yes, it's been a long wait. bad news is...the wait is not over. it will be worth it!! just hang on till summer. the coverart and more new info has now been posted for the long awaited arrival of Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark, a mammoth project from Video Watchdog's Tim Lucas, noted Bava historian and expert. I've had it pre-ordered for 2 years and would wait another 2 years if I had to....this will be the only reference you'll need on all that is Bava! go down to my sig and follow the link for all the great news.

Good stuff. It was cool seeing that color pic from Black Sunday.

Thanks for the heads-up.

Anyone know if it will come out in a cheaper, paperback edition?

I would love to plop down ~$100.00 for it, but I just can't afford it right now.

I see this has been delayed yet again. Now he’s talking about December which more than likely means early 2004! A full 2 1/2 years since I paid for it. Is it just me that has to work to deadlines?

I've waited this long as well.....dont think about it much. I'll wait till early 2005 if thats what it takes. this is Tim's pride and joy. it must be perfect....no flaws. thats just Tim and his passion for Bava. that passion is addictive it seems! I have faith that we will have it before the snow melts....at least I hope. dont get me wrong....I want it NOW!!!

it's real obvious you are a patient dude......2 1/2 years is a long time....and loyal. as a Bava lover....thank you, from me. for what it's worth.

Wouldn’t mind but his liner notes pop up with regularity on other releases, time which should be spent on finishing this book. We’d all be screwed if the company went under. Not much chance of getting CC money back after 2 years. Also worrying that they’re still taking pre-orders and it sounds as if the design isn’t even done yet!

I’ll bet there are some older people who ordered this book when I did that will not be around to see it printed. Maybe it’s not too late for Tim to add RIP to some of the names of early purchasers that he’s featuring in the front pages of the book.

...and maybe I'll be hit by a truck, at 40, and also miss out. if an 80 year old ordered the book....it's obvious he knows how to take his own chances. or....hope he left a proper will....some young great grandson will learn of Bava. if people are tired of waiting....then ask for the damn $ back...go to court....go postal. do whatever you need to do. Tim Lucas...burn everyone by going under? Donna would be the first one to hang him from the nearest tree. no....someone getting burned like that will not happen.

I just contaced him...so maybe he will chime in with a little info or update.

yes, he has been adding liner notes to releases. he has been working on issues of VW, including the 100th issue coming soon. Tim is an "in-demand" type of guy. I think he's stretched out in all directions...but they are all essential directions. the book is a huge project that I for one....do not want rushed. it's a lifetime of work....not easily crammed into 5, 10 or 15 years. it will be here soon enough. my condolences to any and all who croak before it's done.

Delegation. If I tried to do everything myself my client base would shrink pretty rapidly as there are simply not enough hours in the day. Reduce the number of projects or employ others to off-load onto. The book sounds like it’ll be 100% awesome but to be honest after this long a wait with still no firm date for publication I’dve settled for 90% awesome 2 months ago. Maybe he should have broken it down into 2 volumes, "Tarantino" it if you will?

here is the response from Tim Lucas....take from it what you will:





Todd-

I am not going to visit the thread or post a response; I am working under enough stress without exposing myself to such gossip. But please pass along the following on my behalf:

Every month on our website, I have been writing and posting a detailed update concerning where the progress on the book stands, which is something I do voluntarily to maintain good will with our customers. I would encourage everyone who frequents DVDTalk to follow these updates at www.videowatchdog.com, which will help them to better understand the obstacles in the path of producing such an ambitious work, and to chart the regular progress we are making.

I just wrote a new update today, which will be posted in the coming days -- along with the first-ever look inside the book.

Donna and I have been producing VW for the past 13 years, always on time. We haven't taken a vacation since 1989. If our monthly schedule and the quality of our product aren't enough to convince people of our sincerity and work ethic, nothing else I can tell them can. In addition to working on the book this month, we produced VW #100 (now being mailed) and #101 (now at the printer). When you see these issues -- which revolutionize the look and breadth of the magazine you already know -- remind yourselves that these two issues were assembled by two people working out of their home, who were also putting together a 1,000 page book and planning future issues at the same time.

People don't understand the work involved in fulfilling just one of these tasks. If you make it look easy, people assume it is easy. It isn't. After 13 years of hard work and professionalism, I don't think we've earned anyone's skepticism.

We're not demanding that anyone pre-order the Bava book, and we've never refused a refund request -- to date, only one customer has asked for his money back. That was just last week, and we happily refunded him. We know that when this fellow sees the finished product, he'll rush to buy it at full price.

Believe me, no one wants to have this book finished and in people's hands more than we do. We are working as fast as we can.

Tim / VW

Thanks for that GW. Tim sounds a tad defensive there IMO. Everyone wants the book to be as good as it can but it sounds as if the workload he and Donna have taken on is simply too much to comfortably manage. I’d have no problem if the original deadline had been 2004 but it’s the continual shifting of the date that tends to frustrate. I daresay there’s a parallel with movies/painting to be drawn here. Who was it who said "A work of art is never finished, just abandoned." ?

Maybe a hard-ass editor would have ensured this came out some time ago, for better or worse. Personally I could live with 50 less rare pictures or a chapter less text if it meant I could have the book now. I don’t class myself in the same league of Bava-philes as Tim but it’s no exaggeration to say I have been dying to get this since I first ordered it 2 years ago. Nary a week goes by when I don’t wish I could slam some Les Baxter in the CD player and tear through a few chapters.

Oh, and Hi Tim - It’s only because we care that we’re frustrated at the delay. Don’t take it personally.

I agree jonathan.e, I think we both...well, all of us...just want the damn book in hand!!! it would make my year. at least the refund would happen for those who need to do it.....but I'll keep on waiting. I try to forget about it...but then start watching a Bava film and....here comes the pain again. if I ever hear any other info...I'll toss it in a later post.

peace,
Gut

As someone who doesn't give a damn about Bava beyond DIABOLIK, I've been casually following the progress of this book in VW, and it seems Tim's major mistake was in taking pre-orders before the book was actually done. Given his schedule, and knowing that he wouldn't sell the book until it was perfect, why blaze forward with letting people order the book so soon? That's what doesn't make sense to me.

huh? taking pre-orders helps the progress of not just completing the book...but getting it started. consider it an investment that pays off later...if you allow time to let it pay off. guess I'm just one of the many who seem to have no problem with waiting....because I know I'll be getting a gem of a book. I could have asked for my $ back anytime....and still can....but no way in hell I'll do that!!!

btw...the new color 100th issue of VW just got here in the mail. outstanding issue....great job Tim.

Some pages are now up on the VW site.

I pre-ordered this book right before the first deadline and I think anyone who missed it should now be paying full price. That bugs me a little.

This is a farce:

Tim Lucas:
Our month of October was mostly spent on the production, printing and mailing of VIDEO WATCHDOG's first three full-color issues. We also doubled-up to produce #s 102 and 103 back-to-back, one week apart, in order to clear most of the remaining year for the completion of the Bava book.
Therefore, there is not much new to report this month in terms of advancement... apart from the continued proofreading of the text, which is now nearly complete. All things considered, we are extending our Pre-Order Deadline to 12/31/03. We want everyone to have the opportunity to order at the pre-order price until we set our print run, which should happen just before the holidays. Though the List of Patrons section is now officially closed, the layout of those pages is the last to be done, and we will include as many additional names as will fill the available pages, without running over.

Depending on how promptly our printer can deliver, we are now expecting that the book should appear sometime in Feburary-March, 2004. Our apologies for not delivering by Christmas, but it simply wasn't possible.

Thanks for your continued patience!



Feb/March in VW speak obviously means summer 2004 at the earliest.

Looks like Tim took you at your word:

Pre-order Date Extended till 03/31/04!




To our surprise and great pleasure, December 2003 turned out to be the most successful month ever in VIDEO WATCHDOG's long history of publishing!* On the one hand, we couldn't be more pleased to find ourselves at the apex of our popularity after 14 years, but on the other, the literal avalanche of new subscriptions, renewals, Scratch & Dent orders and gift purchases -- and the need to attend to our own Christmas obligations** with friends and family -- prevented us from making the headway we'd hoped to make with the Bava book last month. It's unseemly to complain about business being so unprecedentedly good, so we won't... but the need to fill these orders prevented Donna from advancing the book's layout as she intended. This has inevitably pushed the book's arrival back once again.*** We will be preparing two issues of VW this month to clear the way for some concentrated work on the layout -- and we are still hoping to get the book to the printer in the first quarter of this year.**** Thank you for your custom and your continued patience.


* Except book publishing - On that we suck
** Eggnog bowls needed constant attention
*** Alert your grandchildren for it’s imminent arrival in 2040
**** Blah, blah, blah

No doubt preparations for the arrival of the Easter Bunny in March will push this back even further.

It’s now clear this exercise in vanity publishing may never see the light of day. Funny isn’t it how everything else takes priority over this book with Lucas even managing to write another (Book of Renfield) in the meantime with all it’s attendant interviews, book launch, signing tour etc? Touchstone could care less that he publishes some "fanzine" as well so they get what they were promised on time without the endless excuses he’s offering poor schmucks like us who paid him 5 YEARS!!!!! ago expecting this damn thing in 2001/2.

Time for anyone who hasn’t already done so to get a refund. Let’s see how he handles 1500 $100+ payments back to cards.

Nice to see you again. You need to post more often, jonathan.e!

I'm still not really giving a shit...and not worried about either. Need the $ back...then fucking request it and let it die.

Good to hear from the TL fan-club. Nice language btw. Delay getting to you?

Hi benedict.

Hi Tim - We know you’re reading. Finish the damn book already.

A fresh deposit of steaming excuses:

http://www.bavabook.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the link -- hopefully the planned release date of October/November 2006 holds true.

Maybe he ought to split it in half and call one a Feast For Bava, and the other A Dance With Bava.

By the way, anyone else read his Watchblog? I would love to get a link to the message board he refers to. be interesting to see the comments on his "egomania."