Criterion and MGM

[ianungstad]

I asked about Boxcar Bertha about a week ago and that got a "no", great job keeping your list updated Jeff!

[ianungstad]

No : No to It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World and no to films by Alan Rudolph (various United Artist titles)

Perhaps: Burn! and Satyricon. Criterion just replied "perhaps" to my inquiry of both these titles today.

I had asked about both Burn! and Satryicon before and they gave evasive answers. When I asked about Satyricon they replied We plan to release more Fellini. When I asked about Burn! they said Maybe but it might have a long fuse that we can't see. (or some such nonsense like that)

I think both are coming.

[flyonthewall2983]

Forgive me if I'm repeating myself, but I'd love nothing more than if CC did one for Thunderbolt & Lightfoot. Or at least Fox/MGM upgrades the current transfer. This is by far my favorite road movie/buddy comedy, and one of Clint's finer performances.

[AWA]

Most of Woody Allen's films are owned by MGM - everything up to Husbands & Wives, I believe. I wonder if this is the opportunity to finally get them out in a proper transfer with Criterion? One can dream... :-k

[kaujot]

Maybe they could actually convince him to help out with some extras. Doubtful, but while we're dreaming..

[CSM126]

I'm probably the only one, but I'd give my left nut for a Criterion of Interiors. I don't care about extras, that movie just needs a better transfer than the faded, green piece of crap that MGM cooked up on their disc.

[captveg]

Well, I just asked the Woody Allen/MGM question. We'll see what they say....

[Tom Hagen]

Eclipse Series 25: Woody Allen - This Time the Transfers Don't Suck

[captveg]

"Not too likely" is the answer to the Woody Allen question. Not terribly surprising. Let's hope that MGM/Fox do these films right the next time around.

[ianungstad]

Are Samuel Goldwyn titles possible? MGM has the rights to John Ford's The Hurricane and have never released it on dvd. There was a dvd that was available for a short time when Goldwyn titles were distributed by HBO. While minor Ford, it may catch Criterion's interest.

[Antoine Doinel]

Warner Brothers are now circling the MGM video catalog, so whatever possible chances Criterion has of acquiring further titles are diminishing.

[domino harvey]

What the fuck? Warners aren't even releasing real DVDs anymore and they want to buy more titles to dump on DVD-Rs? Lord, the end is nigh

[knives]

Isn't there a monopoly law against that somewhere? I know their vertical integration is on sketchy ground. While it may also be bordering, even though not as close, on that monopoly title I would like the other hat mentioned, Fox, to get this if only because of Watrner's non-releasing of their present catalog. You know Warners is only interested in the Bond franchise and maybe twenty UA titles.

[eerik]

If Warner gets the rest of MGM's catalog then there will be even more (Blu-ray) releases that I won't buy...

[Antoine Doinel]

Well, WB already owns chunks of the MGM catalog so it's not completely out of the blue, plus they put in a bid for the studio about five years ago when it was up for sale. More details here.

[AlanBrom]

According to the latest, Rupert Murdoch might also be interested:

http://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/20 ... -lion.html

I'm sure some of the reason MGM is losing money off its film library is that they've hardly released any new-to-dvd catalog titles over the past two years.

[Jameson281]

Isn't there a monopoly law against that somewhere?

Any sale will require SEC approval.

I'm sure some of the reason MGM is losing money off its film library is that they've hardly released any new-to-dvd catalog titles over the past two years.

The company has billions in debt; a DVD release of THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN or OCTAMAN really isn't going to put a dent in that, especially since all the major retailers have essentially stopped carrying catalog titles and DVD sales in general have been sinking.

This process is going to take months, so at this point any rumors about this or that studio getting it or being the front runner should be taken with a grain of salt.

[Antoine Doinel]

The SEC isn't going to step in because a) they have bigger fish to fry right now b) if MGM is indeed auctioned off in bits and pieces, the cries of "Monopoly" won't really mean much when the video catalog is going here, branding is going there etc etc etc.

[Oggilby]

Are Samuel Goldwyn titles possible? MGM has the rights to John Ford's The Hurricane and have never released it on dvd. There was a dvd that was available for a short time when Goldwyn titles were distributed by HBO. While minor Ford, it may catch Criterion's interest.

A good percentage of MGM DVDs are licensed from other companies. Samuel Goldwyn is one of them. MGM also had/has licenses for the iTV/Granada/Carlton library (The Ghoul, the trio of British films in their Hitchcock box), StudioCanal (AvcoEmbassy films like This is Spinal Tap and The Producers, DEG - Blue Velvet and Manhunter), Selznick/ABC Films (Junior Bonner, also the 4 in the Hitch set), and various other small studios. More confusion, these libraries also had licenses with Anchor Bay, Lionsgate, and Image at various times.

[Jeff]

Would I be mocked if I suggested a Wyler double feature of These Three and The Children's Hour? There is certainly a lot of opportunity for contextual supplements, and there are good, extant, feature-length documentaries on Wyler, Lillian Hellman, and the Hayes code that could be included.

[Stefan Andersson]

That Wyler double feature sounds great. The 1962 film is now on rerelease in Paris, through a small French outfit.

Anybody up for The Wonderful Country from CC? There is a music rights issue I believe. I asked on CC´s Facebook. No reply.

[Matt]

Wyler apparently thought the later film was his worst picture and in the earlier film the play is bowdlerized beyond recognition. I'd rather see Criterion release any other Wyler film but those two.

[HarryLong]

Both versions of Hellman's play do feature good performances, but otherwise ...

[zachhh]

Criterion just more or less confirmed Something Wild, which is an absolutely fantastic acquisition.

i hope you're referring to the Carroll Baker/Ralph Meeker film

[Jeff]

Criterion just more or less confirmed Something Wild, which is an absolutely fantastic acquisition.

i hope you're referring to the Carroll Baker/Ralph Meeker film

Nope, the wonderful Jonathan Demme film.