COMMAND PERFORMANCE (Dolph Lundgren, 2009)

[Jox]

I guess the work you did has to be it's own reward. You succeeded in YOUR involvement in the project but it's being fckd up by other people. Don't lose heart!

You're absolutely right and for sure it has been it's own reward both for me, and for the fans as well (I hope!). I wish it would have contributed to a more significant success ...and also because in the future it might give another reason to execs not to put as much as effort into doing promo on the web (which I continued pretty much on my free will), doing a thorough website etc. I'm grateful that I was pretty much given 'carte blanche'/free range which is actually a unique position and might not happen so often in the future.

[MikeR]

I guess the work you did has to be it's own reward. You succeeded in YOUR involvement in the project but it's being fckd up by other people. Don't lose heart!

You're absolutely right and for sure it has been it's own reward both for me, and for the fans as well (I hope!). I wish it would have contributed to a more significant success ...and also because in the future it might give another reason to execs not to put as much as effort into doing promo on the web (which I continued pretty much on my free will), doing a thorough website etc. I'm grateful that I was pretty much given 'carte blanche'/free range which is actually a unique position and might not happen so often in the future.

Jox,

Not to exaggerate your importance in the scheme of things, but look at it this way; it's only because of your hard work that Big-D's children will be getting any Christmas presents this year

M.

[Mosquito]

Regarding that Kinowelt release: I've asked around for the reasons behind this, and from a business perspective it's understandable, though frustrating for the hardcore fan. Even though they did those cuts, the movie is still FSK 18 because of the remaining violence. The only way to release it without cuts would have been kind of "unrated" or through a different channel. But that comes with many restrictions regarding advertisements, presentation (or rather hiding) in the shops etc. So most of the big chain shops don't sell those movies at all. What Kinowelt does sometimes is to release to versions, cut and uncut. But now they have an FSK 18 release, wich limits them to adults only, and releasing that unrated version would give them only a tiny fraction of additional buyers, so from their perspective it's absolutely understandable that they don't go that route. Still it's very frustrating.

So I think I'll wait for Kinowelt and maybe buy that cut version if there are good extras. And then I see what the best uncut version is, worldwide. Or, if that other version is fully satisfying, I'll skip the German release. When it comes to Dolph's movies, most of my DVDs come from other countries anyway, because they are uncut or were there earlier than the German version. Or, like Knight of the Apocalypse (which I don't own until today) have only the German audio track.

[bomaz]

So maybe it's my lack of culture, but for me it seems to be a wink to CP : "spying's easy, babysitting is hard" http://www.apple.com/trailers/lions_gate/spynextdoor/large.html !!!

[Jox]

As Steve Latshaw (screenwriter) explained in my interview, it was a reference to Donald Wolfit's line "Dying is easy, comedy is hard"

That was the fun part; the icing on the cake. Early on, Dolph had liked one of my lines, “Dying is easy. Rock and roll is hard!”

Which is now used in the teaser trailer...
If I may posthumously apologize to British actor Sir Donald Wolfit. He was a very famous Shakespearian actor active in the forties, fifties and sixties. They made a movie about him called The Dresser. On his death bed someone asked him how he was feeling and as he lay there dying he said: “dying is easy, comedy is hard.” I couldn’t resist doing a variation on it for this film

[Warchild]

How hard is it to understand this logic in business, whoever came up with that cover should be fired, how the hell this guy got a job, did he had to kiss ass, he must have kissed alot of ass.

What you have to understand is that this business actually has no logic. Nobody came up with that cover, some exec said you have to use "the one we already made"(Since this is now almost the same company maybe Nu Image imposed it), period. And this decision probably may have little to do with the movie marketing (all political)...

Yes it's dumb and stupid but that doesn't just happen in the movies: ever been told by your boss (or who ever has the power) to do something you knew was stupid?

Which makes me think when Dolph pitched the project of CP to Nu Image they probably first thought they'd prefer a usual Dolph movie, no special thing no need for a rock concert and music which is gonna be a pain in the ass production wise...

EDIT: Also maybe CP is doing better in sales than rentals? For instance it seemed to rank better in Blu-ray than DVD on Amazon...

I just noticed that the company First Look was also responsible for the cover of Direct Contact, a picture taken from the mechanik, correct me if i'm wrong and the DVD cover from CP is from a picture of DC.

[Warchild]

I can't believe they would do something like that, misleading people is illegal and i think they could get sued if someone really would want to do it.

[savagesketch]

I just spoke with the director of marketing at First Look. Supposedly, they are aware of the problem and will be shipping out a new, updated DVD with the included special features hopefully within the next month. I was told that if fans contacted them directly (fans who actually purchased the DVD), a replacement DVD will be sent at no cost. Hope they stay true to this.

[Jox]

I just noticed that the company First Look was also responsible for the cover of Direct Contact, a picture taken from the mechanik, correct me if i'm wrong and the DVD cover from CP is from a picture of DC.

They actually just used the advance artworks for pre-sales (before the movies were shot) made by Nu Image. The ad for DETENTION used a shot from SWEEPERS, DIRECT ACTION had one from DETENTION, CONTROLLER/MECHANIK used one DIRECT ACTION etc They also do that probably will use a shot from CP for the next Dolph movie they make.

What I suspect has happened (and since First Look is now owned by Nu Image) is that somebody imposed First Look to use the one they already had.



http://www.movieweb.com/news/NE6gvb7bjppr8c

Looking for something to please your eccentric uncle who has everything? Well, we bet he hasn't seen this Dolph Lundgren directed action masterpiece, which stars the hulking Swede as a drummer in charge of thwarting a terrorist take over at a rock concert. In what can only be described as the coolest action film of the year, Dolph decimates the bad guys with his instruments, impaling a guy in the chest with a guitar neck, stabbing someone else in the eye with a drumstick, and smashing in a couple of heads with his bass kit. Maybe its not very Christmassy, but so what? It sure will make your uncle smile for days. We'd put money on the fact that by New Year's Day, he'll be claiming this is one of his favorite movies of all time.

[Jox]

Thanks that's good news!!!

[Jack Caine]

Wow look, First Look is managing to do something right for once! Woohoo!

[Jack Caine]

Going minorly off-topic here, I can't believe how much that Detention cover sucks. Big D is leaning in at an angle and there's that sideways fucking hand with a pistol that is clearly not his. Why the hell couldn't First Look/Sony just take a photo of one of the staff members holding a pistol at an angle and THEN it would make some goddamme sense, but NOOOOO, Dolph doesn't matter. Clowns.

[Jox]

Nobody said much about Dolph's artwork and covers back then huh?! But DETENTION was released in the US by Lionsgate so you see it doesn't matter which company it is when they don't give the proper attention. There has been a proper photo shoot that was used in some territories

[Nathan]

Now that's a great cover for Detention, good contrast and colour effects, upgrade it and make it look more like a big blockbuster. This year I've seen truly some of the most despicable covers ever, for movies that are really important for Dolph and Van Damme, like Command Performance and US-3. It's a shame.

[Nathan]

That's good that they acknowledged it, pity they bollocksed it up in the first place, tell them to send a replacement DVD cover as well.