TheBoost said:
How does a theater not know you need legal permission to show a movie?
I dunno!
They did - and still do - these marathons several times a year, playing only movies in current release (since cinemas do not own prints and must return them after their run) and they never had a problem nor reason, I suppose, to suspect there would be one.
"They" being Greater Union - arguably the biggest theatre chain in the southern hemisphere at the time. I would assume they weren't amateurs and generally aware of their rights and obligations. I'd hesitate to call them stupid and/or crooked. There were 3 or 4 programs to choose from that night and only one was the SW spec. ed. trilogy so its not like they were outright exploiting the situation. Admission, as I recall, was little more than the regular ticket price for one movie. I seriously doubt it would have even sold out - based on the late/long hours and the lack of people at the ESB and ROTJ '97 premiere screenings at the same cinema (I recall them being largely empty).
Perhaps the objection was to playing all 3 films back-to-back, thereby creating an unsanctioned 'event' of sorts that violated Lucasfilm's terms? Maybe Lucasfilm didn't really have a leg to stand on but the threat of legal action or other consequences were enough to frighten Greater Union off?