WineLovers Discussion Group

Regional coding of DVDs is one of the great anti-consumer rip-offs of the age in my opinion. More irritatingly, many production houses seem to regard Region 4 (where I live) as a sort of second rate area, with the subsequent result that DVDs are often released here in inferior presentations.

The local release of Mondovino contains just the movie, nothing else. I gather the region 1 version has a commentary by Nossiter, as well as some 50-odd minutes of additional footage. So, to those of who who've seen it, is it worthwhile? Is the commentary worth listening to, and the extra footage worth the bother? At some point in the future I'm going to have to upgrade our TV, and we'll be able to view NTSC-format discs. I may hold off sourcing a local Mondovino if the region 1 version is that much better. If not, I'll get get what's on offer, much as it pains me to - apparently - support inferior product.

Opinions, anyone?
cheers,
Graeme

Graeme,

I just rented the movie on DVD, and enjoyed the "extra" time as much (maybe a bit more) than the main 'movie.'

Unfortunately, I did not have the time to go through it with the director comments turned on. But, until the movie turns into the cheap rental (still the expensive rental since it is new-ish), I probably won't revisit it.

Pretty interesting stuff... especially the @$$hole American who was picking and eating grapes out of Romanee Conti (or, one of DRC's top pinot vineyards) before they had fully finished harvest (first picking done, but not subsuquent passes yet) and after Aubert de Villaine had just scolded his pals who were doing the same thing.

I would probably hold off till you could get the full thing... especially if you had just rented it to view the main movie.

Mike

Graeme Gee wrote:Regional coding of DVDs is one of the great anti-consumer rip-offs of the age in my opinion. More irritatingly, many production houses seem to regard Region 4 (where I live) as a sort of second rate area, with the subsequent result that DVDs are often released here in inferior presentations.

The local release of Mondovino contains just the movie, nothing else. I gather the region 1 version has a commentary by Nossiter, as well as some 50-odd minutes of additional footage. So, to those of who who've seen it, is it worthwhile? Is the commentary worth listening to, and the extra footage worth the bother? At some point in the future I'm going to have to upgrade our TV, and we'll be able to view NTSC-format discs. I may hold off sourcing a local Mondovino if the region 1 version is that much better. If not, I'll get get what's on offer, much as it pains me to - apparently - support inferior product.

Opinions, anyone?
cheers,
Graeme

While I won't go into it here Graeme, but there is plenty you can do on a PC to make yourself a backup copy without ridiculous region restrictions, fbi warnings, commercials and whatever else they are doing to drive people away from buying their product. Can even convert from NTSC to PAL with a bit of effort.

How old is your TV that it won't play NTSC? > 10 years?

Cam Wheeler wrote:How old is your TV that it won't play NTSC? > 10 years?

59cm Sony circa 1992. Operating perfectly! Although I don't have the PC equipment to do the job, and I don't like trying on a foreign order for the IT guys here at work (although I have a friend who almost has the gear, except possibly the NTSC-PAL bit) I've still got to get the wretched disc from the US! Should try and assemble a pile of foreign-is-better DVDs and do a job lot I s'pose...
cheers,
Graeme

Graeme,
IMO the extra footage was more enjoyable than the film itself. The scenes of Michel Lafarge dining with his crew was wonderful, and the de Villaine encounter was priceless, too.

Mark Lipton

Trust me, after spending 3 1/2 hours and nearly falling asleep watching the main movie, you will have no energy left to see the added "features". I think these add-ons are a beingn marketing plot to feel we - the little uneducated masses - should be blessed to know what was running through the producers mind when he saw that vineyard dog taking a crap. Puh-leeeze! Better things to do with my time...

I, on the other hand, am completely mortified, since I rented the DVD with the added footage and of course never watched it because I never watch any of that "extra" crap and now you're telling me it had cool stuff on it? All right, I'll RENT IT AGAIN....