From: jittlov@gumby.cs.caltech.edu (Mike Jittlov)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.mike-jittlov,rec.arts.movies,alt.cult-movies
Subject: Film-Video Distributor "Victimized" ;>
Date: 9 Nov 1992 11:42:01 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
NNTP-Posting-Host: gumby.cs.caltech.edu
Summary: What goes around, comes around
Keywords: Wizard, Hollywood, movie, video, distribution, expose

>Subject: Re: Did Shapiro Glickenhaus really go under?

>Magnus writes:
>>>>> On 8 Nov 92 06:56:40 GMT, Richard M. Kaye
      (rkaye@netcom2.netcom.com) said:

      rkaye> I got the following about Shapiro Glickenhaus
      rkaye> Entertainment.  Dammit, no wonder they stopped sending
      rkaye> me royalty checks.  Anyone heard more about this?
      rkaye> -richard kaye
      rkaye>
      rkaye> [postal mail from Shapiro Glickenhaus]
      rkaye> Dear Friends and Co-Workers, [hah!]
      rkaye>
      rkaye>         This is to announce the dissolution of Shapiro
      rkaye> Glickenhaus Entertainment

>Uhm? Well, Mike - what's the story on this. Is it true?
>                                                     -Magnus (Honk!)

I seriously doubt that is from my esteamed business partner, because:

RK is computer-illiterate
RK can't type, anyway - he considers that "women's work" (I'm serious)
RK would never say "dammit" (too nice, "f*****g" is his minimum epithet)
RK would never print his name in small-case letters
RK's middle initial wouldn't be "M", as his middle name is "Leon"
RK never got any royalty checks from SGE (I think) - beyond a $30,000
   "Consultant's Fee" when he signed over our movie to his friends at
   SGE, without my contractually mandatory signature/approval

So - this is not a little suspect.

However, whoever posted this was rather cleverly alluding to a *very
real story* which is just breaking loose in Tinsel Town:

On Friday, November 6, 1992, an article appeared on the front page of
the _Daily Variety_, reprinting parts of an SGE "press release":

               "SGE VICTIM OF HOAX" by Andy Marx

To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of the death of Shapiro Glickenhaus
Entertainment have been greatly exaggerated.

This is contrary to a press release mailed to media outlets earlier
this week on company letterhead - complete with the signatures of
company exex Leonard Shapiro, James Glickenhaus and Alan Solomon.
Although the release appeared to be authentic, much of the statement's
wording indicated this was someone's idea of a joke, albeit a twisted
one.
     (continued on back page -- "SGE Victim of False Release")

Reached at his office in New York, SGE Chairman Glickenhaus said,
"It's completely untrue. The whole thing is under investigation
by both civil and criminal authorities and the appropriate action
will be taken."

While Glickenhaus refused to speculate on who the culprit might be,
some company employees believe it was a recently fired employee who
had access to the executives' signatures and company stationery.

After announcing the dissolution of the company, the bogus statement
continued, "Words cannot adequately express the grief we feel, at
having mismanaged the distribution of so much potentially lucrative
product with our marketing gaffes, incompetent handling, repulsive
advertising, dummy sub-licensing and triple bookkeeping."

In announcing that SGE's library had been acquired by MCA/Universal,
the statement continued, "All of your disturbing little lawsuits
will be handled by MCA's attorneys with their usual reptilian sloth.
We will soon move all accounting records from the secret storage
room in our parking garage to a secured site, and then sack our
loyal but naive office staff."

                        (END of article)

By the way - in case the name isn't familiar, SGE is the (alleged)
distributor of BASKETCASE 1, BASKETCASE 2, FRANKENHOOKER, ZOMBIE
NIGHTMARE, BERZERKER, MANIAC COP, SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS, MOB
STORY, RED SCORPION, PINK CHIQUITAS ("Chiquatas", in SGE's ads), and
(without my authorization and really out of place in this line-up)
                  THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME


>Dear Friends and Co-Workers,
>This is to announce the dissolution of Shapiro Glickenhaus Ent

These are the opening words from the actual "Press Release", or
whatever was sent to me last week from an anonymous source.  The
whole page is pretty wild, and a little scuzzy in reference to the
SGE execs' personal lives, plus details of their net worth.  It's
allegedly written by an SGE executive.  It's definitely written by
an SGE insider.  One who has an even lower regard for SGE than I do.
And a lower aim.  >;>

For legal reasons, I'd rather not re-post it here in the mj-group.
(...Not that anyone would sue me - I'm "judgement-proof", financially
and property-free, I don't even have a car anymore.   ...Hmm...)

If anyone else has (or has seen) a copy of this "Press Release",
please let me know.

__________________________________________ ___._`.*.'_._ ________
 Mike Jittlov - Wizard, etc         .   . +  * .o   o.* `.`. +.  
  Hollywood, CA 90026-2714         '   *  . ' ' |\^/|  `. * .  *
jittlov@gumby.cs.caltech.edu    (: May All Your  \V/  Good Dreams
  <& alt.fan.mike-jittlov>      and Fine Wishes  /_\  Come True:)
=============================================== _/ \_ ===========

          "Look - everything doesn't have to be on paper!
           Just sign it!  We can work out all the details
           later!                              -- R. Kaye
Newsgroups: alt.fan.mike-jittlov