I am Pissed

[clanglee]

I was going to finally be able to go on monday to see this movie. But I just found out that the last time it's playing in Durham is thursday. So, I guess I have to wait for DVD. I am livid!!

[Mike70]

I was going to finally be able to go on monday to see this movie. But I just found out that the last time it's playing in Durham is thursday. So, I guess I have to wait for DVD. I am livid!! well that doesn't sound like good news at all if it is already slipping off of screens instead of being added to them. next stop DVD?

[clanglee]

I guess so. I really am quite upset.

[Moon Knight]

I don't think it was never supposed to have a long theater life, amirite? Besides, I wouldn't mind having the DVD that much sooner. However, that sucks, Clang, wish you would have gotten the chance to see it.

[bassman]

I don't think it was never supposed to have a long theater life, amirite? That was my understanding. I know that the theater I saw it in only played it for a week or so....

[MinionZombie]

According to that interview with John Harrison the Weinstein's wanted to treat it theatrically like an art-house movie that people would have to go out of their way to see. Whelp! I'll be getting my ass IMMEDIATELY down to the cinema when it opens, lest it all goes Death Proof on my ass and I miss it immediately. 7th March people! MZ'll be popping off all over yo faces......f*ckin' ewwww...

[blind2d]

theatre prices are getting too high anyway...

[Trin]

Now I'm just scared. I have plans to see it this coming Saturday night. Each week I've planned to see it and something has come up. I sit on pins and needles waiting to see if it'll be pulled before the next weekend. The theater that is showing it here has it advertised through next week. I hope it's not a lie.

[DubiousComforts]

According to that interview with John Harrison the Weinstein's wanted to treat it theatrically like an art-house movie that people would have to go out of their way to see. That is the dumbest distribution strategy that I've yet to hear. Granted, it's not Spiderman IV and doesn't need to open on 2000+ screens. But when you're at a fan convention and a majority of the attendees that you speak with (i.e. the target audience) still haven't seen the movie and even the film's director is shocked that you've been able to see it... well, there is a big problem.

[bassman]

People seem to forget that Diary was originally intended to go straight-to-DVD. It wouldn't have been in ANY theater. The Weinsteins were the ones that wanted it to go to theater, so it was their decision on how to play it out. Romero only wanted to make the film, show it at some festivals, and put out the DVD. With a film like this, we're lucky that it was shown in any theater at all.

[DubiousComforts]

Romero only wanted to make the film, show it at some festivals, and put out the DVD. With a film like this, we're lucky that it was shown in any theater at all. It doesn't matter what Romero intended or anticipated--he's the director, not the distributor. This movie isn't playing in "art houses" so it's complete nonsense to pretend that was the plan all along.

[bassman]

It doesn't matter what Romero intended or anticipated--he's the director, not the distributor. This movie isn't playing in "art houses" so it's complete nonsense to pretend that was the plan all along. It never was the plan all along. The plan was DVD. The Weinsteins decided on the art house thing. There was no theatrical distributor and the producers never really entertained the idea.....then Weinsteins saw it and bought the theatrical distribution rights. The film was never intended to be in theater. We should all be happy for Romero that he's making a few extra bucks from it.

[DubiousComforts]

It never was the plan all along. The plan was DVD. The Weinsteins decided on the art house thing. There was no theatrical distributor and the producers never really entertained the idea.....then Weinsteins saw it and bought the theatrical distribution rights. But it's not playing in art houses, so that is just an excuse made in hindsight for mishandling the property. How do you know what "the plan was all along"? I think the real plan was to buy up as many "living dead"-related properties for as cheaply as possible so there wouldn't be any competition on DVD or otherwise. The film was never intended to be in theater. We should all be happy for Romero that he's making a few extra bucks from it. The man himself told me that he's shocked anyone has actually seen it. I've been around long enough to have seen The Crazies, DAWN, DAY, Monkey Shines, Two Evil Eyes and more be completely botched in theatrical distribution, so this is simply par for the course. No reason to be appreciative of it.

[bassman]

Exclude the "art house" phrase. All I'm saying is that I remember Romero saying all he intended was a DVD release. Then the film got put into a few theaters on top of that. You should have known that it would not get a wide release. Then again, I was lucky enough to see it, so I guess you've got some anger building up over this.

[Harold W Brown]

But it's not playing in art houses Sure is in Philly. ritzfilmbill.com