Image and Criterion

News on Criterion and Janus Films.
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HistoryProf
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Re: Image Buys HVE / Nyx Acquisitions buys Image

#201 Post by HistoryProf » Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:25 am

why would they license blu ray rights to Criterion when they are releasing them on blu themselves? I know they are barebones, but it would be silly to allow a competing product. The old sDVDs are just that: old...so I doubt those matter much in terms of sales. Frankly, I'll be happy if these blus offer grand new transfers at the prices they are listed....should be able to get both for $20-25 total.

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kaujot
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Re: Image Buys HVE / Nyx Acquisitions buys Image

#202 Post by kaujot » Fri Jun 25, 2010 2:21 am

They were doing it when the 8 1/2 discs were new, as well. It's sort of like Criterion and the Essential Arthouse series.

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dwk
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Re: Image Buys HVE / Nyx Acquisitions buys Image

#203 Post by dwk » Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:57 am

I can think of a reason for Image to license these to Criterion. Criterion makes up a large portion of Image's revenue and, if I remember correctly, Image owes Criterion some money. It is in Image's best interest to keep Criterion happy and letting them release special editions of these films (or even letting Criterion keep the current editions in print) would be a smart move.

Anyway, the early word on Time Bandits is that it is an interlaced transfer, so I wouldn't expect great quality from Image's Handmade Films Blu-Rays.

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Re: Image Buys HVE / Nyx Acquisitions buys Image

#204 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:27 pm

From their Facebook, in response to a question about the HandMade titles
We want to keep you informed, but when we don't have anything concrete to say, we don't say anything. For now those titles are still in print, and we hope they'll stay that way.

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Cinephrenic
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Re: Image Buys HVE / Nyx Acquisitions buys Image

#205 Post by Cinephrenic » Tue Jun 29, 2010 10:46 pm

Could they have been any more vague.

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Re: Image Buys HVE / Nyx Acquisitions buys Image

#206 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Tue Jun 29, 2010 11:52 pm

Maybe

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Cinephrenic
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Re: Image and Criterion

#207 Post by Cinephrenic » Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:54 am

We could tell you, but then we would have to kill you.

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Matt
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Re: Image and Criterion

#208 Post by Matt » Mon Aug 30, 2010 3:49 pm


ianungstad
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Re: Image and Criterion

#209 Post by ianungstad » Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:11 pm

It was announced today that Image Entertainment bought home video and theatrical rights to Passion Play at the Toronto International film festival. Apparently they paid $1 million for it. I hope they can recoup the money and make a small profit, since they are still not a profitable company and are only a few bad moves from bankruptcy.

The film, starring Mickey Rourke, Megan Fox and Bill Murray got TERRIBLE reviews. People were walking out of the screening.

What I find interesting about this acquisition is that Image was apparently bidding on a number of films at Toronto, trying to compete with the studio-backed speciality divisions. They were close to nabbing the Will Ferrell drama "Everything Must Go" but ultimately lost to Roadside/Lionsgate. Image seems to be overhauling their theatrical division trying to morph it into something more interesting than the Geena Davis/Jennifer Aniston/Helen Hunt direct to dvd shit they've previously released.

Depending on the quality of the movies they pick up and the amount of muscle they are willing to put behind the restructuring of Image theatrical, they could have success being a new player in the specialty film division. If they can get good movies, Criterion may even want to get involved on the dvd/blu side of things.

I actually sent them an email saying that they should join forces with IFC films (like Roadside/Lionsgate) in nabbing these mid-priced films. Neither studio seems big enough to compete in that market on their own and collaborating may allow them to get a foot in the door for acquiring high ticket items.

Frankly I get the impression that whoever is doing the buying at Image doesn't seem to know a lot about movies, which is kind of scary. If they wanted to sink some big bucks on a film with mainstream potential, why not something like The Rum Diaries or A Dangerous Method, etc.

Word of mouth on Passion Play is going to be poisonous. Blech.

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Cold Bishop
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Re: Image and Criterion

#210 Post by Cold Bishop » Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:02 am

I disagree, to some degree. Most of the bad reviews for Passion Play make it sound more interesting than the good ones. It definitely sounds like it desperately needs some more post-production work, and who knows how much cash Image has for that. And it'll unlikely be a blockbuster. But I still think it's possible to play a good hand with this.

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Matt
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Re: Image and Criterion

#211 Post by Matt » Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:42 am

Isn't that how Image got into trouble in the first place, blowing money on theatrical distribution rights for films that should have gone direct-to-DVD?

(originally linked to by Tribe here)

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Tribe
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Re: Image and Criterion

#212 Post by Tribe » Tue Sep 21, 2010 8:29 pm

Matt wrote:Isn't that how Image got into trouble in the first place, blowing money on theatrical distribution rights for films that should have gone direct-to-DVD?

(originally linked to by Tribe here)
It really doesn't make any sense. Image, as part of its distribution network, has historically distributed straight-to-dvd releases...why in the world they want to get into the producing end of stuff that's going straight to DVD is utterly bizarre.

HarryLong
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Re: Image and Criterion

#213 Post by HarryLong » Wed Sep 22, 2010 1:27 pm

Even video distributors who have tried going into theatrical distribution with non-DTV product have not fared well. I'm thinking Vestron ...

ianungstad
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Re: Image and Criterion

#214 Post by ianungstad » Tue Oct 12, 2010 9:57 pm

Mike Carver who runs the dvdlist database and compiles weekly lists of titles that go out of print made an interesting comment about the Sony titles that went of print this week.

This is the list so far of Image's re-releases of Columbia Tri/Star & Sony Picture titles -- slated for 12/07/2010. Note that some of the Image releases look to be Pan & Scan only (even though the Columiba/Sony releases had both Anamorphic w/ Pan & Scan versions).

I have to wonder how much the new management at Image actually know or care about movies. These come out in a few weeks. According to amazon, the Image release of The Fisher King is sitting at the lofty position of 137,103 on the sales chart. I think Image should be calling Criterion ASAP to get these done right.

HarryLong
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Re: Image and Criterion

#215 Post by HarryLong » Wed Oct 13, 2010 10:26 am

ianungstad wrote:Note that some of the Image releases look to be Pan & Scan only
Well that just baffles science...

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Minkin
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Re: Image and Criterion

#216 Post by Minkin » Wed Oct 13, 2010 10:35 am

Forget House, Criterion needs to get Infra-man from Image.

On the news above, maybe Image needs another bankruptcy.

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Re: Image and Criterion

#217 Post by ianungstad » Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:11 am

I asked Image about the Handmade film titles. They said that they would be happy to discuss new editions of those films with Criterion but that Criterion has not approached them about this at all. They expect to work out a deal when Criterion's rights to those films come up for renewal.

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Tribe
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Re: Image and Criterion

#218 Post by Tribe » Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:36 am

Minkin wrote: On the news above, maybe Image needs another bankruptcy.
I don't believe Image actually filed a petition in Bankruptcy. They were certainly threatening that, if I recall correctly.

In any event, Image's business model these days appears to be broken what with appears to be focusing on the financing of the production of films that go straight to DVD, rather than what was their historic strength, namely, the distribution of DVDs and/or its distribution network. I understand the DVD distribution business isn't growing for anyone, but what they are trying to accomplish lately is puzzling.

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Re: Image and Criterion

#219 Post by Tribe » Thu Nov 11, 2010 3:40 pm

Image back from the dead?
Ten months after Image Entertainment was considered DOA by most industry observers, new CEO Ted Green was in New York recently talking up the Chatsworth, Calif.-based distributor to a group of investors — the company’s first show-and-tell since 2006.

“We’re an example of a company which earlier this year was given up for dead,” Green said, alluding to a fiscal state that prompted a pennies-on-the-dollar majority sale of the Image to San Francisco-based investment company JH Holdings.

The newly restructured company employs 70 (instead of 110) and is focused on acquiring product, rights and smaller players — not distribution. Annual break-even for Image now hovers around $80 million, compared with $129 million previously, according to Green.

“We outsource as much as we can, from art to packaging and distribution,” he said.

This summer, Image inked a manufacturing/distribution deal with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, the latter granting Image license rights to 60 of its proprietary titles.

“We regard this as a real good housekeeping seal of approval for [Sony] to give up [select] repertoire and let us control it,” Green said.

The CEO said video-on-demand (VOD) and digital distribution revenue continue to skyrocket, with the category representing 15% of current revenue.

The company’s portfolio includes 3,000 exclusive DVD/Blu-ray titles, 340 CD titles, and digital rights to 2,100 programs. It releases 15-to-20 disc titles monthly, which include VOD, digital and broadcast.

Recent content acquisitions from the Toronto Film Festival included Passion Play, with Bill Murray, Megan Fox and Mickey Rourke; Every Day, starring Helen Hunt; and Gun, with 50 Cent and Val Kilmer.

“We are distribution agnostic,” Green said. “We want to control the rights; we want to control the company. Frankly, we are too small of a player compared to the big Hollywood players to influence how things are being distributed.”

Revenue drivers include 28% from proprietary titles, 28% from the Criterion Collection, 21% special interest, 18% from comedy, 9% from TV and 6% from music.

“Criterion represents over $25 million in annual billing to us,” Green said.

Instead of competing with the major studios, Green said Image is going after the independent film market, which includes distributing George Harrison’s Handmade Films, New Films International, One Village Entertainment, and acquiring Madacy Home Video (its first rollup).

Indeed, the CEO cited urban label One Village as a particularly strong niche supplier to Wal-mart and Target. He said the major retailers target urban titles — notably converted stage plays made popular by Lionsgate and Tyler Perry — to 700 of their stores.

“While Wal-Mart might not buy a stage play for all 3,000 stores, it will buy it for these 700 stores,” Green said. “And it is good business for us.”

The executive reiterated that packaged media still represented 80% of Image’s — and most major studios — revenue, despite the hype surrounding digital distribution

“Image has actually come back quite nicely from the dead,” Green said.

ianungstad
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Re: Image and Criterion

#220 Post by ianungstad » Thu Nov 11, 2010 4:21 pm

More like treading water. They still have a negative eps and overall sales are still in relatively steep decline. They still have a fairly substantial amount of debt. They will probably break even when the numbers for the current quarter come out in the next week or two but that's mostly from cutbacks and outsourcing.

They've been buying a lot of films for theatrical release in 2011 which is going to get them back into trouble:

Every Day - Lame title, stars Helen Hunt who is box office poison. No buzz, most people probably have never even heard of it. Giving a theatrical release to any film with Helen Hunt strikes me as foolish.

Passion Play - Was the worst reviewed film from the Toronto International film festival next to What's the Matter with Virgina?, clips from the movie indicates a niche film with nonexistent mainstream appeal.

The Resident - Possibly the only title that could maybe find some success. The sophomore film from the new Hammer Films stars Hilary Swank and Christopher Lee and actually looks like a fun little thriller. The debut film from the current incarnation of Hammer Films, Let Me In was a dud at the US box office in spite of generally excellent reviews.

Sean Fahey

Re: Image and Criterion

#221 Post by Sean Fahey » Sun Nov 14, 2010 2:59 pm

My understanding is that Image still owns the rights to "Breaker Morant," correct? I also understand "Breaker Morant" was a Criterion laser disc.

In a perfect world, this film will make its way to Criterion DVD. One can hope.

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Re: Image and Criterion

#222 Post by Tribe » Mon Nov 22, 2010 11:53 am

Apparently Image has acquired the rights to The Fisher King, The Age of Innocence, Adaptation, and To Die For, and will be releasing them in December at bargain prices.

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Minkin
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Re: Image and Criterion

#223 Post by Minkin » Mon Nov 22, 2010 1:08 pm

I hope Image is going to pass along some of their acquisitions. It would make sense to pull a Universal/Criterion and have Image release their bargain version and then a full Criterion a year or so later. I mean, how much money are they making pawning off copies of Time Bandits for six dollars?

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Tribe
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Re: Image and Criterion

#224 Post by Tribe » Tue Nov 23, 2010 1:24 am

Image will also be releasing in December William Wyler's The Collector and The People Vs. Larry Flynt. These titles, along with the ones I mentioned in my previous posting, were all previously released on DVD by Columbia Tri-Star.

Not sure if there's some fire sale going on for these and other Columbia Tri-Star releases, but I'm not certain why Criterion couldn't have grabbed some of these titles. Unless, Image might have acquired them with some view on re-selling the rights to Criterion...but then again, I'm not sure Criterion and Image are doing too much business lately.

EDIT: Actually, there has been some previous news about this over on the Criterion/Sony thread.

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domino harvey
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Re: Image and Criterion

#225 Post by domino harvey » Tue Nov 23, 2010 6:22 pm

The Collector is a better Fowles'-based film than French Lieutenant's Woman, even if it pretty much throws the whole point of the book to the wind

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