Criterion and Sony

[rossen]

yeah, but Mill Creek released it with 3 other movies on a twofer (with Avalon, The Birdie and Stone Gardens), i was asking about a possible blu ray release with all the relevant (or irrelevant) extras, commentary, etc.

[Calvin]

Mill Creek said to me in an email that they don't have the Blu-Ray rights to The Last Detail

[cdnchris]

Well, as this post mentions about Blue Underground releasing a dual-format Maniac Cop 2 despite someone else having DVD rights, maybe Last Detail is still possible.

[Moe Dickstein]

Be interesting to see CC pick up a movie they only can have Blu rights to. Don't think they've ever released something only on Blu.

[Calvin]

Be interesting to see CC pick up a movie they only can have Blu rights to. Don't think they've ever released something only on Blu.

Even if they only have Blu rights, they can still release it Dual Format

[Moe Dickstein]

Umm no they can't - they don't have rights to make a DVD...

[Ashirg]

See explanation above about Blue Underground and their dual-format Maniac Cop 2

[ShellOilJunior]

This would seem like something right up Criterion's alley. I have a difficult time imagining Sony releasing a film from 1934 themselves. Criterion could use another comedy, too.

[Roger Ryan]

This would seem like something right up Criterion's alley. I have a difficult time imagining Sony releasing a film from 1934 themselves. Criterion could use another comedy, too.

But, according to that press release, Sony is releasing this restoration...via their new 4K delivery service. In fact, they say this is the first of five restored Capra films to be released over the next few years. As I noted earlier in this thread, the question is whether Sony will release these 4K restorations on Blu-ray as well, or allow Criterion to do so. My feeling is that they are building up a library of exclusives to entice consumers to purchase their 4K Media Player and accompanying Ultra HD TVs.

[ShellOilJunior]

The physical release is what I was alluding to - sorry I was unclear in my post.

[Yaanu]

This would seem like something right up Criterion's alley. I have a difficult time imagining Sony releasing a film from 1934 themselves. Criterion could use another comedy, too.

But, according to that press release, Sony is releasing this restoration...via their new 4K delivery service. In fact, they say this is the first of five restored Capra films to be released over the next few years. As I noted earlier in this thread, the question is whether Sony will release these 4K restorations on Blu-ray as well, or allow Criterion to do so. My feeling is that they are building up a library of exclusives to entice consumers to purchase their 4K Media Player and accompanying Ultra HD TVs.

I'd hope that Sony would do a double-release: A proper/mainstream BD/DVD release through Criterion, and a Sony-branded niche 4K release.

[rossen]

I saw today that Last Detail is available from Movieplex on demand until the end of February and in HD to boot!

[ianungstad]

If you read the original press release about the 4k line it includes On the Waterfront which was released via Criterion. It also mentions Groundhog Day which was never released for whatever reason.

[domino harvey]

Put the Allen rumors to rest: Blue Jasmine is coming from Sony on Jan 21st

[flyonthewall2983]

What chance is there of Criterion releasing The Prince of Tides? The laser-disc looked quite packed features-wise for it's time.

[CSM126]

Likely depends on whether they want to work with La Babs again after she prolonged the laserdisc's production, then had it recalled so she could tweak it again, etc.

[atcolomb]

Just saw for the first time on the Sony HD Channel Antonioni's The Passenger (1975) with Jack Nicholson and what a good film and a better print used compared to the Sony dvd i rented from the library. Would like to see Criterion release this on blu-ray since they have released some of Antonioni's films already.

[hearthesilence]

Details are still coming out regarding that Sony hack, but I thought this was amusing: a plain, unencrypted text file innocuously titled "Sony_2012_Comments." Inside is what looks like a raw dump of negative employee feedback.

One comment that shores up what's pretty much a given now:

Be more focused and ruthless in directing our resources to businesses that will sustain the long term health of SPE - networks, broadcast TV shows, new movie franchises, digital distribution By the same token, stop or reduce support for areas that have no more value (Sandler movies, DVD)

[flyonthewall2983]

This could be superfluous, but will this recent damage to the company in any way change their relationship with companies like Criterion?

[hearthesilence]

I guess it could. Not directly, but if the studio as a whole winds up being very hurt financially, some fall out could impact anything they do with Criterion. ("Hey, we're holding off licensing anything to anyone for the time being because yada yada, nothing personal.")

[Shrew]

I would imagine the only real way it could hurt DVD outsourcing with Criterion and Twilight Time is if this leads to a bunch of resignations/lay-offs and the new company leadership take a different course regarding home video. But given the comment hearthesilence quoted above, I think Sony is probably fine with continuing to let outside vendors handle its home video for them.

[Valin Kenobi]

I would think if anything they'd be more willing to license stuff out ... easy money with someone else doing the heavy lifting. Unless they go into a lockdown mode where they want to keep everything under tight control, which is also possible.

[brendanjc]

I'm surprised no one has yet tried trawling through the leaked documents to figure out what else Sony might have licensed to Criterion already.

[jindianajonz]

I'm surprised no one has yet tried trawling through the leaked documents to figure out what else Sony might have licensed to Criterion already.

I was thinking the same thing earlier today, but I believe the hackers are trickling out information in batches. Anything related to licensing may be a part of the large chunk of data that hasn't been released yet.

[dwk]

Sony, Criterion Extend Distribution Deal

Prestige distributor The Criterion Collection and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment have agreed to a multi-year extension of their distribution agreement.
...
Under the deal, Criterion will continue to distribute its properties in the home entertainment window through SPHE in the U.S. marketplace.
...
“Working together over the past year – both on the distribution of Criterion’s titles and on adding new Sony titles to the Collection — has been rewarding on every front. We look forward to a successful collaboration for many more years,” said Criterion Collection CEO Jonathan Turell.

“We are pleased to build upon the partnership with Criterion and view this extension as an affirmation of our efforts as a world-class distributor of content in the home entertainment industry,” said SPHE president Man Jit Singh.