Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol. 6

[FrauBlucher]

In light of today's tragedy, has there been any inkling that Happiness was coming to The Collection.

[Harmonov]

On Facebook this morning:

Also, this:

Will Criterion release The Shooting and Ride In The Whirlwind as a two disc set or will they be released separately?

Hellman: I believe a two-disc set.

[Askew]

How long ago did Hellman first say Criterion was releasing these films? I feel like I've been waiting for them forever.

[PfR73]

Monte Hellman told me in July 2008 that Criterion would be releasing the films.

[bainbridgezu]

Image discontinued all of their Handmade titles this week. This would indicate that rights to these films are available again. It would be nice if Criterion acquired the library and put OOP titles like Time Bandits, Withnail and I, etc. back in print.

I emailed Mulvaney about this possibility last night and was thrilled to receive this prompt reply:

Re: HandMade Films
Thanks for your email, we are interested in this catalog as well and will look into it.

It may be worth noting that I have contacted Criterion several times over the past few years about these titles (as recently as Arrow's announcement of Time Bandits), and always received the standard "No plans at this time."

[jindianajonz]

Not too surprising, considered their standard response to questions about OOP titles always includes a line "We strive to get back the rights to all films we have previously distributed" or something to that effect. Let's just keep our fingers crossed that it works out!

[flyonthewall2983]

Would be awesome if we got new loaded editions of Long Good Friday and Withnail.

[Yaanu]

I wonder what protocol is for films coming back into print. Do they announce it alongside other titles on the 15th, or do they just silently start printing more DVDs? Or do they wait for an HD upgrade?
As far as I know, they haven't had a title come back into print. But that's just me.

[ianungstad]

As far as the Handmade stuff goes; they all had little to no extras so there would be no point in just reprinting them. If Criterion makes the winning bid; they'll probably get new editions.

I expect they also grabbed the Morrissey catalog from Westchester. If they've licensed more titles from MGM; I don't see why they wouldn't at the least try and get Unbearable Lightness of Being back.

Considering what Universal is currently licensing them; there's no real reason for The Bank Dick to be OOP either.

I think we'll start to see a lot of the OOP titles come back over the next couple of years but it will be the studio product and not the Canal titles.

[Shrew]

Salo was out of print for a long time (and the original, awful DVD sold for insane moneys) before they released the new DVD, then a Blu upgrade several years later. I think the original set of Studio Canal OOPs (the two Quais, something else) briefly went Out of Print, then had a brief time back in print before leaving us forever (I imagine due to the same confusion that briefly saw Contempt and Ran get Blu-ray announcements).

Anyway, like ian said, any old OOP editions that come back would certainly be full-blown upgrades. Which means that even if the rights do go back to Criterion, they won't necessarily come out quick. Hence the lack of noise about the Morrisseys, which possibly (and that's still just possibly) have been back with Criterion for over a year.

[Arthur House]

If they've licensed more titles from MGM; I don't see why they wouldn't at the least try and get Unbearable Lightness of Being back.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but MGM doesn't control this film; producer Saul Zaentz does (or now his estate). It, along with some of his other productions (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest & Amadeus) ultimately ended up with Warner's despite their MGM-related original distribution heritage (United Artists for One Flew, and Orion for the other two).

[ianungstad]

If they've licensed more titles from MGM; I don't see why they wouldn't at the least try and get Unbearable Lightness of Being back.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but MGM doesn't control this film; producer Saul Zaentz does (or now his estate). It, along with some of his other productions (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest & Amadeus) ultimately ended up with Warner's despite their MGM-related original distribution heritage (United Artists for One Flew, and Orion for the other two).

Unbearable LIghtness of Being was reissued by Warner Brothers but the dvd has been discontinued for several years. The film is available for streaming and credits MGM:

http://www.amazon.com/Unbearable-Lightn ... s+of+being" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What rights MGM has or why it reverted to them is unclear. MGM has yet to reissue the film on disc.

EDIT: Also worth mentioning is that Warner no longer has the rights to The Wanderers or Time After Time. Both releases were discontinued about a year ago and now stream via MGM. Orion is listed as the production companies for both films. They would both be great acquisition titles; IMO.

[domino harvey]

It's not OOP and it's all of nine dollars right now on Amazon

[Minkin]

It would be excellent if any OOP title would finally come back from the grave. Seems like this hasn't happened in ages, which is odd, since there shouldn't be much difficulty getting many of them back (other than Studio Canal) - but perhaps they are waiting to make a superior re-issue (thus the long wait to join the schedule of titles). Sure, I'd rather have Criterion spend their time making an early German sound film bluray set, but it would also be nice to hear some of the Criterion commentaries etc without shelling out for laserdiscs or expensive OOP discs.

-Anyway, I'd imagine they must eventually decide to revisit Straw Dogs (the bluray is barebones other than a trailer/tv spot).
-I'd also hope the two Morisseys would come out this year (halloween?).

Oddly enough, I finally got around to watching Show Boat on my DVR (which had been on there since July of 2012) and I was surprised that the TCM broadcast included a commentary on SAP - which turned out to be the Criterion laserdisc commentary (which was MIA from the Warner DVD). Would be excellent if Criterion were to pick up Show Boat (what ever happened with their Warner deal anyway?)

Lastly - Does anybody know what's the deal with Variety Lights? It went OOP and announced as such at the same time as all of the other Studio Canal titles, but it has been available on the Criterion site ever since the OOP announcement (at least the EAH version). Now I see that it is out of stock at Criterion's site and has the line "Unfortunately, we are not able to offer this product for sale on Criterion.com. Please note that it is not out of print and is available at other retailers, like Amazon.com."

So is it OOP - but they've just been selling old stock? Or has the rights to this one title changed hands? I don't think any other Studio Canal title has a similar notice from Amazon (or has stuck around as long).

[Moe Dickstein]

Some barebones DVD titles, like Pygmalion were taken OOP in favor of the EAH version which has the same content

[John Doe]

EDIT: Also worth mentioning is that Warner no longer has the rights to The Wanderers or Time After Time. Both releases were discontinued about a year ago and now stream via MGM. Orion is listed as the production companies for both films. They would both be great acquisition titles; IMO.

It's also worth mentioning that you are dead wrong about Time After Time. DVD is currently on sale on WBShop, and it's also showing on WAC Instant page.

[Calvin]

Credited to Janus, a new restoration of A Hard Day's Night will premiere at the TCM Classic Film Festival

[Jeff]

Credited to Janus, a new restoration of A Hard Day's Night will premiere at the TCM Classic Film Festival

Woohoo! Great to have that confirmation!

[Bando]

Credited to Janus, a new restoration of A Hard Day's Night will premiere at the TCM Classic Film Festival

This is fantastic. Seems a lock now.

Now wouldn't it be nice if Criterion supplemented it with, say, that new Apple restored version of the first American concert in Washington DC, where Ringo and company have to keep rotating his drum riser in between songs in order to play to every corner of the arena. Or maybe the First US Visit documentary, which hasn't been released on BD as of yet... Maybe some other concert footage, some interviews... I'm getting all carried away over here.

[knives]

(or maybe something about the director who ain't exactly chopped liver)

[bdsweeney]

(or maybe something about the director who ain't exactly chopped liver)

Surely including The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film is a must.

[Bando]

(or maybe something about the director who ain't exactly chopped liver)

Surely including The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film is a must.

It's on the previous DVD edition, so it seems likely.

[dustybooks]

The Miramax DVD of AHDN, while it has some good interviews, is really a disaster sound-wise. And I believe that the previous disc from MPI was cropped. So excited that Janus / Criterion have their hands on this, as I believe it's nearly certain that they'll do right by it. This also will surely be one of their biggest sellers ever, no? (Not only did Voyager release this as a Criterion LD but also as a CD ROM!)

However: prepare for a lot of hemming and hawing over aspect ratio.

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

Anyone know the deal with the aspect ratio for A Hard Day's Night? As it was a British production, I'd assume the film would be 1:66 at the most, but the Miramax DVD was 1:85. I'm pretty sure the old Criterion laserdisc was 1:33.

[Moe Dickstein]

Bob Furmanek has posted images of the original reel bands. It's 1.75:1