The LOTR: Extended marathons, in theaters 12/03!
08-22-03, 11:46 AM
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The LOTR: Extended marathons, in theaters this December!
This was a pipe(weed) 
dream of Ring fans for a long time...now it is about to become a reality. Perhaps I should just take 12/16 off?
http://www.theonering.net/perl/newsview/8/1061560805
VARIETY: 'Rings' will bow before the 'King'
Before any king can return, New Line Cinema will re-release of the first two "Lord of the Rings" pics worldwide, this time with additional scenes and footage added.
Just two weeks before the Dec. 17 release of "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" -- the final installment of the Peter Jackson-helmed epic trilogy -- the first two "Ring" entries will be unspooling worldwide.
In memoranda sent to exhibitors on Wednesday, New Line laid out a game plan to promote the third film by refreshing filmgoers' memories with "The Fellowship of the Ring" and "The Two Towers."
Plan calls for putting the films on 100-150 screens in top 10 U.S. markets. Many other U.S. cities will have one cinema participating in the special extended edition screenings. Running times for the extended editions are 208 minutes for "Fellowship of the Ring" and 214 minutes for "The Two Towers."
Advanced ticket sales are scheduled to begin in late September or early October on exhibitor Web sites and movie ticketing sites like Fandango, MovieFone and Movietickets.com.
"The release of the third film affords us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to give audiences a compelling new theatrical experience of Peter Jackson's sprawling vision for this trilogy," said Rolf Mittweg, prexy and chief operating officer for worldwide distribution and marketing.
The cost, one New Line insider estimated, will be between $10 million and $15 million. Due to the extended length of the new prints, the move is being cast as a promotional tool rather than a moneymaker.
"It is important to note," the memo says, "that these events are produced as a marketing/publicity stunt and not as a revenue generating opportunity" and that media support will be limited largely to the Internet and participating theaters.
Starting the week of Dec. 5, the extended DVD cut of "Fellowship of the Ring" will be released in some 100 or so theaters in the U.S. and in 20 theaters in Canada.
Then, the week of Dec. 12, sequel "Two Towers" will unspool, just a month after having preemed on DVD, leading up to a worldwide Dec. 16 daylong marathon, during which all three films will be shown back-to-back. Exhib guidelines call for a 3 p.m. showing of "Fellowship" followed by a 7 p.m. screening of "Two Towers" and then an 11 p.m. screening of "Return of the King," which will carry over into Dec. 17 -- the day of its global release.
Overseas, it's not yet clear whether all exhibs will be showing the new footage-added prints of the previous "Rings" pics. According to one New Line insider, the decision is being left to exhibs, which will make their requests known to New Line in the next few weeks.
Italy and Japan will not immediately be included in the foreign promotional blitz. Italo comedies dominate that country around the holidays, and corporate sibling Warner Bros. will be carpeting Japan with the next "Harry Potter" pic. Triad of "Rings" pics will instead screen in January in Italy and February in Japan.
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Perhaps a jug to pee in (4 intermissions would be the way to go--one during FOTR, one during TTT and two more in-between films) and a whole bunch of Elvish waybread as supplies?
dream of Ring fans for a long time...now it is about to become a reality. Perhaps I should just take 12/16 off?http://www.theonering.net/perl/newsview/8/1061560805
VARIETY: 'Rings' will bow before the 'King'
Before any king can return, New Line Cinema will re-release of the first two "Lord of the Rings" pics worldwide, this time with additional scenes and footage added.
Just two weeks before the Dec. 17 release of "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" -- the final installment of the Peter Jackson-helmed epic trilogy -- the first two "Ring" entries will be unspooling worldwide.
In memoranda sent to exhibitors on Wednesday, New Line laid out a game plan to promote the third film by refreshing filmgoers' memories with "The Fellowship of the Ring" and "The Two Towers."
Plan calls for putting the films on 100-150 screens in top 10 U.S. markets. Many other U.S. cities will have one cinema participating in the special extended edition screenings. Running times for the extended editions are 208 minutes for "Fellowship of the Ring" and 214 minutes for "The Two Towers."
Advanced ticket sales are scheduled to begin in late September or early October on exhibitor Web sites and movie ticketing sites like Fandango, MovieFone and Movietickets.com.
"The release of the third film affords us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to give audiences a compelling new theatrical experience of Peter Jackson's sprawling vision for this trilogy," said Rolf Mittweg, prexy and chief operating officer for worldwide distribution and marketing.
The cost, one New Line insider estimated, will be between $10 million and $15 million. Due to the extended length of the new prints, the move is being cast as a promotional tool rather than a moneymaker.
"It is important to note," the memo says, "that these events are produced as a marketing/publicity stunt and not as a revenue generating opportunity" and that media support will be limited largely to the Internet and participating theaters.
Starting the week of Dec. 5, the extended DVD cut of "Fellowship of the Ring" will be released in some 100 or so theaters in the U.S. and in 20 theaters in Canada.
Then, the week of Dec. 12, sequel "Two Towers" will unspool, just a month after having preemed on DVD, leading up to a worldwide Dec. 16 daylong marathon, during which all three films will be shown back-to-back. Exhib guidelines call for a 3 p.m. showing of "Fellowship" followed by a 7 p.m. screening of "Two Towers" and then an 11 p.m. screening of "Return of the King," which will carry over into Dec. 17 -- the day of its global release.
Overseas, it's not yet clear whether all exhibs will be showing the new footage-added prints of the previous "Rings" pics. According to one New Line insider, the decision is being left to exhibs, which will make their requests known to New Line in the next few weeks.
Italy and Japan will not immediately be included in the foreign promotional blitz. Italo comedies dominate that country around the holidays, and corporate sibling Warner Bros. will be carpeting Japan with the next "Harry Potter" pic. Triad of "Rings" pics will instead screen in January in Italy and February in Japan.
-----
Perhaps a jug to pee in (4 intermissions would be the way to go--one during FOTR, one during TTT and two more in-between films) and a whole bunch of Elvish waybread as supplies?
Last edited by Jepthah; 08-22-03 at 12:32 PM.
08-22-03, 12:05 PM
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hmmm... times like this I wish I didn't live in a small town. Maybe I'll visit some friends in NYC though....
this does sounds great, and I'll definitly do the all dayer if i can make it!!!
this does sounds great, and I'll definitly do the all dayer if i can make it!!!
08-22-03, 02:27 PM
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Man I hope my local theatre will be screening these. I feel an illness coming on that day--I don't think I'll be able to make it into work that day. I'm gonna have to be careful though because my local theatre is directly across the street from where I work.
08-22-03, 02:40 PM
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I don't really think I have the stamina to survive that 3 movie marathon on the 16th.. 
But I'll probably make it out to see the first 2 extended version on the big screen just to say that I did down the road..
But I'll probably make it out to see the first 2 extended version on the big screen just to say that I did down the road..
08-22-03, 02:49 PM
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Originally posted by Spooky
Anyone know what the top 10 US markets are?
LA
New York
Chicago
What are the other 7?
Anyone know what the top 10 US markets are?
LA
New York
Chicago
What are the other 7?
08-22-03, 02:51 PM
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Originally posted by Spooky
Anyone know what the top 10 US markets are?
LA
New York
Chicago
What are the other 7?
Anyone know what the top 10 US markets are?
LA
New York
Chicago
What are the other 7?
Possibly St. Louis and San Fran??
08-22-03, 02:59 PM
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The "Top Ten" really depends on what information they are looking at. Because the Top 10 TV market is slightly different than the Top 10 Radio market. Hopefully, the most logical, Top 10 would be simply population.
08-22-03, 03:22 PM
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I would assume Atlanta and Dallas will be included in that top ten market. with Boston, Miami, Washington DC, Chicago, S.F and of course NY and L.A.
08-22-03, 04:00 PM
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08-22-03, 04:22 PM
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20 theatres in Canada? Guess I'll be heading up to Toronto on the 16th. 
So, would I be paying for three movie tickets, or would it be a special price? And I would really hate to sit near some annoying audience members that day. Putting up with idiots for 2 hours is bad enough, but for 11 hours?
So, would I be paying for three movie tickets, or would it be a special price? And I would really hate to sit near some annoying audience members that day. Putting up with idiots for 2 hours is bad enough, but for 11 hours?
but I can always hold out hope that they do.
08-22-03, 06:08 PM
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im sure they will pick top 10 and have it nicely spread out geographically. say if LA and SD are both top 10, just pick LA and add another city elsewhere so as to give most people a shot.
maybe like:
LA
SF
Dallas
Chicago
New York
Miami
Atlanta
Washington DC
Philly
and for the last, maybe they could put it in the biggest theater in the middle of the country - say in Kansas. sounds stupid but it would give people in kansas, oklahoma, iowa, dakotas, nebraska, etc a chance (die hards would make the trip).
maybe like:
LA
SF
Dallas
Chicago
New York
Miami
Atlanta
Washington DC
Philly
and for the last, maybe they could put it in the biggest theater in the middle of the country - say in Kansas. sounds stupid but it would give people in kansas, oklahoma, iowa, dakotas, nebraska, etc a chance (die hards would make the trip).
