On Wednesday afternoon I watched THOR which has now been running 5 days (not including last easter mondays previews), Nine days before the movie arrives in American cinemas. I dont have a problem who sees what first as well long as the movie shown but sadly there is some people in the world who seem to have a problem with it.
As result of getting to see a movie before USA all movie posters in the cinemas as well as some billboards, bus shelters have had there posters removed and replaced by an offensive Copyright poster and that all screenings will be monitored.
Let’s get one thing straight here we do not support piracy here at The Peoples Movies and the film studio’s fears of piracy is totally understandable but this poster seems that the film studio may not have alot of faith in the British & Irish Movie fans when they use these posters. The internet is a great thing but sadly it is a haven for copyright theft and movies are probably the biggest abused media, but sadly instead of the movie studio targeting British & Irish movie fans a cam version of the movie has made its way online and guess what its not British but Russian!
So the question we could ask will this poster be shown in American Cinemas or was this a ploy to annoy movie fans outside USA? Let’s also be realistic here there no specific one country worldwide that is the biggest abuser of copyright every country has there fairshare including UK, Ireland and USA, yes there is some do it more than others but to target just one country is a little unfair.
The Question people could ask is this marketing ploy just another unfair dig at UK&Ireland, plus other countries who get to see a blockbuster movie before USA? It’s hard to say but remember last year Kick Ass was shown USA and there was a bit of a outcry why them not us type moan?You need to ask the film distributors that question as UK distributor wasnt the same as US one and this year we have seen the trouble with Terrence Malick’s Tree Of Life and if things never kicked off this Friday 6th May British & Irish fans would have been watching the movie before American film audiences who will see the movie on 27th of this month. If the movie was released on 6th May it would have meant the movie wouldn’t have been a premiere at Cannes Film Festival who weren’t actually as bothered as the American film distributor who now threaten legal action. Sadly the news was greeted by shock by movie blogs/sites though some of movie fans greeted the news as great news or on a comment on a blog we shall not name out of respect one of there readers said it “was justice for true movie fans, American movie fans” thanksfully that blog removed the offensive comment.
What is ironic ATTACK THE BLOCK was premiered in USA but wait a minute its a British Movie shouldn’t it have been shown in UK first rather than USA? Was there similar posters used like THOR poster? Probably not. I have been asked by 1 American based movie marketing company to remove reviews as I’ve broken the stipulations, I asked why there reply was its not out in USA yet and I should know there was an embargo, though after I made my point they soon realised not every movie website and blog are American, The Peoples Movies is Scottish based movie blog like our sister site Cinehouse. Those complaints from the American PR where coming from several American blogs whose privacy was kepted.
Sadly due to a minority of movie fans worldwide who beleive American should be the first place All movies should shown first which isn’t right, but like majority of movie fans worldwide they couldn’t care less who gets it first they just want to see the movie. So even if the movie is shown first in USA who cares? Use it as a positive as reviews stateside will come first which gives all movie fans a earlier view if a particular movie is good or not. I look forward to the day when a new movie is released worldwide on the same day, if its not do we care no, as long as we know it will arrive in our country one day thats good enough for me.
Below is that image of the now infamous Thor poster, I attempted to take a snap of the poster on my phone as I made my way up to 5th floor (yes 5th floor of 6) where the movie was been screened unfortunately I was stopped by a member of that cinema and was informed if I did take that image even the poster below I will liable of copyright theft. Dont despair the guys at Bleeding cool were able to take it and its below.
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I can remember them from the 1980’s when cinema’s where cinema’s long films had intervals, ushers came in with the ice-cream, sometimes you had seat numbers you stuck to them or when a screen is getting full an usher would guide you to a free seat with torch.
yeah I know exactly what chain who use nightvision glasses watched harry potter today in one of those cinemas. Ive been pinpointed to once i had a officebag which had a place for my laptop and apparently they were watching me at no point asked me whats in the bag and when i went into the screen they immediately escorted me out as they could not see the bag and accussed me of filming even though I have no cam on my laptop plus without it been plugged in its power is dead after 10minutes!
yes I have the ‘Card’too!
The patrols at CW are getting a bit out of hand sometimes. Have you noticed that they are often disturbing the climax, or key scenes, of the film? And I really don’t appreciate being watched by night vision scopes on EVERY visit. Three times at least some “helpful customer” has reported us; once because my partner carries a cane and this helpful person thought we were stupid enough to have a camera on a tripod. On one occassion security asked me to help spot a reported suspect – turned out it was me! Security tapes were even reviewed on another occassion to ban the “infringers”, until they realised it was only us.
I have to say, individually, for the most part, I can’t praise the staff highly enough. But the way they are being directed to act, and the general degree of suspicion, never mind the prices (Thank Heavens for The Card!) would actively drive people away from the cinema. And as you mention the queues, a couple of the spys being moved on to the box office would work wonders.
I’m (just) old enough to remember ushers and doormen; now, instead of service, we have only surveilance. I’m certain its doing far more harm than good.
The amount of anti copyright theft advertising at my local has become so much that I find it personally insulting. And I think we attend the same cinema (and, yes, it is technically illegal to take any photographs inside; never mind that I recall the occassional foyer display specifically designed to be posed with).
In the (distant) past, cinemagoers were treated like honoured guests. Now that we are paying through the nose for the privilidge, we are being treated simply as suspects.
As for release dates, I’d say in general it doesn’t matter, except in high profile, highly anticipated releases, or those with “secrets”, be it promotion or twist. In cases of the former, I find it frustrating to be discussing online, in great anticipation, some new installment of a favourite series, only to have to abandon the boards when the film has been released in the US, but is still (at least) a week or two away here. The fact that The Sixth Sense (a film I didn’t care for personally) hinged on a twist was common knowledge long before it hit UK screens. Fortunately these stagered releases, which do more to encourage piracy than anything, are becoming less common, but particularly frustrating recent examples have been Cloverfield and Super 8; their promotion was based around secrecy and anticipation, but their producers didn’t care that this element was almost completly lost outside the US by delaying overseas releases.
My personal view is that the entertainment industry, especially as regards film, hugely overestimates the effect of piracy. Viwing a camed download is NOT an alternative to a cinema visit, and I know of not one person who has ever passed on a cinema visit to watch a pirated copy. Yes, piracy is wrong, but most of the people who engage in it wouldn’t go to the cinema anyway, and the rest engage in it as a stop gap between actually having seen the film in cinemas and being able to buy the DVD.
End of rant. Sorry.
BTW, I believe we get Bond 23 almost two weeks before the US. While that is in our favour on this occassion, that is exactly the sort of film that should get a simultaneous release. Studio’s should not underestimate the power and value of the online community, and that sort of thing kicks it in the teeth.
totally agree, just back from cinema watching harry potter, there was a queue and a man in his 50’s moaning moaning about the wait and boasted he rather watch a pirate copy and he was saying it really loud making it obivious. If cinema’s sort out their pricing structures more people would go, less people may not download as much, anyway these days even if you hold anything in a shape of a phone in your hand in a cinema you have about 5 staff members on you. Internet is a wonderful thing but also a nightmare as more people are curious to see the buzz on certain films and when sometimes your waiting upto 8 or 9 months you will do anything to see that movie