Tonight's Topic Is: Dick Moves By DVDs
May. 17th, 2009 10:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
crossover_chickI've experienced two this weekend, and I believe I should share them with you as "cautionary tales." Of course, the ultimate dick move is the well known "double dip" rerelease studios love to pull on us, but here's some rather annoying ones:
Dick Move 1: Disney Fastplay
I have this featured on my copy of "Enchanted." Normally, I skip right by it and go to the main menu. This Saturday, however, I decided, "What the hell," and just let it run. Fastplay purports to be an easy way to see both the movie and some of the bonus features.
In reality, it's how they trick you into watching all the ADS. I always wondered about "Enchanted" not having a lot of previews on it. Turns out they all pop up when you use Fastplay. And after the movie, the very first bonus feature selected is -- you guessed it -- the "Sneak Peeks." (Incidentally, the Hannah Montana show looks INCREDIBLY stupid.) So yeah -- if you have Fastplay on your DVD, just go ahead and skip it. You're better served choosing your special features on your own.
Dick Move 2: Listing the second disc special features on the first disc
I just plain don't get this -- why list special features if they're not on the current disc? It's pretty darn annoying to see a list of special features, then when you click on them, the darn thing says "sorry, these are on disc 2."
It's doubly annoying when this happens on the ONE-DISC edition.
You see, Mom and Dad picked up a copy of "Men In Black" tonight for us all to watch (since all I owned was the sequel). Imagine my surprise when I see the special features on the disc they've got on the DVD player, saying it needs the second disc -- and discovering we've got the one-disc edition. Really, that's just ridiculous. It's like it's punishing the buyer for not picking up the two-disc edition! "Oh, you wanted to see this cool stuff? You'd better be prepared to spend more cash!" Listen, companies, we really don't enjoy being taunted. If the special features aren't on the current disc, DON'T LIST THEM. We'll all be happier that way.
This really annoys me because I'm a special features junkie, and I don't like having the fact that we got what amounts to the bare-bones edition rubbed in my face. (Yeah, I'm a sucker for things like "platinum" editions. I like seeing how it's made!)
Oh, wait, just thought of another:
Dick Move 3: Unskippable Previews
Now, I'm a weirdo who actually sorta likes seeing these in theaters -- at home, not so much. And it really ticks me off when I can't even fast forward through them to get to the main event. Yes, I know companies make money by advertising their products and upcoming movies. I promise you, I watch them once, when I first get the DVD. (Unless it's advertising something I really can't stand.) It doesn't make sense for you to make me watch them over and over again each time -- it just makes me NOT want to go see your latest releases! Let us skip them with the "menu" button -- or at least give us the ability to fast forward.
Oh, and on a related note -- if you're going to put the previews at the beginning, don't also put them in the "Sneak Peeks/Upcoming Movies" section of the DVD. That's just insanity. ("Enchanted," fortunately, did NOT do that, but I've seen it on other DVDs.)
Props to Warner Bros on this one point -- my "Corpse Bride" DVD has exactly ONE preview for the "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" movie. (Yeah, this probably means something about how many DVDs they expected to sell or something, but I don't care.)
An Honorary Dick Mention is DVDs where the "Special Features" are animated menus or the like. I understand that older movies probably wouldn't have a lot in the way of special stuff, but don't lie and pretend the menu is something special. They're ALL animated these days, almost.
And a final note to Warner Bros -- WHAT THE HELL IS WITH YOUR "YES MAN" RELEASE? It has NO special features! Talk about bare bones! I was hoping for at least a blooper reel! Older movies I can excuse somewhat, but hell, most movies at least have the TRAILER! *sigh*
Actually, remind me to visit the DVD judging site tomorrow and see if they properly lambasted them over that. Anyone else smell a double dip? (Or did it really just do that bad in the theaters?)
Dick Move 1: Disney Fastplay
I have this featured on my copy of "Enchanted." Normally, I skip right by it and go to the main menu. This Saturday, however, I decided, "What the hell," and just let it run. Fastplay purports to be an easy way to see both the movie and some of the bonus features.
In reality, it's how they trick you into watching all the ADS. I always wondered about "Enchanted" not having a lot of previews on it. Turns out they all pop up when you use Fastplay. And after the movie, the very first bonus feature selected is -- you guessed it -- the "Sneak Peeks." (Incidentally, the Hannah Montana show looks INCREDIBLY stupid.) So yeah -- if you have Fastplay on your DVD, just go ahead and skip it. You're better served choosing your special features on your own.
Dick Move 2: Listing the second disc special features on the first disc
I just plain don't get this -- why list special features if they're not on the current disc? It's pretty darn annoying to see a list of special features, then when you click on them, the darn thing says "sorry, these are on disc 2."
It's doubly annoying when this happens on the ONE-DISC edition.
You see, Mom and Dad picked up a copy of "Men In Black" tonight for us all to watch (since all I owned was the sequel). Imagine my surprise when I see the special features on the disc they've got on the DVD player, saying it needs the second disc -- and discovering we've got the one-disc edition. Really, that's just ridiculous. It's like it's punishing the buyer for not picking up the two-disc edition! "Oh, you wanted to see this cool stuff? You'd better be prepared to spend more cash!" Listen, companies, we really don't enjoy being taunted. If the special features aren't on the current disc, DON'T LIST THEM. We'll all be happier that way.
This really annoys me because I'm a special features junkie, and I don't like having the fact that we got what amounts to the bare-bones edition rubbed in my face. (Yeah, I'm a sucker for things like "platinum" editions. I like seeing how it's made!)
Oh, wait, just thought of another:
Dick Move 3: Unskippable Previews
Now, I'm a weirdo who actually sorta likes seeing these in theaters -- at home, not so much. And it really ticks me off when I can't even fast forward through them to get to the main event. Yes, I know companies make money by advertising their products and upcoming movies. I promise you, I watch them once, when I first get the DVD. (Unless it's advertising something I really can't stand.) It doesn't make sense for you to make me watch them over and over again each time -- it just makes me NOT want to go see your latest releases! Let us skip them with the "menu" button -- or at least give us the ability to fast forward.
Oh, and on a related note -- if you're going to put the previews at the beginning, don't also put them in the "Sneak Peeks/Upcoming Movies" section of the DVD. That's just insanity. ("Enchanted," fortunately, did NOT do that, but I've seen it on other DVDs.)
Props to Warner Bros on this one point -- my "Corpse Bride" DVD has exactly ONE preview for the "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" movie. (Yeah, this probably means something about how many DVDs they expected to sell or something, but I don't care.)
An Honorary Dick Mention is DVDs where the "Special Features" are animated menus or the like. I understand that older movies probably wouldn't have a lot in the way of special stuff, but don't lie and pretend the menu is something special. They're ALL animated these days, almost.
And a final note to Warner Bros -- WHAT THE HELL IS WITH YOUR "YES MAN" RELEASE? It has NO special features! Talk about bare bones! I was hoping for at least a blooper reel! Older movies I can excuse somewhat, but hell, most movies at least have the TRAILER! *sigh*
Actually, remind me to visit the DVD judging site tomorrow and see if they properly lambasted them over that. Anyone else smell a double dip? (Or did it really just do that bad in the theaters?)
