Criterion and StudioCanal

[captveg]

I wonder if there's something to Lionsgate not being able to distribute the non-StudioCanal Collection branded titles?

Eh, probably not.

[manicsounds]

Via Pro-Bassoonist (blu-ray.com)
So a possibility for video rights reverting back to Criterion?

RIALTO PICTURES ACQUIRES U.S. THEATRICAL RIGHTS TO VAST STUDIOCANAL LIBRARY

RIALTO WILL DISTRIBUTE INTERNATIONAL CLASSICS FROM
THE 2,000+ FILM CATALOGUE OF MEDIA GIANT STUDIOCANAL

RIALTO PICTURES, the New York-based pioneer in classic film re-releases,
celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, has signed a 3 year agreement with
STUDIOCANAL to handle the U.S. theatrical distribution of over 2,000
international classics owned by the French media giant.

The STUDIOCANAL film library, one of the largest in the world, includes classic
films by Alfred Hitchcock, Jean Renoir, Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Pierre Melville,
Claude Chabrol, Abel Gance, Vittorio De Sica, Alain Resnais, Mike Nichols,
Jacques Tati, Akira Kurosawa, Bertrand Tavernier, Orson Welles, and many
others. The company’s diverse catalogue includes everything from Hitchcock’s
early sound masterpiece Blackmail to Sam Raimi’s cult classic Evil Dead II.
Says Olivier Courson, Chairman of STUDIOCANAL, “Rialto has already been our
partner for the past fifteen years, brilliantly marketing re-releases of many of the
jewels in our library: Renoir’s Grand Illusion, Carol Reed’s The Third Man,
Godard’s Contempt, Resnais’ Last Year at Marienbad, Kurosawa’s Ran, and
many others. Their phenomenal release of Melville’s Army of Shadows in 2006
gave it a new life worldwide. No one knows this very specialized marketplace
better, so we think it makes perfect sense that Rialto should represent our library
in the U.S.”

Says Bruce Goldstein, Rialto’s founder and co-president, “Taking on the
STUDIOCANAL library is not only a great opportunity, but also a great
responsibility. In effect, we’ll be the curators and guardians of some of the
world’s great film classics. One of our goals is to make it easier for American
programmers and curators to access films from the library. And we plan to
promote touring packages of films selected from this library.”
Rialto has already begun releasing some STUDIOCANAL titles under the new
deal, including a reissue of Paul Verhoeven’s original Total Recall, starring
Arnold Schwarzenegger, which opened at New York’s Film Forum a week after
the national release of the new remake. Rialto is also releasing Claude Sautet’s
Max et les Ferrailleurs, starring Michel Piccoli and Romy Schneider.
This fall, Rialto will release STUDIOCANAL’s new restoration of Marcel Carne’s
Port of Shadows. In 2013, Rialto, in association with the BFI and Park Circus
Films, will distribute “The Hitchcock Nine” – nine Alfred Hitchcock silent films
recently restored by the BFI. (Rialto now has theatrical rights to five of them from
the STUDIOCANAL library, Park Circus the other four under license from
Granada.)

The STUDIOCANAL library includes some of the top titles from the former
Carolco and DEG (Dino de Laurentiis) libraries, including Terminator 2, Total
Recall, Basic Instinct, and Rambo, and classics like Crimes of the Heart, Escape
From New York, Lion in Winter, The Graduate, and This is Spinal Tap. The
company also owns hundreds of British films from the Anglo Amalgamated and
Ealing libraries (including classics like Alexander Mackendrick’s The Man in the
White Suit, starring Alec Guinness, which Rialto will re-release this winter with a
new STUDIOCANAL restoration) and countless French masterpieces including
Jean Renoir's Grand Illusion and Luis Buñuel's The Discreet Charm of the
Bourgeoisie.

ABOUT RIALTO PICTURES
Described as “the gold standard of reissue distributors” by L.A. Times film critic
Kenneth Turan, Rialto Pictures was founded in 1997 by Bruce Goldstein. A year
later, Adrienne Halpern joined him as partner. In 2002, Eric Di Bernardo became
the company’s National Sales Director.

Rialto’s past releases have included Renoir’s Grand Illusion; Carol Reed’s The
Third Man; Fellini’s Nights of Cabiria; Jules Dassin’s Rififi; De Sica’s Umberto D;
Godard’s Breathless, Contempt, Band of Outsiders, Masculine Feminine, A
Woman is a Woman, and Made in USA; Julien Duvivier’s Pépé le Moko; Luis
Buñuel’s Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Diary of a Chambermaid, The
Phantom of Liberty, The Milky Way and That Obscure Object of Desire; John
Schlesinger’s Billy Liar; Clouzot’s Quai des Orfèvres; Mel Brooks’ The Producers;
Robert Bresson’s Au Hasard Balthazar, Mouchette and Diary of a Country Priest;
Jean-Pierre Melville’s Bob le Flambeur, Le Cercle Rouge, Léon Morin, Priest, Le
Doulos, and Army of Shadows; Max Ophuls’ Lola Montès; Claude Berri’s The
Two of Us; Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers; Alberto Lattuada’s Mafioso;
and the previously unreleased, original 1954 Japanese version of Godzilla.
In 2006, Rialto released Melville’s 1969 masterpiece Army of Shadows for the
very first time in the U.S. Army of Shadows became the most critically acclaimed
film of the year, topping many Ten Best lists, including The New York Times, and
was named Best Foreign Film of 2006 by the New York Film Critics’ Circle.
Rialto’s 2012 releases include the U.S. premiere of Claude Sautet’s Max et Les
Ferrailleurs, starring Romy Schneider and Michel Piccoli; new reissues of Mike
Nichols’ The Graduate and Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers; the 75th
anniversary restoration of Renoir’s Grand Illusion; and STUDIOCANAL’s new
restoration of Marcel Carné’s 1938 Port of Shadows, starring Jean Gabin and
Michèle Morgan. In a change of pace, Rialto is currently re-releasing Paul
Verhoeven’s original 1990 Total Recall, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In 1999, Rialto received a special “Heritage Award” from the National Society of
Film Critics, and in 2000 received a special award from the New York Film Critics
Circle, presented to Goldstein and Halpern by Jeanne Moreau. For its 10th
anniversary in 2007, Rialto was honored with a retrospective at the Museum of
Modern Art in New York. The company’s 15tth anniversary was recently marked
by The Film Society of Lincoln Center with a series entitled “15 For 15:
Celebrating Rialto Pictures”.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is a subsidiary of the CANAL+ Group. It is one of Europe’s
leading companies in the market for co-production, acquisition, distribution and
sale of international feature films. STUDIOCANAL is the only studio operating
simultaneously in the three main European territories: France, the United
Kingdom, Germany, and in Australia and New Zealand. The company distributes
a total of more than 50 films a year. Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of
the most important libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.
STUDIOCANAL’s production ambitions have recently included TINKER, TAILOR,
SOLDIER, SPY, based on John le Carré’s bestseller, directed by Tomas
Alfredson, starring Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Tom Hardy and produced by
Working Title. The film was number one at the UK box-office for 3 weeks and
grossed over $85 million worldwide.
This year STUDIOCANAL will finance the Coens’ INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, with
Justin Timberlake, Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan and John Goodman; Susanne
Bier’s SERENA, starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence; and Dan
Mazer’s hotly anticipated comedy I GIVE IT A YEAR with Rose Byrne and Simon
Baker as well as James Griffith's feature film directorial debut CUBAN FURY
currently in production. At the beginning of next year, PADDINGTON, produced
by Harry Potter’s producer, David Heyman will start shooting; PADDINGTON is
based on the famous, and hugely popular, bear in the duffle coat loved by
families worldwide.

STUDIOCANAL also has an exclusive deal with Belgian company nWave, a
European leader in 3D production. In 2012, STUDIOCANAL will release the
sequel to SAMMY’s adventures. SAMMY’s first film, released in 2010, grossed
$85 million worldwide. A documentary, AFRICAN SAFARI 3D will also follow.
Finally, in January 2012, STUDIOCANAL became a major shareholder in
Tandem Communications, one of the leading European companies for
international primetime Event TV productions and worldwide distribution of
quality television programs (PILLARS OF THE EARTH, LABYRINTH, WORLD
WITHOUT END…).

Following are some highlights of the STUDIOCANAL library now being
represented by Rialto Pictures in the United States:

Accident (dir. Joseph Losey, 1967)
A.K. - Akira Kurosawa (dir. Chris Marker, 1985)
Alphaville (dir. Jean-Luc Godard, 1965)
Basic Instinct (dir. Paul Verhoeven, 1992)
Big Deal on Madonna Street (dir. Mario Monicelli, 1958)
Bitter Rice (dir. Giuseppe De Santis, 1949)
Blackmail (dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 1929)
Blood of a Poet (dir. Jean Cocteau, 1932)
Britannia Hospital (dir. Lindsay Anderson, 1982)
Carnal Knowledge (dir. Mike Nichols, 1971)
The Clockmaker of St. Paul (dir. Bertrand Tavernier, 1974)
Le Corbeau (dir. Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1943)
Coup de Torchon (dir. Bertrand Tavernier, 1981)
Le Crime de Monsieur Lange (dir. Jean Renoir, 1936)
Darling (dir. John Schlesinger, 1965)
The Doors (dir. Oliver Stone, 1991)
Escape from New York (dir. John Carpenter, 1981)
Evil Dead 2 (dir. Sam Raimi, 1987)
First Blood (first Rambo) (dir. Ted Kotcheff, 1982)
Forbidden Games (dir. René Clément, 1952)
I’m All Right Jack (dir. John Boulting, 1959)
Kind Hearts and Coronets (dir. Robert Hamer, 1949)
Le Jour Se Lève (dir. Marcel Carné, 1939)
The Ladykillers (dir. Alexander Mackendrick, 1955)
The Lion in Winter (dir. Anthony Harvey, 1968)
The Man in the White Suit (dir. Alexander Mackendrick, 1951)
Mr. Klein (dir. Joseph Losey, 1976)
Nicholas Nickleby (dir. Alberto Cavalcanti, 1947)
Pierrot le fou (dir. Jean-Luc Godard, 1965)
Rambo: First Blood Part 2 (dir. George P. Cosmatos, 1985)
Serie Noire (dir. Alain Corneau, 1979)
The Servant (dir. Joseph Losey, 1963)
The Small Back Room (dirs. Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, 1949)
The Sound Barrier (dir. David Lean, 1952)
Stavisky (dir. Alain Resnais, 1974)
Swamp Thing (dir. Wes Craven, 1982)
Terminator 2 (dir. James Cameron, 1991)
This is Spinal Tap (dir. Rob Reiner, 1984)
Total Recall (dir. Paul Verhoeven, 1990)
The Trial (dir. Orson Welles, 1962)
Le Trou (dir. Jacques Becker, 1960)
Winter Kills (dir. William Richert, 1979)
Zulu (dir. Cy Endfield, 1964)

[peerpee]

3 years ain't long!

[matrixschmatrix]

Does Criterion still have a relationship with Rialto? I thought that was why they lost all those movies in the first place, at least in part.

[Arthur House]

Criterion definitely still has a relationship of some sort with Rialto--Canal just pulled most of their Rialto titles from the collection. Non-Canal Rialto releases/licenses, such as Z, Masculin feminin, Juliet of The Spirits, and Made In The USA (the last of which Rialto is the sole rights holder for in this country) amongst others are still available.

[MichaelB]

Now this is interesting...

In 2013, Rialto, in association with the BFI and Park Circus Films, will distribute “The Hitchcock Nine” – nine Alfred Hitchcock silent films recently restored by the BFI. (Rialto now has theatrical rights to five of them from the STUDIOCANAL library, Park Circus the other four under license from Granada.

Given the rights split between Canal and Granada over the Hitchcock silents, I was hoping for some kind of combined deal, and it looks as though it's happening.

[Minkin]

Does Criterion still have a relationship with Rialto? I thought that was why they lost all those movies in the first place, at least in part.

Seems like Criterion is their only stop in town. I suppose Umberto D Blu is further proof of the relationship.

So this opens some questions- Is this just theatrical then? Or since Rialto has the films again - as they did in the past -they can now sub-license to Criterion to release home video? Where does Lionsgate fit in all of this? Should we expect a slew of new in-print Criterions? or just being able to access the films in our local theaters?

I suppose the Qatsi trilogy is proof of some recent relationship between Criterion and Lionsgate/Studio Canal (Naqoyqatsi being from Miramax). It's not like Lionsgate is chomping at the bit to release any of their Studio Canal titles anyway (having only released 5 of the 12 titles that are available on Blu abroad - though see discussion from previous page/top of this page). Studio Canal therefore realize that licensing was probably making them more money?

[Matt]

It says right in the headline: theatrical rights. I wouldn't expect a single Criterion release out of this list.

[Jeff]

It says right in the headline: theatrical rights. I wouldn't expect a single Criterion release out of this list.

Exactly. StudioCanal just renewed their contract for home video distribution with Lionsgate for a zillion years. This is theatrical only.

[Paupau]

Haven't checked every single title, but Trafic, Small Back Room and Contempt are in stock at amazon right now. List price.

[Warren D]

I checked the Criterion FAQ and Reference thread first to make sure it wasn't addressed there, but have any Criterion OOP titles ever gone back in to print? I just want an idea of how high I should get my hopes up for some older OOP titles ever becoming available from Criterion again...

[perkizitore]

Salo.

[Drucker]

I checked the Criterion FAQ and Reference thread first to make sure it wasn't addressed there, but have any Criterion OOP titles ever gone back in to print? I just want an idea of how high I should get my hopes up for some older OOP titles ever becoming available from Criterion again...

There's no sure answer. They've purposely taken stuff out of print intending to upgrade it (Playtime was OOP for a while, the BRD trilogy is currently OOP likely due to pursuing an upgrade, Chungking Express they HOPE to get back) so yes it is possible.

But if you really want something and it's available at a price you can afford, go for it. I paid like 60 bucks for Mikael used from MOC recently, and a month later they brought it back in print with a limited run. Shit happens. Name of the game.

[Zaki]

Salo?! It still shows as available on the CC website. Perkizitore, could you provide some more information?

[swo17]

It was one of the very first spine numbers and was out of print for years before Criterion reissued it a few years ago.

[Warren D]

Salo.

There's no sure answer. They've purposely taken stuff out of print intending to upgrade it (Playtime was OOP for a while, the BRD trilogy is currently OOP likely due to pursuing an upgrade, Chungking Express they HOPE to get back) so yes it is possible.

But if you really want something and it's available at a price you can afford, go for it. I paid like 60 bucks for Mikael used from MOC recently, and a month later they brought it back in print with a limited run. Shit happens. Name of the game.

It was one of the very first spine numbers and was out of print for years before Criterion reissued it a few years ago.

Thanks everyone! Good to hear there is at least some chance.

[zedz]

There are people here who don't recall the days of Salo being the most notorious / celebrated OOP DVD in the world?

I feel very old.

[Zaki]

Thanks for the answers. I do know about the history of Salo and the CC reissue. I just missed Warren D's question and given the recent OUP status of the Tati titles was under the wrong impression that this one was lost (again) too. So zedz you should not feel that old!

[zedz]

It was a far off, mythical time in the Land of Criterion, when everybody in the land was still concerned about too much Suzuki, the perpetual non-appearance of Cousin, Cousine, and the lack of Rivette in the collection. In those olden times, sightings of the fierce dragon Salo were few and far between, but they came at an awful price. Sometimes up to one thousand guilders. And even then, pilgrims were overcome with terror that the Salo they had found might not be the one true Salo, with the cloudy rings and stuff.

[cdnchris]

400 Blows is also one that went out of print and fetched a decent price (not Salo prices) until it was reissued in the Doinel set.

Here is a list of all/most editions that have gone out of print for various reasons. The list includes those that went out of print because they were upgraded to a newer edition (Seven Samurai, Seventh Seal, etc.), or went of print only to be reissued years down the road (Salo, 400 Blows, etc.) or for titles they no longer have the rights to at all (Studio Canal titles, Harder They Come, etc.) I have been working on a feature that lists when the title went out of print, why, and whether there is a replacement edition from Criterion.

It was a far off, mythical time in the Land of Criterion, when everybody in the land was still concerned about too much Suzuki, the perpetual non-appearance of Cousin, Cousine, and the lack of Rivette in the collection. In those olden times, sightings of the fierce dragon Salo were few and far between, but they came at an awful price. Sometimes up to one thousand guilders. And even then, pilgrims were overcome with terror that the Salo they had found might not be the one true Salo, with the cloudy rings and stuff.

Wow, that takes me back.

[colinr0380]

I still have my fingers crossed for Eisenstein: The Sound Years and Cocktail Molotov

[sherlockjr]

It was a far off, mythical time in the Land of Criterion, when everybody in the land was still concerned about too much Suzuki, the perpetual non-appearance of Cousin, Cousine, and the lack of Rivette in the collection. In those olden times, sightings of the fierce dragon Salo were few and far between, but they came at an awful price. Sometimes up to one thousand guilders. And even then, pilgrims were overcome with terror that the Salo they had found might not be the one true Salo, with the cloudy rings and stuff.

Ah, yes. I remember those times. They signaled that the times for bemoaning too much Ozu--or not enough!--were nigh upon us. And there was great gnashing of teeth.

[Perkins Cobb]

I just bought the French Blu of Cousin, Cousine, so.........

[tavernier]

I bought it last year, so I'm surprised it hasn't already been announced.

[bainbridgezu]

New Announcement:

Dear Criterion collectors,

We wanted to let you know that the following titles are going out of print effective March 31:

Army of Shadows

Le cercle rouge

Le doulos

Last Year at Marienbad

Leon Morin, Priest

Mafioso

We have limited stock on hand, and will be selling copies through the 31st, while supplies last. As in the past, we hope to relicense the films so that they can rejoin the collection sometime in the future.

Sincerely,
The Criterion Collection

So far as I can tell, this leaves Hopscotch, Big Deal on Madonna Street, and The Proud Valley and Native Land from the Paul Robeson: Portraits of the Artist set.