criterionforum.org

MGM license info chart added on 10-14-09, and updated regularly

Currently available or officially announced
House of Games
Salo
The Fugitive Kind
Paths of Glory
Night of the Hunter
Sweet Smell of Success
Kes
Blow Out
Something Wild
Kiss Me Deadly
The Killing
Killer's Kiss
Cul-de-sac
12 Angry Men
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Pasolini's Trilogy of Life
Heaven's Gate
Koyaanisqatsi & Powaqqatsi
La Cage aux Folles
Thief
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Confirmed to be in production
The French Lieutenant's Woman
Satyricon
Burn!

Very likely part of the late-2009/early-2010 deal (based on Facebook responses or other tips)
Europa Europa
King of Hearts
My Beautiful Laundrette
Red River
Roma

Directors and films NOT part of the late-2009/early-2010 deal (but perhaps part of a theoretical future deal?)
Allen
Almodóvar
Altman
Bergman
Boetticher
The Goldwyn Library (now with Warner)
Lynch
Peckinpah
Rudolph
Truffaut
Verhoeven
Wilder

Boxcar Bertha
Equus
Hair
Judgment at Nuremberg
The Landlord
Last Tango in Paris
Moby Dick
The Offence
Oleanna
Pauline at the Beach
Sayonora
Sid and Nancy
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
The Train
200 Motels
Vera Cruz
Woman in the Window
Zulu

Titles in orange were subsequently released on Blu-ray by MGM/Fox.

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Original post from 5-21-07:

In the [url=http://www.criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6313]House of Games thread[/url], Jameson281 wrote:Fox had nothing to do with this deal; MGM struck it a couple years ago as part of the deal to get Criterion's RAGING BULL commentary. There are 3 or 4 other titles in the deal. I can't reveal what they are, but I will say they are NOT any of the Kubricks, any of the Wilders or anything Criterion released previously on DVD or laser, with one exception.

Alright, Jameson. Who are you, and what do you know? Come on, cough it up.

Not telling? Very well. It's not called the Random Speculation thread for nothing...You said that one of the titles was previously released by Criterion on laserdisc or DVD. I'm assuming that Salo has been licensed from someone other than United Artists since Criterion wasn't working with MGM when they released it the first time. I'm also assuming that they wouldn't bother with any of the Woody Allen titles now since he won't contribute to (or approve) any supplements and they can't really offer anything beyond the MGM discs. Supposedly Jarmusch owns his previous MGM films now, so let's rule those out. My money's on Burn! or Carnal Knowlege. If Criterion doesn't have Paramount's One-Eyed Jacks, Burn! would make a fine home for Meet Marlon Brando.

As for the new-to-Criterion titles, I suppose some of MGM's Truffaut titles are possibilities, and I will swoon like a schoolgirl if Criterion has nabbed Sweet Smell of Success.

Just nod knowingly if I've guessed anything right.

Is Night of the Hunter another possibility for the solitary re-release? It was, after all, a Criterion laserdisc, and Criterion would certainly make good use of all those recently-discovered outtakes and extra material. Here's hoping, anyway....

tryavna wrote:Is Night of the Hunter another possibility for the solitary re-release? It was, after all, a Criterion laserdisc, and Criterion would certainly make good use of all those recently-discovered outtakes and extra material. Here's hoping, anyway....

Completely forgot about that. That one might even make me happier than Sweet Smell of Success.

Hmm, don't forget Kiss Me Deadly has mysteriously gone out of print. That's another possibility.

Last Tango in Paris? Or does MGM not own that anymore either?

Godard's KING LEAR?

If MGM titles are now a possibility, and Pauline a la Plage and Tale of Springtime are possibly in play, what's the status on the rest of the Rohmer films that would comprise a Comedies and Proverbs or Four Seasons box? A Good Marriage seems to be out of print at Amazon, but many of the other Fox Lorber editions seem to be in print. Who has the US rights for Tales of Winter and Autumn? Those still haven't made it to R1 DVD.

mcginty wrote:If MGM titles are now a possibility, and Pauline a la Plage and Tale of Springtime are possibly in play, what's the status on the rest of the Rohmer films that would comprise a Comedies and Proverbs or Four Seasons box? A Good Marriage seems to be out of print at Amazon, but many of the other Fox Lorber editions seem to be in print. Who has the US rights for Tales of Winter and Autumn? Those still haven't made it to R1 DVD.

Good call with the Comedies and Proverbs. I really love THE GREEN REY and I'd love to see Criterion get their hands on PAULINE so another box set can be released.

Actually, I think WINTER was on DVD at some point in the U.S., wasn't it Fox Lorber? At least before Fox Lorber branded their DVD cases the same way?

Harold Gervais wrote: maybe a Criterion DVD of Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors will some day be a reality.

Woody Allen has it written into his distribution deals that the DVDs of his films can contain no bonus materials other than the trailer. So unless he changes his mind, there will never be a special edition of CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS or any other Woody Allen film from any label.

I really really really really really really really hope The Night of the Hunter is the former laserdisc title coming to Criterion.

As for unreleased in R1 MGM/UA titles, I would love to see Man of the West. The recent Fuller Eclipse set aside, we still have yet to see a real honest-to-goodness Criterion western. Borzage's History is Made at Night is something I want to see too.

I wonder if this is where we're getting Huston's The Dead from.

justeleblanc wrote:

mcginty wrote:If MGM titles are now a possibility, and Pauline a la Plage and Tale of Springtime are possibly in play, what's the status on the rest of the Rohmer films that would comprise a Comedies and Proverbs or Four Seasons box? A Good Marriage seems to be out of print at Amazon, but many of the other Fox Lorber editions seem to be in print. Who has the US rights for Tales of Winter and Autumn? Those still haven't made it to R1 DVD.

Good call with the Comedies and Proverbs. I really love THE GREEN REY and I'd love to see Criterion get their hands on PAULINE so another box set can be released.

Actually, I think WINTER was on DVD at some point in the U.S., wasn't it Fox Lorber? At least before Fox Lorber branded their DVD cases the same way?

Tale of Winter was released on VHS by New Yorker. There never has been a region 1 DVD release. Autumn Tale has also never been released on region 1 DVD, though Polygram released it on VHS.

Autumn Tale was theatrically distributed in the US by October Films, which was sold to Universal, then sold to Barry Diller, who merged it with Gramercy Pictures and re-named it USA Films. Then USA Films was purchased back by Universal (and merged with Good Machine Films) to form Focus Features, who probably owns the DVD rights. There are several DVD titles released initially by October Films/USA Films that since gone out-of-print: Cookie's Fortune, Topsy-Turvy, A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries. So I am not sure Universal will rush out to release it on DVD.

It could be a situation like a few early 90s Miramax titles that were released on VHS by Paramount (this was before there was a Miramax Home Video) and have never been released on DVD (Almodovar's High Heels, Soderbergh's Kafka, Enchanted April). Paramount still owns the home video rights and probably can't work out a deal with Miramax. Maybe Criterion could get their hands on them.

Close The Door, Raymond wrote:It could be a situation like a few early 90s Miramax titles that were released on VHS by Paramount (this was before there was a Miramax Home Video) and have never been released on DVD (Almodovar's High Heels, Soderbergh's Kafka, Enchanted April).

That certainly describes The Double Life of Veronique. Plus, Soderbergh is reportedly working on a revised/re-edited Kafka.

Close The Door, Raymond wrote:Autumn Tale was theatrically distributed in the US by October Films, which was sold to Universal, then sold to Barry Diller, who merged it with Gramercy Pictures and re-named it USA Films. Then USA Films was purchased back by Universal (and merged with Good Machine Films) to form Focus Features, who probably owns the DVD rights. There are several DVD titles released initially by October Films/USA Films that since gone out-of-print: Cookie's Fortune, Topsy-Turvy, A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries. So I am not sure Universal will rush out to release it on DVD.

The first title that jumped to mind upon reading that was Lost Highway. Universal has been sitting on a special edition of that forever.

Maybe The Graduate…

You know, I'm actually thinking these would be titles MGM has never released onto DVD.

Doesn't MGM own the rights to Husbands?

fdm wrote:Maybe The Graduate…

No. And the same the most likely goes for any other Avco/Embassy/Nelson title distributed by MGM. They have licensed those from Studio Canal. I can't imagine that sub-licensing them to another company is within the terms of their contract, or that they would want to do so anyway.

Forgive the probable idiocy of this question, but didn't Sony buy MGM, and if so, what is the possibility that any of the titles in this MGM deal are Sony Pictures Classics titles?

justeleblanc wrote:Doesn't MGM own the rights to Husbands?

I'm pretty sure Columbia owns Husbands, though MGM owns Love Steams, and I think Too Late Blues, and A Child is Waiting via U/A.

dadaistnun wrote:Forgive the probable idiocy of this question, but didn't Sony buy MGM, and if so, what is the possibility that any of the titles in this MGM deal are Sony Pictures Classics titles?

Sony owns a percentage stake in MGM, but does not actively manage the company. MGM ended their distribution deal with Sony and began one with Fox. To the best of my knowledge, MGM would have to negotiate their own agreements with third-party distributors like Criterion. The rights to Sony and Fox films should not be in any way affected by MGM's decision to license House of Games (and possibly other titles) to Criterion.

Jeff wrote:

fdm wrote:Maybe The Graduate…

No. And the same the most likely goes for any other Avco/Embassy/Nelson title distributed by MGM. They have licensed those from Studio Canal. I can't imagine that sub-licensing them to another company is within the terms of their contract, or that they would want to do so anyway.

I recall seeing that on the blog, now that you've refreshed my memory. Wish my LD player hadn't crapped out; recall listening at least to half of the commentary way back when, and found it fascinating.

If the title that Criterion re-licensed from MGM isn't "The Night of the Hunter," then somebody and I are going to have words.

Put me down as another voice asking about "Kiss Me Deadly" and "Love Streams." Personally, I'd be happy with a Criterion edition of "Absolute Beginners," but I know I'm in the minority there.

It's worth bringing this info to Criterion's attention if they did get Night of the Hunter.

re : The Fugitive Kind

Sidney Lumet said the other day that he thought that Brando in the opening scene of The Fugitive Kind might be the best piece of acting he'd seen in his entire life. And he's seen some actors. So maybe.

I had asked this a few times without getting a response, so was nice to finally get one. I had heard that Lumet's The Fugitive Kind is one of titles in a new deal with MGM along with The French Lieutenant's Woman and a couple of others. Criterion's remark, while cagey, seems to offer support to this info.

Also take into consideration Criterion's "it's high on our list but not 100% for sure yet" reply to my inquiry regarding Night of the Hunter and it should offer some nice clues (even if the evidence is somewhat circumstantial) about the new MGM deal.

Considering MGM is selling everything like wild fire, even Bond in a way, I wouldn't be surprised if Criterion wasn't able to get even more than we know for certain.

ianungstad wrote:re : The Fugitive Kind

Sidney Lumet said the other day that he thought that Brando in the opening scene of The Fugitive Kind might be the best piece of acting he'd seen in his entire life. And he's seen some actors. So maybe.

I'm even more bummed by the respose to your request for Santa Sangre. Can we not get an R1 release for this?

I actually thought that Santa Sangre might have been one of the MGM titles until Criterion shot it down in that Facebook response. I agree it stinks. I don't know how the film moved from Republic to MGM but it seems odd to acquire a fairly high profile cult film and then not bother to release it.


There's lots of great MGM titles that need better discs or dvd debuts, so hopefully the other two titles are winners and that we see more "deals" with MGM in the near future, especially since, as mentioned, they are starting to unload rights to various assets to stave off BK.

I think Jeff mentioned Sweet Smell of Success on Facebook, which would be great. Of course The Landlord (Hal Ashby) and the two Kubricks (The Killing, Paths of Glory) would be suspect titles if anyone wishes to ask Criterion.