So Hollywood wants another staged release in the life of a movie: Theatrical showing, release on DVD and Blu-ray 4 to 6 months later, and (here’s the new thing:) now only after another 30 days release for rental via Netflix and Blockbuster (and if Hollywood has its way, never via Redbox, but that’s another story). Heaven knows when under this scheme that movie will ever make it into late night syndication (Not that I am up late enough to watch then. I’m just saying.) Apparently Netflix is fine with this scheme.

The giant stroke of brilliance seems to go something like this: If people can’t rent the movie the moment it comes out on disc, they will surely run out and buy it at full price. Surely they will. Me thinks the smog is getting too thick in Hollywood.

For many movies there is another scenario that is just as likely, or more likely: The movie does decently in theatres. By the time it comes out on disc, most of the hoopla is forgotten and it maybe gets a showing in the flyer from Best Buy or Target. Another month later, it finally releases for rental to a collective yawn, if any reaction at all. News flash for Hollywood types: No big ads, no awareness building to tell us, the renting public, that the movie is now finally available for rental. It will more likely just be movie #457 in my queue on Netflix and it will be another 2-3 months before I even notice that it is in fact available.

Let’s face it, I watch a lot of movie trailers for movies with a theatrical release date maybe 6 or 9 months from now. Some of those trailers look really good. But by the time the movie releases, I will likely have forgotten watching that trailer. So they have to get my attention again. But they try, because this is the all important theatrical release. Gotta do well on opening weekend.

Likewise, if the collective Hollywood is going to keep staggering releases in the various formats, then are they going to spend another bazillion $$$$ to continue the marketing buzz throughout the life cycle of the movie? Yeah, didn’t think that was going to happen.

At the end of the day this is a(nother) dumb idea from Hollywood and we’ll all end up losers if it proceeds.

Claes

posted in Hollywood, movies, news

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