Are DVD/Blu-Ray special features getting worse?

[Armored Avenger]

Personally, I believe that DVD and Blu-Ray features have been declining in quantity and quality for the past few years and are now incredibly bare-bones, even on the big box office hits which had so much go into the making of them. 5-6 years ago we got special features like those in the the Lord of the Rings Extended Editions and Ridley Scott and Del Toro Director Cuts loaded with stuff. But now we are lucky if we get a few documentaries which have a combined running time of an hour.
Take Watchmen for example. In all the interviews everyone involved with the film would always comment on the dedication to bring the details to life, to replicate panels of the graphic novel and to make the alternate history come alive. Yet on the second disc of the DVD there is one short documentary on the comic and a few short featurettes on the science of several parts of the story.
Another example of the decline in decent features is the Nolan Batman films. Just look at the substantial features on the second disc of Batman Begins, which covered alot of aspects of production and had interviews with the film makers and the cast. Then look at the second disc of The Dark Knight, which had just a few documentaries on the filming of some of the action sequences and on using IMAX.

 

[Dr Strange]

I believe alot of the special features are only being released on Blu Ray. Benjamin Button is a perfect example. The DVD only got a commentry by David Fincher. When you take into account the amount of work and effort which went into creating the film and then only to release the 3 hours worth of footage on Blu Ray, it infuriated me.

 

[Gilpesh]

Yeah. It's only sucking on DVD so that people start switching to the more expensive blu-ray.

 

[Bim]

Yeah. It's only sucking on DVD so that people start switching to the more expensive blu-ray.

Something they havent gotten me do to despite this sneaky behaviour.

I think it's annoying that dvd buyers specially are getting robbed like this. TDK dvd was a huge dissapointment to me, i expected something similar to the BB one at least, but it seems there was more stuff for blu ray users.

 

[The Apatow Crew]

The most recdnt F13 reboot from earlier this year is another good case.

On the regular dvd its only got a 10 minute making of feature and 3 deleted scenes. and thats if you get the killer cut. The other version has no features at all what so ever.

Anyway, the features on the blu ray were alot more then the ones on the regular. But yeah its stupid. Now a days all your getting is the movie.

 

[Addendum]

For me, the most unnecessary feature is the digital copy.

 

[Gilpesh]

And in the case of the F13 remake.... that makes it a bad deal.

 

[The Apatow Crew]

For me, the most unnecessary feature is the digital copy.

And I hate when they said Two Disc set and the second disc only happens to be the Digitial Copy.

 

[Addendum]

And I hate when they said Two Disc set and the second disc only happens to be the Digitial Copy.

Exactly. You're essentially buying a $7-10 coaster or frisbee

 

[The Apatow Crew]

Exactly. You're essentially buying a $7-10 coaster or frisbee

Yeah, you don't spend the extra money just for a portable copy, but more actual features.

 

[StarkTheProdigy]

yea, i've just been getting the single disk dvds because its just not worth it, plus the special features end up getting on youtube, and as for the digital copy, i never watch vidoes on my ipod, its just a waste for me

 

[redhawk23]

it infuriates me. the whole digital copy thing i find to be an absoulte cop out. as far as dvds go about 03-06 seemed to be a golden age for special feature releases. If crap could fit on 2 discs then it certainly can now.

 

[bullets]

They are already starting the double dip trend with blu rays , it's very dissapointing.
I've got a stack of digital copies I'll never use and no commentary on The Dark Knight .

 

[The Apatow Crew]

And get this now, I heard movie studio's are gonna start releasing Blu Ray dvds first and then 4-8 weeks later release the regular dvds. In a effort to get people to switch over to Blu Ray quicker.

Thats kinda stupid and a dumb move on their part.

 

[BatMatt]

And get this now, I heard movie studio's are gonna start releasing Blu Ray dvds first and then 4-8 weeks later release the regular dvds. In a effort to get people to switch over to Blu Ray quicker.

Thats kinda stupid and a dumb move on their part.

Right now that's only Paramount Studios, and the only announced film for that plan so far is Dance Flick. So more or less, doesn't mean anything right now

 

[The Apatow Crew]

Right now that's only Paramount Studios, and the only announced film for that plan so far is Dance Flick. So more or less, doesn't mean anything right now

Still it starts with one movie, then it starts with all movies.

 

[Sam Fisher]

Well, noone's gonna buy Dance Flick anyway...

 

[BatMatt]

And as far as "starts with one movie," Disney tried to do it with Bolt, and haven't since. Of course a lot of that is to blame on the retailers who put the DVD out with the Blu-ray at the same time, instead of a few days apart

 

[Mandon Knight]

The stance that was 'reduce special features on DVD to increase blu ray sales' has in itself reduced. The simple answer to the thread's question is a massive YES. It would appear studios don't give a f*** about the film making experience anymore and they are robbing the film makers of the opportunity to show the experience to the audience.

The cynacism of extras these days are staggering, usually built around what's next on the studio's slate with limited 'sneak peeks' or talking heads with cast who simply say 'It was wonderful working with actor X or Y'.

I look back at Blade Runner, Alien, T2 for example and the hours and love placed into their making of's was incredible.

LOTR is a modern exception and is just unreal, the amount of heart & soul in those extras.

From a CBM point of view, although derided by many, the documentary concerning how Superman Returns came to be on the DVD / Blu-ray is the best CBM 'making of' I've seen.

 

[Drizzle]

It's only gotten worse since this thread was started 5 years ago. Forget DVDs, Blu-ray special features are diminishing as well. At least Peter Jackson is keeping it alive with the special features on the extended Hobbit Blu-rays, which are better than the actual films.

 

[StarkTheProdigy]

I absolutely hate that Bluray/DVD/Digital combo packs are slowly dying out. Absolutely hate it.

 

[Primal Slayer]

I LOVE me some special features so it is frustrating that now that blu rays are more common, the special features just keep getting less interesting.

 

[StarkTheProdigy]

I LOVE me some special features so it is frustrating that now that blu rays are more common, the special features just keep getting less interesting.

I've noticed that as well. They are no where near as entertaining or great as they used to be.

 

[weezerspider]

Criterion are the only ones flourishing with Special Features, but they started them, so it would be a really bad sign if they stop.

 

[Tron Bonne]

I absolutely hate that Bluray/DVD/Digital combo packs are slowly dying out. Absolutely hate it.

Huh? Pretty much every major release gets a Bluray/DVD/Digital combo pack. Some smaller films tend to have either DVD or Blu-ray, but even amongst smaller budget films it's not unheard of to still have that. Combo packs are still very common, more common than ever probably.