Dark Force Entertainment Discussion Thread

[TripleHBK]

Originally Posted by miribeau

On my end, it's just showing the Point Doom picture, no posts or anything, just the picture.

Then hopefully that's all it is. It's concerning, because it's never happened before and, then, we have the issue of Bill's health looming. I wonder if they know the page is down.

I know it's been an hour since the last post, but the facebook page is loading fine for me though there hasn't been an update in over 19 hours.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by miribeau

My first instinct is to ask if everything okay with Bill, so, information would be appreciated. I hope everything's alright.

Bill is currently in Bellevue, Washington to have some test done.

[Fiocca_Cola]

Via Facebook
“THE LAST VICTIM/FORCED ENTRY Running Time Controversy: We are receiving reports of people complaining that this release is cut or that the UK tape has a longer running time. We have a statement we would like to release directly from Bill Olsen. THE LAST VICTIM came from the director Dimitri Soitirakis aka Jim Sotos who provided him with the only existing negative on this movie, which was the PG version. No negative whatsoever exists on FORCED ENTRY. Furthermore the negative of the additional violent scenes that were filmed for FORCED ENTRY also no longer exists. Jim assembled what he could on FORCED ENTRY using the existing LAST VICTIM negative and other sources. This is what he provided us. Jim Sotos is currently being cared for in a nursing home at the end of his life. So in terms of HD quality this is all there is and all there ever will be on this movie. What we got is straight from the source Mr. Dimitri Soitirakis.
WARNING: If we continue to receive complaints regarding the running time of this motion picture, Bill will order that it be pulled from Dark Force and jeopardize people from seeing the only high def version of this movie that will ever be available. This is basically a lost movie and the only other source in existence is an inferior prior VHS release.”

This is all information that could have been provided sooner, sounds like we have another Necromancy on our hands

[True_Story1011]

Soooo... whose going to start complaining so that their copy gains in value?

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by Dark Force

WARNING: If we continue to receive complaints regarding the running time of this motion picture, Bill will order that it be pulled from Dark Force and jeopardize people from seeing the only high def version of this movie that will ever be available. This is basically a lost movie and the only other source in existence is an inferior prior VHS release.

I never understood why one would cut off their nose to spite their face. Money has already been spent to put this out and pulling it won't help you to recoup the costs.

[Davidian]

Originally Posted by Fiocca_Cola

WARNING: If we continue to receive complaints regarding the running time of this motion picture, Bill will order that it be pulled from Dark Force and jeopardize people from seeing the only high def version of this movie that will ever be available. This is basically a lost movie and the only other source in existence is an inferior prior VHS release.”

Why would Bill pull a Dark Force product? Seems like he still doesn't know what label it's on...

[miribeau]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

I never understood why one would cut off their nose to spite their face. Money has already been spent to put this out and pulling it won't help you to recoup the costs.

I doubt they would pull it. They have another 500 to sell and they'll never have the momentum they have right now to sell those copies. However, the scenes that are missing are just add-ons, that were placed in later anyway, so the original film is intact on the release.

I will say, in the interest of full disclosure, the scenes could have been VHS ported, in terrible quality, to appear as a special feature, had they wished to do that, but, back to the more important issue of what has been released, they could never have spliced those back into the film in any acceptable way for this blu.

To splice SD content into films, restoring longer cuts, has only ever worked when they began with a 576 PAL source and used sophisticated upscaling. Even then, the results were no better than Farscape on Blu, due to those limitations. Now, I love my copy of Fortress, but the drop in quality on the spliced scenes is very noticeable and they were taken from a 576 source. I wouldn't ever want to see anything even approaching a VHS source spliced into a blu-ray, but that could just be me.

For those who have it, how is the quality on the PG, original film version, with none of the cut material spliced back in?

[True_Story1011]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

I never understood why one would cut off their nose to spite their face. Money has already been spent to put this out and pulling it won't help you to recoup the costs.

When you've got money to blow, make it rain!

[True_Story1011]

Originally Posted by miribeau

I doubt they would pull it. They have another 500 to sell and they'll never have the momentum they have right now to sell those copies.

OH YEAH, BROTHER...

Just another wrestlin' tactic to sell more units. The ole' threaten to pull it routine.

[miribeau]

Originally Posted by True_Story1011

OH YEAH, BROTHER...

Just another wrestlin' tactic to sell more units. The ole' threaten to pull it routine.

I think he was quoting Bill on the issue, not threatening. Remember, Bill licensed the film originally and then there was a sort of sub-license or sub-contracting deal, where Dark Force did the work on restoration and all of that and then got it pressed and to market, so Bill does have a say in it, but not the only say, with no input from David. I just can't imagine they'd pull the film when it is selling so well.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by miribeau

I just can't imagine they'd pull the film when it is selling so well.

I believe Necromancy set that precedence. If I recall correctly, Bill mentioned close to 700 copies had been sold, in the short time it was available, prior to him pulling it.

[Dark Force]

Originally Posted by Fiocca_Cola

Via Facebook
“THE LAST VICTIM/FORCED ENTRY Running Time Controversy: We are receiving reports of people complaining that this release is cut or that the UK tape has a longer running time. We have a statement we would like to release directly from Bill Olsen. THE LAST VICTIM came from the director Dimitri Soitirakis aka Jim Sotos who provided him with the only existing negative on this movie, which was the PG version. No negative whatsoever exists on FORCED ENTRY. Furthermore the negative of the additional violent scenes that were filmed for FORCED ENTRY also no longer exists. Jim assembled what he could on FORCED ENTRY using the existing LAST VICTIM negative and other sources. This is what he provided us. Jim Sotos is currently being cared for in a nursing home at the end of his life. So in terms of HD quality this is all there is and all there ever will be on this movie. What we got is straight from the source Mr. Dimitri Soitirakis.
WARNING: If we continue to receive complaints regarding the running time of this motion picture, Bill will order that it be pulled from Dark Force and jeopardize people from seeing the only high def version of this movie that will ever be available. This is basically a lost movie and the only other source in existence is an inferior prior VHS release.”

This is all information that could have been provided sooner, sounds like we have another Necromancy on our hands

We provided plenty of information on this release sooner Fuccola. THIS IS A LOST MOVIE. It has never been released on blu-ray or DVD. I am told by Bill that Jim Sotos only authorized an '82 VHS release. We got access to the ONLY EXISTING NEGATIVE which was for THE LAST VICTIM. All the slugged in violent scenes no longer existed in negative form!! The transferred negative on HD looks beautiful and this is the only chance to see it in that light. So it's kind of a moot issue to make any big deal about varying running times that are not even verified when this is all there is and all there ever will be on high definition which is really the only format that matters. PERIOD.

[dkelly26666]

Originally Posted by Dark Force

We provided plenty of information on this release sooner Fuccola. THIS IS A LOST MOVIE. It has never been released on blu-ray or DVD. I am told by Bill that Jim Sotos only authorized an '82 VHS release. We got access to the ONLY EXISTING NEGATIVE which was for THE LAST VICTIM. All the slugged in violent scenes no longer existed in negative form!! The transferred negative on HD looks beautiful and this is the only chance to see it in that light. So it's kind of a moot issue to make any big deal about varying running times that are not even verified when this is all there is and all there ever will be on high definition which is really the only format that matters. PERIOD.

Well, I'm excited to see it, anyway. I am still hoping to get a shipping notice soon, as I'm still waiting for my copy to ship.

[dawnofthediscs]

Can anyone link me to where DF mentioned PAL SD inserts or a shortened running time previous to release?

[dawnofthediscs]

In fact, on January 27th they posted on Facebook that their release would be 88 minutes long.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by frakking toaster

No wonder the Demon started advertising it as The Last Victim recently instead of Forced Entry. Now they can claim there's nothing wrong with the disc cause that's not the main feature like The Carriers theatrical cut.

The theatrical cut was not intended to be the main feature of The Carrier despite being first on the menu. If you note the Directors Cut is listed first on the back cover art, and additionally only the directors cut received color correction, with the theatrical washed out in comparison (similar to directors cut vs theatrical cut of SWOAN). Finally, Bill stated the director didn't even want the theatrical cut included at all he disliked it so much.

The directors cut is a dramatically better film anyway, for those interested in watching the movie.

[Hedji]

The expression "Forced Entry" is a simply a metaphor for all the F5 refreshing needed to get into the Dark Force Superstore at the optimal window of opportunity in the middle of the night.

[Marsupial Werewolf]

Originally Posted by Ruined

Because once again, for those of us that actually care about the films THE LAST VICTIM is a spectacular Blu-ray.

Let me put it bluntly:

Superior cut: THE LAST VICTIM (the original "uncut" film)
Inferior cut: FORCED ENTRY (original "uncut" film+some random hardcore scenes spliced in released years later as a cash-in - like Franco's inferior "uncut" 99 women.)

I'm actually glad I clicked on "view post" for the first time in a year because I see that you still don't have any idea what you're talking about.

FORCED ENTRY never had hardcore footage, so just stop blabbering about things of which you have no understanding.

The issue here is:

• Dark Force claimed the 88 minute version was on the disc. It isn't.

• Dark Force's cut of FORCED ENTRY is missing sixteen minutes of footage. If the disc had just included FORCED ENTRY with sixteen minutes of SD inserts (on top of the PAL SD inserts already included in the film) and was advertised as an extra, I think people would've understood.

Babybreese here says he's seen the 88 minute cut and says there is more violence in the Nancy Allen attack scene, to name one example. In the cut on the Dark Force disc, the main character throws himself against Nancy Allen, she screams, and then we cut to her body being discovered in the field.

In fact, this scene is exactly the same in both cuts on the disc, so I wonder if this wasn't an error.

I'm actually glad I've seen the movie at last. I think THE LAST VICTIM cut is better, but now that I know the Dark Force presentation of FORCED ENTRY is totally compromised, I would like to see the real version to compare.

[JasonMichael]

Originally Posted by Marsupial Werewolf

FORCED ENTRY never had hardcore footage, so just stop blabbering about things of which you have no understanding.

Obviously "...the vastly knowledgeable and well respected forum member RUINED over at Blu-ray.com" has confused this Forced Entry with the earlier hardcore version directed by Shaun Costello and starring Harry Reems.

[whedon]

Can't even be bothered to click on view df shill #1 post but I would assume that once again he is spouting nonsense, making himself look like he actually has a clue and once again discussing The Carrier and how amazing a release it is and is definitely going to be worth a lot of money.

Much like with The Carrier, I'm sure people will tell us that "oh it's a bonus feature" when in fact it was widely advertised as being an integral part of the release. At this stage it's clear that df is a hack label that only cares about money. There's no love of film there, nor is there any understanding of why genre cinema is so important. And yes every label needs to and wants to make money but most genre labels actually care about the product, just not these guys.