DVD Talk review of 'The Complete Billy Jack Collection
08-29-09, 08:16 PM
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DVD Talk review of 'The Complete Billy Jack Collection
I read Paul Mavis's DVD review of The Complete Billy Jack Collection (The Born Losers, Billy Jack, The Trial of Billy Jack, Billy Jack Goes to Washington) at http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=38319 and...
...terrific review, as always. And I do remember "Billy Jack Goes to Washington" playing VERY briefly in Detroit, perhaps for no more than a week and probably "four-walled" at that, but I even remember the TV ads. (Curiously, Sam Fuller's "White Dog" also played briefly in the Detroit market, but possibly no where else.)
...terrific review, as always. And I do remember "Billy Jack Goes to Washington" playing VERY briefly in Detroit, perhaps for no more than a week and probably "four-walled" at that, but I even remember the TV ads. (Curiously, Sam Fuller's "White Dog" also played briefly in the Detroit market, but possibly no where else.)
08-29-09, 09:00 PM
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Re: DVD Talk review of 'The Complete Billy Jack Collection
Thanks, Stuart!
Yeah...I don't know if it's a matter of faulty memory on the Laughlins' part, or if there's another reason they keep insisting that the film was "supressed" and that it never was released (I tend to think that story is trotted out for publicity purposes, as well as that story fitting into their worldview of being constantly persecuted for their filmmaking). When I saw the poster for the film on the DVD slimcase, it immediately sparked a memory of seeing a newspaper ad hawking the film -- and it could very well have been a Detroit paper (we used to get the Free-Press, as well). And I've had a few readers email and say they remember the film playing in their areas in limited, one-week releases.
Personally, I think they probably didn't get any bites from the major distributors once the film was finished (the whole Billy Jack phenom was over by '77), so they tested it in several markets first, with their own "four-walling" (just like they did with Billy Jack), and found the results less-than-impressive -- which scared off any other potential distributors. Maybe that's what they mean now when they say, "it wasn't ever released."
Just a theory, though.
Yeah...I don't know if it's a matter of faulty memory on the Laughlins' part, or if there's another reason they keep insisting that the film was "supressed" and that it never was released (I tend to think that story is trotted out for publicity purposes, as well as that story fitting into their worldview of being constantly persecuted for their filmmaking). When I saw the poster for the film on the DVD slimcase, it immediately sparked a memory of seeing a newspaper ad hawking the film -- and it could very well have been a Detroit paper (we used to get the Free-Press, as well). And I've had a few readers email and say they remember the film playing in their areas in limited, one-week releases.
Personally, I think they probably didn't get any bites from the major distributors once the film was finished (the whole Billy Jack phenom was over by '77), so they tested it in several markets first, with their own "four-walling" (just like they did with Billy Jack), and found the results less-than-impressive -- which scared off any other potential distributors. Maybe that's what they mean now when they say, "it wasn't ever released."
Just a theory, though.
08-31-09, 12:49 AM
#3
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Re: DVD Talk review of 'The Complete Billy Jack Collection
I'm a big fan of 'The Born Losers' and Billy Jack.
I was just about 11 years old or so in the late 70's and Billy Jack was one of my favorite movies at that time.
I have the orginal boxset that came out around 2000,the one that makes Billy Jacks Face if you put all 4 cases together on the edge.
I post more latter,I'm tired.
Also too bad they went to slim cases and still no subtittles.And less extras.
blah..
I was just about 11 years old or so in the late 70's and Billy Jack was one of my favorite movies at that time.
I have the orginal boxset that came out around 2000,the one that makes Billy Jacks Face if you put all 4 cases together on the edge.
I post more latter,I'm tired.
Also too bad they went to slim cases and still no subtittles.And less extras.
blah..
Last edited by JoeySeven; 08-31-09 at 12:51 AM.
09-02-09, 07:39 AM
#4
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Re: DVD Talk review of 'The Complete Billy Jack Collection
Excellent review, Paul. I saw "Billy Jack" in 1973 at age 10. I remember wanting to go to the "Freedom School". 
09-02-09, 04:02 PM
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Re: DVD Talk review of 'The Complete Billy Jack Collection
