Criterion and Sony

[AfterTheRain]

I'm wondering if Criterion would put out Terry Gilliam's The Fisher King in an all new director approved special edition. The current DVD is basically barebones, but the OOP Criterion laserdisc does have commentary by Gilliam.

[beamish13]

Maybe the time is right to finally release the original, musical cut of James L. Brooks' "I'll Do Anything".

[Perkins Cobb]

What about Henry Jaglom's A Safe Place, it's owned by Columbia and a great extra would be the documentary "Who Is Henry Jaglom?" I could see it happening as Criterion has an affinity for Z Channel favorites and director's first features.

I'd love to see this, but does Sony have it free and clear? Jaglom gave copies of the movie on VHS to a couple of L.A. video stores years ago, and I vaguely remember it was because of a rights issue, but Jaglom may have just meant that he didn't have the rights.

[jaredsap]

What about Henry Jaglom's A Safe Place, it's owned by Columbia and a great extra would be the documentary "Who Is Henry Jaglom?" I could see it happening as Criterion has an affinity for Z Channel favorites and director's first features.

I'd love to see this, but does Sony have it free and clear?

Yes.

[Arthur House]

Could Truffaut's Such A Gorgeous Kid Like Me be in the running? I saw somewhere that Sony Pictures Classics currently holds the rights.

[jaredsap]

Could Truffaut's Such A Gorgeous Kid Like Me be in the running? I saw somewhere that Sony Pictures Classics currently holds the rights.

Columbia owns the USA rights in perpetuity, not Sony Pictures Classics. And yes, it could be in the running.

[Arthur House]

Thanks for the news. The thought of more Bernadette Lafont (in the collection or otherwise) is always a good thing!

[beamish13]

"Five Finger Exercise" (1962) seems like a likely contender.

[jaredsap]

"Five Finger Exercise" (1962) seems like a likely contender.

What makes it likely? The fact that it was made by a marginal director and almost no one on the planet has heard of -- let alone cares about -- the film? You can expect to see it from Criterion around the same time they release their SE of Columbia's SHE'S OUT OF CONTROL.

[Jeff]

Wouldn't a licensing deal with Criterion be limited to either Columbia or Sony Classics and not a mix of the two?

Jared, is Ian's assumption correct?

[jaredsap]

Wouldn't a licensing deal with Criterion be limited to either Columbia or Sony Classics and not a mix of the two?

Jared, is Ian's assumption correct?

There's no reason to make that assumption. It's true that the theatrical distribution and production/acquisition arms of Columbia and Sony Pictures Classics are kept quite separate. But Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is responsible for releasing titles from both entities. (This was decidedly not the case with New Line/WB before they merged; remember that New Line used to have their own Home Entertainment division.) That said, I don't want to reveal whether Criterion has currently licensed only Columbia titles, only Sony Pictures Classics titles, or a combination thereof.

[ianungstad]

Hardcore (Paul Schrader) could be another possibility. The current DVD has no extras and I'm sure we'll see more films from Schrader in Criterion's future.

[Person]

Hardcore (Paul Schrader) could be another possibility. The current DVD has no extras and I'm sure we'll see more films from Schrader in Criterion's future.

I feel that Hardcore is an awful film - one of Schrader's worst, certainly least interesting stories. Maybe in the late 70s, this was a risque movie, but it just looks silly today and George C. Scott hardly has anyone worth while to act with aside from Peter Boyle; such a weird role for him to have chosen to play.

[justeleblanc]

Hardcore (Paul Schrader) could be another possibility. The current DVD has no extras and I'm sure we'll see more films from Schrader in Criterion's future.

I feel that Hardcore is an awful film - one of Schrader's worst, certainly least interesting stories. Maybe in the late 70s, this was a risque movie, but it just looks silly today and George C. Scott hardly has anyone worth while to act with aside from Peter Boyle; such a weird role for him to have chosen to play.

I agree, I was less impressed with that. The film I did truly love of his was Light Sleeper, but I'm guessing Criterion wouldn't be interested since it's Warner/New Line.

[kaujot]

Hardcore was the first movie I ever saw on IFC. I was hoping for more tits and sex. I mean, sure, I got George C. Scott, which was great, but not nearly enough tits and sex for a horny little fifteen year old watching a movie with a relatively suggestive title.

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

Hardcore was the first movie I ever saw on IFC. I was hoping for more tits and sex. I mean, sure, I got George C. Scott, which was great, but not nearly enough tits and sex for a horny little fifteen year old watching a movie with a relatively suggestive title.

Jeez Louise! You'd figure the naked girl getting her throat slashed would be enough!

Hardcore is good, not great, but it wouldn't hurt to hear Mr. Schrader talk about this film. Besides, it has a great seventies era soundtrack by Jack Nitzsche.

There's no denying it's a disturbing film. The bits of black comedy with Peter Boyle are great and add to the overall uncomfortable feeling. I wouldn't mind a Criterion by any means (though it isn't a priority).

[kaujot]

I actually asked about Hardcore several months ago. Got a "No."

I want Blue Collar more, anyway.

[ianungstad]

According to the March 15th DVD Talk forum posting, the Viva Pedro set is now out of print at Sony. I'm sure Criterion would love to handle some of these titles. (I've always wanted a special edition of Law of Desire)

I think this might increase the chances that some Predro titles might be part of the deal?

[Matt]

I think this might increase the chances that some Predro titles might be part of the deal?

I don't think so. They're either going to re-release it, including Volver, when Broken Embraces comes out, or they're going to go back to individual DVD releases. Almodovar is Sony's only guaranteed arthouse moneymaker; they wouldn't give him up to Criterion.

[domino harvey]

All the same, I'm sure the Viva Pedro set will start going for absurd prices very soon. Now I wish I'd bought more than one when they were going for $29

[Jeff]

I wouldn't be terribly surprised to see a paired release of Matador and Law of Desire. They've never been released in R1 outside of the box, and aren't as well-known to the casual arthouse moviegoer as his post-Breakdown stuff. Sony would, of course, re-issue the previously available individual titles.

Sony no longer distributes MGM product, which includes Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and Live Flesh. Could be the reason for the OOPness.

[beamish13]

Is "To Sleep With Anger" a possibility? I'd love to see it finally get an R1 release.

[jaredsap]

Is "To Sleep With Anger" a possibility? I'd love to see it finally get an R1 release.

Yes, possible.

[domino harvey]

Unless the rights reverted in last few months, it's a Milestone title

[jaredsap]

Unless the rights reverted in last few months, it's a Milestone title

Nope. Sony has sublicensed this film to a few companies over the years (Samuel Goldwyn is the US, Cinephile in Canada and Capitol in International territories), but those deals have now all expired and we own the rights. You can see the VHS was from Sony.