# Special Edition DVDs **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 25, 2000, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242 "2000-10-25T10:37:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mofo\_Rising](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mofo\_Rising](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mofo_Rising)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/1 "2000-10-25T10:37:49Z")
Is anybody else pissed off at the marketing techiniques of the DVD market. Now, I go off and get the DVD of a movie, only to find out about six months later that they have released the same movie, only this time loaded with extras. Two examples, I bought “From Dusk Till Dawn” and “Terminator 2”, and now both movies have DVDs loaded with extras. Damn them for not just releasing the DVDs otherwise. It’s not like these DVDs were cheap when I bought them. Terminator 2 was going for about thirty dollars when I got it. Now I find I was shafted for the special editions. Maybe it’s a paltry complaint, but I still feel I was shafted. I want all the extras, but I don’t want to pay full price for a movie I already own. (And yes, I would be satisfied with the movie itself, but I’m an obsessive collector. I don’t feel I should be punished into spending another thirty bucks for it.) What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6de8d8/32.png) [@Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilgore_Trout_1)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/2 "2000-10-25T12:47:00Z")
then you should do some research at dvd websites and the like. everybody knows about alternate releases many months ahead of the release date, especially since dvd releases often get pushed back so much. also, with something like T2… even if you didn’t check the dvd sites for info of a new release, did you really expect such a special movie to go without being released in such a special way? a friend of mine held out for a year from buying T2. i decided i couldn’t wait, so now i have both. a good place for upcoming release news is [http://www.thedigitalbits.com](http://www.thedigitalbits.com) ---
**Author:** ![Juniper200](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@Juniper200](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juniper200)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/3 "2000-10-25T12:48:45Z")
I really hate this, too. I started out with DVDs of the 3 Evil Dead movies. Not a whole lot of extras (trailers and animated menus, mostly), but hey, I had the films and they looked pretty good At last count, the following DVDs are available/coming soon from [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com): Evil Dead Evil Dead II Army of Darkness Evil Dead Special Edition Evil Dead II Special Edition Evil Dead II Limited Edition Army of Darkness Directors Cut Army of Darkness Special Edition Most of these have different features (audio commentaries, deleted scenes, etc.) If I were a rabid ED collector (and they’re out there!) and bought all of the discs, I’d have shelled out a whopping $202.64 on these releases. And there are probably more coming. I expect to see an ED Limited Edition, and an AoD Limited Edition any day now. To quote Ash: “You bastards! Why are you torturing me like this? Why?!” ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/4 "2000-10-25T14:23:52Z")
Just wait until Lucas finally releases the _Star Wars_ movies on DVD. I already have two copies of the series on VHS, and I refuse to buy the one that’s coming out this year. My gripe is with _Taxi Driver_. I bought the original DVD of it, and then a week later I learned about the special edition that was coming out a few months later. Ditto _Apocalypse Now_. I bought that DVD when it came out, and now I hear that Coppolla’s working on an expanded cut (with something like 100 more minutes!) that will render my DVD obsolete. Bah. Just an FYI: I hear that a super-duper special edition of _Terminator_ is in the works, so don’t buy the existing DVD if you’re patient and want one as cool as _T2_. ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/5 "2000-10-25T14:49:00Z")
I bought “The Professional” on DVD, and now they have a new version “Leon: The Professional” uncut and with extra scenes. I refuse to buy the new version even though I really really want it. I should be able to trade mine in for the new one. ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/6 "2000-10-25T16:51:32Z")
**c\_goat** , if you like _The Professional_, you should just swallow your pride and buy _Leon_. Seeing this “uncut” version really changes, IMHO, your entire perspective on the movie. It made me like it much more. I find there a couple of strategies that keep me from buying multiple copies of the same movie. 1. Pay very close attention to DVD news. [Reel.com](http://Reel.com) is still probably the best source of preorder availablility news, unless you read Laserviews release calendars. I believe both [http://www.dvdfile.com](http://www.dvdfile.com) and [http://thebigpicturedvd.com](http://thebigpicturedvd.com) both provide links to Laserviews updates. 2. Be wary of “movie-only” editions. Movie-only editions of reasonably popular movies are almost sure to be replaced by “special editions” sometime in the future. 3. In the worst-case scenario, if you have to replace a movie you already own, give the old one to friends! A little non-holiday gift now and then never hurt anyone. Speaking of which…anyone want a non-Criterion version of _Silence of the Lambs_? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/7 "2000-10-25T17:11:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Juniper200 \* > \*\*I expect to see an ED Limited Edition, and an AoD Limited Edition any day now. > > To quote Ash: > “You bastards! Why are you torturing me like this? Why?!” > \*\* Hate to break it to you, but the AoD Collector’s Edition _was_ their Limited Edition - 30,000 copies. I got mine on eBay for $40 something, and that was over a year ago. FTR, anybody planning on buying Toy Story 2 should get the 3 Disc “Ultimate Toy Box” release, as this has _tons_ of really cool extras. (Mine should be here this week! :D) ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/8 "2000-10-25T17:18:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KKBattousai \* > \*\*FTR, anybody planning on buying Toy Story 2 should get the 3 Disc “Ultimate Toy Box” release, as this has _tons_ of really cool extras. (Mine should be here this week! :D) \*\* Got mine last Friday. 😛 It is an **excellent** set, one of the best DVD presentations I have seen so far. I like how these releases are including the THX Optimode for audio and video setup, although I almost always end up performing some additional subwoofer and center adjustment after the movie starts. I also try to keep up with advance DVD information to aviod the situation described in the OP. I still haven’t purchased the _Titanic_ DVD because I’m convinced there will be a better, more expansive presentation in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Tretiak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Tretiak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tretiak)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/9 "2000-10-25T18:11:09Z")
One thing you have to consider, there is a tradeoff between putting the movie out in a timely manner and puttin g it out with tons of extras. A barebones DVD can be put together in relatively short fashion. A special edition with commentaries, new fottage, interviews etc. take a whole lot more time. Many DVDs are held up simply because they are waiting for the Director to free up some time on his schedule to do a commentary. So sometimes they put out the bare bones edition early to get it into people’s hands and then a SE later Once they can give it the kind of consideration they think it deserves. Also, you have to remember that a lot of these movies were released when DVD was still in it’s infancy (which is really only about two years ago). No one really knew what the market demands for these products were. An SE requires considerable more money to produce, so in a early market they decided to not spend the time and money to produce an SE to a limited and largely unknown market. But as the DVD market has matured the studios have better idea of what to expect out of a DVD release and what features people want. They have decided to revisit a lot of those titles, because the market will now support such an investment. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/10 "2000-10-25T20:09:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pldennison \* > > It is an **excellent** set, one of the best DVD presentations I have seen so far. I like how these releases are including the THX Optimode for audio and video setup, although I almost always end up performing some additional subwoofer and center adjustment after the movie starts.\*\* Then you might be interested in this neat little Easter Egg. On the third disc, go to the Toy Story 2 menu, select “Story”, the select “Jessie’s Song” on Jessie’s menu. Click the “left” on your remote and an egg shaped question mark will appear. Click enter, and you’re there. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/11 "2000-10-25T20:31:28Z")
I find this annoying and expensive as well. For the Scream trilogy, 1 and 3 were immediately released with a butt load of extras. 2 wasn’t. So, I bought 1-3 as they came out. Then the Scream Trilogy box set came out and they made that version of Scream 2 with all the extras and a bonus disc. So, I sold my existing 1-3 and bought the box set. It was worth it, but I hate buying things twice. I wish they’d just wait and release it with all the extras the first time, but they count on people buying both. Money grubbing pigs. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/12 "2000-10-25T23:01:46Z")
I just recently bought a player and a few discs, some regular, some special. Does anyone agree that including trailers (you know, a commercial for the movie you’re about to watch) does NOT qualify the disc as “special.” ---
**Author:** ![Stupendous\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/13 "2000-10-25T23:21:56Z")
Sell the old DVD to a second-hand Movie/music store, get a portion of your money back, and then buy the new version with all the extras. It’s not a great solution, but it’s something. At least you won’t have two copies. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/14 "2000-10-26T00:52:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > \*\*I just recently bought a player and a few discs, some regular, some special. Does anyone agree that including trailers (you know, a commercial for the movie you’re about to watch) does NOT qualify the disc as “special.” \*\* I agree, and though I can’t think of any “special” discs that were so lame, I must say I’m disappointed in the (lack of) goodies on the South Park DVD. So much so that I didn’t buy it. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/15 "2000-10-26T01:00:29Z")
There’s a special edition of ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ just come out in the US, and next year there will be a SE of ‘Princess Bride’, but both those movies are already out in basic form. So beware. I’m waiting. I always wait for a Sp.Ed. announcement before buying a barebones one. ‘Iron Giant’ and ‘Ever After’ are unlikely to come out with Special Editions (unfortunately) so I shelled out for them anyway. So far they’re the only non-commentary ones I have. ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/16 "2000-10-26T02:24:01Z")
When I bought **The Princess Bride** , I found out very quickly afterwards through a friend that a Criterion Collection version was already in the works. :mad: I was directed to a website review of the DVD, in which the reviewer lamented the release of the DVD even though the Criterion Collection version was already in the planning stages before the one without all the cool extras was even released! A plague on the moron who planned this one out! ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/17 "2000-10-26T04:06:59Z")
I’m also waiting for a Titanic Special Edition. Surely there’ll be one. ---
**Author:** ![Baglady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Baglady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baglady)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/18 "2000-10-26T04:22:30Z")
\*\*KKBattousai \*\* asked: "_FTR, anybody planning on buying Toy Story 2 should get the 3 Disc “Ultimate Toy Box” release, as this has tons of really cool extras. (Mine should be here this week! :D) "_ To which \*\*pldennison \*\* replied: _“Got mine last Friday.”_ Yup. I got mine last week, too. It’ll sit on the shelf next to my “Supah Geeeeenius” [**_Bug’s Life_ box set**](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00001U0DR). By the way, a batch of “Ultimate Toy Box” sets that went to Costco stores in the Midwest had an error in the Toy Story 2 DVD disk. Parts of the movie were interspersed with a scene from [High Fidelity](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0146882) with John Cusack – _oops_.(excellent movie, BTW). I’m attaching [this news note about it from Excite](http://news.excite.com:80/news/eonline/001020/13/what-the-f)… but what the article doesn’t mention is that both High Fidelity and Toy Story 2 star Joan Cusack. If you inadvertently bought one of these sets, you might want to hold onto it. The coincidence of having two movies with the SAME actress on it, recorded on one disc might make it worth something someday! ---
**Author:** ![seriousart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@seriousart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seriousart)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/19 "2000-10-26T04:37:20Z")
GuanoLad: > [@](#): > > ‘Iron Giant’ and ‘Ever After’ are unlikely to come out with Special Editions (unfortunately) so I shelled out for them anyway. So far they’re the only non-commentary ones I have. Word on the street, or at least at the IG messageboard, (YES I’m that much of a fan/geek) is that IG’s special addition DVD is supposedly due out next April. With commnentary and added scenes, including one where the Giant dreams of the planet from where he came. Sounds perty darned cool. Here’s hopin’ it comes to fruition! ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242/20 "2000-10-26T09:21:17Z")
Woohoo! It’s a movie worth having two copies for. every time I watch it I just shake my head in admiration of how damned fantastic it is. That ending just warms my heart! Not a frame is a mis-step. I curse it’s bad promotion! And await Brad Bird’s next with eager anticipation and 'bated breath! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-edition-dvds/38242.md?page=2)