So in the last couple days, two stories have surfaced that really chaps my hide.

     First of all, a popular internet site (IESB.net) was shut down by legal pressure from Paramount Studios for releasing pictures of the upcoming film Iron Man. The pictures were taken from a long way away and were shots of an unknown man donning the Iron Man outfit. Although the pictures reveal the inner workings of a closed lot, the shots were taken from a public area which makes them perfectly legal. IESB posted the shots online and within a couple days the site was shut down from legal pressure (the site seems to be back up now, but still looks a little funny).

     This is all I know on the story. But it seems to me that from a movie fan standpoint, this is ridiculous and it should make us all very upset. Why would Paramount not just ask to have the shots taken down? Why go through the legal hassle and time to get a web site shut down that does nothing but PROMOTE their film? This is a blatant attack upon it’s free (not to mention again, LEGAL) marketing and its fans. It makes no sense and I fear it will lead to a backlash against the movie (possibly even an attempted boycott) since IESB has lost readership, traffic and revenue over this debacle. Although let’s be honest; internet readership is a drop in the hat compared to the movie going public, so I would guess that 99% of people who will see this film, don’t care or even know about the incident. I’ve emailed director Jon Favreau about the incident, but as of yet have had no response.

     The second bit of disconcerting news comes from Variety (via Filmstalker), in which Richard reports on the fact that another studio, Warner Brothers, has announced that it will no longer feature prescreeners and promotional screenings before the actual release date of the film. This practice will continue until the governement changes the law to make it illegal to bring recording devices into theaters. This is in the wake of a previous story that 20th Century Fox might well DELAY the release dates of films until the laws are changed.

     While I completely agree that piracy should be stopped and the laws maybe should be changed, this makes absolutely no sense. You’re going to delay releasing a movie in hopes that it will curb piracy? Won’t this encourage piracy if you’re not able to get to see the film along with the rest of the world (or at least the USA)?

     This is a case of Hollywood completely being out of touch with its audience and fans and completely not getting the whole “the world has changed with the internet” thing. And frankly, it disgusts me. Thoughts?

     If for some crazy reason Favreau actually responds to my email, we’ll be sure to mention it on the show tomorrow night (episode #46).