disney shipping only Blu-ray screeners for Pinocchio - no dvd screeners

[Ernest Rister]

Angry anti-blu blogger wrote the following -- I imagine UltimateDisney.com (what with their anti-blu bias and lack of Blu-Ray reviews) is going to have a bit of a fit over this. Check it out -- Disney is not shipping DVD screeners for the Pinocchio Platinum Edition DVD set...they're only sending the Blu-Ray version.

http://comicsworthreading.com/2009/0...for-pinocchio/

Disney Eliminates Standard DVD Review Copies for Pinocchio

Posted by Johanna on February 27, 2009 at 6:38 pm Category: Movies/TV

Here’s another piece of evidence for studios trying to shove the Blu-Ray format down the customer’s throat: I just got notified that, when it comes to review copies of the upcoming Disney release Pinocchio 70th Anniversary Platinum Edition, the company will ONLY provide the Blu-Ray version.

Now, Disney is shipping a standard DVD copy of the movie with all of their Blu-Rays these days. As their press materials put it, this “allow[s] viewers the opportunity to enjoy Pinocchio on a standard def DVD while they are preparing to upgrade to a 1080p Hi-Def Blu-Ray experience in the near to present future” Me, I’m not assuming I’m definitely going to go Blu-Ray. After all, I never went DAT.

But now I can’t review the DVD package, which has a second disc of special features, including a making-of documentary, deleted scenes, an alternate ending, art galleries, and deleted songs. Since the Disney movies are already familiar classics to me, those extras are what I enjoy most. But the studios want people reading and talking about how cool the newest format is, so that’s all they’re going to make available. It looks to me like an attempt to bias coverage and yet another example of how studios think they know better than consumers what the customers want.

Now, perhaps when it comes to DVD reviewing, all the dedicated journalists have already gone high-tech. And I know it’s tacky to complain too much about free items. But many of you readers haven’t switched to Blu-Ray and aren’t particularly interested in doing so, and I’d like to still talk about good DVDs with you.

Adding to my concern, right now Best Buy shows the two versions at the same price. Once the price difference goes away, I may not have the choice for much longer to keep buying my preferred format.