World Watch OnLine: The Buckaroo Banzai Mailing List
# 54  (9 September 1998)
Submissions: WWatchOne@aol.com
Editor: WWatchOne@aol.com
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FAQ: http://www.slip.net/~figment/bb/bbindex.shtml


Number of subscribers: 535
(NOTE: anyone who doesn't have an "@something" behind their name is
from 'aol.com.')

Contents:
Greetings
BB references in Star Trek
Re: World Watch OnLine 53 - 23 August 1998
Clancy Brown Fan Club update
Tapes, Apes & Boxtops
Tips:  Finding Banzai at eBay
Soundtrack Breakthrough?
Re: World Watch OnLine: The Buckaroo Banzai Mailing List
Re: Mailing List

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Greetings,

Well...the much mentioned move finally materialized over the
long weekend (and boy was it a long weekend!) so I should 
be able to keep on schedule as long as this wheezing mess
of circuits and wires holds together.

Unless tons of new stuff pours into the Institute mailbox, the
next ish won't go out until the weekend after next, but after that,
I'm going to plan on staying weekly. Yeah, I know, I've planned that
before, but as BBI Rocky would say, "this time for sure!" 
(boy, am I jinxing the heck out of myself or what?)

Enjoy life,
ArcLight

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Subj:	 BB references in Star Trek
Date:	98-08-23 15:49:29 EDT
From:	kalis@voicenet.com (Dave Kalis)

BBI Dave Kalis reporting in:

Ok, I think that I have a fairly cool reference here. It's almost common
knowledge that many of the signs and panels of the Enterprise-D set of Star
Trek
had little "in-jokes" by the designers that are impossible to read on a tv
screen. BUT! In Las Vegas, the Hilton opened a neat-o little thing called the
Star Trek Experience, which I had the pleasure of seeing in person. At one
point,
participants are beamed onto the Enterprise-D. When you leave the Transporter
room, look at the red sign directly ahead of the door before you turn right.
It
appears to be an access panel for non-existant equipment and is labelled
Access
Panel or somesuch. But just under the main type, in smaller font is written :
"Remember, no matter where you go, there you are."  So, do I win some sort of
prize for coolest reference or can somebody beat this?

--
David Kalis
The meek can have the earth when I'm done with it.

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Subj:	 Re: World Watch OnLine 53 - 23 August 1998
Date:	98-08-23 19:18:32 EDT
From:	atomick@earthling.net (Mickey McCarter)


Since I've seen some interest in finding both the movie and the comic books,
I
just thought I would share how I acquired both.

A few months ago, I started an intense search for the movie, searching
through
video stores and the like.  I found a few places where you could actually
rent
it, such as Blockbuster, but even these places would not sell it because they
knew they couldn't get another copy.  However, I checked daily at
http://www.reel.com (as well as other internet movie stores), and BB turned
up at
Reel.com before too long.  I bought it for about $40 and had it within a week
of
my order.

As for the comic books, I haven't heard of too many problems with finding the
two
part movie adaptation from Marvel Comics.  Interestingly, the comic books do
contain references that were cut out of the final edit of the movie, such as
Buckaroo's explanation of Hanoi Xan to Penny.  I found my copies for 75 cents
an
issue at a local comic book shop in a movie comics bin.

Mickey

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Subj:	 Clancy Brown Fan Club update
Date:	98-08-25 23:49:48 EDT
From:	rbncrtr1@sprintmail.com (Robin Carter)

Here's the website to find more info about Clancy Brown:
http://members.aol.com/Earth2Kim/CB/

This website has any recent updates about Clancy and how to join the
Clancy Brown Fan Club.
-- 
smile.   Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its 
ground.

Robin C.
***********************
Charter Member of the Clancy Brown Fan Club
for more info, contact: Beth <skippery_boo@juno.com> editor
"There Can Be Only One!"
"Hello, Darlin'" Clancy Brown 6/17/98
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"...if I'm in the mood
with someone who wants to be in the mood
with being in the mood..."
(S.Perry)
http://home.sprintmail.com/~rbncrtr1

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Subj:	Tapes, Apes & Boxtops
Date:	98-08-27 15:14:19 EDT
From:	Lord TZer0

  Greetings fellow BBIs!
BBI Laredo here.  Thought y'all might be interested to know. . . This Sunday
the 7th
AMC is airing The Apes flicks, with a special  2 hr. behind TPOTA and
repeting it on Labor Day.  As Kim Hunter Fan # 1, I felt it my duty to let
other Sci-Fi film fan know.
Hope this gets out before then.  
A question for Sarah.  If that is the case, why is it the it was written by
Earl Mac Rauch and not W.D. Richter?  Did he get the idea from him at school
together?  And where can we find some Boxtops records?
Hey Martin!  I don't suppose you're selling that copy of BB by any chance.
It didn't sound like it.  Oh well it's probably PAL
anywho...

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Subj:	 Tips:  Finding Banzai at eBay
Date:	98-08-28 02:16:47 EDT
From:	camelot@amigo.net (Scott Tate)

As we all know, Banzai products are pretty scarce.  Most of the
sanctioned merchandise (including the movie itself) had small production
runs to begin with, and that ceased years ago with only lingering
prospects of revival.  Other goods (such as press kits) were never
really intended for public consumption at all, meaning that only a
handful are circulating among fans and collectors.  Unofficial products
(like the soundtrack or editor's workprint) often suffer from mediocre
quality control, and are sometimes frowned upon for their "gray market"
status.

In the spirit of cooperation, I'd like to share a few tips for finding
Banzai memorabilia. I'll be talking mostly in terms of eBay, an online
auction firm I'm sure some of you are familiar with.  In the interests
of impartiality, let me state that I'm not affiliated with eBay other
than being a repeat user, and I'm endorsing them only in terms of my
personal opinion.  There are plenty of other places to buy, ladies and
gentlemen, and don't let me stop you from exploring those other
options.  I'm singling out eBay because of my familiarity with them and
because they handle Banzai merchandise on a semi-frequent basis.  Much
of this advice can be generalized.

SEARCH LOGIC.  eBay groups merchandise by category (i.e.,
"Collectibles:  Memorabilia:  Movies" or "Collectibles:  Science
Fiction:  General"), but they also offer an efficient and easy-to-use
search engine.  By entering "Buckaroo Banzai," the engine sorts through
eBay's complete listings, seeking out the phrase "Buckaroo Banzai"
regardless of category.  (Be sure to adjust the settings so that it
searches through the descriptions as well as the titles.)  But here's
the really important part:  As I'm sure ArcLight can testify, people
don't always spell "Buckaroo Banzai" correctly.  Be thorough and try
variant spellings:  "Buccaroo," "Bonzai," "Bonzoi," "Bansai," etc.  This
can be frustrating and time-consuming, but think about it:  If it's that
hard to find, it's also that much more likely that casual buyers have
already missed it.  Your less-dedicated competitors have already
eliminated themselves, keeping the bids lower and your own odds of
success higher.  Don't forget other key words (i.e., "Peter Weller")
that might score a hit regardless of how "Buckaroo Banzai" is spelled,
or even if it's not there at all.  And, of course, search on a frequent
and regular basis if you're serious about making an acquisition.   Keep
a list of those variant spellings handy so you don't forget to try them
each time.

OVERLAPPING MARKETS.  The 28th edition of the Overstreet Comic Book
Price Guide estimates the two issues of the Buckaroo comic at about $1
each in mint/near-mint condition, a price that has held firm for years.
Yet these books often sell for many times that amount.  Why?  Because
while those issues were no great milestone in the history of comics,
they remain an important collectible to dedicated Banzai fans.  Simply
and obviously put, Banzai merchandise is of particular interest to
Banzai fans.  The value of some collectibles varies depending on
context; BB comics are unimportant to most comics collectors, but very
important to BB collectors.  This is the concept of "overlapping
markets."  Dealers know this and sometimes target the Banzai audience.
Continuing the comics example, I recently purchased the BB set at eBay
for a reasonable price.  I managed this by ignoring listing like
"BUCKAROO BANZAI COMICS!  EXTREMELY RARE!" and instead finding them
hidden inside "Mixed Lot of 18 Marvel Comics."  Remember, you're the
fan, the collector, the expert.  Sometimes you might worry that you're
taking unfair advantage of someone's ignorance.  But it's important to
realize that, to some people, comic books/paperbacks/videos/etc. are all
the same, and they're happy to sell their goods without inflating the
price on the chance that a diehard collector will be willing to pay
more.

PATIENCE.  eBay is like what they say about Times Square:  If you just
stand in one place, sooner or later everyone you know will go by.  The
nature of auctions encourages you to strike while the iron is hot, and
sometimes that's necessary.  More often, though, you can afford to bide
your time.  You don't have to spend the rent money now because you're
afraid you'll never find a certain item again, or enter into a sale with
a disreputable buyer because you don't think anyone else will offer the
same deal.  One of the settings on eBay's search engine allows you to
view past auctions.  If you're considering a specific purchase, see if
that same item has been listed in the past.  Some items pass through
with surprising regularity, either independently or because they didn't
sell previously and the dealer has relisted them.  By investigating
this, you can determine just how rare and infrequent an item is, and
what price range you can expect to pay.  Also, some sellers might have a
whole warehouse full of a certain item, but list them only one at a
time.  If you notice the same seller making repeated sales for the same
goods month after month, he apparently has plenty of them.  You might be
able to safely put off your own purchase a while, or you might want to
consider e-mailing him directly (or visiting his web site if one is
listed) and arranging a private transaction.  Finally, when you see an
item listed at eBay, ask yourself where else you might find it; it's not
unheard of for someone to spend $8 buying a BB poster from a retail
outfit like Starland, then turn around and resell it at eBay for $30.

COMMON SENSE.  This may sound patronizing, but the fundamentals are
always worth repeating, especially if you may be a newbie at the online
auction biz who's been inspired by this article.  Keep your wits about
you.  Check out your seller's reputation, don't spend more than you can
afford, and conduct yourself in a manner you're not ashamed of.

That concludes my little self-help seminar, folks.  I hope some of you
might find my words useful.

--BBI Camelot

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Subj:	 Soundtrack Breakthrough?
Date:	98-08-30 23:41:37 EDT
From:	camelot@amigo.net (Scott Tate)

I have some promising news to report to everyone regarding the music
from Buckaroo Banzai...

I just got back from a sci-fi con in Denver, CO (Starcon, August 28-30),
featuring a concert by Neil Norman and His Cosmic Orchestra, a band on
the GNP/Crescendo label.  (GNP/Crescendo, for those of you who may not
be familiar with them, have a long and impressive list of sci-fi series
for which they distribute albums of original music:  Star Trek, various
Irwin Allen projects, Quantum Leap, Forever Knight, the Toho Godzilla
movies, and many more.)

After the performance, I had a chance to talk with Mr. Norman for a few
minutes.  He mentioned that there would shortly be available a fourth
volume in his series of "Greatest Science Fiction Hits," which features
cover versions of sci-fi theme standards.  He gave me a copy of the
GNP/Crescendo 1998 catalog, which includes a listing for this upcoming
album.  Imagine my delight when I saw that some music from Buckaroo
Banzai is to be included!  The catalog indicated a release date of July
4th of this year, so obviously actual distribution is running behind.
However, Mr. Norman's personal comments clearly convey that he still
expects the album to appear soon.  I've already made inquiry through
GNP/Crescendo's web site asking if a new release date has been scheduled
yet, and I'll gladly pass along that info as soon as I get a response.
As long as I was in communication with the record label, I asked if
there was any chance they were planning to release the original Michael
Boddicker score in its entirety.  As I said, no answer yet, but I'll
certainly post whatever I learn.  Realistically, getting permission to
do a cover version of one or two tracks is very different from acquiring
the rights to produce and distribute an official soundtrack.
Nonetheless, dare we hope that, after all these years, a "real" BB
soundtrack might lurk on the horizon?  Let's be cautious in our
expectations... but maybe we can indulge in being optimistic at the same
time...

--BBI Camelot

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Subj:	 Re: World Watch OnLine: The Buckaroo Banzai Mailing List
Date:	98-08-31 19:36:15 EDT
From:	mwatters@botany.ubc.ca (Michael Watters)

Looking to join the mailing list.

Spotted the URL of the BB FAQ on the laserdisc newsgroup and followed the
links.  Too  
bad the film is tied up the way it appears to be.   I've been trying to find
a decent copy of  
the film (a dub would be fine) as well as a copy of that work-print thing.  


I'll have to see what all BB related stuff I've got left over from my sci0fi
convention days.   
I'm pretty sure I've got one of the standard one-sheet's laying around
somewhere.  Any  
idea what those are worth now?

mike
watters

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Subj:	 Re: Mailing List
Date:	98-09-01 20:58:19 EDT
From:	goldenp@prodigy.net (Joanne L. Belasco)

Hey there!

    I cannot tell you how happy I was to find a BB mailing list! I am a
30-year-old attorney, living outside of Boston. I am an avid equestrian.
I was unfamiliar with mailing lists, until I joined the Magnificent
Seven mailing list back in February. It's a great show, if you haven't
seen it, btw. Anyway, I have made such wonderful friends there, I
thought I would venture out into another area. So here I am!

    I first saw BB as a freshman in college when a dear friend showed it
to me. I have been hooked every since. I think it is probably the movie
I quote the most. And what wonderful quotes!!

    I look forward to fun discussions on the movie and other things BB
related. I'm writing some Mag7 fanfic right now, but when I finish, I
may try some BB fanfic.

    Gee, guess I need to go watch the movie again to pic a different sig
line...oh, the torture. <vbg>

    Jo
    Chris: "You got proof, Vin?"
    Vin: "Just the Truth."
     "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift -
that's why it's called the Present."

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