Review: Avatar: Special Edition; news on the Even Specialler DVD

Ahem

Yoooooo!

Sorry just testing something...

"Friend & I years ago planned to get a business loan and open a cinema that showed classic movies you didnt get to see 1st time around at the cinema"

I actually had this very same idea but never looked into it fully. Wouldn't things have become simpler recently with the introduction of the digital age? I thought cinemas stopped using film ages ago.
Anyway, the idea of having a cinema that only shows classics would quickly take off if publicised properly. I wanted to reintroduce the old midnight screenings that no longer exist in this country but I'm imagine the licensing basts would put an end to that. Loads of other ideas as well, I'll have to look into it again when I'm much richer.

How is Avatar not an actual film?

I think he was referring to Piranha 3D being a post-conversion to 3D, not shot in 3D. And to be fair, the 3D in Piranha - as fun as it was - was total shit. He's exactly right, mind - the vast majority of 3D movies so far have been crappy horror movies looking for a new gimmick. Public perception of it so far has been pretty poor as a result.

I don't object to 3D as a rule. Just rubbish 3D.

Meh, not missing much. Looks nice but then again it cost $$$ to make, so it had no excuses.

Just the characters, the plot...if you want an actual film, look elsewhere. Apparently Cameron has gone on a rant saying films like Piranha 3D "cheapen" the experience of 3D. Bollocks. If he had it back then he would have flung those Oirish types at us as the Titanic went down, and had chestbursters all up in our faces.

Fun films are fun!

I still haven't seen it.

This is not a petty refusal to see it, I just haven't got round to it yet.

Friend & I years ago planned to get a business loan and open a cinema that showed classic movies you didnt get to see 1st time around at the cinema - but the costs of obtaining prints were extortionate and you were locked into X number of weeks showing a title.
But would be awesome to watch things like Jaws, Close Encounters, The Thing, Ghandi, Ben Hur at the cinema again instead of of your tv (however many inches & HD) because sometimes you need a big cinema experience to make up for the chances you missed.

That I understand, things like Back To The Future, but re-releasing Avatar when it's only just left the cinemas is a little hopeful. The hardcores would have bought the DVD on release day and will be waiting for the special-edition in however many months.
Average cinema go-er who went because everybody was talking about it and thought "yeah why not" isn't going to bother, and didn't.

Avatar is alright, I have the blu-ray and watched it a couple of times.
Looks very pretty and the final 45mins are excellent, but the previous 2hrs really were an exercise in Generic Sci-Fi Plot.

BTTF is a limited edition deal. These happen all the time, but it's generally 'classic' films from the 70s and beyond. The Godfather is re-released all the time, but only in 'selected cinemas'. Also, BTTF is being re-released to promote the new Blu-ray.

I don't get the fuss behind all of this. Don't like it, don't go see it. Sounds like that's what most people did. I think it's fair to say there was supposed to be an audience for a re-release like Avatar - it was the most successful movie of all time after all.

Any argument that claims "they just did it for the money" is kind of missing the point - no film has ever been released where it hasn't been about money. Maybe not for the director or the cast, but someone somewhere down the line is making money off everything.

Wondered how this would turn out, and what kind of precedent would be set, if any.

I said last year they should do this to combat piracy, and lo and behold it happened. Psychic Luke, that's what they call me down at the local YMCA. Cameron is taking credit for the December movie too isn't he?

BttF is getting a cinema release also - wonder if "they" are just testing the water for more of these? Probably can't hurt to raise DVD sales and all that. Could even be...the saviour of cinema?

Matt, I feel like jumping up from my desk and joining in with your profile pic.

That's still an EXTRA $2-3 million though, isn't it? I mean, the cost of re-releasing a film must be pretty minimal. In this case, the Odeon staff must have just taken the Avatar carboard stands out of their Biffa bin, scrawled "New Footage" on them in biro and repositioned them in the foyer.

Then, from somewhere in the distance, the faint sound of laughter and ruffled notes could be heard.

Reading reports that the re-released Superspecial Awesome Avatar with SOME EXTRA MINUTES!!!!!! didn't make the top 10, taking about $2-$3 million.
Guess people who want to watch it again...uh...have already done so at home.
Y'know, on the DVD/Blu-Ray that was released a few months ago.

*shrugs*
Either that or they didn't want to get gouged for the 3D Imax prices yet again for a couple more cut-scenes & FMV.