07.27
I was rather excited when I got in on the limited edition DVD release of Tales of an Ancient Empire, that changed when I received an email today.
Thank you for your recent order of the Tales of an Ancient Empire – Special Limited Edition DVD. Your credit card has NOT been charged but we wanted to let you know that due to piracy concerns the producer has decided to postpone the release of the movie on DVD in lieu of an earlier digital streaming release.
Now, there are two ways that this can be taken. The first is that someone release an early copy of the film, much like what happened with Wolverine: Origins. The only problem with that option, is that the DVD was supposed to have shipped a week ago. With Wolverine: Origins, they were worried about the work print causing fewer people to go to theaters, which can be understandable. With Tales of an Ancient Empire however, they had sold all the special editions, and that was all that was available. There could be no worry about declining ticket sales, as they were already sold. Likewise, as the DVDs were already printed, boxed, and should be in my hand by now, it is unlikely that they would be making changes or refilming any scenes due to a pirated leak.
That leaves the second way that this can be taken, that they don’t want to give us the DVD in fear that we, the paying customers, are going to pirate the movie, which just pisses me off. This means that the producer is calling me a criminal. They are telling me that they do not want to give me the DVD, because they are afraid that I will give free copies to other people.
And of course, with either option, they are postponing the release because they are afraid of losing money. That’s right, in order to not lose money, they are refusing to take my money. They think that by sitting on their products and not selling them, they will not lose money.
Before, I would have watched this movie through the eyes of hopeful nostalgia. I probably would have liked it no matter how terrible it was, but now, when I watch it, I’m going to keep thinking, “What a bunch of douchebags”.