Chapter 1

12 Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About DVD
Where Can I Read Reviews of DVDs?
The following sites have reviews of at least 800 discs. The list of DVD review
sites at Yahoo is also recommended.
• The Big Picture (www.thebigpicturedvd.com)
• BinaryFlix (menu pictures included with every review,
www.binaryflix.com)
• The Cinema Laser (www.thecinemalaser.com)
• The Digital Bits (www.thedigitalbits.com)
• DVD Authority (www.dvdauthority.com)
• DVD File (www.dvdfile.com)
• DVD Review (www.dvdreview.com)
• DVD Shrine (www.dvdshrine.com)
• DVD Talk (www.dvdtalk.com)
• DVD Verdict (www.dvdverdict.com)
• Widescreen Review Magazine (widescreen movies only,
www.widescreenreview.com)
How Do I Find out when a Movie Will Be Available on DVD?
First, check one of the lists and databases mentioned in the previous section
to make sure it’s not already available. Then check the upcoming release
lists at DVD Review and Laser Scans (www.laserscans.com/upcoming.htm).
A release list is also available at Image Entertainment (www.image-entertainment.com),
and a good source of info about unannounced titles is the
Digital Bits Rumor Mill (www.thedigitalbits.com/rumormill.html).
Why Isn’t My Favorite Movie on DVD?
Many factors determine when a title is released on DVD. Sometimes the
director or producer has control over the DVD and video release. Other
times it’s up to the studio marketing group or problems may be occurring
due to rights. For example, a DVD might be available in one country or
region but not available in another because different studios have distribution
rights in different countries. Studios do listen to customers, so let them
know which titles you’d like to see (see Chapter 6’s “Studios, Video Publishers,
and Distributors”).