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Matrix Special Edition Cancelled
An anonymous reader writes "According to The Digital Bits, the recently announced Matrix Special Edition has been cancelled. Rumor is that it was cancelled by the Wachowski brothers in hopes of coming out with a Super Collectors Special Edition later."
From the article: "There's no official reason given as to why this SE was cancelled."
From the studio article in the same article: "Warner Home Video will not be releasing the previously announced The Matrix Special Edition double-disc DVD. In a shift in strategy to broaden The Matrix fan base prior to the May 15 theatrical release of the highly anticipated sequel The Matrix Reloaded, Warner Home Video will reprice The Matrix DVD to $19.99 SRP on April 29."
There's your official reason right there, and it's reasonable. If Warner released an expensive special edition now, it would push the standard Matrix DVD farther back on the shelves. The special edition would sell well, undoubtedly, but only already-dedicated fans would be willing to pay a steep price. With Warner's new strategy, stores will promote the newly-discounted standard DVD, and newbies will be that much more encouraged to get into the film -- and subsequently more likely to head to theaters for the sequel. Makes good sense from a marketing point of view.
Also, the article doesn't say that the SE has been killed forever -- indeed, it implies that a special edition of some kind will come out when Warner thinks the time is right.
How can they hope to keep up with the X-Men franchise?
but George Lucas has that idea patented already.
The government's moral compass is controlled by GPS.
In times of crises, they alter it to suit their needs.
no one can be told what the speciali edition is... ;)
The real reason is that the machines from the Matrix and the machines from Skynet are in different unions, and refuse to work together in the same world, just to entertain us humans.
Job? I don't have time to get a job! Who will sit around and bitch about being broke and unemployed then?
If they indeed cancelled it because they'd rather do the whole thing later on, and do it better, then you have to give them credit. How pi$$ed would fans be if they came out with the SE, and then another version of the same stuff later on?
Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more
.. there is no Special Edition.
I wonder to what extent the expeience of the movie itself becomes diluted with such marketing iterations.
No need to worry, the Super Ultra Deluxe Megaton Special Edition DX Matrix will be coming out soon.
I am a filthy pirate.
Will this one have all guns replaced by walkie-talkies? Or is that Super Extended Collectors Special Edition?
Dammit. Could have been so much cooler.
You are not the customer.
Super Mega Ultra Special Edition of the Matrix trilogy. That will include enough code to actually create your own Matrix, enslave, at the very least, members of your own family AND do wire work with the best of them (assuming the best of them can't do the kung fu moves without being attached to a wire rig). And it will be reasonably priced for the holiday season.
Given that most DVD's now contain special features, it seems like the prudent thing to do is wait until the entire series (LOTR, Star Wars, Matrix, etc.) is released together. Why would I want to pony up the bucks for one special edition DVD when I can wait and get the ultra-super-extra-even specialer Box collection? Further, if you don't know if they are going to release the ultra-super-extra-even specialer Box collection, would you wait until all the DVD's were out just in case? I guess I am going to wait a while before investing in DVD's of any of these series until I see if they will release a whole series of DVD's.
If you are never moderated, do you really exist?
The correct link for the article, since the article was moved off the home page into the archives.
That's not necessarily because they "couldn't get it right". A lot of actors have realized that folks really like the bonus features, like deleted scenes. So, what do they do? When they're not pretending to know about world politics, they're demanding that they be paid extra for anything used as bonus features on a DVD.
They're already getting paid to shoot scenese. Then they want MORE money if some of those scenes are used in the bonus features. My, isn't that an interesting economical perspective.
steve
Oh, you're not stuck, you're just unable to let go of the onion rings.
...Matrix star Keanu Reeves replied: "Whoa."
The "Special Edition" DVD was going to be 90% recycled material from the original Matrix and Matrix Revisited DVDs, with only a bit more added. Perhaps someone realized that no one was going to buy it. (casual fans would just buy the movie, hardcore fans already have 'Revisited') Kudos to the Wachowskis for NOT trying to gouge their fans!
Bush: He's Liberal in all the wrong ways.
Well I guess we can't have everything.
At least we'll have the Platinum Edition, Superbit Edition, Limited Edition, Full Screen Edition, Widescreen Edition, Platinum Series Exteneded Edition, Collector's Edition, Boomstick Edition, Box Set, Unrated Edition, Criterion Edition, Ultimate Edition, 20th Anniversary Edition (in 20 years), Director's Cut, Deluxe Edition and of course this Super Collectors Special Edition to buy and enjoy!
My god I'm stick of DVD editions.
The world is neither black nor white nor good nor evil, only many shades of CowboyNeal.
...they cancelled it because the special edition was just the original Matrix DVD bundled with "Enter the Matrix", a making-of DVD that was previously only available as a separate purchase. That makes buying the "Special Edition" redundant because every geek worth his salt already has the Matrix DVD, so now they would have TWO identical DVDs and a making-of DVD. With that stupid project cancelled, the Wachowskis+WB can work on a TRUE special edition, possibly with more special features and commentary by cast members other than Carrie-Anne Moss. Of course, I can't wait to be fleeced of $70 for the ultra-mega-super-duper edition 6-disc trilogy set coming out after the release of the "The Matrix: Revolutions."
> Rumor is that it was cancelled by the Wachowski brothers in hopes of coming out with a Super Collectors Special Edition later."
rather than trying to milk us for both the Special Edition and then (surprise!) the Super Collectors Special Edition.
The theater release schedule is terrific as well.
The Wachowski brothers are going to have a huge and satisfied fan base simply by doing the opposite of whatever this guy has done.
Operator, give me the number for 911!
I agree, although I'd like to see a professionally made documentary done for the "making of" feature in movies. Every one I've seen has been nothing more that the supervisors spending 15 minutes talking over some movie footage. Even then they're terribly unprepared, as every other word is "uh".
A lot of actors have realized that folks really like ... deleted scenes."
On the "UHF" DVD, during the deleted scenes section, Al says several times that, basically, there's a reason that the scenes were deleted. In some instances, it might be interesting to know what was going through the director's mind (or at least getting hints about it), but I think in most cases, Al is right - watch the movie, the deleted scenes aren't in it for a reason.
This is how it works:
Who are the customers? Die hard fans, and relatives who have no idea what to get someone for xmas/birthday but remember that they liked the film when it was on at the cinema. Don't get me wrong, I thought The Matrix was a good film, but it was never a cultural revolution, it was always a franchise.
Stuff is news, from nerds that matter.
Beware of what your buying into...
You pay the price to see the movie big-screen and then they can fleece you later on with the same movie on DVD that has *EXTRA FEATURES*
Later on, there's a super-extended *Directors Cut* version.
The bad side of this digital-age is obvious - overpriced, over-sold, over exagerated, redundant.
The good side is not so obvious and rarely seen these days - pure quality and value for money.
This quality is out there, but my god, you have to wade through 90% of crap to find it.
A slashdotting - you get the stick first and then the carrot !
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A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing -- Emo Phillips
I think they made a good move by delaying this. They decided not to alientate those potential customers who are not already Matrix loyalists as other movie franchises have, i.e. Star Wars, LOTR. It is tough for a non-franchise fan to get into the all movie hoopla if they haven't seen where the franchise originated, especially if they have to spend $50 for a special edition for a movie they aren't even sure they will like.
Opinions may vary on what franchise is best, or whether or not this was a good move for the current fan base, but in the end it will all work out. The Matrix fanatics who are complaining and freaking out about the announcement will still be the first ones in the line to purchase the special editions next spring.
Man, I can't wait.
Doc
We should take care not to make the intellect our god; it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality.
I wish people would stop bashing on New Line for releasing the extended version of FOTR a few months after releasing the theatrical version. New Line made this perfectly clear right from the start and, unless you were an idiot or had money to burn, you had no reason to buy the initial release if you knew it was the later version that you would secretly lust for.
sweettooth, what more did you expect from New Line? An Uruk-Hai warrior standing at every store bashing you on the head whilst shouting "longer version out in November" if you tried to buy the standard release?
Don't any of your friends who are so DVD-crazy that they buy films as soon as they are released read any film or home video magazines that would have spelt it out for them in big letters? Don't they have a friend (such as yourself) who would tell them to hold their horses until the super-duper version comes out?
In short, sweettooth, what the hell did New Line do wrong except keep their customers well informed and is it their fault that nobody in your inner circle knew what practically everyone else who cared managed to find out?
Yeah, New Line. Real SOBs for telling you just what they're going to do and then actually doing it...
Sheesh. Some people.
"Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
You know, there are places where you can borrow movies for a limited time for a small fee.
DG
Want to learn about race cars? Read my Book
If anything, waiting a little while longer for a box-set or other version would permit the adding in of other featurettes and options that make the purchase of a different disc a little more logical. I, for one, wouldn't mind getting a matrix set with the animatrix reels in there as well (http://www.theanimatrix.com/).
I'm no apologist for the big production houses that screw over hungry consumers like ourselves, but I do like to see REAL content added from version to version.
Yeah... sure... we're going to produce a special DVD... got your attention? got you talking to friends? okay... now were not... got your attention again? got you talking to your friends again?
I got sucked in to buying both rereleases of the original Star Wars series on VHS. I know that I'll shell out for the re-re-release when the finally put it on DVD.
I barely avoided buying both releases of LOTR Fellowship, only by 'borrowing' the first two disk set from family and 'forgetting' to return it until the four-disk came out. (come to think of it, I may still have the first set..)
I've worn out the Matrix on VHS, and I 've been waiting to rebuy it on DVD, but I KNEW that a special edition would come out as soon as I bought it.
Now, it's close enough that I can just wait and buy the whole box set. For once, I'll come out ahead in this game.
Neo must be tampering with the Matrix...
I agree -- Episode II is indeed slightly better than Episode I, but both are essentially alike.
sometimes, though, the deleted scenes were very well done and perfectly acted; but just didn't fit the flow of the movie. good scenes with insightful commentary ( esp. those by M Night Shyamalan -- 6th Sense, Unbreakable ) can give you an interesting deeper perspective into certain characters, that may have been trimmed from the original release simply because of time constraints.
"You want a toe? I can get you a toe by three o'clock... with nail polish."
I'm putting those Wachowski brothers on double secret probation.
Game... blouses.
The "extended" edition isn't for the average person, it's for the /. uber-geek audience, or people who can recite the books word-for-word... Yadda, yadda.
I must whole-heartedly disagree. Most of my friends are non-geeks who, after seeing the extended version, remarked that the additional footage made scenes in TTT more understandable. Particularly the 'gifting' scene where Galadriel hands out many items that just suddenly appear in the second movie or have special properties (the cloaks) that cause the viewer to think the scene makes no sense.
--
As a matter of fact, I am a lawyer. But I play an actor on TV.