Kill Bill Prints are unwatchable in my opinion

[Pants]

I'm branching this off of the main Kill Bill thread because it's an important issue and an issue that's bigger than just this one film. It's the new phenomenon of dropping these dots onto the film print in order to thwart pirates.

There weren't 6 or 7 there were literally DOZENS. They were so god damn distracting that I'm furious. Worst of all there were several during the Black and White portions where these big colored dots stand out in even greater contrast. The biggest problem is that things like this thwart my mentality. Once I notice one it ruins the movie because I spend the rest of the time looking for the next one...and the next one...and the next one...

The studios have KILLED the theatrical experience. We all know multiplexes suck, but now you can avoid them by paying extra at a "premium theater" like Arclight Hollywood. Problem is, even with their spectacular new projectors and state of the art sound, the print is DESTROYED. Ruined in advance by the studio. So even if you pay for a premium presentation you get a damaged print.

[LivingINClip]

Unwatchable? I don't know about that. Annoying? Very.

I didn't notice them at first, but during the 'House of Blue Leaves' chapter, I noticed at least three of them, which was very distracting.

Can someone please explain the whole point of these dotted letters? Do they spell something? A code? Regional Code? What? I know it is to kill piracy, but I don't see how it kills piracy, unless each print has something specfic to the cinemaplex that is playing the film.

[Jray]

I'm glad someone else noticed these. I thought I was the only one. I didn't know they had a purpose being there. The worst part about it is that they put it directly in the middle of the frame. Why not just put it in the corner or something? It was distracting but I thought maybe it had something to do with the movie... silly me.

This is the first movie I've noticed the dots on.

[Catch 21]

whew, I knew I wasnt the only one. I didnt notice til the House of Leaves chapter.

[Darren Garrison]

And anyway, nobody NEEDS to do a camcorder copy of the movie, anyway, because a decent widescreen copy has been available on the net since before the movie hit the theaters. It has "Property of Miramax Films" watermarked across the top, but it still looks and sounds better than a camcorder job.

[PixyJunket]

Didn't notice at all, seen it twice.

[hector031]

I agree with PixyJunket, I just came from seeing it and I don't recall seeing these at all...

[Groucho]

[LivingINClip]

Originally posted by hector031
I agree with PixyJunket, I just came from seeing it and I don't recall seeing these at all...

They are that. I encourage you to go see it again and look for them in the middle of the frame. Extremely noticable during' The House of Blue Leaves'.

[Jackskeleton]

Saw them. do they make the movie Unwatchable? Not really. they are annoying though. I would have hoped for some different means to track this stuff down.

[Jason]

Originally posted by Pants
I'm branching this off of the main Kill Bill thread because it's an important issue and an issue that's bigger than just this one film. It's the new phenomenon of dropping these dots onto the film print in order to thwart pirates.

There weren't 6 or 7 there were literally DOZENS. They were so god damn distracting that I'm furious. Worst of all there were several during the Black and White portions where these big colored dots stand out in even greater contrast. The biggest problem is that things like this thwart my mentality. Once I notice one it ruins the movie because I spend the rest of the time looking for the next one...and the next one...and the next one...

The studios have KILLED the theatrical experience. We all know multiplexes suck, but now you can avoid them by paying extra at a "premium theater" like Arclight Hollywood. Problem is, even with their spectacular new projectors and state of the art sound, the print is DESTROYED. Ruined in advance by the studio. So even if you pay for a premium presentation you get a damaged print.

a) complain to the theater's manager. Be polite. It's hardly his fault, but he needs to know people are unsatisfied with his product, and his reports to his higher-ups will add credence to b) and c) below.

b) Write a letter to the theater chain complaining about this, and inform them your entertainment dollar will be spent elsewhere.

c) Write the studio and inform them and inform them your entertainment dollar will be spent elsewhere, including their DVD releases.

d) follow through and stay away from other films when you find out they are marked like this. The only way to make them understand is through the pocketbook.

If they do this to ROTK, I will be highly pissed. Not everybody will notice them, and if they were used sparingly, I wouldn't care, but if they are as prelevant as you say (and I've heard elsewhere that they are) I would notice them and it would ruin the experience for me too.

[groovrbaby]

hehe...much ado about nothing....that took me a second there to figure that out...then i looked over at my collection...and popped it in.

[Jackskeleton]

frankly, your local studio manager can't do shit about this. It's the choice of the studio's. they want to track down where exactly the bootleg copies are showing up from. the dots should vary depending on where you are in the U.S. and slowly, by looking at the ones which show up online, the studio's will crack down on those theaters by getting night vision (this is true) to try to catch folks who are pirating the film through Camera's and so forth.

[Sierra Disc]

Originally posted by groovrbaby
hehe...much ado about nothing....that took me a second there to figure that out...then i looked over at my collection...and popped it in.

Ah, gee, and it's thanks to illegal downloaders like YOU that the studios are doing this nonsense in the first place, isn't it?

[RyoHazuki]

I didnt notice them either. Unwatchable might be a bit harsh dont ya think. A lot of people here think anything thats not OAR, 75" HDTV, with a DTS track, with the dirty little frames of animation intact is unwatchable.

[Jackskeleton]

Not really groovr, he isn't selling it nor did he buy it. So why is he making the studio's lose out on money?


I'm willing to put down 10 bucks saying that they will have these on LOTR's that is a given.

[Sierra Disc]

But if he downloaded it and is watching it without paying for it then he is costing the studios the $8 or whatever per tickets, isn't he?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge friend of the studios, but to come in a thread complaining about measures taken to combat piracy and then gloat about pirated wares, as he seems to be doing unless I totally misunderstood his post -- well, I ain't gonna clap him on the back in applause myself...

I'm seeing KB tonite, so guess I'll see if this stuff is even really noticeable or not

[William Fuld]

Pretty sure you totally misunderstood his post. He was refering to the picture Groucho posted.

[Pants]

Originally posted by Groucho

Will someone please photoshop this picture with big orange brown dots to simulate Cap Code. Thank you.

[Darren Garrison]

Originally posted by Sierra Disc
Ah, gee, and it's thanks to illegal downloaders like YOU that the studios are doing this nonsense in the first place, isn't it?

As I mentioned above, the pirated version of Kill Bill that is available on the net now was available on the net before the film hit theaters. And is a widescreen print with "Property of Miramax Films" watermarked across the top. In other words, an inside job, NOT some guy in the theater with a camcorder.

[Sierra Disc]

OK, confused, just ignore me... :P

[MBoyd]

Wont this be funny if New Line puts the dots on the extended LOTR movies for the Tuesday marathon! I'll be asking for my $25 back.

[discostu1337]

These dots are in basically every movie, and will continue to be...LOTR included. They have been annoying me for a long time now...and once you have seen them, they sort of just stick out every time you see a movie.

[groovrbaby]

Wait, why are people attacking me? i didn't d/l anything JackSkeleton...

[Jackskeleton]

I thought they were attacking you. I was defending you groovr.

in any case. the workprint was indeed leaked. it is even easier for the work print to be tracked down as the workprint only goes to a few places.. thus it narrows down who could have leaked it. Anyone remember THE HULK?