DVD Sales on the Decline
December 9th 2008 04:19
NOTE: I wrote this article last December, so if it seems a bit dated, that's why.
As I was checking IMDb today (one of my many daily routines) I noticed an article about the decline in DVD sales this year. This is what it said:
'For the first year since DVDs came on the market a decade ago, studios and retailers are expected to report a sales decline in the format this year. The New York Post reported today (Tuesday) that sales for the year are expected to come in at around $23 billion, down from $24 billion last year. The deficit could be erased if a few of the blockbuster titles being released this month perform beyond expectations. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is being released today (Tuesday) and is expected to become the year's biggest seller. Also due out this month are the latest Bourne and Harry Potter sequels and The Simpsons Movie. Analysts are not optimistic, pointing out that the DVD versions of the latest Spider-Man and Shrek movies failed to live up to expectations. Alan Gould, an analyst with Natixis Bleichroeder, was quoted by the Post as saying, 'Blockbuster films are generating fewer DVD unit sales than in previous cycles. ... Where a big picture used to sell 20 million units, top movies now struggle to reach 10 million units.''
With the growing popularity of HD-DVD and BluRay (to my astonishment), it really is not much of a surprise that the sale of DVDs are starting to decline, but the biggest problem with this article is that they used Spider-Man 3 and Shrek the Third as examples saying '(they) failed to live up to expectations.' That is exactly right, except not in the context they were using. Spider-Man 3 was the most anticipated sequel of the year, rivaling At Worlds End. Audiences just in the U.S. payed $336,530,303 to see it in theaters. Worldwide, it made even more. But for the first time, audiences left the theater not feeling that movie was exceptional, but that it had so many problems it felt like the film was rushed into theaters. The first Spider-Man was not only the biggest box office success in history (up to that point), but it was widely well received and liked by critics and audiences. On the IMDb charts the highest average rating was 8/10.
Spider-Man 2 grossed a huge sum of money and was even better received, getting 61,672 votes between 8 and 10. Some consider it one of the greatest comic book sequels ever made; it certainly topped the first one for me, which was no small feat.
But Spider-Man 3 not only failed to make as much or more money than its predecessor, it also failed, for the first time in the franchises history, to live up to fan's and critic's expectations, generating only about 18.7% of total votes for a 7, the highest rating it received.
The analysts can say whatever they want (bad summer box office sales due to the X-Box 360; poor turnout altogether), but this summer was a huge success for other films. So why did the next installment of Spider-Man 3 fail to meet expectations for audiences? Because, in all honesty, it just was not that great. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it, but like I said, it felt incredibly rushed and way too sloppy. There were too many characters being focused on and not enough of the usual development that was so great about the previous two.
So why is it such a surprise that the DVD sales weren't that great? Honestly, I don't think that Sony Pictures was too surprised about that, but being a film studio, the last thing they would admit was that they made a mediocre film, so what do they pin it on? HD-DVD and BluRay sales. Pretty sad, really.
Shrek the Third falls into the same trap. First of all, it was shorter than it's previous two films, and all around just felt way too rushed. The normally funny and witty dialogue sounded like it came from a Saturday morning cartoon and it was over before it really began.
So, to all the heads of productions out there, when you're sitting there wondering why the DVD sales of these supposed 'fantastic summer films' are declining you might want to stop trying to scramble figuring out why and just watch the film itself, comparing it to the predecessors. You might be surprised to find out that they were actually really mediocre attempts. Take some initiative next time. You want those DVD sales to rise? Make a better film. People are educating themselves about movies and film making, and are starting to get tired of all the same old crap that you release. Better movies equals better ticket sales equals more money for you. Isn't that what you want? Think about it.
As I was checking IMDb today (one of my many daily routines) I noticed an article about the decline in DVD sales this year. This is what it said:
'For the first year since DVDs came on the market a decade ago, studios and retailers are expected to report a sales decline in the format this year. The New York Post reported today (Tuesday) that sales for the year are expected to come in at around $23 billion, down from $24 billion last year. The deficit could be erased if a few of the blockbuster titles being released this month perform beyond expectations. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is being released today (Tuesday) and is expected to become the year's biggest seller. Also due out this month are the latest Bourne and Harry Potter sequels and The Simpsons Movie. Analysts are not optimistic, pointing out that the DVD versions of the latest Spider-Man and Shrek movies failed to live up to expectations. Alan Gould, an analyst with Natixis Bleichroeder, was quoted by the Post as saying, 'Blockbuster films are generating fewer DVD unit sales than in previous cycles. ... Where a big picture used to sell 20 million units, top movies now struggle to reach 10 million units.''
With the growing popularity of HD-DVD and BluRay (to my astonishment), it really is not much of a surprise that the sale of DVDs are starting to decline, but the biggest problem with this article is that they used Spider-Man 3 and Shrek the Third as examples saying '(they) failed to live up to expectations.' That is exactly right, except not in the context they were using. Spider-Man 3 was the most anticipated sequel of the year, rivaling At Worlds End. Audiences just in the U.S. payed $336,530,303 to see it in theaters. Worldwide, it made even more. But for the first time, audiences left the theater not feeling that movie was exceptional, but that it had so many problems it felt like the film was rushed into theaters. The first Spider-Man was not only the biggest box office success in history (up to that point), but it was widely well received and liked by critics and audiences. On the IMDb charts the highest average rating was 8/10.
Spider-Man 2 grossed a huge sum of money and was even better received, getting 61,672 votes between 8 and 10. Some consider it one of the greatest comic book sequels ever made; it certainly topped the first one for me, which was no small feat.
But Spider-Man 3 not only failed to make as much or more money than its predecessor, it also failed, for the first time in the franchises history, to live up to fan's and critic's expectations, generating only about 18.7% of total votes for a 7, the highest rating it received.
The analysts can say whatever they want (bad summer box office sales due to the X-Box 360; poor turnout altogether), but this summer was a huge success for other films. So why did the next installment of Spider-Man 3 fail to meet expectations for audiences? Because, in all honesty, it just was not that great. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it, but like I said, it felt incredibly rushed and way too sloppy. There were too many characters being focused on and not enough of the usual development that was so great about the previous two.
So why is it such a surprise that the DVD sales weren't that great? Honestly, I don't think that Sony Pictures was too surprised about that, but being a film studio, the last thing they would admit was that they made a mediocre film, so what do they pin it on? HD-DVD and BluRay sales. Pretty sad, really.
Shrek the Third falls into the same trap. First of all, it was shorter than it's previous two films, and all around just felt way too rushed. The normally funny and witty dialogue sounded like it came from a Saturday morning cartoon and it was over before it really began.
So, to all the heads of productions out there, when you're sitting there wondering why the DVD sales of these supposed 'fantastic summer films' are declining you might want to stop trying to scramble figuring out why and just watch the film itself, comparing it to the predecessors. You might be surprised to find out that they were actually really mediocre attempts. Take some initiative next time. You want those DVD sales to rise? Make a better film. People are educating themselves about movies and film making, and are starting to get tired of all the same old crap that you release. Better movies equals better ticket sales equals more money for you. Isn't that what you want? Think about it.
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