Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

[domino harvey]

speaking of Preminger, i would love to see Saint Joan in R1 finally

It's in Warner's hands, tragically. It'll be announced as an Archive title any update now I suspect

[jaredsap]

Fox certainly hasn't been very kind to Elia Kazan, that's for sure! You almost have to wonder if someone at the studio is still holding a grudge against Kazan or something.

Not at all. I don't want to break people's hearts, but you would have seen more Blank-at-Fox sets had the DVD market not imploded.

[domino harvey]

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was all lined up for the Cinema Classics line, with extras and everything, when the line got dissolved and so did the release. I guess Criterion could hypothetically swoop in and make a deal for everything that was gonna be on the disc and release it for twice as much!

[HistoryProf]

What's wrong with the Fox disc? I thought the transfer and audio were good. I just didn't like that it only came with the trailer in terms of supplements.

i don't know what i'm confusing it with...you are correct it isn't bad at all....but just a barebones w/ nothing particularly revelatory about the transfer. i have no idea why i said it was atrocious...i amaze myself sometimes.

[mteller]

All the Fox Film Noir titles are $5.99 at Amazon this week. Anyone know if they're gearing up for a re-release, possibly on Blu?

[domino harvey]

Fox discontinued the Noir line because it didn't sell, somehow I don't see Blu-rays in their future

[mteller]

Ah thanks for the info. Better snatch 'em up now, then.

[zachhh]

All the Fox Film Noir titles are $5.99 at Amazon this week. Anyone know if they're gearing up for a re-release, possibly on Blu?

too bad Laura is nowhere to be found on there

[Cinephrenic]

No way these are going for Blu anytime soon. Fox barely even started with their catalog classics or any studio for that matter. DVD sales are just slumping (which is good). I wonder if Criterion could get a hold of this since they have a relationship.

[domino harvey]

Fox barely even started with their catalog classics or any studio for that matter. DVD sales are just slumping (which is good).

How in the world is that good if by your own admission many vital Fox titles haven't yet been released?

[Cinephrenic]

Fox barely even started with their catalog classics or any studio for that matter. DVD sales are just slumping (which is good).

How in the world is that good if by your own admission many vital Fox titles haven't yet been released?

Like what? Come on, studios are not releasing anymore classics. If they do, it's very rare. Warner and Universal has already started their vault/archive dumps, I wouldn't be surprised if Fox did the same. Good, as in increase of Blu not the fact classics are getting the shove. If i'm not mistaken, only classic I see Fox released in 2009 was Man Hunt.

[ianungstad]

Cluny Brown is a great suggestion! Actually, wouldn't be surprised to see that happen.

Fox has never released the Fritz Lang Western "Western Union". Don't know if Criterion would have any interest.

[HarryLong]

only classic I see Fox released in 2009 was Man Hunt

Well, they also included the original DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL as en extra with the new version.

[ianungstad]

Some suggestions for Criterion:

I have not seen either HealtH or The Seven Minutes, both of which are unreleased by Fox. I love Russ Meyer and Robert Altman but I've heard mostly negative things about both films. Are either worth watching? Are they good enough that Criterion would/should rescue them from obscurity?

I have seen several people over the years request Je t'aime Je t'aime (Alan Resnais) for the collection. It was released by New Yorker in the US but was produced by Fox Europe. It's likely reverted back to FOX otherwise I think New Yorker would have released it by now. Wouldn't be surprised if it was one of the FOX titles Criterion has licensed.

Fox Europe also produced Fritz Lang's Liliom. Is the Kino dvd licensed from Fox or is the film in the public domain? Fox released their own restoration of the film and included it as an extra on the dvd of Carousel. Maybe Criterion could license the FOX transfer and give the film it's own release instead of being neglected to being just a supplement.

I wouldn't mind seeing Criterion license the still unreleased Road to Glory. I've loved everything by Howard Hawks that I've seen so far and would gladly blind buy any of his unreleased films.

[Arthur House]

I have seen several people over the years request Je t'aime Je t'aime (Alan Resnais) for the collection. It was released by New Yorker in the US but was produced by Fox Europe. It's likely reverted back to FOX otherwise I think New Yorker would have released it by now. Wouldn't be surprised if it was one of the FOX titles Criterion has licensed.

I caught this last month as part of the traveling Resnais retro. It had the Fox tag at the beginning, so they probably own it outright now, or at least they control the release prints.

[domino harvey]

The best hope is that it turns up on the Fox Movie Channel. They've been airing some superb rarities in the their proper aspect ratios. And less than superb ones too (Yul Brenner in the Sound and the Fury-- YIKES)

[Numero Trois]

I have not seen either HealtH or The Seven Minutes, both of which are unreleased by Fox. I love Russ Meyer and Robert Altman but I've heard mostly negative things about both films. Are either worth watching?

Health plays on the Fox Movie Channel April 27 and May 4. I don't like going to IMDB for reviews, but some of these guys think it's been unfairly maligned. Heck, I don't think Quintet was all that bad.

[agnamaracs]

Universal Blu-ray tally...

Criterion: Charade, Monsoon Wedding, Ride with the Devil, Videodrome
Universal: Do the Right Thing, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Spartacus, Traffic

Could someone please tell me what's going on here? Obviously, the ones Universal issued themselves are A-list titles, and the ones they licensed to Criterion are generally ones they care somewhat less about (especially Charade, being PD and all). And generally (with the possible exception of Do the Right Thing), the Universal discs have been less than stellar. I don't think it's because their corporate relationship has soured, as evidenced by the Facebook posts asking for suggestions for Universal titles.

So my questions:
1. Does this rule out future Criterion releases of these titles? (I'm guessing not.)
2. Why would Universal, a major corporation, release shoddy work by themselves, when they could have Criterion make a product that shows that people actually give a damn, whilst generating (potentially) major sales for a smaller company at the same time?

I want a good copy of Traffic on Blu, dag nabbit. (Brazil would be nice, as well.)

[Cinephrenic]

Who really knows? I wouldn't rule out the possibility, but Universal's treatment of Spartacus was horrendous according to reviews. But then again, when where they ever good at their classics catalog?

[Flike]

(Brazil would be nice, as well.)

That's one that worries me, because I'd assume if Universal were to let Criterion have at it it would've been released awhile ago.

[movielocke]

I think it's just internal sales figures, the DVDs of the four they kept probably have had steady enough and high enough DVD sales figures to merit a company bluray release, the other titles they probably figure will sell better as criterions, thus up for licensing. If the Universal blurays undersell, Universal may decide to license them to criterion for bluray as well in order to try and maximize their revenue streams on the titles. If the blurays are steady sellers though, there's no reason to license them out because a criterion release will probably just cannibalize those steady sales and have a subtractive effect on the revenue stream rather than an additive one.

[Finch]

One Fox title I'd love Criterion to get their mittens on (not literally of course!) is Leave Her To Heaven. The DVD is very good but a Blu-Ray would take this to another level entirely. "I'll never let you go! Never"

Anyone think Fox would be likely to licence this?

[What A Disgrace]

I reckon it depends on how much Criterion wants it. Its not exactly All About Eve or Sunrise on the scale of secured classics. I would surely welcome such a release, especially if its supplements shed more light on Stahl (whose reputation has hit my ears only faintly).

My dream Fox-Criterion release would be an Only Son/There Was a Father style box containing Raoul Walsh's The Bowery and Me and My Gal.

[Feego]

(Brazil would be nice, as well.)

That's one that worries me, because I'd assume if Universal were to let Criterion have at it it would've been released awhile ago.

I keep holding off buying the single-disc anamorphic Criterion disc because I fear that, shortly thereafter, the Blu-ray will be announced. That's essentially what happened when I bought the original non-anamorphic box set. Just weeks later, the anamorphic re-issue was announced. I would hate for Universal to release this themselves, because they've screwed up pretty much every Blu-ray release of previously licensed Criterion releases. I still hold out hope, though, because Brazil doesn't seem to have as much mainstream appeal as Fear and Loathing (which probably has more to do with Johnny Depp), so maybe they would let Criterion handle this one. Hopefully. [-o< They better. [-X

[Ashirg]

Crap! Criterion is unlikely to announce Brazil blu-ray until you buy the single-disc anamorphic disc.