Big Picture Big Sound

No one likes to feel ripped off. And when the Beatles' eponymous album with the white cover (aka the "White Album") was re-issued multiple times - LP, white LP, Special Edition white LP, limited pressing Special Edition white LP, CD, special edition CD, etc., it became a running joke among audiophiles. As new formats arose - CD, SACD, DVD-Audio - we knew: we're going to have to buy the White Album again...

The same has been true for movies. I think I have owned Blade Runner in four different formats: VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, and now Blu-ray Disc (I skipped the HD-DVD version). Well it looks like Disney and Buena Vista feel our pain and are putting their money where their mouth is in the form of $10 cash rebates for those who buy the Blu-ray Disc version of a Disney or Buena Vista film they already own on DVD. Those who want to take advantage of this offer will need to maul their DVD and Blu-ray Disc cases, cutting out the UPC codes and mailing them in with the rebate form included in the Blu-ray case, but hey, as Geddy Lee said to Bob and Doug in that 80s classic rock comedy song Take Off - "ten bucks is ten bucks, eh?"

The promotion is limited to a select number of titles but it does help take the edge off when investing in a new format. Kudos to Disney and Buena Vista for helping to pave the path to a high definition future. We wish more studios would do the same.

Current titles included in the $10 rebate promotion include:

• Cars
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
• Con Air
• Crimson Tide
• Coyote Ugly
• Hidalgo
• National Treasure
• The Rock
• The Rookie
• Shall We Dance
• Unbreakable