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News & ArtsTuesday, October 25, 2011
Books / Film Thus Endeth the Legend of Harry Potter
Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Oct 25, 2011 at 11:31 AM
The Hollywood Reporter says that Warner Bros. is pulling a Disney-like dick move:
Warner Bros. said Monday that it plans to stop shipping Harry Potter DVDs and Blu-ray Discs to retailers at the end of the year.
The move, which is clearly intended to boost sales of the biggest box office franchise of all time, will take effect as of Dec. 29.
Which of course means you should stock up on Harry Potter movies now, because lord knows they won't be available through any other means at all to anyone ever again, until Warner reopens Ye Olde Vaulte and begins selling higher-priced editions of the same DVDs in five or ten years' time. It's not like this will drive people to the internet to pirate the films or anything. In the meantime, remind your panicking relatives who are preparing to buy all 8 movies for their children for Christmas: These stories still exist in book form, and the books are better.
(Thanks, Slog tipper Clinton.)
1
The DVDs will only be unavailable for about a year -- see below:
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/mytwocents…
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/mytwocents…
2
"Voldemort's Vault".
Honestly, anyone would be dumb to buy Deathly Hallows on Blu or DVD right now. You know the Definitive Set is going to come out, which is the one to buy for kids. I held off until the Deluxe Holy Shit edition of Lord of the Rings came out. Same here, eventually.
Honestly, anyone would be dumb to buy Deathly Hallows on Blu or DVD right now. You know the Definitive Set is going to come out, which is the one to buy for kids. I held off until the Deluxe Holy Shit edition of Lord of the Rings came out. Same here, eventually.
3
I might pick up a sale Blu-Ray of PRISONER OF AZKABAN, still by very very far the only one of the series worth owning, or even watching more than once.
6
@Joe Szilagyi
I don't want or need the special editions. As long as the video transfer is good and they give me HD audio, I don't need all the special features and extended cuts.
What I hate is when the studios put out an inferior transfer on one version, so I have to pay for all the special features I don't need just to get the good transfer. Thankfully this only happens with catalog films. I haven't seen a bad transfer on any recent releases (most likely since it was all already digitized at a high resolution in post production if it wasn't all shot digital to begin with).
I don't want or need the special editions. As long as the video transfer is good and they give me HD audio, I don't need all the special features and extended cuts.
What I hate is when the studios put out an inferior transfer on one version, so I have to pay for all the special features I don't need just to get the good transfer. Thankfully this only happens with catalog films. I haven't seen a bad transfer on any recent releases (most likely since it was all already digitized at a high resolution in post production if it wasn't all shot digital to begin with).
7
I sure hope the books are better, because honestly, after struggling through about 35 minutes of the first movie, I ejected the DVD and was very glad I hadn't spent more than $6.00 on it.
10
Amazon and ebay, my friends.
There are a gazillion copies floating around this planet, should be plenty of the new and used available of every title but the most current, starting at price $.01
There are a gazillion copies floating around this planet, should be plenty of the new and used available of every title but the most current, starting at price $.01
11
@7: the first two movies are awful. Chris Columbus is one of the worst hacks in Hollywood. #3 and onward have redeeming qualities. (Not least that the kids all hit puberty and learned how to act, surprisingly quite well in most of their cases.)
In any case, I love that WB is encouraging more people to bittorrent their movies.
In any case, I love that WB is encouraging more people to bittorrent their movies.
12
@11 - Has there ever been a Christopher Columbus in history who didn't bring smallpox to whatever he touched?
13
Most of my HP 2disc dvds I purchased for around $3 here $6 there. Some of the special features I like, others (especially ones where the cast/crew talk to death about the characters and their feelings) I can skip.
14
I think they should take a cue from the kindle crew. They should not only stop selling the dvds but actively find all existing copies and revoke the license, seize the disks.
Yeah, that's the way ya do it. duh.
Yeah, that's the way ya do it. duh.
15
@11: I disagree. Watch the first movie on mute and play Brad Neely's alternate soundtrack, Wizard People, Dear Reader. You will laugh your ass off.
16
@7
No, they aren't. Worse.
The author of the Potter novels may be proof that the devil does make deals for souls in exchange for temporal success. Well, her and rap music generally...
It's difficult to see how that third rate author could attain the inexplicable success she has otherwise.
If so, I like to imagine that her eternal torment will be endlessly reading her own awful books. Over and over and over again.
Nah. No-one should have to go through that, no matter the provocation. Ugh.
No, they aren't. Worse.
The author of the Potter novels may be proof that the devil does make deals for souls in exchange for temporal success. Well, her and rap music generally...
It's difficult to see how that third rate author could attain the inexplicable success she has otherwise.
If so, I like to imagine that her eternal torment will be endlessly reading her own awful books. Over and over and over again.
Nah. No-one should have to go through that, no matter the provocation. Ugh.
17
I don't know why people are having a fit about this - honestly, most movies go out of print at some point, and most of them are readily available to rent at Scarecrow or buy on-line. Scarecrow even has a rental that includes the Wizard People Dear Reader alternative soundtrack. There is absolutely no chance that somebody who wants to see those movies during the moratorium is going to have much trouble finding them.
18
What is this "buy" you speak of? I think its a RIPping idea that there is a COPY of each available for free at the library, or for rent at your favorite emporium (*cough* scarecrow *cough*). People of all stRIPes are COPYing this concept; you just have to be willing to make an occasional side tRIP to pick up and return the hardCOPY version.
19
@16 Sorry, gotta disagree. Both she and the books started shlocky, but both improved over time. She provides a wonderful escapist experience, and while by no means am I calling it Art, it does achieve what it sets out to do, and that's provide entertainment. Who needs more?
The movies? Only after you've read the books, preferably out loud to your kids. (where applicable)
The movies? Only after you've read the books, preferably out loud to your kids. (where applicable)
20
@ 16 - Why am I not surprised that this would be your take on JK Rowling?
You're getting verrry predictable.....
You're getting verrry predictable.....
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