DVD Why not extend?

[Eric R.]

This question has been haphazardly addressed over many threads but I wanted to get he topic going to see what poeple think.

What triggered this, well tonight I found out that the DVD version of Gods and Generals which had been passed off to those who followed it, as a 6 hour movie with all the cut scenes restored , will only be the smaller 3.5 hour version seen in theaters with hardly any extra features. Now the Lord of the Rings people will say ya but wait for December when they will release the extended directors cut, like they all do. Well it seems there will be no directors cut if there will be it will be at least 18 months away!

Now WB is saying that extended versions of films do not sell, that it is the theatrical (Shorter) versions which do. Now as I sit here I think of several very sucessful examples which show extended versions of films, or directors cuts, do very well LOTR, STMP and hell even 1941! It seems most studio marketing people and executives are revited to thinking in terms of the Movie going expierence where in you are stuck in your seat for an hour to two hours. This seems to miss the boat with the Home entertaiment setting where if you feel as if you have seen enough this night you simply stop the VCR or DVD player and come back later, much as if it is a book. (In fact does not a DVD use the term Chapter to break a movie up?)

Media artists and executives (TV and Movies) seem unable to comprehen that they are now in a totally new era, that the artist now has the ability to, like an author, pace there work and inject areas which may seem slow but afford an opportunity for the viewer to stop and come back later. Why should they continue to have the excellenet format that DVD provides be limited by standards and ways of doing things dating back to the start of the last century? The DVD can at last allow an authors work such as Gods and Generals be fully rendered and not forced into some arbitry format . The TV miniseries had promised this but was limited due to the fact of the limits of Network Television which said you HAD to watch this at THIS time, if you attentionw as not fully engaged and your favorite show was on opposite then you might be tempted and often did watch your show. With a DVD however it has no compitition, you watch that portion when you want, if only to pass a few minutes of empty TV time with nothing on.

Ramble OFF

[General Chang]

Yes, DVD is the perfect format to allow for Director's Cuts, and extended versions of films. Frank Herbert's DUNE got a Director's Cut shortly after its initial VHS and DVD release...and I am hoping that CHILDREN of DUNE will get the same treatment.

Finally, they have rereleased the Extended Version of Dances With Wolves that I have waited for for years.

A lot of times, when a movie that was released years ago comes out in some extended form on DVD, it is usually done under the supervision of that film's director...which in many cases could mean that the director may have to pay for the cost of restoration out of his/her own pocket. I wonder how much it cost James Cameron to restore director's cut versions of Terminator 2, The Abyss, and ALIENS? As I understand it, the reedits were done under his supervision.

I can only hope that someday, Paramount will see fit to release the THREE HOUR version of Star Trek NEMESIS.

Also, I hope that someday, perhaps David Lynch will go back and reedit the theatrical version of DUNE from 2hours and 20mins, to the 3hour and 15 minute version that gets airplay from time to time. I know that David Lynch removed his name from the extended version because he was unhappy with the way the restored scenes were edited into the film at that time. But perhaps if he can put up the capital to digitally remaster those deleted scenes...(in which none of the Fremen had the rotoscoped blue within blue eyes)...we can finally see the true version of DUNE that he envisioned. And DVD is the viable medium with which to release such a version.

Well...here's hoping for more extended versions of films on DVD (and even VHS).

Respectfully,
General Chang

[REG]

* shrugs *

I say offer more option for the audience. There are those that may not want to sit in and watch a 3-plus hour movie, even though they can always stop and restart on the chapter they left off. And there are those who want an extended film.

As for me, I have both theatrical and extended versions of The Fellowship of the Rings I enjoyed the short theatrical when I watch during the evening especially with friends), and I enjoyed the extended version for when I have an entire day for myself. Of course, one can't help but wonder why the extended edition do not offer a theatrical version option.

[Ineti]

I love extended editions and director's cuts, naturally for movies that I really like and want to see more of. FOTR rocked, and I'm sure TTT and ROTK will as well.

The Episode II DVD was a bit of a disappointment, but I think that's because I was disappointed with the movie overall.

And I like the commentaries, but haven't watched enough of them yet. First ones I've listened to were the ones on FOTR, and they were fun.

So, yeah, bring on the special editions/extended editions!

[Gabriel]

I don't know if the new version of the Stargate movie DVD is like this, but the original one that my friend has (pre-gold cover) not only has a Director's Edition of the film on it, but also has the full unmolested theatrical presentation available as an option to view. To me, this is ideal.

I like Blade Runner. I also like the Director's Edition of that film. But I haven't purchased the DVD, because (AFAIK) it is only the Director's Edition. If it were both on one DVD or a two disc set, I'd purchase it in a minute.

Similarly, I have a mild dislike of the Star Wars DVDs. They don't present the same film I saw in the theater.

Sure, I like new scenes and stuff. But I want to have my cake and eat it too. I want to see Director's Editions, but I also want to see the original. And I don't want to pay $50 for a stupid special edition box set in order to do it.

As for commentary, most of it sucks ass. There have been a few that have been exceptional, but most of the commentary tracks are just lame. I'm not against it, but it just seems that so many of them could be so much better. Too many of them seem like the director (or random guy off the street in some cases) just showed up off the street without preparation, sat down in front of something playing the movie, and rambled mindlessly for 2 hours.

[Eric R.]

I don't understand what you mean that you have a mild dilike of the Star Wars DVDs because they are not the verson you saw in a theater, they are the same, with the deleted scenes as an extra feature. The original films have not yet been released on DVD.

[Gabriel]

Originally posted by Eric R.
I don't understand what you mean that you have a mild dilike of the Star Wars DVDs because they are not the verson you saw in a theater, they are the same, with the deleted scenes as an extra feature. The original films have not yet been released on DVD.

No they are not. Episode 1 has been modified with added scenes to the Podrace and some of the starting action has been reorganized. I believe that at least one other deleted scene has been incorporated into the film. You do not have the option to view the film in its original theatrical presentation.

Actually, you do. But to do it you have to watch it on the VHS version.

Episode 2 was modified much less. I think there may be one or maybe two short scenes incorporated that were not in the original theatrical release. But most of the modification to 2 was minor touch up to the SFX and adding little odds and ends (like Jango Fett's sparking backpack before Mace beheads him).

I like the movies just fine, so this is not a slam on Star Wars. I'm just saying that I would rather have the option to view the original theatrical presentation than the sole option to be a modified version of the film.

[Eric R.]

I understand what you are saying in fact I agree with you thats why I will buy both editions of the Two Towers like I bought FOTR. But I have watched both the VHS and DVD version and I don't see any difference. Now in the Deleted features the entire pod race was redone and is over 30 minutes long with both the racers introductions and the scenes from the 2nd lap as well as the orioginal version all finished and restored so that you can see the whole in its entirity, however during normal play you watch what you saw in the theater.

Hope I don't sopund like I am being a pain in the ass on this subject I don't mean to be

[Siroth]

I agree with most of what has been said here. Extended versions of films is a great thing for fans to sink their teeth into, and a lot of us are willing to pay a little more to get some more interesting stuff on our DVDs.

The one thing I'm really bugged to the point of anger about is New Line's shamelessly greedy DVD policy on the LOTR releases. It's fine that they want to release two versions of each film, but I find it beneath contempt that they plan their release schedule so that people are 'encouraged' to buy both the original theatrical version of the film as well as the extended DVD version several months later.

I'm a happy little LOTR fan (or was until I saw TTT...), and I gladly handed over the money for the extended version of FOTR, but I don't like being lied to when New Line told us last year that 'oh, we can't finish the extended version until November'... At least this year they at least had the courage to admit that it is simply a marketing strategy to get as much cash out of the fans as they possibly can (note that the article mentioned above specifically says the extended DVD release is set to coincide with the premiere of ROTK in the theatres).

Don't get me wrong - I know New Line is a business and has to earn money to stay alive. I understand that and accept it. But I'm not so gullible that I buy just any explanation they hand out, and while they have every right to earn money, New Line can't exactly claim that they didn't make enough on the FOTR in the theatres. I mean, they already got their money back for making all *three* films, what, four or five times in the the theatres alone? And then they promptly proceed to send out the DVDs in a careful marketing strategy to make the hardcore fans pay for the movie twice. Wow - that's some way to reward the real fans!

Last year I decided that I'd be damned before I'd let New Line pull my hard-earned money out of my pocket twice for the same movie. I hear they put a discount for the extended version in the first release - as far as I'm concerned it might as well have said, "Thanks for the money, sucker". New Line deserves to make money on these films, but there is a difference between making money and milking the fans for every penny. I hope this is not a policy that will be adopted by other greedy studios, because not only is it the sort of thing that makes New Line hated, it is probably also a major cause of piracy. Greed, thy name is New Line!

[REG]

Personally, it has more to do with Peter Jackson than it is with New Line. With Fellowship of the Rings extended edition he worked on it as well as the The Two Towers film editing down to the wire.

New Line released the theatrical version so people can enjoy the same theater experience with the film. Even if you miss it the first time around, you can get the DVD or VHS for summer viewing.

[CorpBoy]

Personally I don't care if the LOTR DVD's are released only a few months apart. I bought both last year as quickly as I could, and I'll do the same this year and next year too.

I like to think of it this way - when my six year old son (not the mention the child that is "in the oven" now ) is old enough to truly understand the books and films, I can show him not only what I saw in the theatres, but what I (IMO) should have seen.

I for one am glad the extended edition DVD's come out as quickly as they do. I've seen some movies take much much longer between releases to get the extended editions out. Of couse, the trend lately seems to be to get them out a whole lot quicker.

And for those who dislike the idea behind the extended LOTR films, I've heard that in 2005 their will be a super deluxe boxed set of all three films that are even bigger. I heard each will be four hours or more. I'll be lining up to buy that as well.

CorpBoy AKA Hopeless LOTR Sucker

[REG]

Actually, the idea for the LOTR extended editions to come out in less than a year is to enjoy the new version before you go see the next act of the trilogy of film opening in theater during December.

[Ineti]

Originally posted by CorpBoy
And for those who dislike the idea behind the extended LOTR films, I've heard that in 2005 their will be a super deluxe boxed set of all three films that are even bigger. I heard each will be four hours or more. I'll be lining up to buy that as well.

Right there with you! If that does happen, I hope they also release a 4 CD set with the complete EE score from Howard Shore. There are pieces of music on the FOTR EE that I'd love to have on CD.