Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

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cdnchris
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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#351 Post by cdnchris » Fri Nov 06, 2020 2:25 am

Just thought that I'd note here that while most of the MGM titles had licensing info indicating both MGM and Fox, Moonstruck only lists MGM as the licensor, with no mention of Fox.

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Ribs
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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#352 Post by Ribs » Sun Jul 04, 2021 7:28 pm

Did anyone point out that unlike An Unmarried Woman and Claudine, Nightmare Alley is licensed from 20th Century Fox, not 20th Century Pictures, possibly meaning it came from the previous deal and the two that came out last year were from a newer one (possibly the same one for the flood of Fox titles Criterion is porting to the UK market?) i don’t really know what to do with this information that communicates anything I just thought it was interesting.

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#353 Post by FrauBlucher » Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:14 pm

Is that the way it's identified on the packaging?

britcom68

Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#354 Post by britcom68 » Sun Feb 27, 2022 7:40 am

During the Wexner Center discussion last night on film restoration, Criterion's Lee Klein and Russell Smith had an audience member ask them a question about the status of the Fox-owned titles and the library of films previously with Fox and Criterion's relationship with Fox in general and the new Disney-overlords. Klein did not discuss any titles in particular or reveal any future releases, but Klein replied to this question by stating that "yes, the relationship has changed" between Criterion and Fox and Disney. Klein also stated that in past there had been just one person at Fox that Criterion went to for titles they were interested in for releases. Klein stated that that one specific person (who he did not name) was no longer at Fox and that they have not been replaced. Klein did not discuss specifics but did say that the difficulty was in having to go to multiple persons now and that not all were even familiar with the holdings or where some elements were even stored or on the same page about the scope of projects that Criterion was trying to attempt.

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#355 Post by Maltic » Sun Feb 27, 2022 9:04 am

Sad!

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#356 Post by therewillbeblus » Sun Feb 27, 2022 11:36 am

Image

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#357 Post by FrauBlucher » Sun Feb 27, 2022 12:58 pm

britcom68 wrote:
Sun Feb 27, 2022 7:40 am
During the Wexner Center discussion last night on film restoration, Criterion's Lee Klein and Russell Smith had an audience member ask them a question about the status of the Fox-owned titles and the library of films previously with Fox and Criterion's relationship with Fox in general and the new Disney-overlords. Klein did not discuss any titles in particular or reveal any future releases, but Klein replied to this question by stating that "yes, the relationship has changed" between Criterion and Fox and Disney. Klein also stated that in past there had been just one person at Fox that Criterion went to for titles they were interested in for releases. Klein stated that that one specific person (who he did not name) was no longer at Fox and that they have not been replaced. Klein did not discuss specifics but did say that the difficulty was in having to go to multiple persons now and that not all were even familiar with the holdings or where some elements were even stored or on the same page about the scope of projects that Criterion was trying to attempt.
Phone rings.....
Fox-Hello.
Criterion- Hello, this is Peter Becker.
Fox- Peter Becker?
Criterion- Yes, Peter Becker of the Criterion Collection.
Fox- What's the Criterion Collection?

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Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#358 Post by Brian C » Sun Feb 27, 2022 1:08 pm

The good news here, though, unless I’m missing something - it seems like these titles are still available to Criterion. It’s just more of a hassle.

Which isn’t great, obviously, but in the aftermath of the merger, there was a lot of concern about the Fox catalogue being off-limits. And that doesn’t seem to be the case, at least for now.

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#359 Post by tenia » Sun Feb 27, 2022 3:42 pm

It might be a bit more than just a hassle. I've often been told that studio titles' availability can be a matter of one person being open or not to licensing to indie labels (my memory tells me "Paramount" but I might be mis-remembering).

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#360 Post by britcom68 » Sun Feb 27, 2022 5:16 pm

Brian C wrote:
Sun Feb 27, 2022 1:08 pm
The good news here, though, unless I’m missing something - it seems like these titles are still available to Criterion. It’s just more of a hassle.

Which isn’t great, obviously, but in the aftermath of the merger, there was a lot of concern about the Fox catalogue being off-limits. And that doesn’t seem to be the case, at least for now.
Right, Kline's comments were that Criterion and Fox/Disney were still discussing releases but that things are in no way as smooth as used to be; in no way did Kline make it sound as if the Criterion releases of Fox and former-Fox titles are at an stop now just because McMouse is involved. Of course Kline may not be at liberty to discuss openly how difficult the relationship is but he was candid enough in other topics during Q&A, I would honestly imagine if the doors were closed and Criterion was shut-out entirely for Fox titles that he would have hinted as such.

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#361 Post by FrauBlucher » Sun Feb 27, 2022 6:30 pm

There is no doubt the door is still open, but It sounds like CC has a lot of hand holding to do. Especially if what they are interested in is old Hollywood titles that these Fox people (black and white movies, yuk) or their departments (accounting) are not familiar with or the process in which to secure them. Sigh. Sounds frustrating

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#362 Post by therewillbeblus » Sun Feb 27, 2022 8:15 pm

Plus, Criterion now has a sweet Netflix deal with modern movies selling big, so why rescue near-dead titles from a distant well?

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#363 Post by FrauBlucher » Sun Feb 27, 2022 8:22 pm

Not sure what that has to do with Disney/Fox?

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#364 Post by therewillbeblus » Sun Feb 27, 2022 8:49 pm

The same poster mentioned this aspect of Kline's comments from the same Q&A in another thread earlier today, and it directly ties into previous conversations regarding the ethics and/or despair of Criterion prioritizing new releases from streamers over rarer films destined to a fate of obscurity. I'm just making a cheeky comment around an already established tired cry of despair- the question was rhetorical

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#365 Post by FrauBlucher » Sun Feb 27, 2022 8:55 pm

Gotcha. I didn't see the other post.

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#366 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Fri Mar 18, 2022 12:50 am

So is Amazon involved at all with The Last Waltz , or is it from the deal in place with MGM they’d already had?

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#367 Post by FrauBlucher » Fri Mar 18, 2022 7:54 am

I would think it’s probably pre-merger. Although, Amazon and Criterion have a working relationship. Criterion have released 3 titles that were produced from Amazon Studios.

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#368 Post by therewillbeblus » Fri Mar 18, 2022 9:31 am

It’s the beginning of the end of the beginning of the beginning

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#369 Post by FrauBlucher » Fri Mar 18, 2022 1:01 pm

So what you’re saying is it’s pre-post-pre

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#370 Post by therewillbeblus » Fri Mar 18, 2022 1:04 pm

I’m just using Robbie Robertson’s abstract line from the beginning of The Last Waltz to jokingly connect to this conversation about the consequences of the acquisition that includes mention of that film itself

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#371 Post by FrauBlucher » Wed Jun 01, 2022 8:05 pm

Chris, in the licensors section 20th Century Fox has 84 films listed. Would you know approximately off the top of your head how many are actual 20th Century Fox films? The last 10 films listed all look like Fox except for The Great Escape.

It looks like Criterion over the last 2 to 3 years have released a decent amount of Fox titles. Here's hoping there are more. Would love to see CC do Laura especially if they can do it in UHD. There are others too that would be excellent choices- Drums Along the Mohawk, Fallen Angel, Call Northside 777 and Niagara.

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#372 Post by cdnchris » Wed Jun 01, 2022 8:33 pm

As long as I wrote my SQL query correctly, only 37 of those are lone Fox titles, the others MGM/Fox.

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#373 Post by Finch » Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:51 pm

Given that Indicator weren't allowed to renew their Fox licenses, I'm not going to assume that Disney will treat Criterion any differently despite the Iger comments from 2 (?) months ago that was widely interpreted as Disney being potentially open to licensing the catalogue again. I think the Iger statement predates the Indicator situation so I decided to prioritize Fox titles with CC and other labels. I snagged a copy of the TBLITW edition of Yellow Sky from Amazon 2 weeks ago and CC's Heaven Can Wait tonight. When they have their 24 hour 50% sale in October or November, I'll also get Leave Her To Heaven and The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez so I'm covered for all the Fox titles I still want that Criterion have for now (going by the licensors page, thanks for all the work, Chris!).

I'm guessing that a 4k of The Thin Red Line is not out of the question given Malick's relationship with Criterion and that Disney likely gives no fuck about that film (but who would fund a 4k restoration? Has there been one already?).

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#374 Post by therewillbeblus » Sun Jul 23, 2023 11:06 pm

Where did this cheeky KL acronym come from, and why add 4-6 letters to abbreviate ironically?

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Re: Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

#375 Post by CSM126 » Sun Jul 23, 2023 11:07 pm

therewillbeblus wrote:
Sun Jul 23, 2023 11:06 pm
MWhere did this cheeky KL acronym come from, and why add 4-6 letters to abbreviate ironically?
KL Insider declared themselves The Best Label in The World.

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