Criterion and Sony

News on Criterion and Janus Films.
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Matt
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: Criterion and Sony

#476 Post by Matt » Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:21 am

This is fantastic news. I do hope a distribution relationship with one major studio does not jeopardize Criterion's relationships with others (Universal, Fox). I wouldn't really expect so, but then again it seems that half of the business decisions in Hollywood are made out of spite.

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Jeff
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 9:49 pm
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Re: Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol.

#477 Post by Jeff » Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:22 am

Harmonov wrote:Is Linklater's Midnight Trilogy now in play?
No more so than before. Criterion has been licensing Sony films for a few years now, and I'm sure they'd love to handle Before Midnight. The first two films still belong to Warner though.
Matt wrote:This is fantastic news. I do hope a distribution relationship with one major studio does not jeopardize Criterion's relationships with others (Universal, Fox). I wouldn't really expect so, but then again it seems that half of the business decisions in Hollywood are made out of spite.
I don't think it will. It's all one big key party of rights and distribution in the home media world these days. Fox distributes for MGM, Warner distributes for Paramount, dogs and cats living together, etc.

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bainbridgezu
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 10:54 pm

Re: Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol.

#478 Post by bainbridgezu » Tue Nov 05, 2013 12:17 pm

ianungstad wrote:Who wants to bet that this will result in Criterion releasing first run titles from Sony Classics in the not too distant future.
Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive would be a great place to start.

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FrauBlucher
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Re: Criterion and Sony

#479 Post by FrauBlucher » Tue Nov 05, 2013 12:29 pm

This is tremendous news. Plus, I would expect Grover Crisp to play a role in CC's restoration endeavors.

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Drucker
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Re: Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol.

#480 Post by Drucker » Tue Nov 05, 2013 12:37 pm

bainbridgezu wrote:
ianungstad wrote:Who wants to bet that this will result in Criterion releasing first run titles from Sony Classics in the not too distant future.
Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive would be a great place to start.
And hopefully The Lady From Shanghai 4k Restoration isn't too far behind.

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FrauBlucher
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Re: Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol.

#481 Post by FrauBlucher » Tue Nov 05, 2013 12:49 pm

Drucker wrote:And hopefully The Lady From Shanghai 4k Restoration isn't too far behind.
And hopefully, some of Capra's best.

britcom68

Re: Criterion and Sony

#482 Post by britcom68 » Tue Nov 05, 2013 12:54 pm

Besides using the new Sony deal for releasing Tootsie and The Big Chill, are there any other titles that Sony is known to be working with Criterion at the moment which have not been announced or authoritatively rumored? We'd all love The Lady from Shanghai, but that could go the way of From Here to Eternity and be released directly by Sony themselves.

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Sandman
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:33 am

Re: Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol.

#483 Post by Sandman » Tue Nov 05, 2013 1:00 pm

And hopefully The Lady From Shanghai 4k Restoration isn't too far behind.
Amen to that!

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FrauBlucher
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Re: Criterion and Sony

#484 Post by FrauBlucher » Tue Nov 05, 2013 1:12 pm


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Finch
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Re: Criterion and Sony

#485 Post by Finch » Tue Nov 05, 2013 1:28 pm

His Girl Friday, A Lonely Place, The Man From Laramie, The Tall T, and Black Book please.

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chatterjees
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Re: Criterion and Sony

#486 Post by chatterjees » Tue Nov 05, 2013 1:35 pm

Finch wrote:His Girl Friday, A Lonely Place, The Man From Laramie, The Tall T, and Black Book please.
The Man From Laramie has been confirmed as coming from TT in 2014. If you meant In a Lonely Place (1950), then
Criterion has already confirmed that they don't have it in the last year's Wexner talk.

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jindianajonz
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Re: Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol.

#487 Post by jindianajonz » Tue Nov 05, 2013 2:10 pm

The Criterion Collection features more than 150 movies.
Well, I guess technically this is a true statement

Perkins Cobb
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:49 pm

Re: Criterion and Sony

#488 Post by Perkins Cobb » Tue Nov 05, 2013 2:46 pm

How is Sony handling distribution for Criterion different than when Image did it? It's just back-end stuff, right? Obviously it confirms that Criterion and Sony have a cozy relationship at the moment but we already knew that. Am I missing something more newsworthy about this announcement?

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FrauBlucher
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Re: Criterion and Sony

#489 Post by FrauBlucher » Tue Nov 05, 2013 3:30 pm

Perkins Cobb wrote:How is Sony handling distribution for Criterion different than when Image did it? It's just back-end stuff, right? Obviously it confirms that Criterion and Sony have a cozy relationship at the moment but we already knew that. Am I missing something more newsworthy about this announcement?
I think it just confirms that the relationship between Sony and CC will allow more Sony titles to be handled by CC. And this has probably been in the works for a long time. CC would get to release many Sony titles (Anatomy for a Murder, On The Waterfront, 5:10 to Zuma and more) and CC would sign a distribution deal when the one with Image ends. Remember, Sony has given up their own distribution rights to Mill Creek and TT on titles they would not be interested releasing on their own. It is all very interesting.

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

Re: Criterion and Sony

#490 Post by ianungstad » Tue Nov 05, 2013 4:09 pm

Sony will license a lot more to Criterion because they've just doubled their profits. Sony would get cash from licensing and royalties plus their markup for distribution. It is in their own financial interest to do so. (with niche titles)

I think we've already seen this start to take place. When Sony discontinued thousands of releases this summer; I don't think they nixed titles like The White Ribbon and Waltz with Bashir because they licensed them to Mill Creek.

giovannii84
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Re: Criterion and Sony

#491 Post by giovannii84 » Tue Nov 05, 2013 4:20 pm

Hoping we get some Rita Hayworth classics like Gilda, Lady from Shanghai & Miss Sadie Thompson

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Moe Dickstein
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Re: Criterion and Sony

#492 Post by Moe Dickstein » Tue Nov 05, 2013 4:39 pm

I think Sadie Thompson might go to TT

giovannii84
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Re: Criterion and Sony

#493 Post by giovannii84 » Tue Nov 05, 2013 4:51 pm

:(

Shame. Criterion could have given it a good release & bundled "Rain" with Joan Crawford as an extra.

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

Re: Criterion and Sony

#494 Post by Moe Dickstein » Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:38 pm

CC also haven't shown any more interest in 3D either...

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Cinephrenic
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Re: Criterion and Sony

#495 Post by Cinephrenic » Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:39 pm

Holy shit, somebody opened the flood gates

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Jeff
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Re: Criterion and Sony

#496 Post by Jeff » Tue Nov 05, 2013 6:01 pm

Perkins Cobb wrote:How is Sony handling distribution for Criterion different than when Image did it? It's just back-end stuff, right? Obviously it confirms that Criterion and Sony have a cozy relationship at the moment but we already knew that. Am I missing something more newsworthy about this announcement?
Agreed. This arrangement doesn't really have anything to do with licensing. Criterion is simply paying an annual fee for Sony to replicate, house, and distribute their discs for them. Sony will get the same distribution fee from Criterion no matter who the titles were licensed from. Yes, if Sony licenses a title to Criterion, they'll get their usual royalties for that title, but that's always been the case. I can guarantee that Grover Crisp, who already has his hands full with Sony properties, won't be farmed out to Janus to help them restore their stuff.

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Moe Dickstein
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Re: Criterion and Sony

#497 Post by Moe Dickstein » Tue Nov 05, 2013 6:31 pm

Wonder if this means no more packages from KY

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Minkin
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 11:13 pm

Re: Criterion and Sony

#498 Post by Minkin » Tue Nov 05, 2013 6:50 pm

Moe Dickstein wrote:Wonder if this means no more packages from KY
MY thoughts exactly! I really hope Sony's warehouse isn't in California. Best part of Criterion's site sales = no sales tax.

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zedz
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm

Re: Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol.

#499 Post by zedz » Tue Nov 05, 2013 7:23 pm

John Doe wrote:"[. . .]The Criterion Collection features more than 150 movies. [. . .]"
Why yes it does. It also features more than twelve movies and more than seven hundred.

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

Re: Criterion and Sony

#500 Post by Moe Dickstein » Tue Nov 05, 2013 8:52 pm

Minkin wrote:
Moe Dickstein wrote:Wonder if this means no more packages from KY
MY thoughts exactly! I really hope Sony's warehouse isn't in California. Best part of Criterion's site sales = no sales tax.
It sure ain't in Tokyo...

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