CULTURE: Notable DVD Releases - 3/1/05

[shivvy]

There aren't many new releases worth watching this week, but a lot of great catalog titles are making their dvd debuts and/or getting the special edition treatment.

In stores Tuesday, March 1st:

*"Bambi" [2-disc remastered special edition of the Disney classic]
*"The Brady Bunch: S1" [dvd debut of the complete first season]
*"Bringing Up Baby" [2-disc special edition. Katherine Hepburn & Cary Grant star in this screwball comedy from Howard Hawks]
*"DC Cab" [DVD has truly reached the masses. How else can you explain this 80's flick, starring Mr. T & Irene Cara, getting released? Bare bones disc, but remastered in anamorphic widescreen]
*"Exorcist: The Beginning" [plagued with production problems --- including the death of its first director John Frankenheimer, Renny Harlin's prequel hits stores in separate widescreen and full screen editions. Harlin became the film's third director, following Paul Schrader who was fired after WB deemed his version not gory and scary enough. Schrader's cut of the film may also make it to dvd this year]
*"Hoosiers" [2-disc special edition of this basketball fave features the remastered film, commentary track, and 13 deleted scenes]
*"My Own Private Idaho" [Gus Van Sant's cult classic gets the Criterion Collection treatment in this director approved 2-disc set]
*"The Philadelphia Story" [2-disc special edition. Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and James Stewart star in this George Cukor comedy from 1940, which won 2 Oscars including Best Actor. Named the 15th funniest film of all time by the American Film Institute]
*"The Spongebob Squarepants Movie" [full-length feature film from Nickelodeon's biggest star]

[postfeminist]

oh dvd's...

i had i <3 huckabees & the donnie darko director's cut in my hands tonight and put them back... figured i'd find them cheaper than at target...

[rocketman70]

oh dvd's...

i had i <3 huckabees & the donnie darko director's cut in my hands tonight and put them back... figured i'd find them cheaper than at target...

HA. No way, I had the exact same two titles in my hands over the weekend and put them back. Gonna wait til the next pay day. Of these new releases here, My own Private Idaho. I haven't seen that in years, and the Criterion treatment no less!

[scarletspark]

I feel the need to add that Wonder Woman Season 2 comes out today.

[Jake_Barnes]

*"Hoosiers" [2-disc special edition of this basketball fave features the remastered film, commentary track, and 13 deleted scenes]



Why the hell do they release the 2-disc special edition after I already have the regular DVD? It seems like a waste to buy the movie again just for the bonus features, but more than likely I will be making the trip to Target this weekend to pick it up.

[Slar]

Why the hell do they release the 2-disc special edition after I already have the regular DVD? It seems like a waste to buy the movie again just for the bonus features, but more than likely I will be making the trip to Target this weekend to pick it up.
I think you answered your own question there.

I hate the DVD marketing strategies that they use now. Disney is the worst with releasing Bambi on DVD for about 5 days and then pulling it off the shelf. What the hell is the point of doing that? Your best best is to buy a bunch of copies today and sell them on ebay around Christmas at a hugely inflated price.

Having said that, I find it amusing that I can usually pick up full-length movie for less than the price of a CD. Again, how the hell does that make sense?

[shivvy]

At least Disney is up front about it and they've used the same strategy for years. They release something for about 6 months-1 year and then they pull it off the market for 10 years. I would expect to see that decade-long window continue to get shorter, but they've been doing it like that for almost as long as they've had a home video division.

The special edition reissues that studios are doing, sometimes even just a few months after the original discs are released, are really starting to piss me off. You almost have to hold off buying anything now because within 6 months it will be much cheaper OR there will be a new edition of it in stores. Case in point: "Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind". I really want the new edition of that, but I refuse to rebuy it. They should have released it like that in the first place.

I do usually upgrade to the special editions though when the movies really needed a new transfer or the special features are amazing. I recently sold off my old "Rebel Without A Cause" dvd in anticipation of the upcoming 2-disc SE. Same with "The Philadelphia Story".

[Slar]

Good points Shiv.

New Line was up front about it with Lord of the Rings as well. They had the theatrical release, but you knew they would be coming out with the special editions not long after that.

My pride and joy is still the bootleg edition of Two Towers I was able to get my hands on.

[jd1]

What's on the 2 Towers boot?

--JD

[redmeg8]

Disney is the worst with releasing Bambi on DVD for about 5 days and then pulling it off the shelf. What the hell is the point of doing that? It creates demand. And demand = money money money