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Well, here I am living in South Korea, and I love it! There's a lot going on here in the Land of the Morning Calm, and one of the greatest bits of modern Korea has got to be cinema! Koreans make some damn good movies! AND I CAN'T WATCH A SINGLE ONE OF THEM IN MY APARTMENT!
OK, that's not true, because I bought a Samsung DVD player at a local department store today, but I bought it because none of the DVDs for sale in Korea will play on my US-purchased DVD player. Now, why is that? Well, it's a long and complicated bit of Hollywood industry initiative to ensure the Studios get their fair shake of movie and DVD proceeds, chiefly that MGM, for example, gets paid when the movie is released in US theaters, again when you rent the movie six months later, and a third time when you decide you really like Goldeneye and buy the DVD. Region coding allows the studios to release a film on DVD to US buyers shortly after the theatrical release and before the overseas release. The argument is that if a dvd is not protected in this way, then there's nothing to stop British consumers from simply buying the dvd when it's released in the US--which means they're a lot less likely to go see the movie when it releases in a London theater, resulting in a loss of revenue.
OK. I can believe that, and I sure don't want to wait for a movie to make the international rounds before I can watch the dvd, especially with my job (military) I frequently miss most movies while they're in theater. So...why am I mad? There's a ton of great foreign films (foreign to me, since I'm American) I really REALLY want to watch, that will probably never get released in the US! Not to mention, the number of great DVDs (Korean, for example) that are chocked full of features not available on the US release, or that are completely different films when viewed beside the mess edited together for a US audience.
I shouldn't have to hack my computer (my only quibble with a Mac is the virtual impossibility of altering its functions, though this is the only time I've ever wanted to...) and I shouldn't have to own five different DVD players and three 110-240v transformers to watch legally-purchased DVDs.
Anyone else ticked off at this?
Well, there. I feel marginally better having ranted.
Thanks for letting me vent. :-)
I've found that a few places that specialize in carrying international films and DVDs have region-free DVD players for sale. The only place I can think of was Kim's in NYC, but you're sure to find some on the internet; of course, that will leave you with some extra DVD players around the house.
Oh yes, should I buy a new DVD player it will be one of those code-free things...since there is also bunch of interesting DVDs published only in Region 1, damnit (and vice versa, of course...I noticed for example some uproar for one Disney animation which in US had been put out in edited version, while in Europe it was published as complete version :) ).
Honestly, while I am opposed to illegal filesharing it feels like many movie and music companies are encouraging it.
You can label me a rebel without a clue. I have little sympathy for the movie or music industry.
You can label me a rebel without a clue. I have little sympathy for the movie or music industry.
I'm with you. Why don't they just *gasp* theatrically release movies simultaneously around the world? The way I see it, it's exploitation of the consumer, pure and simple. Region coding should be against the law.
Luckily for me, the Australian High Court agrees. Sony have been appealing against our copyright laws for ages but haven't won yet.
Globalisation my ass- my DVD collection and the VHS before it was always 50/50 between regions 1 and 2.
It's a form of unethical and morally repugnant Market control.
Ugh- one of my pet hates.