Buy today because they'll be EBay tomorrow!
© 20th Century Fox
Here Today!
By: Robert T. Trate, ColumnistDate: Tuesday, February 05, 2008
A couple of weeks back one of loyal readers, ‘swansong’, posted a blog about several Special Editions he was looking for. One of which I had. I thought the special edition was still available for purchase in retail stores. Let’s face it, the words “Special Edition” are usually just a marketing ploy to get a few extra dollars out of us for features that should already be on the DVD. The Special Edition DVD in question was John Carpenter’s ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ (2 Disc set). The film is one awesome action packed, dark, magical comedy. In my opinion, there hasn’t been a film like it since, nor will there ever be. The second disc (omitted on the single disc standard edition) is a time capsule of ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ trailers, magazine articles, TV spots, deleted scenes and most importantly the music video for the film by John Carpenter himself (trust me, it is hysterical). This disc is now lost for the fan like ‘swangsong’ who didn’t know about it or the fan that hasn’t discovered the film yet.
So the term Special Edition may actually have some meaning to it after all. Is there actually a time limit for Special Editions? I wrote a few months back on the subject of the Special Editions entitled “Which one”. In that column I discussed which Special Editions of ‘Caligula’ and ‘Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer’ were actually worth our money. Grant it ‘Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer’ may have not been the best movie but its ‘Power Cosmic Edition’ was a tour de force of Special Features. Much like that of the 2001 Special Edition release of ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ it has (had) the Special Features any true fan would want. Those few extra dollars may actually be worth it (on the day the title is released) if that Special Edition is going to disappear.
Swansong, that Special Edition of ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ is out there. Search EBay for it or look on Amazon (the catalogue # is 2001438). What I want from all of you Maniacs is to list some of the other (in the comment section) Special Editions that you have in your personal libraries so we can keep each other informed about Special Editions we might have missed or never knew about. They are, after all, here today and on EBay tomorrow.
Outside of the Special Edition of ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ I’ll put another title out there that existed. The Limited Edition (30,000 copies) Two Disc ‘Army of Darkness’ (released in 1999) which is not the ‘Boomstick Edition’ (released in 2003). It has both cuts (theatrical and director’s) of the film with alternate dialogue, endings and additional scenes. It is pure gold.
ACTION/ ADVENTURE/ KUNG FU/ THRILLERS/ WESTERNS
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford [Blu-ray]
The Brave One (Widescreen Edition)
Bruce Lee: The Early Years 1953/1955 - The Guiding Light/An Orphan's Tragedy
Elizabeth - The Golden Age (Widescreen Edition)
Junior G-Men of the Air
Kung Fu Theater: Five Fabulous Features
Kung Fu Theater: Legends of Kung Fu Fighting
The Lawless
The Legend of Butch and Sundance
Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (Special Edition) (1964) (Sub)
Valley of Angels
ANIME
.Hack//Roots, Vol. 6 SE w/DVD & Sountrack
Clockwork Fighters: Hiwou's War, Vol. 3
Cowboy Bebop Remix: Anime Legends
Fullmetal Alchemist:: Season 2, Part 1 Box Set
Fullmetal Alchemist , Volume 9: Pain and Lust (The Viridan Collection)
Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 10: Journey to Ishbal (The Viridan Collection)
Magikano Vol. 2: Witch Hunt + Artbox
Negima: Box Set
Negima - Magic 101: The Basics of Magic (The Viridian Collection)
Negima - Magic 201: Magic and Combat
Phoenix: Immutable Conclusion, Vol. 3 of 3 - Episode 10-13
School Rumble, Vol. 5
The Third: The Girl with the Blue Eye, Vol. 4: Desert Phantom
Zegapain, Vol. 3
CARTOONS
The Aristocats (Special Edition)
Legion of Super Heroes Volume 2
Turok: Son of Stone check out my review.
COMEDY AND LOVE Mania Style
Across the Universe (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Across the Universe [Blu-ray]
The Apartment (Collector's Edition)
HORROR
Bone Sickness
Boy Meets Girl
Croc
Dangerous Worry Dolls
Deadhouse
Deathlands: Homeward Bound
Demon Seduction
Descent (Original 'NC-17' Version)
Evil Toons 15th Anniversary Edition
Grindhouse Psychos: Triple Feature
Killer Pad
Home Made
Naked Beneath the Water
The Orb
Phantom Creeps
Psychotronica, Vol. 3: Mermaids of Tiburon/Cry of the Bewitched
Storm Warning
Weirdsville
SCIENCE FICTION / FANTASY
Phantom Empire
TV LAND
Beauty and the Beast - The Final Season
Ironside: Season 2, Vol. 1
My Favorite Martian: The Complete Third Season
Perfect Strangers - The Complete First and Second Seasons
Third Watch - The Complete First Season
Wire in the Blood: The Complete Fourth Season (4pc)
BOX SETS
Drive-In Cult Classics - 8 Movie Set
Jungle Girls Gone Wild Collection
The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection - Volume 10.2
(Giant Gila Monster / Swamp Diamonds / Teenage Strangler / Giant Spider Invasion)
Psychotronica Collection 1
(Delinquent Schoolgirls / Dream No Evil / Mondokeyhole / The Raw Ones / The Mermaids of Tiburon / Cry of the Bewitched
Anyways, there are and forever will be rip-off's of special editions like Special Director's Cut and the overused, Unrated Cut.
Like the Evil Dead Series the original Dawn of the Dead has been raped beyond belief, but back two or three years ago they finally released a 4 disc Ultimate Edition set of the original Dawn of the Dead.
1st disc is the U.S. Theatrical Version running at a time of 127min with commentary by George A. Romero, Tom Savini and Chris Romero, along with Gallery's, T.V spots, original music by Goblin and a Comic Book Preview.
2nd disc is the 'Extended Version' running at 139min with commentary by producer Richard Rubinstein, a funny mall commercial and more galleries.
3rd disc running at 118min is the European Version which was edited by Dario Argento, with commentary by the actors David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott H. Reiniger and Gaylen Ross.
Finally the 4th disc is nothing but Documentaries. A 'All New' The Dead Will Walk featuring interviews with cast and other crew members. The original documentary which was filmed during the making of. A On Set home movies and a Monroeville Mall Tour with Actor Ken Foree.
Now, it seems you can buy all of this for under $60, give or take. If you are a fan of the original then I would highly suggest getting this and I do not see them trying to make more money off of this movie with a box set like this.