Pan's Labyrinth (Blu-ray SteelBook) (Zavvi Exclusive) [UK]

[digitalbabe]

Release date: December 11th, 2013
Purchase link: Pan's Labyrinth
Price: £14.99
Notes: Limited to 4000 qty.

Spoiler

 

[jimmyv]

It's about protecting your investment.

For Example, Universal licence out Repo Man to MoC in the UK. They also licence it to Criterion in the US. As a result, Universal insist on both versions being region coded. That way, the UK doesn't lose out on sales from the US and vice-versa. Either way though, Universal gets its cut. It's because different companies own the rights for home viewing.

But blu ray sales exchange worldwide now. It is no longer region protected in any way. This concept that you speak of no longer applies, and no longer works at all. In the end, these licensing agreements do nothing to protect anything.

Since this Pan's Labyrinth is likely to be B locked, even if the final artwork is awesome, I still may not buy it, and since there's no alternative here in the US, all they did was lose another sale.

 

[snooloui]

But blu ray sales exchange worldwide now. It is no longer region protected in any way. This concept that you speak of no longer applies, and no longer works at all. In the end, these licensing agreements do nothing to protect anything.

Since this Pan's Labyrinth is likely to be B locked, even if the final artwork is awesome, I still may not buy it, and since there's no alternative here in the US, all they did was lose another sale.

Except it does protect the companies' interests. How many times do you see someone express disappointment about a title being region locked? All the time, often it results in them not purchasing said title.

 

[jimmyv]

Except it does protect the companies' interests. How many times do you see someone express disappointment about a title being region locked? All the time, often it results in them not purchasing said title.

I don't follow.

Doesn't that pretty much support what I'm saying?

 

[blujazz]

The cover is everything I'd want it to be.

 

[tenderheartbear]

Remember in the early DVD days?

People all over the world were pretty quick to figure out how to make their players region free. For those of us in the UK it was an absolute Godsend who were used to films not getting a home video release, films that were already on DVD in the US but hadn't even had their theatrical release and, most importantly, films that were cut here but uncut there.

Obviously, the UK distributors were unhappy because they'd spent money on advertising the movie, classifying it through the BBFC (not cheap) and making the discs and were losing revenue.

Sony added RCE as a way of supporting the UK market. It was trying to stop people from ordering the US versions and thus protect the interests of other markets.

Although we now live in a global market, releases only take into account the projected sales in their home country. Look at Doctor Who DVD sales. Although they're also released in the US and AU, the BBC only look at the UK figures when it comes to the budget for their creation. If the UK had stopped buying them, then the range would have stopped regardless of the US sales figures.

 

[snooloui]

I don't follow.

Doesn't that pretty much support what I'm saying?

Well no because in most situations, there is an alternative release in the member's region which they are supposed to purchase instead. Of course Steelbooks are a completely different game as many collectors will purchase from all over the World but often they use the same discs as regular releases which is why they are locked.

 

[riddlesNrhymes]

Im surprised that people are moaning about this, the front artwork is amazing! I honestly can't believe that people would prefer the regular poster on the front. Yes it's a nice image but it's been used to death. It's on the uk amaray, the german steelbook and most likely many other versions around the world too.

There's a lot of hypocritical moaning going on, people get annoyed when steels are re released with the same artwork but now they're complaining that this one is different! I feel sorry for the studios and retailers, they just can't win with you lot.

 

[blujazz]

...At least can we get a consensus that they should change the back? It doesn't match the front, it lacks creativity, it simply looks like a screen grab of the film pasted on the front and the spirit of the awesome cover is lost on the back. Change it! Keep it simple.

 

[jimmyv]

Well no because in most situations, there is an alternative release in the member's region which they are supposed to purchase instead. Of course Steelbooks are a completely different game as many collectors will purchase from all over the World but often they use the same discs as regular releases which is why they are locked.

Right. No longer applicable.... like... at all. We crash a Korean website at all world times and sell out a release in a matter of minutes. 5,000 copies of Aladdin sold in less than 3 days to buyers worldwide. Even a Region B locked From Dusk til Dawn sold out before release. Why? The steelbook, not the disc.

It's time they wake up and understand that the Region coding 100% does not work anymore. It's woefully ineffective.

As you said, there is no special Pan's Labyrinth steelbook edition in the US. So if I don't buy this steelbook from Zavvi, they lose a sale.

Exclusive collectors editions should be region free. If Aladdin and WFRR and Close Encounters and The Bourne Legacy and Argo and Black Swan can be region free and nobody calculates how sales were lost to specific regions on those, then so can Pan's Labyrinth be region free.

They need to let it go.

 

[riddlesNrhymes]

I agree that the back should be better suited to the front, it's not terrible, it just doesn't blend very well together.

 

[snooloui]

Im surprised that people are moaning about this, the front artwork is amazing! I honestly can't believe that people would prefer the regular poster on the front. Yes it's a nice image but it's been used to death. It's on the uk amaray, the german steelbook and most likely many other versions around the world too.

There's a lot of hypocritical moaning going on, people get annoyed when steels are re released with the same artwork but now they're complaining that this one is different! I feel sorry for the studios and retailers, they just can't win with you lot.

It's all about using the right artwork. Sometimes the art that has been done to death is the right artwork to use because it is the best.

Right. No longer applicable.... like... at all. We crash a Korean website at all world times and sell out a release in a matter of minutes. 5,000 copies of Aladdin sold in less than 3 days to buyers worldwide. Even a Region B locked From Dusk til Dawn sold out before release. Why? The steelbook, not the disc.

It's time they wake up and understand that the Region coding 100% does not work anymore. It's woefully ineffective.

As you said, there is no special Pan's Labyrinth steelbook edition in the US. So if I don't buy this steelbook from Zavvi, they lose a sale.

Exclusive collectors editions should be region free. If Aladdin and WFRR and Close Encounters and The Bourne Legacy and Argo and Black Swan can be region free and nobody calculates how sales were lost to specific regions on those, then so can Pan's Labyrinth be region free.

They need to let it go.

Like I say, Steelbooks are an International business, but amarays are not except for a few hardcore collectors. Most are happy to wait for an amaray release in their own country. I know that's the way I feel. Steelbooks often just use the amaray disc which is why they are locked. I guess it's just a negative side effect of studios' cost saving measures.

 

[Leshita]

I love this Steelbook! With the right embossing / debossing this could be my favourite of 2013.

 

[hayemaker]

I like this, and I like it even more now I know the origins of it and that it's extremely unique. They could have been lazy quite easily here and gone with the tried and trusted artwork but this looks pretty special IMO.

The back is questionable.

 

[SlyFondle]

But blu ray sales exchange worldwide now. It is no longer region protected in any way. This concept that you speak of no longer applies, and no longer works at all. In the end, these licensing agreements do nothing to protect anything.

Since this Pan's Labyrinth is likely to be B locked, even if the final artwork is awesome, I still may not buy it, and since there's no alternative here in the US, all they did was lose another sale.

How have they lost another sale? Are you saying that there are no more than 4000 people who might want to buy this, including you? And if you don't buy it they'll be stuck with a copy they can't sell?

 

[shejon01]

I've never seen it but heard good things. Would prefer if the art style from the front continued to the back though. Probably an order regardless though.

 

[urbeenjammin]

so...is this the blueprint that Zavvi should've used to create the cover for this release...they've used other artworks before from previous releases whether it would've been steelbook or amaray.
remember,we're just talking about the artwork with some debossing
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l515/urbeenjammin/P1030843_zpsf67f52d8.jpg

 

[jimmyv]

How have they lost another sale? Are you saying that there are no more than 4000 people who might want to buy this, including you? And if you don't buy it they'll be stuck with a copy they can't sell?

Well... we know that it's a possibility that this might sell out. So I understand your point, but not every limited release is guaranteed to sell out. Many don't, and in many cases, yes, they could be stuck with the copy I might have ordered.

Your speculation/assumptive thinking that there are definitely more than 4000buyers may or may not be true for this Pan's Labyrinth steelbook, but I really don't think that has any bearing on the decision/purpose to region lock it.

 

[vivaperu348]

In my opinion this artwork is utterly timeless. It works for me like the Jaws Steelbook uses the exact same artwork its used for the past 38 years. For those who think we are "bemoaning" the original art for the front, its not like that at all. I simply suggested this cover for the front with the "art"work cover taking the place of the atrocious proposed back cover art. I don't think anyone is saying that the artwork cover is bad at all. I simply gave this solution that I think a lot of us would be happy with. Also, I feel like this would really emphasize the fantasy tone that the movie is based on. I do like the artwork cover but it just feels like a back cover to me, just my opinion.

Another option would be to keep the front cover as is and use just the tree with Ofelia standing in the middle for the back cover, similar to how From Dusk Till Dawn uses new art for the front and a different variation of the cover art for the back.

From Dusk Till Dawn Steel

Spoiler

View attachment 37596View attachment 37600

 

[Ataneruo]

I first saw the cover art on Zavvi's item page and I was very pleased with the front cover. It is unique and fantastic. However, I then saw the back cover which totally ruined the entire steelbook for me and switched me from a must-buy to a skip. I then came here and was gratified to find that the vast majority of posters feel the same way. Please heed the concerns Zavvi and change the back cover! I would be fine with a switch of the hand-drawn art to the back and the original gate poster in the front, or vice versa. Anyways, keep the hand-drawn art somewhere on the cover and replace the reprehensible eye-monster with something else.

 

[tenderheartbear]

Well... we know that it's a possibility that this might sell out. So I understand your point, but not every limited release is guaranteed to sell out. Many don't, and in many cases, yes, they could be stuck with the copy I might have ordered.

Your speculation/assumptive thinking that there are definitely more than 4000buyers may or may not be true for this Pan's Labyrinth steelbook, but I really don't think that has any bearing on the decision/purpose to region lock it.

You're right, the fact that Pan's Labyrinth now gets a steelbook has nothing to do with the fact it's region locked.

The Optimum release was region locked because Optimum only held the rights to sell it within the UK. I assume that this Studio Canal steelbook is region locked because Studio Canal only have the rights to sell it in the UK also. The fact that Zavvi ship worldwide is irrelevant.

I'm sure both Optimum and Studio Canal would rather their releases were region free, but as they're not worldwide distributors of the films they have, I assume the rights holders make it part of the agreement. It's as simple as that.

You can buy a copy of Ted, American Pie, Back to the Future or Psycho from anywhere in the world because (AFAIK) Universal hold the worldwide distribution rights and don't care which version you get. On the otherhand, Island of Lost Souls, Repo Man, Rumble Fish and Silent Running will possibly be region locked depending on where you buy it from (the UK versions are) because of licencing agreements.