DAM and GvsMegalon from Media Blasters (v.2)

[wataru]

If MB mentions a Special Edition, dont ever plan on it coming out. I mean seriously? Youre MONTHS behind on the release, lie to customers and the press, fire everyone ....

[Qaenos]

If they put out a GvM with high quality video and audio, both Japanese and English tracks, English subs, correct aspect ratio and uncut, then I'm buying. Otherwise, forget it.

[Goji]

What is considered an "extra"? I mean, obviously a still gallery is an "extra", but what about the audio / dubbing / subtitles? What was the original plan for this disc? Japanese version with English subtitles? Were they planning on including an English dub like DAM? Was it going to be AIP or an International one?

It was (or is) going to feature Toho's HD transfer of the Japanese version MEGALON w/English subs, the uncut international dub (the only dub that existed for MEGALON), a stills gallery, an audio commentary, the Cinema Shares and International credits, as well as the original Japanese trailer.

I don't know why people seem to think MEGALON has two dubs.

[Tyler]

Well this is a bummer.

[milo bloom]

The commented on their FB page again, they're going with a barebones disc first. Didn't give a date or anything, but that's apparently their intention.

Edit: they've added a little more - looks like it's certain it's going to be barebones, but they claim the transfer is better than the R2 and will include the English dub (in addition to Japanese).

[kpa]

I wonder if Toho has any say over commentaries? Like Steve and Stuart. So these two blokes make a little video say 10-12 minutes talking about what THEY know about GvsMegs for inclusion on the DVD & BRD. Does Toho have any say over it should be included or not? As long as the video they make doesnt have any images or sounds/music from the movie. Can Toho say no to it's inclusion?

...kpa ?

Toho absolutely has a say over commentaries made for the DVD/Blu-ray releases of their movies. Any extra content has to be approved before it can be used.

[G-fan 27]

I hope they can work something out with toho as far as extras go even a few things would be pretty cool. If they cant do as much as they did with the DAM thats fine, but hey i guess a barebones copy of the dvd is better than what we got for official licensed megalon dvds here in the US

[Qaenos]

Let's face facts. This isn't Lucasfilm and Star Wars we're talking about where they are holding out on extras delibrately for the double dip. MB wants to release the special edition, but they can't right now. I think it's better for them to release the barebones while they still can...before something happens (Toho difficulties, financial problems, etc.) that prevents them from releasing anything at all. A bird in the hand, is worth two in the bush, even if sales are poor for the barebones and the special edition doesn't get released because of it. The most important thing aren't the extras - it's a high quality video / audio print of a Godzilla movie that never got a proper commercial release in the US.

[Svitska Donkun]

Confused. In the United States, how is it legal to forbid a commentary? It's all opinion and information, and if it's all opinion and education then it's protected under US regulations, if it's distributed in the US. I would figure Toho would have no say in that matter at all. Look at Rifftrax. They can create commentaries for any movie they want, and SELL them, without having any repercussions because they are protected by the Constitution, even though they're mocking the films. If it's MB's disc, why does Toho have a right to say what Self-made material can be used on it? They're not editing or using material's from the film in anyway for it. Info and perspective are not copyright-able entities. It's the equivalent of a knowledgeable person talking over an entire movie. I don't think Toho could really do anything were MB insistent on including a commentary. The commentary is not their property. I can make a commentary on any Godzilla film I so wanted and released it in MP3 format right now and Toho could do nothing. Worse yet, I can do a Plinkett style video review slamdown on any film I wanted, while using clips from the film itself, and bonus materials IF I was using it to get a perspective across. If SOPA passed I wouldn't be able to the latter, but SOPA didn't pass. I really don't see how Toho can have say on whether or not there's a commentary, unless MB is just being respectful and asking them first before doing so.

Also, MB is under contract with Toho to release the film, eventually. I believe so, anyway. Were Toho to pull out suddenly or otherwise impair their ability to release at least a barebones disc, Toho would be vulnerable to some legal troubles themselves.

[Legion1979]

The difference with Rifftrax is that it's sold separately from the movie, has to be bought, downloaded and played alongside the commercially released DVDs they're paired with. Godzilla commentaries are packaged as an audio option as is sold with the actual physical releases, and everything on those releases has to be approved by Toho, since it's their property. Toho wants to make sure the commentaries on home video releases of their films don't belittle their product or offer false information.

That's not the same thing as some dumbass making an unofficial rambling fanboy commentary that they're not getting paid for and isn't being sold alongside the official products.

[Svitska Donkun]

The difference with Rifftrax is that it's sold separately from the movie, has to be bought, downloaded and played alongside the commercially released DVDs they're paired with. Godzilla commentaries are packaged as an audio option as is sold with the actual physical releases, and everything on those releases has to be approved by Toho, since it's their property. Toho wants to make sure the commentaries on home video releases of their films don't belittle their product or offer false information.

That's not the same thing as some dumbass making an unofficial rambling fanboy commentary that they're not getting paid for and isn't being sold alongside the official products.

Not everyone who makes fan-commentaries are dumbasses. In fact, I'm inclined to say many are very intelligent.

[Legion1979]

Not everyone who makes fan-commentaries are dumbasses.

I didn't say that.

[FlawedCoil82]

I am more than satisfied with a barebones version, as long as it had good video/audio quality video and was uncut. I would never double dip on a movie just for bonus material if I already have a good copy (The Lord Of The Rings was the one and only time I ever did, but the extended editions were worth the extra money). I'd only bother repurchasing the Heisei series if they ever got the releases that they desperately deserve. But Media Blasters would be wasting their time and effort to re-release Megalon with some bonus features because I at least would not repurchase it. Just give me the barebones, please!

[kpa]

The difference with Rifftrax is that it's sold separately from the movie, has to be bought, downloaded and played alongside the commercially released DVDs they're paired with. Godzilla commentaries are packaged as an audio option as is sold with the actual physical releases, and everything on those releases has to be approved by Toho, since it's their property. Toho wants to make sure the commentaries on home video releases of their films don't belittle their product or offer false information.

That's not the same thing as some dumbass making an unofficial rambling fanboy commentary that they're not getting paid for and isn't being sold alongside the official products.

Legion's explanation is correct. When a company licenses their property (as Toho does with their Godzilla films) they maintain a contractual right over how that property is handled, and that would included final say over any extra content on the DVD/Blu-ray. That's nothing like a fan commentary or Rifftrax, which don't involving licensing the film and won't be included as part of an official release. Of course someone can do a commentary mocking THE PHANTOM MENACE, but if you want to do a commentary on an official DVD or Blu-ray you have to be approved by Lucasfilm. It's pretty simple.

[Goji]

But Media Blasters would be wasting their time and effort to re-release Megalon with some bonus features because I at least would not repurchase it.

So MB would be "wasting their time" simply because YOU won't re-buy it. Gotcha.

[Rockzilla]

The commented on their FB page again, they're going with a barebones disc first. Didn't give a date or anything, but that's apparently their intention.

Edit: they've added a little more - looks like it's certain it's going to be barebones, but they claim the transfer is better than the R2 and will include the English dub (in addition to Japanese).

The transfer looking better than the R2 DVD is not a hard claim to make. Now if only they meant that it would look better than Toho's Blu-ray. I won't hold my breath though.

[Qaenos]

The commented on their FB page again, they're going with a barebones disc first. Didn't give a date or anything, but that's apparently their intention.

Edit: they've added a little more - looks like it's certain it's going to be barebones, but they claim the transfer is better than the R2 and will include the English dub (in addition to Japanese).

The transfer looking better than the R2 DVD is not a hard claim to make. Now if only they meant that it would look better than Toho's Blu-ray. I won't hold my breath though.

Except there is no Toho Blu-ray of Godzilla vs Megalon. Only a handful of Toho movies got Blu-ray releases, and this wasn't one of them.

[Rockzilla]

Right, I forgot about that.

Let me reiterate, if only it would look better than Toho's HD transfer used on tv.

[wataru]

But Media Blasters would be wasting their time and effort to re-release Megalon with some bonus features because I at least would not repurchase it.

So MB would be "wasting their time" simply because YOU won't re-buy it. Gotcha.

If MB was smart, they'd put out a disc of JUST EXTRAS as a web-store exclusive purchase, like Shout! does for Swamp Thing Vol. 3 or Pirates of Dark Water.

[Tamura]

I don't think MB could be any clearer when they said "we did a new transfer from a film print." With all this extra time not releasing the film, I can see them doing their own transfer. And it only makes sense for them to do this, as the Toho HD has just plain awful color, even compared to the R2. It really does this gloriously colorful movie a disservice.

Or maybe we're misinterpreting MB and they actually mean something completely different.