Alright, so kind of playing of the start of our discussion the other day, I want to bring up this topic in full. I don't remember which boxed set it was exactly that we were talking about, think maybe it was the Aliens set, but the fact then came up that the individual blu-rays are finally coming out soon. It seems like many distributors tend to do that these days. For marketing purposes it makes sense from the standpoint of the distributor, but only if the boxed set has enough decent films within it that enough people will want to buy the whole set rather than actually wait for the individual films to come out. Usually most boxed sets will have a few scrappers in them that no one would usually buy individually, but because it comes in the set and the brunt of the whole set is a good series, people put up having to buy that one or those two not-so-good films in order to enjoy the greater good of the series. This brings me to the question for this section of the topic. Are there any boxed sets you guys can think of that you have already bought perhaps, but then later found out that the individual films were being released, and you wished you would have waited for the individual releases so as not to have to buy the crap films? Are there any boxed sets you guys are planning on buying in the future that you will buy knowing full well there are at least one or two bad films but it's worth it to get them if buying the whole boxed set? Are there any boxed sets you know you want overall but are definitely willing to wait until the individual films are released?
I will tell you right off that I will be buying the whole 6-episode boxed set for Star Wars on blu-ray when it comes out in September, even though the prequels are clearly not the best. I do this for a couple reasons. I feel like if I have 4-6 on blu-ray, it just wouldn't be right to not own 1-3 as well. This is the completionist coming out in me. The other reason is, even though 1-3 already looks pretty good on DVD and even more so if you have an upconverter, I think they will still look that much better on blu-ray. Obviously, 4-6 will benefit the most from enhancement, but 1-3 will still look that much more awesome as well. You have to admit, even though the story lines, acting, dialogue are not the best in the prequels, some of the visuals are completely awesome.
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I don't buy sets often. I bought the DVD set of the original Star wars trilogy, and the Indy set that came out before the 4th movie was made.
ReplyDeleteMy LOTR's extended set was put together as they were released. The awesome thing with that set was that if you bought the theatrical edition DVD and the Extended edition there was a coupon for a $10 mail in rebate. Also, after Return of the King came out they gave you a free case for all three movies to fit in, if you sent in the order form. I think that's my favorite set because the movies are great and the set looks awesome. To this day I can't think of any release VHS, DVD, Blu-ray that comes close to the massive content of the extended editions.
Most other sets I have are series that I like. I bought The Shield set which is nice except that instead of trays for each disc they slip into the cardboard pages, which sucks. The Seinfeld set is nice (each disc has it's own tray). Everything else has been built around the individual seasons. The slim X-file editions are nice.
Yea, I will definitely be buying the blu-ray box set for the LOTR extended cuts when it comes out. Might try to ask for it for a bday present since it's coming out right around my bday, but it might be a long shot at that time too since I will also be in Siesta Key when it comes out. There are a couple other box sets I know I would like to buy, but if I don't it's not the end of the world. I've been wanting to get the Lost collection on blu-ray for as long as it's been out now and came close enough to do so this past Christmas when it was real cheap on Amazon. Part of the problem is it's still streamable on Netflix so if I really want to watch Lost again, which I do get cravings now and then, I can just stream it. One of these times I will get the collection though.
ReplyDeleteI prefer box sets at this time most of the time for the sake of value and for the sake of being a completionist, but there are some downsides to them. Take the Rocky box set for example which contains at least one crap film. I most likely will not be spending time on multiple re-watches of Rocky V, however the blu ray set was 39.95 complete with an extra blu ray of extras. To get the bare bones extras free BDs of Rocky I thru IV and Rocky Balboa would be min 50.00 plus tax. Science tells the right way to move here. However it's not all sunshine and lollipops - The "Undisputed Collection" is missing 3 commentary tracks from Rocky I including a great one by Sly himself. This means that my 2006 2 disk Collector's Edition DVD must still sit on my shelf in the unlikely case I want to listen to the boxer commentary for Rocky I. Thanks MGM. Couldn't fit 3 extra audio tracks on the massive blu ray space????
ReplyDeleteThe above is why box set buying can be maddening. Especially for sick addicts of collecting like film buffs.
Let's look at box sets done up right. Paramount's Godfather set is awesome and complete. Not only did all three films have painstaking restoration done on them (which is documented in the features) they also have everything the prestige DVDs had in features for all three films previous releases AND included a slew of new mini docs and interviews exclusive to the blu upgrade.
Fox's Alien Anthology has 26 hours of special features. More than a complete day of your life! Each film has a feature length making of documentary and there are not one but TWO feature length retrospectives that cover all 4 films and their legacies for the genre. The only thing missing that would make this the nirvana of box sets is a doc letting David Fincher loose on how his Alien 3 was ripped from his control and butchered to an unrecognizable mish mash of studio interference (and it's still a pretty good stand alone film despite that). Cmon Fox - this guy is Academy nominated - let him tell his side.
I might bite on the SW box set If and only If the features remain intact and bonus points if they are augmented. Having said that I do not ever see myself re-watching the prequels ever again. Like do you guys wake up on Saturday morning and yearn to watch the Hollywood version of C-SPAN that is The Phantom Menace?
. . . ."do you guys wake up on Saturday morning and yearn to watch the Hollywood version of C-SPAN that is The Phantom Menace?"
ReplyDeleteMeesa tinkin dat maybe yousa really liken it too.