Thoughts on EXPLOITATION? of Steelbook Addicts...

[billybob123]

Film companies releasing more and more waves, sets, groups and bundles of steelbooks, in different countries, at different times, slight variations....looks like theyve got you in a corner to me.

I collected blu ray steelbooks for about 6 months, accumulated about 50 or 60 at good prices, Thor when it was £13 in HMV, IM, IM2 Play releases...all the usual desirables with the exception of the ridiculously priced ones.

Just got rid of them all when I realised what these shops and film companies have started to do more and more. Now Ive only got Serenity, and itll go to once ive watched it over the weekend.

What are your thoughts on the saturation of steelbooks over the past 2-3 months with all the exclusives coming out? (Isnt everything exclusive, I mean not just steelbooks but everything you buy, own, are?) What happened to just the niche steelbook market?

 

[Wreck]

Most consumers who buy media go into their local stores ... they don't think to shop for movies from other Countries or other Country retail sites. Ie. Most don't know that stuff is getting repeated in other Countries. So we are still the niche.

The reason why a lot of art gets repeated is not necessarily to exploit ; but its because there are contracts in place that say "You can only use X art" and if you want to use something different you have to way out of your way trying to get studios to approve such things.

I'm glad we have a retailer like Play who is putting in that effort and getting us unique art ... just sucks when you see some other Country then copy that as now that is "approved art" However, its the extra print finishes on Steelbooks or extra swag that makes a release more valuable as most other Countries who just "dont get it" dont want to spend the extra money to include such finishes or things so they "dumb" down the reprint. Thank god for that, as it still allows for us to have distinct releases in the collector realm/market etc.

This isn't really anything new tho to be honest.

Take Hellboy 2 and Death Race from Germany that released many many years ago for example ...

Has there been any other HB2 or Death Race steels since? Yes, there has. But everyone knows those are the most valuable and nicest. Why is that? Because its premium finish and even back when they used heavier metal for the steels. They are quality at its finest ... Studios arent going to spend all this extra dough to try and make another high class Death Race steel .... that was after its theatrical debut.

All these big franchise movies or comic book movies are most likely all going to see releases in steelbook again. They keep making money ... I dont mind it, but I just hope they keep bringing new art or changes.

Seeing as how you've sold off your entire collection ... I guess this is really just your vengeful spite post? Perhaps your going to collect something different now? Don't know if I should say Welcome or goodbye

welcome

---------- Post added at 10:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:15 AM ----------

ps. There are still exclusives out there, Ones that differentiate from the rest, you just have to be pretty well versed in the steelbook world to know where those are. FNAC exclusives are one for example.