Race to Witch Mountain DVD & Blu-Ray Discussion

[Escapay]

<center>Race to Witch Mountain
Coming to DVD & Blu-Ray August 4</center>

Single-Disc DVD: $29.99
-Feature Film

Two-Disc Deluxe Edition DVD: $39.99
Disc One:
-Feature Film

-Audio Commentary (participants tba)

-Deleted Scenes (23:33, 9 scenes with optional commentary from director Andy Fickman)
--Extended Opening: Ray's (1:14)
--Extended Ray's Telekinesis (3:13)
--Video Game (1:10)
--Jack Beats Up Zacha (1:37)
--Tina Meets Siphon (2:13)
--Sarah Foils Security Fence (1:39)
--Alex Foils Guard (1:25)
--Extended Goodbye Scene (5:18 )
--Original Tag (5:44)

-Bloopers (3:38 )

-Dylan & Cole Sprouse: Blu-ray™ Is Suite! (5:55)

Disc Two:
-Digital Copy

Retail Bonus Disc: Retailer TBA
-Dwayne's World (4:18 )
-Bang It Up (4:14)
-Director's Journal (7:16)
-The Look (4:44)
-Alexander & Ann (3:27)

Blu-ray & DVD Combo: $44.99
Disc One: Blu-Ray
-Feature Film

-Audio Commentary (participants tba)

-Which Mountain? (7:58, BD exclusive)

-Deleted Scenes (23:33, 9 scenes with optional commentary from director Andy Fickman)
--Extended Opening: Ray's (1:14)
--Extended Ray's Telekinesis (3:13)
--Video Game (1:10)
--Jack Beats Up Zacha (1:37)
--Tina Meets Siphon (2:13)
--Sarah Foils Security Fence (1:39)
--Alex Foils Guard (1:25)
--Extended Goodbye Scene (5:18 )
--Original Tag (5:44)

-Bloopers (3:38 )

-BD-Live

-D-Box

Disc Two: Digital Copy Disc
-Digital Copy

Disc Three: DVD
-Feature Film

-Audio Commentary (participants TBA)

-Deleted Scenes (23:33, 9 scenes with optional commentary from director Andy Fickman)
--Extended Opening: Ray's (1:14)
--Extended Ray's Telekinesis (3:13)
--Video Game (1:10)
--Jack Beats Up Zacha (1:37)
--Tina Meets Siphon (2:13)
--Sarah Foils Security Fence (1:39)
--Alex Foils Guard (1:25)
--Extended Goodbye Scene (5:18 )
--Original Tag (5:44)

-Bloopers (3:38 )

-Dylan & Cole Sprouse: Blu-ray™ Is Suite! (5:55)

Original Post:
The previous threads were about the movie, this one is about the DVD.

According to UD's Upcoming Disney DVD Schedule, it streets on August 4 and will be released as a single-disc DVD, a two-disc Deluxe Edition (DVD + Digital Copy), and a three-disc Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo.

More information likely will be posted tomorrow, but for anyone interested in some of the bonus content, today the BBFC passed a gag reel and deleted scenes (22-and-a-half minutes worth):

RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN - BONUS COMPILATION Video Feature
Classified 07 May, 2009 . Run Time 27m 12s

00:03:35:15 (RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN - BONUS COMPILATION - BLOOPERS)
n/a (RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN - BONUS COMPILATION - WINNEBAGO BONUS - DELETED SCENES)
00:01:14:24 (RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN DVD - DELETED SCENES SC.079 - EXTENDED OPENING RAY'S)
00:03:13:14 (RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN DVD - DELETED SCENES SC.082 - EXTENDED RAY'S TELEKINESIS SC)
00:01:10:10 (RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN DVD - DELETED SCENES SC.086 - VIDEO GAME SCENE)
00:01:37:10 (RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN DVD - DELETED SCENES SC.094 - JACK BEATS UP ZACHA)
00:02:13:05 (RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN DVD - DELETED SCENES SC.105 - TINA MEETS SIPHON)
00:01:39:07 (RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN DVD - DELETED SCENES SC.147 - SARAH FOILS SECURITY FENCE)
00:01:25:00 (RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN DVD - DELETED SCENES SC.150 - ALEX FOILS GUARD)
00:05:18:11 (RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN DVD - DELETED SCENES SC.192 - EXTENDED GOODBYE SCENE)
00:05:44:15 (RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN DVD - DELETED SCENES SC.193-195 - ORIGINAL TAG)

I haven't seen the film (so it'll be a total blind-buy), and I'm not expecting much (in the film or DVD).

albert

[dvdjunkie]

Being the Disney completist that I am, I will be buying the cheapest version I can. May even wait for the used DVD version. This movie sucks big time and could have been so much better. Don't understand why they couldn't have done a better job with it, and I will not pay the Blu-Ray price for it that is for sure. Will probably buy "RTWM" used, and just put it on the shelf in alphabetical order with the rest of the Disney collection.

[Elladorine]

Wow, was it that bad? I never followed the reviews for it.

[goofystitch]

I am a big fan of the original and I actually really liked Race to Witch Mountain. It is very different and I think that is the main reason that many fans of the original aren't satisfied with it. They told the story in a way that would appeal to modern audiences that expect big action scenes in their Sci-Fi films. The only real complaint that I can give it is that Dwayne Johnson didn't do a very good job, and I generally think he is a pretty good actor. In this film, it sort of feels like he is just saying lines without much thought as to who his character is.

I would buy the Blu-Ray regardless of bonus features and even if it didn't have the 2 bonus discs, both of which I will probably never use. However, I do hope that we get more bonuses other than the bloopers and deleted scenes that Escapay posted. I saw the film twice in theaters and greatly enjoyed it both times.

[Barbossa]

I wish they would drop the stupid digital copy and give us some features that are worth including.

[stewie15]

Seeing as I got my Bluray player 3 weeks ago, this is gunna be a Bluray buy for me. I really liked the move when I saw it in theaters (not as much as the originals though) and I cant wait to see how good it looks on Bluray.

[drfsupercenter]

Yeah, sheesh, what it is with the Digital Copy double-dipping?

This really pisses me off with Disney's new DVDs... the two disc set is really just a first disc with MORE bonus features than the cheap single disc, and the second disc is ONLY Digital Copy.

Why can't they just give us the fully loaded first disc? It's a stupid marketing gimmick and I, for one, have absolutely no need for a "digital copy" and refuse to pay extra for it unless there's some must-see extras or something.

Heck, if I DO decide to buy the DVD (I probably won't, and just rent it for free from Blockbuster since I've never seen any RTWM movie), I'd sell my Digital Copy disc to someone who actually wants it...

[Escapay]

I would buy the Blu-Ray regardless of bonus features and even if it didn't have the 2 bonus discs, both of which I will probably never use.

Care to send the DVD my way then?

However, I do hope that we get more bonuses other than the bloopers and deleted scenes that Escapay posted.

I'm sure we'll get more (a flimsy making-of featurette(s), a commentary, and trailers for other movies )

I wish they would drop the stupid digital copy and give us some features that are worth including.

Yeah, like a second disc with actual content.

Why can't they just give us the fully loaded first disc?

Nah, I'd rather have the film by itself (or by itself plus commentary) on the first disc so the bitrate for the film is good and compression won't be an issue. Then just put all the extras on the second disc, even if it were only just like, an hour of featurettes or something. Of course, then people will complain "With so few features, they should've put it on the first disc instead of charging $5 extra for a second disc!"

albert

[disneyboy20022]

Now when I bought the DVD 2-disc of Star Wars: The Clone wars the digital copy disc also contained regular features as well.....on the digital copy disc.....idk but if Star Wars CGI can have a digital copy and still have bonus features on the same disc of the digital copy why can't the other studios do the same??

[Escapay]

Warner did the same for Get Smart, I believe. The two-disc had special features on the second disc with the digital copy. I think The Dark Knight had the digital copy on the second disc with special features as well. Disney and 20th Century Fox are the only studios I know of who'll devote an entire second disc solely to the digital copy.

albert

[drfsupercenter]

Care to send the DVD my way then?

You mean just buy you one?
I would send you the second disc though if I do buy the 2-disc set...

Nah, I'd rather have the film by itself (or by itself plus commentary) on the first disc so the bitrate for the film is good and compression won't be an issue. Then just put all the extras on the second disc, even if it were only just like, an hour of featurettes or something. Of course, then people will complain "With so few features, they should've put it on the first disc instead of charging $5 extra for a second disc!"

Me too... but if you look at these cheaply made 2-disc Digital Copy sets now, and put the DVDs in the computer... it's like the single disc edition is maybe 5GB while the first disc of the "2 disc" one is like 7.5GB.

I have a hunch the video and audio streams are exactly the same, they just put extras on as well.

So while I agree with your mind-set, I'm talking just about these Digital Copy movies and how I'd rather just have them release the fully loaded disc by itself.

Now when I bought the DVD 2-disc of Star Wars: The Clone wars the digital copy disc also contained regular features as well.....on the digital copy disc.....idk but if Star Wars CGI can have a digital copy and still have bonus features on the same disc of the digital copy why can't the other studios do the same??

PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 5:53 pm Post subject:
Warner did the same for Get Smart, I believe. The two-disc had special features on the second disc with the digital copy. I think The Dark Knight had the digital copy on the second disc with special features as well. Disney and 20th Century Fox are the only studios I know of who'll devote an entire second disc solely to the digital copy.

It seems like most movies were like that. Which is why I own the two-disc sets of The Clone Wars, The Dark Knight, Get Smart, and lots of other movies. The second disc actually had REAL BONUS FEATURES, and the first disc was the same as the single-disc release. Not this double-dipping crap Disney is doing.

I mean, even with Narnia 2, they had a full second disc of extras with a third disc for Digital Copy - that's easily discarded and fit into a two-disc case for collectors.

But oh well - people still seem to defend Digital Copy and try to argue with me that it's not a ripoff/scam... but yet, look at this double dipping. Truly saddening.

[ajmrowland]

It is somewhat of a rip-off. I only keep Digital Copies for my blu-rays that dont come with DVDs. Ok, I copied Bolt and Marley and Me, but the rest of them are without DVDs. That's the only use I see in having it.

[goofystitch]

Regarding studios that put the digital copy on a regular disc with other material, New Line cinema offered a digital copy with the 2-disc Sex and the City movie. Surprisingly, it was on disc 1, along with the movie and the commentary. Disc 2 was so full of bonus features that there wasn't room for it there.

I, for one, don't understand the need for an actual disc to obtain your digital copy. If somebody can explain it to me, that would be great. Because the way it works is that your disc force loads either iTunes or Windows Media Player and within those digital stores, you have to enter the code. From there, the file downloads, not from the disc, but from the store (as if you simply bought it on iTunes). So my question is why not save plastic and just give us the code?

If the reason is that you don't want people selling the codes or giving them away, people can still give the disc AND the code away, so its not really preventing anything. And if the disc is just used to prevent that from happening, then as other studios have proven, you can save plastic and have it on a regular disc. It seems like Disney, a company that actively promotes how environmentally friendly they are, are being very wasteful with this. That plastic could be put to better use, such as making 2-disc sets of Hercules and Hunchback (or to be more on topic, Race to Witch Mountain).

[SpringHeelJack]

I think The Dark Knight had the digital copy on the second disc with special features as well.

Yes, that's true, but the bonus disc for "The Dark Knight" pretty much blew chunks. "Batman Begins" had a better two-disc set, and like three people actually saw that movie in theaters. The bulk of the disc space was devoted to the almighty digital copy, with a few skimpy and not-too-interesting bonus features.

[drfsupercenter]

It is somewhat of a rip-off. I only keep Digital Copies for my blu-rays that dont come with DVDs. Ok, I copied Bolt and Marley and Me, but the rest of them are without DVDs. That's the only use I see in having it.

I'm talking about two-disc DVDs... of course I'd have the movie on DVD!

And even then, I would just take the Blu-Ray, rip it to my PC, and downscale it to 480p and remove all need for a Digital Copy disc...

I, for one, don't understand the need for an actual disc to obtain your digital copy. If somebody can explain it to me, that would be great. Because the way it works is that your disc force loads either iTunes or Windows Media Player and within those digital stores, you have to enter the code. From there, the file downloads, not from the disc, but from the store (as if you simply bought it on iTunes). So my question is why not save plastic and just give us the code?

I agree... I mean who's still using dialup? I think most of America has broadband by now. I know Warner Bros. had a thing with their single-disc DVDs where for $1.99 you could buy a digital copy using their special code... but I don't see why they can't do the same thing, only make it free for special editions...

But whatever. You all know how much I can't stand being forced to buy Digital Copies... and how useless I think they really are. For people with limited technical knowledge it's probably fine... but since I can make my own mpeg-4 versions of a movie without the crappy DRM, it's really not anything I would ever need or want.

[Escapay]

Care to send the DVD my way then?

You mean just buy you one?

I was talking to goofystitch, who said he'd have no use for the bonus DVD or Digital Copy since he's buying the Blu-Ray.

And you're not using the term double-dipping correctly. To double-dip is to rebuy something that you already have (example: buying the 20th Anniversary Edition of The Princess Bride even if you have the Dread Pirate Edition, Buttercup Edition, Special Edition, or original barebones DVD). You can't double-dip on a new release. What are you doing, buying the single-disc, then going back to the store later to buy the concurrently-released two-disc-with-digital-copy?

albert

[goofystitch]

If my brother doesn't want the DVD, you are welcome to it, Escapay.

[Escapay]

Whoa, really? I was kinda kidding around!

But if you're serious, then thanks!

albert

[dvdjunkie]

For all those people who aren't 'rich' like some of those here appear to be, and don't want to waste money on double dipping, I think the new way that Disney and some other studios are putting out the Blu-Rays with a regular copy of the movie and the Digital copy as the third disc and not charging any more for it is the way to go.

If I were a consumer still on the edge of buying a Blu-Ray player, I would buy this verion of all movies that provided a standard DVD as a second disc just so I don't have to double-dip in the future and waste more money on the same movie.

With over 6,000 DVD's in my collection I don't need to be doing any double-dipping, that is where I draw the line. And I am still very picky about what movies I will buy on Blu-Ray as opposed to standard, because I was smart enough to have my LCD HDTV calibrated so when a movie is upconverted you can hardly tell the difference - "is it Blu-Ray or regular?" - With all the technology out there today, most movies are digitally transferred to the disc and an upconversion will be as close to 1080p as you can get. And I am happy with that.

And those that thought "Race To Witch Mountain" was a GREAT movie, are very easily entertained. The movie was so predictable and The Rock had his hands tied down and wasn't permitted to act the way he really can and would have in the situations he was put in.

[jrboy]