DAM and GvsMegalon from Media Blasters (v.2)

[Gojira-Fan]

^ Godzilla vs. Megalon used to be in public domain, now it's not anymore.

As for the other copyrighted movies on MST3K, the movie being featured on the show actually brought attention to the copyright holders that they had the rights to these films.

[Goji]

MEGALON wasn't actually in the PD, it's just that companies thought it was.

[Tamura]

Even if it were in public domain, nobody could re-copyright it. You can't wave a magical wand over PD material and suddenly regain the rights to it. That shows a lack of understanding of how PD works. If I recall, not even restoration is covered by US copyright law.

[Colonel Wolfe]

Godzilla vs Megalon has never been in the public domain because Toho never lost the copyrights to any of the Godzilla films. Toho has always retained the rights to the Godzilla series, much in the same way that Paramount retains rights to the Star Trek series. American companies just assumed that the film was in the public domain when it really wasn't.

[Hellspawn28]

I don't think Sea Monster was in public domain neither. I guess they thought it would be okay to make a episode of it since it seems like you can get away with using copy righted material if it's satirical. Just like shows like Robot Chicken, Family Guy and South Park can sell their DVDs despite all the references.

[Gawdziller]

I don't think Sea Monster was in public domain neither. I guess they thought it would be okay to make a episode of it since it seems like you can get away with using copy righted material if it's satirical. Just like shows like Robot Chicken, Family Guy and South Park can sell their DVDs despite all the references.

Satirical references and showing an entire movie are two entirely different things, and Best Brains was well aware of it.

From my understanding, Best Brains acquired Sea Monster from the same package of films they gained Cave Dwellers, Pod People, and Master Ninja from, and that's how it came into their library. Megalon back then was a notoriously easy title to obtain, so they took advantage of it.

[Destroyer]

So....is Megalon still on que for August?

[TheSecondComing]

So....is Megalon still on que for August?

Yup. Will it make it? Odds are astronomical at this point.

[Hellspawn28]

It's bare bones but I guess it's better then nothing. At least we have a home release with a good looking picture.

[o.supreme]

So certain are you?



At this point, I would almost bet money we get a Biollante North American release before Megalon

[JVM]

You know guys, it's not a tight-shut case. Nobody should get their hopes TOO high, but it's not as if MB released a press statement telling us 'Yeah, forget about it'.

I have the VHS and can deal with shit quality, so it's not a big issue, but I'm not jumping right on the wagon yet.

[wataru]

I wonder if there's an expiration of the rights for MB. They've let anime rights expire before putting a release out, dooming it back to limbo.

[starsteam]

I've noticed Amazon has put GvM back for pre-order with an August release date..but as a different product. I still have the one that was suppose to be released back in November pre-ordered, so I'm not sure if I should cancel it and pre-order this one or what. I don't have much faith in either of them anyway.

Anyone know if they're still releasing the soundtrack as well?

[Tohosaurus]

I've noticed Amazon has put GvM back for pre-order with an August release date..but as a different product. I still have the one that was suppose to be released back in November pre-ordered, so I'm not sure if I should cancel it and pre-order this one or what. I don't have much faith in either of them anyway.

Anyone know if they're still releasing the soundtrack as well?

I would guess it'd be listed as a different product because in a lot of ways it will be, stripped of special features and such.

[Goji]

I've noticed Amazon has put GvM back for pre-order with an August release date..but as a different product. I still have the one that was suppose to be released back in November pre-ordered, so I'm not sure if I should cancel it and pre-order this one or what. I don't have much faith in either of them anyway.

Well, for one, the original release (BD and DVD) with special features has been cancelled, so canceling your pre-order is the next logical step.

Anyone know if they're still releasing the soundtrack as well?

I'm curious as well, but I haven't heard anything about it. I'd be pretty surprised if it was still planned.

[Ethan]

Let me see if I'm recapping this correctly: Media Blaster's use of unathorized images for Destroy all Monsters has effectively ruined any subsequent Toho release they planned?

[Goji]

^ That seems to be the case, yeah.

They're in all sorts of shit though. I heard hat GAMERA THE BRAVE was recently delayed as well. No surprise there.

[Sydney Aradi]

At this point, we should pray really hard for MB's Godzilla vs Megalon DVD to be released sooner than later rather than be delayed again & again

[RaymondBurr]

Let me see if I'm recapping this correctly: Media Blaster's use of unathorized images for Destroy all Monsters has effectively ruined any subsequent Toho release they planned?

If it turns out that Media Blasters is in some kind of financial trouble, then what they did with Destroy All Monsters is basically a service to fandom. They packed as much on there as they had, knowing that Toho would disapprove and never OK the release, but they did it anyway, with the foreknowldge that they would be (might be) closing up shop anyway. That is, they knew that Toho wouldn't be able to squeeze any more money from a bankrupt company.

That's purely speculation though. Maybe they were just incompetent. But, maybe they wanted to release the best DAM disc they could before they went under.

[Goji]

I don't know about all that dude..

From my understanding, there were some photos in the picture gallery which hadn't been approved by Toho, which then caused all the hoopla.