when is the right time to buy a DVD?

[Neon Noodle]

Let's just consider that one for a moment. There are at least 9 reissues of The Evil Dead that I know of, and whenever I buy a dvd, almost like clockwork, along comes an "ultimate" version that has more stuff than the one I purchased.

So what do we do? Wait 6 months after it comes out, or take our chances that the one we bought is the only one of its kind?

[Eirik]

I guess the best you can do is keep your ear to the ground on all the fan sites for word of what is planned.  That's one of the things I get from this site.  I'm pretty much satisfied if get the movie, the deleted scenes and the trailers on the DVD, so this hasn't been a problem for me.

[Cullen]

Depends on the movie.  With your cult classics, you might want to wait a bit, especially if the company in question puts out more than...  Well, let's be nice and just say comes out with a bunch of versions.

However, most movies probably won't have this problem.  Gigli, for instance, probably won't have a Double Platinum Special Commemorative Wonderfully Glorious Made the Movie Good (Well Tolerably Bad, Maybe, If You're Lucky) Edition.  That puppy is safe to pick up.

Well, reasonably safe.  As long as you don't mind being shunned by those vocal few who can't see the pure genius of the movie.

...

You will never know how hard it was, typing that last sentence.  My keyboard gave me a dirty look afterwards.  Which is strange, considering it doesn't normally have eyes...

[KINGDINOSAUR]

Neon Noodle wrote:> So what do we do? Wait 6 months after it comes out, or take our chances that the one we bought is the only one of its kind?

One buffer is not purchasing any movies made in the past 5 years.  Older titles have a lower risk of becoming obsolete in a year's time.

I held off by the Marx Bros. HORSEFEATHERS (1932) because there are stories about a couple of missing scenes and the film print was not restored.  The DVD is now out-of-print but has a strong possibility of being rereleased in the future.

If you bought regular VHS or Beta copies of the original STAR WARS trilogy then you own the movies in their original release form.  Something that George Lucas may never allow to happen again.

If you followed the early stories about upcoming movies it might tip you off about alternate versions.  DAREDEVIL had plenty of write-up about deleted scenes which would have pushed the movie into the "R" rating.  It has recently been announced that a special director's cut DVD will be available in late April.

While a ton of extras seem preferrential on the surface, I've found very few DVDs worth watching all the crap.  Much of which turns out to be PR marketing and gratuitous "butt-slaping".  I actually felt ALMOST FAMOUS had a strong theatrical version than the longer director's cut version.  You had longer scenes, but they bogged down the plot.  Too much of a good thing is possible.  Even with DVDs.

Scott
MOTAZart.com

[Eirik]

"I held off by the Marx Bros. HORSEFEATHERS (1932) because there are stories about a couple of missing scenes and the film print was not restored."

Wow!  You waited 72 years to buy a DVD??

(just kidding)

[KINGDINOSAUR]

Eirik wrote:> Wow!  You waited 72 years to buy a DVD??

It probably still won't be a long enough wait!  I remember wanting to see the 1950s BLACK SCORPION for more than 10 years.  It never ran on TV.  I'd finally broke down and bought a multi-duped VHS copy through a classified ad in a monster magazine.  Less than 6 months later it had a factory VHS release with a high-quality print and at a lower price than the crappy knock-off!

Scott
MOTAZart.com

[Eirik]

HAHAHA!!  Yeah, I'm waiting (eagerly) for George Lucas to die and quit blocking the inevitable release of the long-awaited Star Wars Christmas Special DVD.

[The Burgomaster]

I usually buy the first version the gets released, except for things like the LORD OF THE RINGS movies for which I wait until the director's cut is released.