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Where's The Weinstein Company?

post #1 of 60
7/2/07 at 2:24pm
Thread Starter 
Have they abandoned HD-DVD? They presently have no releases scheduled. This is a bit odd, as I would certainly expect them to have SOMETHING on their schedule.

I would love to see the Grindhouse and the Kill Bill Whole Bloody Affair films on HD-DVD.

Any news?
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post #2 of 60
7/2/07 at 2:27pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

I'd assume they've switching to BluRay. Not saying that to start a war, but rather, since Blockbuster's roll out to physical stores is going to be BluRay only, and the Weinstein's direct-to-video fodder are Blockbuster exclusives, they need to either drop Blockbuster or take on BluRay.

I couldn't help but add that insult in about Weinstein's exclusives being crap, but so far the Weinstein "Blockbuster Exclusive" banner is like a big "STAY AWAY" sign.
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post #3 of 60
7/2/07 at 2:31pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

It isn't. The Weinstein Company has a very small catalog to work from, and from a business standpoint it doesn't make sense to release them all right up front.
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post #4 of 60
7/2/07 at 2:36pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ReggieW
Have they abandoned HD-DVD? They presently have no releases scheduled. This is a bit odd, as I would certainly expect them to have SOMETHING on their schedule.

I would love to see the Grindhouse and the Kill Bill Whole Bloody Affair films on HD-DVD.

Any news?
Give them a break. They just released two films in June, and have always taken the time to ensure their masters are up to stuff. They have also been the on HD studio to consistently give us lossless tracks on their releases.

As they have a relatively small catalog, I assume they are just pacing their releases.
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post #5 of 60
7/2/07 at 2:38pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Will_B
I couldn't help but add that insult in about Weinstein's exclusives being crap, but so far the Weinstein "Blockbuster Exclusive" banner is like a big "STAY AWAY" sign.
Well, stay away then.
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post #6 of 60
7/2/07 at 2:55pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Will_B
I'd assume they've switching to BluRay.

I noticed that Hard Boiled is being released on Blu-Ray with the Stranglehold
video game being released for PS3. I believe that Weinstein owns the rights to this film. Hard Boiled is also being released on its own as a Dragon Dynasty DVD release. I'm surprised they allowed this to be released on BD considering their HD-DVD exclusivity. The BD version is apparently being released for a limited time with the game though. So who knows what they're actually planning?
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post #7 of 60
7/2/07 at 3:43pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Well, stay away then.

Oh, I have been, and, believe me, it wasn't even a conscience decision.
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post #8 of 60
7/2/07 at 3:49pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Oh, I have been, and, believe me, it wasn't even a conscience decision.

Same here Paul. If all they're willing to release to HD are new films then there's only 1 title of theirs I'm interested in (Grindhouse) but it looks like Harvey Scissorhands is already mucking up the SD version by splitting it into two seperate releases.
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post #9 of 60
7/2/07 at 3:52pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Over at High-Def Digest:

The reason Weinstein is okay releasing "Hard Boiled" on Blu-ray ...


Paul
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post #10 of 60
7/2/07 at 3:58pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Paul, I've personally never bought into the whole idea that Hard Boiled on the Stranglehold PS3 game meant they were going neutral or flipping to BD. However, when I look at their catalog, no company outside of Starz Home Entertainment (previously Anchor Bay Home Entertainment) screams "movies that gamers would buy" more. This combined with the recent Blockbuster announcement and The Weinstein Company's previous exclusivity contract with them does make it seem like it would be a logical move on their part in the future. Again, outside of Kill Bill and Grindhouse they really have nothing of interest to me whatsoever.
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post #11 of 60
7/2/07 at 4:07pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_K
Same here Paul. If all they're willing to release to HD are new films then there's only 1 title of theirs I'm interested in (Grindhouse) but it looks like Harvey Scissorhands is already mucking up the SD version by splitting it into two seperate releases.
I think you can 'blame' Tarantino and Rodriguez just as much as Weinstein. If they wanted Grindhouse to be released as it was in the theaters, it would have been. As it stands, they all know they can make more money by selling them individually and then (maybe) going back and re-releasing the original later.
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post #12 of 60
7/2/07 at 4:19pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
I think you can 'blame' Tarantino and Rodriguez just as much as Weinstein. If they wanted Grindhouse to be released as it was in the theaters, it would have been.

I don't necessarily agree. Grindhouse was a bomb at the BO so I don't think they have much pull in regards to how this title is released on video.
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post #13 of 60
7/2/07 at 5:29pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_K
I don't necessarily agree. Grindhouse was a bomb at the BO so I don't think they have much pull in regards to how this title is released on video.

That all depends on what their contract with Weinstein says. They may very well have complete say over how the film is released on video.

Also just because it didn't do well at the boxoffice doesn't mean it won't do well on video. Just look at Austin Powers as an example of a boxoffice dud that became a huge hit on video. Big enough in fact that it had two sequels.

Doug
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post #14 of 60
7/2/07 at 6:43pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Also just because it didn't do well at the boxoffice doesn't mean it won't do well on video.


I never said it "won't do well" on video. In fact I think it would do very well on DVD and would also sell pretty good on HD if there is a HD release.

This was a major box office bomb costing $53,000,000 and grossing only $25,000,000. A $28 million hole for a small company like Weinstein can't endear them to Tarantino/Rodriguez. Tarantino has clout but not like a Spielberg or Lucas.
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post #15 of 60
7/2/07 at 6:56pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Monce
That all depends on what their contract with Weinstein says. They may very well have complete say over how the film is released on video.

Also just because it didn't do well at the boxoffice doesn't mean it won't do well on video. Just look at Austin Powers as an example of a boxoffice dud that became a huge hit on video. Big enough in fact that it had two sequels.

Doug

In no way, shape, or form was the original AUSTIN POWERS a "box office dud". It was a lowish-budget film that came out of nowhere and grossed $55-million at the domestic box-office alone (remember, Mike Myers hadn't had a hit in several years at that point, not since the original WAYNE'S WORLD). Yes, it got even more popular on home video and the sequels did much better box-office, but the first film was no more a "dud" than the original THE TERMINATOR was in that regard. AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY was a true "sleeper hit", NOT a "dud", not even close.

Vincent
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post #16 of 60
7/2/07 at 7:27pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_K
Tarantino has clout but not like a Spielberg or Lucas.
No but I think that he's got enough clout (and a long term relationship with the Weinsteins) that if he really wanted it to happen, it would.

EDIT: There's also the possibility that Tarantino isn't interested in seeing the shortened version of Death Proof available on home video.
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post #17 of 60
7/2/07 at 8:26pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

I agree that there aren't many titles in the Weinstein catalog that are "must haves" for me. Aside from Kill Bill/Grindhouse, the only other titles they have which would interest me would be the Bronston epics and the Dragon Dynasty titles. I do believe that they feel that the market isn't mature enough for the Bronston & Dragon Dynasty titles yet, and being a newer company with a small catalog, they have to be more careful with these decisions.

I don't THINK they're switching, but if they did, it seriously wouldn't bother me much. I presently don't have a SINGLE Weinstein title in my library (SD or HD-DVD).
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post #18 of 60
7/3/07 at 8:41am

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vincent_P
In no way, shape, or form was the original AUSTIN POWERS a "box office dud". It was a lowish-budget film that came out of nowhere and grossed $55-million at the domestic box-office alone (remember, Mike Myers hadn't had a hit in several years at that point, not since the original WAYNE'S WORLD). Yes, it got even more popular on home video and the sequels did much better box-office, but the first film was no more a "dud" than the original THE TERMINATOR was in that regard. AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY was a true "sleeper hit", NOT a "dud", not even close.

Vincent


Your correct in that Austin Powers wasn't a money loser at the box office. It cost 17 million and made about 53 million. In Hollywood today that is a modest money maker but most films doing those kind of numbers fade into obscurity. It wasn't until the DVD was a HUGE hit that New Line started thinking about sequels, and Austin Powers became a pop culture icon. In fact this was one of the first films where Hollywood started to realize that the home video market was bigger than the theatrical market.

Doug
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post #19 of 60
7/3/07 at 8:43am

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ReggieW
I agree that there aren't many titles in the Weinstein catalog that are "must haves" for me. Aside from Kill Bill/Grindhouse, the only other titles they have which would interest me would be the Bronston epics and the Dragon Dynasty titles. I do believe that they feel that the market isn't mature enough for the Bronston & Dragon Dynasty titles yet, and being a newer company with a small catalog, they have to be more careful with these decisions.

I don't THINK they're switching, but if they did, it seriously wouldn't bother me much. I presently don't have a SINGLE Weinstein title in my library (SD or HD-DVD).


This may also still be an issue over all production capacity for HD DVD. Also I imagine the Bronston epics are probably in need of restoration, so I wouldn't look for them to start showing up for a while because of the amount of work needed to be done.
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post #20 of 60
7/3/07 at 8:46am

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_K

I never said it "won't do well" on video. In fact I think it would do very well on DVD and would also sell pretty good on HD if there is a HD release.

This was a major box office bomb costing $53,000,000 and grossing only $25,000,000. A $28 million hole for a small company like Weinstein can't endear them to Tarantino/Rodriguez. Tarantino has clout but not like a Spielberg or Lucas.

Well its not always a matter of clout, its a matter of what his contract says. I know that Tarantino has final cut rights on all of his films. He may also have the right to supervise all home video versions of his work.

And no one has the kind of clout that Spielberg has other than Spielberg. He is the 800 pound gorilla of Hollywood. Lucas has the kind of clout that he has because he finances all his own films. The studios have very little risk with his films.

Doug
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post #21 of 60
7/3/07 at 9:02am

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Aside from Kill Bill
Keep in mind that Weinstein only owns the rights to the whole bloody affair, not the individual films. Those rights still belong to Miramax(aka Disney).
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post #22 of 60
7/3/07 at 10:50am
Thread Starter 

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Thanks Shane,

I realize that.

I've heard that Disney should be releasing Kill Bill Vol 1 & 2 this fall on BD, so it would be nice if The Weinsteins released "The whole Bloody Affair" on HD-DVD to balance things out, but I don't know.
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post #23 of 60
7/3/07 at 1:05pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Kill Bill 1 & 2 and Pulp Fiction have just been listed for a 9/3 release in the UK (Amazon). I'm assuming US release news is being held back for a one shot swamping.
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post #24 of 60
7/3/07 at 4:25pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Kill Bill 1 & 2 and Pulp Fiction have just been listed for a 9/3 release in the UK (Amazon). I'm assuming US release news is being held back for a one shot swamping.

If we get these in the next couple months I'll take back everything bad I ever said about Disney when they pulled their Summer lineup.
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post #25 of 60
7/3/07 at 10:28pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Monce
Your correct in that Austin Powers wasn't a money loser at the box office. It cost 17 million and made about 53 million. In Hollywood today that is a modest money maker but most films doing those kind of numbers fade into obscurity. It wasn't until the DVD was a HUGE hit that New Line started thinking about sequels, and Austin Powers became a pop culture icon. In fact this was one of the first films where Hollywood started to realize that the home video market was bigger than the theatrical market.

Doug

I don't disagree that the first AUSTIN POWERS became really huge on video which led to the sequels being far bigger box-office performers. As I pointed out in my post, this was very similar to THE TERMINATOR, which was a lowish-budget "sleeper" hit (around $6-million to make, $35-million domestic box office) that gained more and more popularity on cable and home video and led to the $200-million plus gross of TERMINATOR 2.

However you called it a "box office dud" and that simply is not true.

Re: $17-million budgeted films that gross $53-million "fading into obscurity", I beg to differ. THE HILLS HAVE EYES cost around $15-million and grossed 'only' $40-million, but that was enough for Fox to produce a sequel. Eli Roth's HOSTEL grossed less than $50-million, but it spawned a sequel. Box-office success is relative to the budget of the film and also the genre. To blanket say that most movies that gross $53-million "fade into obscurity" is as absurd as calling AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY a "box office dud" is. AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY was a box-office hit, plain and simple.

Vincent
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post #26 of 60
7/4/07 at 8:11am

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vincent_P
I don't disagree that the first AUSTIN POWERS became really huge on video which led to the sequels being far bigger box-office performers. As I pointed out in my post, this was very similar to THE TERMINATOR, which was a lowish-budget "sleeper" hit (around $6-million to make, $35-million domestic box office) that gained more and more popularity on cable and home video and led to the $200-million plus gross of TERMINATOR 2.

However you called it a "box office dud" and that simply is not true.

Re: $17-million budgeted films that gross $53-million "fading into obscurity", I beg to differ. THE HILLS HAVE EYES cost around $15-million and grossed 'only' $40-million, but that was enough for Fox to produce a sequel. Eli Roth's HOSTEL grossed less than $50-million, but it spawned a sequel. Box-office success is relative to the budget of the film and also the genre. To blanket say that most movies that gross $53-million "fade into obscurity" is as absurd as calling AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY a "box office dud" is. AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY was a box-office hit, plain and simple.

Vincent

It was surely a money maker. But in terms of Hollywood expectations it was nothing to get excited about. I'm not talking about the reality of making a profit. I'm talking about what is considered a hit in Hollywood and what isn't. Films that do modest business (again in Hollywood's eyes) don't generally get sequels. In fact there was much talk at the time that the market for films had changed and Austen Powers was held up as an example. It did okay in theaters but was a monster hit on home video. You may notice that the budget for the first sequel went up to 33 million. Typically you wouldn't see that for a movie of Austen Powers box office numbers, if it got a sequel at all.

The Terminator is not a great comparison because that film was released when Star Trek movies were making 80 and 90 million. And for a 6 million dollar quickie to make 38 million was a big deal in 1984. It ended up making 78 million world wide.

Doug
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post #27 of 60
7/4/07 at 9:13am

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Keep in mind, Hills Have Eyes and Hostel did absolutely amazing on DVD. And Hostel's budget was only $4 million. That was Doug's original point about Austin Powers. Austin is what it is due to the amazing success on DVD. That's where Austin Powers became a cult and then mainstream hit.

Everything in Hollywood today is determined by DVD sales. Obviously big time smash hits like Transformers are going to get a sequel regardless. But these smaller films with $1.5-15 million budgets really do depend on DVD sales/rentals. Unless it's something like Blair Witch that screamed up to $150 million at the box office.

It was not a sure thing that Hostel would get a sequel, until it soared on DVD (and the Torture trend had to continue - if they tried making Hostel 2 in a few years, I'm not sure they'd be able to as the Torture trend is nearing its end - THANK GOD! )

Cheers,

Jason
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post #28 of 60
12/13/07 at 1:13pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

Are there ANY news of "Weinstein Company" and HD-releases? I mean I haven´t even seen e.g. "Death Proof", "Planet Terror" or "Halloween (2007)" and I refuse to buy them in DVD.. Dammit.
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post #29 of 60
12/13/07 at 3:55pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

And my biggest concern is that one of my favorite films of the year, The Mist, will not be getting a release on a high def. format.

I also wanted to get 1408 and Grindhouse on high def (don't even really care which one, but I do lean a bit towards HD DVD)...it stinks that they've been so quiet.

I'd like to know what they're planning, no matter what. Preferably before The Mist comes out!
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post #30 of 60
12/13/07 at 7:06pm

Re: Where's The Weinstein Company?

remember kids now with the advent of dvds, movies dont have to do well at the box office, they are more like commercials for when its released to dvds.
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