U.K. DVDs more available than U.S. DVDs (some cheaper)?

[AlecWest]

I've found a few films available on DVD in the UK that aren't available on DVD in the USA (like "The Quiet Earth"). But, I also notice that, in some cases, buying a DVD from a U.K. source (even after shipping is added in) is cheaper than from a U.S. source. Example?

There's one movie I've always loved - David Lean's 1984 film, "A Passage to India." So, I went to Amazon.com to see how much a DVD of it costs:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000056KMW/

It goes for $26.99, free shipping included. But, when I went to Amazon's British site, I found the same DVD (with shipping added in) for only $15.70 after currency conversion:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000089AUE/

Since I have a region-free player that can play either PAL or NTSC DVDs, it's getting to a point where I always check out UK prices before I buy a DVD. Sometimes, you can do better on the other side of the pond.

[AlecWest]

BTW, I just posted the following review of "A Passage to India" to both IMDB.com and Amazon.com. I don't think IMDB will have a problem with it. But (grin), it'll be interesting to see if Amazon.com allows it considering what I say in the "P.S." at the end of the review.

Sometimes, what you don't see can be of equal importance to what you do see in a film. David Lean's film is no exception ... but more on that later.

A film of epic quality, it follows two travelers on their journey from England to India during the Raj colonial period of the 1920s. For Adela Quested, it's her first time out of England to anywhere. For Mrs. Moore, it's a chance to visit her son, Ronny, who is expected to marry Adela during the visit. But, their visit is not without incident.

What both Adela and Mrs. Moore discover is an India ruled by British bureaucrats (Ronny being one of them, a city magistrate) who exude personal and cultural superiority over Indians. This was a shock to them since they both expected to find Indians and Britons meeting socially and on friendly terms. The only exception to that rule appears to be Fielding, principal of a college.

Through Fielding, Adela is introduced to Professor Godbole (a Hindu holy man) and Dr. Aziz (a Muslim physician) socially. Mrs. Moore met Aziz in a previous scene but had not yet met Godbole until that moment. One note on that (a film flaw). During that mosque scene where Mrs. Moore meets Dr. Aziz, Aziz never once mentions his name to her ... yet later, Adela knows his name as mentioned to her by Mrs. Moore. Perhaps his name was mentioned in a brief scene that ended up on the cutting-room floor. But, that omission is trivial and in no way detracts from the enjoyment of the film.

During this social introduction, Aziz invites Mrs. Moore and Adela on a journey to the Marabar caves, a tourist destination. On the trip, and tired from all the activity, Mrs. Moore stays at the encampment near the lower caves and encourages Aziz and Adela to explore the higher caves alone.

Then, something happened ... and I won't tell you what (grin). Suffice it to say that Aziz finds himself in police custody. A court trial ensues that pits culture against culture, race against race, and clearly demonstrates the differences in attitudes between resident British citizens and Indians. But the trial's climax isn't the most moving part of the film. Lean has risen the film's denouement to a higher level ... one that leaves you smiling and crying at the same time. But what Lean does NOT mention in the film is equally interesting.

In today's world, India is beset by inter-sect angst between Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and persons of other faiths. In theory, this inter-sect rivalry has been around since before India became a British colony. But, this rivalry was not mentioned once in the film. It is perhaps a testament to the novelist (E.M. Forster) and Lean to realize a potent underlying force in the story ... that British colonial rule held these rivalries in abeyance ... uniting Indians of all faiths into a common bond that eventually forced colonialism to end in India.

The film is a masterpiece on every level and remains one of my favorites of all time.

P.S. Closing comment to those (like me) who own region-free DVD players that render both PAL and NTSC DVDs. For some reason unknown to me, it's over $10 cheaper to buy the DVD from Amazon.co.uk than it is from Amazon.com ... even after overseas shipping is added in. That's where I ordered mine (from the UK).

[yoda313]

Well it mentions another amazon site so maybe they'll let it slip if anyone catches it

[AlecWest]

Well it mentions another amazon site so maybe they'll let it slip if anyone catches it

Hehehe, or maybe Amazon.com will (ahem) lower its price. I haven't "really" ordered it yet ... but plan to about a month from now. I will check back with Amazon.com beforehand. Gosh I hope they don't contact Amazon.co.uk and tell them to "increase" THEIR price. Maybe that review wasn't a good idea, hehe. We'll see...

[MackemX]

I'd like to know how we can't buy the DVD for the Up series here in the UK yet you can in the USA

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002S64SC/002-3309087-4864857?v=glance&n=130&v=glance

it's all about British kids growing up from the age of 7 at 7 year intervals until 42. The latest series 49 Up was on this year in the UK yet we can't buy the DVD for the whole series!!!

it's about British childhood and how many lives evolved growing up, yet we can't buy it

where the hell is the sense in that and what interest would the USA have compared to the UK?

the people in the UK will probably be like me and enjoyed watching these programs every 7 years as they were growing up also

[lordsmurf]

I buy from amazon.co.uk more than amazon.com