philip74

yeah but as seen with the dark knight, they just don`t put any effort in their releases and if you watch disney or fox releases, you see just how bad warner
picture transfers are.....
new line releases used to rock in terms of quality, but this friday13th release
is a prime example that this is over, as they were taken over by warner!

DonnachaOne

Horror drops in the second weekend, hell the second day, all the time. I doubt that affected their decision.

man*machine

True. Most horror movies usually drop somewhere around 50-60% in their second weekend. This one dropped 80%, but most modern horror movies don't open to a $50 million dollar weekend!!! It was obvious this was going to be a bigger drop than normal based on its incredible and widely unexpected successful first weekend. Warners was probably shocked it made so much right away. People can spin the 80% drop as bad news, but Warners/New Line would probably have been happy if the TOTAL boxoffice cume of this film was $50 million. It made that in one weekend, so the rest is all gravy.

tylergfoster

Regardless of whether the studio is happy, which it very well may be, because I doubt F13 was expensive, it is true that an 80% drop is awful. Even Van Helsing only dropped 60% in its second weekend.

man*machine

But VAN HELSING was a good movie.

By the way, VAN HELSING only made about the same as FRIDAY THE 13th on its opening weekend. VAN HELSING was a mega-budgeted blockbuster with a big name-cast (well, if you call Hugh Jackman a big name) opening in the summer months. FRIDAY THE 13TH had no names in the cast and was made quite cheaply by Hollywood standards. For a cheap horror film with no names released in February (!) to make $50 million out of the gate is unprecedented. Sure, an 80% drop in a second weekend is abnormal, but there's nothing normal about how successful this film was on its opening weekend, so whatever happens after that isn't really an issue about the film's worth or acceptance. It just appears that more than the usual amount of fans HAD to see the film immediately. I don't see that initial excitement with any other horror remakes coming out. Even Zombie's HALLOWEEN remake only opened to $30 million and that was considered quite a success. Neither film was really well received amongst many horror aficionados.

By the way, I didn't really care for the FRIDAY THE 13th remake that much, but didn't hate it, either. I don't need to own it or watch it again (unless this director's version is so much better - doubtful). I pretty much hated the HALLOWEEN remake in any of its various incarnations.


EDIT: Whoops! I just checked and the FRIDAY remake only made $43 million on its opening weekend, not $50 million. Very sorry for the misinformation. I admit it is a big difference. Still really good for such a film, though. In any event, VAN HELSING does win this competition!!! And that's actually quite a sad outcome.

The Monkees

I have to sit here and state this, studios are trying to push Blu-Ray, WB isn't the only one, Disney is releasing the BD of Snow White 7 weeks BEFORE the DVD release. It's the way it is. BD is the future, it doesn't matter if DVD is the "more supported" format because BD is becoming more and more supported, simply because BD players play both BDs and DVDs. BD is the superior format and everything is HD now anyway.

And I have to throw this out there, this isn't thread crap, but I really disliked this movie more than anything. Most likely the worst movie of 2009. Sorry. I love Friday the 13th, the original is my favorite horror movie, but this really was a pathetic "remake"

steelpotato

It fits weirdly into the timeline. It's surprising that it was marketed as a 'remake' like you say. The film had exactly what I expected from a Friday the 13th entry though only a couple of great kills which is what I was really after.

man*machine

I find it ironic that WB is pushing Blu-Ray on the one-hand, and then on the other hand is shoving DVD-R's into the market with its new Archive program.

I was with you until you said the original FRIDAY THE 13th is your favorite horror movie.

philip74

well by saying that you disliked more than anything, it explains why you don`t care at all about warners dumb release decision!!

philip74

looking at this release makes me think that warner dvd product developers
have no creative minds at all. would be better if positions like that were
filled with people who actually have an affinity for movies themselves and know what fans are looking for, when it comes to developing great dvd sets!

another thing warner should think about is what glue to use on their packaging!! whenever i buy a warner single disc and take the shrinkwrap off, half of it tends to stick to the spine!!

philip74

i have just sent the following letter to warner:

Hi!
I have just learned the the new Friday 13th remake will be released in three different versions; Blu-Ray special edition, DVD theatrical cut and DVD killer extended cut. The Blu-Ray version comes with rated and unrated cuts, many extras and (judging from the add I have seen) a slipsleeve cover. The DVD versions seem to be very basic barebones single disc releases.
I understand the fact that studios are trying to push Blu-Ray with extra content, but your release policy on Friday 13th really gives the impression that standard DVD customers (which still represent the majority of turnover!) are considered second rate clients!
Other DVD companies and so has your company in the past, often release single disc releases for budget customers, but 2disc special editions for true fans. I don`t understand why this is not the case with such a major title? Why is there no special edition with both film versions, extra content and perhaps special packaging for the standard DVD release?
The Friday 13th DVD even states “from the producers of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. Well, New Line`s TCM was an absolute reference quality disc! Lots of content, nice Digipak packaging and perfect picture quality! In addition, the producer brad fuller even stated in many online interviews, that the Friday 13th remake DVD would include both versions on DVD!
New Line was famous for releasing some of the best DVDs in terms of quality and content. As Warner has now taken over New Line, it is a huge disappointment that Warner does not keep that legacy of producing the highest level DVDs.
As soon as the news of this release hit, DVD forums started filling with complaints that the standard dvd does not come with both versions or as a special edition like its Blu-Ray counterpart! This release policy is a great disappointment and gives the impression that the people responsible for DVD product development don`t collect DVDs themselves or have an idea of what the fans are looking for!
Best regards


probably won`t help a thing, but unless people actually start complaining about this release policy at the source, the decision makers will never know, that fans are actually discontent about the release!

islandclaws

I really didn't expect this release to be so weak. The BD exclusives look fluffy at best, 7 Best Deaths? Ummm... you do know I can just chapter skip to all of them if I wanted to, right? I was hoping we'd get a slew of extras and a DTS track. Well, we would have if NL were around to do this release and not WB.

Torchur317

Yeah this release is total BS, I'm shocked how weak it is....

Gizmo

Get use to it. Most studios are making the DVDs as slim as possible and pumping up the Blu-ray. They want people to go Blu so they can re-sell you catalog titles all over again at a higher price point.

Peep

What BS. What many (not most) studios seem to be doing is releasing two versions of the SDVD release, one of which is loaded with extras and one of which is fairly barebones. The Blu release is almost always the same as the SDVD SE. Disney is also including an SDVD copy in some of their Blu releases.

philip74

absolutely correct! if i look at fox`s taken 2disc release for example, it is the same as the bluray. disney, lionsgate, fox, sony, etc. are always having special editions for major titles.
warner used to do exactly the same, except for this friday 13 release, which is exactly why fans are so pissed!
i just wish more people would write to the studio like me, because no one there will know about the disappointment of this release, if people don`t let them know directly!

OldBoy

there really isn't any point. it will fall on deaf ears. the new trend is likely to be here for good and really no use expending such energy as you have. it is ultimately our choice to get it or rent it or f- it all together. yes it sucks, but we just have to accept and deal and move on to better releases.

Torchur317

Yeah we really can't do anything about this....
Atleast most studios still give use 2 disc editions with the same features....
Blu-Ray usually will always have an extra feature or two, It's a shame.....

islandclaws

... unless you're someone who has a BD player, loves the format (and what it can do) and wants to see it succeed. I completely understand where SD owners are coming from, but BD is a major plus for cinephiles and if they need to add some extra incentives to keep it afloat, I have no problem with it.

philip74

well but if nobody ever did anything and spoke up, nothing in the world would ever change.
warner will do this if they don`t get any negative fan feedback, because they thing their decision is the right one.
if no one complains, they will never put more effort into dvd sets!
no one minds a few extra features to push bluray, thats perfectly alright, but this release just sucks.
warner are not some nazi dictators who control everything
i am sure if many fans actually complain, they will learn from mistakes and do
better in the future. bottom line, studios only work on numbers and
if sales go down, they will try to make it better. if no one complains, they will
feel that they are bringing out the best dvd sets in the world.
i mean look at the dark knight!! bad standard transfer and basically no extras, although i give them credit for at least putting out a special edition for that title! yes man, pride and glory, rockn rolla just to name a few all got
special editions and just friday the 13th, which has a huge fan base and
does well on dvd doesn`t?? common!!

OldBoy

we aren't curing cancer here.

i don't think the public's opinions are taken into consideration with over 95% of DVD releases in the nation. it is the production companies, sometimes working with the actual people involved with the movie, sometimes not and that's it.

a handful of people on DVDTalk will not change the status of DVD releases. sorry to be the bearer of the news philip, but maybe use your energies and work on that cancer thing

Gizmo

Not for much longer. Warner has been experimenting with a few titles like this (Nights in Rodanthe and now F13). Barebones will be DVD and Premium will be Blu-ray.

The Monkees

Not true, I fully support BD and I know it will be our future and I think that them pushing the way they are is a good decision. It has nothing to do with the fact that I full heartedly hate this movie.

Peep

Maybe. I was commenting on a prediction based on two or three releases, I was commenting on a claim as to what was happening now.

And Warner's experiment may fail. Studios always try new things. Not all of them work.

tylergfoster

As I mentioned in either the BD or this thread somewhere, according to the ad-sheet this featurette shows the making-of each death in the movie. It isn't a chapter-select feature.