Horror and Non-Horror fans Unite...Re: Friday the 13th Part VII on DVD (1 Viewer)

“Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed.” - Abraham Lincoln.
Okay, Horror and Non-Horror DVD fans...listen up.
Recently, at fridaythe13thfilms.com John Carl Buechler (director of Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood) e-mailed one of the board’s members with some news about a recent talk he had with Paramount, regarding Part VII coming out on DVD next year.
“Hey Chris,
Blythe and I did speak! A lot of info was exchanged. There may well be two phases of the Friday 7 DVD.
One would be the regular thatrical feature release as it played in the theatres, but it would have another track where you could here commentary of the film makers, and the actors, as well as yet another track where you might view a rough cut of my uncut version-- with out the full theartical mix.
If this sells well, they may well re-mix, re cut and remaster it into uncut DVD version.
These were ideas that were thrown about. Any of this remains to be seen,
but it's a start.
All the best,
John Buechler”
I must say, I am very pleased that Paramount is strongly considering placing a commentary on the disc, as well as finally giving in to realize that fans want to see the uncut footage. I’m glad the footage is being considered to be placed somewhere on the disc.
However, what I don’t understand is why don’t they go ahead and just re-master the uncut footage into the film right now? They have to know that they’d sell many, many copies, or they wouldn’t even consider it. Why release a regular version and then a re-mastered Uncut version? They CAN admittedly re-master it, but they won't right now till they know for sure they'll sell a lot. That's ridiculous.
darkdreams.org has reported that the Uncut Limited Edition of Dario Argento’s Suspiria has already sold out. That’s 60,000 Uncut discs already gone. That’s not even counting the non-limited regular version (which is also Uncut). I know that the Friday the 13th films have a much bigger fanbase than Dario Argento, as they are more mainstream. What other proof does Paramount need that people want to see this film released re-mastered and Uncut, as other horror films have been?
What is the point in releasing TWO different versions of the same movie? I know things still appear to be in discussions, so Paramount may very well re-consider this within the next year, but from what JCB has reported, this is their current line of thinking. I just don’t see why they can’t go ahead and re-master the film Uncut and give us the Commentary and such in the same disc release.
Paramount has been defensive about the Friday films situation in the past, but the fact is they refuse to learn from their mistakes. Why do we keep complaining about the Friday the 13th discs? Because they haven’t learned that if they’d get it right the first time, there would be no further need to complain and they’d sell a lot more discs. Releasing one version of the film and then another is pure and simple greed, much like Warner Bros’ regarding their Willy Wonka disc.
Take advantage of the DVD medium. Multiple versions of films are for VHS. DVD is supposed to be the format of the future. Hasn’t Paramount learned anything from the recent Warner Bros/Willy Wonka fiasco?
Paramount, it’s a full year or so until you release this film on DVD. Don’t get bad PR like Warner has by doing something like this to DVD fans. If you can release Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood re-mastered and Uncut, why not do it from the very start?
Horror fans and non-horror fans, I implore you to write to Paramount. Urge them to go ahead with a full re-mastering of this film on DVD. If you helped out in the Warner Bros. Willy Wonka widescreen campaign, this is another worthy cause for you to become involved in, as far too many companies waste money on multiple versions of the same disc. Urge Paramount to do things right this time around.
To contact Paramount, write to:
Martin Blythe
Paramount Home Entertainment
5555 Melrose Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90038-3197
Please show support by also signing this petition...
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/UncutDVD/petition.html
And note, I’m not jumping on to Mr. Blythe at all here. He has been extremely helpful to us Friday the 13th fans here at the HTF, and I put his name on the address in hope he’ll read the letters and pass them along to others in charge of the project.
[Edited last by Wes Ray on September 19, 2001 at 05:19 PM]

Wes, I agree 100%
Paramount CAN RE-MASTER the footage, they know how many people want the DVD, We have done everything.
Look at this baby, There are thousands and thousands of people who want this.

Paramount you CAN make it happen, You have the directors FULL support.
Make it happen ....
Regards,
Ricky
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Please help convince Warner to release Stephen King's IT On DVD
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/...ML/003344.html

WELL said Wes...petition has been signed.

Paramount, you are well aware of the strong fan base these films have. I am sure you get tonnes of letters revolving around the Friday series. So why not show the fans you care and give them a quality product right from the get go. If you release Part 7 with the promise that if it sells well then we will see an uncut version, I am not going to buy it, and I don't think anyone else will either. Who wants to go out and buy 2 copies of the same film?
Thinks couldn't be better for you Paramount. You have a director who eagerly wishes to participate on an uncut remastered DVD, and not only that, but he has all the uncut material ready for you. This should be a no brainer! Do it right the first time by making an uncut DVD chock full of features, and then you are cleared with Friday fans. No more letters, no more complaints, just thousands of happy customers! Please make the right choice in releasing a remastered uncut version initially.
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Help urge Fox to release Terror Train on DVD Uncut!
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/...ML/003324.html

I agree with everything that has been said. I signed the petition and am going to send a snail mail tomorrow. Even if you arent a fan of the Friday series, help those of us who are and at least sign the petition. thanks!

Excellent post, Wes. If major studios would spent just a few minutes by taking a look at what companies like Anchor Bay, Elite, and Image are doing with horror and cult titles, maybe they'd realize the potential of what lies in their "catalog." Such DVD releases would not be in production if there weren't tons of folks like me buying them. As much as I appreciate Anchor Bay, I know they didn't do their unbelievable Suspiria DVD out of the goodness of their hearts.
Paramount possesses eight films in the Friday The 13th series, each one met with censorship in wildly varying degrees. It would be poor business sense to ignore the history of these movies and the following they have. Perhaps when the Internet wasn't such a permanent fixture of our culture and DVD was in its infancy, Paramount simply wasn't aware of the legions of fans who are more than a little curious about censored footage. These films, especially Part VII, deserve to be restored. Fans, who have given many dollars to ticket and video sales over the years, deserve to see what has been denied by the MPAA and studio brass.
It is encouraging that Paramount is in apparent discussions with John Buechler, director of Friday VII, however preliminary. In my humble opinion, Paramount should forge ahead and allow Mr. Buechler into the editing room for a full re-edit. I don't understand the rationale behind two DVD's and don't claim to.
Should Mr. Blythe read these posts, I would like to offer a gracious thanks for considering the matter and in his efforts to get our voices heard by Paramount.
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My Scary DVD Collection

Off topic a little...but Suspiria may have been totally shipped out...but not sold...I've seen hundreds of copies during the last week for sale at various stores in both 3 disc le and 1 disc se form...

About the suspiria thing, It is safe to say they are nearly all gone, Sure there sre still some around but not for long.
Paramount I hope you can do the right thing and get Mr. John carl Buechler in the editing room.
Paramount I have said this once and I will happily say it again
24,000 + hits on the petition site www.angelfire.com/movies/jasonuncut
Endless amounts of E-mails
Letter after letter has been sent
Director John Carl Buechlers 100% support
Online petitions
What is stopping you ?
Paramount, you know there is a Big fan base out there, Please I urge you to do the right thing.
Regards,
Ricky

I can't imagine that the restored footage will suddenly turn F VII into a good film, but I would buy it if it were uncut just to show support (though, I'd MUCH rather see the first film in the series released uncut as it's the only film in the series that I actually like).
-Jerry

Quote: "One would be the regular thatrical feature release as it played in the theatres, but it would have another track where you could here commentary of the film makers, and the actors, as well as yet another track where you might view a rough cut of my uncut version-- with out the full theartical mix.
If this sells well, they may well re-mix, re cut and remaster it into uncut DVD version."
This is a STUPID, STUPID philosophy! Paramount knows the support that exists for this movie. The evidence is there in many, many forms. Yet they claim that the only way they'll know is if an inferior version is released and sells well. This is called double-dipping and in my opinion is highly unethical. I know there have been plenty of re-releases in the brief history of DVD, but in this case there is plenty of both time and knowledge - there are no excuses.
I appreciate Mr. Blythe's presence here on the HTF, but when it comes to the Friday the 13th movies he has been of little help. He has made excuses which can easily be proven false, and he has made the claim that all of the internet support doesn't mean a thing because if we really meant it we would write via snail-mail. Then why survey us about what we want to see released? Why not send out surveys via snail mail? Then you would know that those of us who would actually bother to send in the survey really, really wanted these pictures these released instead of just jumping on the band wagon after seeing titles in other posts.
If we were talking about some obscure title with a small cult following, I would understand having to jump through hoops. But this is a popular title, with strong demand, in a genre where uncut discs sell really well. Wake up Paramount!
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"Wow, what a dramatic airport!"

wow, 110 signatures on the petition already. Good job guys! I hope you guys are writing letters too. Let's keep this up!
Oh and to clarify on the Suspiria comment, that's what I meant. All 60,000 Limited Edition copies have been shipped out and are in possession of the various retailers. Paramount could easily sell twice the number of those if they offered a Director's Cut special edition of Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood of equal value.
[Edited last by Wes Ray on September 20, 2001 at 11:35 AM]

I am that F13films.com member who recieved that letter from Buechler. Anyhow I just hope that one day I can own an uncut F7. Hopefully Paramont will decide to release it uncut right away. Nobody will buy the theatrical version if they know the uncut one is coming! This whole idea doesn't make much sense.

Thanks for the update, Chris. I agree. It's one thing when studios either can't do the remaster or are unaware of what the fans want in time for the first release, but Paramount can remaster it, and they are aware of what the fans want. There is no reason to purposely release two different discs of the same movie, when they could get it right from the start.
[Edited last by Wes Ray on September 21, 2001 at 11:26 AM]

I support a fully remastered director's cut as I always have.
Mr. Blythe,
I know that you have heard the call of the fans. The fans that make and have made Paramount the successful studio that it is. Now it is Paramount's turn to give to the fans as we have given to you.
We have seen the butchered, "R" rated version of FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VII--THE NEW BLOOD umpteen times over the years. We do not need another print of it released. We want the UNCUT print of this great movie released. And as you well know, Mr. Blythe, John Carl Buechler wants his film to be seen as he filmed it.
Do the right thing, Paramount. Release FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VII--THE NEW BLOOD, and release it UNCUT as it was intended to be from the onset.

If F13 VII is released uncut (as a full re-cut movie) I will buy copies for all my DVD loving friends.

Done and done.
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Matt
Mobu? Sounds like some sort of damn car polish.
My DVD Collection

Are you sure you're campaigning to the right person?
Martin Blythe is the head of publicity, not the head of the Video and DVD department. If not, it's kind of like asking the mule to speed up instead of asking the guy who's whipping him!

Yes we are asking the right guy.
He passes on suggestions and goes over to that departement. Mr John Carl Buechler spoke to him about it is so YES, He is the right guy.
Mr Blythe, Please check out the petition, It is doing great.
Regards,
Ricky
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C:WINDOWSDesktopjasonVSparbannerVER2.jpg
www.petitiononline.com/UncutDVD
Thank you WILL K for the banner

We're targeting Paramount with this petition and latest hand-written & online campaign. Martin passes along our suggestions, but we don't mean to single him out directly. Just giving him some things to pass along. The petition has done really well so far, so I hope he stops by to check it out sometime.
I'm glad the banner is finally working. I had been having trouble putting it up but it's finally up. Thanks to Will K for designing it. He did a heck of a job if you ask me.

I've signed my soul away. Let's hope we get somewhere with this.
Todd B