Save Our Special Edition DVDs

[Gilpesh]

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/1667...tion_dvds.html

What happened to the top quality special edition DVD of a few years back? Mark wants to know...

I bought The Dark Knight on Special Edition two-disc DVD this week (the film gets better the more times I watch it) and it occurred to me while rummaging through the extras on the second disc that it had possibly the most disappointing extras of any DVD I’ve bought this year.

No interviews with any of the cast. No retrospectives of Ledger’s powerhouse performance. No audio commentaries. No meaty documentaries studying what went into to production of one of the year’s finest films.

All I got were a few small featurettes covering bits of the stuntwork, the IMAX filming process, the sound and Batman’s new gadgets, six pointless reimaginings of scenes as rendered in the IMAX format, six extremely dull segments taken from the fictional news channel Gotham Tonight, some galleries featuring poster and production art, and trailers and TV spots. Other than the featurettes, they’re all just fluff, and the featurettes themselves are too short to be considered significant.

So here’s my question: when did Special Edition DVDs become, well, not special anymore?

I know there are many examples of fine special edition discs doing the rounds, discs that include interesting audio commentaries, insightful features, interviews with all concerned and quirky extras that raise a smile.

But there are also countless examples of releases being badged as Special Editions that are just not up to par. Take the two-disc special edition DVD of Wanted, for example. This is a balls-to-the-wall, fast-flowing, ultra-violent, special effects heavy experience that surely deserves a wide array of features and interviews explaining the productions process and a full investigation into how the film was developed and how its special effects came to be. Instead, the disc throws up some paltry featurettes giving little insight, a rubbish extended scene, some boring interviews and a general sense that no-one really gave a **** when it came to putting this stuff together.

These ‘Special Editions’ often promise so much on the packaging, but scratch under the surface and you quickly realise that the extras are largely press kit interviews or features that cross over into each other, repeating much of the same information.

Then there are the Special Editions that just fail to offer up anything interesting whatsoever. The two-disc edition of Die Hard 4.0 includes a terrible ‘comedy’ music video, all about the Die Hard franchise, by a band called Guyz Nite, then dares to include a behind the scenes look at the video. Are you kidding me? Add to that a crap gag reel (for decent gag reels, check out the Spaced DVD) and a second disc of so-so documentaries, press kit-esque featurettes and a decent, but very short interview between Bruce Willis and Kevin Smith, and what you have is not a Special Edition, but a bloody rip-off.

It’s not just recent movies. Special Editions of classic films should surely give the viewer more analysis and insight into events surrounding the movie. Whether through archive footage or modern discussions and interpretation, it’s not an impossible task. So why is it that a film like Duel, one of Spielberg’s best works, receives such a shoddy treatment on its Special Edition? No commentary (this is Spielberg after all), a couple of relatively dull featurettes on the making of the film, a photo gallery and an original trailer. Why does Walter Hill’s cult classic The Warriors feature just four short featurettes, an introduction by the director and the original theatrical trailer on a disc titled the Ultimate Director’s Cut and packaged to seem like the definitive DVD to beat all DVDs?

I’m not against the notion of special editions – far from it. The remastered Bond editions show how it can be done, matching excellent audio commentaries with retrospective interviews and superb documentaries, voiced by Patrick Macnee. You then have the obvious examples of the Lord of the Rings DVDs, and the superb discs for both Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. All feature interesting features, interviews and commentaries and all serve to give the public discs that can be truly labelled ‘Special’.
So, I’d like to ask other studios, directors and actors why they can’t all team up to do the same. The term 'Special Edition' should be a mark of excellence. An indication that the buyer is holding a definitive interpretation of a film, one that will offer up nuggets of information, captivating interviews and enthralling features. That so many discs have been released using that badge to sell discs without any thought for the buyer has sullied the whole ethos behind the Special Edition DVD, and if moviemakers can’t deliver the goods, then they shouldn’t release the discs full stop.

There was a time when Special Edition meant just that. I, for one, want to ask the industry to work harder to save its damaged reputation.

Seriously. F**k the new meaning of 'special edition'...

[I Am The Knight]

The TDK DVD is one of the biggest purchase disappointments in terms of extras, especially considering how complete the BB one was.

[rnewbz]

the spider-man dvd special edition was one of the best ever. That was back in the good old days. I hope blu-ray doesn't eliminate dvds. im still quite fond of them

[tyler-durden]

yeah, I haven't watched it yet but I heard Tropic thunder's special edition is good. Most Special Edition dvd's with all out amazing special features are for older movies like Raging Bull or Apocalypse Now, new movies don't really have a history for them to pack the dvds with like older movies have.

[Gilpesh]

Originally Posted by tyler-durden

yeah, I haven't watched it yet but I heard Tropic thunder's special edition is good.

1) He really didn't drop character until after the dvd commentary

2) The mockumentary is hilarious

3) The character featurettes are great

Watch it now!

[tyler-durden]

Well I don't have it but I know I'm definitely getting it for christmas, so that's something I'm looking forward to. I can't wait to hear Kirk Lazarus's Commentary

[SuBe]

Originally Posted by Gilpesh

1) He really didn't drop character until after the dvd commentary

2) The mockumentary is hilarious

3) The character featurettes are great

Watch it now!

I haven't watched TT on DVD yet, they have Character Commentaries! Awesome!

[tyler-durden]

the above article mentions the Hot Fuzz Special Edition it's really good, I own it, 3 discs full of tons of special features

[bullets]

the art of the double dip , i think there will be another dark night dvd in the future with new bonus features . they are constantly devising ways for you to buy the same movie because they can't stan the fact you could purchase it once and not have to pay again . the dark knight is a great movie but i was looking forward to more behind the scenes with the cast and of course a commentary.


iron man ,incredible hulk , hellboy 2 , and trpoic thunder all had good special features.

[Gilpesh]

Originally Posted by SuBe

I haven't watched TT on DVD yet, they have Character Commentaries! Awesome!

Actually, it's the cast commentary... but RDJ keeps up his character throughout.

[I Am The Knight]

So now that we have *****ed about this...How do we "save" our Special Edition DVD's, exactly? By sticking it to the man? Let's form a plan.

[Gilpesh]

Originally Posted by I Am The Knight

So now that we have *****ed about this...How do we "save" our Special Edition DVD's, exactly? By sticking it to the man? Let's form a plan.

Outside of only buying dvds that have loads of special features and aren't blu-rays... no clue.


Plus, this is the internet... we should just continue b***hing as that is the law of the internet.

[Bim]

Originally Posted by I Am The Knight

The TDK DVD is one of the biggest purchase disappointments in terms of extras, especially considering how complete the BB one was.

Totally agree... i find myself thinking what the *** is special about this dvd?

People might complain about Lucas, but one thing he always gives are quality extras on the dvd's. I also love LOTR dvd's... sooo many features to watch it takes u ages to get thru them!... for me, the bonus features make the dvd... long gone are the days where just the movie matters.

[Hush]

The special features of the DVD are really up to the Director and honestly Nolan thinks it takes too much away from the magic of cinema. I can agree with that but commentary about the scenes won't kill it. His arguement makes sense so i can respect it but i see what everyone is getting at, then again you can't expect a LOTR's type feature package with every DVD and Blu-ray purchase. I personally just wait til i know what is going to be in the eventual Double Dip like Sin City, that is a glorius DVD if you can get your hands on it just flat out amazing and almost rivals the LOTR's.

[JTHM777]

It does suck that most current DVD's don't have many good special features. There's always a good criterion to get if you want something good for a classic or obscure movie, but I would love to see better features for current movies. Now I have to get the special edition Tropic Thunder, sounds exactly like what I want out of some good special features.

[BlackLantern]

Nolan doesn't do commentaries, from what I heard....I have the 2 disk of TDK and some of the extras are interesting, the design of the new suit and batpod and the gotham tonight segments

[I Am The Knight]

The Gotham Tonight stuff...I cringe, Lantern.

[BlackLantern]

they're ok...the only decent ones are the ones with Eric Roberts and Aaron Eckhart...the rest are meh....

Some SE's are better than others....I have the SE's of Incredible Hulk, Transformers, Hancock, Iron Man,.....I'm so ticked Iron Man had no commentary, same with Hancock, but the making of stuff is interesting on Hancock, especially what Peter Berg basically rigged cameraman on a wire alongside will smith....the Transformers commentary with Michael Bay is good and also informative, he was very forthcoming about angry fans, his personal computer being hacked, and all that

[Gilpesh]

Originally Posted by BlackLantern

Nolan doesn't do commentaries, from what I heard....

You heard wrong. Or you don't have the Memento Special Edition.

[BlackLantern]

....I don't, I just have a used copy I bought from somewhere.... there isn't commentary for Batman Begins or TDK as far as I know

[ross2287]

Originally Posted by Gilpesh

Actually, it's the cast commentary... but RDJ keeps up his character throughout.

While his character on film is black, he keeps the black voice.
While he is pretending to be the Mandarin woman, he uses that voice.
When he loses it in the hut with Stiller, he uses his Australian voice.
And I think when the credits roll he starts talking like RDJ.

It was hilarious!

[Gilpesh]

Originally Posted by ross2287

It was hilarious!

Like I said, throughout.

[tyler-durden]

watched the tropic thunder cast commentary today, man that was hilarious, the whole thing was funny