DVDs: A dumb question by an ignorant web-slinger

[Spiderman]

Okay, not owning a DVD player or anything, I'm just curious: Is there a way to determine when films come out on DVD? I'm assuming it's pretty standard for new and current films, but what about films before the advent of DVD? Do the studios wait for a demand for the film or do they plan to eventually transfer all their films on DVD?

Did that make sense?

 

[Baskil]

{Incoherent Rambling}It all depends on the studio. Warner Brothers, for instance, has a large selection of their older movies on DVD as Standard versions.

I think, however, to answer your question, that studios usually wait until there is some kind of demand. Also, there are times that films are rereleased because of anniversaries, which is what some wait for. Also, Criterion also releases some that were unavailable for DVD (Life of Brian comes to mind).

Of course, the Godfather Trilogy is still not on DVD . {/incoherent rambling}

 

[fuzzy510]

I think they just release 'em whenever the hell they want. The new ones are occasionally released with the VHS version, occasionally they're released 1-2 weeks after the VHS version.

 

[Ura]

actually more new releases come out on DVD a week sometimes two ahead of the VHS counterparts. The reason for this is the companies trying to phase out VHS for the easier to produce and higher quality golden frisbees.
As for old movies, its as Baskil said, they usually wait for anniversaries before doing anything with them, however movies that are popular and have been for a long time are steadily being realeased, Indiana Jones for instance.

Baskil: The godfather trilogy is available on DVD now because my video store has it on their shelves.

 

[Baskil]

funny, cause when I went to Amazon to try to buy it (I was looking for it for XMas), they said it hadn't been published yet

 

[Ura]

It could be that it wasn't available for public purchase yet. I know video stores will often pay much more then the standard $30 - $40 for the "rental" copies of DVD's which are normally available much sooner then the "retail" copies which are for sale to the public. Either that or they had counterfits, which I would kinda doubt.

 

[Spiderman]

So I pretty much have to wait until the anniversary of the movie... (trying to think ahead for presents for people...)