bloodyrosemccoy (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bloodyrosemccoy) wrote2013-07-27 03:41 am
bloodyrosemccoy) wrote2013-07-27 03:41 am
Entry tags:
The DVD Is "Mama," If You Were Curious
WHAT THE--oh, you SONS OF MITCH, Universal. "Hey, want to watch the DVD commentary on this movie? WELL YOU CAN'T because this is a RENTAL COPY and even though you're PAYING for this rental service you aren't paying enough so FUCK YOU."
Now, I am totally fine with the concept of Super Better Edition DVDs. Hell, I own a box set of the insanely over-extended Lord of the Rings films, even though I already owned all the theatrical cuts, because, you know, LotR. And while I own a box set of the original flavor Star Wars trilogy, I would totally shell out more money if they ever came out with the ORIGINAL original flavor--you know, the one where Han Shot First and Wedge is fist-bumping Ewoks and Sebastian Shaw plays a far more convincing Ghost Of Anakin Skywalker than Pout Woodblock ever did--because, well, this is a sentence I do not actually need to finish. I am completely willing to hand over more dollars so that these features can sit permanently on my shelf.
HOWEVER, making it so that those features aren't available to rent if someone DOESN'T have the shelf-space--even though they're already PAYING for a rental service--that is NOT THE SAME. And if your film's "rental copy" DVD actually includes the Bonus Menus, where you can select an audio commentary and hit Play before receiving a snotty note telling you to go out and buy your own damn copy of the DVD, I am not inclined to shell out money for it. I am, however, WAY more inclined to HATE YOU.
To use an old meme that still applies, Universal: Marketing. YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG.
Speaking of old memes, it would be no more insulting if hitting Play simply took you to a video of Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up." At least then they'd be acknowledging that they're being jackasses.
Now, I am totally fine with the concept of Super Better Edition DVDs. Hell, I own a box set of the insanely over-extended Lord of the Rings films, even though I already owned all the theatrical cuts, because, you know, LotR. And while I own a box set of the original flavor Star Wars trilogy, I would totally shell out more money if they ever came out with the ORIGINAL original flavor--you know, the one where Han Shot First and Wedge is fist-bumping Ewoks and Sebastian Shaw plays a far more convincing Ghost Of Anakin Skywalker than Pout Woodblock ever did--because, well, this is a sentence I do not actually need to finish. I am completely willing to hand over more dollars so that these features can sit permanently on my shelf.
HOWEVER, making it so that those features aren't available to rent if someone DOESN'T have the shelf-space--even though they're already PAYING for a rental service--that is NOT THE SAME. And if your film's "rental copy" DVD actually includes the Bonus Menus, where you can select an audio commentary and hit Play before receiving a snotty note telling you to go out and buy your own damn copy of the DVD, I am not inclined to shell out money for it. I am, however, WAY more inclined to HATE YOU.
To use an old meme that still applies, Universal: Marketing. YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG.
Speaking of old memes, it would be no more insulting if hitting Play simply took you to a video of Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up." At least then they'd be acknowledging that they're being jackasses.
no subject
I agree... If I rented a DVD and there wasn't a menu for bonus stuff, I wouldn't really care, even if I found out later that there was bonus content on non-rental copies. Alternatively, if there were a marked-out link for bonus menus with a small statement saying "available on non-rental copies", I'd be slightly annoyed, but not truly upset. But making people jump through hoops and then "BzzzzT! No content for you!" ...? That's a good way to taint the entire movie with a memory of frustration, which is NOT what's gonna make people run out to buy it.
no subject
I get angry at the rental copies because they make t impossible to enjoy the features at ALL. With special editions vs. regular editions, both are still meant to be available to rent, bonus features and all. With the rental copies, you wind up with no way to enjoy that--even if you're paying for a service. I realize that DVD rentals don't make studios as much money, but that doesn't mean it isn't a rotten thing to do.