Nightowlgallery wrote:
I do not see "Nanook of the North" on your list I believe "Flicker Alley" currently holds the rights but don't quote me on that I know they produced a blu-ray back in 2013 in with five or so other titles.
It has been long OOP on the Criterion site.
See the protracted
discussion/debate here (which I don't feel like continuing!) Long story short: no need to fear - as Criterion has licensed a 4k restoration from the negative from the Flaherty estate.
Nanook of the North is Public Domain, thus anyone can release their own edition of the film (same with
Most Dangerous Game and a host of other Criterion films). That this is listed as OOP is actually a great sign that the film is forthcoming in that new edition (hopefully paired with the other Flaherty films they own).
More often that not, the OOP status on Criterion's website is just there to indicate a title is between pressings. The Merchant Ivory films and the WC Fields 6films DVD were the last things to actually go OOP. Everything else has been this weird limbo "we haven't lost the rights, but we're taking it OOP for a while as its between pressings/whatever." This is clearly the case for films like The Fireman's Ball - which we just learned recently was part of their now large Czech license. So the OOP notice on Criterion's website is often just a placeholder for new editions or being between print runs or sorting out their distribution deals (Armageddon / Disney owned films).
Case in point: Kagemusha and Le Samourai are back in print on Criterion's website. Both had been saying OOP for awhile.
I'll always be relying on people checking the website, as with very rare exceptions (Studio Canal titles), Criterion never announces when something goes OOP. So I'm not going to check the 900+ films everyday to make sure everything is still listed as in print! So if anyone finds anything else, do let know by sending me a PM or posting in this thread!