Extended Cut (Sony)

I just read that Dances with Wolves: The Extended Cut is coming out on DVD...apparently in addition to the other two releases, one of which I have and is called an extended cut itself. Is is just me, or are we abusing film at this point. I believe its important for someone to own a copy of their favorite movies as I would a reproduction of a masterpiece...but is this going too far? I love Dances With Wolves, and I'm rather surprised I was so moved by the initial MGM extended cut, but now I wonder whether Sony decided that it wasn't enough and wanted to see if someone would bite again, apparently thinking that 20 dollars was too much for an Oscar winning film. I guess this just adds to the Black Hawk Down, Patriot, Kingdom of Heaven (though Fox) list of extended cuts that are only trying to milk more money out of the consumer. I'm a WB fan, and I realize that they've released more than one version of many of their discs, but if its a new version, its always worth buying, they're constantly retransferring their old movies. Either way, this is one reason I'm staying away from Sony altogether, I don't want a company that will put out an extended cut of the Fifth Element a few months after I buy the first blu-ray disc.

this is simply the first disc of the 2-disc special edition that came out a few years ago.

this is like the "new" "windtalkers director's cut", which is simply the first disc of the 3-disc set that came out a few years ago.

I don't think this new version of Dancing with the Wolves is anything "new", so to speak. It's just the extended edition without the bells and whistles disc. If you already purchased the previous extended edition then you should be just fine. I don't think this is a "milking" issue more than it's giving the consumer choices.

It's unfair to put Kingdom of Heaven in the same ranks as Black Hawk Down and The Patriot.

Kingdom of Heaven sets the bar on how directors cuts/extended editions should be handled. Unlike most where its a few deleted scenes being put back in, KOH's new cut is almost a completely different movie.

It's the only movie I've seen critics go from giving C ratings to A ratings in comparison to old to new cuts. Not to mention the extras which rival the LOTR sets.

And it's unfair to call KOH: DC a cash-in when it was planned all along.

[Post edited by Onijay on Jun 15, 2006]

Daredevil Director's Cut was also a large improvement on the orignal cut.

Okay, I probably shouldn't have lumped in Kingdom of Heaven (I didn't think it would be an outrageous claim), but I think my point was missed. There are simply too many versions of the same movie, and I haven't been able to figure out why consumers buy the same thing in different versions, certainly director's cut movies aren't worth necessarily claiming you have them. I'm just ticked off because we all know that The Fifth Element, Underworld, Ultraviolet, and all those scifi action things are going to have multiple releases, and I've only seen BHD and Patriot in the same light because its the same company thats doing it.

I understood your point.

I've just learned to expect and deal with it. There are more double dip efforts from the studios than I can count these days.

All one can do is research.
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"Either way, this is one reason I'm staying away from Sony altogether, I don't want a company that will put out an extended cut of the Fifth Element a few months after I buy the first blu-ray disc."
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What would be wrong with just keeping the version you have and opt not to buy the extended cut? In most cases extended/unrated editions aren't worth the look let alone a purchase. It's not as if they're forcing you to buy it.