msrp of $25, it makes it a little hard to swallow other studio's higher prices. Which is not to say Paramount is evil, but it does not mean that we shouldn't complain when we think a price is unfair either.

True, but NEW LINE isn't PARAMOUNT. As a consumer, you're entitled to express your dissatisfaction with what they're doing; whether they heed these comments is anyone's guess. They're still accountable to their shareholders, but high prices does not necessarily equate to bad PR.

DVD has been around long enough to establish its own price levels and by those standards, the Godfather Trilogy is on the outside limits of those standards. But, in my opinion, still well within them.

These statements sum it up nicely. PARAMOUNT has set their price levels; it's up to the consumer to decide whether they'll accept it or not.

I don't work for PARAMOUNT and I don't have a stake in them; I just relish the role of devil's advocate. As I've stated previously, I think the $100 MSRP is fitting for this product. Besides, there are no shortage of retailers who are selling pre-orders at discounted prices, so I don't understand what the fuss really is.

[manigrasso]

As far as I'm concerned, I'm paying 50 bucks each for 1 and 2, and getting part three and the extras for free.

I also would like to see Paramount be a little more aggressive in competitive pricing, but The Godfather is an exception. I'll gladly eat bologna sandwiches and drink tap water for a week to offset the cost of owning this set.

I mean it's not like we're paying big bucks for some incomprehensible POS "art" film directed by a pretentious hack on el-cheapo digital video or something.

[Blade]

Originally posted by DVDriven:
[I said "DVD isn't a privilege, it's a consumer product."]

I disagree. The fact that you and I can afford to indulge in such a hobby lends credence to the point that we are, to a point, 'privileged'. ....

I think we're talking about 2 different things here. My opinion is that the use of the word "privilege" to this point has been along the lines that we should feel lucky to even be able to get these titles on DVD. My point in saying that it was a consumer product was to point out that it was a mass market item, that it therefore can be compared similarly to other mass market items, and that people have valid multiple methods of complaining about said consumer products.

[I pointed out that New Line sells SE's for less than Paramount's titles]

True, but NEW LINE isn't PARAMOUNT. As a consumer, you're entitled to express your dissatisfaction with what they're doing; whether they heed these comments is anyone's guess. They're still accountable to their shareholders, but high prices does not necessarily equate to bad PR.

True, but Parmount's and New Line's home video departments are selling essentially the same product. In fact, New Line, on average turns out more value packed product than Paramount and with audio and video transfers that have matched or exceeded Paramount's output as well. There's really no reason for Paramount's (or any studio's) DVD's to be priced at higher than New Line's.

Well, I'll add a caveat to that: studio's like Paramount have material that is much older than most of New Line's stuff, and therefore, probably in need of much more expensive restoration.

DVD has been around long enough to establish its own price levels and by those standards, the Godfather Trilogy is on the outside limits of those standards. But, in my opinion, still well within them.

These statements sum it up nicely. PARAMOUNT has set their price levels; it's up to the consumer to decide whether they'll accept it or not.

But consumers have other avenues than just buying or not buying. If they get enough complaints the studios will try to do something to make the customer happy. Complaints can also scare off others from buying the product. Consumers need to be vocal, especially in the early stages of a product when it is much easier to evoke change.

I don't work for PARAMOUNT and I don't have a stake in them; I just relish the role of devil's advocate. As I've stated previously, I think the $100 MSRP is fitting for this product. Besides, there are no shortage of retailers who are selling pre-orders at discounted prices, so I don't understand what the fuss really is.

And I like debating with devils.

I too know that I won't be paying full msrp on the product, but I do understand the fuss. Who wants to pay more than they have to?

I have a long list of DVDs I want to buy and a limited income with which to buy them (don't cry for me though, I've managed to buy quite a few of them ). I would much rather studios follow New Line's example (in pricing as well as quality and value) than Paramount's (in terms of pricing as their quality has always been above average and their value has been improving).

Also, it's not like you can go get the Godfather from another studio. People want their movies and on each particular title, most studios have a kind of monopoly. Complaining with a public voice is a way to try to get things to change for the future. After all, who wants to fight bad PR?

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-David
My DVDs and HT

[DVDriven]

Originally posted by Blade:

I think we're talking about 2 different things here. My opinion is that the use of the word "privilege" to this point has been along the lines that we should feel lucky to even be able to get these titles on DVD. My point in saying that it was a consumer product was to point out that it was a mass market item, that it therefore can be compared similarly to other mass market items, and that people have valid multiple methods of complaining about said consumer products.

I'm still not sold on the point of consumer complaints for this particular product though. It's no different than the price points music recording companies or artists set for their works. You can purchase a rock recording that's similar to, say Lenny Kravitz, but you're not actually getting Lenny. The products are comparable in some ways, yet dissimilar in many. We are talking about works of art, and the owners are well within their rights to affix a price they think that's fair to them. Movies aren't the same as plastic spoons (btw, a mass market item).

True, but Parmount's and New Line's home video departments are selling essentially the same product. In fact, New Line, on average turns out more value packed product than Paramount and with audio and video transfers that have matched or exceeded Paramount's output as well. There's really no reason for Paramount's (or any studio's) DVD's to be priced at higher than New Line's.

Works of art aren't governed by the same pricing standards as mass market items. NEW LINE does not have a Godfather equivalent, and that's the distinction. PARAMOUNT realizes that the Godfather name has no equal, and has placed a premium on its value. I believe that if the set was 'value-priced', it would be a disservice to the name and its storied past. You may think of it as just another film, but for others, it means much more. As consumers, we equate quality with how much we spend for that item (usually), and this film falls into that mode of thinking (that's unfortunate because this isn't always the case).

But consumers have other avenues than just buying or not buying. If they get enough complaints the studios will try to do something to make the customer happy. Complaints can also scare off others from buying the product. Consumers need to be vocal, especially in the early stages of a product when it is much easier to evoke change.

Ah, with the exception of a disgruntled few , I think consumers are generally happy. Not every DVD buyer is a film buff or HT aficionado, and successive offerings by the studios are getting better with every passing week. If the product was consistently defective in quality or workmanship, I do think studios would make a conscientious effort to rectify this, but not for matters involving price.

I have a long list of DVDs I want to buy and a limited income with which to buy them (don't cry for me though, I've managed to buy quite a few of them ). I would much rather studios follow New Line's example (in pricing as well as quality and value) than Paramount's (in terms of pricing as their quality has always been above average and their value has been improving).

I have a limited income as well, so I'm not totally devoid of empathy. I do, however, think there are exceptions to the rule, and this is one of them. This is one of the few instances that I don't want to pay TIMEX prices for a TAG HEUER; it just doesn't feel right.

[Blade]

I'm still not sold on the point of consumer complaints for this particular product though. It's no different than the price points music recording companies or artists set for their works. You can purchase a rock recording that's similar to, say Lenny Kravitz, but you're not actually getting Lenny. The products are comparable in some ways, yet dissimilar in many. We are talking about works of art, and the owners are well within their rights to affix a price they think that's fair to them. Movies aren't the same as plastic spoons (btw, a mass market item).

Bad example. The music industry recently lost a lawsuit that accussed them of price fixing. And lawsuits are very loud and forceful types of vocal consumer complaints.

But I'm not saying that the studio's don't have a right to set their own prices. Of course they do. I'm just saying that we, as consumers, have a right to complain if we think we're being unfairly taken advantage of.

Works of art aren't governed by the same pricing standards as mass market items. NEW LINE does not have a Godfather equivalent, and that's the distinction. PARAMOUNT realizes that the Godfather name has no equal, and has placed a premium on its value. I believe that if the set was 'value-priced', it would be a disservice to the name and its storied past. You may think of it as just another film, but for others, it means much more. As consumers, we equate quality with how much we spend for that item (usually), and this film falls into that mode of thinking (that's unfortunate because this isn't always the case).

First of all, we're dealing with reproductions of works of art, ie. prints as oppossed to the original oil painting. And in reference to your earlier point about plastic spoons, no they aren't exactly the same, but DVDs are also mass produced items priced to sell to the masses. The differences here are really immaterial.

Second, one of my earlier points was that Paramount wasn't actually inflating the price on this particular set. Rather that they do so on ALL of their DVDs. They have set an arbitrary price point of $30 for all their DVDs (my first post in this thread has a sampling of thier titles with MSRPs listed) regardless of features or movie popularity. This set seems similarly priced: $30 a movie, plus some extra to cover the bonus disc and the special packaging. They may be honoring the title by how they've packaged it and the time and effort they've put into it, but the price is essentially the same as for any of their other movies.

Lastly (well, in regards to this quote ), do we really want the studios to start pricing movies based on their relative merit? Besides the obvious problem of determining what film is "worthy" of a special "classic film" pricing, this just seems to unnecessarily complicate matters. I think the current setup (value is indicated by the amount of supplements and sometimes packaging) along with the studio's different pricing levels is a good setup.

I just think that Paramount could use a little more variety in their prices. Do you really think (aside from the relative value of the movies) that the DVDs for Mission Impossible 2 and Airplane! (both 29.99 msrp) should carry the same price. Given the amount of special features, a 29.99 price on MI:2 would make more sense if Airplane! were only $25. To expand on my previous analogy, if New Line had done these two DVDs, MI:2 would have been $25 and Airplane! would have been $20. This seems like a fair price and one that New Line seems to have been very successful with (and as for honoring movies, I'll just let slide the fact that New Line would have treated Airplane! with a heck of a lot more respect than Paramount did. )

Not every DVD buyer is a film buff or HT aficionado, and successive offerings by the studios are getting better with every passing week.

You said earlier that I "may just think of it[Godfather] as another film." Well, I don't and have said earlier that I think that this set is fairly priced. It could have been a little cheaper, but we're talking about maybe $15-20 here.

But the people you refer to in the quote above do just think the Godfather and all other movies are "just another film." It's a form of mass media entertainment to them and when they see New Line/Warner putting out better product at lower prices, they will understandably wonder why, and then start to bitch and moan about it.

Finally, if I could get a Tag Hauer watch at Timex prices, I would certainly take it! But we're not talking about Tag Hauer vs. Timex. Warner put out North by Northwest and Ben Hur out at $24.99 msrp.

[Blade]

Now as an addendum to all that I've posted, and in the interest of presenting both sides of the story, I think I should point out that Paramount's pricing really isn't that out of line when compared to some other studio's super special edition output:

Columbia Tri Star:
Lawrence of Arabia $39.99
Bridge on the River Kwai $39.99

Dreamworks:
Gladiator $29.99

Buena Vista/Criterion:
Take your pick!

Fox:
Independence Day $39.99
Fight Club $39.99
Sound of Music $34.95

MGM:
Bond SEs $34.95 (although the boxed sets did reflect a discount of 35% per disc that worked out to about $23/disc-checked set #3 for that number)

New Line (oops! ):
Boogie Nights (2nd SE) $29.98
Se7en $29.99
Magnolia $29.99

Universal:
Hitchcock SEs $29.99

Still, if you look at many of these studio's standard special editions, they usually go for $25-27 while Paramount continues to give us things like The Untouchables with no supplements at $30. And boxed sets normally reflect an overall discount as opposed to buying films seperately (New Line's Nightmare Collection was priced at about $18.60 per disc (7 movies; 129.99 msrp) and it also included a bonus 8th disc of extras, 3D glasses and some very cool box art. Also note James Bond collection example above.)

I think people are a little disgruntled with Paramount's pricing policies and this set has just pushed them over the edge a bit. It's unfortunate as it really is a great set and (I think) fairly priced. But then you reap what you sow.

-David

[mahavishnu]

> This set seems similarly priced: $30 a movie, plus some extra to cover the bonus disc and the special packaging.

Since they're forcing us to buy all three films, you would expect the total cost to be a less than $90, not more. This is my point. Okay, the real problem for me is that I don't want all the films. And I doubt most people really want Part III.

If Part II came in a two disc set with appropriate extras, I would be happy enough with a 39.99 price.

Anyway, I won't be buying the set. I'm gonna wait the 6 months or whatever it takes for the studio to release the films seperately.

[DVDriven]

Originally posted by Blade:

Bad example. The music industry recently lost a lawsuit that accussed them of price fixing.

This is exactly why PARAMOUNT is doing the right thing by setting a standard price point that is incongruent with the other studios. This way, they can't be accused of collusion.

But I'm not saying that the studio's don't have a right to set their own prices. Of course they do. I'm just saying that we, as consumers, have a right to complain if we think we're being unfairly taken advantage of.

I'm all for a consumer backlash if the situation warranted it; this, however, is an exception. We all pick our own battles.

First of all, we're dealing with reproductions of works of art, ie. prints as oppossed to the original oil painting. And in
reference to your earlier point about plastic spoons, no they aren't exactly the same, but DVDs are also mass produced items priced to sell to the masses. The differences here are really immaterial.

Let's go with your example - prints. An artist may generate original prints from a painting, but the price that s/he affixes to them is what s/he thinks it's worth to him/her. If s/he wants to command a higher asking price than most, regardless of artistic merit, s/he is allowed to; whether the market will pay his/her prices is secondary. If PARAMOUNT thinks its movies should be set at an MSRP of $29.99, and the public will pay (albeit reluctantly), why shouldn't they continue to do so?

Second, one of my earlier points was that Paramount wasn't actually inflating the price on this particular set. Rather that they do so on ALL of their DVDs. They have set an arbitrary price point of $30 for all their DVDs (my first post in this thread has a sampling of thier titles with MSRPs listed) regardless of features or movie popularity. This set seems similarly priced: $30 a movie, plus some extra to cover the bonus disc and the special packaging. They may be honoring the title by how they've packaged it and the time and effort they've put into it, but the price is essentially the same as for any of their other movies.

So, they're being penalized for being consistent across the board? As you stated, they didn't inflate the price on a per-movie basis in this set. I think there is something reassuring about this appraoch. Consumers know beforehand how much they're expected to pay for any given film in their catalog, unlike other studios (OK, an exaggeration, but I wanted to illustrate a point). I think other companies are guiltier of arbitrary price points than PARAMOUNT, which serves in confusing the consumer. Why is film 'X' priced at $30, but film 'Y' is $25 and film 'Z' at $15?

It's a form of mass media entertainment to them and when they see New Line/Warner putting out better product at lower prices, they will understandably wonder why, and then start to bitch and moan about it.

'Better' is a relative term. A crappy movie filled to the gills is still a crappy movie. If PARAMOUNT chooses to price a sub-par movie at the same level as one of their top-tier titles, that's their prerogative. No one is saying that you must buy a film, but if you want it, this is the price you will have to pay: take it or leave it.

[Blade]

If PARAMOUNT thinks its movies should be set at an MSRP of $29.99, and the public will pay (albeit reluctantly), why shouldn't they continue to do so?

Barring either poor sales or public complaint, they should. But there is public complaint which may affect their DVD sales. I have no problem with companies making a profit, but having a pricing structure that makes your customers feel as if you are taking unfair advantage of them is just bad business. You're really just hurting your own bottom line.

So, they're being penalized for being consistent across the board? As you stated, they didn't inflate the price on a per-movie basis in this set. I think there is something reassuring about this appraoch. Consumers know beforehand how much they're expected to pay for any given film in their catalog, unlike other studios (OK, an exaggeration, but I wanted to illustrate a point). I think other companies are guiltier of arbitrary price points than PARAMOUNT, which serves in confusing the consumer. Why is film 'X' priced at $30, but film 'Y' is $25 and film 'Z' at $15?

But that's the thing, they aren't consistent. If they were consistent, then they would be providing the same value across the board as well. But they charge you the same price whether they do a lousy job or a really good job on a DVD release.

As for companies with tiered pricing levels, it's based on features. The more features/money they put into a DVD release, the more they charge.

'Better' is a relative term. A crappy movie filled to the gills is still a crappy movie. If PARAMOUNT chooses to price a sub-par movie at the same level as one of their top-tier titles, that's their prerogative. No one is saying that you must buy a film, but if you want it, this is the price you will have to pay: take it or leave it.

As I said before, I think it would be pretty messy if the studios started trying to price movies by their relative worth. Pricing based on the amount of features/money put into a DVD release makes more sense and is easily understood by the buying public.