I'm *sure* I know what Van Ling's next DVD is.... (1 Viewer)

[BenjaminG]

Hey guys, I just though of something... We haven't heard from legendary DVD producer Van Ling since, well October last year, on the Phantom Menace DVD, and it struck me... I bet any money he is currently working on STAR WARS EPISODE 2 (which Ron has stated IS in production now, for release by years end) AND/OR INDIANA JONES! (which is heavily rumoured).

So what do you guys think??

Cheers,

Ben

 

[DanR]

Well, I have to say that I couldn't care less. If Ron says Episode II is coming tha Fall, then I believe him. If Van Ling is making it, great. If he isn't, no biggie.

As far as Indiana Jones, I've said it many times. It sounds to me like Paramount and Lucas can't even agree on the color of shit, much less a DVD release for this great series. Over the last 3 years of rumors and such, I have become quite bitter about it. It is perhaps one of the biggest travesties of the "digital home entertainment era" that we are now in the sixth year of DVD's existence and there is no Indiana Jones on the shelf for people to buy and enjoy. I just want to watch the frickin movies as best as possible given current technology for chrissakes...I guess that's too much to ask!!!

Regards,

Dan

 

[DonRoeber]

Hasn't Ving said a few times that he's working on the five star versions of Speed and True Lies?

 

[rutger_s]

Hasn't Ving said a few times that he's working on the five star versions of Speed and True Lies?

Charles De Lauzirika is producing Speed: Five Star Collection.
Van Ling has stated that True Lies: Five Star Collection, which he is producing, has been delayed due to the events on September 11th, 2001.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

It is perhaps one of the biggest travesties of the "digital home entertainment era" that we are now in the sixth year of DVD's existence and there is no Indiana Jones on the shelf for people to buy and enjoy.

Dan:

I feel the same way about this series and, of course, the original Star Wars trilogy.

As consumers, there's not much we can do but grin and bear it, but it does defy all logic. (And by that I mean business logic; both Paramount and LucasFilm are losing millions at this point due to the non-availability of these titles.)

 

[Dave H]

Well said, Dan. I have become very bitter about the entire thing and think it's ridiculous the original (or Special Edition) Star Wars and Indy are not on DVD.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Believe you me when I say that Fox and Paramount will take these discs any time Lucas is willing to hand them over

But given that he owns the movies, they come out when he's ready for them to. I don't think old George is hurting too bad for cash. Last I checked Episode 1 grossed around 1.5 BILLION dollars after merchandising, and not counting video sales.

 

[Sean Oneil]

OK, then Lucas should forget about the money, and just release the damn films. Why did he want to make films in the first place? Was it to entertain people?? Well, entertain us then!! RELEASE THE DAMN MOVIES!!!

 

[Dave H]

Why did he want to make films in the first place?

He made the films, ultimately, for his own self-interest - which there is certainly nothing wrong with it. I understand that Star Wars is HIS vision and he should do, ultimately, what he wants to do. (I don't believe any director or filmmaker has to "cater" to fans.) However, I don't understand why he wants to leave behind what he initially created in the original Star Wars trilogy and why they wouldn't be released now. I mean he released the Special Edition Star Wars films in 1997 on VHS and laser disc. DVD was launched in March of 1997. I don't see why he didn't release them on the format then since he already did on the others.

And, the Indy situation makes no sense at all.

 

[Anthony Thorne]

The Indy movies are guaranteed sellers, which is exactly why Lucas is in no hurry to release them. Every month, an enormous number of DVD players (thousands and thousands) are sold to new owners - folks and households that have never had a DVD player before. Many of these folks who own a DVD player for the first time would likely be compelled to buy the Indy movies if they saw an ad for them on TV or in a magazine. Just as equally, households that DIDN'T have a DVD player wouldn't buy them. Lucas would have to come back in a couple of years to repromote the movies to gain the maximum sales from this second group of buyers.

The longer Lucas waits, the bigger the DVD user-base will be for him to market to. These will be huge, mass-market titles, and they will likely be promoted with a mammoth advertising campaign. The longer Lucas waits to release them, the more customers he'll have likely to splurge on the probable DVD box set. The Indy movies will have more DVD buyers ready and waiting to purchase them than any other title in history, and Lucas will only have to market the films once. The fans will buy them whenever they come out, which is why Lucas couldn't care less about you - he's already sold them to you. (If a pre-order notice on Amazon listed the Indy movies as streeting in January 2003, a thread would probably appear on HTF the next day with folks announcing that they'd just pre-ordered the set). The real profit lies with the wider public, and when Lucas thinks that market is big enough (i.e bigger again than it is now, by many millions of players) he'll allow the discs to be released .