My days as a video store clerk taught me not to trust movies that suddenly appeared on home video.
“Never heard of this,” I’d mutter as I prepped a new VHS release with an unknown title for the rental shelves. I pitied the poor customer who would choose it over a movie that earned a theatrical release. I typically steered patrons toward more established films based on their established tastes.
And, frankly, in the mid-80s direct-to-DVD films were awful. It’s like TV shows of the era that weren’t broadcast on NBC, CBS or ABC. Just consider “Small Wonder” as Exhibit A.
Are the times a-changing?
Today, direct-to-DVD films represent a small but healthy part of the home video market. The “American Pie” series chugs along on home video, with “Pie” stalwart Eugene Levy providing linkage to the three theatrical films.
This week, “Death Race 2″ hits Blu-ray and DVD shelves. Despite the title it’s actually a prequel to the 2008 film starring Jason Statham. My boxofficemagazine.com review shares more about the movie. It’s a perfectly acceptable time waster with production values on par with some feature films. It’s not high art, but it doesn’t feel like a movie destined to skip theaters entirely.
My gig demands that I sit through movies like “Death Race 2,” but I likely wouldn’t rent it from Netlix or Blockbuster if given the choice.
What about you? Would you give a film like “Death Race 2″ a chance, or even rent one of the “Pie” DVD sequels?
(Photo: Luke Goss takes the wheel from Jason Statham in the new film “Death Race 2.” Universal Home Entertainment)
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I rent films the old fashion way and still tromp on down to the video store and won’t touch an obvious straight to DVD release unless I’ve read something about the film that made me actually search it out. The reason is purely based on cost.
The store uses a two tier pricing system and I’m very unlikely to plop down the five bucks to see something I know will be mindless fluff, good or bad. Maybe after it’s been resigned to the other bargin movies though if I run across it.
Well, since I own all three Starship Trooper films, six American Pie, Day of the Dead 2: Contagion and House of the Dead 2, yeah. I’m pretty likely to buy direct to video stuff. Frankly if I had any disposable income right now, I’d have already bought Death Race 2. Rental? Aside from actually renting all those American Pie films, I rented Van Wilder *3*. So, yes. I’d rent direct to video stuff, even those of questionable quality.
Frankly, I think DTV is a good thing. If for the price of one “MacGruber”, I can get 30 Mega Piranhas, Crocasauruses, or Splinters, then that’s great. More choices, even with bad films, is better than less choices.
And yes, my taste in movies is rather questionable.
When streaming happens, they should give you the first 10 minutes free. If you decide it isn’t worth the rental fee, then you can terminate before you pay full price.
In my prior experience, the production values, acting quality, and overall storylines are poorer on direct to video releases. That’s not to say there are not any exceptions but overall this is the case.
Frankly it’s somewhat offputing when you consider that the studio didn’t even think the film was worthy, or at the very least, good enough for a full run and now they want you to shill out your hard earned dollars to either rent or purchase it. Thanks but I’ll pass.
And as far as the American Pie series goes, that ship sailed after the 3rd film, and frankly it coasted there on fumes.
A lot of indie foreign films go direct to DVD, particularly out of Australia in the last few years. They don’t suffer the ego’s of US “indy”’s because most US indies have patrons. The Australian Indy’s are almost all made by students, or up and comers, or people who WANT to be up and comers who spend all of their money and all of their social connections to get enough money to make a movie to show their strides.
The production is not best, the performances aren’t best, the editing isn’t the best, but It’s not bad considering that their budgets are virtually nonexistent. When I briefly worked (won’t tell in what capacity it’s embarassing for me and my employer) for a video store, I loved the australian indies, particularly the horrors.
Everything was substandard for a feature, but perfectly functional for a low budget indy.
K, the first 10 minutes of “When a Stranger Calls.” would destroy the movie. Even with the remake, the original is STILL chilling, but they gave away the twist in the effing trailer of the remake.
I will drop a dollar on DR2 from Redbox but I sure as heck wont buy it without seeing it first. Like others the only way I will buy a DTV release is based on what I know about the film and the reasons it didnt hit theathers. Like Centurian or Outlander, both movies that were better than a lot of the other crap in the theaters when it was suppose to have been released. Heck I am still waiting for Soloman Kane.