How Do You Promote A Bad DRM Scheme? With A Bad Movie Of Course

from the bad-gets-worse dept

Tue, Nov 22nd 2011 8:22am — Zachary Knight

Recently, we were talking about the horrible customer reviews that Warner's Ultraviolet DRM was getting. These customers were having such a hard time trying to justify the headache that came from complying with the requirements to watch their legally purchased movies. Warner seems to be trying to make the service worthwhile and is now bundling free digital movies with video games. If you buy Batman: Arkham City, you will also get a digital Batman movie for free. Which movie will you get? Batman Forever of course. Wait. What? If the goal of these promotions is to get people to start using the service, wouldn't you think they would try giving away a movie people would actually want to watch? As opposed to the worst Batman flick ever?

I guess the people running Warner just don't realize that customers want quality content. Sadly, when you are offering crap to customers there really isn't much you can do to polish it up. Maybe the next deal will actually be worth it. Most likely not though.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: batman, batman forever, drm, reviews, ultraviolet, video games
Companies: warner bros.

42 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 8:24am

Worst?
As bad as Batman Forever was, Batman and Robin was worse by an order of magnitude. Clooney as Batman? Arnie? Alicia Silverstone?

Though I guess it could be worse. They could give away the movie Ultraviolet along with the DRM of the same name.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
el_segfaulto (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 8:27am

Yes...
I agree with the sentiment, but Batman and Robin would have been far worse. It's up there with Crystal Skull, and the Star Wars Holiday Special. Batman Forever was bad...but not epically bad.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Donnicton, 22 Nov 2011 @ 8:27am

....huh.

How do you promote a bad DRM scheme? Bundle it with a game that features a bad DRM scheme! BRILLIANT!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
RD, 22 Nov 2011 @ 8:28am

Not the worst Batman
Worst Batman movie on that chart maybe, but Batman and Robin is far and away worser. Both are directed by Joel Schumacher, who is otherwise a capable director, but should never have been let anywhere near a comic movie, he doesnt have the sensibility for it. He thought it would be a hoot (and of interest to ANYONE) to return Batman to the yuck yuck 60's style, after everyone and their mother had spent the intervening 30 years bringing Bats back to his darker, more serious roots. He single-handedly ruined the franchise until Nolan rescued it a decade later. The Nolan movies almost didn't get made because of the travesty that was the Schumacher Batman's, that's how bad they are.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
:Lobo Santo (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 8:30am

I cannot help but wonder...
I cannot help but wonder where the "Batman XXX: A Porn Parody" would fall on the above graphic ranking the popularity of various Batman movies...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
PaulT (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 8:32am

"the worst Batman flick ever"

How did you miss Batman & Robin? 13% on RT...

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1077027-batman_and_robin/

Anyway, maybe this is a reverse attempt at promoting the DRM. After all, if nobody wants to watch the crappy movie, nobody will notice the DRM and thus they can say they didn't get complaints about it.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Donnicton, 22 Nov 2011 @ 8:35am

Re: Worst?
"Ice" to meet you.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
BeachBumCowboy, 22 Nov 2011 @ 8:35am

Batman and Robin...

13% on the rotten tomato meter. At 44%, Batman Forever looks like Citizen Kane in comparison.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Phil, 22 Nov 2011 @ 8:43am

Kids movies
Ever watch a kids movie lately? #DRM is used to force advertising on impressionable kids. 30-60 mins of forced ads? #copyrightabuse
[ link to this | view in thread ]
anonymous, 22 Nov 2011 @ 8:44am

it just goes to show
a) how out of touch the movie studios are
b) exactly what they think of their customers

giving away a 16 year old movie if it's any good is one thing, but this???!!! absolute crock of s**t!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Rob, 22 Nov 2011 @ 8:45am

Movies worth it
The list of movies worth getting with ultraviolet (counting all movies ever printed, not just ones currently available) listed below with equal signs above and below the list.

===
===
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Rikuo (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 8:52am

"I guess the people running Warner just don't realize that customers want"

I guess the people running Warner just don't realize at all what customers want, and even if they did, don't want to satisfy the market.

FTFY
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Chris-Mouse (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 8:59am

This fits right in with Warner's business model
After all, their business model seems to be "extract the maximum number of dollars in exchange for the minimum amount of value"

They're giving away stuff that they otherwise can't sell. They wouldn't want to give away good movies, those can be sold, oops, licensed for money.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
gorehound (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 9:00am

The best idea of rus all is to avoid the RIAA & MPAA altogether.And they will be avoided once this Country realizes that these assholes are behind SOPA & PROTECT-IP ACT and their big money has now stolen their precious freedom away.
How will the people react to you then MAFIAA when the truth is clear to see and can not be hidden away ?

Throw them Politicians all out I say and so do millions of others.
End Money Lobbying
End Big Money Donations to Politicians/PAC Groups and other Political Groups/Political Parties
Set Term Limits
End Corruption
Vote Smarter in 2012
Maybe even force Democrats and Republicans out with new faces or Parties
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Chris Rhodes (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 9:01am

Re:
DRMCEPTION!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Another AC, 22 Nov 2011 @ 9:09am

Re: Kids movies
On most of my childrens' DVD's you can skip the ads pushing you to buy other DVD's at least. Can't say the same for all the FBI warnings my children don't understand (or care about, really).
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Zangetsu (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 9:35am

Polishing Crap
I object. You stated "Sadly, when you are offering crap to customers there really isn't much you can do to polish it up"

Mythbusters showed that you can polish crap. I submit that this is the reason why UltraViolet DRM exists.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Rekrul, 22 Nov 2011 @ 9:42am

Re: Worst?
Though I guess it could be worse. They could give away the movie Ultraviolet along with the DRM of the same name.

Still not worse than Batman & Robin. At least Ultraviolet had Milla and some impressive, if somewhat ridiculous, action scenes.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 22 Nov 2011 @ 9:47am

Re: Kids movies
This is why I'm teaching my granddaughter how to download: I really don't want her subjected to all those commercials. With any luck, I'll have her sufficiently-well trained in the ways of proxies, torrents, anonymizers and Unix by the age of 15-16 that she'll be able to pass it on.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Rekrul, 22 Nov 2011 @ 9:50am

Re: Not the worst Batman
Worst Batman movie on that chart maybe, but Batman and Robin is far and away worser. Both are directed by Joel Schumacher, who is otherwise a capable director, but should never have been let anywhere near a comic movie, he doesnt have the sensibility for it.

Several years ago, I was talking to a guy who writes freelance articles for various SciFi/Action movie magazines, and who was at the premiere of Batman & Robin with Schumacher in attendance. He said that as soon as the movie ended, the audience started yelling "Kill Joel Schumacher!"

I've seen Tim Burton's Batman films several times each and still enjoy them. I've only ever watched Schumacher's Batman films once each.

However, contrary to most others, I didn't really care for Batman Begins and I still haven't watched The Dark Knight.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
The Groove Tiger (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 9:53am

Re: Worst?
Batman Forever was worse than that movie with the shark repellent bat spray.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Nigel (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 9:53am

while I am clearly with the pitchforks and torches crowd on this stuff I will at least give them credit for trying something, anything. Nice whack at it but try again please.
Nigel
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Chronno S. Trigger (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 10:07am

Batman Forever?
We got Under the Red Hood when we got Arkham City. Still had the same stupid DRM and we still didn't watch it.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
GlowInTheDark, 22 Nov 2011 @ 10:32am

Bat Shark Repellent FTW
Batman Forever was worse than that movie with the shark repellent bat spray.

The movie in question, the 1966 Batman Movie, scored 86% on RT, one point better than Batman Begins.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
GlowInTheDark, 22 Nov 2011 @ 10:33am

Re: Bat Shark Repellent FTW
My bad, it only got an 83, but still just 2 points below Batman Begins
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 22 Nov 2011 @ 10:44am

So, Ultraviolet is like a... reverse... garbage truck? It brings garbage to your house for free?

I'm confused.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
DEF (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 10:51am

Re: Worst?
Agreed:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1077027-batman_and_robin/
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Leander (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 11:07am

Re:
I have a couple of WB movies with the "free digital copy insde" And in my experience they do not deserve points for trying, because they're not.
It's so horribly bad and broken I gave up using this crap. The download is slow, the website used for registering is user-unfriendly, and (my personal favourite) once you download the file, the DRM system prohibits you from moving the file to another directory or disk.

I wonder: didn't someone at WB download a torrent from a movie to see what the appeal was?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
PRMan, 22 Nov 2011 @ 11:33am

Ironic
They could have given away any of the excellent Animated Batman movies (Mask of the Phantasm, SubZero, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker). Excellent movies that most people haven't seen.

As a freebee, who would complain that it's a cartoon?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
The Devil's Coachman (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 11:33am

Re:
Unfortunately, you are correct, sir! Do not feel confused.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Vincent Clement (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 11:33am

Re: Re: Worst?
Most people want to forget that Batman & Robin was ever made.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Ed, 22 Nov 2011 @ 12:13pm

Forever is not the Worst
Batman Forever is a masterpiece compared to Batman and Robin !!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
heyidiot (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 1:15pm

Re: Worst?
Ouch. Oh, my! I forgot about that one...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 22 Nov 2011 @ 2:09pm

Re: Kids movies
It�s all right, you can turn off Twitter mode while you�re here. And there�s no 140-character limit, you can write at length with no need to
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 22 Nov 2011 @ 4:28pm

Self-Inflicted Injury
Why do people even bother trying things with DRM in them, these days? If something requires you to use a DRM scheme, then stay away. It is that simple. DRM is a deal killer, every time.

As for infecting your computer with DRM, just so you can watch a Hollywood movie, what were you thinking? Hollywood movies are directed at 17-year-old boys. Grow up, people. Pay attention to computer security. The security problems of DRM schemes are well known.

Do not buy anything with DRM in it. Just walk away. The only exceptions to this rule are:

1. The item has primary useful functions which you can use without involving the DRM. Then the DRM just increases the cost of the item slightly without adversely affecting its utility. For example, SD cards.

2. The DRM has been comprehensively broken for years. So, DVDs are OK, but blu-ray is not, because blu-ray has not been broken well enough for long enough.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
The Devil's Coachman (profile), 22 Nov 2011 @ 5:44pm

One thing about Warner I never understood
Since all they make is shit, how is bundling more shit with their shit antithetical to their business model? Shit plus shit - shit!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Allomancer (profile), 23 Nov 2011 @ 12:21am

Re: Batman Forever?
Well, I'm not really going to recommend watching anything with the Ultraviolet DRM, but I watched Under the Red Hood on Netflix Instant and it was pretty decent. Don't know if it's still on there, though.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 Nov 2011 @ 12:52am

Re: One thing about Warner I never understood
shitastic!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
The Groove Tiger (profile), 23 Nov 2011 @ 6:06am

Re: Re: Bat Shark Repellent FTW
Yeah actually it was pretty kickass.

But... shark repellent bat spray!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Loki, 23 Nov 2011 @ 7:12am

Re: Worst?
Thank you. I knew I couldn't be the only one who thought that. I saw Batman Forever like four or five times in a bar with the sound off, and I thought it was decent. Then I heard it with sound, and realized the dialog could have used some serious work.

By contrast, Batman and Robin just sucked all the way around. The action sucked. The acting sucked. The dialog sucked. If I'd been in that movie I'd leave it off my resume.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Loki, 23 Nov 2011 @ 7:18am

Re: Re: Worst?
They could include Dungeons and Dragons. When you make even Jeremy Irons look lame and floppish, you have to qualify as worst directed movie even (although I know there are a lot of M Night Shyamalan detractors who would disagree).
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Rekrul, 23 Nov 2011 @ 10:53am

Re: Re: Re: Worst?
Dungeons and Dragons was silly, but at least I didn't want to claw my eye out after watching it. It didn't really strike me as any worse than a bunch of other sword & sorcery movies.
[ link to this | view in thread ]