Janus Films

[MarcM]

Thanks - what was the title of the tape - and are there any plans for a DVD release?

[Matt]

Thanks - what was the title of the tape - and are there any plans for a DVD release?

A set of 3 tapes, just called "The Janus Shorts Collection." I doubt the shorts will all be released in an anthology like that again. Criterion is much more likely just to include them as supplements to feature films.

[Narshty]

John Ford's The Plough and the Stars is a Janus property? I overheard Bruce Eder (who probably should know) tell someone that Janus owned two RKO films, with The Devil and Daniel Webster being the other. Not mentioned in the context of a DVD though.

What about The Most Dangerous Game?

[souvenir]

John Ford's The Plough and the Stars is a Janus property?

What about The Most Dangerous Game?

I believe The Most Dangerous Game is in the public domain and isn't a Janus property. Is that right?

[Napier]

John Ford's The Plough and the Stars is a Janus property?

What about The Most Dangerous Game?

I believe The Most Dangerous Game is in the public domain and isn't a Janus property. Is that right?

You are correct sir! =D>

[Narshty]

I thought it was Criterion's policy not to release stuff they didn't have an official license for - witness Charade, Carnival of Souls, etc, all being licensed from the original owners who have the best elements.

Their disc of The Most Dangerous Game definitely opens with a Janus logo (and there's one on the back cover too).

[souvenir]

I thought it was Criterion's policy not to release stuff they didn't have an official license for - witness Charade, Carnival of Souls, etc, all being licensed from the original owners who have the best elements.

Their disc of The Most Dangerous Game definitely opens with a Janus logo (and there's one on the back cover too).

I don't think Janus owns The Most Dangerous Game though. There's no information listing it was licensed on the back of that case either. Look at the next spine number, Insomnia, and you'll see the Janus logo in the same spot, but also information that the film has been licensed from Castle Hill Productions and First Run Features. Or the previous spine, Taste of Cherry, which also has the Janus logo and specifically lists a license from Zeigeist.

[Napier]

If you go to Gary over at the Beaver, he states in the first sentence that TMDG is a public domain title.

[Jeff]

If you go to Gary over at the Beaver, he states in the first sentence that TMDG is a public domain title.

There's no disputing that. Criterion just generally has a policy of only releasing public domain films when they have access to first-gen elements and the blessing of the original copyright holder.

[Minkin]

Site redesign and Le Havre playing this Fall.

It's fun to resurrect dead threads.

In better news, here's a chance to win a 35 mm print of the Red Balloon's trailer: Like their post on Facebook.

[JMULL222]

Sorry if it's old news but Bostons Brattle Theater just confirmed a restored print of Godard's "Weekend" will spend a week screening at some point in Nov-Dec, so that one is indeed making the rounds.

[hearthesilence]

A Man Escaped (Robert Bresson, 1956) at Film Forum for just one week.

Saw this last year at BAM, but this one's a new print and even though it's on Hulu Plus, you really ought to see it on the big screen!

[Perkins Cobb]

A Man Escaped (Robert Bresson, 1956) at Film Forum for just one week.

Saw this last year at BAM, but this one's a new print and even though it's on Hulu Plus, you really ought to see it on the big screen!

Too bad Film Forum doesn't have one.

[jwd5275]

Janus sued by Merchant Ivory

[krnash]

I like how the article refers to the "so-called Criterion Collection".

[zedz]

I like how the article refers to the "so-called Criterion Collection".

I know! Can we get that text at the bottom of every page changed to read "This site is not affiliated with the so-called Criterion Collection"?

[Matt]

So I guess if you want any of those Merchant Ivory DVDs they put out, you'd better hop to.

This is a shame, because I can't imagine any other distributor putting these films out with as much care as Janus/Criterion.

[knives]

Yeah, all of their discs were done with a lot of love and dedication. Each disc, even for weaker titles, seemed to go all out.

[ShellOilJunior]

I like how the article refers to the "so-called Criterion Collection".

[swo17]

I heard that Janus' lawyers were actually on top of renewing the rights a few years ago when they put one of the films on and then accidentally went into hibernation.

[hearthesilence]

Zing!

I'm actually not a fan of the Merchant-Ivory films, either. I don't think their terrible, there are things to like about them (Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson were good), but as some people have already said, they can feel a bit like the cinematic equivalent of Classics Illustrated.

[jwd5275]

More details on the lawsuit.

[eerik]

More details on the lawsuit.

Wait, Janus Films is also known as Criterion Films?

[dwk]

Merchant Ivory & Janus Films Settle Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

While no details of the settlement were made public, a federal judge in New York signed off Wednesday on the dismissal (read it here) of the case jointly requested by all parties. Because the dismissal is with prejudice, each party is paying their own legal costs