I’m pretty sure this belongs in this forum, since it’s really more of a rumor mill question. I just saw that the Dune remake is going to be released on VHS on the 23rd of this month. I have no VCR, and would rather not purchase one just to see this movie. Has anybody heard anything about a DVD release? And, why don’t they just release both formats at the same time?
I don’t know why they do this. I’ve been waiting and waiting for The Godfather to be released on DVD. I’m convinced that just as soon as I buy it on video, they’ll finally release it on DVD.
It is a piracy issue thing. They release the VHS version first so people don’t buy the DVD and make crystal clear tape copies of it for sale. By releasing it on tape first, most people who are going to buy it in that format do so and thus less money is lost to piraters.
Then there are some film makers, like George Lucas, who don’t trust anybody to have their precious movies on DVD for fear that they will be ripped off.
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Aren’t most movies on DVD copy protected?
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Some movies are released in the opposite order. DVD, then VHS. Titus comes to mind.
I don’t think it’s solely a piracy issue.
Tymp- You’re right on the number one thingy there-
However there was a recent court battle where certain sites were posting the encryption algoryhtm for DVD encoding. Having the info is legal, but posting it on the web is illegal. Seems to be a freedom of speech issue to me, and I don’t know too much about the case in question. The best bet to find out more is to check out http://www.2600.com . Very paranoid site, but informative.
Glad to see you survived the dopefest.
It just occurred to me Tymp-
Perhaps releasing the VHS first and then the DVD gets the more rabid fans to buy the VHS first, and then “upgrade” to the DVD. Twice the sales that way (at least for a small segment of the market).
Yes, they use Macrovision to protect many, but not all, DVDs, but you can buy copyguard eliminators that correct the image, and eliminate the distortion that Macrovision causes when the DVD output is routed through a VCR.
Takes more than an army of drunken, crazed New Yorkers to do in the mighty Tymp! I trust you are still Wonko, yes? I shan’t make that mistake again.
Back on topic . . .
Although I can’t think of another example right now, I’m pretty sure there were more movies than just Titus to be released DVD first. Because of this, I am led to suspect that there are more sinister forces at play here than just piracy avoidance.
On the other hand, I would think that mass production on DVD media would be cheaper and faster than VHS. Thus it would be more sensible to go the Titus route. Even more strange it is that most movies are released in the opposite order.
You might be onto something here, Wonko. Especially now when the customer base is in the process of shifting towards DVD.