What's So Great About Same-Day Flicks?
News Brief. The sacrifices I must make for this job—testing new movies released to iTunes same day as DVD. I confess. I'm a media slut. |
Not that I think same-day distribution is the big deal some analysts, bloggers and journalists claim. Blockbuster, Netflix and Wal-Mart executives can climb down from the ceiling now. Apple is selling the movies same day as DVD release, not renting them.
This afternoon, I found "Cloverfield" on iTunes for purchase, not rent, to my disappointment. Apple's press release is clear: "Purchase new movies on iTunes same day as DVD release." Sorry, I wouldn't pay $14.95 to buy "Cloverfield," chained by DRM to iPhone, iPod or iTunes (I don't have Apple TV), when I can rent it from Netflix for lots less. If I want any chain it's to Blu-ray movies rentable from Netflix. My household has but one Blu-ray player.
Today, some analysts, bloggers or journalists chimed away about the death of DVD—how iTunes will kill the format. OMG, get a life! DVD can be watched anywhere; iTunes-purchased movies cannot be. The format is ubiquitous. That said, DVD is dead to me because of Blu-ray Netflix rentals.
I waited until the format wars ended before buying an HD player. A few weeks after Blu-ray emerged the winner, I bought a 40GB PlayStation 3. Turns out that PS 3 has one of the better, if not the best, Blu-ray players available. Good Blu-ray players cost around $350 (or more) when I bought the PS 3 for $399. So it was like buying a Blu-ray player for fifty bucks more and getting a game console for free. Sony PS 3 updates improve the player's capabilities; the family loves it. Strangely, in nearly five months, we've never used the PS 3 as a game console.
Back to topic: Rentals would be another matter. Same-day rental release would almost certainly make problems for DVDs and the retailers selling them. I don't think huge problems right away. But later on, absolutely. Who would have guessed even two years ago that Apple would sell more music than even Wal-Mart?
The pieces are now in place for increased movie distribution. Apple will have same-day releases from First Look Studios, Image Entertainment, Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Universal Studios, Walt Disney and Warner Bros. That's an impressive line-up that would be more impressive if all the flicks were available for rent and sale same day as DVD release.
Paramount distributes "Cloverfield." If the movie had been available for rental, I'd be watching it now—you know, as a test—instead of writing this blog.
