New Line has something pretty darn fancy in
store for Final
Destination 3 fans (I'll refrain from my customary snide remark about just how many of those people there are,
because the movie was surprisingly well-reviewed, and people actually went to see it) when the DVD comes out this
summer. Not content to just offer commentary and a making-of documentary (both which will be part of the two disc
package), New Line has created a choose-you-own-adventure-style version of of the film, offering choices that extend
well beyond picking one of two different endings. According to Variety, additional scenes were written and
shot -- to the tune of around $1 million in additional cost -- and viewers will have "seven choices at 10-minute
intervals," each of which consists of two options. (Not to worry, purists: you can still watch the movie in its
theatrical form, if you prefer.)New Line is really raising the Special Edition bar with this (costly, attention-grabbing) gimmick -- I bet a lot of studio heads are hoping that the disc fails to sell, just to save themselves the headache of trying to put together similarly slick features for their own releases.
1. Well, that's one possibility. I guess the failure of this disc would mean that other studios wouldn't have to step up...
I think they're hoping it succeeds. Think about this: All these interactive elements are a really good idea. (It really is.) Sounds like you can only experience the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure angle if you purchase the DVD. Downloading an xVid DVDRip would only give you the movie.
In short: It's an incentive to give your money to the movie studios. You want me to fork over $24.99 for your film? Make it worth my while. When DVD movies first came out (My first purchase: Dark City, before I had a player), EVERY movie had special features for a good price. Nowadays, twenty-five bucks will get you the movie, and maybe the trailer. They're trying to lure people away from the bootleg copies of movies. They're trying to raise the bar. And I say About Friggin' Time. As long as it doesn't cost fifty bucks.
Posted at 6:23PM on Apr 4th 2006 by Rico