DVD trumps VHS on everything
May 19 '01
The Bottom Line Move to DVD now and enjoy the opportunities to enjoy films as they were intended.
It used to be back in 1997 and '98, that if you wanted DVDs you had to go to a specialty store. Not many people were jumping on board, and new DVD movies at Best Buy were $30. This is no longer the case. I'm not sure where the explosion happened, but I believe it was with the Matrix that people finally saw a "killer app" and felt justified in the money they laid down for a player. Folks, the time is coming and if you haven't replaced your VCR yet then you will soon.
The first major importance is video quality. While many early DVDs had the option for full screen or widescreen, the simple inclusion of widescreen was something not seen in VHS, except for the snobby widescreen editions of a few popular movies. Laserdisc had widescreen transfers on almost all its movies, but America quietly rejected the format. That made the overall transistion to widescreen somewhat of a bitter pill to swallow. It shouldn't be... people should be joyous that fullscreen monster has been slayed and the people freed from opression. We were missing half the picture, getting robbed of the same quality evident in theatre releases. In fact, almost all new movies on DVD are better then theatre, since they digitally removed burn marks (to mark the change of reels) and dist and scratches from the print that might have been playing at your local cineplex. Video qulaity was and always will be one of DVD's weapons in the persuasion of the United States.
Surround sound that slams you into back of your seat is another. Many people have the wrong perception of surround sound. It is true for audiophiles that you can easily spend thousands of dollars on a theater-quality rig, but even in a cheaper surround sound system you will hear the difference. The inclusion of Dolby Digital 5.1 (for 6 channels of sound) and DTS (Digital Theater Sound) tracks are what allows DVD to trump VHS in all ways.
The thing which really grabbed me to the format was the supplemental material (or simply extras). As somewhat of a film buff, truly understanding the director's vision is a must. I find myself having to do a lot of videos for projects. Having a director's comments in my mind of what makes a scene work, I am able to complete the task with great results. The extras included range from none to feature packed. People often ask me whats the "most packed" DVD, or a question to that nature. There are two contestants depending on your tastes. The guy flick "Fight Club" is 2 discs, like many other special editions... but they crammed in everything but the kitchen sink on this guy. Beautiful video and sound, 4(!) commentary tracks with the stars, director, and writers etc. Special effects documentaries up the wazoo and a host of others (storyboards, fake catalog, tons of trailers and deleted scenes etc.) The other contestant is Terry Gilliam's quirky "Brazil", a movie set in the Orwellian future which mirrors 1984. 3 discs encompass two versions of the movie and tons of extras. This is expensive though, since it's published by the Criterion Collection. Either way, there are tons of DVDs available with great extras, just read the reviews!
Misc. benefits of DVD are the quick release date (usually 4 months after theatrical release, and months before the VHS), and the spiraling price. Major retailers are now stocking new DVD movies at around $15, the same as a VHS tape. With the release of the Playstation 2, there are now 3.7 million more DVD players in the United States then before October 26th. All these consumers will buy at least several movies, I'm wagering about 3/4 of them (that's a conservative estimates) will get hooked. This will propel forth sales, and direct studios towards a new revenue opportunity. If titles aren't out there now, they will be.
So buy a DVD player, surround sound system is nice but extra, and enjoy the marvel of the theater coming home.
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Epinions.com ID:
davebert
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Location: Nebraska, USA
Reviews written: 78
Trusted by: 8 members
About Me:
Loves film, basketball, reading (classics), directing and writing, specifically screenplays.
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