Miramax and Tarantino's Heads Grow too Big...

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Since the Kill Bill DVD thread has gone off the first page, I'll make this a new one.

Read this just now over at The Digital Bits, like I often do:

Finally this morning, I've saved the best (or worst) for last. The NY Times has a new story up on how the Hollywood studios are rushing to cash in on the DVD boom. Here's your happy, happy, joy, joy from the article... Miramax is reportedly preparing to release a half-dozen different DVD editions of Kill Bill:

"This is the beauty of having two volumes," said Rick Sands, chief operating officer at Miramax. "Vol. 1 goes out, Vol. 2 goes out, then Vol. 1 Special Edition, Vol. 2 Special Edition, the two-pack, then the Tarantino collection as a boxed set out for Christmas. It's called multiple bites at the apple. And you multiply this internationally." Mr. Tarantino has also cut an alternate version of the movie for Japan.

I'm gonna ask the obvious right now: Can you believe the BALLS required to make a statement like that in public? To a reporter? For a story that people are going to READ?! Do you suppose Miramax planned to let fans of the film know about all this, so they could... oh, I don't know... maybe make informed decisions about which version they want to spend their hard-earned cash on? I can understand the need to put out multiple DVD versions of a film on occasion, but DAMN! A half-dozen different DVD editions, and Tarantino wants to release stand-alone Beneath the Crust-style discs of supplemental materials as well?! F#@K THAT.

Multiple bites at the apple, huh?

BITE THIS!

And to think the entertainment industry has the nerve to wonder why some people download this stuff. Greedy bastards. Doh!

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/mytwocentsa87.html#soak

I have to say that I agree with Hunt. Miramax and QT just need to figure out exactly what they want to do and just do it once, for Christ's sake.

EDIT: Link updated.

[salm]

I'm gonna ask the obvious right now: Can you believe the BALLS required to make a statement like that in public? To a reporter? For a story that people are going to READ?!

meh, it´s not like people are stupid enough to not know that the movie industry tries to rip off customers by selling a whole bunchof different editions.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Fuck it then. I'll get the bog standard edition out now and the same for Vol. 2 when that comes out. I really couldn't give a shit for extra features or funky new covers or some Japanese cut which is likely no different anyway.

Screw you, Miramax. When you get a public hit like this, you don't fuck strangers in the ass.

[Ghost Rider]

Assholes.

I'll just wait for the edition I want...not care if it doesn't have everything....they did it for Pulp Fiction and I got some director's cut by the time I bought mine.

Or I'll get Costco's double pack because they want to save people a few bucks.

[Tsyroc]

For some reason I keep picturing QT's huge head when he turned into a vampire in From Dusk 'Till Dawn.

I'd like to know what his reasoning behind making umpteen versions of the movie is. Hopefully it's more than just making bucks but if he were really doing this for the videophilles out there I think he would only be putting out a few editions.

The theatrical versions.

Special Edition

and maybe an Ultimate Edition that incorporates the SE and the Japanese cut.

After that it's just jacking the public. Kind of like the umpteen editions of T2.

I should also probably complain about all the versions of Army of Darkness (I wish I would have held off and bought the "Boomstick" edition, which is essentially the same as combining the two editions I have) but for some reason it doesn't bother me as much as what is going on with Kill Bill.

[Andrew J.]

If people will buy it, why not sell it?

[Joe]

I don't like this one bit, but I'll probably end up buying every last edition (except the Tarantino box set, I already 3/4 of his movies and am planning on buying the last one soon).

[Slartibartfast]

I think it's considered bad form to tell your customers you're fucking them over, even if they know it already.

[Zoink]

This reminds me of an article I just read in 'Scientific American' about how too much choice actually makes people unhappy.

I don't really care either way. They can release whatever versions they want, its there product. I thought it was pretty clear a 2 disk DVD set would be released, so I never bought Kill Bill 1. I'll just wait for double set DVD, or buy whatever I consider the best deal before Xmas.

[Admiral Valdemar]

I'll likely be getting the double box set. Fuck, if there are naive fools out there that simply insist on buying every edition, every funny cover or cut or recut, then the saying "a fool and his money are easily parted" comes to mind.

There's being a completist and then there's being sad enough to spend that much money on something you have. I didn't rush to get the new Scarface DVD for a couple of extra dull as hell commentaries not included on my cheaper DVD copy.

I suppose this is exactly why I restrained myself from getting the SW trilogy on VHS when it came out on special edition because I knew a DVD version would come one day (bloody persistent brother of mine).

[2000AD]

Isn't the only difference between the Jap and normal cuts that the big sword massacre is in colour?

[General Zod]

ya know. . .even though they do this with releases all the time, this guy's got alotta balls to actually come out and say it for the real reasons they do it. Even if multiple editions released after the initial is rather bullshit.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Isn't the only difference between the Jap and normal cuts that the big sword massacre is in colour?

That was the HK cut, but you may be right.

In which case Miramax are even better at bullshitting than I thought.

[HemlockGrey]

I'll just spring for the Tarantino Collection, which is probably the only good idea of the bunch.