Unreleased Universal Titles

Message

Steven H · #26 Post by **Steven H** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 5:55 pm

One of my favorite French films, Les Aventuriers (1967) by Robert Enrico was distributed in the US by Universal, though I have no clue who owns the rights now. There are Japanese and Russian DVDs of this, unsubbed, and I don't own either. I think that there is no chance in hell of this getting released in R1. Someone prove me wrong.

Ashirg · #27 Post by **Ashirg** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 8:26 pm

FilmFanSea wrote:Black Cat, The (Ulmer, Edward G./1934)

It's getting released on September 6th as part of Bela Lugosi Collection

Buttery Jeb · #28 Post by **Buttery Jeb** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 9:15 pm

Gordon, this is from DVDJournal's "DVD MIA" page. I assume this comes from around the time Strand re-released the film in theaters:

Kiss of the Spider Woman

Based on Manuel Puig's fascinating novel, this Latin American prison drama features great performances from William Hurt and Raul Julia. Producer David Weisman owns the film, and after the home-video rights bounced around for 15 years, they have reverted back to him. Weisman has told The DVD Journal that he is planning a definitive DVD, which may be released in 2004. In the meantime, the architecture for the eventual DVD can be found on www.kissofthespiderwoman.com, under "Presskit."

-BJ

Gordon · #29 Post by **Gordon** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 2:40 am

Steven H wrote:One of my favorite French films, Les Aventuriers (1967) by Robert Enrico was distributed in the US by Universal, though I have no clue who owns the rights now. There are Japanese and Russian DVDs of this, unsubbed, and I don't own either. I think that there is no chance in hell of this getting released in R1. Someone prove me wrong.

The Japanese DVD was anamorphic 2.35:1 but was apparently, crawling with video noise. The Russian DVD is pan and scan. This film seems to be in limbo: there isn't a French DVD and I doubt that Universal hold the rights in the USA - I doubt that anyone owns them. Its a fine film and is long overdue on DVD with English subtitles.

FilmFanSea wrote:Potential additions to the list:

Life Is Sweet (Leigh, Mike/1990)
Ruby in Paradise (Nunez, Victor/1993)
Un Coeur en Hiver (A Heart in Winter) (Sautet, Claude/1993)

These all seem to be owned by Republic Pictures. Paramount bought Republic, but we won't see any titles until 2006. The Republic titles will appear in the Unreleased Paramount thread (coming soon).

Un Coeur En Hiver is available in the UK: Amazon.co.uk

Life is Sweet is also available in the UK: Amazon.co.uk

Thanks again, guys! Corrections and additions have been made.

Ashirg · #30 Post by **Ashirg** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 3:06 am

Gordon McMurphy wrote:The Russian DVD is pan and scan.

Actually it's anamorphic widescreen.
CP Digital page
rbcmp3 page
All DVD page

Gordon · #31 Post by **Gordon** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 11:55 am

I stand corrected!

Its quite frustrating, as many Russian DVDs have English subtitles, but quite a few that I'd love to own do not, ie. Melville's extraordinary, L'Armée des ombres. But that will be a Criterion in the coming months. How great a day that will be!

FilmFanSea · #32 Post by **FilmFanSea** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 6:27 pm

Ashirg wrote:
FilmFanSea wrote:Black Cat, The (Ulmer, Edward G./1934)
It's getting released on September 6th as part of Bela Lugosi Collection

Gordon McMurphy wrote:
FilmFanSea wrote:Potential additions to the list:

Life Is Sweet (Leigh, Mike/1990)
Ruby in Paradise (Nunez, Victor/1993)
Un Coeur en Hiver (A Heart in Winter) (Sautet, Claude/1993)
These all seem to be owned by Republic Pictures. Paramount bought Republic, but we won't see any titles until 2006. The Republic titles will appear in the Unreleased Paramount thread (coming soon).

Right you both are! I double-checked the status of The Black Cat before I typed it, but forgot it was coming only as a part of teh box set. I have no explanation for why I entered those Republic titles in my database under "Universal."

Alain3000 · #33 Post by **Alain3000** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 8:52 pm

Isn't Under the Volcano also a Universal title?

Gordon · #34 Post by **Gordon** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 12:44 pm

Alain, you're right: John Huston's flawed-but-fascinating Under the Volcano is with Universal. I want Wise Blood on DVD before this, but I'm not 100% sure who owns the rights, but its probably Warner.

Alain3000 · #35 Post by **Alain3000** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 6:32 pm

Foreign Titles that are Universal(according to imdb) Not on R1 DVD.

Champagne Murders(1967, C.Chabrol)
Last Adventure(1967, R.Enrico)
Degree of Murder(1967, V.Schlondorff)
King Kong Escapes(1967, I.Honda)
Special Section(1975, C.Gavras)

Gordon · #36 Post by **Gordon** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 8:00 pm

Hi, Alain.

I doubt that Universal still own the rights to those films, but I'll list them, nevertheless and maybe somome will provide helpful info. Criterion would do well to release Degree of Murder, as it has never had a video release. I'm surprised the Chabrol is not on DVD; I haven't seen that one - is it good?

Zumpano · #37 Post by **Zumpano** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 11:25 pm

I would like to add F. Perry's "Play It As It Lays" from 1972. It is one of those films that is hard to find/see, and I remember it always coming up on various "what happened to" lists. Anyone else have any info?

Gordon · #38 Post by **Gordon** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 12:54 am

I have never heard of Play It As It Lays. Sounds good, though, from what I can gather. It is a Universal title, indeed.

Cheers, Zumpano!

devlinnn · #39 Post by **devlinnn** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 4:45 am

Woohoo! One to take off the list - Universal UK release The Incredible Shrinking Man Feb 6th.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 91-2047635

Ashirg · #40 Post by **Ashirg** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 6:06 am

King Kong Escapes was already released.

Some titles are getting released in Glamour Collection as well as Cecil B. DeMille Boxset:
Morocco (1930)
Blonde Venus (1932)
The Sign of the Cross (1932)
Cleopatra (1934)
The Crusades (1935)
The Devil Is a Woman (1935)
Hands Across the Table (1935)
Union Pacific (1939)
Golden Earrings (1947)

The following titles were released in region 2:
Seven Sinners (1940) - France
The Flame of New Orleans (1941) - France
All I Desire (1953) - U.K. Screen Goddess Collection
Dishonored (1931) - France
Shanghai Express (1932) - France (?)
She Done Him Wrong (1933) - U.K. Screen Goddess Collection
A Foreign Affair (1948) - France

John Wayne set will include:
Seven Sinners
Pittsburgh
Shepherd of the Hills

Isn't it sad the amount of classic movies released by Warner and Fox compared to other studios, like Universal...

antnield · #41 Post by **antnield** » Sat May 13, 2006 1:13 pm

From the Universal list, the following are available in the UK:

One Hundred Men and a Girl (DDVideo)
Midnight Lace (Universal)
Bedtime Story (PD cheapie release so probably a poor presentation)
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (Second Sight)
Creator (budget release, but widescreen apparently...)

HerrSchreck · #42 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Sat May 13, 2006 2:00 pm

Christ I wish Uni would come out with Erle Kenton's masterpiece 32/33 Paramount ISLAND OF LOST SOULS. Karl Struss, amazing performance by Laughton, amazing art direction, and those haunting animal-people. Terrifying undertones of dank, stinky sexuality with themes of bestiality blasting out beneath. The fact that Kenton used amputees, the deformed, and the metally disabled for these aberrations make this one of the most haunting films ever made, and certainly had a hand in this being banned in the UK up until the Sixties. Definitely one of the best of the 30's horror films, and I can't believe it hasn't had a definitive DVD release.

Anyone know anything about this (obscure) discontinued release:

http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/tg/det ... 82-2953965?

Ashirg · #43 Post by **Ashirg** » Sat May 13, 2006 3:34 pm

It was never released. Just like Freaks release from the same studio, it was announced before they learned they don't have rights to it.

By the way, Creator DVD was released in region 1 by Trimark

HerrSchreck · #44 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Sat May 13, 2006 3:42 pm

Ashirg wrote:It was never released. Just like Freaks release from the same studio, it was announced before they learned they don't have rights to it.

That's hilarious. Especially since Universal clearly maintains the reels in their vaults as in the MCI days they had a quite nice VHS of it (which I still put on on sweltering humid summer midnights...)

milkcan · #45 Post by **milkcan** » Sun May 28, 2006 12:36 am

http://www.anthologyfilmarchives.org/schedule/

Not sure how much exposure this program gets, but, in-line with last year's screening in Cambridge, Blast of Silence is getting a revival in New York. Hopefully, Universal or someone will take a gander at it!

Gordon · #46 Post by **Gordon** » Sun May 28, 2006 2:23 am

milkcan wrote:Blast of Silence is getting a revival in New York. Hopefully, Universal or someone will take a gander at it!

Indeed. "Gorgeous print!" claims the article. Long overdue on legit home video. But Universal are so head-up-the-ass these days that I just can't see it. But Sin City has proven immensely popular and the sequel is due next year. All it takes is one good researcher and if that gorgeous print was new and direct from MCA, then maybe there's hope.

Kay Hoog · #47 Post by **Kay Hoog** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 4:28 pm

Three Smart Girls HERE

Release Information:
Studio: Dd Home Entertainment
Theatrical Release Date: December 20, 1936
DVD Release Date: October 6, 2003
Run Time: 81 minutes

It Started With Eve HERE

Release Information:
Studio: Dd Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: October 4, 2004
Run Time: 87 minutes

Christmas Holiday HERE

Release Information:
Studio: Dd Home Entertainment
Theatrical Release Date: June 7, 1944
DVD Release Date: October 6, 2003
Run Time: 89 minutes

The Heiress HERE

Release Information:
Studio: Universal Pictures Video
DVD Release Date: February 20, 2006
Run Time: 110 minutes

My Man Godfrey HERE

Release Information:
Studio: Whe Europe Limited
Theatrical Release Date: September 17, 1936
DVD Release Date: January 26, 2004
Run Time: 89 minutes

Arabesque (??)

Release Information:
Studio: Universal Pictures Video
DVD Release Date: May 8, 2006
Run Time: 102 minutes

Anne Of The Thousand Days HERE

Release Information:
Studio: Universal Pictures Video
DVD Release Date: March 6, 2006
Run Time: 140 minutes

Kay Hoog · #48 Post by **Kay Hoog** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 4:50 pm

The Cat and the Canary HERE

The Major and the Minor (1942) is my most eagerly awaited release. Anyone got any info?

justeleblanc · #49 Post by **justeleblanc** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 5:20 am

Also, Lubitsch's THE LOVE PARADE (1929) was part of the Universal Lubitsch Laserdisc set.... so I assume that it is also a Universal title. Can anyone else confirm this?

Multi-Region · #50 Post by **Multi-Region** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 2:59 pm

Hmmm... still on my DVD wants-list: Paramount's SAIGON (1948)

(Regularly huge prices for bootlegs at Ebay.com)

Internal Resources

External Sites

Specialty Labels

Site Menu

Unreleased Universal Titles