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First iTunes Movie Premiere: Purple Violets

9to5mac reminds us that the first feature film to be launched exclusively on iTunes is opening today. Written and directed by Edward Burns, Purple Violets is a romantic comedy starring Selma Blair, Debra Messing, and Patrick Wilson. A preview page is already available on iTunes (though ordering is currently unavailable) along with a trailer.

The LA Times notes that this digital-only distribution experience may take some getting used to:

As the first full-length feature to premiere exclusively on Apple's iTunes store -- not in theaters -- your date would have to be cool with coming over to watch the movie on your laptop. Or desktop. Or even on the gorgeous little 3-inch by 2-inch screen of your iPod Touch -- since nothing says romance like sharing ear buds.


But director Edward Burns wants his fans to be able to see his films when they are released, and not face the same issues with limited distribution that he has dealt with in the past. Online film distribution also eliminates printing and distribution costs. That being said, the ultimate success of a film may be limited by this form of distribution. Apple's vice president of iTunes reveals that while the most popular movies have sold "hundreds of thousands" copies each, no single iTunes movie has broken the 1 million download mark.

iTunes Link: Purple Violets, $12.99 Pre-Order pricing

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55 months ago
Finally, maybe now people will take iTunes a little more seriously.
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55 months ago
Well, give it time. It took the Music Store a while to ramp up, too.

The only problem I have is knowing that I want to spend $10 on a movie I haven't seen. Of course, I'd spend more than that going to the theater, but there's a mental disconnect there.

Once the Apple TV gets sorted out (ie; more compelling) movies and tv shows will sell better, I think....
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55 months ago
And yet I still can't buy any of 'em, exclusive or not, here in Canada. We're just a little bit north, guys, not on another planet. I'm sure working out deals can't be that difficult!
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55 months ago
It's odd they still haven't offered a system to rent movies yet. I'd be renting movies almost exclusively through iTunes.
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55 months ago
Once downloaded, do I then have the movie for life? Or only for a certain number of days?
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55 months ago
I watched the preview and, in all honesty, this really seems like a gimmick to compensate for an overplayed cliche.
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55 months ago
umm... Apple tv?

I don't understand this posting at all. If anything, it will help apple sell more of those otherwise useless things.
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55 months ago

Once downloaded, do I then have the movie for life? Or only for a certain number of days?


With iTunes, you own the file. So as long as Apple exists, it won't expire. That being said, it costs $12.99 (in preorder)

arn
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55 months ago
With movies being sold only on the US iTunes store, those in the UK,Canada,Australia or Europe won't be able to see this movie.
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55 months ago
Hmm, so as a Canadian, the most I can do is watch the preview?
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