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The Matrix Media Movies

Matrix Reloaded on DVD Before Revolutions 485

Posted by CmdrTaco from the preorder-your-copy-mr-anderson dept.
SycloneFX noted that the Matrix Reloaded will be available on DVD on Oct 14, just 3 weeks before the release of Revolutions. This is noteworthy because normally there are large time spans between releases of DVDs and Sequels (although LotR had a special edition released only a few weeks before TTT).
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Matrix Reloaded on DVD Before Revolutions More

Matrix Reloaded on DVD Before Revolutions

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  • Yeesh! (Score:5, Funny)

    by TopShelf ( 92521 ) * on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:19AM (#6442938) Homepage Journal
    What timing - sounds like October will be "all Matrix, all the time." I think I'll have to load up on those red-hot cinnamon candies that look like the "red pill." Any Agent Smiths or Neo's that show up at my door on Halloween can head right back to their dreamworld...
    • sounds like October will be "all Matrix, all the time."

      You watch WAY too much Elmo...

    • Re:Yeesh! (Score:5, Insightful)

      by cshark ( 673578 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @12:29PM (#6443691)
      I can't wait! You know, the motion picture industry is so much smarter than the music industry. When the music industry starts freaking out about sales, they start suing people. When the motion picture industry starts freaking out about sales, they start messing with new marketing schemes and incentives that actually give people a reason the buy their products. I hope we see more of this kind of innovation from the motion picture industry in the coming years.

      • Re:Yeesh! (Score:3, Insightful)

        by JohnRlI ( 199149 )
        YEs, which is why they release Terminator 3 in the States a month before they do over here, and then they wonder why people download films. The fact of the matter is most of the films I download I do so because I can't currently buy them. Maybe if they provided an actual product for us to "steal" sales from then they could have some sort of complaint.

        • Re:Yeesh! (Score:5, Informative)

          by ccnull ( 607939 ) <null@@@filmcritic...com> on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @01:58PM (#6444484) Homepage
          In fairness to Hollywood (which I am loath to provide), this is sometimes a distribution problem. T3 is being distributed by no fewer than 8 different companies, each with a slice of the world where they can play. The rights issues are so convoluted that it's a surprise movies like this ever hit screens at all.

          Contrast that with Matrix 2, which was distributed by Warner Bros. in almost every country and which hit within a week of the US release in nearly all of them.

          Just something to think about. I don't think there's a conspiracy to screw you just because you're (presumably) in Europe.

          Or is there...

      • Re:Yeesh! (Score:3, Insightful)

        by detritus. ( 46421 ) *
        When the motion picture industry starts freaking out about sales, they start messing with new marketing schemes and incentives that actually give people a reason the buy their products.

        You mean how they release a movie on DVD, wait 6 months, then screw the customer when they intentionally release a special edition of the DVD with never-before-seen footage, extra commentary, etc...

        They definitely give you a reason to buy their products, or re-buy their products..

        Mark my words -- next year we'll see a Mat

        • Re:Yeesh! (Score:5, Funny)

          by realdpk ( 116490 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @01:38PM (#6444279) Homepage Journal
          Yeah, really. I gave the MPAA my credit card details to keep on file. Now they won't stop using it to buy me the first DVD release and then all of the subsequent special releases. It's out of control!

          If only I had a choice not to buy all of those DVDs, what a wonderous world that would be.

        • Re:Yeesh! (Score:5, Insightful)

          by captainktainer ( 588167 ) <[moc.oohay] [ta] [reniatkniatpac]> on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @01:45PM (#6444367)
          I think that's his point. Hateful or not, it brings in the money. Exploiting human psychology to sell a product is fine as long as everyone involved knows what's going to happen- yes, there will be a "value added" release several months after the original DVD is sold. Caveat emptor- let the buyer beware.

          If you don't want to play their game then don't buy the initial product. It is a *choice* you must make- whether to succumb to instant gratification or delay gratification until a point where you can maximize your enjoyment. The motion picture industries are continuing a time-honored tradition of exploiting the human desire for instant gratification. Exploitative? Maybe. Cynical? Absolutely. Wrong? I don't believe so.

          Personally, I think this plan is marketing genius- the people who see the DVD are going to remember how very cool the second movie was and will be even more exciting about seeing the third film. Cynicism aside, it's probably the best way to promote co-produced sequels like this, and I'm glad that for once the studios seem to be showing a little bit of respect for a film.

        • Re:Yeesh! (Score:3, Insightful)

          by drinkypoo ( 153816 )
          It's just another intelligence test. The smart people will download starting with a torrent and wait for the boxed set to come out, then buy that.

          Sure, it's not illegal, but it's not really immoral IMO. Plus, the only thing a corporation understands is monetary feedback. If you hold off on buying the movie, but buy it later when it has the features you want, then it sends a clear signal that you want the special features. Meanwhile, if you are going to buy it later, you're not stealing the content, you're

  • I'll wait. (Score:5, Funny)

    by teamhasnoi ( 554944 ) * <teamhasnoi AT yahoo DOT com> on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:20AM (#6442943) Journal
    I'm still trying to figure out the first one.

    • Re:I'll wait. (Score:3, Funny)

      by sharkey ( 16670 )
      I'm still trying to figure out the first one.

      Carrie Ann Moss is Bill's mom, and she's still hot. Remember when she was a Senior, and they were Freshmen?

  • The plan all along... (Score:5, Informative)

    by Richardsonke1 ( 612224 ) * on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:21AM (#6442966)
    This was the plan all along. The reason why the film is coming out at this time is because this is the earliest they could release it. The said that they were doing this because the cliff-hanger at the end of the second movie was so much that they would be killed if they waited the normal amount of time to release the sequel.

  • That's funny... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:22AM (#6442973)
    I could've sworn I was watching a DVD quality version a couple days before it came out. This must be some sort of typo.

  • Additional Content (Score:5, Interesting)

    by GeckoFood ( 585211 ) <geckofood@nosPAM.gmail.com> on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:22AM (#6442976) Journal

    From the article:

    While both the VHS and DVD will be priced for sale to consumers, the DVD includes several bonus features that should boost sales, such as a behind-the-scenes look at how the freeway chase scene was crafted and shot and the humorous parody of "The Matrix Reloaded" that was featured on the 2003 MTV Movie Awards.

    The extra content, in this case anyway, might well be worth the investment in the DVD. Any word on "Easter Eggs" on this one like there was in the original??

    • I disagree. (Score:5, Informative)

      by Murdock037 ( 469526 ) <tristranthorn@ho ... .com minus berry> on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:57AM (#6443351)
      The extra content, in this case anyway, might well be worth the investment in the DVD.

      This seems like a pretty half-assed DVD to me. We all know the term "Special Edition" has no meaning anymore, but it's pretty obvious they've rushed this out to coincide with the release of Revolutions.

      Take a good look at those "bonus features." [dvdfile.com] It's a few featurettes, the kind of vapid press release crap you see on HBO before the movie's released. No commentary. No deleted scenes. Why do they need a second disc for this?

      There's already talk of a genuine special edition [cinescape.com] (scroll to the bottom of the article), after the Wachowskis are done with the Revolutions hoopla. If you're not willing to buy a movie twice, you're going to be kicking yourself later.

  • Great... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Schezar ( 249629 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:22AM (#6442978) Homepage Journal
    Now I can watch that rave/orgy in all its home-theatre glory. With slow-motion and freeze-frames, I'll bet I can get a good estimate of the true volume of saliva shown on screen.

    Even better, I can loop it and leave it on 24/7. I'm sure everyone in the apartment will love it!

    • Re:Great... (Score:2, Insightful)

      by aardwolf204 ( 630780 )
      Even better. Rip the DVD. Using VirtualDUB you can cut the scene out, then share it on Kazaa! I wonder how many people would even notice/miss it?

      • Re:Great... (Score:3, Funny)

        by nick_drake ( 679204 ) *
        I remember seeing that scene at the theater and thinking "What the f*** was the point of all that?" I felt like I had wasted some of my life.

        Also, I was thinking, "Oh, okay. So all these people were 'saved' from the Matrix into dance party hell?"

  • That's better than then Animatrix - which was released on DVD a few weeks after Matrix Reloaded came out in the UK.
  • Soon they will no longer just come in red and blue pills, but a variety of fruity flavors! But seriously, it's amazing how carefully people market products these days. They've got the video game tie-in (which sold well despite poor reviews and saved the publisher), the online game in the works, comics, and the obligitory action figures.

    • PEZ? (Score:2, Funny)

      by not_a_george ( 687840 )
      forget all that, WHEN DO I GET MY NEO PEZ DISPENSER?
      They cannot deny me my life giving PEZ!!!
    • I'm surprised they haven't come out with Red & Blue Pills already. Several months ago I toured the Jelly Belly [jellybelly.com] warehouse in Wisconsin. They've put out those many-flavored beans from Harry Potter, so they'd make a natural fit for a Matrix deal...

  • I wonder... (Score:5, Funny)

    by borgdows ( 599861 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:23AM (#6442995)
    ...does the Matrix contain any SCO code ??
    • I don't know about SCO but i suspect that there is a good deal of Microsoft code. This is evident from the Animatrix where one of the features tells the story of a glitch in the Matrix.
      I somehow feel happy it does not run Linux. We would never escape.

    • Re:I wonder... (Score:5, Funny)

      by aardwolf204 ( 630780 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:48AM (#6443267)
      The Matrix runs on NT4, Duh! Why else do you think it keeps reloading?

      Theres a KB Article on it:

      The information in this article applies to:
      Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 for Matrix
      Microsoft Windows for Matrix 3.11
      Microsoft Windows Matrix 95

      SYMPTOMS
      Matrix reloads

      CAUSE
      Neo chooses wrong door

      RESOLUTION
      To work around these errors, rename the file door2.mtx to door1.mtx, or copy the door2.mtx file to another location. You may also be able to work around these errors if you remove unnecessary files from the root directory.

  • The Domimatrix (Score:5, Funny)

    by Jack Comics ( 631233 ) * <{gro.sxtsop} {ta} {scimoc_kcaj}> on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:23AM (#6442998) Homepage
    Personally, I'm waiting for the fourth Matrix movie, "The Domimatrix." It stars a whip-wielding Carrie Ann Moss. She already has the leather part down. I figure that movie would make more sense than "Matrix Reloaded," and would also be more entertaining.

  • How is early bad? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by thesiltman ( 312651 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:24AM (#6443001)
    I can't imagine why they wouldn't come out with it before Revolutions. There has to be some people who missed it in the theater, and others will want to refresh their memory (or remember where they were left hanging...)

  • Good! (Score:5, Funny)

    by gerf ( 532474 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:24AM (#6443003) Journal

    And with the anonymous Kazaa Lite/++ up, that's just enough time for me to download a divx rip without anyone knowing! Whoops, did i post that?! /runs

    j/k MPAA, it's meant to be modded Funny, not Informative!

  • DVD (Score:2, Funny)

    by skidrowe ( 688747 )
    It'll just be made out of silly putty, with a small hair-less child saying "There is no DVD" as it flops in your hand...to which you'll respond "Woah"

  • Clue me in (Score:3, Funny)

    by Nick of NSTime ( 597712 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:25AM (#6443011)
    What is the Matrix?

  • This is a good thing (Score:2, Interesting)

    by mikehilly ( 653401 )
    Maybe if I watch the first two at home, then that same day go watch the third one at the movies, it will all make sense.

    Probably not, but who cares?
  • "(although LotR had a special edition released only a few weeks before TTT)"

    LOTR: The Two Towers Special Edition DVD - 8/26
    LOTR: The Two Towers Extended Edition DVD - 11/18

    LOTR: Return Of The King 12/17 Theatrical Release

  • The Release (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Waab ( 620192 ) * on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:25AM (#6443024) Homepage

    This is more noteworthy because the DVD is being released less than 6 months after the movie first hit the theaters. That's insanely fast. Of course, so is releasing the next movie in the series without a gap of a at least a year.

    But, as the editor pointed out, movies in the LotR series have had DVD releases just prior to the theatrical release of the next film.

  • I was expecting them to do this all along for marketing purposes. It doesn't take a lot to figure out that a fast selling DVD will boost the market for any sequels. The first Matrix movie is like this, in fact. The movie didn't gross that much at the theaters when you compare it to the DVD sales. I don't have exact numbers, but a quick Google search should bring them up. Obviously the DVD sales pushed the huge release of Reloaded in the theaters. If it worked once for them, why wouldn't they try it ag

  • This is good news.... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by phorm ( 591458 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:28AM (#6443042) Journal
    for those who haven't watched the movie in theatre yet. After explaining the "to be continued" ending to a friend, he mentioned he wouldn't be watching the movie in theatre.

    I was surprised, and wondered if he would really be turned off watching the movie entirely because of the ending - however his plan is to get the DVD, and watch it the day before Revolutions.

    Sounds like a good deal for those who haven't seen "Reloaded" yet, as you can see both movies at about the same time if you grab the DVD.
    • I agree totally. To be continued is the cheapest most unprofessional ending ever. Its crap.

      A good story has resolution. A soap does not. That ended like a soap and resolved NONE of the issues it brought up. It did not advance the story. I was NOT pleased. In fact I was very disappointed. They put too much money into frills and not enough into the fundamentals.

      • Re:This is good news.... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @12:22PM (#6443597)
        That ended like a soap and resolved NONE of the issues it brought up. It did not advance the story. I was NOT pleased.

        You are NOT very observant, then.

        Here's how it worked. The Whatchamacallit Brothers went to Village Roadshow/WB and said, "Here's our script. It's 300 pages long."

        VR/WB said, "Great. Love it. Cut 180 pages."

        TWB said, "Uh... we'd rather not. How about we make a 5-hour movie instead and release it with an intermission?"

        VR/WB said, "Uh... we'd rather not. How about you make two movies?"

        TWB said, "Uh... we'd rather not. How about we make one 5-hour movie and split it down the middle, release 'em six months apart?"

        VR/WB said, "How much money will this make us?"

        TWB said, "Billions."

        VR/WB said, "Okie-dokie."

        As a result "The Burly Man," the sequel to "The Matrix," is a five-hour movie that's been split right down the middle (not especially at the best place, either) to turn it into two 2-1/2 hour movies.

        You watched the first half, got up, and went home. And here you are, bitching about resolution.
      • Not to troll, but how was the ending to Fellowship of the Ring any different? The action had an abrupt end with no resolution. The only difference is that they went straight to the credits instead of to a "To be concluded..." banner.
      • To be continued is the cheapest most unprofessional ending ever

        Oh no you didn't... you did not just insult my favorite movie EVER... Back to the Future!

    • Re:This is good news.... (Score:5, Funny)

      by ErikTheRed ( 162431 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @12:19PM (#6443565) Homepage

      Sounds like a good deal for those who haven't seen "Reloaded" yet, as you can see both movies at about the same time if you grab the DVD.

      Oh yeah, /. is just overflowing with people who haven't seen "Reloaded". 15 times. In the last week.

  • Makes sense to me (Score:5, Informative)

    by poot_rootbeer ( 188613 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:28AM (#6443045)

    Seems like the logical thing to do. Release a DVD of the last movie, getting the Matrix franchise back in people's minds. People can watch Reloaded to refresh their memories on the plot so far before going to see Revolutions. A buzz builds in anticipation of the upcoming theatrical release.

    It's just "strategized marketechture" at work.

  • Think it twice (Score:5, Insightful)

    by cniebla ( 158677 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:28AM (#6443049) Homepage
    Why bother to buy this DVD? You could wait a little longer and have the "Ultra-Special Gazillion-DVD Bundle-Bonanza" with all the bells and whistles, for a discount, a little after the release of the final installment of the Matrix saga (or any other saga).

    Its plain stupid to be on a rush and go get the movies in separated DVDs, you'll end with less features, needing to sale them on E-Bay just to buy the final-special-edition.

    A shame...

    • Obvious of course, but... (Score:5, Interesting)

      by SuperKendall ( 25149 ) * on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:50AM (#6443286)
      I really like to watch an original movie just before the sequel, if possible.

      Also, a new and diabolical tactic they are using now is to include different special features on different DVD sets - so the extras here (which look to be pretty good) may well not even be on the Special Ultimate Uranium Edition, or The Matrix Thoughtfully Reconsidered.

      Translation: I'm buying the DVD.

    • Some of us... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by alexjohns ( 53323 ) <[moc.liamg] [ta] [cirumla]> on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @01:21PM (#6444132) Journal
      ...have enough money to buy both. It's not stupid to buy stuff you want, generally. Yes it's stupid to waste your money on cigarettes. Unless you're one of those people who are addicted (or just really, really like them). It's stupid to buy junk food. Unless you're addicted. It's stupid to buy an SUV, unless you don't care about the environment. Or just value your personal safety over that of the environment.

      It's not stupid to buy this DVD if it allows you to watch the first and second movie just before the third one comes out. I don't have an eidetic memory, so don't you think my enjoyment of the third movie would be heightened if I can have the previous one fresh in my mind when I see it?

      What I think is stupid is to call other people stupid. You know nothing about me. My wants, desires, needs. My likes and dislikes. My IQ. My common sense. Calling me stupid is an insult to stupid people. Or something.

  • Was that my choice or was I destined to see it last night? I'm glad I didn't have to wait too long to get my answer.

    It was a great movie. I'm usually a harsh critic, but this movie I liked and the action scenes were simply awesome. I even liked all the "choice vs destiny" talk although they did lay it on too thick at some times.
  • I'm sure they are a bit embarrassed with Finding Nemo (5/30 release) handing them their lunch to the tune of $18,000,000 after being in theaters for 2 fewer weeks (MR 5/15 release).

    http://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchises/vs-summer0 3.htm [boxofficemojo.com]

    • Re:build up the hype machine (Score:4, Insightful)

      by phoenix_rizzen ( 256998 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @01:09PM (#6444030)
      Who cares how much money it made? I want to see the number of tickets sold for each movie. Tabulating total ticket prices is irrelevant as there are so many different price points for tickets (matinee, weekend, cheap night, regular, adult, child, senior, youth, etc).

      The only metric worth tracking is number of tickets sold. Yet no one ever tracks them.
  • Movie studios like to tie in the DVD release with something else, since it ramps up the hype for both things. So the DVD for The Phantom Menace came out not long before Attack of the Clones in the theater; the DVD for Harry Potter and the [Philosopher's|Sorceror's] Stone not long before the second Harry Potter movie.

    Keep the hype up, and you'll sell more of both. And with the short release cycles of movies these days (also intended to keep the hype up...), you can release a movie, release the DVD while peo

  • Newsworthy? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Since when did "Marketing Ploy" start meaning "Newsworthy"???

  • that DVD better be high quality.... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Gorphrim ( 11654 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:40AM (#6443179)
    ....hopefully they'll base it off the Centropy release....

  • Spoiler **WARNING** (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Neo has something to do with the Matrix.

  • This is a good thing... (Score:5, Funny)

    by eln ( 21727 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:48AM (#6443272)
    This means I can skip past the "slow zoom out from Keanu Reeves's ass" scene. Not to mention the part where Morpheus is speaking to the crowd at Zion and trying to be all tough and authoritative with his massive gut hanging out.

    Really, any version of the movie where I can skip over the entire Zion sequence will instantly make this movie 10 times better.

  • I'm waiting this one out. I bought the first Matrix DVD (because I didn't know there would be a sequel). I've been a "victim" too many times of the "release DVD. buy DVD. release Special Edition DVD with special features and extra scenes. buy DVD. release boxed set of all the series on DVD. Buy set. Release special edition boxed set of all series on DVD. ARGH! buy new set." I think my roomate easily spent $200 just on the Star Wars DVD's.
  • Resist your urges to buy this DVD! You know that they're going to release a trilogy box set deal after the third movie and that you're going to want that as well...
    willpower...fading...must...not...buy...

  • Must be some mistake (Score:5, Funny)

    by djupedal ( 584558 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @11:53AM (#6443314)
    I picked up a copy of Reloaded on DVD over a month ago... in Seoul....what's with this October noise :)

  • About Time (Score:4, Interesting)

    by mobileskimo ( 461008 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @12:07PM (#6443463) Journal
    I was wondering when they'd figure this one out. I mean really, is it that much a brain surgery to guess that releasing the DVD just as the movie ticket sales drop would be a good idea? Wait the normal length of time between release and media and people say "Oh I gotta get this on DVD!" and then forget. Put the video out after the theatre experience is still somewhat fresh in their memory and maybe you get more sales? I'd be surprised if more movies don't do this. Am I missing something here?

    BTW, I'm not purchasing this DVD. Why collect media at all anymore? I have only one answer to this. Transport of large amounts is still cheaper and faster by foot. Other than that, Net becoming fast ubiquitous, I think I'll make the leap and commit to media-less entertainment.

    • Re:About Time (Score:4, Interesting)

      by bucky0 ( 229117 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @01:10PM (#6444036)
      BTW, I'm not purchasing this DVD. Why collect media at all anymore? I have only one answer to this. Transport of large amounts is still cheaper and faster by foot. Other than that, Net becoming fast ubiquitous, I think I'll make the leap and commit to media-less entertainment.

      Even is you don't want to collect media, you should still buy it so that the people who made it can get paid. Commiting to media-less entertainment hurts the people that entertain you(If I interpreted your comment correctly (I.E. you're just gonna kazaa it))

  • How many of you waited past closing credits? (Score:5, Informative)

    by baywulf ( 214371 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @12:17PM (#6443544)
    If you sit through all the closing credits on Matrix Reloaded, there is a small preview of Matrix Revolutions.

  • "To be continued..." hurt Reloaded? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by apetime ( 544206 ) <ape.com@gm[ ].com ['ail' in gap]> on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @12:46PM (#6443851)
    Lots of people are complaining about the cliffhanger at the end of Reloaded, but I think the ending hurt the movie in a different way..

    If you have a movie that ends abruptly, then the main thing that's going to stick in peoples' minds after they get out of the theatre is "Oh God.. I can't want to see the next one.." NOT "I can't wait to see that again." That's why Reloaded fell from first place so quickly. It's not that people didn't like it, but that, apart from the geeks who want to analyze every bit of the movie, nobody is going to go see a movie that leaves them high and dry again and again.

    I predict Revolutions is going to dominate the box offices at the end of this year, with people going to see it over and over, because it (should) have a satisfying ending. And, if the studios are smart, they'll make sure to put the whole Matrix+Reloaded+Revolutions 6 hour epic out in limited release in theatres.

  • Perfect sense... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by AyeRoxor! ( 471669 ) on Tuesday July 15, 2003 @02:05PM (#6444558) Journal
    This makes perfect sense to me. I was thinking about it the other day. When people walk out of the theaters after viewing a great movie, they want to buy it on DVD. For most movies, this isn't possible, and the people have to wait. But if the movie they just saw was a sequel, and its predecessor is available for purchase, the people will run out and buy it. So, to release a DVD weeks before its sequel comes out is marketing genius. It hypes the upcoming sequel and itself, and if the sequel is great in the theaters, the first will sell great for the home.

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