The Special Features discs in the ROBOTECH PROTOCULTURE COLLECTION has the Trailer, Music Video, Storyboard Animatics for Robotech: The Movie, but not that actual movie? It would've been perfect for a special feature.
The Trailer included is actually just the TV Spot. An actual trailer was made and added onto a VHS tape of some Cannon related movie in the UK to promote the rental tape version of the Robotech movie that was out in the UK at the time.
As for the actual movie not being included. It's down to Harmony Gold (Robotech creators) not having the license anymore to use the footage from the anime OAV 'Megazone 23' (which made up the most of the Robotech movie). That's why the TV spot and music video just shows footage from the anime 'Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross' (made up the 2nd Robotech arc). While the animatic is just the newly created footage made for the Robotech movie. While HG can use the audio track for it, they would still need to get the rights to the footage to the ending, hence why it's presented as an animatic.
Although it's odd because there is an extra feature in the Protoculture Collection that has Carl Macek being interviewed about the movie and it show footage from the movie that is actually Megazone 23 footage.
I hear Carl Macek doesn't want to release the film, but doesn't mind if someone else does. I doubt anyone will collect the rights to three things for just one movie. Harmony Gold has to get the rights back, if they have lost them.
Anchor Bay could release this movie.
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Carl Macek said that about 10 years ago and may have changed his mind during that time, although I doubt that.
Personally, I'd rather Harmony Gold dig out (if it still exists) the original cut of the movie before Cannon made all their demands and release that. It existed at one point and I hope it still does.
Personally, I'd rather Harmony Gold dig out (if it still exists) the original cut of the movie before Cannon made all their demands and release that. It existed at one point and I hope it still does
From what I've come to learn over the years, Tatsunkoko Productions refused to let them use MACROSS footage in the movie. Carl Macek's original cut of the movie was still set in the MACROSS timeline, during the time when the SDF-1 was in space and the Earth Governments are covering it up.
When Cannon came in with their list of demands is when things had to be changed. At the time Harmony Gold were already throwing a lot of their money at the production of ROBOTECH II: THE SENTINELS, but threw in a little to have the 11 or so minutes of new animated footage for the ending to be commissioned *They probably showned Cannon execs a rough cut on the new cut with storyboards in place with the ammount of time they were given*. However they were on a tight deadline by Cannon and when Cannon saw the first cut and demanded their changes, they gave Carl Macek no more then up to three days to do something they wanted, so unable to use MACROSS footage, it was either SOUTHERN CROSS or MOSPEADA footage, it was decided to stick the SOUTHERN CROSS footage in and by doing so, Carl Macek had to set it during THE MASTERS timeline and come up with a story to set in during that period. Not bad for three days work.
From what I've come to learn over the years, Tatsunkoko Productions refused to let them use MACROSS footage in the movie. Carl Macek's original cut of the movie was still set in the MACROSS timeline, during the time when the SDF-1 was in space and the Earth Governments are covering it up.
When Cannon came in with their list of demands is when things had to be changed. At the time Harmony Gold were already throwing a lot of their money at the production of ROBOTECH II: THE SENTINELS, but threw in a little to have the 11 or so minutes of new animated footage for the ending to be commissioned *They probably showned Cannon execs a rough cut on the new cut with storyboards in place with the ammount of time they were given*. However they were on a tight deadline by Cannon and when Cannon saw the first cut and demanded their changes, they gave Carl Macek no more then up to three days to do something they wanted, so unable to use MACROSS footage, it was either SOUTHERN CROSS or MOSPEADA footage, it was decided to stick the SOUTHERN CROSS footage in and by doing so, Carl Macek had to set it during THE MASTERS timeline and come up with a story to set in during that period. Not bad for three days work.
Well that's Cannon's fault at the end of the day. And if we take a look back at the time when they were planning on releasing the movie, Transformers: The Movie was out in theaters at the same time and failed to pull in decent box office cash.
People will claim that the movie failed at it's test screening in Texas, but reading about one person's experience upon seeing the movie in Texas back in 1986, he said that fan reaction wasn't negative and most of the people who saw it when he did seemed to enjoy it. So I think the whole "it failed because of a disastrous test screening" seems like people are stretching it a little too muchy. Plus, the movie was (supposedly) in Texas for a month, and when you keep a movie running in the same place for over a month, it's not gonna do any better success wise. Finally, it was a movie based (if you can claim that) on an animated TV series aimed at kids and almost all 80's animated movies that weren't Disney flicks were doomed at the boxoffice. Transformers, My Little Pony, Go-Bots. The failure of Transformers and My Little Pony forced Hasbro and Sunbow to release the G.I.JOE movie direct-to-video. The only real successful animated movie in the 80's that wasn't a Disney movie was the Care Bears Movie. So it seemed likely that ROBOTECH: The Movie was doomed even if it had been released.
It's unlikely that Harmoney Gold will look into getting the license of MEGAZONE 23 back now. MEGAZONE 23 is a highly regarded and successful piece of anime today, where as ROBOTECH: The Movie is considered an awful movie that shouldn't even belong in the ROBOTECH timeline by most fans, although I wonder if most of them have even seen it. Owning a copy myself, I can sit back and watch the movie without any problems. Sure it's got continuity holes the size of Russia and the SOUTHERN CROSS footage doesn't blend well with the MEGAZONE 23 footage, but it's an okay movie, and it's interesting to see how they tried to take an OAV that was aimed at a mature audience and turn it into a movie aimed at a much younger audience.
Well that's Cannon's fault at the end of the day.
People will claim that the movie failed at it's test screening in Texas, but reading about one person's experience upon seeing the movie in Texas back in 1986, he said that fan reaction wasn't negative and most of the people who saw it when he did seemed to enjoy it. So I think the whole "it failed because of a disastrous test screening" seems like people are stretching it a little too muchy. Plus, the movie was (supposedly) in Texas for a month, and when you keep a movie running in the same place for over a month, it's not gonna do any better success wise. Finally, it was a movie based (if you can claim that) on an animated TV series aimed at kids and almost all 80's animated movies that weren't Disney flicks were doomed at the boxoffice. Transformers, My Little Pony, Go-Bots. The failure of Transformers and My Little Pony forced Hasbro and Sunbow to release the G.I.JOE movie direct-to-video. The only real successful animated movie in the 80's that wasn't a Disney movie was the Care Bears Movie. So it seemed likely that ROBOTECH: The Movie was doomed even if it had been released.
It's unlikely that Harmoney Gold will look into getting the license of MEGAZONE 23 back now. MEGAZONE 23 is a highly regarded and successful piece of anime today, where as ROBOTECH: The Movie is considered an awful movie that shouldn't even belong in the ROBOTECH timeline by most fans, although I wonder if most of them have even seen it. Owning a copy myself, I can sit back and watch the movie without any problems. Sure it's got continuity holes the size of Russia and the SOUTHERN CROSS footage doesn't blend well with the MEGAZONE 23 footage, but it's an okay movie, and it's interesting to see how they tried to take an OAV that was aimed at a mature audience and turn it into a movie aimed at a much younger audience.
True, but Cannon didn't help by not releasing the movie at all.
It was up to Cannon as to release it or not. It is probable that upon seeing Transformers: The Movie bomb at the box office they decided against it. Afterall, Transformers was a bigger success then ROBOTECH back in the day, and if that failed to pull in the dollar, then ROBOTECH didn't have a chance.
VHS copies were released in some European countries, and there was a rental store VHS tape released in the UK. It was not released for commerical buying however.
Just because Transformers: The Movie is a cult hit now and is regarded as one of the best animated movies made, doesn't mean it was a success back then. The My Little Pony Movie brought in more at the box office then Transformers: The Movie did.
The rights to MEGAZONE 23 have passed through a few companies since Harmony Gold let their license run out. One of which was Carl Macek's company streamline, so he knew MEGAZONE 23 was something worth having another shot out. Currently, ADV Films have the rights to MEGAZONE 23 and the sequels since 2004 and while ADV have the current rights to release ROBOTECH on DVD, Harmony Gold would still need to get the license from the Japanese studio themselves if a DVD release was to happen.
I don't know if it is on Morpheus, but being a fan of the movie myself and owning a copy, I'm planning on making a reconstructed version of it along with extra material.
True, but Cannon didn't help by not releasing the movie at all.
Currently, ADV Films have the rights to MEGAZONE 23 and the sequels since 2004 and while ADV have the current rights to release ROBOTECH on DVD, Harmony Gold would still need to get the license from the Japanese studio themselves if a DVD release was to happen.