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News from Bree
spymaster@theonering.net
Aug 22 2016, 2:03am
Post #1 of 13
(2164 views)
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Outraged or Bemused? The 'UCE' Blu-ray Galvanizes Fans
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 Greetings, Quickbeam here.
What is all this business with a 30+ disc Blu-ray "Ultimate" edition of LOTR and HOBBIT Trilogies? Why the heck is it priced at $800 when it contains nothing new from previous releases? If you're curious to investigate the many details behind the sticker-shock; and the wave of fan outrage / bemusement that surrounds this story, then join me as we dig deeper to learn some interesting truths.
After the final Extended Edition of BOTFA came to us, most of the Tolkien fan community assumed it would get quieter around these parts. Ringers everywhere realized the #OneLastTime marketing hashtag epitomizing the theatrical run of the final Hobbit film had more truth to it than they wanted to admit. It was the realization that Peter Jackson's uber-talented team of filmmakers and creative partners (including Michael Pellerin who created the glorious Appendices for both film trilogies) had, in truth, concluded their grand effort that began way back in 1999.
The "Middle-earth Saga" was now complete. No more films. No more Appendices.
But we still wanted more. And many times over the past 16+ years we heard from PJ himself, the writer/ producer/ director, that there *was* more! More fully-executed scenes that didn't make the EE versions, more outtakes, more narrative threads tying the six films together, thousands of bloopers (this stuff has the quality of legend, since we have been waiting on it for so long), and always it was spoken of by the filmmakers with the feeling of: "Hold onto hope, fans, because someday I'm sure the studio will be interested in releasing this as a fuller, bigger, maxed-out Ultra Edition!"
Privately among our TORn Staff we have nicknamed this the "Unicorn Edition."
 My producer and co-host Justin has been talking about this for years on our livestream TORn Tuesday show. It's aptly named: a Unicorn Edition that's so ephemeral and seemingly out-of-reach. A version of these films where the unifying of all six would be complete; where that opening prologue of FOTR would see that single shot of Ian Holm finding the Ring replaced with a brief shot of Martin Freeman from AUJ. Where Saruman would actually find and hold a Palantir after the Battle of Dol Guldur in BOTFA. Where Tom Bombadil (!) would be referenced or appear in a cameo. Where we could see the outtakes of TTT where Arwen fights at Helm's Deep - where Eowyn fiercely defends her kin as the Glittering Caves are attacked - reminding us how mercurial the filmmaking process actually is.
You'll recall the Number One Rule of Show Business: "Always leave them wanting more." That dusty adage perhaps holds clenching power over the weird situation we find ourselves in now. Or perhaps it's because of the wrong-headed management by a strata of marketing people who have no business making such decisions. Perhaps it is the onus of financial reality that dictates everything that follows. Yeah, there's millions of dollars at stake here.
Well, as you know by now: things are no longer quiet in the land of Ringers. We have a new controversy on our hands with the release of what Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has dubbed the "Ultimate Collector's Edition" 6-film Blu-ray set.
Many of us are reacting with shock, and genuine SMH smack-my-head wide-eyed expressions of "THAT'S JUST RIDICULOUS!" (which I heard verbatim on the phone just now explaining to someone what was offered). Look at how people are responding on Amazon.com and right here on our Message Boards. You'd think rapturous applause would resound at the release of this supposed "Ultimate" package that unifies everything a Ringer could want. Except it clearly does not. It contains no new content, just very luxurious packaging. And it's priced at U.S. $800 retail.
 Someone on our Staff adroitly pointed out that you could get a ticket to New Zealand and get the real Middle-earth experience for that much. Another quipped: "Does Hobbit DNA come with this new set so we can clone our own Bilbo at home?"
So, hey, Warner Bros. are you listening? That's not applause. Those are gasps. Mass shaking of heads in dismay doesn't produce a sound but I can hear it quite clearly.
Bill Hunt over at The Digital Bits wrote an excellent op-ed piece [link here] that pretty much sums up how people are feeling. He, and others, had to check with WBHE to see if the price point was not a mistake. It isn't.
Personally, I feel like the fans who have already spent their money double-dipping on Theatrical DVD's and then Extended Editions in the early 2000's (and *then* having to buy Blu-rays that made their advent later) are getting kicked in the teeth. I got to this point of indignation because I know what was really in store for us. But I also recognize the forces at work that brought us to this place.
The "physical disc" home video marketplace has been in decline for a long while. Consumers are shifting to their preference of streaming services, digitial downloads, etc. New tech has already arrived with 4K Ultra High-def televisions and content providers struggling to keep up. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality is the next wave of influence we shall be caught up with (Pokemon Go, anyone?).
While it was a long-held belief that adding Special Features, Behind-the-Scenes documentaries, and other "value added" content to a disc would improve sales by enticing buyers to get the goodies, the studios ran the numbers and discovered that, no, it didn't make much difference. People would buy the stripped-down movie-only disc as much as the fancier version. The studios asserted then that after spending money on producers/ writers/ editors to make spiffy added content for discs they still didn't see increased sales. It became a tougher prospect to get more added into a home video release of anything; as with all business they were watching their bottom line.
I've heard from many sources that Michael Pellerin himself had quite a fight on his hands with Warner Bros. to keep the same format of continuing "The Appendices" on the Extended Editions of HOBBIT. The studio didn't want to match what was done years earlier for LOTR because it cost a pretty penny to make those beautiful extras, believe me. It took a lot of convincing to get the materials and coverage and do honor to the filmmakers' efforts. It very nearly didn't happen. We are all thankful that it did.
The studio has overspent themselves in the past with regard to a splashy home video release. Let me tell you a wee story:
 Before Warner Bros. was in the picture the LOTR Trilogy was released by New Line Home Entertainment (NLHE). They spent a ton of money on a special party in Los Angeles for the "Ultimate" LOTR Trilogy Blu-ray Extended Editions that was to the be single must-own item for Ringers. At this release event, staged at a Best Buy parking lot on the west side of L.A., they held a locked down parking lot disrupting the store for over 9 hours, caging off an area expecting about 2,000 fans or more to queue up and be part of the spectacle that included John Noble and Sala Baker as the special stars from the cast. The live-feed from New Zealand brought us Oscar-winner Sir Richard Taylor and our friend WETA artist/author Daniel Falconer together to livestream their review and judging of a highly-anticipated "Ultimate Fan Costume Contest" sponsored by Air New Zealand that was won by a super-creative fan for her saucy "Vegas Showgirl Balrog" outfit. I remember it so vividly because I'd been asked to M.C. the stage event - it was quite something. If you'd seen the Gollum-shaped fireworks display atop the Best Buy parking lot you would've sworn this was a million-dollar blowout party held by an indulgent Saudi Prince who happened to love Tolkien.
This spectacle was, from New Line's perspective, a huge bust. 2,000 people didn't show up. About 45, tops. The low turnout at that event stung New Line like nothing else. The fans didn't show up simply because, as other Senior Staff at TheOneRing.net will recall, there were endless weeks of legal bickering (without agreement) between Best Buy's legal arm and New Line, and the poor fan site sitting in the middle of this was TORn, not being allowed to disclose or promote to the wide world the Fan Costume Constest that was about to take place. All was frustrated, like the long-term plans of 'Saruman of Many Colours.'
They also felt this would reflect on lower anticipation and thus lower sales of that Blu-ray set. I'm convinced *this* new 6-film "UCE" is suffering from that burden of association. WBHE inhereted this property from New Line, and now they don't want to spend another cent. Frugality is how they maximize profits.
I can understand the exigencies of getting the most bang for your buck, but seriously, the other side of this argument is that Warner Bros. seems woefully out of touch with what the fans really, REALLY want. Remember that stinging "open letter" published last week calling out their C.E.O. for mishandling many properties and losing the course of their ship? [link here] That sentiment reflects the feelings of many (including me, especially with respect to their D.C. Comics Extended Universe) but it should be said that Peter Jackson's production and handling of HOBBIT was not indicative of problems at Warner Bros., that was MGM's fault from way before).
Now it comes to it. All my thought is bent upon this. I have reached out to Warner Bros. and at the time of this posting they have offered no comment. Dutifully I reached out to Peter's team at Wingnut Films in Wellington, and they immediately replied with: "We have no comment as this time, but if we do decide to in the future we will come to you." To both entities I say: you're always welcome to come onto our live show and discuss it with the fans around the world, or correspond with us so we can provide equal time. We would love to have their thoughts.
I've done a bit of investigative sleuthing and found out the facts that have me seeing red: Peter Jackson faithfully and very earnestly offered (almost a year and half ago, perhaps two years back) to make this current "UCE" into a true "Unicorn Edition." Michael Pellerin and PJ together proposed to WBHE that this combination of all six movies would be the perfect opportunity to send-off the Middle-earth Saga with a comprehensive look back. It would allow them to do brand spanking new 2-hour documentaries for each of the films featuring those outtakes and bloopers I have extolled; with even more frank discussion about "hot button" issues they couldn't talk about at the time but now with the ease of time passing could be elucidated.
Imagine - not just dragons - but imagine seeing all that footage from the past - the glorious warts-and-all approach of looking at their accomplishements with a 16 year difference of time! Imagine where we, the avid audience, are given the benefit of seeing so much creativity in a whole new light. It is not an understatement that PJ and Company rose to the heights of film history with LOTR, winning 11 out of 11 Academy Awards for ROTK, the biggest clean sweep in Oscar history; and setting a bewildering high-watermark for filmic storytelling that redifined what long format stories can do for the cinema.
The kicker: Warner Bros. refused to pay for this. They balked and said, "We would only do ONE two-hour documentary, not a whole bunch of them, so let's scale this whole thing back." I've been told by the most reliable sources that PJ decided he would rather not do a half-assed retrospective and it would not be in alignment with what he had been enthused about for so long (we've all heard him in the Director's Commentaries mentioning this possible "Unicorn Edition" even though he didn't use that exact term).
We now know his "Ultimate Collector's Edition" has been on the table for quite a long time. The end result was not guided by the original plucky Kiwi director who had always loved Tolkien. Sadly it was goverened by a team of marketing people who are not Tolkien fans, people who have been tone-deaf to the worldwide audience by the very release of this "UCE," and neglecting what we have been anticipating - and VOCALIZING - for damn near 17 years. Does anyone at the studio read message boards or social media streams to glean what kind of appetite we have? Did anyone bother to listen to Sir Peter Jackson all this time and note what he has always promised was waiting for us at the end of this journey? I mean really!
Who wants to spend $800 on a regurgitation of previous existing Blu-ray content anyone could acquire at a fraction of the cost? The wooden shelf is nice and the Red Book simulacrum with accompanying art prints is cute, but it's not what we really wanted. It is not clear who among our fan community this release was intended for, knowing how avidly we have already bought the previous home video products.
We are standing up right now and telling you, Warner Bros., what we most passionately want.
If the guardians at WBHE would like to remedy this there is still a chance. The studio has not categorically said: "We will NOT ever do this Unicorn Edition with all the archives/ outtakes/ bloopers/ from 16 years ago." I am willing to bet that the next wave of 4K Ultra High-def may see some possible movement on this in the future.
The content is there. It can be done! The outsized larger canvas of LOTR being Extended yet again is, by itself, enough to motivate potential buyers. The rest is just gravy. There are indeed costs involved with re-scanning the negatives from LOTR up to the highest resolution possible. HOBBIT was shot on the Red Epic cameras 48fps so we know that material is already at that state. The trasnfer of older DVD behind-the-scenes into upscaled resolution is also possible. The cost would be justified when they saw fans ferociously buying the new content.
And it would look amazing on 4K, I'm quite sure.
 I've never believed in Unicorns (probably because Tolkien never wrote about one in his stories, and I hope Peter S. Beagle forgives me) but I've seen the hope they inspire. This far-away concept for a TRUE "Ultimate Collector's Edition" doesn't seem so far away as we watch the landscape of home entertainment evolving around us.
It is up to the fans themselves to send their thoughts and desires to Warner Bros. through every media and thread we have available. We must speak up and declare where we stand on this issue.
This 6-film release is not the end of the Middle-earth Saga. There's much more to be discovered. With the will of the creative team, the support of the studio (which just needs a little more foresight in these matters), and by speaking with our dollars AS WELL AS with our keyboards, we can see this thing happen.
Instead of #OneLastTime we have a new hashtag: #OneMORETime
Much too hasty,
Quickbeam
Clifford Broadway
@quickbeam2000
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Avandel
Half-elven
Aug 22 2016, 4:06pm
Post #3 of 13
(2082 views)
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Thank you for this summation. Because, up to now, personally - not like I have my finger on the pulse of the entertainment industry and don't even do Facebook - figured, well, "hey, hasn't been a whiff, a peep, a hint - of any kind - that PJ was working on anything connected with ME since BOFA, so what do folks expect, really? Even if this rumored "PJ & co. supposedly offered, oh, a while ago - or something like that - to do some sort of director cut; and even if these rumors being mentioned aren't being cited..."
Because, I figured, if a director's cut or mega-edition WERE to ever come out, IMO it was too soon after BOFA. I mean, PJ HAD said something about not wanting to spend the rest of his life working on Middle Earth, in an article (which I remember, but would have to dig up....).
So, didn't know how DIRE the situation was, and I am willing to TRUST TORn.
Especially the idea that companies are putting the squeeze on folks using discs - even tho any number of folks, including me, have no interest in "streaming" or whatever, and no interest in NOT having something I paid for physically in my hands. Just because it's a way for companies to shave their costs even more - like they already have with pathetic disk packaging, in many instances. It's not like they don't pass the expense to customers, anyway. I can see trying to explain to my aging relatives how "downloading" a film works and trying to explain what sort of drivers and files etc. you need to have if something goes wrong - yeah, they'd enjoy that. Especially the ones with a bit of Alzheimer's. These people LIKE their discs. And they're less mobile, so discs are a good source of entertainment for them.
Course Warner Brothers was the same company who cut corners on the Hobbit PR; who had a terrible BOFA home release schedule ; who decided not having the entire dwarf company at the world premiere for BOFA was a good idea.
So I didn't know how much credibility to give to the tales that PJ was, in fact, willing to SHARE. Like most ME film fans, it would seem, I find this offering from WB laughable. (IKEA is often mentioned as a source for a wood shelf - I'd also suggest Overstock in the U.S. at least, as they have a "Worldstock" section where you can get a lot of nice wood stuff from all over the world made of recycled woods! For $800 I could get a recycled CARVED (not screen printed) wood cabinet AND a chair! Just think of what you might find at a thrift store, if you need a shelf that badly....)
And it's an insult. An insult to a suite of films, that aren't "just films". They're part of popular culture; a vision of Middle Earth made reality; an inspiration to many; the catalyst of countless artworks and tales and even celebrations of Middle Earth and Tolkien.
An insult to INTELLIGENT people around the world who have filled WB's coffers and even done free PR work for them, by default, with the Hobbit films.
Above all, for me, it's a staggeringly STUPID decision on WB's part. A short sided view that doesn't take in the long view. For one thing, there's the contingent of fans who would PAY, and pay handsomely (I am one of those), to have as of yet unseen footage in my hands. And in my case - REPAY, as I already own, like many, the theater versions and the EE versions and collectible sets.
And there's long-term shopping habits. Given, over the years, the availability of a TRUE collector set, that genuinely had unseen footage, all documentaries, perhaps a genuinely nice collectible - well, as new fans of ME join - and that DOES happen, as time goes on and folks look around to give gifts or maybe treat themselves - which set of LOTR/Hobbit do you buy? You get on Amazon and read some reviews and perhaps read over and over, that this (unicorn) set is THE set to purchase....I don't even own the Star Wars films yet. One day I will - so when I get online, which set will I purchase? Why, it will be the one other fans are saying is THE set to get.
Heck, given a TRUE collectible ME set, I'd probably buy two, just to be sure I always had the disks on hand....
At this point, TORn rules prevent me from expressing my opinion of this set in a succinct manner, but there are any number of You-Tube vids that could do it for me - like John Oliver's referenced in the link.
PS. Laughably, too - is it true this "ultimate edition" is U.S. only?????? 
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Aug 24 2016, 1:32am
Post #4 of 13
(1998 views)
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There you are! I was all over the place with this article! A great reveal of who we are and what we expect as "fans" to complete our Middle-earth journey with Peter Jackson... and why this Edition is such a heartbreak. Speaking for myself as one who saw each of the LotR films at the theatre an average of 58 times and each of TH films an average of 27 times (not at theatres as long), I know these films and so much about them. I also knew through the years that there were outtakes, bloopers, unused scenes and so much more (cast farewell parties) that I would FINALLY get to see and propel me to an emotional crescendo equal to Howard Shores' music at the end of RotK.
When I first saw this UCE, I freaked out! Here it is! We finally get to see these treasures lovingly saved and stored by Peter all these years!!! :D Then... say wha?
I'm staggered that Warner Bros. didn't trust Peter's knowledge of what this final offering NEEDED to be! That WB would just shut down and go with just enough to be able to say they did something to market the 6 films... that we already have. They could have been great, but instead they're empty.
Thank you for this. It helps to understand the story behind this. To understand that WB approached these with the same indifference as they would any other mediocre product and nothing special... that I understand. We see it everywhere. They made that choice for all of us. To accept mediocre... or not.
They did make The Hobbit happen, and I'll always be grateful for that! And I hope you're right, Quickbeam, that
If the guardians at WBHE would like to remedy this there is still a chance. The studio has not categorically said: "We will NOT ever do this Unicorn Edition with all the archives/ outtakes/ bloopers/ from 16 years ago."
We'll see. If I know Peter Jackson, he won't give up until he finishes the dream. Just like he never gave up on filming The Hobbit. If I have to wait until a 25th Anniversary edition, that would break my heart. I'm 64 already. Every day can be a lifetime... and another 10+ years an eternity.
So sad... 'Waste of a good apple,' said Sam regretfully, and strode on.
We have been there and back again.
TIME Google Calendar
6th draft of TH:AUJ Geeky Observations List - November 28, 2013
4th draft of TH:DOS Geeky Observations List - May 15, 2014
5th draft of TH:BotFA Geeky Observations List - January 30, 2015
TORn's Geeky Observations Lists for LotR and The Hobbit
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Lindele
Gondor
Aug 24 2016, 1:52am
Post #5 of 13
(1996 views)
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In Justin and Cliff's lack of knowledge on the hobbit/LOTR home video situation. A little research goes a long way. In their live show they had no idea what was included in the UCE even though the press release etc has made it abundantly clear. And they had no idea what the past home video situation was.
Really disappointed in the fans for being extremely entitled and feeling that they are owed so much more when they already arguably have the best merchandise of any fandom, and unarguably the best bts content ever released for any films ever.
I'm not saying wb isn't greedy, im not saying $800 isn't outrageous (it's $600 now which is significant) but come on people. WB didn't have to make the 30 hours of docs for the hobbit blur-ays. If WB is greedy, so are the fans. I'm disappointed all around.
I probably want that new bts content more than anybody. Who here watches all LOTR/hobbit bts docs once a year? This guy. But, I appreciate what they've given us. I appreciate what PJ has given us.
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sharku
Rivendell
Aug 24 2016, 7:28am
Post #6 of 13
(1970 views)
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I've posted this elsewhere, but Warner Bros Home Video will be the first against the wall when the
revolution comes. Ahead even of the Marketing Division of the Sirius
Cybernetics Corporation.
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Mooseboy018
Grey Havens
Aug 24 2016, 7:36am
Post #7 of 13
(1970 views)
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How many decades and double/triple dips have to go by before it's okay to want to see the those deleted scenes?
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dormouse
Half-elven
Aug 24 2016, 10:08pm
Post #8 of 13
(1929 views)
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Been thinking about this a lot, and I think bemused comes closest...
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..after all, the emergence of a product which I don't intend to buy isn't really matter for outrage. I bought the versions of the films that I wanted and there have been lots of others that I haven't bought, but I'm not even remotely offended by their existence.
But there is something about this collectors' set that doesn't sit comfortably, particularly after reading your more recent post on the main page - the one about Peter Jackson not being involved with it. If he says he isn't involved - and he should know - then I really don't think they should be promoting the set as if he is. The shelf design is said to be his personal choice. The extended version of the films is described as 'the one Peter Jackson would want you to watch' and the film stills in the Blu-ray 'books' are said to have been chosen by Peter Jackson asking fans for their favourite scenes on social media - the same is said of the Alan Lee and John Howe prints. This constant insistence on using his name as a selling point struck me as a bit odd from the start - but if it really is the case that he isn't involved - well, I'd be pretty annoyed if I were him. I'm not, so I'm not - I just notice and wonder....
For still there are so many things
that I have never seen:
in every wood and every spring
there is a different green. . .
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wizzardly
Rohan
Aug 24 2016, 10:52pm
Post #9 of 13
(1923 views)
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I thought that was peculiar too, reading that PJ claims to not be involved, and the product description is touting the involvement of PJ as one of the main selling points. I mean he traveled the globe in search of the perfect wood to create his shelf and hand selected the final the design, and conducted a poll to determine which scenes to use in the dvd sleeves? Was Merry lying to us? I don't believe it!
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glor
Rohan
Aug 25 2016, 12:04am
Post #10 of 13
(1913 views)
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As this set is nothing new but past releases repackaged
[In reply to]
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then PJ was involved. PJ selected the extras, PJ made the extended editions, PJ has asked for favourite scenes on social media etc.
PJ did those things but not specifically for this repackaged omnibus, he did them for their original release be that back in 2002 or 2015.
Even the wooden book ends make have been chosen for a future box set, that wasn't supposed to be this repackaged re-release back when Peter was making The Hobbit (not uncommon from what I understand).
Warners claims are probably true as are PJs. PJ hasn't been involved in this so called UCE but, Warners are making marketing statements based on what PJ has done to these films in the past, stuff that's already put there or simply been scooped out of social media or what have you. Of course, WB marketing people will make it sound like this UCE has been curated by PJ and had his direct input and blessing, but they haven't actually said that, just made it sound like that. That is what marketing people do.
No mascara can survive BOTFA
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Aragorn the Elfstone
Tol Eressea
Aug 25 2016, 4:12am
Post #11 of 13
(1900 views)
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Mournful is the word I would use.
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Outraged? Bemused? Both of those words would indicate that I was surprised by this "release". I am not.
Anyone who pays attention to what Warner Brothers Home Entertainment has been doing for years would be able to see this coming. An overpriced, oversized repackaging of content we already own.
Not that expected it to be this overpriced, but I applaud WBHE for going beyond my expectations in this regard.
The fact of the matter is that this is the culmination of years of frustration ever since the Middle-earth film franchise passed from New Line to WB. Maybe I'm just getting older and thus pining for "the old days", but I really miss the LotR/New Line era.  The DVD format was hitting its stride, comprehensive special editions for so many films were in abundance, and New Line Cinema was a studio that really understood the fan base.
But, then, it's easy to be nostalgic for that time. PJ and Co. were on such a roll with three great masterpieces, the acclaim was there, the Oscar noms/wins were there and the whole world was enraptured by the world of J.R.R. Tolkien (and PJ's cinematic interpretation). What made it even better was that we had a studio and an industry that was up to the task of honoring and reflecting these magnificent achievements in their home video releases.
I wrote a lengthy post around '09/'10, in which I tried to encapsulate all the emotions and feelings I went through in the almost ten years since I first read the words of our dear Professor - an event that was almost immediately followed by the seminal cinematic experiences of my lifetime. Someone then remarked to me that I shouldn't be too sad, because we were about to "return home" and feel all that all over again.
But, alas, sometimes "there is no going back..."
"The danger with any movie that does as well as this one does is that the amount of money it's making and the number of awards that it's got becomes almost more important than the movie itself in people's minds. I look at that as, in a sense, being very much like the Ring, and its effect on people. You know, you can kind of forget what we were doing, if you get too wrapped up in that."
- Viggo Mortensen
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wizzardly
Rohan
Aug 25 2016, 1:57pm
Post #12 of 13
(1843 views)
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but not without a hint of melancholy, that this would come as a surprise to anyone. The very same people who bring you this blatantly obvious cash grab are the ones responsible for ruining the opportunity to have a decent live action adaptation of Tolkien's Hobbit. Truth is, I don't really blame PJ entirely. I believe the idea to take The Hobbit and force it into being something it never was, another Lord of the Rings, was largely the studios. And the reason they wanted to turn Tolkien's simple children's tale into another 9 hour trilogy is the same reason they are releasing this pretty looking but ultimately devoid of anything worth a second look boxset...greed. All they care about is raking in as much dough with as little effort as possible. The lazy, sloppy and rushed to market Hobbit adaptation proves it, and this boxset finalizes it. I wouldn't buy this for $10.
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Omnigeek
Lorien
Aug 27 2016, 5:21pm
Post #13 of 13
(1748 views)
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Warner Brothers is doing nothing less or more than Paramount and other studios have done with "Star Trek" and other franchises.
You want interviews, outtakes, etc? Thiere's nothing stopping fans from conducting the interviews and posting them on YouTube if they want to pay homage to the stars and creators. Outtakes might be a different story as I don't know who owns the unused film. Under the old studio methods, it would of course belong to the studio but creators like PJ and WETA have gotten smarter about their contracts since then.
If you're willing to pay $800 for a special edition of something you already have then ... hey, it's your money. If you're not willing to pay that amount then don't buy it (I won't).
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