Fan Edits

[Gofigure]

Playing a little devils advocate here...

With a film as terrible as ROTF and with Mr Michael Bay acknowledging its shortcomings and apologising to fans for the result would this change a persons perspective at all? Does he still retain complete ownership of a complete diservice to the fans?

Would this in some way 'allow' the fans to try and improve the film (as many have)

hmmmmm.....

[GoktimusPrime]

Any Highlander fans here feel better that the franchise makers acknowledged that Highlander II was a crap film and made another sequel that totally ignored it? I'm not a Highlander fan, but the ones I've spoken to say that the third movie and TV series that totally ignored Highlander II was a good move, but still doesn't undo what they perceive as a 'fact' that the second movie was a kick in the nards to the fandom.

I dunno... maybe if AoE turns out to be the best thing since Empire Strikes Back. I'll get back to you in 5-6 months' time.

[millhouse]

Playing a little devils advocate here...

With a film as terrible as ROTF and with Mr Michael Bay acknowledging its shortcomings and apologising to fans for the result would this change a persons perspective at all? Does he still retain complete ownership of a complete diservice to the fans?

Yup. Otherwise I'm conspiring with your neighbour to take your house. We don't like the fence colour.

ALL YOUR HAUS ARE BELONG TO US.

Seriously though, Paramount retail all rights. Shitty films are a fact of life. How many thought ROTF was shit, but bought it? *raises hand*

And the IMAX Walmart exclusive as well?

*raises hand*

*lowers head, slowly walks away*

[Gofigure]

does it still count as me buying it if it was purchased in the trilogy boxed set????

[millhouse]

does it still count as me buying it if it was purchased in the trilogy boxed set????

Yes. :P

[Magnus]

TBH, I despise fan edits, with the exception being restorative work (see the recent Star Wars that is compiled from a range of sources).

My thoughts are the same as they are of fan films, and as someone who's produced a few shorts and production managed a feature, unless you've got permission from the rights holder, it's not yours. You didn't work on it, you didn't have to answer to someone who's looking at a $200m bill and trying to test it across four quadrants worth of demographics, and you didn't have to release it to a particular date in order to best recoup your investment. My attitude is, generally speaking, go play with your toys in the sandbox.

I dig the first Bayformers, but loathe the two sequels. But I look at the realities of the industry and if it's not my $200m that's paid for it, it ain't mine to frak with. I may not like the product, and that's where my choice comes in. But a tonne of people worked really hard to make that film, and I think you have to respect their work, even if you don't like it.

Personal opinion, and not an attack on you by any means!

Getting on soapbox...

I'm anti-fan edit. I believe in the artistic merit of film, music and games.

It's the directors vision and he/she has the privilege of making a bad movie if he/she chooses. We may not like it but it's Bay's right as an artist to make a bad movie.

I have no problem with George Lucas's current versions of the Star Wars Saga and it's his right to make changes if he wants. Sure TPM and AOTC are not great and ROTS is passable at best but it's his vision.

The fan has no legal or moral right to re-edit and distribute what they think a movie should be.

Now I'll get off my soapbox.

I'm inclined to agree with the above, for those reasons. No-one says you have to like something, but that doesn't automatically give you a right to tamper with it. Besides, you can just fast-forward past scenes you don't like - that's what I do.

My only point of contention is that I don't believe directors, especially 'big' Hollywood directors, deliberately set out to make a 'bad' movie, although I agree that that is their right as artists if they so choose. Odd humour aside, I think RotF suffered more from its truncated production schedule than anything else, and that considered, I think it actually turned out pretty well.