Is this movie ever coming out in the U.S.?
I heard about this movie years ago and have been waiting for it to come out forever. Does anyone know if it has a release date or why it's taking so long to be release? Thanks.
shareThe 'owner' of the movie rights changed a couple of time, and why that movie has not been on DVD yet (in its original version) is still a mystery to me. As if someone was still hoping to do more money over this movie by not just printing DVDs... or as if who owns what was lost inside some legal pattern, so no one moved, too scare to be sued?
shareWhile the producers were trying to get a distribution deal, it was somehow pirated and leaked onto the internet, causing it to be spread all over the world. I think there was a lid finally put on it, but the damage was done: they probably presumed that no one would be interested in paying a lot of money for the distribution of something that already went out for free. It is also expensive to continually issue cease and desist orders and lawsuits to keep the piracy that would probably flare up again if they released it, so most potential investors probably think that any more investment is good money after bad. This is a perfect example of the direct negative effects of movie piracy: all of the people who worked on this film, who spent money for it to be produced, had their product stolen from them, and it makes the environment that much more risk-averse about producing a movie that is "edgy" or creatively different. Internet piracy really does take away jobs; the excuse of "I wouldn't pay for it anyway" is bogus--if such a person had to pay for it, he wouldn't watch it. Think twice before you pay $5 for a pirated movie on the street or go to a piracy site: whether you like or not, there is a moral decision involved and each individual has to decide whether they are a thief or not.
shareThat said, I think the argument for releasing it despite its troubles is strong: if there is a such a demand for the movie as a pirated version, doesn't it show that it has an audience? There are plenty of bands who have released their albums for free for a limited time before selling it so their most diehard fans can spread the word. Although movies don't have other sources of income like bands do (merchandise, live performances) they may still want to learn from a similar industry dealing with the same problems.
shareI don't think that releasing it on DVD, or on Internet (pay per view like) is expensive, but unfortunately, publicity is expensive, and without publicity, who will know that the DVD is (eventually) available?
While there are still some commercial TV which pay (some) money to fill "low public audience" time slots by broadcasting movies... ( I just saw "Road Trip", "Evolution", and "Dude where is my car?" recently, on commercial tv) it is trivial to say that the movie has to "exist" in the first place, to generate this kind of revenue.
So, I suspect that the owner(s) know there is some money to be made with it, and I am far from having mentionned an exhaustive list of possible source of revenues. And even few dollars is better than none, and none is what they have right now, sitting on it, why the owners chose to make no money? Do they think they can do eventually more? GREAT, but then, are they waiting for the opportunity, or are they trying to create it?
This title will street on DVD in September 2011.
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