Organization: Penn State University
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 15:29:42 EST
From: Matt Pyson <MRP105@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime
Subject: Re: Solution to Streamline???
Distribution: w

In article <By147L.GD7@ccu.umanitoba.ca>, umdrome@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Chris
Drome) says:
> Okay, I detest Macek as much as the next guy does, but I have one question
> for you. Why do you keep on buying stuff from Streamline???

Actually, I don't. I gave up on Mr. Macek's dubs a while ago.

> If you really want to send a message to Streamline to straighten its act, try
> doing it through the pocketbook. If Macek is too much of a stubborn @^%$#@^%,
> then obviously reasoning will not work. If you boycott all Streamline
> products, maybe you can bring a change about.

Simply boycotting Streamline's products will not "send a message" to anyone.
Inaction cannot tell anybody anything: they have no idea why a tape sells or
doesn't sell. There are a hundred reasons why someone does NOT buy a tape.
(Maybe you don't like the packaging, or the price is too high for you, or you
think the blurb on the back isn't promising. Maybe you just don't have time to
stop by the store today.) There's no way to tell by that point, and the next
dubbing job will come out the same way.

The way to give Mr. Macek feedback on the results of his work is to TELL HIM.
Tell Mr. Macek that you really *like* the fact that he's licensing high-quality
anime like Windaria and Cagliostro and Dirty Pair. Tell him that you're glad
that he's releasing it on videotape at an affordable price, and that you
personally prefer voice dubs more than subtitles.

Then tell him what you don't like about the jobs he's done. Say that you really
don't like extra dialogue thrown in where there wasn't any before. Mention the
fact that the omnipresent little noises and grunts that are characteristic of
'Robotech'-style dubbing really distract you from enjoying the movie. Opine
that voice actors who read their lines like they really took this movie
seriously would be an improvement.

Comment that you saw a $2 EP tape of public domain cartoons at K-Mart where
they blacked out part of the screen to hide the original copyright notice, and
then remark how tacky it was.

State firmly that changing the original lines to 'improve' them doesn't sit
well with you. Observe that replacing 'obscure' Japanese jokes only works if
the English jokes are twelve times funnier than the original ones. It also goes
without saying that changing the names of the characters irritates you as a
purist.

If he doesn't want to hear it, well too bad... he can throw out your letter
with the rest of his hate mail. After that, go ahead and boycott until your
arms get tired. You've done all that can be done short of hiring Macek to dub
something for you, and forcing him to give you a dub you like.

> Just my opinion. I hate having to wade through all of those "Did you see what
> Macek did this time" messages.

Yeah, I agree with you. On the other hand, when all is said and done we will
have a truly definitive list of all of the aberrations he's introduced into the
anime that he's dubbed and edited.

[I think that warrants a :-( ]
---
|           Matt Pyson           | "I never liked you! You're always the hero |
| Internet: mrp105@psuvm.psu.edu |  and I'm always the villain! All right! If |
|     BITNET: MRP105 AT PSUVM    |  I'm the villain I'll take care of you     |
|   Quest Laboratories, H.R.D.   |  like a villain!" -- Daitokuji B-ko        |
Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime