Movie Box set Uk!! screwed again?

[WRTWORTHY]

As many of you know by know, I am an out spoken about the WB Babylon franchise and that I feel total ****** off with how they have treated the UK fans with the Box sets (p.s we still have not got season 5)

However, let me get this straight….The US had all 5 films with extra’s released in a nice box sets with lots of specials? However we only getting three films with no specials? Omg they have got to be kidding right?

And before anyone here tells me to get a R1 copy, I DON’T WANT A R1 copy, I want a R2 so that I can play it on any DVD player and for future reference I can play it on any DVD player (wish you yanks would understand that)

Does anyone else here feel that we should go blow up WB?????????????


Dame them to hell!!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00026VYCU/qid=1093032768/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_3_1/202-9047824-9855008


check it out…UK FANS Screwed AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I WISH TO GOD JMS WOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS! HE SHOULD AT LEAST APPLY PRESSURE TO WB FOR GODNESS SAKE ITS HIS SHOW!!!

[Jan]

Originally posted by WRTWORTHY
I WISH TO GOD JMS WOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS! HE SHOULD AT LEAST APPLY PRESSURE TO WB FOR GODNESS SAKE ITS HIS SHOW!!!

I'm sorry you're upset but I'm pretty sure that JMS has no say in marketing decisions on any level except when they come to him and ask if he'll contribute commentaries and interviews - uncompensated.

And if he did try to do something there's every chance we'd never hear about it anyway.

I assume you've written, called and emailed WB UK about this, right?

Jan

[Capt.Montoya]

Originally posted by WRTWORTHY
And before anyone here tells me to get a R1 copy, I DON’T WANT A R1 copy, I want a R2 so that I can play it on any DVD player and for future reference I can play it on any DVD player (wish you yanks would understand that) FYI: R2 won't play on any DVD player... certainly not in most US DVD players, which are locked to R1 (or on the ones sold in Mexico and Latinamerica that are R1 and R4, etc.).
JMS could recomment that WB had the same release schedules and same contents, but as Jan said, he is not the WB's head of UK Marketing.

Focus your anger constructively and write a nice letter (not aggressive or insulting letter, they ignore those) to WB UK letting them know that you feel shortchanged and would rather buy the R1 from the USA than their incomplete version. (It doesn't matter if you wouldn't buy R1, what matter is that they realize that people can and will choose to do that).

Sorry for your troubles, but now think of the world outside the US and UK that doesn't even get a local release of the DVDs and have to pay import prices... but only if they understand English.
B5 was shown dubbed (or subtitled?) in several non-English speaking countries and they are not gettiing (maybe ever) to see a DVD with B5 in their own language.

[Ranger1]

I live outside USA and i get most of my dvd's on R1...nothing you can do really,the movie industry is controlled by the US (in other words they dont give a fu** about the rest of the world)

[Lurkio]

I have the R1 set of the B5 movies but live in the UK, which is nominally region 2. It turns out that the discs in this particular set are encoded for regions 1, 2, 3 and 4 -- not just 1. I can play the discs just fine in a non-multiregion DVD player. The only proviso is that your player and TV must be able to handle the NTSC television format as well as PAL. I doubt the resolution will be better in the R2 version as they'll probably use interpolation to make up the extra scan lines.

[Endymion]

I know for sure I won't be buying the R2 DVD movie box set. I've never bought R1 before and probably won't bother now unless someone says the extras are really worth it.

Besides, I hated River of Souls and Thirdspace.

Who is intending to buy the R2 DVD movies set?

[Joseph DeMartino]

The US had all 5 films with extra’s released in a nice box sets with lots of specials? However we only getting three films with no specials? Omg they have got to be kidding right?

Who said the three films being released in the UK won't have any extras? I would expect they will be the same versions being releaed here, and that the special editions of The Gathering and In the Beginning will be released over there at a later date. As I've mentioned in other threads it is likely that Warner Bros. in the U.K. made the decision they did because of the very different releaes histories and market conditions in the U.S. and the U.K.

In North America, where B5 had previously been a flop on home video, In the Beginning and The Gathering were released on a cheap, double sided DVD with no extras as a test of the series appeal. The disc was released in December 2001, almost a year before the first season set. The quality of the disc was universally criticized, but the price was right and everybody knew that there would be no further B5 DVDs if that disc didn't sell. So we bought it, hoping that if the series was a hit we'd eventually get improved versions of the movies with commentary tracks and 5.1 sound remixes. (In fact, some of us went so far as to predict that this would happen. :)) So most fans are delighted to "double dip" for the improved versions of the two movies, especially since we're getting each one for around $10 - which isn't that much more than the $7.50 or our first copies of the two set us back. It isn' t like we hadn't gotten our money's worth out of them in almost three years.

In the U.K., where B5 had always done well on home video, WB released the films on full-priced individual DVDs. If they inlcuded them now in a 5 movie set, far more fans there would balk at "double-dipping". Far better to issue a cheaper set of only the previously unreleased movies, then later reissue the first two films as special editions, letting those who don't mind buying them twice do so, without alienating those who wouldn't want to. (And without pricing the rest of the movies out of the reach of those fans.) They may need to see the sales figures from the 3-movie set in order to estimate the production runs for the later TG and ItB special editions, which would explain why they haven't been scheduled or announced as yet.

Regards,

Joe

[Dr Maturin]

Sorry, WRTWORTHY. But hey, you got a monarchy and a really cool history.

[chaostaenzer]

I'm really angry right now...when Wrtworthy complained about the uk situation, i checked for the german situation at amazon. de. It's even worse(yeah that's possible). It looks like we won't get a box at all, with River of Souls, Thirdspace and Call to Arms released separatly but with the same cover!

I really have to surpress my urgent need for very explicit language on this matter.

We won't get season 5 before november, but the movies will be released at the end of september.
Im pretty much fed up. I won't support this release behaviour with my money. I'll get the region1 dvds as fast as possible. To hell with Warner!

[Joseph DeMartino]

According to this site (http://www.dvdsource.co.uk/product?partno=13020707&type=1&partner=106847) the U.K. release will include the same extras as the U.S. one.

As for Amazon.de listing them as three separate relases - why do you assume that they have that right? Amazon.com is notorious for screwing up pre-release information, and I suspect its international versions are no better. Is it the German site that still lists the never-published novelization of The River of Souls? I know one of the Amazon sites does...

It is at least as likely that the folks at Amazon screwed up as that Warner Bros. is going release the movies as individual discs there and no where else. I'd wait until some other retailers there offer it for resale and see how they show it packaged. (The mere fact that the only cover art Amazon.de has is identical to the boxed U.K. and North American boxed sets fairly screams, "Amazon.de screwed up" to me, but your mileage may vary. If WB Deutchsland really had three different releases scheduled for less than a month from now I'm pretty sure they would have designed different cover art so that people knew which movie they were buying. But maybe that's just me. ;))

Regards,

Joe

[grumbler]

Originally posted by Ranger1
I live outside USA and i get most of my dvd's on R1...nothing you can do really,the movie industry is controlled by the US (in other words they dont give a fu** about the rest of the world) Ironically, one of the prime movers for the establishment of the region system was the complaint from overseas distributers that "the movie industry is controlled by the US (in other words they dont give a fu** about the rest of the world)!" In other words, the complaint you are expressing is at least partially responsible for the issue you are complaining about. "When they built this place, irony was one of the primary materials they used.

[Anders]

Here in Norway (and many other countries) we get exactly the same DVD's as in the UK, so I wouldn't call it a UK problem, more of a Europe problem, which makes it even worse if the movie set here will be that much worse.

When I bought my first DVD player five years ago, the guy I bought it from said that he could change it into a multiregion player for free, with no extra cost. I accepted, got the DVD player an hour later, and have never had any problems with the player, or playing any discs from a different region.

I understand what you mean when you say that you would like a region 2 disc though, and at the very least, we should be able to get the commentaries from the previously unreleased movies here (TG and ITB have already been released on separate discs).

I saw the movies recently, so I haven't ordered the movies on DVD yet, but when I do, I will probably order the complete region one set.

Of the B5 seasons on DVD, I have the first two seasons from R2 and the last three from R1. I really can't see or feel any difference (apart from the missing easter egg in season one), so the general complaining about region two seems a bit odd to me, although I'm sure you have your reasons. The most annyoing thing, must be the very delayed release dates for Babylon 5, they really should do something about that. Most movies seem to come out very soon after they have been in the cinemas though.

[chaostaenzer]

Well, Joe, i checked some other release lists for dvds here in germany and, actually, there will be three releases. It is hard to tell if they will have the same cover since i have not seen any pictures of the cover on the other sites but...about now i am ready to believe this.

However, it might not be that much of a problem because the dvds will sell for 15 euro each which is not bad. The problem is simply that i do not understand this release policy.

Anyway, importing the region 1 boxset will be almost as expensive as purchase the dvds separately with the only difference that the set will contain more movies...

[cornholio1980]

In Germany, the three TV-Films will DEFINITELY be released separately. That's not just some pre-release info from amazon.de, which yes, tends to have false information from time to time (the River of Souls novelization was on the english site co.uk, btw), but in this case, that's the way it was officially announced by Warner Germany. As for why the're doin' that... hell, I wish I knew. Anyway, my R1-set is on the way (already got the R2-releases for The Gathering and In the beginning, but I want those extras), and I also preordered the single releases of the other movies, so I get the best of both worlds (the german dubbed versions & all the extras). It' may be a little expensive but hey, B5 is worth it :)

[WRTWORTHY]

I am back to let rip once again

First off,

Z'ha'dumDweller, yes we have a Monchay and don’t even get me started on the fact that we don’t even have a democracy, (our head of state is not elected) the fact the royal family is built on the blood, rape, and despair of English working class is often forgotten by you Yanks.

Capt.Montoya, The point I was trying to make is that yes I can get cheap DVD player that will play R1 but I want it so that I can play it on any DVD in my house or anyone else’s house or even any DVD player I get the future, understood? Yanks tend to think that if it works on their systems it works for everyone else!!

Jan, At the end of the day, JMS is head of the series, he should at least put a pressure on WB, or at least come out in support of us, if fact he should be doing something, instead silence on this issue, if I was JMS I would be concerned that a Lot of B5 FANS were quite Upset and would want to try to help. As for letters, no response comes to mind or it ends up just being a standard generic letter which says nothing, faceless as Usual!!!

Joseph DeMartino- Ok so we are getting specials on the Three DVD’s? and then getting the other two released again with specials? And you are defending that action? Why don’t they just put them in the same box set they are giving to us guys in the US? Why do it so cock-eyed that it makes no sense and just makes it all confusing? B5 home video did well????? Well im sorry but try and find somewhere that sold them, then maybe I could of brought them.

To my European friends and chaostaenzer who have been more screwed over then us UK fans, My heart goes out, Especially for the Germans fans who have been totally screwed, your right, this is not a UK problem, it’s a European Problem.

I am sorry but at the end of the day, here in the EU they are doing some crazy things with the DVD movie box sets, My question is WHY? And to any Yanks that try to defend it, well, I am sure if you was living here in the EU you would feel the same as us, you would just as angry, Ive not even SEEN season5, I could not get the video’s and its never shown on Tv and when it was shown once, it was on at 2am in the morning, so sorry I feel a bit p**** at the fact that series I love is getting messed around and so are we, and people wonder why Babylon 5 could not beat trek?????? Maybe something to do with at least trek can actually release box sets in a decent way!

[Dr Maturin]

<<Z'ha'dumDweller, yes we have a Monchay and don’t even get me started on the fact that we don’t even have a democracy, (our head of state is not elected) the fact the royal family is built on the blood, rape, and despair of English working class is often forgotten by you Yanks.>>

Cool accents and cars, then.

[Jan]

Jan, At the end of the day, JMS is head of the series, he should at least put a pressure on WB, or at least come out in support of us, if fact he should be doing something, instead silence on this issue, if I was JMS I would be concerned that a Lot of B5 FANS were quite Upset and would want to try to help.

Umm..."head of the series"? The series is *over*! JMS is the creator and WAS the Executive Producer/Showrunner/writer. By contract, he has to be involved somehow in any future Babylon 5 project. That doesn't mean that he has any 'pull' when it comes to marketing decisions for the DVDs, especially overseas. "Put pressure on WB"? He's said on several occasions that the different divisions of WB are made to compete and work against each other. It's not as if WB is one person he can call up now, is it?

That said, none of us have any way of knowing whether he's tried within his limited means to intercede for the fans. I've been reading his posts for several years now and I don't remember *any* where he reported a null result. Certainly never when he'd have to initiate the thread.

Again, I'm sorry you're upset. Railing that 'somebody' should do something doesn't help though. Perhaps you should spearhead a writing campaign. Form letter response or not, it seems that several hundred or thousand people letting them know that they're buying the competing division's product might just do some good. I'm afraid it's probably too late now, though.

Jan

[WRTWORTHY]

Jan, why do you defned him so much? he is as much to blame as WB in my opnion, dont defned people who are in the wrog, he is the wrong, he should come out publicly and side with us, he EU fans, Untill he does, nothing is going to make me think he is not to blame

as for letter writeing, I have sene it tried so many times before and WB ingore us and dont really care too much as what we think or buy as B5 is more of cult thing then a mainstream market target

and they wonder why trek beats us with the networks!!! our writer,producer, cant even stand up against WB

[Jan]

I'm not simply trying to defend JMS. He doesn't need me to defend him. What I wrote was an attempt to make you see reality. If all you want is to be angry...keep ranting all you like.

Jan

[Dr Maturin]

It's not really that big of a deal, anyway. Nothing along the lines of putting Europeans into slavery or other such crimes against humanity. At the end of the day, it's a TV show. I love B5 as much as the next fan, but the truth is we're lucky to have it on DVD at all. You can either buy a R1 DVD player, do without the R1 features or continue this screeching. It's asinine to call for JMS to "speak out" against WB for this minutiae. He doesn't need to anger WB in any way at this time. So use logic and stop this soapbox whining. Please.

[Doktor]

I live in the UK and find the movie box-set release for region 2 to be a bit of an insult. So I bought the region 1 version. It's not like this sort of situation is exactly new. Hell, we still haven't got Ridley Scott's director's cut of Legend, years after it was released in region 1. But this is down to studios, not to writers. JMS could make all the noise he wanted and I doubt it would affect a marketing decision. And it's not the end of the world, is it? The other two movies are still available individually on DVD, and being able to watch them is surely the most overwhelmingly important point here? I have to agree with the other posters - time to quit moaning, dude.

[WorkerCaste]

Maybe I'm missing something, but that seems like an awful lot of anger for what appears to be primarily a packaging issue. As I understand it, R2 has reasonably good versions of the first two movies and now the other three will be coming, with commentaries. If you spend all your passion on these issues, what will you have left when the momentous ones come along?

[jal]

to WRITWORTHY

a lot of dvd players have hidden codes on them that can allow you to switch regions anyway, just hunt on the net to see if the one you have has that option.

if it does, then buy the region one set and watch away till your hearts content.

what`s jms got to with this anyway?
this is a marketing and merchandising issue, making it warner brothers can of worms.

[DGTWoodward]

Hello WRTWorthy,

I am from Leamington Spa (just down the road from you) and was actually in your neck of the woods this past Saturday, so let me say a few things, if you'll hear me out.

This is a subject that you feel very strongly about. That is easy to tell from the obvious emotion in your words. I DO TOO however, it may be better for you to take a deep breath and try again. There have been some replies to your posts which you have answered in a way which - if it had been aimed at me - could have been considered very dismissive (at best) and plain rude (at its worst). Please remember that no one here is your enemy. All replies have been posted in good faith and in the hope of providing you with the means of solving your problems.


JMS. If you know B5, then you will know that the whole 5 year arc has been a total labour-of-love for Joe - and so too the rest of the crew. Do you really think that after all the hard work, the sleepless weeks, years of continuous writing and everything else that JMS would want anything but the best possible versions available to the fans to buy? It seems that you procede from the assumption that JSM has done nothing. MAYBE his efforts have been responsible for producing this 3 in one boxed set, instead of the awful, single releases that our German friends are getting. Who is to say?

Region 1 I really don't grasp why you are so set against unlocking the potential of your machine. We have the good fortune of having Japan (an NTSC TV country) in our (PAL TV)region - If you think about it, it is compensation of sorts. This is how I look at it....I have a Sony, chipped, multi-region player. My girlfriend Sharon has a Panasonic, also chipped. My mum and sis have a cheapie which was region free from the box, as do Sharon's mum and dad. All the people that will get to see my disks are capable of playing them. I tend to not worry about anybody else. You say that you'd want your disks to play in any player you have or might get? Blimey! How many have you got? The first thing I did with mine was to chip it! As for playing it any machine you buy. Well, these formats change and develop so quickly that I really wouldn't hold on to that view for too long or you shall just be upset all over again.

I hope that this has been of help to you.:)

[Capt.Montoya]

Originally posted by WRTWORTHY
Capt.Montoya, The point I was trying to make is that yes I can get cheap DVD player that will play R1 but I want it so that I can play it on any DVD in my house or anyone else’s house or even any DVD player I get the future, understood? Yanks tend to think that if it works on their systems it works for everyone else!!

[...]

I am sorry but at the end of the day, here in the EU they are doing some crazy things with the DVD movie box sets, My question is WHY? And to any Yanks that try to defend it, well, I am sure if you was living here in the EU you would feel the same as us, you would just as angry, Ive not even SEEN season5, I could not get the video’s and its never shown on Tv and when it was shown once, it was on at 2am in the morning, so sorry I feel a bit p**** at the fact that series I love is getting messed around and so are we, and people wonder why Babylon 5 could not beat trek?????? Maybe something to do with at least trek can actually release box sets in a decent way!

First: you got something wrong. I'm no Yank... I've been living in the USA for a few years, but I ain't from this neck of the woods...
Second, I agree with you and many others that the region coding system sucks, but I'm one to look for possibilities within the system instead of complaining about things I can not change.
Let me tell you something, I love to watch international films, in languages other than English, but in the USA I don't get to see many of those because the distributors here don't care to release them and it's worthless for me to import them myself, because if they are not R1 coded, or not in NTSC, my USA bought DVD player (which doesn't know anything beyond NTSC and R1) won't play them.
So believe me, I understand your frustration, but I don't let it get to me as you seem to do, nor am I looking for people to blame, much less assign blame to the movie/TV series creators, I'm sure they would be the first to wish their creations could be seen by as many people as possible and also dislike how the existing commercial distribution system makes it difficult.

There are ways of changing settings on DVD players to change their region or even make them region free, and I guess they're legal in the UK. The USA, however, is ruled by the Digital Millenium Copyright Act which makes it a crime to distribute or provide the means to crack the encryption of region codes... if I knew and told you of how to change your settings to make your player region free I might be commiting a crime under the DMCA...:mad: :mad:

As for your question of "WHY?" In one way or another all previous replies have tried to tell you possible answers. Don't let your being upset blind you to factsyou dislike. Calm down and read the previous answers, you might not agree nor like the way things are, but people have been nicely trying to tell you how it is, and how to work with the way things are.

[I love Lyta]

It's really awful how people like JMS have merely no influence of what's been done with their work by companies like WB.
If it wasn't for them those companies wouldn't even have anything to make money with...

Anyways, there are three things that keep me personally from buying the R1 versions although my DVD is code free.
1) My TV set can't handle NTSC. (that's baout to change soon)
2) The R1 version of i.e. season 5 is about 2,5 times as expensive as the R2 version.
3) Stuff sent from the US will be blocked in customs and I'd have to pick it up to show that it isn't anything illegal and that I'm old enough to get it.

[cornholio1980]

Just FYI:
The american Movie-Box has the region codes 1, 2, 3 and 4... so there's no reason not to buy it, even if you haven't got a codefree-player. The only thing you have to make sure is if your TV can handle the NTCS-format...

FAITH MANAGES
cornholio1980

[I love Lyta]

"FAITH MANAGES"

No, money manages. If all it took was faith to get a new TV set I'd be the greatest believer of all times. :D

[cornholio1980]

Originally posted by I love Lyta
[BNo, money manages. If all it took was faith to get a new TV set I'd be the greatest believer of all times. :D [/B] Well... have you got a DVD-ROM on your PC? Because the NTSC-Format shouldn't be a problem there.

Still this strikes me as kinda odd... I really thought that the TV-sets released nowadays all are compatible to NTSC.

But concerning point 3: YOu could buy them at dvdboxoffice.com. They are not the cheapest sellers around, but usually they send their products from france (for european orders, anyway). At least, they USED to (don't want to make any promises about that).

If you wanna go with the cheapest offer (to save money for a new tv set ;) - when did you buy this thing anyway?), try dvdsoon.com. They are reliable and usually the cheapest (and if not, you can tell them on their website and they usually would lower their price to equal their competitors).

Hope that helps you at least a little bit...
cornholio1980

[I love Lyta]

Thanx for the heads-up on where to get the DVDs. I bought my TV in '89. And it was a pretty cheap one too.
Currently I'm waiting for a friend o mine to get me a 40" LCD set from Asia.

[cornholio1980]

Originally posted by I love Lyta
I bought my TV in '89. And it was a pretty cheap one too. Well, ok, now I understand it... I don't think that NTSC-compatibility was very popular or common back then.

[Liberator]

Hi All, New boy here so hope you don't mind me jumping in.

I too live in the U.K and I can understand why my fellow brits feel cheated. Yes, we have The Gatrhering/ITB on DVD already but without commentaries or 5.1 sound:( .

I opted to go R1 even though I've bought the series in R2 (still waiting for season 5) for the above reasons. It was only £29.99 from Loaded247.com (http://www.loaded247.com/index.php?s=1&id=16289) with free postage AND they pay the import tax themselves, so you never get charged! That works out approx £6 per movie - Hardly expensive!

On the JMS front, WRTWORTHY do you really think he has that much clout at WB? Remember, even when the series was on and he was writing/EP-ing it he was still getting notes "from the suits" that he had to comply with. And you've only got to look at the state of Crusade to see there was little he could do when TNT came in and F***ed with it - except bend over, grit his teeth and take it like a man:rolleyes: .

[Capt.Montoya]

Welcome Liberator, keep jumping in on any thread you like.

Just a factual correction that doesn't deny your argument, only displaces it:
JMS didn't get many studio notes from WB after the first few seasons...There's often a perception -- I saw it again at Wolf 359 -- that
lots and lots of people have input into the writing of the script. Not
so. I write it alone. Nobody sees nothin' until the first draft is
finished. I then show it only to WB (which hasn't given me a single
script note since episode 4, year 2), producer John Copeland (who looks
at it for any possible production headaches, too many extras or sets,
other physical elements), my partner Doug Netter (who doesn't generally
give creative notes, as per our tradition), and if necessary, Ron at
Foundation, Optic Nerve, and the director. A couple of cast members
like to look at first drafts, just out of curiosity to know what's
coming next, but don't give notes or suggestions.(emphasis added, excerpted from post at http://jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-13450 )>How would you characterize network interaction (notes, suggestions,
>requests, demands, etc.) that occurred in Season 1 of Babylon 5 vs. Season 1
>of Crusade?

Our scripts were reviewed at WB by our liaison, Gregg Maday, who from time to
time would call with what was basically a question. "I'm wondering if we may
need to clarify X for the audience," or "Is there some way to strengthen this
element?" In each case, the conversation was left with, "I'll leave the
disposition of this to your discretion."

The thing about Gregg's notes or suggestions were that they were generally
well-considered, thoughtful, and totally aimed at making the story work. So we
always got along great.

And by the time season 2 rolled around, we got a couple of notes on the first
couple of episodes, then that was literally that...we were on our own after
that. He trusted us to do the right thing by the story, and we never violated
that trust. http://jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-587

The Crusade notes came from TNT, not WB, but WB did tell him to "bend over, grit his teeth and take it like a man" (ouch!!) on some of those.
It is my understanding that JMS may have been the first and only series creator given that deference.

But that is with respect to the creative process, having clout for such aspect does not mean that he has clout for the business aspect, much less having influence on the overseas division of WB.

[Liberator]

JMS didn't get many studio notes from WB after the first few seasons...
Whoops! Guess I should get my facts straight before sounding off eh?:o

What I was trying to say was that the fact he did get notes - first few seasons or not - show that he didn't have the clout with WB that WRTWORTHY seems to think he had/has.

The Crusade notes came from TNT, not WB
Never said the Crusade notes came from WB. Quoting myself:
...there was little he could do when TNT came in and F***ed with it

;)

[Bonehead]

Well, as another Brit, I can totally understand the frustration. I guess for me I just learn to live with it. Sadly it is not just Dvd releases, but pretty much everything else too.

From cinema releases to computer game releases, Europe usually gets it last, or a crappier version, or both. Heck, even as a kid I remember the European toys were always marketed and packaged different from the American ones. Almost as though we were not quite so intelligent and needed simpler versions.:mad:

But life goes on. It seams to have always been that way, and shows no sign of changing. But we should remember its seems to be a general thing, not just specific to B5 or Jms.

It reminds me of the new Alien box set I saw a while back, in a fancy Alien head shaped collectors case. After a few minutes of drueling over the picture, I realised it was only available in Japan. :(

Btw, welcome Liberator.
I asume from your name you are a Blake's 7 fan like myself.
(And that was another dvd set that was different in the states, although if I remember correctly, we did better out of that one. I guess its swings and roundabouts.):rolleyes:

[Liberator]

Btw, welcome Liberator. I asume from your name you are a Blake's 7 fan like myself.

My updated Avatar should provide the answer to that:D

Thank's for the welcome aboard!:)

[circularREASON]

I can't understand what all the fuss is about really.

We already have DVD releases of TG and ITB.

Personally I can do without 2 copies of these.

Alright the 2 I have don't have the commentaries but I will get the 3 disc release anyway to finish my collection.

[grumbler]

Originally posted by Bonehead
From cinema releases to computer game releases, Europe usually gets it last, or a crappier version, or both. Heck, even as a kid I remember the European toys were always marketed and packaged different from the American ones. Almost as though we were not quite so intelligent and needed simpler versions.:mad:
But the exact opposite is true of European film and game releases, so i would argue it is in the nature of the business(es) and not in the nature of the "Americans."

I always keep this discussion in mind when being reminded on other boards of how "tunnel-visioned" Yanks are.

[Bonehead]

But the exact opposite is true of European film and game releases, so i would argue it is in the nature of the business(es) and not in the nature of the "Americans."

Yeah, as I said, I guess its swings and roundabouts.

There is, however, a priority for other countries to release to the American market first, in many things. The obvious examples are computer games, that I mentioned before. A lot of the big ones come from Japan, and America is usually playing the new releases while the Europeans are just reading about them.

Technology in general is always readily available in America before we've even heard of it. (A prime example would be broadband thats only just finally bcoming available across the uk)

But at the end of the day I put it down to the simplist common denominator. America is a gazillion times bigger than Britain, or a lot of Europe. If I was going to sell my product, I would hit the places where I could make the most money first.

And your right, its the nature of business sadly.

[WRTWORTHY]

Ok all, Im back, ok, I am angry, I perfectly in my right to be, However I think we are going to have to disagree about the fact Jms is not involved in this problem, Just seems mad that he announces DVD's but only for US.

The Whole R1 and R2 argument, I THINK your missing the Entire Point, this about the Principle’s of the whole thing, not if I can do it not, Yes I can get R1 but that’s not the point, we should have in R2. if you people cant see that well...your watching the wrong show (as B5 is all about Principals, and not going to argue this point either)

Oh and to add salt to the wound, I pop into HMV and you never guess what, they have SEASON 1 in the season 4 box style, Season 1 in now in separate boxes.....I would not mind but ive not long brought the dame thing and now they have changed it!! for goodness shake, how much more can they screw up releasing the DVD!!

[Doktor]

Zzzzzzzz.......zzzzzzzzzz.........zzzzzzzzz....... ...zzzzzzzzz.......

[colonyearth]

Originally posted by WRTWORTHY
Ok all, Im back, ok, I am angry, I perfectly in my right to be, However I think we are going to have to disagree about the fact Jms is not involved in this problem, Just seems mad that he announces DVD's but only for US.

The Whole R1 and R2 argument, I THINK your missing the Entire Point, this about the Principle’s of the whole thing, not if I can do it not, Yes I can get R1 but that’s not the point, we should have in R2. if you people cant see that well...your watching the wrong show (as B5 is all about Principals, and not going to argue this point either)

Oh and to add salt to the wound, I pop into HMV and you never guess what, they have SEASON 1 in the season 4 box style, Season 1 in now in separate boxes.....I would not mind but ive not long brought the dame thing and now they have changed it!! for goodness shake, how much more can they screw up releasing the DVD!!

Wrtwrothy,

Once more allow someone with knowledge of the entertainment industry and how it works to finally and without reservation let you know:

JMS has not one ounce of control over the DVD's...he doesn't and never will...he has no control over WHV or WB in general...he can state publicly his displeasure over such things, but given that he probably doesn't want to bite, nibble or gnarl on the hand that's feeding him millions of dollars to produce a B5 film right now...don't expect him to jump up and down and pitch a hissy fit over this. But even if he DID, IT WOULD MAKE NO DIFFERENCE! JMS has not the tiniest bit of power over this situation. So STOP BLAMING HIM!!!!!!

So...did I make that pretty clear? Yeah...that was...um...pretty...um...plain spoken. He should understand that one....right?

Right?

Guys...?


*CE looks around to find no one in sight*

Hello?

:D

CE

[Joseph DeMartino]

And the reason JMS is able to post information about US DVD releases is that those are the first one produced (by Warner Home Video in Burbank) and they're the ones that he records the commentaries for and approves the artwork for. WHV in the U.S. actually keeps him in the loop, and he's able to pass along information to fans. (Although even then he doe NOT announce information while it is still under embargo. He didn't tell us the first season DVDs were coming until a third party broke the embargo. He didn't give us the R1 release date until Amazon.com accidentally posted it. He told us that the movie set and Crusade were coming, but not the dates.

So this statement:

Just seems mad that he announces DVD's but only for US.


Is simply, factually, WRONG. This is not a matter of degree or opinion or something we can "agree to disagee on". JMS never did what you assert he did, and doesn't have the power (as CE repeated above) that you claim he does. You keep asserting things ("it is JMS's show", "JMS announces the R1 DVD releases") that are untrue, unsupported by anything except your own idiosyncratic belief and then you build an argument on these unthruths. And your response when your mistakes are pointed out is to repeat your (emotional) argument. This is simply not rational behvior.

Regards,

Joe

[WRTWORTHY]

I suspose I should of expected you guys to nit pick, I dont care if you think JSM is not inloved, but he should come out and state his displeasure, but hey why should he care about his EU fans huh? probley dont b ring much money in for him anyway!

[Capt.Montoya]

My best wishes for you to find happiness in the things that matter and for any future B5 related releases to be up to your standards WRTWORTHY...
I'd still look for your opinions on any other topic, just not when you complain.
Just remember that silence doesn't mean acquiescence...

------------

With Respect To pointlessness...

I said it in a different thread: I can't sympathize with WRTWORTHY anymore, because he only comes in to complain.
(Note: this comment is not true for anyone else, I think some got the wrong impression I also referred to them with that, I didn't and I'm not. I sympathize with the problems the EU fans are going through, I don't sympathize with the way one fan expresses on those issues)

I could comment on more of WRTWORTHY's points, but it's pointless.

The facts are there, for anyone willing to learn them, but some people won't let any fact stand on the way of their opinions...

Sometimes replying may be necessary WRT representing the truth, but it certainly is not a WORTHY endeavour when replying to people that refuse to acknowledge any point of view differing from theirs...

[WRTWORTHY]

thats Fair, and If i was in the same postion, I would probley have the same answer, at the end of the day, do you really care? Of course you dont, and why should you? at the end of the day, you have all your seasons and Boxs sets and everything is ok and fine and just dleayed a ickle bit, however over here, just seems like some mad stuff is going on and it feels a bit unfiar to be honset

[Telemachos]

WRTWORTHY, nobody's saying you don't have the right to be frustrated -- simply that you're not being productive about it at all.

Write a letter to whoever distributes the R2 releases; that's the only way to make sure that your opinion is heard by someone who has the slightest influence over the decision.

[DGTWoodward]

Originally posted by Telemachos
WRTWORTHY, nobody's saying you don't have the right to be frustrated -- simply that you're not being productive about it at all.

Write a letter to whoever distributes the R2 releases; that's the only way to make sure that your opinion is heard by someone who has the slightest influence over the decision.

Perfect advice. I think that now makes it that just about everyone on theses forums has tried to give sound advice on this thread. Will it be listened to, I wonder?

Let's call this one closed? :confused:

[cornholio1980]

Originally posted by WRTWORTHY
Of course you dont, and why should you? at the end of the day, you have all your seasons and Boxs sets and everything is ok and fine and just dleayed a ickle bit, however over here, just seems like some mad stuff is going on and it feels a bit unfiar to be honset Ok, so I'm from Austria, and because I like the german dubbed versions I kinda rely on the german release, and there where many things that went wrong over here, more than in England:

1.) YOU got the superior Special Edition of "The Gathering" on DVD, while in Germany, until now only the old version was released (and I don't think this will ever change).

2.) We got a GREAT cover for "The Gathering", just follow this link (http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00007JWKK.03.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)

3.) When there was a problem with the effect shots in "And the Sky full of stars" (all scenes with CGI looked kinda weird because they didn't crop the images and simply converted them to 16:9), German Fans complained... to no effect. Englisch fans complained... and Warner reacted. For 2 weeks after Warner England agreed to an exchange, it wasn't even sure if german fans would also get fixed DVD's, because Warner Germany hoped that no one over here would care. If the englisch fans wouldn't have reacted that strongly, nothing would have changed, no matter how many german fans would have spoken out on that matter.

EDIT: One mistake I completely forgot:
4.) The 4th season had the absolutely great title "Die Befreiung von Proxima 3" (The Liberation of Proxima 3), since that was the german title for the episode "No surrender, no retreat"./EDIT

What I want to point out is: Yes, some things went wrong with the englisch releases, but EVEN MORE things went wrong over here. But do I accuse JMS of anything? Am I constantly bitching around about this stuff? HELL NO! JMS cannot be held responsible for whatever mistakes Warner makes with their DVD releases. He may be sympathetic with us, but there isn't really anything he can do.

Furthermore: We live in a free world. And unlike the german fans who usually are in need of the german dubbed version of the show, englisch fans have NO DISADVANTAGES when they choose to buy the R1-release.

I write this to make clear that there are many people out there who sympathize with you and the issues that you raise, but who just don't agree with your assumptions and accusations. Who are, even with all the mistakes and the long waiting, really happy that Warner releases the DVD's in their home country. I also want to show you that there are fans out there who actually get treated much worse than the ones living in England. And I want to make sure that you understand that not everybody who does not support your accusations does so because he lives in wonderwonderland where everyone is just so happy and everything is fine, at least when it comes to B5 (an assessment that I really find rather offensive, since the B5-community is really known for sticking together, no matter if they are living in the US, the UK, France, Germany, Australia, wherever...), but that this is rather simply due to differing opinions.

Note: Not everyone that doesn't agree with you is an egoistic a**hole...

FAITH MANAGES
cornholio1980

[Dr Maturin]

<<but given that he probably doesn't want to bite, nibble or gnarl on the hand that's feeding him millions of dollars to produce a B5 film right now>>

As I said in my earlier post...he doesn't need to piss off WB in ANY WAY right now. Cut and dry.