Am I the only one who's sick of companies constantly rereleasing DVD's.

Here's prime examples.

Armaggedon. Initially available in Region 2 as a barebones movie, there was a second release with extended scenes and finally a two disc variant which was basically the US Criterion edition for R2.

The Rock, the same rubbish, three versions, barebones, extended and two disc.

Pearl Harbor. Yet again the same, single disc barebones, twin disc with features, three disc with more features.

Black Hawk Down, from twin to triple disc.

Not to mention series like Farscape having parallell releases which are normal and special editions.

Surely I can't be the only one who's sick of it.

There is a certain series that I bought first time round as an avid fan...Only to discover that a 3 disc boxset was made available a good while later.

Makes me think of a certain kid tring to buy a Jar Jar doll.

Needless to say I've lost faith in humanity.

-m0r

EDIT: Damn spacebar

Well, no one's forcing you to buy them. Does their mere presence insult you in some way? If you don't want them, don't buy them. If they were being released at the expense of other superior releases, then I could understand it...

Hmm, well you are protected to a certain extent by a lot of those movies you mention being awful, and thereby unecessary to purchase regardless of how many disc formats they come in....That aside I see your point, but then those old format less disks versions make great magnamonous gifts to give to those around you who are less into the film than you are. Watch their faces light up as you give the a single disc version of LotR at the end of a boozy night out.

You're missing my point, sometimes you buy a particular film/TV series, then there's a superior release shortly afterwards. For instance, the three disc Spaced box. One dodge that I hope isn't taken up widespread is that adopted by the film Alexander, which I haven't seen but I've heard is pretty awful. The dodge being that you can get the special edition with all the bells and whistles, or you can get the single disc with the directors cut. There's no option to get both on the one release.

I've no particular problem with simultaneous releases of 1 and 2 disc films, like for example Collateral, Majority Report, Man on Fire etc, Kingdom of Heaven etc where some people want the film and nothing else.

Personally I think that it is quite good, if a really bad one-disc release is followed by a better version (I am one of those who wait till the premium disc-set is avaiable). I also think it is godd for those people who want only the movie to watch it again and again to spend less money than those freaks (like me) who want all the bonus-material.

So double-thumbs up for re-releases!

I think we're missing a very key question, here. And that is, why the hell did Armageddon warrant a Criterion release?

They did this with Eternal Sunshine...When they released it it had an adequate amount of special features and as it didn't seem like they were gonna bother to top that, but no, five months later they introduce the 2-disc edition just to piss people off. Still, I prefer the cover of mine so it's okay.

That's the one that makes my blood boil most of all. I waited and waited and there was no sign of a more bulked up Eternal Sunshine release, and the one week after I buy the single disc edition they trot out a 2 discer!
Still, it was worth it for the very very odd Polyphonic Spree music video.

What's worse is the 10, 15, and 20th anniversary editions. If you are a big fan of the film then you are almost blackmailed into buying the newer edition so you don't miss out on the new 15 minutes of exclusive 'catch-up' material. What would be lovely would be them selling just the bonus content on a single, budget priced disc, so you can add it to your already super-ultra-collector's edition.

you sell the old one on ebay and buy the new one.

That's an awful lot of bother to reclaim about 25 pence worth of the original DVD's cost.

sure, if you only sell it for 25 pence, but that would be silly...

Don't forget to factor in the associated administration costs that one must bear when selling things at auction (remember, any money you make from ebay is an income, and must be regarded as such. Therefore, all your financial comings and goings should be assessed at the end of the tax year, and one really requires an accountant to this satisfactorily. If you also factor in the costs of running the computer, lighting and heating the room you use in your home (assuming you use your home) then it all mounts up, even when spreading the cost over the total amount of auctions you hold. Also, remember that whilst the listing fee is nominal, it should be deducted from any profit you make), and also remember that I am rather lazy, and could never be arsed to actually sell anything anyway.

likewise, but eventually i motivate myself to sell a pile of duplicates and then move on to buying more upgrades with the profits. it's just a viscious cycle...

WORD!!!

Mind you, my faith in humanity was lost by then. It came after I picked up the Evil Dead Boxed Set and found that the Army Of Darkness disc had the director's cut ending and no alternate ending to that one. Boo! I expected better of Raimi and Campbell. I really did.

I can empathise with this. The Warriors has just had a re-release with deleted scenes etc. Cant be arsed spending £16 on a film I already own. I was going to get Sin City when it came out but asked a shop assistant when the 2 disk version would be out. I was told it would be around next year so I saved my money. All I can suggest is some research to see it there is already a 2 disk version in America and then wait for UK release or import it.

But as they're making a couple more Sin City films they'll most likely end up selling them as a boxset with probably a lot more extra features. So, there's more money for people to have to spend.

You should just give the old DVD as a (birthday)present to someone.

Mind you, for those who've listened to Peter Jackson's commentaries in LOTR, I like how he says he'll re-release material for the Platinum 25th super anniversary edition. I get the feeling he's being ever so slightly sarcastic.

Yahh that pissed me off too.

In that case, if that sort of thing annoys you I'd recommend avoiding the Ring boxset like the plague as it only has about 1/2 the features of the individual releases.