Ask questions to The Digital Bits team (Bill Hunt, Jeff Kleist et.al.)

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by NL197

I may not read comics but that doesn't mean I don't know what Batman is all about. That would be far too shortsighted, and possibly even elitist for anyone to say that. Comic books are not the be-all/end-all for these characters and stories.

I didn't mean to suggest that reading the comics is the only way to be familiar with other interpretations of Batman, but if one has any amount of familiarity with the Batman mythos as presented in pretty much any medium, I can't imagine coming to the conclusion that the Nolan movies represent "Batman in name only".

[Slec]

Despite my lack of overall interest in the topics... I have to admit, it's been nice not seeing page after page of "when is xxxxxxxxx coming to blu-ray" I'm sure its a nice respite for Jeff too.

Any chance everyone can tone those down a bit as we move forward?

[Jeff Kleist]

The "Super-man" in "Superman Returns" (along with Lex Luthor), were not the characters I was used to from the comic books any more than the characters in the newer BSG was the characters from the old BSG.

They're the characters from the Donner movie, which as far as I know Siegel and Shuster quite enjoyed. Please correct me if I'm wrong. It's a valid version of the character that Singer continued with some tweaks for modern aesthetic. Aside from the "S" needing to be bigger and the costume redder, he succeeded, tho kate bosworth is definatley #3 on the "best Lois" list.

I read an article years ago (I believe it was in Wizard) that stated everybody's favorite interpretation is what they first got exposed to

Hence my "slipperly slope" issue

That may ring true for most people, but I just want what's correct/in continuity/creator approved

I liked the darker take on RM's BSG, I don't mind a darker Bond (given what he is), and Batman's often been portrayed as "dark," but "Superman" isn't a dark character, he's a "boy scout" that fills you with "hope." Watching "Superman Returns", I didn't walk away with "hope," I walked away with "depression" and "exhaustion." Not only do I agree with Jeff's earlier statement regarding "Batman: TAS", I feel that way about the "Superman: TAS" as it was MUCH closer to the feel of the comics.

This wasn't necessarily "dark" Superman. It's a character study trying to do something different. It's looking at Superman the man, not Superman the god. He finally is a part of Earth and has a part of him grounded to it forever. He's always had a disconnect no matter how hard he tried and he's always been alone, and now he isn't. I find it plenty inspiring

Jeff, "Damages: Season Two" is scheduled for August 31 in the UK. Since the encoding work will apparently be done for the UK release, what are the chances they'll decide to bring it over here as well?

Well, stuff isn't usually announced that far out, but I'd say since it's Sony both places if it comes there it'll come here

and totally agree that Eccelston as Destro is the one bright spot, even though according to his Bio file card he should be wearing that mask even in a prequel :P At least his voice is from the UK instead of big black man this time (Destro is Scots)

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Doc,

Save your breath.

Thanks. I've seen him around enough in the time I have been here that it was tough for me to really believe Jeff's assertion that he was trolling. I guess I just don't understand the psychology of lucid trolls- seems like a contradiction in terms.

I'll stop feeding now.

[Esox50]

Jeff,

What odds would you put on Universal "breaking up" The Fast and the Furious Trilogy into individual releases later this year when the 4th movie hits Blu-Ray? The original is the only one that holds value for a lot of people, including myself.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Slec

Despite my lack of overall interest in the topics... I have to admit, it's been nice not seeing page after page of "when is xxxxxxxxx coming to blu-ray" I'm sure its a nice respite for Jeff too.

Any chance everyone can tone those down a bit as we move forward?

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

Thanks. I've seen him around enough in the time I have been here that it was tough for me to really believe Jeff's assertion that he was trolling. I guess I just don't understand the psychology of lucid trolls- seems like a contradiction in terms.

I'll stop feeding now.

Soooo...when does "The Life Story of Valentino Rossi" hit Blu-ray? And will it be true to the source material? I want home video of the go-kart years.

[Slec]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

They're the characters from the Donner movie, which as far as I know Siegel and Shuster quite enjoyed. Please correct me if I'm wrong. It's a valid version of the character that Singer continued with some tweaks for modern aesthetic. Aside from the "S" needing to be bigger and the costume redder, he succeeded, tho kate bosworth is definatley #3 on the "best Lois" list.



Hence my "slipperly slope" issue

That may ring true for most people, but I just want what's correct/in continuity/creator approved



This wasn't necessarily "dark" Superman. It's a character study trying to do something different. It's looking at Superman the man, not Superman the god. He finally is a part of Earth and has a part of him grounded to it forever. He's always had a disconnect no matter how hard he tried and he's always been alone, and now he isn't. I find it plenty inspiring



Well, stuff isn't usually announced that far out, but I'd say since it's Sony both places if it comes there it'll come here

and totally agree that Eccelston as Destro is the one bright spot, even though according to his Bio file card he should be wearing that mask even in a prequel :P At least his voice is from the UK instead of big black man this time (Destro is Scots)

If I read your posts correctly, you are one of these people, so here's a question with that assumption in mind. Comics have rebooted over the years or taken on a completely different type of tone for the main character. Generally, these 'new titles' are accepted by the market (I think there were 3 or 4 Batman universe's going on while I was reading comics). Why is there such a backlash when this is done with movies?

There's no right answer.... is it just the anonymity and tiny megaphone lending capabilities of the internet?

[NL197]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

I didn't mean to suggest that reading the comics is the only way to be familiar with other interpretations of Batman, but if one has any amount of familiarity with the Batman mythos as presented in pretty much any medium, I can't imagine coming to the conclusion that the Nolan movies represent "Batman in name only".

Oh neither can I. The only thing Beast said that I agree with is the idea that Nolan's films (especially TDK) are crime dramas that have comic-based characters in them. I agree with that because I love that interpretation. The very idea that Nolan respects these characters so much that he knows you can make them work in this way and it will resonate is a big part of why I love his take on Batman.

Saying that Nolan's Batman isn't really Batman is an insult to the character, because it implies that he will only work if done in a more typical campy comic way. Some people feel the Adam West show is truest to Batman, and it's true - for that era. Not now, but over the course of the character's history there was a time when West's Batman was THE Batman during that time. I guess there's a Batman for every generation. Make a more "fantastic" Batman movie now, and it wouldn't work as well as it did before. Make a more realistic Batman in the 80's and it wouldn't have worked as well as it did now, that kind of thing.

They are all still valid, they are all still Batman.

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Soooo...when does "The Life Story of Valentino Rossi" hit Blu-ray? And will it be true to the source material? I want home video of the go-kart years.

How 'bout the "4-foot boy vs. 1-foot mini-bike years"? Either way, I think Graziano has the rights to those.

Speaking of "true to the source material", I want to hear Jeff's justification for defending the wrong GiJoe.

[Jeff Kleist]

What odds would you put on Universal "breaking up" The Fast and the Furious Trilogy into individual releases later this year when the 4th movie hits Blu-Ray? The original is the only one that holds value for a lot of people, including myself.

I'd say that depends on how well the trilogy is doing, and whether they're just going to box it up into a quad

I'd say better than even odds

If I read your posts correctly, you are one of these people, so here's a question with that assumption in mind. Comics have rebooted over the years or taken on a completely different type of tone for the main character. Generally, these 'new titles' are accepted by the market (I think there were 3 or 4 Batman universe's going on while I was reading comics). Why is there such a backlash when this is done with movies?

Well, community memory on such things only really started in the 70s when there became a large enough community, and the tools for large scale dissemination of pop culture history outside of a small hardcore fanbase. There wasn't an outcry because until the last 30 years, no adult would admit to reading Batman Don't forget that most movies were thrown down the memory hole, maybe showing up on TV every 5-10 years until cable and home video hit. The same went with comics, unless you were a collector, you simply didn't have access to know any differently

Speaking of "true to the source material", I want to hear Jeff's justification for defending the wrong GiJoe.

The original GI Joe didn't have any story to it other than "I'm a rough tough action man"

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by NL197

The only thing Beast said that I agree with is the idea that Nolan's films (especially TDK) are crime dramas that have comic-based characters in them. I agree with that because I love that interpretation.

And that's certainly true, but there's nothing about that approach which is not totally in keeping with Batman, especially in Batman's post-Miller era.

[scrumptious]

Jeff or Bill or anyone else in the know,

Do you think a SG-1 release is a matter of when (even if a decade later) and not a matter of if? The DVD's are on a b1g1 coupon sale at Costco (comes to just 12.50 for each season right now and I am ambivalent about buying.

Thanks for all your valuable insights.

[gpn]

Jeff,

Do you know if Fantastic Voyage or The Right Stuff are at least on the radar of Fox and Warner respectively?

Thanks!

Greg

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by gpn

Jeff,

Do you know if Fantastic Voyage or The Right Stuff are at least on the radar of Fox and Warner respectively?

Thanks!

Greg

The Right Stuff is at least on the radar at Warner. Not sure when it's due, but I have heard that it's being considered.

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by JackBauer24

Man but that camp factor I don't miss at all. Do you and Bill ever argue considering he's such a big fan of the new BSG?

Yes, we do. Pretty much whenever the subject of Battlestar Galactica comes up, Jeff starts off on his usual rant, and I just tune him out. He's out of his mind on this one! Jeff has serious issues with the whole idea of remakes or reboots, particularly if the original was coated in spun gold for him as a child.

I'm a lot more open minded. Now, if we're talking a remake of a classic film like Lawrence of Arabia, that's one thing. But in this particular case, the original series was a good idea in principle, but is terribly dated in retrospect. The new Battlestar makes the old series look like Quark. And I LIKED the original just fine. Still do. But you have to keep things in perspective here.

I actually think the new Star Trek film is going to be very good. Star Trek... look, I love good Trek as much as the next guy. I've been a fan since the early 70s. But the fact is, there isn't a lot of truly good Trek. If you gather all 700+ episodes (and what, 10 features films?) into a single bunch, there's probably 20 really great episodes and a couple of very good films. The rest is cheese. So why not try to reinvent it for a new generation while staying true to the core ideas of the original? That what Gene hoped would happen.

You know, the fact is these media franchises are going to get reinvented every decade or two. That's just the nature of the business. You can either get all bent out of shape about it, or you can try to keep an open mind. In my experience, the more rabid fans ALWAYS hate the idea of remakes and reboots, and resist them like crazy. Sometimes, the result sucks. But sometimes, as with Batman or Bond or Battlestar, the result is as good or even better than the original and most original fans are won over. Plus lots of new fans are made in the process. Look... nobody though Jack Nicholson could be topped as The Joker, and then Heath Ledger came along.

I love Jeff, don't get me wrong, but the guys HATES these remakes so badly that he has a very hard time keeping an open mind on the subject (No offense, Jeff, but a spade is a spade). The guy actually watched every minute of the new Battlestar, even though he HATED it with a passion, solely with an eye towards compiling a complete list of incurred grievances against the original. That's way more energy than I'm willing to invest in such things. If I don't like something - a film or a TV series, remake or not - I don't watch and I don't give it another thought. Life's too short, man. Jeff... well, he takes a different approach.

[NoQuestion]

Bill,

A page or two ago you stated that Universal is going to be moving out catalog titles in the second half of the year, is that going to be mostly the "catch up" titles a 50/50 split of new?

Also, have you heard anything from WB about possibly giving us a bluray only version of the notebook instead of the god awful ultimate box?

[FourToedStatue]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

The guy actually watched every minute of the new Battlestar, even though he HATED it with a passion, solely with an eye towards compiling a complete list of incurred grievances against the original.

I would love to see that grievance list

[iwanttobeabmoviestar]

Wondering if any news on next wave of Bond movies in steelbook best buy had first 6 and amazon last 3 any news on who got the next batch exclusive steelbook thanks

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by iwanttobeabmoviestar

Wondering if any news on next wave of Bond movies in steelbook best buy had first 6 and amazon last 3 any news on who got the next batch exclusive steelbook thanks

Did your doctor prescribe for you to ask about this once a day and call him in the morning?

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by NoQuestion

Bill,

A page or two ago you stated that Universal is going to be moving out catalog titles in the second half of the year, is that going to be mostly the "catch up" titles a 50/50 split of new?

Also, have you heard anything from WB about possibly giving us a bluray only version of the notebook instead of the god awful ultimate box?

I'm sure there will be some of both, but I don't have the list so I can't speculate as to what the split will be. As for The Notebook, I would imagine they'll release a non-UCE version of that and Casablanca but likely not right away.