The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Tuesday, February 8, 2011'- 5
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycomTuesday, February 8, 2011 -5
Delving into
distribution
H ollywood studios have computer, TV, video game con-
an immense amount sole or mobile phone, is easy to
of control over their use and plentiful.
products. In contrast to televi- Instant Netflix streaming
sion programming, the eco- allowed me to watch "Empire
nomic value Records," "Jarhead" and three
of a motion old Tom Cruise movies on my
picture itself Xbox last Wednesday, so there's
- not adver- no denying that it's perfect for
tisements or those who can't get enough of
merchandis- the past. But is it a legitimate
ing or cul- release medium for new home
tural impact, , video releases?
but the rev- ANKUR The studios don't think so,
enue it gen- SOHONI because they simply just don't
erates purely make enough money off the
as entertain- deal. And they aren't risking
ment, through ticket sales and it - actual new home video
movie rentals - is something releases are only available via
its creators are hesitant to give Netflix's physical distribu-
up. Amid viewers' technological tion branch. And even then,
shift from physical home video they're constrained by a stu-
distribution to digital video dio-imposed 28-day window
distribution, the studios are between the store release and
thus eager to capitalize on new Netflix release. The reason? The
services and stay ahead of the marginal revenue from a single
consumer. Netflix rental just isn't high
In my adolescent obsession, enough to grab their immediate
I accumulated a list of every partnership.
movie - yes, every movie - I That partnership is much
had ever seen, in order of prefer- more common in on-demand
ence, and started a home video digital services that avoid sub-
collection from number one scriptions but instead charge
onwards. Each movie was an per rental - cable, satellite and
event, the type of thing I would some newer Internet-based
build up all day towards - even services like CinemaNow and
if I couldn't recreate the theatri- VUDU (which are partnered
cal experience, I could recreate with Best Buy and Wal-Mart,
the spirit of it in my outlook. respectively) are among these.
At a certain point, I stopped Both offer brand-new releases
collecting DVDs. And when Blu- at about five dollars per rental.
ray became the next generation
format of choice, even though
Ihad the capability to play the DVDs
discs, I limited myself to only a fade,
few purchases, and even fewer * * *
rentals. It wasn't so much that
I wasn't interested in watching forever
movies at home. The shift in my
thinking simply mirrored the
shift in the collective: I evolved
to desire'a qinker, smoother r,.- All of these sevics are
home videa sxperience. The ,-Air.:advancedditHefi own righr-but
effort of a trip to Blockbuster or one has to examine the poten-
the price of a DVD became too tial effects of the trend. The
great; as we get lazier, so do our type of distribution that ulti-
activities change. mately wins out will be based
This shift has perfectly posi- on which brings the studios
tioned cable services like Com- the greatest revenue. But how
cast and satellite providers to might the evolution of digital
allow subscribers to rent films distribution change the face of
directly through the On Demand movies in general?
function on their cable boxes, It's likely that you have, in
often at the same time as their some form, experienced early
physical home video release. - albeit already wide-scale
Such distribution allows for low - forays into digital distribu-
marginal-cost production com- tion. It's inevitable that these
pared to the DVD rentals of old will become, probably very
("old" being represented by your soon, more than a service for
friendly neighborhood Block- the tech-savvy, and expand to
buster store). become main distributors of
Netflix also has one of the high-quality home video.
most popular digital rental Beyond the commercial
services. Its instant streaming concerns, there are underlying
function, which allows sub- social effects of the impending
scribers to build up a queue of shift in home video; for years,
digital titles to watch on their See SOHONI, Page 6
for more information call 734/615-6449
The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
Presents the 31st Distinguished Senior Faculty Lecture
Cut Copy gets in the zone
Outback-bred band
has no rules, is just
right on new release
By CHLOE STACHOWIAK
Daily Arts Writer
Let's face it: There's just some-
thing cool about Australia. Be
it the tourist-
packed dance
clubs thump- *
ing with bass or Cut Copy
the sandy white
beaches on Zonoscope
Travel Channel Modular
programs, our
perspective of
the island is drenched in a sum-
mery, effortless appeal. Even the
2000 Olsen Twins movie "Our
Lips Are Sealed" - with its jet
skis, yacht parties and shirtless
blonde surfer dudes - depicts an
enticing portrayal of the country,
in a preteen kind of way.
With the release of their album
Zonoscope, the Melbourne natives
of Cut Copy have granted our
culture yet another gift from the
outback. An intoxicating blend of
disco beats, breezy guitars and
electronic melodies, the album
captures Australian coolnesswith
an '80s pop touch. It's a vibrant
fusion of modern . and retro
sounds, perfect for both loung-
ing under a beach umbrella or as
the background music of a Molly
Ringwald prom scene.
Pounding steadily with drums
and synthesizer, Zonoscope's first
track "Need You Now" opens the
album with strength and style.
The solid rhythm is layered with
clapping hands, twinkling key-
boards and airy background
vocals, creating six lively min-
utes of electronic ecstasy. Nearly
everything about the track is
alluring, leaving the listener long-
ing for more of its pulsating beats
long afterthe end.
"Take Me Over" is as catchy as
its preceding track but shakes up
the techno currents with surfer
flair. As the peppy guitar part
plays behind the animated elec-
tronic melodies, it's easy to fall
prisoner to the song's energy.
Even the vocals of lead singer Dan
Whitford are trancelike, as they
inundate the song with a rich,
steady smoothness.
While most of the tracks
bounce between '80s rock and
techno, some have a more sur-
prising presence on the album.
"Where I'm Going" is one of
these: Between its organ parts
and crooning falsetto vocals,
See CUT COPY, Page 6
'Dead Space' scarier second time
By TEDDY PAPES But the protagonist's luck
Daily Arts Writer hasn't changed much, and it's out
of the frying pan and into the fire
The last time we saw protago- for Mr. Clarke. The game's open-
nist Isaac Clarke was at the end of ing moments feature a hospital
"Dead Space" when he was being attendant who tries to help Isaac
attacked by his out of his straight jacket, only to
alien-infested have his own head split open by
girlfriend. an alien and his body mutated
Needless to Dead Space 2 into a deadly blade-ridden dop-
say, the out- pelganger.
come looked PlayStation 3, As Isaac runs down the hail
quite grim. As Xbox and PC past all the "Necromorphs" -
the beginning E . human-alien hybrids - with his
of the video arms in his straight jacket, an
game's sequel, immense feeling of helplessness
"Dead Space 2," can attest, it turns takes over. Even after he compiles
out that he is still alive. an arsenal of weapons, that feel-
ing me
rest of
At t
hard t:
rifying
Gr
weapo
equipp
down t
Necroi
the con
anages to pervade for the of enemies make entering new
the game. areas a daunting task.
times, "Dead Space 2" is All the old enemies from "Dead
o play because it is so ter- Space" return, but a few new ones
. Even with high-powered greatly improve the dynamic of
the gameplay. The Stalkers are
Necromorphs who are extreme-
eat ame la lyfas"t ""and hunt in packs. They
appear in labyrinth-like rooms
OK game. and are very adept at hiding from
view - they will quickly jump
over boxes in the far corners of
the room, and occasionally utter
nry, Isaac never seems guttural sounds as an unsettling
ed enough to safely take reminder that they are waiting for
the ever-imminent wave of Isaac in the dark. Fighting them is
morphs. Limited ammo and like fighting a pack of velocirap-
nstant fear of large swarms See DEAD SPACE, Page 6
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Rackham Amphitheater
4:10 PM
LSA
p 4 4
4