> I think it makes some amount of sense. It says, "Hey, this DVD has a lot of cool stuff on it -- it's not just the movie by itself." There are plenty of movies that will never get a DVD with any features beyond the movie itself, and by labeling a disc as a special edition it lets you know right off the bat what the score is.

The thing is, it's really easy to abuse. For example, when Pearl Harbour was released on Region 2 DVD, it sported a big "2-disc edition!" sticker that failed to inform the buyer that the movie had been spread over the two discs.

It's fairly easy to figure out what kind of extras you can expect from a DVD based on the age of the movie and, to a limited extent, the distributor. A quick flip of the case will reveal the viewing format, sound format and a brief list of the extras available in a discreet bulleted list.

If it was a limited release of a movie, or the studios had gone to a lot of effort to put together a really wholesome package of extras, or released a different cut of the movie, I could see the point in adding the words "Special Edition", because then it truly is special.

After searching long and hard on the Daredevil DVD, I fail to see why it earns the extra wording on the cover art - it's just a cheap advertising gimmick.

Mind you, if I had my way these days shops would employ staff who could divert you from disastrous purchases..."Just put it back, dude. Get "Jesus' Son" instead, it's only 5.99 and a way better movie".

Bourne