9 out of 10 monkeys believe they are not behind glass

According to sources on the net, the latest release from Studio Ghibli, “EarthSea” won’t be hitting the US for another 2 years. Yep, that’s 2008 until a film released earlier this year in Japan will even hit the shores of our country. A film that has already grossed $67 or so mil across a number of smaller markets. (That is a significant positive sign of the film’s potential.)

But no, oh no, thanks to Hallmark and SciFi, the current owners of the film rights, the picture is effectively banned until December of 2008. The kick in the pants is that they granted rights to Studio Ghibli to make the film in the first place, but made the Dec. 2008 date as a caution to anything that was developed in the meantime.

Do they have any plans to develop Ursula K Leguin’s novels into semi-palatable mini series anytime soon? Aside from the one that was made years ago? Hmmmmm?

Nope. Probably not. Since the first one was mediocre at best.

So EarthSea fans have to wait and sit on our thumbs and watch Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away and the other great films from Ghibli until the DVD is released in Japan. Then imports and downloads will flood the “grey market” until an english release is viable, say 2009, probably.

Its amazing that stupid little tort provisions and entertainment law hurts us consumers over and over and over and over. And Hollywood wonders why revenues are down.

Geez. I can’t imagine.

Here’s an thought:

Stop screwing your customers!