Criterion and Paramount

News on Criterion and Janus Films.
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
PfR73
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2005 6:07 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#751 Post by PfR73 » Thu Oct 10, 2013 11:50 am

captveg wrote:Reds already has a pretty good Blu-ray release via Paramount, though, which Criterion would be hard pressed to top.
Lossless audio.

User avatar
Gregory
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:07 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#752 Post by Gregory » Thu Oct 10, 2013 12:10 pm

boywonder wrote:Just why would Criterion want either of the these two Scorsese hagiographies? It would make more sense to talk Mr. Jagger into giving the OK to the release the oft bootlegged and infinitely more interesting "Cocksucker Blues" by American photographer and filmmaker Robert Frank. It is a document in and of its time, and a reminder that at least up to 1972 the Rolling Stones functioned as a relevant and vibrant force in rock music. Don't waste spine numbers on inferior work by superior directors!
Steidl were unable to include it in their "Complete" Film Works series of Robert Frank DVDs as they'd planned to do, so I'd think that's not a possibility.

Reds is out of print and needs a new Blu-ray release, and it should not be difficult at all to top the Paramount release with a newer transfer.

User avatar
warren oates
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2012 12:16 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#753 Post by warren oates » Thu Oct 10, 2013 12:19 pm

The unavailability of Cocksucker Blues on home video is, at this point, just retarded. If anything, the fact that the Stones are still touring should make them want to release it. It's the ultimate historical document of rockstar excess. But there's nothing at all in it to embarrass them now. Steidl didn't even get it? Lame. Btw, anyone who wants to see how that excellent art book publisher goes about his daily business should check out the doc How To Make A Book With Steidl.

boywonder
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2013 8:24 am

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#754 Post by boywonder » Fri Oct 11, 2013 2:15 am

warren oates wrote:The unavailability of Cocksucker Blues on home video is, at this point, just retarded. If anything, the fact that the Stones are still touring should make them want to release it. It's the ultimate historical document of rockstar excess. But there's nothing at all in it to embarrass them now. Steidl didn't even get it? Lame. Btw, anyone who wants to see how that excellent art book publisher goes about his daily business should check out the doc How To Make A Book With Steidl.
I could easily be wrong but I don't think the problem with the release came from Robert Frank or his publisher Steidl. I once heard Frank talk before a showing of CB in the very early 80's. He said the Stones commissioned and owned the film. He was only able to show the film if he, Frank, was at the screening. It seems that with today's current music vids ("Blurred Lines, "Work Bitch, i.e.) The Stones approval of this release could only help their now very tired and bloated juggernaut of a tour machine!

User avatar
MoonlitKnight
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:44 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#755 Post by MoonlitKnight » Wed Oct 16, 2013 7:30 am

captveg wrote:Reds already has a pretty good Blu-ray release via Paramount, though, which Criterion would be hard pressed to top.
Having the entire film all on one disc wouldn't hurt. :-"

User avatar
TMDaines
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:01 pm
Location: Stretford, Manchester

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#756 Post by TMDaines » Wed Nov 13, 2013 8:25 am

AfterTheRain wrote:With Carlo Lizzani's recent passing, I wonder if Criterion would be interested in The Violent Four (AKA Bandits in Milan) for release as a pairing with Bitter Rice (which he worked on as a screenwriter).
That would be one bizarre double-bill! Banditi a Milano does need a release somewhere though, despite the efforts of enthusiasts online.

User avatar
John Hodson
Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:25 pm
Location: Near dark satanic mills...
Contact:

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#757 Post by John Hodson » Wed Nov 13, 2013 11:56 am

PfR73 wrote:
captveg wrote:Reds already has a pretty good Blu-ray release via Paramount, though, which Criterion would be hard pressed to top.
Lossless audio.
Dolby TrueHD English track on Paramount's Italian release.

User avatar
PfR73
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2005 6:07 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#758 Post by PfR73 » Wed Nov 13, 2013 1:13 pm

Yeah, but no extras. Way to go, Paramount.

Zaki
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 11:36 am

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#759 Post by Zaki » Mon Nov 18, 2013 2:29 pm

Is it conceivable that the R-1 OOP Artists and Models (1955) be released by Criterion given their recent Paramount licensing? Or, is there any indication that WB will re-release it on DVD, as they did with other Paramount titles? It is quite unfortunate that this Tashlin masterpiece is not available on Blu-Ray, let alone available at all in R-1, while it seems unlikely that Paramount itself will release it anytime soon.

User avatar
Matt
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#760 Post by Matt » Mon Nov 18, 2013 2:48 pm

A more likely home for further Jerry Lewis releases would be Olive.

Zaki
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 11:36 am

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#761 Post by Zaki » Mon Nov 18, 2013 9:02 pm

Matt wrote:A more likely home for further Jerry Lewis releases would be Olive.
Thanks, Matt. I'm aware of Olive's Lewis releases, but given the fact that Artists and Models is among Tashlin's best works and a genuine masterpiece, I entertain the hopes that CC would show greater interest to license it.

User avatar
Matt
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#762 Post by Matt » Mon Nov 18, 2013 11:07 pm

They've had access to other, more well-known, Tashlins via Fox for years and haven't shown any interest. I wouldn't expect anything now.

User avatar
Moe Dickstein
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:19 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#763 Post by Moe Dickstein » Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:52 am

Exactly. They'd grab Rock Hunter first.

ianungstad
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 9:20 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#764 Post by ianungstad » Fri Nov 29, 2013 1:17 am

I wonder if Criterion might be interested in licensing the 1923 slient version of Cecil DeMille's The Ten Commandments. It was only included as a bonus feature on the special edition dvd of the 1956 version. Paramount licensed the 1956 version to Warner Brothers but the silent version is MIA. Might finally be due for a standalone release?

User avatar
chatterjees
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 6:08 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Contact:

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#765 Post by chatterjees » Fri Nov 29, 2013 2:24 am

I am wondering about few titles for a long time now - Is Paris Burning? (1968), A Place in the Sun (1951), Hud (1963), Detective Story (1951) and The Tin Star (1958). I hope they get the treatment they deserve one day.

ianungstad
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 9:20 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#766 Post by ianungstad » Fri Nov 29, 2013 2:40 am

Hud was reissued by Warner Brothers but the rest are theoretically up for grabs.

User avatar
Askew
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 4:23 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#767 Post by Askew » Fri Nov 29, 2013 8:50 am

I believe The Tin Star is now in the Warner Archive Collection.

shiftyeyes
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 9:51 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#768 Post by shiftyeyes » Sun Dec 01, 2013 11:40 pm

ianungstad wrote:I wonder if Criterion might be interested in licensing the 1923 slient version of Cecil DeMille's The Ten Commandments. It was only included as a bonus feature on the special edition dvd of the 1956 version. Paramount licensed the 1956 version to Warner Brothers but the silent version is MIA. Might finally be due for a standalone release?
WB re-released the big Ten Commandments Blu-ray box set earlier this year and it still includes the 1923 version on a bonus Blu-ray disc with a commentary and tinted sequences as extras.

User avatar
FrauBlucher
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:28 pm
Location: Greenwich Village

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#769 Post by FrauBlucher » Sun Dec 01, 2013 11:48 pm

chatterjees wrote:I am wondering about few titles for a long time now - Is Paris Burning? (1968), A Place in the Sun (1951), Hud (1963), Detective Story (1951) and The Tin Star (1958). I hope they get the treatment they deserve one day.
I believe George Stevens Jr is overseeing the restoration of A Place in The Sun as per an interview he gave.

ianungstad
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 9:20 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#770 Post by ianungstad » Sat Dec 21, 2013 8:14 pm

TCM aired The Stepford Wives last night. I think there has been some debate if Paramount still held the rights to this and possibly the other Palomar titles. The Paramount logo opened the screening on TCM so they still seem to have the rights.

Considering that the old dvd is fetching big bucks and hasn't been reissued by Warner Brothers and Criterion already holding the rights to a few films by Bryan Forbes; I would flag this as a strong candidate as one of the titles licensed to Criterion.

User avatar
colinr0380
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:30 pm
Location: Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, UK

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#771 Post by colinr0380 » Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:44 am

Not to mention the Ira Levin connection with Rosemary's Baby - the films are structured very similarly, even down to final scenes of the woman exploring a house, driven onwards by the cries of her child!

User avatar
krnash
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:50 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#772 Post by krnash » Sun Dec 22, 2013 5:09 pm

Speaking of creepy Paramount titles overdue for a good R1 release, have we had any news, Criterion or otherwise, of a Don't Look Now blu-ray release?

User avatar
FrauBlucher
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:28 pm
Location: Greenwich Village

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#773 Post by FrauBlucher » Sat May 13, 2017 9:56 am

I was reading on one of the other forum's Mr Lime mentioning some deal between Bristol-Myers Squibb and Paramount. He said this deal makes it hard to deal with Paramount because they ask a lot for the licensing rights. This is new to me. Does anyone have any backstory on this and has this affected Criterion in deals with Paramount?

User avatar
captveg
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 7:28 pm

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#774 Post by captveg » Sat May 13, 2017 8:18 pm

No, what he meant was that BMS is still asking for a ton of money to license the original Sleuth, Heartbreak Kid and Stepford Wives. They feel they can ask for a ton because Paramount paid them a lot in the early 2000s to license them when they made their remakes. (Although IIRC the Sleuth remake was Sony). So now, any company that tries to license those titles from BMS is confronted with an out of date high licensing cost.

User avatar
FrauBlucher
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:28 pm
Location: Greenwich Village

Re: Criterion and Paramount

#775 Post by FrauBlucher » Sat May 13, 2017 8:29 pm

How did BMS get the rights in the first place?

Post Reply