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Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 04-09-2002, 02:33 PM:
I thought i had heard of this somewhere?
I heard that SR was the minimum. But i heard frome someone (not connected to the cinema business) that they NEED THX.I was assuming this was untrue since alot of cinemas dont have any THX screens. Personally if it is only THX houses who can show it, I would have to jump on a coach or a train to find a THX cinema.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-09-2002, 02:59 PM:
No way EpII will only be released to THX theaters. They are a dying breed. The SR thing is a very good idea though, and something that I do hope they stand their ground on. Something like EpII if it must be played in analog should only be in SR.
Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 04-09-2002, 03:36 PM:
And of course, if I may be so bold as to speak for Steve G., the Cat. 222 SR/A card does not count as real SR!
Posted by Ron Lacheur (Member # 1126) on 04-09-2002, 03:40 PM:
I think that THX only requirement is a joke. There's a multiplex by my place that played Episode I that ISN'T THX certified, yet the management there seems to think it is. They don't show any THX trailers, no ads in the paper, or any THX posters. The theater isn't listed on THX's website also. But most definally they will be playing Episode II for some reason.
The Requirement is a joke.
Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 04-09-2002, 04:23 PM:
When Episode I came out they said they were only going to open it at theatres that met their qualifications for good sound and image.But when it came down to the economics of the thing, they opened it in 4100 screens across the US and it ended up in over 1/3 of the total theatres in the country. So they ended up opening it without regard to image or sound quality.
Episode II will be no different. They need to make as much money as possible in as short a time as possible. So look for that 4100-screen release number to be broken.
The only reason that number will not be broken is if the exhibitors that took a bath on the first release get wise and refuse the terms for the second release. But seeing as it is a sure bet to make lots of concession money for anyone who opens it, don't bet on a strong exhibitor backlash.
(Rumor)
I heard that the theatres that didn't get Episode I made less money that summer but were more profitable due to the unusually stiff terms for Star Wars.
Posted by Miguel Angel Martorell (Member # 1110) on 04-09-2002, 08:17 PM:
As I know the two circunstances to show Episode 1 here in Spain were:-Digital sound (no matter what)
-Minimum of 3 weeks (I´m not sure about the time) without moving the film to another screen.
Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 04-09-2002, 08:27 PM:
--and in litlle Denmark the distributor claimed, that his chosen 77 first-run theatres had been listed to Mr Lucas' office for OK.
Same distributor made us all stand up one hour before trade preview on LOTR for "security check". Noone was checked, eccept those two journalists sneeking in.BIG joker
-But even i look forward to may, 16th - one minute past midnight.
May the freaks come to us once more.
/ p.
Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 04-09-2002, 10:03 PM:
"All theatres running Episode II must be equipped with at least mono sound."
Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 04-09-2002, 10:09 PM:
As for Lawton, OK, I am hoping very strongly that THX equipped theaters will at least get a priority in booking status. I'll be pissed off beyond belief if the Carmike 8 loses a "Star Wars" print to the old crappy Hollywood/Wallace Cache 8 theater down the street. The new Central Mall theater is a joke as well, but is a far away enough distance to keep from negating the Carmike theater from getting a film print.If I cannot see "Episode II" on that one THX screen in the Carmike theater (actually the place really has two, but only one that continues to be recertified) then I will be faced with having to drive hundreds of miles down to Dallas to find a theater worth a damn. IMHO, the Carmike 8 here is better than any other theater in Oklahoma. The projection is better and sound quality is a lot better. The only thing the other guys in OKC and Tulsa have over it is stadium seating.
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 04-09-2002, 10:26 PM:
They will let anyone and everyone have a print of the damn thing. I do not think that exhibitors will agree to the terms like the last one. Many multiplexes got screwed holding five prints of a useless movie, having to pass on greater stuff.This time around, there is a lot of great stuff that could very well kick star wars around. If an exhibitor wants to forget the star wars thing, they can and can get away with it too. Most people arent going to mind.
The theaters that did not carry the film, did make a higher profit than those that carried it. Most of the ones that carried it ended up busted out within a year. The terms were too harsh.
Dave
Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 04-09-2002, 11:18 PM:
If I had it my way, I wouldn't even book the movie in our theaters. I think it is going to be a flop. That's just my personal opinion.
Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 04-10-2002, 05:26 AM:
When EP1 came out here, we heard that it will only go to DLP sites, then that changed to film, but must have Dolby SR.D EX, then SR.D, then SR......It was playing on mono kit in the deepest darkest parts of the country when release day came.
Despite all the noise made by Lucasfilm, if you are going to pay the reantal and astronomical %age, they won't care what the sounds is. One thing counts really, $$.
Posted by Thomas Hauerslev (Member # 566) on 04-10-2002, 05:44 AM:
On the whole, isn't it nice that a film maker actually does care about presentation of his (video)film, rumor or not?------------------
Cheers, Thomas
..in70mm - The 70mm Newsletter
www.in70mm.com www.dp70.com www.70mm.dk www.hauerslev.com http://hjem.get2net.dk/in70mm
Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 04-10-2002, 07:44 AM:
As long as the dollars go back to Lucasfilm, I don't think they would object to 16mm projected on a bedsheet.
Posted by Thomas Hauerslev (Member # 566) on 04-10-2002, 09:30 AM:
Sure, but I believe all presentation-aware film makers like Kubrick, Stone, Lucas and Zemeckis to name a few, are convinced they will make MORE money in the shortest possible time, if presentations are good. They have to believe that, and why shouldn't they, since they all put so much effort in making the films?Magna did the same thing when they banned popcorn during "Oklahoma! 50 years ago at the Rivoli in NY.
------------------
Cheers, Thomas
..in70mm - The 70mm Newsletter
www.in70mm.com www.dp70.com www.70mm.dk www.hauerslev.com http://hjem.get2net.dk/in70mm
Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 04-10-2002, 04:00 PM:
In Canada at least the EPII release did give some priority to houses with THX and digital sound. Some independents with THX got it in towns where the "major" house didn't - Cambridge Ontario for example.
Naturally it showed in mono if that's what the town had - George isn't about to turn down a dollar...
Maybe Lucas owning THX has something to do with the demand? Naaah...
Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 04-10-2002, 05:39 PM:
Minimum sound spec: Anything so long as you have a Smart Mod II-C set up for Rap Music in your non-sync. 
Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 04-10-2002, 09:05 PM:
Minimum: AM "roach-clip the clothesline to your antenna" bleeder wire,
definately no in-car speakers..... 
Posted by Stefan Scholz (Member # 147) on 04-11-2002, 05:02 PM:
I would have loved it to play exclusively in digital picture, so we would at least have 4 theatres to see it in, nationwide.
But it's going to be 1100+ prints on 35 for approx. 1100+ theatre sites. So no quality minimum at all. But who actually cares, as long as there is Picture and Sound.
Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 04-11-2002, 08:08 PM:
Check it out four weeks after the beginning of the run and see how many multiple prints the multiplexes have shed by then!
Posted by Tom Fermanian (Member # 1094) on 04-11-2002, 08:28 PM:
Sound Requirements?? If they ask same terms and playing times as the last Star Wars, I wonder if some exhibitors could try & make a deal to book the flick without sound or picture in order to just afford playing the film.Up here, A majority of smaller exhibitor where "suggested" to install "EX" for the last one in the series, It was said that digital sound cinemas would be considered for permission to show Mr. Lucas's masterpiece. To make a long story short, for the money made for theatre owners on the last one,by the time Star Wars episode 9 comes around it should pay off our EX equipement!. 
Posted by Jeff Akin (Member # 1198) on 04-12-2002, 01:02 PM:
I'm sure that a theatre's sound capabilities will have at least something to do with the bookings. We have a 7-plex here in town that does pretty poor business. They weren't going to open Spiderman, and the rumors said they wouldn't get Ep 2 either. The GM there made a big whoop-di-do about their biggest house having 8 channel sound, and now they're on the list to start selling advanced tix for Spiderman...I'm sure Ep 2 is coming up for them as well.------------------
-----------
2 Time ICWF Champion
2 Time ICWF Hardcore Champion
Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-12-2002, 02:20 PM:
I wouldn't care what the rental terms were, if we could get a nice short play time. We are in a town of 2000, so four weeks is out. Two weeks would be perfect. There are two other nice theatres within driving distance of here (and all of us have 5.1 digital sound) either of which would be glad to take the print for weeks 3 and 4. But NO....since none of us is willing to go four weeks, we'll have to wait around SIX weeks after release to get a print. Thereby costing us, and Lucasfilm, money...and losing us a bunch of customers when the bad reviews/word of mouth start coming out.
Posted by Tom Fermanian (Member # 1094) on 04-12-2002, 02:49 PM:
4 Weeks??
Ha ! Minimum for a 5700 soul town like ours was 6 weeks the last SW! Our booking co. are mentioning that those short (6 weeks)deals MAY be taken out for this new one???, Still too early for terms, everyone here (Theatre owners want to see flick before commiting)The grapevine says that Lucasfilm will not relent!
George Lucas claims he is the friend of the theatrical motion picture experience, maybe so?? BUT you have to be a Major circuit in big markets, that have EXECS that only care to have the movies in their circuit at any cost (It's not their own money anyway)fine for them! On the other hand, when you are counting pennies trying to make a living, running ,cleaning, etc. doing everything by yourself & a small staff, Upgrading your theatre with digital sound new lenses seats etc. With the asking conditions on some of these pictures, it seems that they are trying to run us out of existence! Is the theatrical experience only a major megaplex with 12-20 screens?, Stadium seats in a big market?? Selling everything from Pizza Hut to Taco Bells and Burger Kings?? It's true that film company make the bulk of their$$$$ in those markets,but some of these smaller towns have been paying for years and years to the distributors, loyal hey?
BTW some smaller guys opted out of playing the Last Star Wars waiting a few weeks later but alas, Conditions where not greatly improved Lucasfilm stating " New Market" Picture unplayed there we consider this a first run in that market", Yup! we have good projection, digital sound ,clean theatres, SMALL populations Big Terms,and no films! Our town people will get to see this picture in digital cinema, that is DVD! in their own home.------------------
Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 04-13-2002, 12:16 AM:
What I've heard thus far on Star Wars is a 12-WEEK MINIMUM ... 6 WEEKS ON PRINT #2
Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 04-13-2002, 04:19 AM:
I´m not sure what the Australian terms are as I´m not there to find out (on vacation in Belgium), but if the terms even in the USA are really as stated just above this post, then they´re not going to break their 4100 screen record. They´d surely be lucky to go to 3500.Those terms are just too harsh considering how Episode One pretty much died in the bum after week two ended.
My two cents...
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"It's not the years honey, it's the mileage". - Indiana Jones.
Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 04-13-2002, 12:25 PM:
12 week minimum? Mike, I don't think it will last that long. Some theaters took a bath in the last Star Wars. I don't see where this will be any different, but we can always hope for the best.
Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 04-13-2002, 01:26 PM:
The last Star Wars also took a bath...remember those guys who stole the print then had second thoughts and tried to remove all their finger prints by washing the print in a bathtub?
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"It's not the years honey, it's the mileage". - Indiana Jones.