Cinemablend is reporting that FOX plans to create multiple versions of DVDs – one for rental businesses and one for retail businesses. The idea is to limit the content of the rented DVDs such that there are no bonus features; only the feature movie and trailers. The first of such films to be released will be Slumdog Millionaire and Marley & Me, slated for release on March 31.
Now, I was thinking about this, and I believe FOX’s reasoning would be to encourage the purchase of DVDs rather than the renting of them through a service like Blockbuster or Netflix. I also see where they’re coming from, but I disagree completely not so much with what they’re planning but how it will most likey work out.
For starters, let me just say that I’m already pissed about how DVDs work. They release the normal edition, then the unrated edition, then the special edition, then the box set (if applicable), then the ultimate collectors edition that comes in some sort of ridiculous tin or really long fold-out packaging, which means that by the time Star Wars is released on Blu-Ray I’ll have bought every episode at least about 4 times, the original trilogy 6 times, not counting the times I saw all six of the movies multiple times in the theater.
I will also rent movies and go through the bonus features, and if the movie and/or bonus features are good enough, I’ll buy the DVD. Sometimes it’s the bonus features that are the deciding factor, but taking them out completely will just encourage me and everybody else to just download and burn stuff, and not rent them, and as a result FOX will still lose money. It’s not always the bonus features that are the deciding factor, however. The main factor is simply watchability. For example, I did watch Marley & Me. It was a really good movie. Will I buy the DVD? Maybe, maybe not. I like Jennifer Aniston and Labradors, but I just can’t see myself watching that movie more than one time. However, if there were some cool bonus features (perhaps even good commentary by Jennifer Aniston or Owen Wilson), I’d definitely consider it. But when I rent it through my Netflix, I’ll only see the movie, which I’ve ALREADY seen. I’m not opposed to watching it again, but if I could see what extras were on there before falling once again for the “Unrated and Uncut Super Disgusting Boobie” Version marketing they slap on some of their crap movies, it just might make it worth it to buy. But nowadays I know better than to trust the packaging, because usually there’s no real noticable difference with their “Best Version EVER!” ploys on packaging.
Instead of making it EASIER and MORE WORTH IT for people to pirate the movie, make better movies. Ones that I will want to add to my collection and watch again and again. Because honestly, I don’t remember the last new movie I saw that I just HAD to own and watch every day like I did with The Lion King when it first came to VHS when I was 5.
Also, from a technical side, I’m also inclined to believe that the rental version of their DVDs will contain exactly the same video files as the retail version, which means there will be a lot of empty space left over on your DVDs. I HIGHLY doubt that FOX will take that extra space, re-encode the movie, and provide us with a better quality DVD. I also doubt that less content will mean a price drop on these DVDs, if they’re even available to buy without special content. Instead, the price of retail DVDs will probably go UP, again packaging it as some crazy “fanboy” version with bonus crap. It’s like when I order a hamburger I get charged for adding cheese, but they don’t take money off when I tell them no onions.
Again FOX, just make better movies. That will solve your problem. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by squeezing every penny out of the people whom you entertain, and also keep you in business. Better movies means rewatchable value, which means more DVD sales, and not just rentals. It’s no wonder most of the DVDs I own are older movies from the time when movies were good and not just shitty remakes of good movies. I’m almost certain there will be a direct correlation between this, pissed off onsumers, and BitTorrent downloads. It was the bonus features that I started up my NetFlix account for, take that away and what you rent is now the same as what you’d download? Which is cheaper, faster, easier, and sticks it to FOX?
The good news of all of this is that all Blu-Rays will be almost the same – with included features, but without a digital copy or a DVD reverse-side copy.
Slapbacks