DVD Bonus Features Bogus Or Real
I haven’t done a blog rant in a while so I think we’re due for one, don’t you?
Really, the title of this entry could have been called DVD Bonus Features Lack Thereof. Are you as sick of these bogus, phony “bonuses” as I am?
It is so irritating when companies advertise “bonus features” on a DVD case, but there really aren’t any bonuses included. Today’s case in point is the DVD I just got of A Christmas Carol (the 1984 George C. Scott version). I love that movie and have an old VHS taped version filled with commercials and bad reception so I finally decided that for the cost of ten dollars I could get a nice clean version of the classic on DVD.
On the back cover, most of the backgournd is red. They put a green box with “BONUS FEATURES” in capital letters with a white glow around them. Nothing like calling attention to something.
So, what great “extras” have they included? Let’s go over them and determine what a joke they are to be labelled as extras or bonuses in the first place.
Aspect Ratio 1.11: - Every DVD has to have an aspect ratio. What’s the big deal? If they were including two different versions like a letterbox and a widescreen version, then it might be something worth mentioning. Otherwise, it belongs in a technical feature area, not listed as a bonus.
Interactive Menu - Every DVD has to have a menu, unless it is programmed with some kind of autoplay feature. How many have you seen with that? All of none, right? Perhaps we are supposed to be impressed with the fact that this menu is being called “interactive.” Think about it, if you can’t interact with the menu, how else could you make choices on it? Again, nothing about this point needs to be advertised on the back cover.
Scene Selection - Are you as amazed as I am? (Note the sarcasm.) When was the last time you bought a DVD, even a really old or low budget movie that didn’t include scene selection? Never? That’s what I thought.
Languages: English And Spanish Subtitles - The language of the movie is not a bonus feature. If you can’t understand the movie, you wouldn’t buy it all so language can’t be considered something extra that the audience is getting out of purchasing and watching the DVD as opposed to seeing the movie in a theater or watching it on television.
That’s it! Did you expect more? Me too!
Let me remind the studio executives and marketers out there what constitutes appropriate additional material to include on a DVD release:
Interviews / Commentary - Talk with the cast, director, writer, and crew members as they relate hwo they became involved with the project and why they were drawn to it. We’d love to hear about their experiences in the making of the film too.
Outtakes - Make us laugh at how many times it took to get our favoirte lines of dialgoue just right.
Special Effects - Yes, I want to know how the magic of movie making works. Reveal some secrets so we can learn what goes on behaind the scenes.
Biographies / Filmographies - While I am not really a fan of having these on DVD’s, plenty of people are. How much work would it take to include these?
What do you think of the phony bonuses? What other extras would you add to the list?
Someone Else's Kids also acts as an affiliate marketing partner for The Total Transformation Program supplier Legacy Publishing Company.
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