Unreal. Disney must have been reading the threads here regarding their current state of management and wanted to punish us. Ed Wood has been in my top 3 (along with The African Queen and Lifeboat most anticipated releases. Nothing makes me laugh like the rescue-of-the-misfits-at-the-premiere scene.
Well, I had a copy ship in an order than went out today - so it obviously made it to some online retailers. I'll see what turns up. If it's been withdrawn again, Disney must be taking an absolute bath on this title as the previously delayed relase was also shipped to stores and subsequently withhdrawn. It ca't be a rights issue holding this release up as the title is readily available in R2,3 and 4.
This better be a mistake. Or wave to my $25 and tell it bye-bye. If this thing is a delayed again without an extremely good reason, I wouldn't buy it if they include a love scene with Vampira, Dolores Fuller and whipped cream with a cherry on top. No sale fellas. Period.
Maybe they want to wait until Oscar nominations are announced (or until after the ceremony) so they can use it on the packaging.
What I want to know is...should I order this from an online retailer and hope I get it? And if so, which one? I have also been waiting for a long time, and I want a Region 1 version of this film.
1 - They want to see if Burton or Big Fish gets nominated on Tuesday, and if so, to retool the ad campaign and possibly add a cover art blurb (or maybe sticker) pimping the oscar nominations. If this is the case, it'll probably only push the relase date a couple of weeks max.
2 - Someone complained about something on the bonus materials, or some lawyer complained or found something they didn't clear. Since this seems to be out in other regions with much of the same material, does anyone know if there's anything someone might b*tch about in there? Just a thought.
That's what I'm thinking. Now that "Big Fish" has turned out to be Oscar worthy, they are waiting on putting out "Ed Wood" Didn't the same thing happen with "Bowling for Columbine" last year?
I'm not buying the Big Fish tie ins, just for the fact that since BF is a Columbia/Tristar release, I can't see a studio cancelling a DVD release at this late hour simply for a promotional opportunity down the road to coincide with another studio's release. This smacks of legal or rights issues.
That's exactly what I was thinking. Why would BV want to cross-promote with CTS when the DVD's already been made? If both films were from the same studio - it would make more sense, but it still would sound like a waste of resources.
Wish they just released this bare-bones in the first place - to avoid any chance of legal rights issues. When everything's sorted out - then release the SE. They can get people double-dipping this way, and everyone's happy.
The blurb would most likely read "From Oscar-nominated director Tim Burton" or something along those lines. What they're trying to do is capitalize on the success of Big Fish. BV is hoping that people that wouldn't have bought Ed Wood will now buy it based on that little blurb. Studios do it all the time.
You've never seen or heard the words "From Academy Award Winner/ Nominee _____________" in a movie preview before?
That, and the fact that Burton has next to no chance in receiving an Oscar nomination for Big Fish. The film has received no Golden Globe noms, no DGA nom, no PGA nom, no SAG noms... What does Disney know that the rest of us don't?
Big Fish was nominated as Best Picture (Musical or Comedy) for this year's Golden Globes. It was also nominated for Best Picture by BAFTA (UK's equivalent to the Oscars). Screener DVDs of 'Big Fish' were sent to Academy members and is considered a strong contender for nomination in the Best Picture category for this year's Oscars. We will know for sure this Tuesday.
That said, I agree that the postponing of the DVD's release at such a late date does not sound at all like a marketing tie-in due to the success of 'Big Fish' especially as it is not a BV film. On the other hand, when it comes to Disney you just never know what they are up to and what motivates some of their decision making.
This is exactly the reason the two-disc special edition of The Iron Giant was postponed twice. Brad Bird is the director of Pixar's The Incredibles due in November of this year. Oh yeah, The Iron Giant was a Warner Brothers production.
I think the Big Fish reason is a plausable theory, because as Scott pointed out, they just have to call Burton "Oscar Nominated." They don't have to tell anyone just what he was nominated for. Here's hoping they don't hold out for the awards ceremonies!