Questions on DVD Collections: Bad Sequels, Double-dips, etc.

[TheMutt92]

Just some questions I had for the people around here w/ extensive DVD collections: to what extent do you collect?

Bad Sequels- in every franchise it is expected to have one 'bad' sequel. Do you collect them, skip them, or what?

Double Dips- every film has these. Every couple of years (or every year in some annoying extreme cases) the studio releases newer version. Some w/ completly different special features, while others are a mix of previous editions. Do you buy them or not (especially if your bonus feature savy)?

Extended/Unrated Edition- do you bother w/ them?

As for bad sequels, I'd prefer to skip them unless they directly connect and effect the rest of the series. In the case of a film like Jurassic Park III (a film thats not bad, but I don't really care for), I wouldn't buy unless the alleged JP IV came out and was incredible.

Double dips is where I have the most trouble. Films like the Casino Royale Collector's edition simply take the previous releases bonus material and add on to it, while others usually start from scratch again.

Extended and Unrated editions I usually have no problem w/ (unless they don't add anything, then it feels like a rip off). In the case of Kingdom of Heaven, I would only ever own the Director's Cut because I know it to be the true film as opposed to the theatrical, which was simply a hodgepodge cut and snip job.

So, you're thoughts on the above, what you do w/ collections. Any feedback would be helpful.

[michael]

Funny you mention Jurassic Park III, I've been meaning to get the first two, but I will not buy the third one, even though Alan Grant returns, it's just not that good of a movie. Jaws is another example. I only have 1 and 2, don't plan on buying the others.

As for rules, I really only buy movies that have some decent replay value. There are plenty of other really good movies out there I've seen, but just will never buy. It's kind of a weird process of which ones I do end up buying, sometimes I will buy a movie I have never seen, but have heard awesome stuff about it. But I am trying to get a decent sci-fi movie collection going. But as of late, I haven't really wanted to buy any DVDs.

The double dips you mention, yeah, those can be brutal, but I got the Indiana Jones one out of the way, so any other would have to be some serious extra features included.
But speaking of double-dips (sorta) I really don't want to make the switch to Blu-Ray at all. I have a ps3, so I will definitely get the Indiana Jones Blu-Ray set (whenever they finally decide to release it) and maybe a few other favorites, but man, the price is just ridiculous. I saw the Mummy (the remake) for $30 on Blu-Ray, now that is a movie I will never buy regardless, but $30?!! HA!

Who knows how long DVDs will last, I'm hoping they keep making them, there is really nothing wrong with it, a DVD looks fine with an HD TV, if the movie is good, that's all that matters to me. I'm just ranting now.

If Blu-Ray does eventually take over (the Man would know...) do you think it will develop it's own, sorta phrase. Example:

VHS: "Hey, want to go get a video?" "Sure!"

DVD: "Hmm, lets go get a DVD" "Yeah!"

Blu-Ray: "Want to rent a Blu-Ray?" "Yes!"

[Sam Falco]

Bad Sequels- I skip over them. In franchises like Friday the 13th and Halloween, Nightmare on Elm, etc. I just skip the sequels I dont like and collect the ones I do enjoy. When the Mummy 3 comes out, I'll be skipping it, but I bought Lost World anyways.

Double Dips- It depends on the movies in question. Kevin Smith films and Evil Dead/Army of Darkness films are the biggest one for me. I'll buy them any time they release a new one if it brings new special features to the table. I refuse to buy the new Indiana Jones box set because the special features on them are a joke.

Extended/Unrated Edition- I ALWAYS get the unrated versions of the movie, just because they're the ones who always have the better special features.

[Goonie]

It all depends on your taste.

Here's sort of what I got going

Bad Sequels: I think of myself as a completist. If I start getting a franchise I like to have the whole thing, even if the sequel is bad. Yes I have Spider Man 3, yes I X-Men: The Last Stand, yes I have Jurassic Park 2 and 3 (I did think 3 was better than 2). I only stay away from the ones that are really really awful, i.e. straight-to-video sequels.

Double Dips: I rarely double-dip. So far there are only three instances where I double-dipped. With Indiana Jones I got the 2003 set, and this year I bought all three individually with the lenticular covers to match Crystal Skull. I kept the 2003 set because it has that 4th disc in there with the behind-the-scenes stuff. The other movie I double-dipped on was The Sword in the Stone. Disney released the 45th anniversary edition this year and it replaced the Gold Collection. I am still keeping the Gold Collection edition as it has some features the new one doesn't and the new one has some that the GC edition doesn't. Another double-dip is Daredevil. The movie disc in the 2-disc set had a micro crack in the disc, so I ended up getting the director's cut.

There are also a few instances where I've replaced editions. I replaced Blade Runner: Director's Cut with the new 4-disc Blade Runner that has the theatrical cut, the director's cut and the final cut. The other movie I replaced was The Right Stuff. The current 2-disc is much better than the original 1-disc which didn't have much on it.

Extended/Unrated Edition- don't really bother with them, unless it is the only version that is available.

Like I said earlier, it all depends on your taste. If there is some movie that you really, really like and there is a great new edition out, with new features and better sound and picture, then go for it.

PS: At some point I will be getting X-Files: I Want to Believe (because I am a completist, got the whole TV series, Fight the Future, and The Lone Gunmen series) and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (I actually thought that 3 was better than 1 and 2 in a bunch of ways, probably because Stephen Sommers wasn't involved).