Andrew Budgell
Senior HTF Member
OliverK said:A thought I had while writing the previous post:
As all of this seems to be hindered mostly by money matters I think that studios should acticvely seek to adopt a model where a sponsor gets involved - something like Raintree County brought to you with the generous help of brand or product X - that may really speed things up. The way this is done would have to be sorted out by the legal departments of the studio and the company who form such a partnership but it could mean that all software, whether streamed or on a disc, is preceded by an acknowledgement that the preservation of the movie was made possible with the help of brand/company X - I would love that and promise not to skip that part of the presentation - not that I think they would produce it so that I could
As an extension the company could maybe promote their sponsorship in other venues and in order to promote sales if they want to. Again, this would have to be sorted out in a meaningful fashion but as apparently many studios are not into investing the necessary funds themselves there should not be too many objections. After all Warner in this case does not seem to count on making any money with Raintree County in the near future if ever so they would still have the actual software revenues from discs, streaming, broadcast and other venues and save the restoration expenses.
Maybe one should think of it as kind of an adopt-a-movie program and what better way to start it off than with Raintree County?
Not quite the same thing as what you're suggesting, but when Fox released Cleopatra on Blu-ray back in 2013 they partnered with The Elizabeth Taylor Trust to market the release with Elizabeth's White Diamonds fragrance (which is still the top selling celebrity fragrance year after year). They also released it in conjunction with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Richard Burton, and a gala screening at Cannes benefiting The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. It be great if WB could do something similar. I'm sure someone will tell me to get my head out of my ass, but I would love if a restored Raintree County opened the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival in partnership with White Diamonds and The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation for its 60th anniversary with Elizabeth's family and celebrities who admire her in attendance (Kim Kardashian and Colin Farrell have attended ET AIDS Foundation events in the past). A Blu-ray release could follow, on its own and part of an Elizabeth Taylor boxed set of films (perhaps Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, National Velvet, A Place in the Sun--if WB has rights to the latter), promoted in conjunction with White Diamonds as Cleo was.