Criterion and Paramount

[ianungstad]

I think the version of The Heartbreak Kid listed on the Paramount site is the remake and not May's original. If you look at Sleuth and Stepford Wives, they only have the remakes listed. Should be noted that the Paramount disc of the original Stepford Wives is OOP too. They could have lost the rights to this one...

Speaking of which, Criterion HAS to have Sleuth and Heartbreak Kid (and maybe now Stepford Wives?) They have been out of print for ages and they are popular enough titles that I don't see them not being able to find a distributor all these years but I could definitely see Criterion sitting on them for years on end like they have with other titles. I remember people asking Criterion about Heartbreak Kid a few times back in the fall. I don't think they ever answered any of the inquires, so who knows. I actually think all three films are wonderful, so their absence from the market is disappointing.

[Jeff]

Worth taking a look at this list: http://www.paramount.com/studio/library ... te-library" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting that Paramount is now listing the Republic titles as their own. Wonder if that Lionsgate deal finally expired. Come on Johnny Guitar!

[domino harvey]

Sleuth and the Heartbreak Kid are two of the best films of the 70s and absolutely should be more widely available in R1

[swo17]

Studio Canal appears to have rights to Don't Look Now in Europe at least. Does that mean anything?

[ianungstad]

Back in the fall Criterion had said on Facebook that A New Leaf was one of the titles they asked Paramount for but the studio wouldn't let them have it. I hope they were referring to the original deal with Paramount from back in 2006. Hopefully they would be more open now to licensing it out?

[Jeff]

I think the version of The Heartbreak Kid listed on the Paramount site is the remake and not May's original. If you look at Sleuth and Stepford Wives, they only have the remakes listed. Should be noted that the Paramount disc of the original Stepford Wives is OOP too.

Pretty sure that all three of these have reverted back to Bristol Meyers Squibb. Criterion should certainly snap up the licenses.

That Paramount site lists The Man Who Knew Too Much. The '56 version was, of course, produced by Paramount, but later sold to Universal. I'm wondering if the site actually refers to the '34 version. It is common for studios to buy the rights to a film outright when doing a remake. They may have bought the '34 version in order to make the '56 and retained the rights to it. In any case, that would be a fun Criterion.

[Cinephrenic]

Does anyone have any clue on what's going on with Paramount?

[beamish13]

I really hope Criterion picks up "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz". There's so many great Mordecai Richler supplements that they could use.

[MyNameCriterionForum]

Back in the fall Criterion had said on Facebook that A New Leaf was one of the titles they asked Paramount for but the studio wouldn't let them have it. I hope they were referring to the original deal with Paramount from back in 2006. Hopefully they would be more open now to licensing it out?

PLEASE YES

[jaredsap]

I think the version of The Heartbreak Kid listed on the Paramount site is the remake and not May's original.

For what it's worth, May's THE HEARTBREAK KID is listed as being owned by Paramount on iTunes.

In addition to what's already been said, I'd like to see Criterion license THE STERILE CUCKOO.

[HarryLong]

Worth taking a look at this list: http://www.paramount.com/studio/library ... te-library" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting that Paramount is now listing the Republic titles as their own. Wonder if that Lionsgate deal finally expired. Come on Johnny Guitar!

A very quick look-through suggests that pre-1950 Republic titles are not on the list. JOHNNY GUITAR is all well and good, but I want me a nice, clean copy of THE LADY AND THE MONSTER.

[justeleblanc]

Heartbreak Kid and Sleuth are Palomar titles, if that means anything.

[Jean-Luc Garbo]

Well, if Republic titles are in play, Hal Hartley's masterful Trust had better be on the fucking list.

Here, here. One of my favorite perfs from Martin Donovan.

[jaredsap]

A very quick look-through suggests that pre-1950 Republic titles are not on the list.

Borzage's MOONRISE (1948) is on there.

[Jeff]

A very quick look-through suggests that pre-1950 Republic titles are not on the list.

Borzage's MOONRISE (1948) is on there.

So are Robert Rossen's Body and Soul from 1947, and Ophuls's Caught and Mark Robson's Champion, both from 1949. I know that a lot of the early Republic stuff (serials especially) fell in to the public domain.

[Jeff]

There may be a couple more titles from that first Paramount wave than I thought. Ian has reminded me that in May of last year Noir City Sentinel said, "The File on Thelma Jordon (1950), directed by noir maestro Robert Siodmak and too-long neglected, has been licensed to Criterion Collection and will get top-shelf treatment. No word yet on a release date." We also had word that they had picked up Costa-Gavras's The Confession. If those get announced, I'll assume that they were part of the earlier deal rather than a sign of something new.

[tubelord]

I'll never understand why Criterion keeps passing on Frankenheimer's Seconds [-(

[HarryLong]

A very quick look-through suggests that pre-1950 Republic titles are not on the list.

Borzage's MOONRISE (1948) is on there.

So are Robert Rossen's Body and Soul from 1947, and Ophuls's Caught and Mark Robson's Champion, both from 1949. I know that a lot of the early Republic stuff (serials especially) fell in to the public domain.

As I said, it was a very quick look, mostly checking for Some of the company's less reputable titles (I have a weakness for their horror films that defies logic).

[Bruce]

Worth taking a look at this list: http://www.paramount.com/studio/library ... te-library" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That list confirms that Paramount don't own Brando's 'One-Eyed Jacks' (even though they once released it on laserdisc). I suspect it must be owned by the Brando Estate, although it seems to have been allowed to lapse into the public domain. I wonder if there's any chance of Criterion licensing it from them? It would probably need considerable restoration work.

[MyNameCriterionForum]

Worth taking a look at this list: http://www.paramount.com/studio/library ... te-library" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That list confirms that Paramount don't own Brando's 'One-Eyed Jacks' (even though they once released it on laserdisc). I suspect it must be owned by the Brando Estate, although it seems to have been allowed to lapse into the public domain. I wonder if there's any chance of Criterion licensing it from them? It would probably need considerable restoration work.

How is it possible for a public domain film to be "owned"?

[Tribe]

How is it possible for a public domain film to be "owned"?

MyNamePedantic.

[Bruce]

Worth taking a look at this list: http://www.paramount.com/studio/library ... te-library" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That list confirms that Paramount don't own Brando's 'One-Eyed Jacks' (even though they once released it on laserdisc). I suspect it must be owned by the Brando Estate, although it seems to have been allowed to lapse into the public domain. I wonder if there's any chance of Criterion licensing it from them? It would probably need considerable restoration work.

How is it possible for a public domain film to be "owned"?

OK fair (if pedantic) point. But presumably the original film elements must be held by someone somewhere, and presumably Criterion (or anyone else wishing to release a properly remastered version) would have to arrange to obtain them. That's all I meant.

[MyNameCriterionForum]

It was a serious question, no offense meant. I understand (I think) that, for example, a company can own the specific restoration of a print even if the film is PD (perhaps a similar thing applies to specific translations of PD literature?) I thought it has been mentioned several times that CC has not/won't release public domain films? Is that incorrect?

[cdnchris]

They have, or at least I think they have. I believe that Carnival of Souls and Charade are both public domain (my understanding is they just licenced the print from Universal.) I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

[ianungstad]

The recently released Night Train to Munich is a public domain title. One-Eyed Jacks would be great!