Ask questions to Palisades Tartan insider Hugh K. David

[fitprod]

Does ADV still have distribution rights for Farscape in the US?

fitprod

[Hugh K. David]

I'm afraid that, again, I'd have to ask Houston on Monday. Sorry - I don't want to say what I remember from off the top of my head and get it wrong!

[OrlandoEastwood]

Hello, Hugh. I was wondering if you know if ADV still has the US rights to Destroy All Monsters?

[Hugh K. David]

Hi Orlando,

I'm guessing that if they haven't released it as part of their current wave of re-packages, then they probably don't - but I would have to confirm it with Houston first.

[OrlandoEastwood]

I was actually at Borders Books here in Hilo, Hi and I saw it in a 2 pack with it and Gamera. It's the same cover at as the old VHS and first DVD release from '99. I wish ADV would have done a good job on that film because as far as DVD transfers go, it's horrible. The picture is 4:3 widescreen, which means the black bars on the top and bottom are part of the image, and it does not have menus or chapters on the disc. And apparently they did a re-issue of the film in 2004 and it was the same disc and nothing changed on it, except cover art.

Also I have 2 other films in question if ADV has the rights:

Parasite Eve - I own this one on DVD and I love the film but the transfer could have been better. It's 4:3 widescreen and the subtitles are burned into the picture.

The Hypnotist - I've been looking for this on DVD for years. There's a trailer for it on the Parasite Eve DVD and I have looked and looked in stores to no avail. I have found a few copies on eBay here and there but they are charging $50 for a copy. I would like to get it but there's no way in hell I'd spend that much money on a DVD.

I'm not up with current events on ADV but I've read rumors that the company is in some trouble with going bankrupt. If this is true then that sucks but I guess that is life. With Parasite Eve and The Hypnotist, is there any sort of Blu-Ray planned for each film?

Edit: I've found a copy on eBay but it is $40

[Hugh K. David]

If you search around online, you can find out the bulk of the story behind what went down at ADV over the last 16 months. As a former direct employee of the US company, I am still legally bound not to comment on matters I witnessed first-hand from inside the company. However, as one of the two main staff at LDMS assigned to handle the UK catalogue on behalf of ADV, and given I still talk regularly with staffers in Houston, what I can say is that there are few titles in ADV's back catalogue that they can afford to do much new with. My honest advice? When you see something you want, even in a lousy master, buy it. You may not get another chance for some time.

The large block of titles that were taken over by FUNImation have surfaced now in various packages, and you could hold out hope that some of the titles you are interested in will eventually get picked up by another company, and receive the release you feel they deserve. In the current economic climate, however, only those firms with deep pockets can afford to upgrade masters to films that may not have repaid their original license fee, let alone a minimum guarantee fee for North American as a territory. Grab what you can when you can sir - it may well be all you get for a while.

As for Blu-ray - over the years I've had many opportunities to talk to the anime public about HD masters and different delivery forms. Now that there are basically two - BD and online - ADV will choose a path - but much will depend on what master materials exist in Japan to begin with. There are a lot of titles for which there are no materials available for an upgrade, or for which the materials are simply not going to offer much for conversion, particular in the corner-cutting world of anime. In those cases, a BD is only going to look as good as an upscaled DVD, and if the original material was analogue broadcast resolution at best, then is there any point to making it available on BD?

Ultimately, the message is simple - read Anime News Network on a regular basis and see what happens this year and next.

[OrlandoEastwood]

So, I guess, by interpreting from what you have written is that ADV doesn't own the rights to Parasite Eve or The Hypnotist any more?

[Jeff Kleist]

Does ADV still have distribution rights for Farscape in the US?

Sorry to jump in here Hugh

They do not, nor any of the Tribune library

When Farscape shows up again, it'll be through Sony who distributes for Henson

[Hugh K. David]

No problem, Jeff. Knowing where licenses have moved to is not something you can always follow when you have libraries of your own company to work on. It's great to continue to work the UK side of ADV, but, much as when I was directly on the ADV payroll, you can find out more about what happens inside a US anime company through Anime News Network than you can by working for it!

[Jeff Kleist]

Not uncommon Hugh, I've been involved indirectly with the anime industry since the mid-90s. Major relationships are often formed half drunk in some dead dog party at a con I'll never forget when we had Trish Ledoux camped out in our hotel room, lying on my bed with her legs crossed behind her watching the latest episodes of Dragonball from Japan (Trish is the former editor of Animerica), when I was trying to actually get to bed at 4AM It's the same way at major studios. Often times mid-level employees rely on me for all the good gossip

Naturally they have some good stuff of their own to exchange

[Hugh K. David]

Just wanted to say to everyone - as of next week, LDMS will be distributing the revived Palisades Tartan catalogue here in the UK. Being made initially available will be some 118+ titles that constitute 98% of the Asia Extreme and Asian arthouse titles from the original library. This will hopefully include the Blu-rays of A Tale of Two Sisters, Old Boy, I'm A Cyborg But That's Okay and sky Blue, all at their original specs.

Further waves of catalogue stock will follow in April and May, and then new licenses will be released. When I know more, I'll post it.

[aygie]

Originally Posted by Hugh K. David

Just wanted to say to everyone - as of next week, LDMS will be distributing the revived Palisades Tartan catalogue here in the UK. Being made initially available will be some 118+ titles that constitute 98% of the Asia Extreme and Asian arthouse titles from the original library. This will hopefully include the Blu-rays of A Tale of Two Sisters, Old Boy, I'm A Cyborg But That's Okay and sky Blue, all at their original specs.

Further waves of catalogue stock will follow in April and May, and then new licenses will be released. When I know more, I'll post it.

Freakin awesome news!!!!! Fill us in when you can mate!

[Fletcher1991]

I know this topic is old. But why isn't ADV films dubbing Clannad? Most fans definitely want it to be.

[Hugh K. David]

Hey guys,

Until today I'd been working for the sales & distribution firm handling Palisades Tartan in the UK (Palisades bought out Tartan on both sides of the Atlantic following the bankruptcies). If you look around the forums, you'll see I've made comments before about what was and was not put back into circulation on Blu in the UK.

However, as of Monday 20th July I am officially the UK Media Consultant (full-time) for Palisades Tartan.

While initial work is all DVD, I want to start soliciting opinion and ideas on future Blus. Right now, there are two obstacles to putting most Tartan titles on Blu:

a) the majority of licenses were contracted well before HD & Blu were considerations, so more money will have to be spent for rights; this can be sometimes as much as brand-new contract, requiring a level of sales not possible on Blu currently to make the money back;
b) doing the HD master ourselves is still a very costly process, but we know that there is about to be a considerable drop in these costs as more and more independent authoring and replication houses become Blu-capable, so for some titles it will be just a matter of time.

Nevertheless, feel free to make suggestions etc.

[pro-bassoonist]

Congrats!

Pro-B

[Antony-Kwok]

Originally Posted by Hugh K. David

a) the majority of licenses were contracted well before HD & Blu were considerations, so more money will have to be spent for rights; this can be sometimes as much as brand-new contract, requiring a level of sales not possible on Blu currently to make the money back;
b) doing the HD master ourselves is still a very costly process, but we know that there is about to be a considerable drop in these costs as more and more independent authoring and replication houses become Blu-capable, so for some titles it will be just a matter of time.

Nevertheless, feel free to make suggestions etc.

My suggestions:

Lady Vengeance
Sympathy for Mr Vengeance
Thirst
A Bittersweet Life

[AnimeOnBlu]

My Suggestions for release:

The Twilight Samurai
The Hidden Blade
When the Last Sword is Drawn
Hard Boiled
Lady Vengeance
Battle Royale I


Congratulations again Hugh!

[Otaqueen]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Not uncommon Hugh, I've been involved indirectly with the anime industry since the mid-90s. Major relationships are often formed half drunk in some dead dog party at a con I'll never forget when we had Trish Ledoux camped out in our hotel room, lying on my bed with her legs crossed behind her watching the latest episodes of Dragonball from Japan (Trish is the former editor of Animerica), when I was trying to actually get to bed at 4AM It's the same way at major studios. Often times mid-level employees rely on me for all the good gossip

Naturally they have some good stuff of their own to exchange

Jeff,

I'm so sorry! I don't even remember at which convention this was. Maybe you do, though?

Trish

[Bruce Morrison]

Congratulations on your appointment, Hugh!

My suggestions for BD release would be:

Sympathy For Mr Vengeance
Lady Vengeance
Joint Security Area
Tell Me Something

[Pfdfiredog]

Congrats sir
Koma
Hard Boiled
Tale of Two Sisters