I don't like "special features"
- Thread starter RoJoHen
- Start date
I think you're probably normal. I doubt the average DVD buyer cares much about the features, either. I'm the only member of my family who really cares about special features. When a new DVD comes out in both single-disc (no features) and 2-disc (with features) varieties, I'm the only one who buys the latter.
I love special features. I watched the special features on the LOTR EE DVDs probably a dozen times.
I love special features. I watched the special features on the LOTR EE DVDs probably a dozen times.
A lot of people don't watch them. I, on the other hand, enjoy a good commentary.
When I buy a boxed set of a TV series, I find it handy when there's a commentary on an episode I don't like. It's either that or skip the episode entirely.
Helped me get through a certain Stargate Atlantis episode, that's for sure.
The DVD commentary on Superman IV is highly entertaining. As was the infamous commentary on Battlestar Galactica's "Black Market" where RDM basically takes the blame for how bad it is.
"special features" & marketing
You are the marketing target audience for the 'bare-bones edition' Blu-ray/DVD.
Major movie studios know there is a market for film buffs and that is why fans will pay more money for the special collectors editions.
Blu-ray may be changing this as the additional cost of that format hasn't given people 2 versions of a Blu-ray release on the same date really... yet.
You are the marketing target audience for the 'bare-bones edition' Blu-ray/DVD.
Major movie studios know there is a market for film buffs and that is why fans will pay more money for the special collectors editions.
Blu-ray may be changing this as the additional cost of that format hasn't given people 2 versions of a Blu-ray release on the same date really... yet.
TOS season1 on Blu-ray had FEDCON 2009 updates this month. I wonder if the other two major conventions this year will be updates and behind-the-scenes too the week-of as BD-Live.
I'm a big special features fan, and I have double-dipped purely for extras several times on movies that are special to me. I have found that after watching so many bonus features, the "how-to" ones are a little repetitive, but I know that they have to treat every DVD like it could be someone's first. One reason why I like special features is that they can give me some insight into why certain decisions were made, whether I agree or disagree with them.
To me, the movie is still the most important thing. I won't forgo a purchase on a movie I love if only a barebones edition is available, and no double-dip is expected soon.
To me, the movie is still the most important thing. I won't forgo a purchase on a movie I love if only a barebones edition is available, and no double-dip is expected soon.
I'm a film buff. Well put-together special features (i.e. the Alien Quadrilogy or the Blade Runner Final Cut) are worth as much to me as the films themselves. But I'd prefer bare-bone releases to DVDs stuffed full of useless crap that is passed off as special features (motion menus, trailers for other films, EPK featurettes, digital copies, etc.).
The only features I care about are bloopers, which are always good, and commentaries. But even then, I only care about the commentary if it's done by interesting people talking about the story and stuff, listening to cameramen and light directors etc discussing how they set up a particular shot bores the hell out of me.
For certain movies, especially ones from my childhood, the special features are just as important as the film itself to me. In particular I enjoy hearing how certain FX shots were done on films like Alien/Aliens and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Seinfeld/the various Treks/The Simpsons also had great content in the special features.
I had one of those. I never liked the Buffy episode "Hush"; I just can't stand that silent gimmick. But Joss Whedon talking all through the silent part made it much better.
You're normal. Certainly not in the majority, but not abnormal.
I love commentaries. Some movies' commentaries I could listen to over and over.
Other special features -mostly BTS featurettes- I couldn't care less about as most of the time they're pseudo-advetisements/PR stunts thrown up on Showtime or something. If the BTS feature is more intesive with substance than it is the actor or director talking about vision or motivation I'm interested. Delted scenes I could go either way. If they're substansive -and completed- enough I'd rather the option to watch them reintegrates into the movie.
I'm the opposite. I feel slightly ripped off when the R4 DVDs for some shows, like JAG, come out and they have no special features while the R1 have extra scenes and commentary. I don't really get why that is...
I usually watch all the special features but only really listen to the commentary if the movie/tv show is a comedy. My watching/listening to the commentary actually started with Love Actually and it was just due to who was commenting. I think they are always more interesting when you have the actual actors in there and not just the direction/writer/producers as they are less "technical" about what is going on.
For example the Tropic Thunder commentary had a fantastic running gag where in the actual movie RDJr's character says he stays in character until the DVD commentary is finished and he did the "black" character until near the end then switched to the "Aussie" version.
I usually watch all the special features but only really listen to the commentary if the movie/tv show is a comedy. My watching/listening to the commentary actually started with Love Actually and it was just due to who was commenting. I think they are always more interesting when you have the actual actors in there and not just the direction/writer/producers as they are less "technical" about what is going on.
For example the Tropic Thunder commentary had a fantastic running gag where in the actual movie RDJr's character says he stays in character until the DVD commentary is finished and he did the "black" character until near the end then switched to the "Aussie" version.
I would like SOME special features. I, like rofeta, get really pissed off when DVDS for tv shows come out with NOTHING--no bloopers, no interviews, NADA. That makes me nuts.
I'm not usually big on commentaries---they get a bit annoying to me, most of the time. I much prefer a simple "making-of" or "behind the scenes" featurette.
But, unlike my husband, if I didn't care for the film, I won't spend another two hours watching the special features. It has to be about something I REALLY liked.
I'm not usually big on commentaries---they get a bit annoying to me, most of the time. I much prefer a simple "making-of" or "behind the scenes" featurette.
But, unlike my husband, if I didn't care for the film, I won't spend another two hours watching the special features. It has to be about something I REALLY liked.
I'm not all that interested in special features. After I watched The Fellowship of the Ring on DVD the first time, I started to watch the extra features and got bored about 5 minutes in. Same thing with LOST season 1... the extras didn't hold my interest.
The only interesting extras I found were the deleted scenes from The Office... many of those were as funny as the episodes themselves!
The only interesting extras I found were the deleted scenes from The Office... many of those were as funny as the episodes themselves!
I don't like special features either. I don't know if we are normal, but my family and boyfriend don't like them as well.
They just bore me. Even for movies I really love and care about, I can't bring myself to watch commentaries or "how it was made" type things. I just don't care. Listening to commentary for a 2 hour movie is just unbearable. If I am going to use up 2 hours of my life it should at least be watching an actual movie, not listening to actors and directors talking about a movie. The only commentaries I have been able to watch are from Friends, because they are only 20 minutes long.
I sometimes like trivia and games, like on the Harry Potter discs (I see others feel the opposite of me on that), but mostly I just ignore special features altogether.
They just bore me. Even for movies I really love and care about, I can't bring myself to watch commentaries or "how it was made" type things. I just don't care. Listening to commentary for a 2 hour movie is just unbearable. If I am going to use up 2 hours of my life it should at least be watching an actual movie, not listening to actors and directors talking about a movie. The only commentaries I have been able to watch are from Friends, because they are only 20 minutes long.
I sometimes like trivia and games, like on the Harry Potter discs (I see others feel the opposite of me on that
), but mostly I just ignore special features altogether.Similar threads
