Pacific Overtures DVD Release

The simple backstory is that back when a bunch of Sondheim stuff was coming out for his 75th Anniversary. Most of this stuff seemed to end up being canceled or delayed (like the Box Set we just got last Nov). Anyway Image had planned to release Pacific Overtures--according to some info on BroadwayWorld they had managed to get the rights and were just debating how to do it. Around the time they also were discussing releasing the film of Night Music but decided the prints out there were in too poor quality and it wouldn't make enough money to warrant a proper restoration (immediately after this Hen's Tooth DVD, who are known for interesting releases that often are of awful unremastered quality, snatched up and released the film--which I'm thankful for as we probably will never see a better copy).

Anyway nothing more was said of Pacific Overtures and it slipped away. Image owns the DVDs of most of the Sondheim shows (the OBCRs of the three Lapien Shows and several others) and I've been told they are steady sellers for them--much more than most of their Arts and theatre releases. But PO has never been a top Sondheim show (it's still the only original Broadway cast album of a Sondheim show we've never had remastered) so maybe that's some reason for the hesitancy on Images part?

Anyway I thought if we did some sort of email campaign we might at least show them there is SOME interest. It's a bautiful filming and pretty much, for me anyway, the Holy Grail of Sondheim works that haven't been properly released. The versions "floating around" that came from an old Japanese video tape of the broadcast are of very poor quality and barely watchable--and I think even a "bare bones" unremastered edition of this on DVD would be more than enough...

So--now I just need to track down the info. I suppose next time someone has the chance to ask Sondheim a question they could ask him too--I know people often ask about a release of the kinescope for Evening Primrose and he explains why that's not likely, but I've never heard him discuss PO...

I tracked down their contact info but I'm not quite sure which email should we use--the licensing, the customers, or?

http://www.image-entertainment.com/about_us/contact_us/index.cfm

(Unfortunately I just saw they have a Larry the Cable Guy DVD coming out so maybe they're too busy to worry about silly musical theatre )

I'm also not quite sure where to start. Should we write a form letter with everyone's name? or just tell a lot of people to send short emails asking about it?

Hey I appreciate your reply so don't take what I say the wrong way. I've had two copies of ones "floating around" for ages--a VHS since I was 13 and first got online and a DVD from a few years back--both are quite a bit better than what's on youtube but still are frankly headache inducing to watch all the way through. Something taped off tv from 1977 when VCRS were very new and endlessly copies and circulated is.

Yes rights can be an issue although this isn't like the Lincoln Center Archive stuff--this WAS licensed for broadcast--in Japan. Same thign happened to Victor Victoria and a few other things that saw their way ehre (though admittedly MUCH quicker).

Image 4 years ago confirmed they had a copy they could release unremastered and it would be of good enough quality (something they didn't find true of the Night Music DVD). I think that's probably significantly better quality than what I or ANY of us (even BrodyFosse and his magic collection ) probably have. It would also be nice to have it out their in public--maybe get people more aquainted with this show, etc etc

Sorry I wasn't trying to sound tiffy I just wanted to state my case.

Umm I wasn't meaning to offe You implied (or so I read into it) that there were these really good copies floating around and so why even bother... And I've really seeked this out (trust me--and yes I am jealous cuz I've spent a lot of time in this--it's my second fave show) and have never seen anything that matches what you say. That's all I meant.

Image DID have the rights as well--it was a money issue about selling enough and some in-fighting about whether it should be remastered. Then like most of those 75th anniversary of Sondheim projects it sorta just got lost.

That's ok--I'm sorry we had a misunderstanding there. Internet tone and all that. Yeah I think you, sadly, are dead on about the rights issues--I worded it wrongly, I doubt they paid for them either. It's too bad--I know Image ahs said their best sellers when it comes to their theatre DVDs are the Sondheim ones (Into the Woods especially) btu we all know PO is no ITW sales wise.

Don't answer! It's a trap!

The most complete recording is of the revival. However, the best recording is the OBC.

---

Eric, trust me, there is a beautiful copy floating around. As for an official release, you can beg and petition until the cows come home, but it cannot happen. The deal at the time was that it would be shown on Japanese TV and only on Japanese TV, this was before home video was a real possibility and they simply didn't write it into the contracts, and with some of those involved now being dead, they can't negotiate any sort of home video release.

Dear "Eric" -

I've been fruitlessly searching for a Pac. Ov. DVD for some time.
Your note below started me salivating.
Is it possible for me to get my own copy of the ". . . pretty great" one you seem to have found?

I am a member of a group which has set out to "study" Sondheim and his art.
We just watched June Moon, last night, when he appeared as Maxie Schwartz (he was the
best thing in it), and also listened to Saturday Night, with the NY cast ( a great shoiw,
for a 24-yr.old to write). We have the book and the lyrics (courtesy of Finish the Hat) to
peruse while we're listening to the CD of Pac. Ov's.), but would love to actually SEE a production, with
oriental sets, costumes, etc.

Hopefully anticipating a positive reply,
Newton Wayland

Begin forwarded message:

From: Newt Wayland
To: mp989@hotmail.com
Subject: re: Pacific Overtures DVD Release

re: Pacific Overtures DVD Release
Posted On:1/25/11 at 09:29

Yeah since that message I've had luck tracking down a pretty great (all things considered) copy. Funny how these old messages come back up It really is a shame, I know in the past some productions that were apparently stuck in rightsissues have been able to finally egt released (and I don't think anyone thought we'd see Evening Primrose officially released anytime soon, but...)

Read more: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=992145&boardid=1#ixzz1IyUCqrQx

Dear "mp989" -

Do you mind my asking where you got your "pretty great" copy?
I'd love to get one myself. . .

Thanks for replying,
Newt Wayland

Yes, it was meant to be emailed to you.
But I'm new to this routine, and don't quite know how to do things. How do I reach you directly, for instance?

So: where did you get your copy of Pacific Overtures, and is
there a way I could get one, too?

Thanks,
Newt Wayland

What do you mean? What is "PM"?