Re: De Efteling gravestone

[chrisw@fciad2.bsd.uchicago.edu (chris williams)]

In article <940812191313_100276.2176_BHB29-1@CompuServe.COM> you write:
>Hi,
> 
>I hear the Efteling special is included on the Love-Hounds collection! Now
>that's good news - the copy I have isn't all that good.
> 
>Anyway, some readers on this list may remember the discussion weeks ago
>about the Efteling, and the fact that there would be a gravestone to
>commemorate Kate's appearance on the grounds of this park.
>Well, I called back to them and got the following information:
> 
>"Although a few people still recall the appearance and recording of this
>special, nothing is known about a commemorative gravestone. We have to
>assume there is none."

   Did they mention if they had gravestones for other famous visitors?
Well, thanks for checking.

>That is why I contacted the broadcasting company, the Dutch AVRO, to ask if
>I could obtain a video from this programme. The Dutch TV keeps archives of
>their programmes, although in the 1970's a lot of these programmes have been
>erased due to whatever (I don't know). They are really frustrated to have
>erased several Jacksons appearances in Dutch TV programmes... I just hope
>they didn't erase Kate as well...
>Anyway, I will receive an answer from the AVRO in due time. I'll keep you
>informed!

   Our friend John Riemers tried to track down the original film made at
De Efteling. The answer he got was that the 16mm film was burned to make
shelf space. That may have been the "official" answer, but many supposedly
lost films have wound up in private hands. For instance, our copy of the
videos came from a copy that was dubbed from the copy owned by a former
president of EMI-America. The actual 16mm film may well be in the US.

>(Of course my obtaining of a copy from the AVRO won't allow me to make
>copies from that video as you understand it's prohibited... Oh well, we'll
>see what happens next year in the 1995 Love-Hounds Collection... ;-)

    To be honest, the entire collection is a copyright violation from
a strict legal standpoint. But, if anyone had the faintest intention to
duplicate these shows for profit, and actually *use* their copyright,
they would have done so *long* before this. As nobody made money from
this (and many of us actually lost quite a lot) we are unlikely to
encounter any legal problems. There is no point in sueing people without
money. If you ask, and explain the purpose and distribution method,
they might actually give you limited non-profit distribution rights.
Or they might not. The general rule of thumb in the business world is
that it is easier to say "no" than "yes."


                          Chris Williams of
                             Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago
                               chrisw@fciad2.bsd.uchicago.edu (his)
                                 vickie@njin.rutgers.edu      (hers)