Criterion and Paramount

News on Criterion and Janus Films.
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kieslowski
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#51 Post by kieslowski » Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:53 pm

I'm quoting here from a DVD Forums poster, who's quoting from Movies Unlimited...
Question: Hey, Movie Irv. What is the word on The Big Carnival (aka Ace In The Hole)? Turner Classic Movies recently showed the Billy Wilder classic, so why no DVD?

Answer: Seek and ye shall find. There's great news concerning this much-requested 1951 masterpiece, starring Kirk Douglas and Jan Sterling, and considered one of the most cynical films ever made. Criterion has reportedly licensed the film for release in a special edition, but it won't be out for a while. Typical of the company's standards, it'll be loaded with goodies, and it will take some time to get it all together. Criterion has also licensed Robinson Crusoe On Mars from Paramount, as well as Ingmar Bergman's Face To Face, starring Liv Ullmann.
Apologies if this has appeared elsewhere - couldn't see it. Seems to confirm at least some of Narshty's post at the top of this thread.

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Lino
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#52 Post by Lino » Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:24 pm

Great news to end the day -- my favorite Bergman gets the Criterion treatment!

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Cinephrenic
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#53 Post by Cinephrenic » Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:28 pm


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Jeff
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#54 Post by Jeff » Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:41 pm

Buttery Jeb wrote:Marlon Brando's "One-Eyed Jacks" is a contender, based on the fact that Criterion was working on the Maysles' "Meet Marlon Brando" a year or so ago. Technically it's PD, but Paramount produced the film and so probably owns the original elements.
Brilliant, Jeb. I can't believe that I didn't think about that one. A proper One-Eyed Jacks would indeed be a thing of beauty. It seems pretty reasonable too. It's really the same situation that Universal was in with Charade. That Brando doc seems like a darn good fit as a supplement too!

rwaits
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#55 Post by rwaits » Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:47 pm

One Eyed Jacks is one I've long been hoping for. Never really thought a Criterion edition was likely, so this is very hopeful news. Has anyone actually inquired about this?

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arsonfilms
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#56 Post by arsonfilms » Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:50 pm

Cinephrenic wrote:This isn't new news guys.
Actually, I beg to differ. The response from Turrell was that Face to Face MAY appear in the future. We've heard similar sentiments regarding dozens of other films that MAY appear someday, if and when an opportunity to license them arises. This is the first solid confirmation of this title I've heard, and I'm thrilled.

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Cinephrenic
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#57 Post by Cinephrenic » Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:13 pm

True, but I was referring to the surprise factor. Good confirmation though.

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Forrest Taft
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#58 Post by Forrest Taft » Sun Mar 18, 2007 8:29 pm

DAYS OF HEAVEN? There is a wonderful Italian documentary on Malick called ROSY FINGERED DAWN which would be a nice extra. Perhaps we might even get to see Malick's short LANTON MILLS starring the man himself, as well as Harry Dean Stanton and Warren Oates. I'd buy that one in a heartbeat.

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davebert
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#59 Post by davebert » Sun Mar 18, 2007 10:39 pm

But the current version costs $5... :?

iceberg58
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#60 Post by iceberg58 » Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:17 am

...get what you pay for - a CC version would be worth the cost - even if I chose to pay retail - which of course...

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Dorian Gray
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#61 Post by Dorian Gray » Thu Apr 12, 2007 8:52 am

Hi,

Is White dog only rumored or seriously considered or confirmed ?
Because this is like my most wanted DVD ever...

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Musashi219
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2005 8:19 pm
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#62 Post by Musashi219 » Thu Apr 12, 2007 7:56 pm

Not exactly a confirmation, but I know for a fact that a restored print of White Dog is circulating around the US. I want to say the Music Box in Chicago is getting it for a weekend sometime in June. It would be nice to see this and those early Sam Fuller movies get the Criterion treatment.

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Awesome Welles
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:02 am
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#63 Post by Awesome Welles » Thu May 03, 2007 7:26 am

I do hope Paramount will license The Mattei Affair, it's my number one film I'm waiting for on DVD.

Oh and should someone need any artwork ideas, I think this is a great poster (see my avatar).

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justeleblanc
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#64 Post by justeleblanc » Thu May 03, 2007 12:38 pm

Something interesting...

A source of a source of mine says that Paramount currently holds the rights to Lubitsch's THE LOVE PARADE, ONE HOUR WITH YOU, and ANGEL... but not THE SMILING LIEUTENANT.

First, I'm confused as to how Paramount holds the rights to ANY of their films from the 1930s and 1940s since I thought they were all sold to MCA years ago.

Second, could the omission of SMILING LIEUTENANT mean that another company owns it? Maybe Janus?

This is a stretch, but if someone can clear up the MCA question let me know.

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Gigi M.
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#65 Post by Gigi M. » Thu May 03, 2007 12:49 pm

justeleblanc wrote:Something interesting...

A source of a source of mine says that Paramount currently holds the rights to Lubitsch's THE LOVE PARADE, ONE HOUR WITH YOU, and ANGEL... but not THE SMILING LIEUTENANT.

First, I'm confused as to how Paramount holds the rights to ANY of their films from the 1930s and 1940s since I thought they were all sold to MCA years ago.

Second, could the omission of SMILING LIEUTENANT mean that another company owns it? Maybe Janus?

This is a stretch, but if someone can clear up the MCA question let me know.
I was wondering the same thing when Sturges's Miracle of Morgan's Creek came out a couple of years ago. A 1944 title release by Paramount? I believe their oldest title on DVD till Morgan is Sorry, Wrong Number from 1948. Please correct if I'm wrong.

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justeleblanc
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#66 Post by justeleblanc » Thu May 03, 2007 1:12 pm

From Wikipedia:
When the talent agency Music Corporation of America (better known as MCA), then wielding major influence on Paramount policy, offered $50 million for 750 pre-1950 features (with payment to be spread over many years), it was thought that Paramount had made the best possible deal. To address anti-trust concerns, MCA set up a separate company, EMKA, Ltd., to peddle these films (which also included State of the Union) to television. MCA later admitted that over the next forty years it took in more than a billion dollars in rentals of these supposedly worthless pictures. MCA later purchased the US branch of Decca Records, which owned Universal Studios (now a part of NBC Universal), and thus Universal now holds these films, though EMKA continues to hold the copyright.

Several other feature films ended up in U.M.&M./NTA's possession, yet others had been retained by Paramount due to other rights issues (such as The Miracle of Morgan's Creek). As for Paramount's silent features, some still are under Paramount ownership, but many others are either lost or in the public domain. Also, one additional pre-1950 film, the 1931 version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, was sold to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 who filmed a remake that same year - this film is also now owned by Warner Bros./Turner Entertainment.
Still, why would they re-take some but not ALL of the Lubitsch's?

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Matt
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#67 Post by Matt » Thu May 03, 2007 1:59 pm

Paramount owns The Miracle of Morgan's Creek because they retained the rights to make Rock-a-Bye Baby in 1958.

Whatever source told you that Paramount owns the rights to The Love Parade, One Hour With You, and Angel is (unless something really unusual has happened with these titles and no one knows about it) misinformed. The first two titles (along with The Smiling Lieutenant)were released, by Universal, in the Lubitsch laserdisc box set only 10 years ago. Angel was available on VHS, from Universal, until just a few years ago.

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justeleblanc
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#68 Post by justeleblanc » Thu May 03, 2007 2:28 pm

Matt wrote:Paramount owns The Miracle of Morgan's Creek because they retained the rights to make Rock-a-Bye Baby in 1958.

Whatever source told you that Paramount owns the rights to The Love Parade, One Hour With You, and Angel is (unless something really unusual has happened with these titles and no one knows about it) misinformed. The first two titles (along with The Smiling Lieutenant)were released, by Universal, in the Lubitsch laserdisc box set only 10 years ago. Angel was available on VHS, from Universal, until just a few years ago.
This came from Paramount's directory of titles to which they own the rights. I also remember the Laserdisc set.

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Matt
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#69 Post by Matt » Thu May 03, 2007 3:47 pm

justeleblanc wrote:This came from Paramount's directory of titles to which they own the rights. I also remember the Laserdisc set.
Okay, it's clear neither of us is going to change the other's mind (not that either of us are in a position of authority on this matter anyway), but I will submit to you another piece of evidence:

Just this past February, the Pacific Film Archive ran a Lubitsch retrospective. Though the prints came from the UCLA Film Archive, permission for the screenings of The Love Parade and One Hour With You came from Universal.

Considering all of the DVDs that have been announced by studios and then withdrawn after they were informed that they didn't own the rights, I wouldn't necessarily trust any studio to know what they actually own.

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justeleblanc
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#70 Post by justeleblanc » Thu May 03, 2007 4:03 pm

Matt wrote:Considering all of the DVDs that have been announced by studios and then withdrawn after they were informed that they didn't own the rights, I wouldn't necessarily trust any studio to know what they actually own.
Solid point, considering Paramount was a recent offender. I'll withdraw my excitement over the Lubitsch.

If only Time Warner would just BUY Universal and be done with it.

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Matt
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#71 Post by Matt » Thu May 03, 2007 4:09 pm

justeleblanc wrote:I'll withdraw my excitement over the Lubitsch.
No need to withdraw it, just temper it; The Smiling Lieutenant and One Hour With You have been on the forthcoming Criterion list for a while now (as licenses from Universal).

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justeleblanc
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#72 Post by justeleblanc » Thu May 03, 2007 4:50 pm

Matt wrote:
justeleblanc wrote:I'll withdraw my excitement over the Lubitsch.
No need to withdraw it, just temper it; The Smiling Lieutenant and One Hour With You have been on the forthcoming Criterion list for a while now (as licenses from Universal).
I literally had a dream once where Criterion released these two titles and the DVDs kept slipping out of my hands when I tried to open them. Sigh.

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Matt
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#73 Post by Matt » Thu May 03, 2007 5:34 pm

justeleblanc wrote:I literally had a dream once where Criterion released these two titles and the DVDs kept slipping out of my hands when I tried to open them. Sigh.
It is appalling that, ten years into the format, these have not been released on DVD. Even recycled laserdisc masters would be better than nothing (though that's not to say we wouldn't gripe loudly about them just the same).

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Cinephrenic
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#74 Post by Cinephrenic » Wed Jun 06, 2007 6:36 pm

Damn what's next, Chinatown?

If they can get Days of Heaven, then there a possibility for older Paramount catalog titles such as Schlesinger's Day of the Locust or Marathon Man, Frankenheimer's Seconds or Seven Days in May. Or Lumet's The Parallax View or even Altman's Nashville. I'm excited about this deal.

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oldsheperd
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#75 Post by oldsheperd » Wed Jun 06, 2007 7:00 pm

Lumet didn't do Parallax View. That was Alan Pakula

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