Death is caused by swallowing small amounts of saliva over a long period of time. George Carlin 1567 Posts 2/07
Posted - Jul 15 2009 : 6:04PM
I would like to send you a couple of recent Vivid movies to review. It doen't have to be a pro review, I just want you to see for yourself what we are doing, if you like them, just post that, if you hate them post that. Just be honest. email me and i will ship them to you.
I would like to see digital copies for portable devices included with the new feature films...and / or I would like to see Vivid release its films for purchase (on a site like gamelink.com) in a portable (iPod / iPhone) / digital format. Elegant Angel does a lot of the latter, while Adam and Eve and Wicked have dabbled in the former.
Based on what I've seen recently, Some are. Some aren't. I can always fast forward through them now. But hitting the menu button doesn't necessarily bring me to the main menu. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn't. Chapter skips don't always work either. IMO, if hitting the menu button doesn't take you directly to the menu, and you have to navigate through commercials, that's not good enough. FWIW, over the last few months, I've seen "The Pinch", "Heaven", "Flashback", "Suck It", "In the Army Now", "On The Couch", "Porn Stars at Home" and "Throat". So the assumption that I haven't seen Vivid titles, doesn't hold water. I have no intention of buying any more Vivid titles (I already own too many Vivid titles with Brianna Banks & Kira that I don't watch), but I will rent them when they feature a performer that I like.I'm not much for "forgive & forget" when it comes to companies/organizations who have screwed people over in the past. I never returned to Major League Baseball after the strike and I spent thousands of dollars on DirecTV equipment so that I never have to give a penny to Cablevision ever again. With Vivid, we're talking about a company who put edited versions of their older movies on DVD without informing the customers that they've done so, a company who intentionally edited scenes to have "pretend" alternate angles, when in fact they just butchered the scenes so that, 1/3 of the scene appeared in each of three different angles on the disc and a company that attempted to insert subliminal messages into their DVD's (yes, that was me who found them and went public with them). So, while maybe Vivid has made an effort to correct past ills, whenever I see them fuck up, given their history, I see it as being intentional, not a mistake.
[/quote] who directed the last one? I haven't looked, was it chi chi? also we don't have any wtba scheduled but steven said when we do we will be taking a different direction on them, harder, nastier, not as glossy. [/quote] I'm a fan of this series, but I guess some of them are a bit glossy. If "harder, nastier" means believable, and where the performers are into it, then I'm all for a change in tone. It's nice to have some less "nasty" titles on offer though. And I agree, fewer toys. Although, if they're into it, toys are ok.
Death is caused by swallowing small amounts of saliva over a long period of time. George Carlin 1567 Posts 2/07
Posted - Jul 15 2009 : 7:20PM
I mentioned that to steven and he's worried if that is what 1 guy wants to see or is it the masses? Oh, he is from N.Y., that explains everything. One time I was in New York and asked someone what time it is, and she said do I look like a fucking clock, and I said, never mind Sister I will ask someone else. That is a Nun joke.
You probably didn't ask the question properly. In NY, the correct way to ask that question is "Excuse me. Do you know the time or should I just go fuck myself?" When asked correctly, you have a 50/50 shot of being told the time
Hi Woody, Thanks for starting this thread. I'm not here to bash you, but I have to let you know that Vivid USED to be my favorite studio--and now, I've just about stopped buying anything you guys put out. I realize, of course, that you can't please everybody. That being said, you'll only keep me as a customer if you start putting out some stuff I want to see--and I, by myself, am really of no importance to you. The real question is, are there enough other people out there who want to see the same things I do. If so, then what I have to say matters. Reading the previous posts on this thread, I agree with what some have to say, and I have serious disagreements with some others. One problem I have is that a key element of eroticism has tended to disappear from Vivid movies. That is, a sexy setup leading into the sex. I don't need a huge production budget, but a little clever writing leading into a scene with some decent, imaginative dialogue could do so much to improve a movie's eroticism. (I'm thinking of a number of movies starring Dyanna Lauren and Steven St. Croix which used to do this--you don't see that kind of writing much any more.) "Cry Wolf" was a wonderful exception to your recent output--one of the best-written porn flicks I've ever seen--and yet, I can fault it on a number of points. You need to get more scripts like that. I think I'm diametrically opposed to those who just want to see nastier and nastier sex. That's turning me off. Another problem is that you've lost most of the girls who interested me. Your roster needs some major improvement. And another trend which is really, really scaring me: The idea of making some movies only available online. I wanted to pick up a copy of "Vivid Red," but I can't because it's not going to be released on DVD. I will not download it because my computer is too unreliable. If I can't get it in hardcopy form, forget it--you've lost me as a customer. Thanks for listening, and I hope you'll be able to do something to get me back as a customer.
Death is caused by swallowing small amounts of saliva over a long period of time. George Carlin 1567 Posts 2/07
Posted - Jul 15 2009 : 7:43PM
Thank you so much for your comments. I will forward them on to Steven Hirsch and come back to you with his reply. You are very important to me as a customer BTW.
That's not true. They were the edited versions that were made when movies went to VHS catalog (I assume that they were initially edited to save money on tape stock when being sold at catalog prices). On the same disc that contained an edited version of the movies, there were lots and lots of commercials and trailers. There was far more disc space dedicated to "extras" than would have ever been taken up by putting the original version of the move on the disc.The ones that were mentioned in the thread that I linked to included single black frames with white lettering throughout the disc that said things such as "BUY VIVID", "GO VIVID" and "VIVID RULES". The title was "Vivid Virtual Blowjobs: Down The Hatch". The times of these messages are int he thread that I linked to in my last post. Edited by - Bill on 7/15/2009 7:53:53 PM
I'm aware the going rate for screenplays isn't that great--as you said, it's about the love of the art and seeing my own fantasies palyed out onscreen. There's a link to my prose stories on my profile page, and I have written three screenplays for Taylor Wane, so I do have screenwriting experience. I'd rather not pitch stories on the message boards--do you have a contact e-mail at Vivid? Thanks in advance. _________________________________________________________
"There can never be too many beautiful women Hypnotized for our pleasure."
#SDNY he's all yours. -- Michael Steele 5110 Posts 3/03
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 2:18AM
Even if they were willing to spend the money to try to "remaster" some of the old movies, I have to suspect that the results would be unsatisfactory. Jimmy Hooligan's post near the top of the thread alluded to the fact that the movies always looked dark and like they'd been dubbed repeatedly. To me, it always looked like they were trying to make the movies have the visual look of daytime TV soap operas, but without the necessary equipment, time and/or expertise to really pull it off, so they always ended up looking blurry and with screwy colors. It looked like shit on VHS tapes played on CRT televisions; it would probably look like shit cubed on modern equipment.
Kind of a question from left field here, Howard, but seeing as you're the man with an 'in' at Vivid...did Paul Thomas' book 'Waiting For Wood' ever get published? I'd love to read it (even if it was just a galley version), but all I can find are listings for it. Nobody ever actually has it in stock. Any updates you or PT might be able to give on this project would be gratefully received!
Woody, thanks for the answer. I'm sorry to dig further, but I think you may have detected a dated information: The release-date for JTZs FUCK THE WORLD was september 22, that's right - but 2008!!! Should the new release date be the exact same, but one year later? Or did you maybe find an old press release? Yeah, the sickness is what we're looking for. The AVN ads from a year ago where looking great. I was happy that it was announced to be released on blu-ray too, because this is the format a Jack The Zipper movie should be watched. So maybe you could take another look and clarify things?
Is this a real possibility? It would be awesome if you guys are able to shoot this! Personally I like how you guys can mix it up with not only the couple-friendly scenes but also the nastier stuff.
Death is caused by swallowing small amounts of saliva over a long period of time. George Carlin 1567 Posts 2/07
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 5:42PM
I can't unring the bell. If you choose to be upset about stuff that happened 5 or 10 years ago, that is your choice. Obviously the subliminal messages didn't work on you. I think that was more of a joke than anything else. I really doubt Steven Hirsch thought, Hey if we put these in we will hypnotize everyone into buying Vivid. I mean really, give me a break. Also you make it sound like they were in every release and in fact now you admit they were in one. No offense here, but I think you have way too much time on your hands. I am here for the people that want to see a better product from Vivid, some people on here like Vivid just fine, but I am trying to reach out to those that have a legitimate gripe that i can get fixed. I have offered several people here that are unhappy to send them a free dvd to see what we are doing now, i haven't heard from one of them. I care about the Vivid customers, and those that are interested in becoming customers. I highly doubt I or anyone else can please you. I asked you point blank if you didn't like any of the new releases you had recently seen, you avoided that question like the plague. You are accusing Vivid of editing down some movies that was 7 or 8 years ago that were new release and then sold for catalog prices of $3 at the time, so what, who cares?
Death is caused by swallowing small amounts of saliva over a long period of time. George Carlin 1567 Posts 2/07
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 5:44PM
Yeah, the sickness is what we're looking for. The AVN ads from a year ago where looking great. I was happy that it was announced to be released on blu-ray too, because this is the format a Jack The Zipper movie should be watched. So maybe you could take another look and clarify things? [/quote] Yes it is sept. 22 2009. you suggest blu ray too?
Can you get better results if they're packaged maybe 4 movies or so a case? Give people more bang for the buck? (Terrible saying but still appropriate)
Bad Wives is the poster child for what Bill's talking about. So's Mission Erotica as well. I'm still surprised Vivid has never bothered to fix these. I'm aware they think the market's not there for it. But they could still be surprised.
Woody, thanks again. Funny that the new release date in 2009 is exactly the same date as the original one in 2008. I'm very much looking forward to it, although I have to say that I will only believe it when I got a copy in my hands. Maybe Club Jenna wants to use the same ad again with just a 08 changed into 09... As to blu-ray: Yes I would suggest it, If I had to, but the original two-page ad in AVN magazine from a year ago had a blu-ray symbol on it. So I hope that I don't have to suggest it because it's a blu-ray release anyway. By the way (to commend and not only bug you): I've got the Suck It blu-ray and it's good! (In case you don't know which Fuck The World ad I'm referring to, I've uploaded it. Below right you can see the year 2008 and the blu-ray symbol.)
Woody, Thanks for returning to ADT and starting this thread. I agree with what other former Vivid fans pointed out on this thread. Vivid used to put out great features but in recent years "Cry Wolf" is the only one that can stand up to the Vivid classics. I don't want to bash you. But I think while you're striving to win over the raincoaters you're loosing your true customers. You're loosing the people who want to be involved in a good story with believable characters. One of my favourite movies is "Fade to Black". Great story, entertaining and it even gives food for thought. Another thing are your compilations. Using the same scenes over and over again isn't encouraging customers to buy a second comp of the same girl. For example Taylor Hayes. It's okay to put one scene in a Taylor comp, a big boobs comp and a brunette comp. But it's not okay to recycle it in a further Taylor comp, big boobs comp, brunette comp. How about premium comps of your best girls? I'd like to buy a multiple disc set "The complete Taylor Hayes". Vivid used to be the first address for feature lovers. But Wicked has taken your place.
A suggestion - perhaps posting trailers of upcoming releases like a number of the other studios do would be a good idea. Star69:All Teens I realise is a compilation but if I had been able to view a trailer I may have been more interested.
Maybe this is a little off topic, but I had an idea after seeing a number of people on here talking about scripts. I really enjoyed the Showtime shows about Debbie Does Dallas and Throat. It would totally kick ass if you made a Vivid version of Project Greenlight, with the whole moviemaking process and people competing to have their script made. Then, at the end, you would have a ready-publicized movie to sell. I would watch that in a heartbeat (the show and the movie).
This is the type of situation digital distribution is made for. You can sell digital downloads even if only a handful of people want it; there is no replication/distribution guessing games involved.
That is a frickin' genius idea...so much so that I am ashamed that I didn't think of it myself! I'd also like to see some enterprising porner do an XXX-rated take on something like Indy Mogul too. Loving your blog, by the way!
Really? Show me the post in which you did that. Because I can't find it. If you'd like to talk about problems with newer releases, we can certainly do that. Just the other day, I saw a scene from Porn Stars at Home (Hanna, Beverly Hills, Mikey Butders & Alez Gonz) where clothing magically disappeared off of of Hanna, while clothing magically reappeared on Beverly & Alex, who were previously undressed. There was a shot where the camera of the second cameraman was accidentally in the scene, but nobody bothered to edit that out. And although the scene started with two couples having sex in two completely different rooms. The camera pulls back from one couple suddenly both couples are fucking in the same room, with no explanation how Beverly & Alex got there. A monkey could have edited this scene better and, obviously, nobody even bothered to review the editor's work. That's the kind of stuff that I'm talking about when I claim that Vivid doesn't give a shit about sex scenes and cares just as little about the consumer. Continuity is one of the reasons that editors exist. Ridiculous errors such as these instantly take viewers "out of the scene". When I claim that AVN reviewers don't actually watch the movies that they review, this scene is a perfect example. The review of this scene in AVN just says "The first is with Alan Stafford alongside the Moore sisters, followed by a stiff romp with Mikey Butders." Given what I saw in this scene, it was either reviewed with the fast forward button held down by AVN reviewer Emma Edwards or the commonly held belief that ad space = no bad reviews at AVN are true. Edited to link to AVN review Edited by - Bill on 7/17/2009 7:00:23 PM
I agree with Bill about Porn Stars at Home. I loved Hanna in Bounce so I bought Porn Stars at Home and it was really bad. There was Bad camera work, bad story, and bad editing. When I purchase anything Vivid it is always a B. Skow film.
Posted - Jul 15 2009 : 5:57PM
