Are you so excited to see Source Code that you’re willing to rent it two weeks before it’s available on DVD and Blu-ray? Well, go see it in theaters. Seriously though, Summit Entertainment will give you the chance to rent it via Video on Demand (VOD) on Friday, July 8, more than two weeks before its July 26 DVD/Blu-ray release. The studio made the announcement with the move coming as a test for a new release model.
Summit made no mention of the rental’s price. Same day as DVD releases usually cost $4.99 On Demand, but I’d guess Source Code will run closer to the $6.99 typically charged by indie companies like IFC and Magnolia for their “in theaters” titles for this two-week run.
What I like about VOD is that it provides an outlet for emerging filmmakers whose films wouldn’t otherwise be widely accessible since most major theater chains won’t carry their films. That’s one of the big reasons why I started my “Weekly Alternatives” column. Before moving to Chicago, I depended on this service to see movies such as Antichrist and The House of the Devil. Source Code, on the other hand, was once playing in nearly 3,000 theaters nationwide. To this day, the film can still be seen at one of the big AMC theaters downtown.
My thinking is that if someone really wanted to see Source Code, they would have done so at some point between its April 1st release and now. Of course, the film has only grossed about $54 million, so a lot of people are clearly still on the fence. But if you’ve already waited three months to see the thing — what’s two weeks more? From a personal standpoint, if I’ve put off seeing a film for that long I’m probably not going to see it unless I can do it on the cheap (be it Netflix, Redbox, HBO or otherwise).
Several months ago, Blockbuster started their new “Less waiting, more watching” ad campaign to take advantage of the 28 day ban imposed by the major studios on Netflix and Redbox and they still can’t keep their stores open. I can’t remember the last time I drove by a Blockbuster that wasn’t in the middle of a liquidation sale.
Oddly enough, Blockbuster more recently announced a new rental format to combat Redbox’s low prices. The plan involves a $1.99 or $2.99 charge for the first night, and then $.99 for each night thereafter. Still not that great of a deal if you ask me.
Are any of you likely to check out Source Code via VOD? Or, like me, will you simply wait until it becomes part of the sunken cost of your Netflix or cable subscription?
