Hi Matt-
Boy, it's been forever since we talked last LOL
Anyway, the main difference is basically the special features. For example, next month there will be a two-disc "Special Edition" release of one of my favorite movies, Casablanca. The first one had trailers and a documentary hosted by Lauren Bacall. This next one will have, according to Amazon.com:
- Commentary by critic Roger Ebert
- Commentary by author-historian Rudy Behlmer
- Theatrical trailer(s)
- Introduction by Lauren Bacall
- New digital transfer
- Nearly 10 minutes of newly found deleted scenes and outtakes
- Bacall hosts two documentaries, "You Must Remember This" and "Bacall on Bogart"
- "The Children Remember": parental memories from Stephen Bogart and Ingrid Bergman's daughters Pia Lindstrom and Isabella Rosselini
- The Looney Tunes homage "Carrotblanca"
- Premier episode from the 1955 Casablanca TV series
- Audio-only treasures: "Screen Guild Players Radio Production" with the three stars, plus rare scoring session outtakes
- Production history gallery: Photos, press materials, studio correspondence, memorabilia, and more
So it's basically the addition of features that a normal edition wouldn't have. I'm still waiting for a good version of the Keaton/Nicholson Batman. All there is to date is the crummy version from about five years ago with NO special features. IAVMMCM is "Special Edition" because of things like the audio commentary, Inside Pepe's Studio, etc. Things that the filmmakers/actors had to go out of their way to make (not including things like trailers or a digital transfer).
Hope this helps
- Billy