DVD Shopping Bag Column


Completist?

By: Robert Trate
Date: Tuesday, November 20, 2007

All four ‘Die Hard’ films are now available on DVD and Blu-Ray DVD in a complete set. Some of you will pick up the new ‘Die Hard’ and add it to your box set of the previous ‘Die Hard’ films. Maybe you will upgrade and buy the Blu-Ray versions or get the Blu-Ray box set. One way or the other your set of ‘Die Hard’ DVDs is complete (until they make ‘Die Hard V’). There are many of you out there who probably didn’t care for ‘Live Free or Die Hard’ but still own the previous ‘Die Hard’ films. My question for you Maniacs out there is, would you still buy ‘Live Free or Die Hard’ just to have them all? Would you buy ‘Live Free or Die Hard just to have the story of John McClane from beginning to end? Are you a completist?   It occurred to me that I am not a completist while I was reorganizing my DVD shelf. I was placing ‘The Animatrix’ next to ‘The Matrix’ and ‘The Matrix: Reloaded’ however, ‘The Matrix: Revolutions’ is no where to be found. I deplored that film and felt as if it really ruined the trilogy. I looked around and noticed I never purchased ‘Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines’, ‘Star Trek V: The Final Frontier’ or ‘Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest’ either. These films got me to the theater but they didn’t get my dollars the second time or take up my valuable shelf space. So, would you buy a film even if you didn’t like it just to have them all? Are you completist?
 
A little side note to this column for this week is to remember that next Monday the 26th is “Cyber Monday”; a virtual Black Friday online where the big retailers will be offering sales and special rates on shipping; a good day for all of us Maniacs to order our favorites titles and get some shopping done.
 
ACTION / ADVENTURE / THRILLERS / WESTERNS
2 Days In The Valley (1996)
 
Die Hard [Blu-ray] (1988)
 
Die Hard 2 - Die Harder [Blu-ray] (1990)
 
Die Hard With a Vengeance [Blu-ray] (1995)
 
G-Men vs. The Black Dragon (1943)
 
Broken (2006)
 
Lady Ninja Kasumi - Vol. 3 (2006)
 
Live Free or Die Hard [Unrated]
 
Live Free or Die Hard
 
Live Free or Die Hard [2 Discs]
 
Live Free or Die Hard [Blu-Ray]
 
Pathfinder [Blu-ray] (2007)
 
Rescue Dawn (2007)
 
Sin (2003)
 
Titanic (10th Anniversary Edition) (1997)
 
Waiting for the Man (1997)
 
Walking Tall (1973)
 
ANIME
Case Closed Movie - 14th Target
 
Death Note - Vol. 1
 
Death Note, Vol. 1 (w/calendar)
 
Death Note Vol. 1 with Graphic Novel Vol. 1
 
Death Note Vol. 1 with Limited Edition w/Ryuk Figurine
 
Dyogrammaton
 
Fruits Basket - The Complete Series (The Viridian Collection)
 
Fullmetal Alchemist: Season 1, Part 2 Box Set
 
Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. - 2nd Gig (Complete Collection)
 
Hare + Guu: Deluxe OVA, Vol. 2
 
Karas - The Complete Collection (The Prophecy / The Revelation)
 
King of Bandits Jing: Seventh Heaven
 
Lady Ninja Kasumi - Vol. 3 (2006)
 
Princess Tutu: Complete Collection
 
Ramen Fighter Miki - Vol. 2 - Tonkatsu Tactics (2006)
 
Red Garden, Vol. 2: Breaking the Girls
 
Robotech - The Shadow Chronicles Movie (Two-disc Collector's Edition)
 
Trinity Blood: Chapter I - Viridian Collection
 
Trinity Blood: Chapter II - Viridian Collection
 
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, Vol. 5 - Hunters and Prey
 
CARTOONS
The Batman - The Complete Fourth Season
 
BraveStarr - Season One, Vol. One
 
Teen Titans - The Complete Fourth Season
 
Comedy and Love – Mania Style
Bad Santa - The Unrated Version and Director's Cut (Unrated) [Blu-ray]
 
Hudson Hawk (Special Edition) (1991)
 
License to Drive/ Mischief (combo)
 
HORROR
Blood Flood (1974)
 
Bloody School Girls-Triple Feature
 
Drive-In Massacre (1974)
 
Dr. Jekyll's Dungeon of Death (1982)
 
It Happened at Nightmare Inn (1970)
 
The Killing Kind (1973)
 
Nosferatu (The Ultimate Two-Disc Edition) (1922)
 
Scream & Die
 
Stir Of Echoes 2: The Homecoming (2007)
 
Tremors [HD DVD] (1990)
 
Velvet Vampire (1971)
 
Zombie Town (2006)
 
SCIENCE FICTION / FANTASY
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1973)
 
TV LAND
Chappelle's Show - The Series Collection (2003)
 
C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation - The Complete Seventh Season
 
Dr. Katz Professional Therapist - The Complete Series (1995)
 
Love American Style - Season 1, Vol. 1 (1969)
 
Mission Impossible - The Third TV Season (1966)
 
Star Trek The Original Series - The Complete First Season
(Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD] (1966)
 
The Wild Wild West - Third Season (1965)
 
The Criterion Collection
The Lady Vanishes - Criterion Collection (1938)
 
Sawdust and Tinsel - Criterion Collection (1956)
 
BOX SETS
Die Hard Collection [Blu-ray]
(Die Hard/ Die Hard 2 - Die Harder/ Die Hard with a Vengeance/ Live Free or Die Hard)
 
Film Noir: Five Classics from the Studio Vaults
(Scarlet Street/Contraband/Strange Impersonation/They Made Me A Fugitive/The Hitch-Hiker)
 
Godzilla Collection
 
Johnny Legend's Teen Mania Box Set
 
New Line Cinema's 40th Anniversary Collection
 
Sonny Chiba Collection (5pc) (Sub)

More Content By Robert Trate
Precursor
(Tuesday, November 27, 2007)
Completist?
(Tuesday, November 20, 2007)
Shelf Space
(Tuesday, November 6, 2007)
The Master of the Macabre has arrived!
(Tuesday, September 11, 2007)
Comments/Responses
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Miner49er • Nov 20, 2007, 01:02am •
I do consider myself a completist, but I'm in no rush to get Spiderman 3. I'll probably wait a year or two when it's on the shelf at HMV for about $12. Eventually I'll also get young Indy Volumes 1, 2, and 3 - probably next year when Kingdom of he Crystal Skull is released.

snallygaster • Nov 20, 2007, 08:20am •
I've never been a completist. If I don't like a particular movie in a series of movies I otherwise enjoy, I won't bother getting that one.

jedibanner • Nov 20, 2007, 08:48am •
Well, call me sucker because I'm a completist.

I don't see myself buying one movie, not buy the 2nd one and then buy the 3rd one (or 4th) just because the one in the middle was weaker.

In my view, Spider-Man 3 was the weakest of all the movies but, that didn't stop me from getting it. Yes it was crap but at least, it's something that continues the other movies.

I guess it's just a personal thing.

And I will buy the 4th Die Hard because it was really good.

monsterofmud • Nov 20, 2007, 09:59am •
Wow. Revolutions was the only Matrix movie I could stomach, and T3 was my favourite of the series. I'm sure somewhere down the line my tastes align with yours; I mean, I too hated POTC: Dead Man's Chest, even if I found the first one rather dull.

hanso • Nov 20, 2007, 11:47am •
I gotta have them all even if they suck. I won't rush out and buy them the day they come out though like i used, specially if it's a movie series.
For example, I have the first 4 Harry Potters but I won't buy the 5th one until all 7 are out in a nice Blu Ray box set like the first 5 are coming out in Januray.

kgatchel • Nov 20, 2007, 12:38pm •
I don't think "Live Free or Die Hard" was meant to complete the epic tale of John McClane that the creators intended to tell all along. I doubt any of them paced around their Santa Monica houses, just burning to realize their vision on the big screen and show the world what they have to say about what happens when a guy with guns shoots at a bunch of other guys with guns.

And I'll call all you completests suckers, because that's what the movie studios think of you.

And how much money do you people have that you can just buy things you don't like?

themovielord • Nov 20, 2007, 12:46pm •
I think box sets are the perfect way to pick up the films you don't like. Sure Die Hard 2 wasn't the best but it did have it's moments, but i loved 1, 3, and 4. After awhile they go on sale or are cheap when the next one comes out... Example the Saw collection (1-3) next year when Saw V comes out shuld be dirt cheap.

jedibanner • Nov 20, 2007, 01:41pm •
I guess being a completist isn't being 100% a sucker because in the end, I would assume we do buy movies because we like them to a certain level.

I would never buy a movie that I didn't like that was sold seperatelly but was part of a trilogy.

If it comes in a box set, then it's ok. Best exemple, the Mummy movies, the box set included the Scorpion King (we al know it wasn't the best). there is no way I would've bought Scorpions King but I only bough the Mummy box set because it was cheap and had an etra movie in it.

Compared to the Harry Potter series, I'd rather have them bough as they come out and I don't care to have a box set for them. I wouldn't see myself buying part 1,3, 5 and 7 even if some of them were weaker. I'd like to have the whole series because it's part of the serie itself and there good movies, some are just betters then others.

hanso • Nov 20, 2007, 01:46pm •
I'm sucker then. The answer to your $$ question I guess would be, enough $$ to buy movies I don't care for.

jedi, I would like to buy the HP movies as they come out but I know I'll be upset when the full set comes out. I always want to buy the Friends comple Series and the Seinfeld Complete Series but I bought the seasons when they come out. I hate seeing those sets, I want them, but I'm not paying for the samething twice. I don't want that to happen with HP, so I'm waiting for now. Maybe when I get enough $$ where I can buy things twice then I can get those :)

jppintar326 • Nov 20, 2007, 04:31pm •
I am a completist. I have Star Trek V, Spiderman 3, and all the James Bond movies. I liked Live Free or Die Hard and will get it on DVD. I hope the Blu Ray is the unrated edition. I hope to get a PS3 for Christmas.

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