Originally posted by: Gaffer Tape
That's really sad and horrible. Is this someone you knew personally, a story you heard from someone, or a clever anecdote?
Originally posted by: zombie84
Here is an interesting story:
In LA a man once owned a 35mm copy of Star Wars. He was a private collector of 35mm prints and had converted his garage into a screening room. The neighbourhood kids would sometimes gather in his garage and they would be delighted to a private screening of Star Wars, back in the days before home video was common. Somehow, wind of this caught up with Lucasfilm/the authorities. The print was confiscated and the man either jailed or fined, i can't remember.
The laws have sort of changed since then in light of the explosive growth of home video but its an interesting story nonetheless. I would say if it is a privately held screening then there is absolutely no problem with it--if it is a 35mm print then some complications may arise, especially if it is popular and the print is not a legally-obtained one (which it likely will not be).
Here is an interesting story:
In LA a man once owned a 35mm copy of Star Wars. He was a private collector of 35mm prints and had converted his garage into a screening room. The neighbourhood kids would sometimes gather in his garage and they would be delighted to a private screening of Star Wars, back in the days before home video was common. Somehow, wind of this caught up with Lucasfilm/the authorities. The print was confiscated and the man either jailed or fined, i can't remember.
The laws have sort of changed since then in light of the explosive growth of home video but its an interesting story nonetheless. I would say if it is a privately held screening then there is absolutely no problem with it--if it is a 35mm print then some complications may arise, especially if it is popular and the print is not a legally-obtained one (which it likely will not be).
That's really sad and horrible. Is this someone you knew personally, a story you heard from someone, or a clever anecdote?
I read it in a book written by a film collector about the film collecting subculture. I'm not sure how he heard about it, maybe a newspaper or another collector or by the man himself, buts its true AFAIK. Roddy McDowel I believe had a similar incident happen, as the FBI raided his mansion in the late 70's and seized his 35mm collection. He got off by ratting out the other sellers and collectors (but in his defense he thought the whole thing was 100% legal).