Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Over and over and over ....

There's no question I'm a big fan of DVDs. They've opened up a whole new world. They've freed the home viewer of the movie theater (to the theater owner's dismay).
And unlike VHS tapes, they've brought extra information in the form of special features to consumers.
But you know what I absolutely hate about DVDs? The re-packaging syndrome. The same movies over and over and over again. Yes, we're starting to see movies on their third cycle now.
Some of it is understandable. And legitimate. For example, a reissue from a better master is always a welcome thing, especially when the master originally used was in very poor condition. The reissue of "The Wizard of Oz" in 2005 was a great example of a re-release that made sense.
But now, some DVD manufacturers are reissuing just to add special features. Sure, the package will promote a remastered film, but unless you have a high-tech monitor, you're usually not going to notice the difference.
I won't count Blu-Ray or HD versions. Those are legit, though how many of your old DVDs will you replace?
Or even worse ... anniversary editions. The 50th anniversary edition of "70 Million Miles to Earth"? Why?
It all comes down to money, of course. Let's get the consumer for what we can, especially at the holidays.
Consumers, though, should be hesitant about this stuff. Don't buy a new package just because you can.
Let us know what DVDs you've seen or bought that shouldn't have been reissued.