Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77 (Post-release)

Okay,

a lot from the RPF contributed to this movie, I remember Captain Cardboard and wasili for sure.

Unfortunately our search engine does not like very simple titles, so a search did not bring up to much.

YouTube - 5-25-77

77 (2007) - Release dates

I am dying to see that movie, damn! The trailer looks really interesting, so what´s the hold up?

Website down, looks like a japanese dating site took it over.

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

YouTube - 77
Trailer #2

The movie has been pushed back since 2006, this is the new trailer with some more scenes and visual effect shots which were still in progress during 2009.



YouTube - 5-25-77 teaser trailer
Teaser Trailer

YouTube - 5-25-77 trailer
Trailer 1 (same as the one linked in the opening post of this thread)

I am really hoping this gets a wide theatrical release some day and an eventual quick DVD release, especially for the international fans (like myself) who won't get to watch it on the big screen.

I just love the trailers for this movie, especially that new one.

Director Patrick Read Johnson's semi-autobiographical movie is made with such love and dedication, it shows throughout the trailer.

One of my favourite lines from the trailer, "For everybody else movies are something to do when you're tired of real life, to you real life is something to do when you're tired of watching movies". There are times when I feel the same way about myself :$. Also love that line about the speed of life.

Songs used in the full trailer.
Paul Simon - Kodachrome
Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky
Jon Brion - Knock Yourself Out

Few years back director Patrick Read Johnson used to post on the movie's IMDB page from time to time.

http://starlog.com/franchises/star-wars/195-catching-up-with-patrick-read-johnson-about-77
Catching up with Patrick Read Johnson about '77
May 25, 2009

His last official update was in the above interview, but that link is dead now.

Here is an excerpt I had posted on the IMDB page.

STARLOG: What’s the current status of ‘77?

PRJ: Though we had two fantastic screenings at the Hamptons Film Festival and won an award (The Heineken Red Star) and got a lot of nice press, Cassian and Phil and I all felt we needed to do some more work in the cutting room, which in turn required us to heavily revise our VFX shot list, choose some different songs from the era for certain sequences AND rework portions of the score by David Russo and Alan Parsons. Meanwhile, various members of the team were being picked off by other jobs, and the big financial meltdown was occurring, and investment dollars were suddenly very hard to come by... So we basically shut down at the end of the year to wait out the turmoil. By the time things started to calm down, my VFX team was off doing other work, my composers were on to other jobs, and I'd taken an offer to direct another film. But, thankfully, I'll be done with that project right about the time we plan on restarting post on 77, in order to have it ready for the American Film Market in November.

STARLOG: What’s the release plan, if any?

PRJ: There won't be any release plan until we make our final domestic deal in November. I know it frustrates a lot of outside observers that we can't give them a hard release date, but the truth is, it's really a very freeing thing to be able to make your film, the way you really want it made, without having to live in fear of an impending date you absolutely have to hit. If we'd made this film through a studio and completed it in, you know 9 months or something... there are a number of wonderful things that might never have made it into the film. Though no one wants to see '77 in theaters more than me, my fellow filmmakers and I are also keenly aware that making a GOOD independent film as ambitious as our for as little money as we've had to spend almost always results in a long gestation process. And frankly, on a film this important to me, I'm really very lucky to have had the luxury of all this time.


http://rickingalsbestudio.com/pages/bio.htm
Rick Ingalsbe's website

http://www.rickingalsbestudio.com/5-25-77movie/index.htm
The movie website content is also accessible on Rick's website.


Searching with the keywords Patrick Read Johnson resulted in the following RPF threads.

http://www.therpf.com/f10/movie-needs-falcon-br-replicas-505/
Movie needs Falcon, BR Replicas

http://www.therpf.com/f10/behind-scenes-film-5-25-77-part-1-a-7884/
Behind the Scenes on the film 5-25-77 -- Part 1

http://www.therpf.com/f10/behind-scenes-film-5-25-77-part-2-a-8194/
Behind the Scenes on the film 5-25-77 -- Part 2

http://www.therpf.com/f10/behind-scenes-film-5-25-77-part-6-a-9649/
Behind the Scenes on the film 5-25-77 -- Part 6

http://www.therpf.com/f10/behind-scenes-film-5-25-77-last-installment-10044/
Behind the Scenes on the film 5-25-77 -- Last Installment!

http://www.therpf.com/f10/new-5-25-77-website-33221/
The New 5-25-77 Website

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

hey, i saw the film at Star Wars 30th Con in L.A. and i did NOT like it. I love fan boy films, indie films, no budget films and the idea behind the film is great and I can relate to but the execution is very poor. there are No memorable moments in the film and I found it completely forgettable. I was bummed out that i didn't like it because I wanted to, but unfortunately i had to add this experience to the "films that I wasted precious moments of my life seeing" list. I met Gary Kurtz at the Con and got his autograph but avoided any mention of the film that he had just produced. Now what I saw was NOT a final cut of the film as I recall, but being a filmmaker I can see past missing/poor audio, temp track music, missing shots, uni-timed footage, etc, (even a lot of people in the film business sometimes can't see past the missing elements in rough cuts of films) but I just saw nothing in the film that could be resurrected to be a good film. this is just my opinion. I really went in the screening room hoping I was going to see a DAZED AND CONFUSED type of film for the original Star Wars fans, but alas the film was simply not up to any level, it wasn't good as a drama, it was funny enough to be comedy, wasn't even enough nostalgia feeling in it which is the most important element it SHOULD have. Unless they completely re-do a lot of scenes, structure, etc I can't see a good film emerging. Sorry to be the bearer of ill tidings, but that was my impression of the screening I saw back in May 2007.

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

I was at that same showing in May of 2007. I wouldn't harsh it anywhere near that much, but it did have a very small, independent feel to it. I recall the lead, his enthusiasm for filmmaking, visiting the set in L.A. and not much else. I imagine it to be the kind of film that plays the festival circuit, maybe brings a modicum of attention to the crew and then disappears without a trace. Except, it has to do with Star Wars. Which is automatically going to bring it a certain kind of die hard audience, albeit a small one. Therefore I could see it landing on DVD, maybe playing a limited amount of cable television. Theatrical release potential? If you consider New York and L.A.? Maybe.

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

I was at that same showing in May of 2007. I wouldn't harsh it anywhere near that much, but it did have a very small, independent feel to it. I recall the lead, his enthusiasm for filmmaking, visiting the set in L.A. and not much else. I imagine it to be the kind of film that plays the festival circuit, maybe brings a modicum of attention to the crew and then disappears without a trace. Except, it has to do with Star Wars. Which is automatically going to bring it a certain kind of die hard audience, albeit a small one. Therefore I could see it landing on DVD, maybe playing a limited amount of cable television. Theatrical release potential? If you consider New York and L.A.? Maybe.

Click to expand...

yes dude, i agree with you, my review is harsh...maybe my expectations were too high at the time, probably. I WANT to like this film. It has been 4 years so I will give it another chance simply because of the SW connection, if it were any other film, no. I hope it does well, i really do, but I WAS embarrassed for Kurtz at the time, not up to his level of qualitly. I hope I am proven wrong. I do not wish any ill will towards anyone, except bin Laden and the like but that is another thread. But I feel it will as "wuher" stated above ...disappear without a trace.
__________________

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

Looks like we have of the participants active on the board

http://www.therpf.com/f10/surface-deathstar-117060/

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

Thanks to Rick, I got to see part of this film at WonderFest. I thoroughly enjoyed the ILM and Future General sequences. They were very touching and I can definitely see the strong appeal of this film for folks who grew up inspired by Star Wars and other hit movies/TV of the period.

It was charmingly funny and Austin Pendleton, the guy who played Herb Lightman, was a hoot ("Let me guess -- you're a grenade, and I just pulled the pin.")

It will be a real shame indeed if this movie doesn't get released.

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

I remember seeing the buttons on a table at C-V. I hope they lock it down and release it even if certain elements are "not-finished". Hyping and then dragging ass on a release sort of worked with Fanboys because of the studio-vs-director pity-factor, but long delays (just-because) will probably just irk fans. Crap, just throw it out there on i-tunes.


Either way, loved the tiles and port. :thumbsup

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

joker-scar, speaking as the film's associate producer, your poor review of our film is a fair one, as everyone is entitled to their honest opinion. I am not surprised by your reaction. Frankly, I was concerned when I heard Patrick was going to show the film in its very rough state in LA. As an advertiser, I am very aware of the risk of showing a piece before it is even close to being finished, as people will judge what they see, and cannot be expected to judge it any other way.

Since LA the film has undergone huge editing changes that improved flow and pacing. Also, many visual effects were either cleaned up or replaced with John Knoll's expert contributions.

We had a much cleaner and more organized cut for the Hamptons FIlm Fest. It had two showings that weekend; a very near sellout the first night, and because of audience reaction, a total sellout the second night. We had special guests, Douglas Trumbull and the real Herb Lightman, who both commented on the events of the film and took questions. To top it off, the film won the Heinekin Red Star Award for most creative film at the fest. So the potential for this film's success is there.

Last I heard from Patrick was that there was much interest in distribution, however, that was early last year, and the film still needed the finishing touches. I hadn't heard anything since. I don't know what this film's final fate will be, yet I am very confident that if it does make it out there, the majority of moviegoers will have a favorable opinion of it. Hopefully, you will like it better too.

Rick

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

Didn't someone here offer up copies of Luke's Speeder from the movie - I don't think the run ever came to pass, but man, I wanted one of those things.

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

Jet Beetle said:

Didn't someone here offer up copies of Luke's Speeder from the movie - I don't think the run ever came to pass, but man, I wanted one of those things.

Click to expand...

Wasili made a beautiful 3-foot replica of the Landspeeder. A while back he was going to offer kits based on that build. From what I recall, he had to scrap those plans. He did have the one we used in the film for sale on ebay a few years ago. I don't know if he ever sold it.

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

I still look forward to seeing your movie Rick.


Someone informed me that my post may have been a little too revealing considering I am working on something for Paramount right now -- so I'll just say - life sucks sometimes.


P

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

Can't wait to watch that. I felt like him before TF came out in '07. Everybody said "thats a cartoon it aint gonna be a REAL movie" then after it released everybody went crazy during 4th of July weekend, and the only robot anybody could identify was Bumblebee

:thumbsup

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

oh dear god why hasn't this been finished yet....I need to see this

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

joker-scar, speaking as the film's associate producer, your poor review of our film is a fair one, as everyone is entitled to their honest opinion. I am not surprised by your reaction. Frankly, I was concerned when I heard Patrick was going to show the film in its very rough state in LA. As an advertiser, I am very aware of the risk of showing a piece before it is even close to being finished, as people will judge what they see, and cannot be expected to judge it any other way.

Since LA the film has undergone huge editing changes that improved flow and pacing. Also, many visual effects were either cleaned up or replaced with John Knoll's expert contributions.

We had a much cleaner and more organized cut for the Hamptons FIlm Fest. It had two showings that weekend; a very near sellout the first night, and because of audience reaction, a total sellout the second night. We had special guests, Douglas Trumbull and the real Herb Lightman, who both commented on the events of the film and took questions. To top it off, the film won the Heinekin Red Star Award for most creative film at the fest. So the potential for this film's success is there.

Last I heard from Patrick was that there was much interest in distribution, however, that was early last year, and the film still needed the finishing touches. I hadn't heard anything since. I don't know what this film's final fate will be, yet I am very confident that if it does make it out there, the majority of moviegoers will have a favorable opinion of it. Hopefully, you will like it better too.

Rick

Click to expand...

Well...I wasn't being harsh for malice sake. i love movies and that's where the passion comes from. I love indie film...and try to support it where ever I can, and am totally forgiving on budgets, etc., etc. than I am on bigger "hollywood" films, but I still want to be entertained at the end of the day.
I spent a lot of money back in 2007 to fly to L.A. and stay in a downtown L.A. hotel to go to the Star Wars Con for a week so when I find out there is a film preview about the opening day of SW...when, how could i be in a better place to watch it. I was obviously hyped to see it...and I can see the problems if it was screened prematurely. As you can see by this thread sometimes it works for a film...sometimes no.
Well I hope i am proven wrong in the long run...but that was my opinion of "that" screening and it stands. But I look forward to seeing it again. Even great films have horrible "sneaks" here and there in film history. So i hope it comes into shape, and works and ready for release soon. :thumbsup

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

joker-scar said:

Well...I wasn't being harsh for malice sake. i love movies and that's where the passion comes from. I love indie film...and try to support it where ever I can, and am totally forgiving on budgets, etc., etc. than I am on bigger "hollywood" films, but I still want to be entertained at the end of the day.
I spent a lot of money back in 2007 to fly to L.A. and stay in a downtown L.A. hotel to go to the Star Wars Con for a week so when I find out there is a film preview about the opening day of SW...when, how could i be in a better place to watch it. I was obviously hyped to see it...and I can see the problems if it was screened prematurely. As you can see by this thread sometimes it works for a film...sometimes no.
Well I hope i am proven wrong in the long run...but that was my opinion of "that" screening and it stands. But I look forward to seeing it again. Even great films have horrible "sneaks" here and there in film history. So i hope it comes into shape, and works and ready for release soon. :thumbsup

Click to expand...

I respectfully submit that your review was a fair one based on your opinion of what you saw. And please don't think I took your review as being harsh for malice sake, I appreciated your honesty. I thought it was too rough a cut to be showing at that time. I saw the flaws in it as a work in progress, but I know where the film was going, and has gone since. It is a much better film. And if this film ever sees the light of day, I would love for you and everyone to see it as it was meant to be.

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

Blemishes or not I've wanted to see this movie for years and I'm disappointed that it seems stalled.

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

shadowman said:

Blemishes or not I've wanted to see this movie for years and I'm disappointed that it seems stalled.

Click to expand...

Can you imagine how it feels having worked on it for so many years in so many areas, knowing how good it is, then not know if it will ever be released?

I've sent emails to people involved to see if they can tell me the latest.

re: Patrick Read Johnson's 5-25-77

That would be infuriating, esp. since you loaned production your personal collection.

I would have thought somebody would force the issue. A lot of people must be waiting to be paid.