MPAA Still Wants to Control Your Consumer Electronics and Theater Owners HATE it!
An interesting article appeared in the LA Times the day after Christmas. It details the current friction between theater owners and the big studios over the period of time in which a motion picture is exclusively shown in theaters. Actually, the theaters deserve some exclusivity as the experience often is better in a theater and they are local employers (even the large chains employ local teens and managers).
In the linked article it is revealed that the studios plan to charge $30-$40 PER VIEWING if they successfully get the FCC to approve their request to control the electronic equipment in your home and selectively turn off analog outputs on your cable/satellite box.
The MPAA effort to control the cable/satellite boxes has nothing to do with piracy. Movies appear on the internet BEFORE the motion pictures are even released in theaters. The MPAA really wants to control/regulate all methods of distribution of motion pictures. In the internet age, distribution is practically free, so if they fail to regulate all routes of distribution the studios will lose a major portion of their revenue based (that is skimming for the distribution of the movie).
Thus, (as stated above) if the MPAA successfully achieves its goal to regulate YOUR home entertainment equipment, they will be able (in the near term at least) charge OUTRAGEOUS $30 -$40 a viewing in YOUR OWN HOUSE (see the linked article). Readers will also be interested in how the major studios put this in their own words. The studios will then also be free to keep DVD discs high in price. Once you monopolize/control distribution you can artificially keep prices high. Oh – and DirecTV and cable operators should pay VERY close attention to the MPAA as it has already stated the “early” window will also contain a Blu-Ray release. If the FCC grants the studios with the authority to use SOC (to turn off the analog outputs on your set top boxes), the MPAA will gain the unfettered right to turn off all component outputs when they stop releasing DVDs.
If you have an opinion on the MPAA filing, you can file your comments to the FCC here.
Justice League: Crisis on Two Worlds
Alternate universes abound in science fiction and comics.
DC Comics has released its latest trailer for their new direct to video series.
Here is the video:
Disney Gets It Right
Disney has released the Tron: Legacy poster and it captures Tron perfectly. Lets hope the movie lives up to the hype.
See the poster here: http://www.heatvisionblog.com/2009/12/tron-legacy-poster.html
Space Mountain Ceiling
If you want to see the new look of Space Mountain’s ceiling — check out this Flicker Pic:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/newbirth/4161454471/
Are you using an RSS feed to read Speec?
I have been writing on this blog for a little over a year. I had been relying upon Google analytics for my gauge as to the success of the site. Well, I recently went back to my hosting company’s tool AWStats and discovered quite a few people who are using an RSS feed.
So, to sort out what is going on if y’all would be so kind as to leave a comment if you use RSS.
Thanks.
Star Tours to be Refurbished
Disney has just announced it plans to close Star Tours for refurbishment. The attraction will reopen in both parks with new video and story.
Most intriguing is the fact the ride will be shown in 3D. The unfortunate aspect of it all is that it acknowledges Episode I. Its forgivable as, at this point, it seems they are using the pod race. See the video below.
More Daft Punk – Tron Legacy Soundtrack
There is a lot of excitement surrounding Disney’s sequel to Tron – and most especially about the choice of composers for the soundtrack.
In the previous post there was an inkling of the creativity of Daft Punk and the soundtrack. In this post you will hear a version with more clarity. This may be another person’s version of what they heard in the numerous YouTube videos of the light cycle unveiling, but it is enjoyable nonetheless.
Daft Punk – Tron Legacy Soundtrack Revealed
Many things come out of Comic Con. One of them this year was a viral event held at “Flynns Arcade.” Flynn is the main character from Tron and is set to be a main character for Tron Legacy – the sequel.
Many concept sketches of the new lightcycle were on display as was a lightcycle full scale model.
Listen to the background music and you may get an idea of what the new soundtrack will sound like. (note: some of the attendees use profanity – you’re warned!)
G.I Joe Movie is Going to Suck.
Check out this picture of Cobra Commander. Who thought this was in line with the format of the franchise.
The image was revealed in an Ebay Auction.
Its Over.
Tragedy at Disney World: Monorail Crash
In what is said to be the first deadly incident since the monorails began operation, two monorails crashed leading to the unfortunate death of a disney cast-member.
After the July 4th fireworks at about 2AM EDT, a monorail rammed the back of a parked train at the Transportation and Ticket Center. There were two cast-members and five tourists on the trains at the time. The young man who lost his life was only 21 years old.
The monorail system is shutdown indefinitely.
News stores are here and here.
Just one more note. There is guest video that has been posted online of the scene right after the incident. I can think of nothing more heartless and dispicable that a person could do than post this video. It is not graphic, but it is the poorest of taste – flat out tacky, unfeeling, and self centered.
