When the plans were announced for This Is It and its limited run, I shouted from the rooftops that Sony was not going to limit the movie to a few weeks and that it was all a scam to get their money back as quickly as possible. Sony scared all of Michael Jackson's fans into thinking that if they didn't go see the movie in the two weeks it was in theatres they would never get a chance to see it again.
Well, now that Sony made all their money back this weekend they have decided to extend the run by a month until right before Thanksgiving. I'm also guessing that on the Friday after Thanksgiving there will be brand new DVD's of the movie with bonus footage not shown in theatres just in time for the holiday gift giving season.
Plays extend runs all the time. I understand that. However, I think what Sony did comes very close to fraud. They made people think it would only be a two week run and after that the movie would be gone forever. They made people think that because that is what they said. They wanted their money back as fast as possible and they didn't care what they said or did to make sure they got it back.
They didn't need to do that. I have heard the movie is really good and that Sony didn't need to screw over the fans like they did and which they will continue to do. I think we can count on new rehearsal footage being discovered for many years to come with a new round of DVD's each time.
sony screwing over the general public...this surprises you why now?
ReplyDeleteyou forgot that they also platformed it as opposed to going wide in the first place.
sneaky bastards, but brilliant marketing move.
You called it, Enty. As per usual.
ReplyDeleteDid you really think they weren't going to get their money's worth and try to squeeze it for more???
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised at all; in fact, I called it (to my husband) when I first heard about it. That's why as much as I'd like to see it, I won't. No movie theater, no DVD, no nothing.
ReplyDeleteIf someone was silly enough to believe this line of BS, then it's their own fault! I seriously dont' know anyone who actually thought it was going to be a two week run and then gone forever! Corporations will never shoot themselves in the foot when money can be had!
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Christine. There's just no way they wouldn't milk it for more $$ in one way or another.
ReplyDeleteAnd even with the so-called limited engagement it didn't do anywhere near what Sony was expecting at the box office. Sony originally predicted it would take $250 million it's first weekend; it wasn't even close. Last Friday Fandango was selling tickets for $1.00! The motivation to extend the release could have been because the gross wasn't what they anticipated.
ReplyDeleteI have nothing to add to this but his death ruined my birthday. Now instead of it being my birthday, it's his death day. Thanks a lot MJ.
ReplyDeleteI saw the movie last friday at the arclight in l.a.- and it was amazing. They did it really tastfully and it truely did feel like an awesome way to salute a talented person who has influenced so many. And they are responsible for making it look that way, they pieced together footage and made it look seemless and fantastic and for that alone I have no hard feelings for them, they could have rushed it out and made a piece of shit movie that didnt do mj justice but they didnt. So what ev if they tried to make theirs, no one believed that b.s. about 2 weeks anyway.
ReplyDeleteKenny Ortega has said over and over again that 90% of the profit goes to the children's trust fund they set up, so i don't think seeing the movie is a big deal.
ReplyDeletei saw it yesterday and i thought it was well done. if you're a MJ fan, see it,if you're a documentary fan,see it.