Patience is a virtue, but who wants to be virtuous? 4283 Posts 4/00
Posted - Feb 8 2004 : 11:22PM
So I guess we should be flattered then....? Not that John shouldn't be used to being copied.
Remember, Evil Angel was the original porn company to use the phrase Often imitated, never duplicated. Although Elegant Angel continued to use it in their ads.
Patience is a virtue, but who wants to be virtuous? 4283 Posts 4/00
Posted - Feb 9 2004 : 1:59AM
Quaze - thanks! :)
I didn't mean any disrespt to Hustler or any companies. I just think it's kind of funny is all. At the offices, it seems like we are such a low-key casual company. I mean, half the days I go to work in sweats, and there has to be something huge going on for me to be seen in makeup anymore. So when I see something like this, it's half amusing on an ego level, half frustrating on a competitive business level.
Lee's porno recipe for success - Take 1 part Ass Collector , and 2 parts Fashionistas . Simmer over a low heat and add a pinch of mediocrity . Finally , release as soon as you can to cash-in on consumer confusion . Perfect !
Still wanking after all these years. 8082 Posts 10/00
Posted - Feb 9 2004 : 7:03AM
You're not the only one...
For me you're just a low key casual company. I don't know what the fuss is about, you do your job and you do it well, with some of the best directors in the biz.
H2 Video is not owned or operated in any way, shape or form by Hustler Video. We are only (and there's no funny business going on here) a distributor of their product.
It seems everyone thinks that H2 is another Hustler brand. Please be assured that we did not devise or approve the Collectionistas title or any other title which we receive from H2.
Hustler Video is fully aware of imitators. After all, nearly everyone has tried a variation of the Barely Legal title one time or another.
No disrespect taken ( but Quaze, we'll be having words!). The Collectionistas might not be the most subtle homage to the Fashionistas, but that's out of our control I'm afraid (see previous post)
#SDNY he's all yours. -- Michael Steele 5110 Posts 3/03
Posted - Feb 9 2004 : 2:25PM
Yeah, I can understand how a tiny, poor, powerless company like LFP would have no ability at all to influence the directors who make the videos it distributes. It's not like Larry Flynt is the 800 lb. gorilla of the adult industry or anything like that. It's not like if Larry says "jump," anyone says "yessir Mr. Flynt, how high?"Aren't people funny? I'm sure the LFP logo on the boxes has nothing to do with that. I'm sure the "H" in "H2" is not meant to suggest a connection with Hustler. I'm sure the fact that the graphic design of the H2 logo has an entirely coincidental strong resemblance to that used on LFP products also has nothing to do with it.
Harri, while running the risk of dignifying your comments with a response..
LFP has a binding distribution agreement in place. LFP does not have any control over the branding of the production company nor the titles they use, provided there are no trademark violations.
Logically, Hustler would prefer as little brand confusion as possible as it only cannibalizes from our owned titles.
Not to be jumping into the fray here, but just as an objective observer who has not been keeping up with all the changes in directors and various video lines overseen or distributed by LFP -- and has enjoyed renting a "Barely Legal" or two -- I totally assumed H2 was part of Hustler. I mean the logo actually rips off the Hollywood Squares new sig -- H2 [though the "2" is smaller and elevated as if to mean "squared," to better suit the show's title, cute huh?] -- and I figured it was the second wave of Euro-style flicks, post-Woodman, that Hustler was putting out. I mean, it's awfully easy to be confused.
Though when I saw the boxcover of "Collectionistas" I just laughed and thought to myself, "God bless, pornography!"
The first time that I met John (ECVS 2002), I was amazed at how gracious he was toward Seymore Butts. I always felt that the early Seymore Butts stuff was the most blatant Buttman ripoff there ever was. I was impressed over the fact that John didn't hold a grudge (or at least outwardly display one).
Yet another person thinking H2 was another line from Hustler...In John's commentary for Buttman's Ultimate Workout he talks a bit about Seymore and his movies. I didn't realize it but John was the one to get Seymore started and IIRC, even lent Seymore his first camera to get started. It was an interesting commentary (as are all of John's commentaries so far), and like you mentioned, I don't remember feeling any kind of grudge.
H2 is not Hustler, as lfp2003 has told us in a few threads. The movie itself is Italian, an old one. It has simply been given a new title as often happens.
The fact that titles that used to be distrubuted under the Hustler label are now being distributed under the H2 label by Hustler (like Superfuckers, Vol 19 = Hustler, Vol 20 = H2) certainly does nothing make people believe that H2 is not a Hustler owned company. I'm not claiming that this isn't the case, just that there is no reason for anyone to know that this isn't the case.
Bill, you raise a good point, and maybe it's seen more clearly in light that H2 Video is owned by our European licensee.
You will find the only line which is consistent under the two companies is Superfuckers. Hustler stopped producing at #18, as we felt this line was more successful in Europe than in the U.S. As a courtesy to Pierre and our European licensee, we agreed to distribute the line for H2, even though we no longer produced or owned it. Frankly, it competes with our other Woodman lines (Anal Intensive, Casting Couch ,Hustler XXX and Pierre's features), but this seemed a good solution to keep everyone happy at the time. Clearly it has caused more brand confusion than we anticipated, and with hindsight we would have done everything possible to prevent this.
Hazel Heart Interview
Posted - Feb 8 2004 : 2:26PM
