This is topic King Kong print delivery info. in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Paul Konen (Member # 41) on 12-06-2005, 12:02 PM:
 
PRINT SHIPPING INFO: WIDE RELEASE ON DECEMBER 14:
One reel (number 8) will ship to arrive at theatres on Monday, December 12 during theatres normal delivery window. The remaining reels will be delivered on Tuesday, December 13 during theatres normal delivery window. NO EXCEPTIONS.

KING KONG
Opens: 12/14 (Wed)
Running Time: 187 (official)
Rating: PG-13
Sound: DTS/SDDS/SRD
Aspect Ratio: 2.35x1 (Scope)

OK, print is actually 9 reels long and, you know, that you will be billed for TWO shipping fees from DHL. Uggggh!
 

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Posted by Floyd Justin Newton (Member # 1316) on 12-06-2005, 12:51 PM:
 
Huh?????????? That'd be OK for the initial release, but for
the THIRD time around. IDIOTS!!
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 12-06-2005, 12:52 PM:
 
That's fucking retarded. The least they could've done was ship all of the reels except for the last one so everyone could've gotten that beast of a print assembled and only have to spin on the last reel Tuesday.

(Stupid morons...if they were seriously interested in preventing piracy instead of the illusion of it, they would've shipped the oddball reel via FedEx..and had those reels printed at a competing lab.)
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-06-2005, 01:05 PM:
 
Alas, .. just another funny way of keeping people honest...from having staff "pre-shows" and any sort of pirating of this movie.
 

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Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 12-06-2005, 01:08 PM:
 
Shipping the single 8th reel with the other 8 reels would have the same effect though. Shipping a single reel first doesn't even give the illusion of piracy prevention. It's just silliness if it's for piracy prevention.


 

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Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 12-06-2005, 02:30 PM:
 
Is it possible that this is because of something other than piracy? Some kind of normal logistics problem, like reel 8 coming direct from Technicolor North Hollywood and the rest from Technicolor Rome, but they have to be broken down in some US facility?

--jhawk
 

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Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 12-06-2005, 03:18 PM:
 
I'm not normally one to defend stupidity, and the double-charge for shipping would be inexcusable if true, but how is this any worse (from the exhibitor's point of view) from having the complete print delivered one day prior to opening?
 

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Posted by James R. Hammonds, Jr (Member # 673) on 12-06-2005, 04:01 PM:
 
I don't know about the distributors, but for the theatres there really is no differene as far as the mechanics are concerned.
They still can't build up their print until Tuesday.
But if it's done in the name of piracy, it's kind of insulting and a bit of a slap in the face.
It would appear as if they have the ability to send the whole print on Monday but are teasing people by only sending one reel.

Of course as John said, there could be a legitimate reason for this that actually makes sense, but I doubt it.
 

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Posted by Dan Harris (Member # 1759) on 12-06-2005, 07:13 PM:
 
Well here in the UK, we're getting Reels 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 on Monday 12th; Reels 2, 4, 6 on Tuesday 13th and Reel 8 on Wednesday 14th! Film opens on Thurs 15th.
 

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Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 12-06-2005, 07:50 PM:
 
Bad R8 in the larger sets of film maybe? Or could they be dying to include 15 trailers with this stinker?
 

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Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 12-06-2005, 08:00 PM:
 

quote: Dan Harris

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Well here in the UK, we're getting Reels 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 on Monday 12th; Reels 2, 4, 6 on Tuesday 13th and Reel 8 on Wednesday 14th! Film opens on Thurs 15th.

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Now that's just silly. Someone must have had way too much to drink at the office Christmas party. Assuming they're all coming from the same place, they might as well just drop off reels 1-7 on the Tuesday.

I'd be tempted to show the reels in the order they arrive.
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 12-06-2005, 08:07 PM:
 
So the US gets reel 8 early and the UK gets reel 8 last. Is their plan to see if two pirates from around the globe join forces in bootlegging the entire movie early?
 

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Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 12-06-2005, 08:15 PM:
 
I just heard that they're sending out DTS discs for the reels you don't have first, and then the remaining with the last film delivery.
 

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Posted by Jon Miller (Member # 163) on 12-06-2005, 08:22 PM:
 
I'm wondering if this brand of shenanigans (along with "CrAP Code" dots the size of baseballs on the screen) is part of some insidious plot to make digital look better. It doesn't take that long to upload and point 'n' click a virtual reel into place if shipped separately, right?
 

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Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 12-06-2005, 08:30 PM:
 
Just send the cans full of spacers, then box up the lab-new reels (minus flanges), send them code-named with security escort to the theatre & have the theatre schedule their own pickup for the extra cores.

US will receive the first half first, the UK gets the last half first, with all remaining sub-level nations receiving quality checked screener prints over the next two or three days (depending on your distance to the international date line).

Also, no cutting or alteration of the print will be allowed under penalty of catapult. If you separate the attached trailer from the print, you will not receive a print of The Hobbit.

But maybe there'll be cool projectionist training cards?! Is that not what everybody's been waiting for?
 

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 12-09-2005, 11:01 PM:
 
When the movie is done playing, everyone should send their prints back without reel eight. Then send that reel the following week. Or better yet, send all reel eights back with "the grey can people."
 

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Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 12-10-2005, 06:25 PM:
 
There goes the pre screening before our midnight shows. Let's hope there isn't any issues...ugh I hate when they pull this ridiculous stuff. Just send the whole damn movie already!!!!
 

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Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 12-10-2005, 08:43 PM:
 
I got Reel 8 on Friday.
 

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Posted by Aaron Mehocic (Member # 15) on 12-10-2005, 09:36 PM:
 
Sounds too complicated for the apperatus at the distribution warehouses. I'm waiting for the horror stories about theatres recieiving everything but reel #8, or those places that got #8, but not the other reels.

Somebody, somewhere is going to screw something up. What happened to all the adults Hollywood?
 

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Posted by Phil Blake (Member # 2012) on 12-11-2005, 12:24 AM:
 
In Australia they have done much the same ,the film consignment split into 3 separate lots , reels in each lot are named
differently and each lot will be delivered on a different day.

Such excellent steps to prevent this movie from pirates...........or not! I just checked a P2P site and found King Kong 2005 Peter jackson version already sitting there for downloading , funny none of us have taken delivery of the print yet maybe studios should increase the security between production and the film exchanges.
 

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Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 12-11-2005, 12:02 PM:
 
Has anyone ever stopped to wonder where all of this is really going?? Know what's going to happen when there are screw-ups over the distribution of this thing?

It will be one more argument for digital presentation from the distribs. They will say "See, look at all the difficulty we are having shipping these prints." Why, it's all the fault of 35MM film, folks!! We won't have these problems with digital shipments.

Now...if young computer geeks are good enough to hack their way into the Pentagon, what makes these folks think their encripted transmissions are going to be a better way to prevent piracy and mistakes?

It's really all about the $$$$.
 

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Posted by Robert Harrison (Member # 3202) on 12-11-2005, 12:28 PM:
 
How may of you have to run "Kong" at midnight that night (Tuesday), as I do?
 

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Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 12-11-2005, 12:35 PM:
 
There was a film last Summer that was delivered to ETS over two days... one half on one day, and the other half on the next. They weren't too happy about it, as it messed with their delivery schedules. Don't recall what title it was, though I bet it really messed with ETS's screenings!
 

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Posted by Mike Baer (Member # 1519) on 12-11-2005, 02:11 PM:
 
Here in Switzerland the same shit.Because of Security Reasons we get Reels 1,3,5,7 and 9 from our Depot and Reels 2,4,6,8 seperate with the postman.Title of the reels "Gipsy Camp".This is just ridicolous.There were a world and a europe Premiere already,where someone could have bootlegged the movie.
 

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Posted by Paul Konen (Member # 41) on 12-12-2005, 09:20 AM:
 
At least they could provide all the enclosed trailers with Reel 8, so that the trailer packs could get built up, minus the attached.
 

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Posted by Bernie Anderson Jr (Member # 410) on 12-12-2005, 10:23 AM:
 
They Could have sent just reel one then the preshow crap could get done ahead of time.
 

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Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 12-12-2005, 01:53 PM:
 
The fun has now begun.

We are booked for four prints, but only three reel #8's were delivered during our normal window. Technicolor was notified and they said they would call us back.

No word as of this writing.
 

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Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 12-12-2005, 01:59 PM:
 
Now if you were running changeovers you could just stagger the shows by 20-25 minutes and you'd be set.

If you'd like I could try to pirate a reel 8 at the public screening tonight.
 

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Posted by Floyd Justin Newton (Member # 1316) on 12-12-2005, 02:46 PM:
 
NOW, you guys are getting SHARP!!
 

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Posted by Brad Allen (Member # 470) on 12-12-2005, 05:29 PM:
 
How many total reels should we be receiving for Kong?
 

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Posted by Nick Scott (Member # 2850) on 12-12-2005, 05:51 PM:
 
Total reels for KONG is 9
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 12-12-2005, 06:40 PM:
 
Reports from Technicolor is that theaters will only be charged for one delivery per "print", not two. I guess Universal is eating that cost themselves.

This of course still doesn't make up for the fact that Universal could've sent the entire print, minus the last reel and still accomplished their false sense of security, so as not to totally fuck over the theaters like they are.
 

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Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 12-12-2005, 06:48 PM:
 
R8 arrived today... sans flanges. When my coworker called TES to inquire, they at first didn't understand what we meant by "flanges" After 5 min waiting on the phone, they determined that a split reel would be sent with the print & could be used to remedy our problem.

With our luck, it will be a metal spacer reel.
 

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 12-12-2005, 10:46 PM:
 
No problem.... When you're done with it, send the reel back on a 2" core.
 

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Posted by James Nash (Member # 2836) on 12-12-2005, 11:15 PM:
 
2 other theaters in my circiut in Birmingham had 3 out of 4, and 4 out of 5, respectivly, delivered today (reel #8's) Technicolor, never got back to us. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it all comes tomorrow in time for my midnights.
 

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Posted by Dan Harris (Member # 1759) on 12-13-2005, 11:24 AM:
 
So after all the fuss and e-mails and even a letter from Deluxe London telling us that the print delivery would be in 3 parts, with Reel 8 coming on Wednesday, Reels 1, 3, 5, 7 & 9 arrived on Monday as scheduled and Reels 2, 4, 6 *AND* 8 arrived in one box today (Tues).

No damn DTS discs with the print though
 

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Posted by Steve Anderson (Member # 364) on 12-13-2005, 11:40 AM:
 
Print arrived over the weekend for the sneak preview last night.
 

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Posted by Matt Fields (Member # 3211) on 12-14-2005, 08:23 AM:
 
Despite the stickers all over the package - "this must be delivered MONDAY" - my reel eight came at the same time as the rest: Tuesday afternoon on the same truck. We just have one DHL driver out here in the sticks. Some security.
 

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Posted by Ross Oba (Member # 3433) on 12-14-2005, 01:09 PM:
 
Has anyone received what appears to be a used copy of King Kong? Both of our prints had already been spliced. Not to mention, the attached trailer was completely missing except for one frame of the green MPAA rating.
 

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Posted by Robert Harrison (Member # 3202) on 12-14-2005, 05:27 PM:
 
Well, it was a lot of hoo-hah for nothing. Our Tuesday night midnight show was attended by eleven people!

Reel 8 arrived on a core, but they did send an empty reel with the rest of the print.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-14-2005, 06:37 PM:
 
Can't imagine why anyone would want to see ANY movie at midnight, let alone a 3-hour one. You guys'll be nice and busy this weekend, eh?
 

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Posted by Robert Harrison (Member # 3202) on 12-14-2005, 06:52 PM:
 
This is our first year of first-run, so my boss is trying some things. He figured since we got more people for "Episode III" at our one midnight show last May than any single performance of the movie after that night, perhaps he would get lucky again.

He makes a lot of foolish mistakes. Example: He advertised the midnight show as being on Wednesday, December 14th , because in his mind, midnight Tuesday becomes Wednesday. 23 years of running a movie theatre and he makes a dumb goof like that! We'll probably get people coming tonight looking for that damn midnight show. I'll be outta here by then.

Mucho mistakes such as that which piss off our customers is why our business is crappy overall.
 

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Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 12-14-2005, 09:00 PM:
 
Of course midnight really is Wednesday. If I saw an ad for midnight Wednesday I would show up Tuesday evening. Nonetheless this is why people use "12:01 am Wednesday" to advertise stuff like this, even though 12:00 am is one minute earlier on the same day.

Further complicating things from a management point of view, many companies and contracts require that admissions and sales related to these shows be run through "on Wednesday" and require a date change in the ticketing and concession systems between your Tuesday night shows and your midnight showing.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-15-2005, 02:17 AM:
 

quote: Robert Harrison

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He advertised the midnight show as being on Wednesday, December 14th , because in his mind, midnight Tuesday becomes Wednesday.

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What do you mean "in his mind?" Tuesday DOES become Wednesday at midnight.

Those midnight shows are a no-win for that reason. If he'd said the show was at "midnight Tuesday" then you'd have had people showing up late Monday evening. Best to use the correct date. People who are smart will show up at the correct time on the correct day. No, wait -- people who are smart will wait for an evening show on a Tuesday a week or two into the run.
 

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Posted by James R. Hammonds, Jr (Member # 673) on 12-15-2005, 11:02 AM:
 
If it were me, I would designate that it is a midnight show that takes place Tuesday night/Wednesday morning.
If people can't figure that one out, there is no hope.
 

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Posted by Robert Harrison (Member # 3202) on 12-15-2005, 06:25 PM:
 
So, if you saw an ad that said "Midnight Shows Friday and Saturday," you would think they are on Thursday and Friday?
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-15-2005, 07:11 PM:
 
When we ran the Star Wars III midnight show, we got around the problem by announcing when the DOORS would open. ("Doors for the Midnight Show open Wednesday Night at 11:30.") We had no confusion that night, but we did have a few phonecalls from people who weren't sure when the midnight show was.
 

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Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 12-15-2005, 07:30 PM:
 
I've taken calls from newpaper ad editors telling about my type in "midnight show 12:00am Wednesday" before, claiming that I should have used "pm".

Then there are the smart asses... I've had people show up at the drive-in Thursday night and then come inside pissed off when "new show's didn't start Friday".

People are stupid.
 

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Posted by Robert Harrison (Member # 3202) on 12-15-2005, 08:19 PM:
 
Mike, that's a good idea.

Daryl, yes, people are stupid. Back in the day, I worked at a 3 plex in Niles (since converted into a gym). There, we had a guy come in for "Jaws 2" on the Sunday before it opened. I explained to him that we didn't have the film yet, as it opens Friday. He said, "Yeah, that's what the paper said. 'Starts Friday.'" To this guy, STARTS and STARTED mean the same, so he thought we were showing it already!
 

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Posted by Demetris Thoupis (Member # 833) on 12-18-2005, 10:12 AM:
 
Actually the film is 9.1 reels!!!!
Considering here in Cyprus we received the prints with boxes saying "Gypsy Camp" and has reel 4A and 4B! Ok adding them both together creates a full 1 reel but still. Cinemas are packed though.
D
 

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Posted by Matt Close (Member # 996) on 12-18-2005, 09:14 PM:
 
You guys are going to love this .......

UIP in their infinite wisdom decided to send King Kong under two different consignment note numbers.... They leave distribution on the same truck though! Some security! ... Anyhow, we received 6 reels on Tuesday, for a Wednesday start, and when we chased after the remaining box..... NOBODY KNEW WHERE IT WAS! UIP had no idea, the freight company had no idea, and we had no movie! Well, after LOTS of phone calls and lots of pissed off patrons for the Wednesday shows..... they finally located are missing box at a freight depot in a town 6 hours away. So come THURSDAY, we started to show the film..... BUT IT DIDN'T END THERE! Reel 3 was STUCK TOGETHER! .. As if they had rushed production so much, the print had not had time to cure properly. I mean it sounded like peeling sticking tape off something as it was wound out. Once unwound, it didn't seem to stick together again, so we decided to run with it...... Alas, when it had been wound together for a while, it did stick together .. to the point where we were forced to give around 100 refunds! ....BUT IT DIDN'T END THERE! .... After a little special 'anti-stick' film treatment (read talc powder), we were ready for the next show. BUT IT DIDN'T END THERE! ... Being so busy trying to nurse reel 3 through the platter on the first run, we hadn't noticed another problem..... and amazingly not everyone complained about it either ..... but the sound track on reel 3 was OUT OF SYNC!!! Now we were beginning to think someone at UIP didn't lke us! So we ran with this while UIP tried to get us a replacement reel..... BUT IT DIDN'T END THERE!.... When the DTS discs FINALLY turned up on Friday, it turned out that the time-code for reel 3 was also out of sync!! So there you go! Can anyone top that lot?

Thank goodness, we now have a replacement reel!
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 12-18-2005, 10:49 PM:
 
That's awesome! Now that you have a complete print, be sure and bootleg it and get in onto the internet to show tribute to this whole anti-piracy thing.

(A pass through FilmGuard would've completely knocked out your initial problem on reel 3.)
 

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Posted by Wolff King Morrow (Member # 2226) on 12-19-2005, 02:59 AM:
 
Last week after we finally got all the reels to King Kong just in time to build for the midnight showing, I thought I might do a quality-check screening the next day. I found one reel had extremely bad emulsion damage not cause by anything we did. Want to know which reel it was? The "DO" reel...

This was by far the most retarded delivery strategy I have ever seen for a movie.
 

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Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 12-19-2005, 03:15 AM:
 

quote: Matt Close

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.BUT IT DIDN'T END THERE! .... After a little special 'anti-stick' film treatment (read talc powder), we were ready for the next show.

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