does america get movies earlier?

PsychicHeart · Wed 11/05/2005 22:51:27

hey,
i simply HAD to question this.
i live in australia, and i have heard some stuff from my freinds that the US get movies heaps earlier. Is this true?
has Star Wars 3 ( or 6 if you think about it ) , come out yet? we still have to wait about a week. well, thank, if anyone can answer, please do.

Blake.

PS: Is it true that they changed the name of the BlackEyedPeas song from 'Don't Phunk with my Heart' to 'Don't mess with my heart' over there?

Hobbes · Wed 11/05/2005 22:57:25

Mostly, yes, America gets movies earlier.

However nowadays the trend is more and more to go for a world-wide release. Especially with really big movies (LotR, star wars, etc.)

Whether this is because of the internet and piracy, I don't know. It does, however, sound likely.

Btw you can always check www.imdb.com for release dates in about a gazillion countries, if you're in doubt.

But Star Wars 3 gets a world-wide release on the 19th. There are some small exceptions to this, but not on a grand scale.

Hope this helps...

evenwolf · Wed 11/05/2005 23:23:24

Well I think part of it is that the studios have to basically sell the movies to international markets.

I've heard stories about certain countries and districts requesting changes before the movie plays etc.. But I think the delays will become less and less in the future.

Las Naranjas · Thu 12/05/2005 01:07:46

By and large, if they know that they're going to release it world wide, they'll release it simultaneously to avoid piracy issues, and increasingly and probably more importantly, people finding out that the film is crap before it comes to their country. If you heard on the internet that say, The Hulk, was shit weeks before it got here, that's one ticket that won't be sold.

The movies that get the stilted releases are generally films that get distributed wider as a result of the original success. Arthouse films, documentaries etc.

The exception in Australia is that films released in November/December, such as the LOTR films were, of The Incredibles last year (I think it's Thanksgiving Weekend that causes it) will be held back til Boxing Day since that is by far and away the biggest day for cinemas in the country, and they want to make the most of the first day gross.

TheYak · Thu 12/05/2005 01:35:30

It all depends upon the studio as well. Lucasfilm, being based in my area, of course releases movies in the US first. Often it's US/parts of Western Europe, then Eastern Europe and Japan, followed by east Asia. I don't recall, but I think SW:EpIII hits Japan a good several weeks after everyone else.

At least the film's complete, all that's required now is patience. The employee screening for it was May 7th, so I'm not sure why it takes so damned long for release to other countries. Maybe they're insisting theaters get their equipment up to par first? (THX, Digital projectors, DTS, etc.)

Gilbert · Thu 12/05/2005 01:50:08

Heh since Australia's time is ahead of most places on Earth, technically Aussies will get SW3 earlier than Americans. Happy?

Anyway, it doesn't matter to me, since I'm not going to watch that.

Kinoko · Thu 12/05/2005 02:49:39

Quote from: Flukeblake on Wed 11/05/2005 22:51:27
hey,
i simply HAD to question this.
i live in australia, and i have heard some stuff from my freinds that the US get movies heaps earlier. Is this true?
has Star Wars 3 ( or 6 if you think about it ) , come out yet? we still have to wait about a week. well, thank, if anyone can answer, please do.

No offense, but er... where do you live exactly? o_O I thought everyone knew this! I've grown up my entire life knowing that the US and often the UK get movies ahead of us. There are news reports all the time telling us about premiers in London and the US that are sometimes months ahead of us.

Sorry, it's just... I'm a little amazed.

Vince Twelve · Thu 12/05/2005 02:53:28

Quote from: Hobbes on Wed 11/05/2005 22:57:25But Star Wars 3 gets a world-wide release on the 19th. There are some small exceptions to this...

No, just one huge exception... Japan... Damnit!

Timosity · Thu 12/05/2005 07:32:47

Some movies are released at the same time but for big ones like Star Wars and LOTR, they are restricted purely on the fact that only so many copies are actually made, so after the first few days or weeks in the US, after the main fuss is over, the extra copies that aren't needed are sent further around the globe. and Australia doesn't have a big enough population to demand an early release as it comes down to bums on seats, it was also filmed here to save money on production.

It seems a shame seeing as the last 3 SW movies (or 1st 3 episodes) were filmed in Australia but don't get seen here first.

It doesn't really bother me as I'm not a big fan but I'll probably see it at some stage soon.

PsychicHeart · Thu 12/05/2005 09:00:49

what about my other question?
woz da BEP song Don't Phunk with my Heart' changed to 'Don't mess with my heart'?

Mr. Mozzarella · Thu 12/05/2005 13:09:56

Basically you can say that it depends on the country where the film was made (and I don't mean where they filmed a few days but where the company is actually located). But since you are talking only about US-american films, this is of course the US.
However, I heard that Harry Potter 2 or 3 was out in Germany even before in the UK ... but maybe this was also just because of the timezones.
It can be different with the DVDs though...

Las Naranjas · Thu 12/05/2005 22:42:48

10 seconds of research indicates that "Don't phunk with my heart" reached 11 on the SU billboard charts.

It's a crappy song anyway, and moreover http://www.fuckinggoogleit.com/

Jay · Fri 13/05/2005 19:48:25

I was noticing that the other day. On the radio I had heard the lyrics "don't mess with my heart". My assumption is that someone decided that "phunk" sounded to much like "fuck," and so they censored it.
They didn't change the song's name here in America - they just censored some stuff for the radio (and probably TV).

PsychicHeart · Fri 13/05/2005 23:03:12

aha. alrite den. I only know because (i live in australia) my friend went to america for a holiday and when he got back he told me that it woz don't MESS with my heart.
ok den, alls well that ends well i gess.

Layabout · Tue 17/05/2005 17:40:48

Nowadays, Australia gets movies within 2 weeks of a U.S. release. The UK, with everyhing else over here is about 20 years behind and has to wait for 2 months at least. Movies that had been out in australia for a week when I left to go to the UK werent released in the UK for about 2 months.

And the whole black eyed peas issue. Yes, songs get changed for the radio. Like Lets get retarded, was changed to lets get it started. So fucking stupid. And the phunk and mess. Radio edits are still here, even though we are all living in a supposedly liberal country.

Haddas · Tue 17/05/2005 17:46:23

Quote from: Layabout on Tue 17/05/2005 17:40:48
And the whole black eyed peas issue. Yes, songs get changed for the radio. Like Lets get retarded, was changed to lets get it started. So fucking stupid. And the phunk and mess. Radio edits are still here, even though we are all living in a supposedly liberal country.

It's for the children. If they censor that song children will never ever hear and learn a curseword, which isn't really a curseword. Old people might not get offended too. To quote a certain flash film: "I think the banning of this advert will prevent... all the violent crimes in the world!"