Archived: Insiders Thread

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Esox50

I was going to wait to post this question until Jan. 8, 2008, which is the day that The Rock is released in North America on Blu-Ray Disc. Now, it's not really a technical or Blu-Ray question, but since we have some Hollywood Insiders here, I figured this is my only shot to get the question answered. Anyway, here we go:

The Rock is dedicated to the late Don Simpson, former producing partner of Jerry Bruckheimer (you know, Top Gun, The Rock, Pirates of the Carribean, Bad Boys, et al). Now, back in the early/mid 1980's Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer rose to huge stardom, and they got a lucrative deal that set them up at Paramount. Don Simpson was well known as a "work hard, play hard" type of guy, and for "crossing the line."

There is an "incident" that is the stuff of urban legend and I would love to know if it's confirmed/true. Supposedly, late one night, the member of a cleaning crew saw a completely naked "un-named" actress come running hysterically out of Don Simpson's office, followed shortly thereafter by Don Simpson chasing after her down the hall at Paramount Pictures with a semi-auto 9mm gun.

Fact or Fiction? Penton, you seem to go back a ways, and this seems right up your alley.

I don’t know about the gun part.
If I were to think of Don way, way back in the day when he was a teenager, he would have reminded me of this guy……………….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDhgq...eature=related

Folks,
I’m working backwards on replying to your queries so I imagine they will get cleaner and more boring in succession.

[Penton-Man]

Geez mystik, what a time for you to show up here.
I hope you have a sense of humor with my links.

[quexos]

Originally Posted by mystiksuicide

Penton-man is The Man and that's all we need to know. If he says it it's a fact!!!

So the real question for Penton is: What does Warner want, and what will they actually base their decision on ?

God, losing this war just because MS has more money, that pisses me off

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by cking2729

Penton,

I understand that it's a sensitive subject and you may not be able to comment, but are you familiar with 'Lotus' on the AvRev forum? He seems like a DuD insider, and some folks in other threads here have mentioned his similarities to Amir. I have to agree:

http://www.avrevforum.com/showthread...=7324#post7324
http://www.avrevforum.com/showthread.php?t=1155

He does have some seemingly accurate data, but he also seems like he is spinning and FUDding. One thing that caught my attention is that he claims that M$ and Sony are in a bidding war over Warner and M$ is planning to counter and double Sony's offer.

Here is a post regarding Sony offer and the recent BusinessWeek article:

"I heard about the Sony offer on Tuesday and on Wednesday heard that MS will be doubling it.

If Business Week had been looking the week before they'd have printed the opposite thing. I said last week that Warner was officially for sale.

They are and it's an auction. Sony made a counter bid, and now MS is."

If you can comment, what do you make of all this?

I never heard of the guy and I just don’t have the time to read much of any forum other than this one.

He may be a paid (by M$) blogger. They’ve done that before in the past on computer forums, and I see no reason why they wouldn’t/haven’t continued that old practice on the high-def optical forums.

I highly, highly doubt that he would be privy to such back and forth negotiations and anyone that is would be a fool for posting such stuff on the internet as it would invoke the wrath of WB for sure.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by kurtlingle

are there any rumors on timing?
Thanks!
Kurt

For rumors on color timing, I suggest you visit thee ole Bram Stoker’s Dracula thread on AVS if it is still up and running.
Should be some good stuff there.

When I gets the chance, I’ll give you film folks a mini-lecture on the difference between “color correction” and “color grading”, if there even is considered one by those in the biz.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by dustin410

Who is this "Penton-man" character, and why should I believe what he writes?
Just asking a question. Is he really an "Insider" and is he right most of the time?
I want to believe.

LOL,
Well I’m informed by some that if you’re a reader of *highdeforum* - (is that the correct spelling)?..........I’m some dude in a trailer typing in the dez. (that’s desert for non-SoCal people).

I’ll tell you one thing, it aint no regular trailer.
It’s a double-wide and I move her lock, stock and barrel semi-annually from her summer home in Red Mountain to her winter home in Death Valley.

[Penton-Man]

Speaking of insider qualification and such, the Sony PlayStation dude has been informed to get in touch with the mods here so as to go through the thorough credentialing process. I suspect his I.P. address thingee (or whatever the hell you computer guys call it) should be the SF/Foster City area and environs.

I don’t know when the guy will show up but, I hope it’s soon --as next week I’ll be out of touch for awhile while in Japan………you know, some previously scheduled BDA thingee.

Does this mean I should look out for Alex dressed incognito as a waiter serving food and drink (scribbling notes on a pad) during one of the meetings? or is he a hacker dude?

[mystiksuicide]

Hey I am disapointed in you Penton you didn't get to vote for me as the hottest blu member. lol

Even though our mods pulled the thread especially since I was winning.

[p1rates]

Penton,

I love Blu-ray and I was absolutely saddened by the fact that Paramount/Dreamworks left and went HD-DVD exclusive. I was wondering if BDA is doing all that they can to make sure that Warner stays with them? I've noticed that Profile 2.0 movies are coming out very soon and I wanted to know if that was a tactic to catch Warner's eyes? Warner Bros obviously gets more sales from Blu-ray than from HD-DVD so I am baffled as to why some people think that Warner will go red after the CES 2008. Wishful thinking I guess. I've also been told that Microsoft doesn't partake in offering money to the studios and I was wondering if that's true or not. I'm very skeptical to think that Microsoft is just sitting on the side not trying to convince other studios to stick with HD-DVD.

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDhgq...eature=related

I have tears I'm laughing so hard. Thanks.

BTW, over 10 years later, I still miss Don Simpson's influence in the action genre. While I still enjoy most of JB's films, they've definitely lost a bit of the macho, hard-edge (with the exception of when Michael Bay is involved) that was present when Don Simpson was still around. Indeed, I can vividly remember the credits of The Rock, and seeing "In Loving Memory of Don Simpson". The Rock was a fitting finale for Don, and was the end of an era in action films. I was truly saddened for his family, colleagues, and action movie fans everywhere. It just goes to show you how movies can touch us all in some way and provide fond memories.

BTW, speaking of The Rock, it never ceases to amaze me how the Academy continues to pass on awarding Ed Harris. Definitely an oversight of a very under-rated actor. Maybe one of these years, it will be Ed's turn.

[Ben]

Originally Posted by quexos

No offense guys but it does not matter what you guys or I think. Whether it is players that matters or discs. What matters is what Warner thinks and If they want to be bought. Because if they do, Good luck to the BDA to try to overbid Microsoft ! If there is anything real about that company is that they got money, and i mean MOOONNNEEYYYY !
So at this point in time the only useful info is to know what info Warner wants: Player's sales, disc sales or a bribe ...
if it's the first, we got a chance as the PS3 obviously counts too, if it's the second, hd-dvd is finished, but if it's the third ...

You seem to not understand that both Sony and Panasonic alone are larger than Toshiba and Microsoft combined. Think about that for a minute.

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Ben

You seem to not understand that both Sony and Panasonic alone are larger than Toshiba and Microsoft combined. Think about that for a minute.

Plus, as I said earlier Sony has something that neither Toshiba and MS can offer:


MGM

Think about THAT for a minute.

[TJones8124]

Ben,

That is not entirely true. Based on sales, neither Panasonic or Sony are larger than Toshiba and Microsoft combined.


Sony and Panasonic are larger individually than either Toshiba or MS individually.

[dustin410]

Originally Posted by Ben

You seem to not understand that both Sony and Panasonic alone are larger than Toshiba and Microsoft combined. Think about that for a minute.

Seriously? I knew Matsushita was big, but I didn't know Sony pulled that much weight. Granted, Sony's big. But M$ is huge.

I don't want this to be about money, though. I want Blu ray to win by software sales. Hit the red side where it hurts. Show them that the blu side can win without bribes.

[zipbags]

Originally Posted by theBishop

I saw in a Fox promotion that Fight Club is coming soon.

How Soon?
What supplements are they planning?

First rule of the Fight Club....You don't talk about the fight club!

[Ben]

Originally Posted by dustin410

Seriously? I knew Matsushita was big, but I didn't know Sony pulled that much weight. Granted, Sony's big. But M$ is huge.

I don't want this to be about money, though. I want Blu ray to win by software sales. Hit the red side where it hurts. Show them that the blu side can win without bribes.

I think it is pretty well proven at this point that the BDA hasn't had to resort to bribery like Toshiba has. However, if push comes to shove, Sony and Panasonic could eat M$ and Toshiba for breakfast.

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by merrick97

Plus, as I said earlier Sony has something that neither Toshiba and MS can offer:

MGM

Think about THAT for a minute.

Pardon me for sticking my head in the Insider's thread, but after you mentioning this twice in here, I just have to ask, doesn't FOX have the rights to MGM's catalog?

Sony only has the rights to the newer stuff... correct?

~Alan

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by Ben

I think it is pretty well proven at this point that the BDA hasn't had to resort to bribery like Toshiba has. However, if push comes to shove, Sony and Panasonic could eat M$ and Toshiba for breakfast.

But then again, the BDA has said "No More Mr. Nice Guy" (or something akin to that after the DreamWorks/Paramount deal)...

I don't believe in "eye for an eye", but HD DVD started it...

~Alan

[sj001]

I believe from what the Insiders alluded to, that Warner will or has made their own decision regarding their stance. I just can't see another payoff happening, I know $$$ rules, but some companies actually have some integrity.

[bigmf]

Wow... big week while I'm out of touch and not even lurking. Thanks again to P-Man for your comments. I think it is positive news that Paid has been quiet. We know he is a high-up muckety-muck with sony pictures and therefore should keep the old yap shut on such matters. (Speculation)

Umm... I doubt this one will get answered but, if any insider wants to answer, IF warner was to drop HDD(venerial desease) how long do you think it would take for the dominoes to fall?