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

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by JackBauer24

I would love to see that grievance list

E-mail him! I'm sure he'll be happy to send it your way. Maybe he'll even post it here. I'm not getting involved...

[Bill Hunt]

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

No news yet. Fox/MGM aren't saying.

[horseflesh]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

E-mail him! I'm sure he'll be happy to send it your way. Maybe he'll even post it here. I'm not getting involved...

Lightweight.........

[Beast]

Originally Posted by JackBauer24

I would love to see that grievance list

If one is the lack of Muffet, I'll agree with him. No Dagget, no BSG.

[Jeff Kleist]

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.

See, that's what people always misjudge me on though. I don't want my stuff back exactly as it was like it never left. I just don't wnat people throwing out what I loved and instead building on the foundation that was laid. Hell, 50% of the episodes of the original BSG were crap filler eps genrated because the network changed from 4 TV movies to 24 episodes after they plotted the whole arc out (Pilot movie, Lost Planet of the Gods, Living Legend and War of the Gods If memory serves. No one pretends that Magnificent Warriors or Young Lords, or The Lost Warrior or the like were great, or even good TV, they sucked. and most of the stuff inbetween was mediocre. I love the concept and the ideas of the original BSG, the spirit and ideals that Moore threw out in the trash to do his own thing (see list thing below).

ST:TNG and Doctor Who did this exceptionally well. Move the clock forward. Everything that happened happened, and aside from the occasional cool referencial ep, you don't even have to bother with it. Don't erase history, embrace it. I might remind you that both programs were #1 in syndication and Who is currently the #1 show in the entire UK/UK export market

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.

Bill never watched DS9 past the first season or two, otherwise there would be at least low triple digits there

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.

I only did the detailed minute by minute thing for the pilot for the pilot where I kept detailed notes. After that they usually only poked fans in the eye once every couple episodes. As far as the list goes, I don't know where it is, it's not in my email, and it's probably on a hard drive that died on me. If I had been chronicling, you'd see "The Complete Haters guide to..." publishing right around now

If you give me a bit, I'll re-generate as much as I can from memory. I'm not sitting through it again just to put that back together unless I have a compelling reason

If one is the lack of Muffet, I'll agree with him. No Dagget, no BSG.

That was one of the things that mystified me, why Moore, who declared war on everything cheese brought back Boxey, the one element that everyone universally agreed needed to go, and why every revival advanced him to adulthood (even G80 *shivver*). Sure someone apparently threw him out an airlock after 4 or 5 episodes, but why put him in in the first place?


Anyway, those interested in the list when I have the time to re-assemble it, PM me. As it is, it's midnight, so let's get back to business as usual

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

As it is, it's midnight, so let's get back to business as usual

When does Star Wars come out?

Hahaha!!!! I am just kidding and couldn't resist!

[Jeff Kleist]

When does Star Wars come out?

Hahaha!!!! I am just kidding and couldn't resist!

I just phoned Paramount and cashed in all my chits to secure a 3 year delay on Braveheart

[ThatArtGuy]

Time for a left turn...

I know that WB isn't worrying about Anamaniacs Volume 4 for awhile, unfortunately. However, I am interested in how Night Court Season 2 is doing and how WB is viewing that release since it took 4-5 years to get the second season.

Any ideas on when season 3 on up are coming?

[Jeff Kleist]

It's a little early to get a read on that, put it at fall at best because they need time to confirm an audience and then get them out there. If you don't hear something about the end of the year, then it may be time to raise the white flag

I hope WB's print on demand service will really help shows like this, so if response is tepid, you might see it shift over there. I know they do plan on getting some less popular TV stuff on there

[DMC86X]

Hey do you know when Lord of the Rings is coming out on blu??? What month?? Will it be theatrical or EE??? And will they be digibooks or regular cases???

[NL197]

Here's an odd and long one, but here goes:

A few years ago, you (Jeff) referred to yourself as the "High Priest O'Joss" (or something to that effect) on the HTF and was considered something of an authority on the Buffy/ANGEL DVD releases.

Now, both of those shows have seen at least four releases now, all the same just repackaged:

-Original digipak
-Slimcase set
-Complete series
-multi-disc Amaray DVD case

The whole Buffy widescreen/Joss Whedon wanting it 4X3 issue raged on, and on, and on...oy.

ANGEL was a different matter because Whedon preferred it wide, despite seasons 1 and 2 being 4X3 (and like Buffy, full or things that should remain hidden)

But there's a little bit of confusion about season 1, because at the time Fox said there weren't any widescreen masters of it, or something to that effect. However, if you were to check out season 1 of the show on either the new WB Online channel, or (for better quality) Hulu.com, season 1 is indeed the same frame-expanded widescreen that the UK Buffy sets and season 2 were presented in.

(Being the ANGEL nut that I am, I didn't let some country-based restriction stop me from being able to see the episodes, and damnit I even kept them, but that's another issue...)

So clearly they exist despite the initial claim the wider masters weren't available, and I can even provide screencaps of them showing the various "we shouldn't see that" examples. Why wouldn't that have been released on DVD, and given all the repackaged versions out there, will it?

They've released 'special edition' TV sets before, and a 10th anniversary sort of deal would be an easy cash-in if they did release the modified version. The fact that it premiered 10 years ago this October... Wow.

I had to ask...despite it being in the wrong AR, it's something of a fun game for me to look for what is revealed in the wider frame...kind of fascinating in a so-sad/too much free time kind of way.

[NutsAboutPS3]

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?

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

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

It won't have been officially announced yet, but stuff seems to pop up on UK retailer websites a long time in advance, and while the dates may change, it usually is pretty strong evidence that something is planned and being worked on. Some TV releases currently up for pre-order here (in case you want to ask the studios about them to get something for the rumour mill, perhaps...)
Heroes S3 24 Aug
Damages S2 31 Aug
Terminator:TSCC S2 21 Sep
Fringe S1 28 Sep
24 S7 19 Oct

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Bill never watched DS9 past the first season or two, otherwise there would be at least low triple digits there

I couldnt agree more with this statement. Once you got through the 2nd season, Id say that the number of bad DS9 episodes was AT MOST in the teens.

Seriously, no other Trek series was as consistent as DS9 was and I actually liked every character by the end of the series. Although I was happy to see Jadzia Dax get killed off. Hell, I even bought the Odo-Kira relationship, if not Worf and Dax. I always felt that the show from the beginning was hinting that Bashir and Dax were supposed to be together. In the end it kind of happened, except not really.

DS9 also had a great secondary cast and it made characters that you may not have cared about in the earlier seasons (Nog and Rom for instance) into good characters who could hold their own.

So yeah, it was my favorite series. I loved TNG as well, especially every season from the 3rd on. But DS9 is my fav.

[DenonCI]

My Mom isn't a Star Trek or Sci-Fi fan at all, but she watched the "Roswell" DS9 episode with me years ago and laughed her head off, without knowing any of the characters. I agree, DS9 had the best writing/story line of all of the Star Trek series...and I've watched every episode of every show (even the pathetically bad Enterprise).

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by DenonCI

My Mom isn't a Star Trek or Sci-Fi fan at all, but she watched the "Roswell" DS9 episode with me years ago and laughed her head off, without knowing any of the characters. I agree, DS9 had the best writing/story line of all of the Star Trek series...and I've watched every episode of every show (even the pathetically bad Enterprise).

With the exception of the last two seasons on Enterprise, DS9 was the only trek show that actually HAD a storyline. All of the other series were alien race/moral quandry of the week stuff.

[Jeff Kleist]

A few years ago, you (Jeff) referred to yourself as the "High Priest O'Joss" (or something to that effect) on the HTF and was considered something of an authority on the Buffy/ANGEL DVD releases.

I'll have you know I have now been annointed by the man himself And I have a pope hat that I have a picture of me wearing with Joss

So clearly they exist despite the initial claim the wider masters weren't available, and I can even provide screencaps of them showing the various "we shouldn't see that" examples. Why wouldn't that have been released on DVD, and given all the repackaged versions out there, will it?

They shot Angel 4:3 for season 1, season 2 they wanted to go wide but WB wouldn't show it. Like Buffy season 4, they have wide masters for both seasons, but 4:3 is their preferred ratio for season 1.

I don't see any reissue of Buffy down the line

It won't have been officially announced yet, but stuff seems to pop up on UK retailer websites a long time in advance, and while the dates may change, it usually is pretty strong evidence that something is planned and being worked on. Some TV releases currently up for pre-order here (in case you want to ask the studios about them to get something for the rumour mill, perhaps...)
Heroes S3 24 Aug
Damages S2 31 Aug
Terminator:TSCC S2 21 Sep
Fringe S1 28 Sep
24 S7 19 Oct

24 comes out in the US the day after it finishes airing, some of those are a little later than the uS releases, but yeah. \Terminator and Fringe were already out there, Heroes was pretty much a given

Thanks for keeping an eye out though

[NL197]

Originally Posted by merrick97

I couldnt agree more with this statement. Once you got through the 2nd season, Id say that the number of bad DS9 episodes was AT MOST in the teens..

I've never seen an episode I'd consider "bad" at all. There are episodes that I avoid watching but that's only because I see the characters in such peril that it pisses me off that they can't get out of it!

The two that fit that description are "Invasive Procedures" and "Paradise".

The first puts Dax's life at risk and the crew is forced to basically watch, the second basically tortures Sisko, putting him in a box in the hot sun.

Bad episodes? Not at all, but I don't like seeing people screw with those guys so severely!

[NL197]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

I'll have you know I have now been annointed by the man himself And I have a pope hat that I have a picture of me wearing with Joss

Very cool.

They shot Angel 4:3 for season 1, season 2 they wanted to go wide but WB wouldn't show it. Like Buffy season 4, they have wide masters for both seasons, but 4:3 is their preferred ratio for season 1.

I don't see any reissue of Buffy down the line

I know how they were shot, but I just found it odd that Fox said there was no master of ANGEL season 1 in widescreen, but there they are on Hulu, except for "Sense and Sensitivity" which isn't available in high quality but it's still expanded.

"City Of", the pilot is quite bizarre:

Because of the way it was shot, there's literally nothing on the right side of the frame but black. So what did they do? They shifted the entire image to the right, so the on-screen credits are off-center, even the end credits. None of the remaining episodes have that shifted image.
"Lonely Heart" has secondary hand-held camera in view, just as "The Bachelor Party" does, along with views of the Paramount backlot on the far right side of street Angel's office is on. "Hero" has Angel working out on a punching bag, only in close-up he is miming the punches, while you hear the sound of the bag!

Anyway, that's why I wondered if there would ever be a reissue of ANGEL season 1 only, not Buffy. If I could afford them I'd get the UK versions of both shows not for the expanded image of Buffy, but for the intact "Previously On" recaps, which to this day piss me off that they aren't on the sets because in some cases they cut too much into the teasers, making some episodes incomplete.

[Jeff Kleist]

Very unlikely

Sounds to me like some boob did the work after the fact

Trek time over guys

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

I just phoned Paramount and cashed in all my chits to secure a 3 year delay on Braveheart

HAHAHA. You got me back.

But seriously , when the heck are they going to announce Braveheart!!!

I'm like this waiting for the big day (since roughly last November).