Criterion and Paramount

Message

Cronenfly · #326 Post by **Cronenfly** » Mon May 19, 2008 6:30 pm

There are a fair number more:

The Browning Version
Funeral in Berlin
Nobody's Fool
The Gambler
Medium Cool ($50 on Amazon.com-ouch, glad I got mine when I did)

And that's just for starters; like Sony, Para. has let a bunch of (relatively) obscure titles go OOP, and while I'd like to think they (and Sony) will/have already offered them up to Criterion, I'm not entirely convinced that they won't just go on being OOP. Even if CC does have access to the titles, both companies have let too many titles go OOP for CC to handle even half of them, and a bunch of the DVDs offer little room for improvement/are titles CC wouldn't or can't afford to give the time of day. It's an unfortunate situation (as even if CC starts to release some a bunch will remain OOP), and more Para./Sony apathy than an invitation to Criterion for reissues in my books.

jaredsap · #327 Post by **jaredsap** » Mon May 19, 2008 7:22 pm

Cronenfly wrote:It's an unfortunate situation (as even if CC starts to release some a bunch will remain OOP), and more Para./Sony apathy than an invitation to Criterion for reissues in my books.

What you're calling apathy I would say is often a clear indication that the title is not selling well enough to warrant additional pressings (studios aren't so lazy they'd terminate a license to print money.) This, in turn, means that the studio is more inclined to let Criterion have a shot at it.

fdm · #328 Post by **fdm** » Mon May 19, 2008 8:05 pm

Play It Again, Sam..., Looking For Mr Goodbar..., ....

I got it, it's going to be the Godfather Trilogy.

Cronenfly · #329 Post by **Cronenfly** » Mon May 19, 2008 8:08 pm

jaredsap wrote:
Cronenfly wrote:It's an unfortunate situation (as even if CC starts to release some a bunch will remain OOP), and more Para./Sony apathy than an invitation to Criterion for reissues in my books.
What you're calling apathy I would say is often a clear indication that the title is not selling well enough to warrant additional pressings (studios aren't so lazy they'd terminate a license to print money.) This, in turn, means that the studio is more inclined to let Criterion have a shot at it.

The studios have a right to make decisions in their best financial interest, but the number of titles they've left in the lurch sadly far outweighs the number Criterion could ever handle (although the latter number could be higher than I give either party credit for). I guess that's just the way the way things work (that some more marginal titles are always going to get the shaft), but at least a reasonable number of the OOP Paramount titles Criterion likely won't touch are still pretty easy to come by (speculators, stay away), so I suppose I shouldn't be quite so harsh.

I just found this list of OOP Paramount titles, which seems fairly exhaustive on first glance.

AfterTheRain · #330 Post by **AfterTheRain** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:28 pm

I would like to see Criterion put out a special edition on Istvan Szabo's Sunshine (1999). The Paramount edition doesn't have any extras, not even a theatrical trailer.

I doubt this will happen, but one can hope!

fdm · #331 Post by **fdm** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:27 pm

AfterTheRain wrote:I would like to see Criterion put out a special edition on Istvan Szabo's Sunshine (1999). The Paramount edition doesn't have any extras, not even a theatrical trailer.

I doubt this will happen, but one can hope!

(Wrong thread I know, but I was just re-noticing that Mephisto and Colonel Redl are OOP, and Hanussen never quite made it to DVD far as I can tell... Would love to see what Criterion could do with that trio...)

Person · #332 Post by **Person** » Tue May 20, 2008 1:14 pm

Cronenfly wrote:I just found this list of OOP Paramount titles, which seems fairly exhaustive on first glance.

A real ragbag of titles, there. Some of them are very famous, popular films, but not Criterion candidates, in my humble opinion and not films Paramount themselves would do an SE of. I might drop Tim Lucas an email and ask him about Diabolik, which was a project he slaved over and recently reflected opon after the death of John Phillip Law.

#333 Post by **domino harvey** » Tue May 20, 2008 1:24 pm

I can't believe Play It Again Sam is out of print, and Testament, and My Bloody Valentine and the Bogdanovichs and Parallax View--- Who is minding the store over at Paramount?

Thanks for the link though, I picked up Daisy Miller cheap while I still could.

HelenLawson · #334 Post by **HelenLawson** » Tue May 20, 2008 4:14 pm

ah, the path is clear for a Criterion edition of Mahogany....

Ashirg · #335 Post by **Ashirg** » Tue May 20, 2008 4:59 pm

I don't see the logic of a title going out of print means a Criterion release - Paramount's Days of Heaven is still in print.

jaredsap · #336 Post by **jaredsap** » Tue May 20, 2008 5:17 pm

Ashirg wrote:I don't see the logic of a title going out of print means a Criterion release - Paramount's Days of Heaven is still in print.

This really isn't that hard to understand. Of course a title going out of print does not automatically mean it'll get a Criterion release. But it does sometimes mean: (A) As I already said, the title is not making the studio much, if any, money; (B) The studio's home video rights to that title have elapsed. Both of these scenarios -- while obviously far from definitive -- allow at least a possible opportunity for Criterion to jump in.

HelenLawson · #337 Post by **HelenLawson** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:06 pm

pauling wrote:I emailed Criterion about Johnny Guitar a couple weeks ago and, sadly, Kim Hendrickson wrote back that they have no plans to release the film.

Tragic. This film grows in stature every year and is an ideal candidate for Criterion treatment given its crossover appeal to classic film buffs, fans of camp, and cineastes. Joan Crawford's inclusion into the collection would also underscore the positive revisionist take on her legacy that has occured within the last few years.

justeleblanc · #338 Post by **justeleblanc** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:42 pm

Is Johnny Guitar not a Lionsgate title now?

HelenLawson · #339 Post by **HelenLawson** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:59 pm

justeleblanc wrote:Is Johnny Guitar not a Lionsgate title now?

Was that confirmed earlier in this thread? Sorry for overlooking that bit of info if so. Regardless, I don't see any release on the near horizon from anyone. So odd considering how this film is constantly being revived.

#340 Post by **Jeff** » Wed May 21, 2008 5:52 pm

HelenLawson wrote:
justeleblanc wrote:Is Johnny Guitar not a Lionsgate title now?
Was that confirmed earlier in this thread?

Pretty much all Republic features other than It's a Wonderful Life are with Lionsgate.

miless · #341 Post by **miless** » Wed May 21, 2008 6:48 pm

isn't It's A Wonderful Life a PD title?

#342 Post by **domino harvey** » Wed May 21, 2008 6:52 pm

miless wrote:isn't It's A Wonderful Life a PD title?

If memory serves, the video lapsed into public domain but somehow the soundtrack didn't, which is how the UCB were able to re-dub the film for a Comedy Central special that never aired.

miless · #343 Post by **miless** » Wed May 21, 2008 6:55 pm

I must find this

The Fanciful Norwegian · #344 Post by **The Fanciful Norwegian** » Wed May 21, 2008 7:01 pm

The original story is still under copyright and currently in the hands of Lionsgate. The film is a "derivative work", so for all intents and purposes it belongs to whoever owns the story. The musical score is still copyrighted too.

#345 Post by **domino harvey** » Wed May 21, 2008 7:08 pm

miless wrote:I must find this

I saw it like five years ago and literally the only thing I remember from it is Amy Poehler dubbing the "I don't know nothing 'bout birthin' no babies" line from GWTW every time the black maid is on screen.

counpk39 · #346 Post by **counpk39** » Thu May 22, 2008 11:20 am

Cronenfly wrote:There are a fair number more:

The Browning Version
Funeral in Berlin...

Funeral in Berlin went out of print shortly after release. I recall wanting to buy that to go with my Image copy of The Ipcress File. I wouldn't be surprised if a rights-issue was raised.

Awesome Welles · #347 Post by **Awesome Welles** » Thu May 22, 2008 11:23 am

If you still want it it's available herevery cheap.

fdm · #348 Post by **fdm** » Thu May 22, 2008 10:06 pm

FSimeoni wrote:If you still want it it's available herevery cheap.

It's still pretty cheap at amazon/uk, but it was just under 4 pounds a few days ago (somebody musta ordered a copy or two).

They also have Ipcress File. Anybody know if this one is really anamorphic? (And I guess if it really has a lipsync problem?)

counpk39 · #349 Post by **counpk39** » Fri May 23, 2008 5:36 pm

Wow, I'm kind of surprised to see the Paramount label on that title. When I was going to buy it a few years ago, region free was a rarity.

I've heard Play.com doesn't ship to the US. I've bought from Amazon UK a bit though.

ianungstad · #350 Post by **ianungstad** » Fri May 30, 2008 12:53 am

With The Elephant Man being out of print at Paramount, does anyone think that this could possibly be a future Criterion title?

It seems that Republic pictures owns the region one rights to Alejandro Jodorowsky's Santa Sangre. With Republic being owned by Paramount, is there a likely chance of seeing this film on Criterion? It would be nice if SOMEBODY would finally give the film a dvd release in north america.