Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

News on Criterion and Janus Films.
Post Reply
Message
Author
beamish13
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2007 5:31 am

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#301 Post by beamish13 » Wed Mar 19, 2014 2:24 am

Has anyone ever heard rumblings of Criterion picking up AT PLAY IN THE FIELDS OF THE LORD from Universal?
That studio is just sitting on so many great movies: CLOSET LAND, PLAY IT AS IT LAYS, RED SKY AT MORNING, the 1949 noir-tinged GREAT GATSBY...

User avatar
hearthesilence
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:22 am
Location: NYC

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#302 Post by hearthesilence » Wed Mar 19, 2014 11:41 am

onedimension wrote:Does Universal hold the rights to all the Sternberg/Dietrich collaborations in the U.S.? They're all out on mediocre DVDs- would love to see Criterion put a jumbo box together..
FWIW, aren't most (if not all) of those films Paramount releases? I thought the negatives were long destroyed for all the Paramount films from that era that were later sold to Universal, so the best sources extant are all dupes of varying quality?

flyonthewall2983
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 3:31 pm
Location: Indiana
Contact:

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#303 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Mon Jun 01, 2015 10:45 pm

Just throwing this out there, but I'd like to see Criterion get their hands on Strange Days. Fox has never really done much with it, it has earned something of a cult following since, and it's director has since become recognized more for her talent then back then.

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

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#304 Post by colinr0380 » Thu Jun 04, 2015 7:09 pm

I'm a fan of Strange Days too, and while obviously dated in its millennial setting that also helps it to work as an interesting snapshot of 1990s cultural influences (even down to Juliette Lewis and Tom Sizemore turning up to add a bit of Natural Born Killers dangerously edgy support into to the mix just a year after the Oliver Stone film!). I also think this works as a great double bill with the other experience sharing machine sci-fi film Brainstorm, though while Brainstorm narrows down in its final act into a viscerally emotional experience of engaging with loved ones, Strange Days doesn't reproduce the same one-on-one physical connection (in other words you don't die yourself if you replay the experience of someone else dying in Bigelow's film!), but instead uses its sci-fi device as a way of looking at how captured, 'private' images affect society when they get broadcast more widely, with the film continually, impressively expanding its scope ever wider.

(By the way, I wonder if the serial killer subplot is meant to be a homage to the killer's motives in Blow Out?)

User avatar
Aunt Peg
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 5:30 am

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#305 Post by Aunt Peg » Sat Jun 06, 2015 6:24 am

beamish13 wrote:Has anyone ever heard rumblings of Criterion picking up AT PLAY IN THE FIELDS OF THE LORD from Universal?
That studio is just sitting on so many great movies: CLOSET LAND, PLAY IT AS IT LAYS, RED SKY AT MORNING, the 1949 noir-tinged GREAT GATSBY...
I believe that music right issues are preventing a release of Red Sky at Morning. If I recall correctly this information came from Richard Thomas.

flyonthewall2983
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 3:31 pm
Location: Indiana
Contact:

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#306 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Thu Jul 16, 2015 10:34 pm

How long has Universal been licensing titles out? It feels that of all the major studios they've been with them the longest.

User avatar
Ashirg
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:10 am
Location: Atlanta

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#307 Post by Ashirg » Fri Jul 17, 2015 12:15 am

Of the studios still with them, Universal is the longest (Brazil - July 1999). Orion was since almost the beginning - This Is Spinal Tap and The Silence of the Lambs - July 1998. Also Touchstone/Buena Vista with Armageddon since April 1999, but I'm unsure of their current status.

User avatar
cdnchris
Site Admin
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:45 pm
Location: Washington
Contact:

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#308 Post by cdnchris » Fri Jul 17, 2015 2:08 pm

Their relationship with Universal has certainly been the most fruitful one they have, with the most titles (45 or so I believe), and spilled over from the LaserDisc days.

According the licensing information on their respective discs both This is Spinal Tap and Sid & Nancy were licensed from New Line (also one they had in the LaserDisc days), so of the majors I guess you could argue that they have the oldest relationship, and the announcement of My Own Private Idaho suggests it's technically still there (albeit through Warner Bros. now). But it obviously hasn't been as steady as Universal. Disney was pretty good to them early on, too (again, it also started in the LaserDisc days where Disney basically contracted them for special editions), starting with Armageddon. They haven't licensed anything new since Chungking Express, opting just for Blu-ray reissues of previously released titles like the Andersons since then. Disney still seems willing to license stuff out so I'm curious why they haven't gone after some of their Touchstone and Hollywood library.

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

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#309 Post by FrauBlucher » Fri Jul 17, 2015 2:38 pm

Hopefully, Universal will let Criterion upgrade My Man Godrey with the 4k resto they are planning.

User avatar
ryannichols7
Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 2:26 pm

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#310 Post by ryannichols7 » Sat Jul 18, 2015 12:11 am

I'd have to imagine:

Written on the Wind
Missing
Trouble in Paradise
Walker
Spartacus
Do the Right Thing

will all come at some point soon as well. hopefully DTRT will look better than Universal's disc. not sure what others I forgot.

AfterTheRain
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:42 pm

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#311 Post by AfterTheRain » Sat Jul 18, 2015 1:27 am

ryannichols7 wrote:I'd have to imagine:

Written on the Wind
Missing
Trouble in Paradise
Walker
Spartacus
Do the Right Thing

will all come at some point soon as well. hopefully DTRT will look better than Universal's disc. not sure what others I forgot.
The Naked City and Brute Force would also be likely candidates as well.

User avatar
ryannichols7
Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 2:26 pm

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#312 Post by ryannichols7 » Sat Jul 18, 2015 1:09 pm

AfterTheRain wrote:
ryannichols7 wrote:I'd have to imagine:

Written on the Wind
Missing
Trouble in Paradise
Walker
Spartacus
Do the Right Thing

will all come at some point soon as well. hopefully DTRT will look better than Universal's disc. not sure what others I forgot.
The Naked City and Brute Force would also be likely candidates as well.
Scarlet Empress too.

given their rate of success with Universal I'm sure these will all be upgraded soon, and some new titles will be licensed from Focus

Lost in Translation (already has bluray but it's not great + could use some more special features)
Far From Heaven
Gosford Park
The Pianist
and many more, as we've mentioned in this thread

flyonthewall2983
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 3:31 pm
Location: Indiana
Contact:

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#313 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Tue Feb 14, 2017 6:51 pm

There's some speculation on Blu-ray.com that Heat could be released by Criterion. Fox is about to release a disc in Europe, but there's no word on a US release yet. I highly doubt it, but that there isn't a US release yet has made me at least curious as to what will happen with it.

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

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#314 Post by FrauBlucher » Tue Feb 14, 2017 6:55 pm

That would be one of those blockbuster titles for Criterion.

flyonthewall2983
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 3:31 pm
Location: Indiana
Contact:

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#315 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Tue Feb 14, 2017 7:01 pm

Someone suggested there that it could be Criterion's first UHD/4K disc title. It would be a hell of a place to start, especially as how striking I heard the new transfer is.

User avatar
mfunk9786
Under Chris' Protection
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#316 Post by mfunk9786 » Tue Feb 14, 2017 7:05 pm

I think it's more likely that Criterion upgrades Filmstruck streaming to UHD - I don't see any reason for them to involve themselves in another disc format, particularly one with such a tepid response from consumers.

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

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#317 Post by ianungstad » Tue Feb 14, 2017 7:17 pm

Arrow recently asked what Mann film fans would like to see them release. They just licensed Donnie Darko for the US from Fox; which is a pretty huge title. (Fox doesn't have UK rights) I personally thought they were teasing maybe a release of Crime Story from their Lakeshore Deal...but could be Heat.

Criterion would also be great. I just hope it doesn't go to Shout. I hate their menus and their lousy packaging. Also; no booklets.

User avatar
Ribs
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 1:14 pm

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#318 Post by Ribs » Tue Feb 14, 2017 7:24 pm

I think UHD has actually exceeded its expectations thus far, but I imagine it wasn't expected to do very great to begin with. As content fills in, Disney gets involved, and costs lower (both of which seem to be happening), I see no reason why the boutique labels wouldn't try and put their feet in the water.

I think the idea they'd start with Heat is a delusion, though - I think it's more fair to assume it'd be Shout, which at the least would hopefully be a slightly more jazzy version of this transfer than the apparently astonishingly adequate UK disc.

(That said - I could also imagine a situation where Criterion is the only label that *can* afford to do UHD)

flyonthewall2983
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 3:31 pm
Location: Indiana
Contact:

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#319 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Tue Feb 14, 2017 10:06 pm

Heat seems too much of a prestige title to go to Shout/Scream. They did an okay job with Manhunter, but Mann wasn't as directly involved with that (not in the new special features, though I'm pretty sure he supervised it's transfer). I'm surprised we're even having this conversation because I thought Fox would be on top of releasing this in North America first, let alone not behind the releases in Europe. I like the idea of Arrow putting it out, but I think the Donnie Darko release could be more indicative of the fact that the new transfer originated in their hands.

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

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#320 Post by TMDaines » Wed Feb 15, 2017 6:05 am

mfunk9786 wrote:I think it's more likely that Criterion upgrades Filmstruck streaming to UHD - I don't see any reason for them to involve themselves in another disc format, particularly one with such a tepid response from consumers.
Problem with UHD is there no logical upgrade route to it from HD. If you've got one of those great value 1080p projectors like the BenQ W1070 or W1110 or similar, you are looking at paying 8-10 times as much for an entry level 4K projector, which is completely out of the question for most. You kind of have to downgrade to a 4K TV to take advantage of it.

Add on lack of PC support for 4K and it's a non-starter. The completely lack of interest in 4K media on backchannels is kinda revealing.

User avatar
antnield
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:59 pm
Location: Cheltenham, England

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#321 Post by antnield » Wed Feb 15, 2017 3:15 pm

ianungstad wrote:Arrow just licensed Donnie Darko for the US from Fox; which is a pretty huge title.
Donnie Darko isn't a Fox licence.

flyonthewall2983
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 3:31 pm
Location: Indiana
Contact:

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#322 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Thu Mar 16, 2017 8:21 pm

FWIW it appears now Fox is releasing Heat in May. I just got the UK disc yesterday. Watched it last night, looks and sounds great but not a whole lot of improvement to these eyes over the WB disc.

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

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#323 Post by FrauBlucher » Sun Sep 01, 2019 2:41 pm

Could there possibly be a newer batch of Fox classic catalogue titles coming to the Collection. Since last December Criterion has released/announced Forty Guns, Cluny Brown and All About Eve. Before that was My Darling Clementine in 2014.

Maybe some of these...
Fallen Angel
Anna Karenina
(Julien Duvivier)
Letter to Three Wives
Niagara
(Hathaway phantom page)
Peyton Place
The Hustler

User avatar
movielocke
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:44 am

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#324 Post by movielocke » Sun Sep 01, 2019 3:59 pm

FrauBlucher wrote:Could there possibly be a newer batch of Fox classic catalogue titles coming to the Collection. Since last December Criterion has released/announced Forty Guns, Cluny Brown and All About Eve. Before that was My Darling Clementine in 2014.

Maybe some of these...
Fallen Angel
Anna Karenina
(Julien Duvivier)
Letter to Three Wives
Niagara
(Hathaway phantom page)
Peyton Place
The Hustler
Sunrise and Grapes of Wrath would probably be very high up as well.

Noiradelic
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 12:45 am

Re: Fox and Universal Licenses

#325 Post by Noiradelic » Sun Sep 01, 2019 5:08 pm

FrauBlucher wrote:
Sun Sep 01, 2019 2:41 pm
Fallen Angel
Niagara
(Hathaway phantom page)
Peyton Place

Fallen Angel seems more likely to come from Kino or Twilight Time. Frankly, the other two might not be good enough.
Last edited by Noiradelic on Sun Sep 01, 2019 5:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Post Reply