The American Revolutionary Pokemon Revival of 2009

[HerSilverHammer]

Alright, bare with me here. I'm a little out of it.

So I was watching the first movie, right? And I noticed it came out in November of 1999. A Grand year. Almost ten years ago. I started to feel bad, get nostalgic and all that. But then it hit me: How about we get GameFreak or Nintendo or Pokemon USA to re-released the movie in theaters for the 10th anniversary! It doesn't have to stop there, they can remake the old toys and do a big promotion through BK, release new toys, have contests and even get some HGSS promotion for all the nostalgic mainstream teenagers/young adults who will remember the series and go see it. It would make so much money and make so many people happy! It would be amazing!

But I've no idea how to go about getting this idea in to motion.

Any suggestions?

 

[SolgaleoGX]

No it would make so many people sad. And lose alot of money. It would be pathetic.

The last few Pokemon movies that where in theaters didn't do so well. And Movie 1 currently airs on Cartoon Network from time to time. Honestly, it's a retarted move. Why would I pay $6 for that badly translated thing while I can get it on DVD at Suncoast for the same price?

 

[Shadowgui]

No it would make so many people sad. And lose alot of money. It would be pathetic.

The last few Pokemon movies that where in theaters didn't do so well. And Movie 1 currently airs on Cartoon Network from time to time. Honestly, it's a retarted move. Why would I pay $6 for that badly translated thing while I can get it on DVD at Suncoast for the same price?

My thoughts exactly.

 

[HerSilverHammer]

No it would make so many people sad. And lose alot of money. It would be pathetic.

The last few Pokemon movies that where in theaters didn't do so well. And Movie 1 currently airs on Cartoon Network from time to time. Honestly, it's a retarted move. Why would I pay $6 for that badly translated thing while I can get it on DVD at Suncoast for the same price?

My thoughts exactly.

How old are you two? Do you know what nostalgia is?
The last few in theaters were from the Hoenn series. When the kids became young teenagers and Pokemon stopped being cool. Now, everywhere I go, teenagers and young adults talk about how they used to love Pokemon so much. How cool it is to be a hipster like that now. I don't see any shirts at Hot Topic with Sinnoh Pokemon on them. How dare you call this important piece of my life retarded.

I'm ashamed to have given you the satisfactory of even having responded to that.

 

[SolgaleoGX]

How old are you two? Do you know what nostalgia is?

I'm old enough to have followed this franchise since it came out in 98.

The last few in theaters were from the Hoenn series. When the kids became young teenagers and Pokemon stopped being cool. Now, everywhere I go, teenagers and young adults talk about how they used to love Pokemon so much.

If I recall the last few films in theaters where the Entei, Celebi and Latias movies. I remember the announcement of Wish Maker about it being straight to DVD.

How cool it is to be a hipster like that now. I don't see any shirts at Hot Topic with Sinnoh Pokemon on them. How dare you call this important piece of my life retarded.

I'm ashamed to have given you the satisfactory of even having responded to that.

Who cares about Hot Topic? Most of the stuff they sell there is overrated and just fuels the ignorance of "purist" fanboys.

I don't care about being cool. Like I wear my Pikachu shirt from dumb old Hot Topic, I wear my Shinou Ash Team shirt from JCPenny. I like everything about Pokemon and hate the stupid mentality that everything from Gen 1 is superior than the rest.

Also, I wasn't referring to the 98 era as retarted, I was referring to the idea. That too was an important part of my life. =P

 

[PDL]

While a theatrical re-release is out of the question, what I would not mind seeing is an improved re-dubbed version released directly to DVD. One that doesn't completely gut the Japanese version's story.

I remember seeing it in theaters, but I also realize that it was a pretty bad story that 4kids cooked up. (Instead of portraying Mewtwo as a somewhat sympathetic character who was wronged by people and was angry at them, they just portrayed him as out and out evil for little reason.)

 

[Argy]

I would rather they release one of the more recent movies (like, oh, maybe the 12th one?) that has better animation and story.

 

[Dogasu]

Yeah...I think the Arceus movie would be a much better way to promote HGSS (as the original poster mentioned) than "Mewtwo Strikes Back."

While a theatrical re-release is out of the question, what I would not mind seeing is an improved re-dubbed version released directly to DVD.

Oh dear God you *do* know what kind of shitstorm that would create, right?

 

[Cybersai]

How old are you two? Do you know what nostalgia is?
The last few in theaters were from the Hoenn series.

At least have some knowledge of what you're talking about.

The last movie released into theaters was the 5th movie, the last Johto movie. The Hoenn movies never got to be in theaters because the Johto movies did so poorly in the box office.

 

[Duckgon Z]

Oh dear God you *do* know what kind of shitstorm that would create, right?

Now Dogasu, why would their be a shitstorm? I mean they'd just be re-dub...oh.

But I do expect the 1st movie to be re-released on DVD one day, redubbed or not.

 

[Cybersai]

But I do expect the 1st movie to be re-released on DVD one day, redubbed or not.

It was already. The first 3 movies have been re-released on the same set. I just saw it in Target the other day.

 

[PDL]

Oh dear God you *do* know what kind of shitstorm that would create, right?

Knowing the fandom, a shitstorm would ensue regardless of what they do. Every minor thing makes them froth at the mouth with rage, so why bother trying to please them?

 

[Mijzelffan]

How old are you two? Do you know what nostalgia is?

WTF? Your sixteen and you have nostalgia to the old generation? I'm only 1 year younger then you and I don't have a feeling like that at all (And I have watched pokemon since it came to europe). And I only thought those people in their twenties here had nostalgia. Seriously, why nostalgia if you can play the games whenever you want (and if you sold your gameboy go download it for your pc)

 

[Sleet]

I think you overestimate the power of nostalgia, and how much free theater space there is. Every theater that would choose to show Mewtwo Strikes Back would also be choosing not to show a current movie in its place. And for what? So a few nostalgic college students (who aren't self-conscious) can see a movie from their childhood again?

While a theatrical re-release is out of the question, what I would not mind seeing is an improved re-dubbed version released directly to DVD. One that doesn't completely gut the Japanese version's story.

Oh, that would be fantastic. I loved the first movie, but the "writing" was weak. They could have a great movie on their hands, by movie-based-on-a-children's-anime-based-on-a-video-game-with-almost-no-story standards. I wouldn't even mind them dubbing it with the new... chocolate eclairs... if they had to. However, I still think this is slightly out of the range of realism. Slightly.

 

[Cybersai]

I don't understand the obsession with wanting to see movies in theaters anyway.

How many of us would actually go see the first movie in theaters NOW?

I own the first movie on DVD, I could just pop it in and watch it anytime I want.

 

[ShinyAeon]

You're being a little harsh, guys...actually, it could work as a limited re-release - you know, like in small theaters that usually show oldies, independents and foreign films. Like a "Saturday Nostalgia Matinee" or something.

Throw in Pokemon 2000 and any one of the remaining 3 theatrically released ones for a triple feature, and I would certainly go.

 

[Cybersai]

But then it would be a limited release.

I could see something happening in a big city like New York, but then only Pokemon fans in NYC would get to see it, not everyone else.

When you think of doing something for fans in a single state, it doesn't make much sense to do so.

Also...DVDs? They just re-released the first 3 movies on DVD. Go pick it up in Target/Walmart/Best Buy and rewatch them that way.

 

[Jukain]

I think this person vastly overestimates the value of nostalgia for the first movie. For one thing, when people usually think back to one of the older movies, it's probably not that one. It's not like this is a movie that blew everyone away. When Star Wars was re-released in theaters, that franchise was large enough to get away with such a thing. If you honestly think Pokemon is that big, you are sadly mistaken. Would another movie work? For the same reason, I would say no. Even if it was my personal favorite, The Power of One, I do not think it would do too well. And a re-dub? Where do I begin? First of all, you would HAVE to gather the original 4Kids cast, as everyone would not accept anything different. If you were to even try to dub it with the current VAs, you would be burned at the stake. Not to mention that people who did not like the original dub of the first movie found some way to watch the raw, so you wouldn't really be appealing to that audience either. Finally, even if you did pitch this idea to PUSA, they would laugh in your face and send your letters to the incinerator or delete your e-mails. The time for pokemon being in the theaters is over. Like others said, if they wanted to celebrate anything, they would put the latest movie in theaters, which they really should've done to the Rise of Darkrai, but they didn't, so yeah, the idea is dead.

 

[The Outrage]

I remember seeing it in theaters, but I also realize that it was a pretty bad story that 4kids cooked up. (Instead of portraying Mewtwo as a somewhat sympathetic character who was wronged by people and was angry at them, they just portrayed him as out and out evil for little reason.)

Good thing I completely missed the point and thought of Mewtwo as a sympathetic character anyway

Why does everyone suddenly seem so bent on destroying the franchise through movies?

 

[ShinyAeon]

But then it would be a limited release.

I could see something happening in a big city like New York, but then only Pokemon fans in NYC would get to see it, not everyone else.

When you think of doing something for fans in a single state, it doesn't make much sense to do so.

Hey, Houston has theaters like that...the one near me is called the River Oaks Theater, it's got 2 screens (one is the converted balcony), awesomely preserved Art Deco features, it's in constant danger from developers but is still surviving, and it's where I first saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Watership Down, Sean of the Dead, and many other, more obscure things. And it's not the only theater like that in town, either! Just the coolest...

Granted, Houston's a big city, but people in small towns are used to going to their nearby city to see movies.

Also...DVDs? They just re-released the first 3 movies on DVD. Go pick it up in Target/Walmart/Best Buy and rewatch them that way.

I have PTFM and P2000 on DVD already. Also Pokemon Forever, but you know? If there was a triple feature with those 3 movies, I'd still pay ten bucks and outrageous concession prices to go.

Why...? See below.

I don't understand the obsession with wanting to see movies in theaters anyway.

Because the experience is totally different.

Going somewhere else to see it, seeing it on the Big Screen, in the dark, with a huge sound system, and (especially) with a an entire crowd of people whose reactions you are part of...there's just so much more to it, so much more energy - it's almost like the difference between playing a CD and going to a real concert. Not as much of a difference, because the performance isn't live....but the rest of the audience is, and watching something with dozens of other people just...heightens the intensity...of everything.

Sure, if you have a really big TV screen and a big living room, and you assemble at least 50 of your friends who loved Pokemon, and you turned down the lights to watch, and served popcorn, it would be pretty close. But that would cost a lot more (just with providing the snacks alone) than going to a theater. And I still think it would lack something.

I just don't think you can get as "into" a movie seen at home as you can with a movie in a theater. You're too aware that you can turn on a light, hit pause, answer the phone....

But in a theater, the movie is like a juggernaut: it goes relentlessly on and you are utterly at its mercy, swept beneath its wheels and crushed into totally involved goo. That's why horror movies are so much scarier in the theater - because, other than by actually getting up and leaving, you cannot escape until the movie lets you go.

Also (and probably everyone's mileage varies here, but I'm weird) I've always loved seeing children's movies with crowds that have at least some children in them. Hearing their reactions reminds me what it's like to see things as a kid again, lets me reconnect to my childhood self. If my fictional Pokemon triple feature was shown on a Saturday afternoon, chances are some folks would bring kids, enough to make their presence known but not enough to be utterly unbearable.

You bet I'd shell out twenty bucks for admission and snacks, to go back in time for a few hours. I think it would be cheap at twice the price.