Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Most DVDs for one film?

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Posted by John Plasket (Member # 2201) on 03-03-2006, 02:28 AM:

I remember when Fox put out the DVD of Fight Club. It was the first two-disc studio release I knew of aside from the movies that were two discs long. I mean, they had one whole disc of extras! And I was completely amazed by Criterion's three-disc Brazil (a third disc with the dreaded studio cut!).

Now I am starting to see that two-disc releases are the standard (mainly for big studio films), and some films with a considerable amount of history, from The Wizard of Oz to Clerks, are getting three. With Warner putting out four-disc sets of Gone with the Wind and Ben-Hur, I started wondering: what is the most number of DVDs devoted to one film?

The most I've seen so far is five, for Criterion's box of Ingmar Bergman's Fanny and Alexander. The full-length television version is on the first two discs, the next is the theatrical cut, the fourth is the making-of documentary, and the last is full of TV introductions and trailers for other Bergman films.

There has to be something that beats that.

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 03-03-2006, 12:49 PM:

[I assume that you mean that it be a single DVD package release ... T2 has so many different DVD versions available, there are a LOT of discs dedicated to that title; and that it be a theatrical feature, not a mini-series?]

I believe the 1968 War and Peace (Voyna i mir) is also a 5 disc package.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 03-03-2006, 05:13 PM:

It does make you wonder how they are going to keep selling the same titles over and over after all these deluxe releases peter out. (I know I know, blu-ray or HD or whatever.)

Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 03-04-2006, 01:17 PM:

T2 is a great example of how they can sell the same movie again and again. The second release was fantastic. The thought of topping it was ridiculous. But they did just that with the third release, which featured a beautiful new transfer and a commentary by James Cameron. If the studios improve the picture and sound quality, I would glady repurchase a movie, and have on many occasions.

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 03-04-2006, 01:35 PM:

Most of the American Pie flicks seem to have had 3 or 4 regurgitations.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 03-04-2006, 07:39 PM:

I think the company Anchor Bay gets my vote for the "Double-Dipping Assholes" award. Just consider the number of titles they've released on DVD (particularly those of the horror genre) that have had two, three, even four versions. "Halloween" comes to mind.

Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 03-04-2006, 08:26 PM:

Mike, does that mean you're not going to pick up their "Five-Year Mission Extended Edition" of FREE ENTERPRISE on Tuesday? [Smile]

Posted by Nick Scott (Member # 2850) on 03-05-2006, 06:18 AM:

I picked up a special edition of "Titanic" the other week,it was 2 disc's. Half of the special features on 1 disc and the rest on the other and what pissed me of was i got half way through the movie and i had 2 flip the disc over 2 watch the end what gives.

Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 03-05-2006, 11:55 AM:

This sounds similar to the American release, which is 3 single-sided discs. The movie is spread out over discs 1 and 2 because it's so long, and has a DTS ES discrete 6.1 channel soundtrack, which takes up a lot of space. Personally, I think that this is more than a fair trade considering that the audio and video quality are probably the best I've ever seen on a DVD.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 03-06-2006, 08:37 PM:

quote: Mike Schindler
Mike, does that mean you're not going to pick up their "Five-Year Mission Extended Edition" of FREE ENTERPRISE on Tuesday?

Ah, but I don't believe Anchor Bay was the company that issued the initial DVD. So they're off the hook on this one!

And since you brought it up... what's up with the "Five-Year Mission" thing? This flick came out more than five years ago (1999 was it?). Or are they just trying to ride the current "Insert Clever Phrase Edition" wave?

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 03-06-2006, 09:22 PM:

Regarding the Titanic 3 disc DVD release, the DTS-ES track is not why the movie is split across 2 discs. The improved video transfer (anamorphic enhanced finally) is what did it. Once it was clear the movie would need to span 2 discs, there was more than enough bit budget available to include the DTS-ES 6.1 track.

I think it's kind of wierd how Paramount rather quietly started supporting the DTS format on some of its releases. I was surprised to see it on the new Top Gun DVD, another one that was long overdue for anamorphic enhancement. That also reminds me Mission: Impossible really needs a new anamorphic enhanced DVD release as well. I have long avoided the existing disc over this issue. I thought MI:1 was really pretty good. MI:2 sucked ass. Hopefully MI:3 will be better. But there is a possibility of an Oscar-jinx hitting Phillip Seymour Hoffman, the heavy in MI:3.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 03-16-2006, 02:50 PM:

Let me guess... Titanic has an 'alternative ending'! [Razz]

Sorry; couldn't resist.

Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 03-16-2006, 04:23 PM:

Actually Leo, it does.

Posted by Daniel Alt (Member # 2303) on 05-20-2006, 10:39 PM:

Yep.. The boat doesn't sink.