HW Fear and Loathing

[Paul Mather]

On Mon, Mar 24, 2003 at 08:23:47PM +0000, Chris Gibbs wrote:

=> I'm recording this from digital tv source, and compressing it and
=> putting it on DVD+R in a way that should play on any dvd player (except
=> things like sony playstations).
=>
=> If any should want a copy all I need is a blank media....  of the dvd+
=> kind.
=>
=> The result should be better than recording to VHS....   Usually it
=> is....
=> I say should play on any dvd player cause I've no way to test this....
=> I'm fairly certain it will tho.
=>
=> And if non UK people want a copy please tell me you tv standard (if not
=> pal uk or ntsc usa please say resolution and frame rate if possible)

Am I reading you correctly?  Are you offering to record the movie
_Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas_ from a Channel 4 TV broadcast and
make copies for people?  If so, isn't it more conventional for people
simply to buy or rent the movie??  (It has been available on DVD---at
least in the USA---since 1998.)

If they do, not only will they not get any adverts/TV cuts, but
they'll also benefit from the following (according to amazon.com for
the Criterion Collection version):

DVD Features:

    * New digital transfer supervised by the director and new Dolby sound mixes
    * Three commentary tracks: director Terry Gilliam; stars Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro and producer Laila Nabulsi; and author Hunter S. Thompson
    * Deleted scenes, with commentary by Terry Gilliam
    * Collection of storyboards and production designs
    * Collection of original artwork by famed illustrator Ralph Steadman
    * Fear and Loathing on the Road to Hollywood: A BBC feature documentary with Hunter S. Thompson and Ralph Steadman
    * Hunter Goes to Hollywood, a short documentary video by Wayne Ewing
    * A look at the controversy over the screenwriting credit
    * A selection of Hunter S. Thompson's correspondence read on-camera by Johnny Depp
    * Rare material on Oscar Zeta Acosta, the attorney on whom the character Dr. Gonzo is based
    * Excerpt from the 1996 audio CD
    * Trailer and stills galleries
    * A booklet featuring an essay by J. Hoberman and two pieces by Hunter S. Thompson
    * Widescreen anamorphic format
    * Number of discs: 2

I suspect the Channel 4 broadcast (and your home-made version) will
lack some or all of the above. :-)

Cheers,

Paul.

e-mail: paul at gromit.dlib.vt.edu

"Of course the *people* don't want war. [...] But, after all, it is the
 *leaders* of the country who determine the policy and it is always a
 simple matter to drag the people along whether it is a democracy, a
 fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. [...]
 Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of
 the leaders.  That is easy.  All you have to do is tell them they are
 being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and
 exposing the country to greater danger.  It works the same way in any
 country."

        --- Hermann Goering during the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials