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Post by vandergraafk on Aug 24, 2007 17:41:53 GMT -5
After the gloomy report regarding the Region 1 version of Charmed Season 8 and the likelihood that the September 11 version will not feature "How Soon Is Now" but the replacement song used for the Season 8 DVD in other regions, I believe it is time for Charmed fans to stand up and let their voices be heard. We have already groaned immensely over this travesty that befell our sister and brother witches in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and everywhere else in the world that has already received the Season 8 DVD. Now, it is time to let CBS/Paramount hear from us. E-mail your thoughts to CBS/Paramount and DEMAND the correct version be put out with the unreleased Lori Rom version of Something Wicca. Cast a spell, too, if that will help. From a Google search, this is what I came up with for CBS Consumer Products Contacts John Wentworth EVP Communications, CBS Paramount Television (323) 956-5394 john.wentworth@cbs.com Beth Feldman Vice President, CBS Communications Group (212) 975-3183 bstoller-feldman@cbs.com I am going to send e-mails to both of these individuals. I hope they are the correct people to contact. Here is a copy of the e-mail I sent to Beth Feldman. I am writing to you to express my deep concern over recent reports which suggest that the Region 1 DVD for Season 8 of Charmed will not feature the original music by Love Spit Love. Instead, it is reported that we too will be subject to the faux theme song that appeared on all of the other region DVDs. For fans, a note apparently has been added that alerts the consumer to the change. This begs the question. Why were we as fans of Charmed forced to wait an additional 8 months for an inferior version of Charmed Season 8. There was already great uproar in Europe about this. We had hoped that the delay would allow CBS/Paramount to work out the legal issues that prevented usage of How Soon Is Now in the already released DVDs. That nothing apparently was done to eliminate this travesty is appalling and demands a response from CBS/Paramount. As someone who runs a Charmed forum and who appears on the Season 8 fan disc, I would hope that our concerns will be addressed. I am also an active participant in the Charmed Cafe, a forum site whose logo and founders also appeared in the fan disc accompanying the Season 8 DVD. I have started a thread there asking our members to send e-mails to you in the hope that we can get a response to our concerns. It may come as a surprise to CBS/Paramount, but Charmed remains a fan favorite. We still watch re-runs on TNT, even though we have the DVDs. We still buy the Simon and Schuster books and have written in to ask that these be kept in production. We probably also buy all sorts of other stuff. And, many of us would love to see a Charmed movie, Charmed Once More, or the Charmed Sons. Thank you for your attention. If this e-mail has been addressed to the wrong person at CBS/Paramount, please let me know. Sincerely, vandergraafk P.S. I used my real name! For those of you more spell-minded, try this one. We call upon the Spirits to help undo
A travesty at Paramount/CBS
Whose DVD of Season 8
Fuels an incessant and hideous row
It leaves we witches mighty blue
Banish this song: the Source we guess
Lest it be for fans too late
Return to Charmed "How Soon Is Now"
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spiritsas
Witch
Understand the message of Charmed
Posts: 1,149
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Post by spiritsas on Aug 24, 2007 18:07:12 GMT -5
Here, here. Nice going, V. I'll send something too. We all should.
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Post by vandergraafk on Aug 24, 2007 18:14:27 GMT -5
Hope you liked the spell!
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Post by paigematthews on Aug 26, 2007 13:16:44 GMT -5
Yeh I agree the new 1s rubbish
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spiritsas
Witch
Understand the message of Charmed
Posts: 1,149
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Post by spiritsas on Aug 28, 2007 15:31:29 GMT -5
I found the post, obviously, and sent two emails (one each) to the individuals you posted. I used your letter but changed it to delete things which didn't apply to me and added a few other thoughts.
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Post by vandergraafk on Aug 29, 2007 14:44:05 GMT -5
Exactly as I had intended. Thanks!
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spiritsas
Witch
Understand the message of Charmed
Posts: 1,149
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Post by spiritsas on Aug 29, 2007 16:21:09 GMT -5
One email, the one to Feldman, actually came back with an out of office reply which said to direct all CBS Communications emails to the other name you provided. It read:
I will be out of the office on Monday, August 27 and Tuesday, August 28 and will be returning on Wednesday, August 29.
If this is regarding CBS Consumer Products or CBS Home Entertainment, please contact John Wentworth at 323-956-5394.
If this is regarding CBS Marketing, please contact Shannon Jacobs at (212) 975-3161
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Post by vandergraafk on Aug 30, 2007 12:53:53 GMT -5
Thanks for the update. My e-mail went through since it preceded these dates.
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Post by millicent on Sept 4, 2007 22:58:34 GMT -5
Hi you guys!  This is actually my first post but I've been reading the boards for years. When I heard about the changes to the Season 8 DVD release, I sent an email to both contacts listed. I repeated a lot of what the original poster included. I no longer have the original email I sent but I know I said that I would be fine with just an explanation as to why the music was changed and whether there would be any different releases. Well, I actually received a response today. Here it is: "Thank you very much for your inquiry. As you have surmised, music licensing is a significant expense on TV on DVD releases. In order to maintain a reasonable price point for “Charmed” Season 8, we had to make the difficult decision to replace some of the music. We sincerely hope that this will not diminish your enjoyment of the series and appreciate your ongoing enthusiasm for our releases." This was sent by John Wentworth with Leslie Ryan cc'ed (not sure who that is, but he/she is probably involved). I think we can assume that no additional releases are currently planned. Just thought you guys might be interested! -m |
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Post by vandergraafk on Sept 6, 2007 17:49:53 GMT -5
Typical of CBS/Paramount. Underestimate the level of expectations of Charmed fans. Well, they could issue it as a limited edition and include the unaired pilot to boot. Besides, I'm not convinced this is a really persuasive issue. Licensing individual songs that were played in P3 is surely more expensive than a theme song cover version from a one-hit wonder band! Sorry, Love Spit Love, the Smiths did it much, much better!
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Elder
Witch
"I'd still take 'good' that's not always good, over 'bad' that's NEVER good"
Posts: 1,029
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Post by Elder on Sept 7, 2007 9:26:37 GMT -5
We sincerely hope that this will not diminish your enjoyment of the series and appreciate your ongoing enthusiasm for our releases." You guys kill me with this uproar over theme music. I have been a fan of the show since the end of season 2 and I never have cared about the theme song. To me, the songs used for the opening credits (such as Liz Phair's "extraordinary" for the season five finale) is much more important since I believe they convey what the show will be about. If you want the real theme, then buy the soundtrack or listen to it on one of the first 7 seasons. In short--it's really not that big of a deal. |
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Kit-the-cat
Witch
There are tons of people I'd like to freeze for all of eternity, but we won't go into that!-Holly
Posts: 1,337
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Post by Kit-the-cat on Sept 7, 2007 9:34:36 GMT -5
I agree Elder! It is just a song. At the end of the day what is more important! Getting the Season 8 DVD with the Extras on like we wanted, or causing yet another up-roar about a freakin song. Charmed Fans are constantly sending letters, and do you honestly think they get read! Cos i dont, they will get thrown in the bin. As good as it is that you are this dedicated to Charmed V, your wasting your engery on people who clearly don't care.
Sorry V if you don't agree.
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Post by vandergraafk on Sept 7, 2007 11:27:21 GMT -5
Well, I can certainly have empathy, drewsgal. Whether you choose to join our cause is a matter for you to decide. I guess my letter went unread, but apparently Millicent's was. Good on her. And, we've learned a bit more.
I agree that certain individual songs carry great weight with Charmed. K. D. Lang's song for Andy's funeral; Edie Reader's for Prue's; Natalie Imbruglia's "Goodbye" to the Source in Charmed and Dangerous; "Goodbye to You" in Centennial Charmed. The list goes on. Still, what initially attracted me to Charmed was the theme song. I can't escape that fact. I suspect that others share my view.
In light of CBS/Paramount's additional commentary, I believe it imperative that we focus our letter writing on the creation of a world-wide, region-free DVD of Season 8, restored with original theme song, issued on a limited basis and perhaps offering the unaired pilot to justify perhaps its higher price. Essentially, what CBS/Paramount have said: we will offer some extras and maintain a similar price to the previous DVD seasons. Since we allowed the rights to How Soon Is Now to lapse and it would have been an additional expense to renew the rights, we won't do anything since we're giving fans a few extras. What rubbish!
Unfortunately, the history of Charmed is full of this kind of stuff. There was a long delay between Season 1 and Season 2 because executives underestimated the appeal of Charmed. Let's see: since I don't have a copy of Season 8 and have only seen the fan disc posted on youTube!, did CBS/Paramount really care so little that Holly Marie Combs's name was misspelt for the fan disc? Can anyone verify THAT! I guess I will wait until Tuesday. And, let's not talk about how the WB treated Charmed! Oh well!
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spiritsas
Witch
Understand the message of Charmed
Posts: 1,149
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Post by spiritsas on Sept 7, 2007 11:57:20 GMT -5
Astral Prue wrote, in another thread:
I know the whole story why Paramount/CBS did not include the original theme song, "How soon is now" and some songs played on episodes, for the final season (eighth season) set. If you look at my posts from months ago, I was the one who contacted paramount regarding the theme song change for the region 1 release of the final season. Apparently, Paramount tried to get the original theme song back and some of the original episode songs for region 1, but with the extras included on this set (The only set to include extras), budget costs came into play and could not reach an agreement (afford) to include both the extras and the original theme song. I was told that if this set had not included the extras, Paramount would've renewed the rights to "How Soon is Now"(original theme song) and also include the original songs that were aired in the syndicated episodes, to "complete" the set. I was also told that Paramount/CBS does not plan to include the original theme song and and some of the original music of episodes, through re-releases of this season. I guess it came down to original songs or extras. And extras clearly won. If you guys are really concerned, I would start a petition and contact Paramount/CBS. Sorry guys...
She also confirmed that these changes in the music also, when I asked, applies to the music during the typical opening flying around SF shots and music within the eipisodes themselves.
Part of my reply to that (for Paramount) is:
I saw, in another thread, where another member got a response from Paramount basically confirming what you noted above. They indicated the cost of getting those rights would have made the CD too expensive. This sounds like a "good" reason, but it didn't stop them from using the original music on past CD releases of Charmed. Why is this one so different. The only reason being is, from what you wrote, is that they paid extra for the extras. Still, would a dollar or two more mattered?
Personally, I think they were just maximizing their prophets. They have seven previous CDs on which to base how well sales will be with this one. They may be correct, and it's just a business to them (bottom line and all), but it just shows, again, how badly they have treated the show, giving it this one last kick in the pants.
I think this sums it up for me.
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Post by piperleo11 on Sept 7, 2007 12:28:12 GMT -5
hi i am happy
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Post by vandergraafk on Sept 7, 2007 17:17:07 GMT -5
Spiritkas, do we know for certain that, say, a Liz Phair song might have been replaced during an episode. Or, is the damage just limited to How Soon Is Now? I should think our focus should be on securing a region free, limited edition DVD on the corrected Season 8 without extras. You know what really angers me - and perhaps others - is that when Brad Kern was touting the Season 8 DVD release in Charmed magazine, he was practically bubbling over with exuberance. When it finally came out, we learned that some of the extras weren't as special as we were led to believe and worse that some of the music had been replaced. I don't know how Charmed magazine can be persuaded to pose this question in the Ask Brad column, but it really needs to be asked. And, if youTube! is correct, how on earth do you justify the release of a DVD with one of the mains name spelt incorrectly. It boggles the mind! Not wishing to just wallow in the piss sty of my anger, I composed and sent the following letter to Mr. Wentworth. I await his response. CBS Consumer Products Contacts John Wentworth EVP Communications, CBS Paramount Television Dear Mr. Wentworth, I am writing this urgent letter to you regarding the impending release of Charmed Season 8 on DVD. For months, fans of this fantastic series have discussed the fate that had befallen the non-Region 1 releases. According to one of the members of the Charmed Cafe who contacted CBS/Paramount after its release in the United Kingdom, a decision was made to include extras at the expense of retaining the rights to the title song, "How Soon is Now" by Love Spit Love. Now, we fans in the United States and Canada who had hoped that the ninth month delay in release for Region 1 would have given ample time for CBS/Paramount to undo the grave damage that apparently has been inflicted upon Season 8 are about to be tremendously disappointed and indeed even more angered than before. Of course, we WILL buy this denuded and violated disc set. However, it is disingenuous to the say the least for Brad Kern, executive producer and principal writer of Season 8, to practically swoon over the exciting extras to be included for the Season 8 set as he did repeatedly in Charmed magazine and fail to mention that the shows themselves would be rendered asunder. What we suggest is that CBS/Paramount give serious thought to releasing a limited edition, region free version of Season 8 for the serious fan and collector. Obviously, there is no urgency to this. For the serious fan who either tivoed or taped the final season, burned DVDs will maintain the show as it was intended. We will use these not only to enjoy those great episodes from that season, but also as a point of departure to compare what price extras truly meant. As one of the fans who does appear on the Season 8 disc, I am especially unhappy to be associated with what I am certain will be regarded as a truly inferior product. I would sooner have had no extras than be privy to the travesty about to be unleashed upon us on 9-11 of all dates. I thank you for taking time to respond to one of the members of the Charmed Cafe who followed my lead, responded to my call for a massive e-mail campaign directed at CBS/Paramount, and received useful information. Yes, we understand that perhaps including extras and the original music might have made the DVD set too expensive. Yes, we understand the desire to keep the DVD reasonably priced. We also understand that too often fans have been underestimated by Hollywood. To my mind, and the minds of many fans of Charmed, this is one price too steep to pay no matter how much we are soft-soaped with fantastic visions of stupendous extras. I have placed an urgent call out to all fans of Charmed from around the world to voice their displeasure and send e-mails to you. Visitors to my own forum site charmedverse.proboards74.com are greeted with a news banner that urges them to join our campaign. We will hope you and CBS/Paramount will respond in a manner that ultimately seeks to undo the grave damage done. I thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, |
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Astral Prue
Innocent
"I mean, if I can move things with my mind, why not my body?"-Prue
Posts: 61 
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Post by Astral Prue on Sept 8, 2007 1:53:25 GMT -5
I'm sorry that most of you guys are disappointed with the Final Season (Season 8) DVD. I think Paramount/CBS tried their best to include the extras and the original music, but as I've stated in the other forum, it all came down to budget reasons. Paramount/CBS didn't have enough funds to include both. I do have some good news though for you Charmed fans. I posted this news in the other forum. This is what I wrote: The only good news I heard from Paramount/CBS is that they will release a special "Complete Series" (Special case for the whole set- and possibly more extras) set out later this year. I know it was already confirmed by Paramount/CBS that they do not plan to release the final season (season 8) with the original music, but maybe petitions sent to them can hopefully change their minds? Here's hoping!!! The only thing we, fans can do now is to keep writing to them, so a miracle can happen and have the final season in this "Complete Series" edition include the original music.  P.S- I saw a commercial for the Final Season (Season 8) DVD, which made me anxious about the release of this season! I know we are all disappointed with this season, but at least purchase this season for the episode commentaries from the cast that it will include. The region 1 release is the only set to include cast commentary that you cannot find on YouTube! The Final Season (Season 8) comes out 09/11 (Tuesday)! Note: I must say, the "Book of Shadows- Complete Series Special Edition" is a VERY nice set! My cousin purchased the set awhile ago. I hope the region 1 Complete Series comes out with a similar, and hopefully better "Complete Series Special Edition" set soon. (And hopefully with the original music!!!) |
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Post by Lior Knight on Sept 8, 2007 6:12:04 GMT -5
I'm sorry that most of you guys are disappointed with the Final Season (Season 8) DVD. I think Paramount/CBS tried their best to include the extras and the original music, but as I've stated in the other forum, it all came down to budget reasons. Paramount/CBS didn't have enough funds to include both. I do have some good news though for you Charmed fans. I posted this news in the other forum. This is what I wrote: The only good news I heard from Paramount/CBS is that they will release a special "Complete Series" (Special case for the whole set- and possibly more extras) set out later this year. I know it was already confirmed by Paramount/CBS that they do not plan to release the final season (season 8) with the original music, but maybe petitions sent to them can hopefully change their minds? Here's hoping!!! The only thing we, fans can do now is to keep writing to them, so a miracle can happen and have the final season in this "Complete Series" edition include the original music. P.S- I saw a commercial for the Final Season (Season 8) DVD, which made me anxious about the release of this season! I know we are all disappointed with this season, but at least purchase this season for the episode commentaries from the cast that it will include. The region 1 release is the only set to include cast commentary that you cannot find on YouTube! The Final Season (Season 8) comes out 09/11 (Tuesday)! Note: I must say, the "Book of Shadows- Complete Series Special Edition" is a VERY nice set! My cousin purchased the set awhile ago. I hope the region 1 Complete Series comes out with a similar, and hopefully better "Complete Series Special Edition" set soon. (And hopefully with the original music!!!) With all due respect to CBS, they are not the first company to release DVDs with special features - but for some reason they need to pay a lot more than the rest? Veronica Mars DVDs cost a bit more the Charmed DVDs ($59.98 compared to $49.99), yet they have special features and original music. So this whole budget excuse is completely invalid. As a fan, I'm really disappointed and definitely won't be buying this DVD any time soon...perhaps in a year when the prices drop to half of what it is now...because, IMO, CBS don't deserve my hard earned money. |
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Post by vandergraafk on Sept 10, 2007 11:06:17 GMT -5
Let's keep up the heat. And, a special thanks (again) to Astral Prue for keeping us up to the minute. Let me reiterate one of her central points. 1) A boycott is probably ill-advised. I know Lior Knight how frustrating this is. Most of us, however, will bite the bullet. 2) That said, we as world-wide Charmed fans need to engage in a very pointed letter campaign. a) We are not happy with the trade-off between preserving the original and getting some extras. (So, Region 1 waits 9 months to get some extra extras?) b) We are really not happy that CBS/Paramount differentiate among markets. (So, the Aussies don't get American humor? I don't think so.) 3) Limited editions DVDs - such as the Book of Shadows special edition that Astral Prue alluded to - might point the way towards the release of a corrected Season 8 DVD region-free. Or, delay the box set until you've made the corrections to Season 8. a) As fans, we probably are a bit fanatic, but hopefully exercise due diligience with respect to budgets. However, if the product is right, we probably will scrimp and save to get something special. (From what I read about the English special edition Book of Shadows DVDs, I'm smitten!) I'm not certain CBS/Paramount really know what they're sitting on. Remember: Paramount is the company that severely underestimated Star Trek for years. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE JOIN MY EFFORT TO INUNDATE CBS/PARAMOUNT WITH THOUGHTFUL E-MAILS. Please feel free to adapt my own letter - reposted above - or use the variation that Spiritkas adapted. If you need us to script a letter regarding the non-Region 1 discrimination, we can do that too. (I just need to know everything that differs from what Region 1 will get tomorrow.) So, get off your Wiccan butts and let's take action! |
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Post by Astral Echo on Sept 10, 2007 15:49:40 GMT -5
It will all be a money making scheme. In a few years time they will release the whole set of eight dvd's with the pilot, the original theme, more special features and bloopers from earlier seasons, which we all know there are some.
You mark my words, your letters will do nothing, this whole saga is a brillant way to make money. I for one comend them for doing great business and finding a way to make quick and easy money! They don't care what the fans think, the worst you can do is send them letters, half of which end up in the trash. Believe me, I'm doing both business, drama and music. I've seen this all before.
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