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"My Fair Lady" Video rights???

post #1 of 20
7/2/09 at 2:31pm
Thread Starter 
Who holds the dvd /blu-ray rights to the CBS owned film "My Fair Lady".  Warner had the DVD rights but hey have lasped. Paramount had the VHS rights for a while. Are there any plans to release the film on Blu-Ray?
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post #2 of 20
7/3/09 at 5:02am
i think they are waiting for the remake with IKEA Knighlty..
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post #3 of 20
7/3/09 at 8:39am
CBS is the legal rights holder.  They made a deal with Warners for several years since Warners wanted the film in their library since they originally made and released.  I am not sure where the rights are at this moment, but I have heard that if Warners still has rights they are short and they are not interested in a remaster for Blu-ray.
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post #4 of 20
7/3/09 at 11:11am
Thread Starter 
Is that because the rights window is short or do they just do not want to renew the rights? I would think WB would want to hold on to this title since it is on of WB top films
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post #5 of 20
7/3/09 at 11:47am

I understand that the rights window is short and while WB wants to hold on to the film since they are associated with it, CBS/Paramount also wants it.  At least if goes to Paramount, we will see a new release every two years.  That is if they restore it.  Warners could make another long term deal.

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post #6 of 20
7/3/09 at 4:10pm
My Fair Lady doesn't need to be "restored" - it IS restored! All that needs to be done is a new high-definition transfer of the Harris-Katz-Restoration, since the old one is so old that it wouldn't hold up on HD media. I'm pretty sure that the rights are still in the hands of Warner and a new transfer hasn't been made yet because it's bound to be really expensive - has any studio done a large-format transfer directly from 65mm for a HD target medium yet?
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post #7 of 20
7/3/09 at 5:17pm
 For those of you who don't own the 2 Disc DVD special edition I would advise you to buy it in case certain extras are not ported over to CBS / Paramount you never know what extras get cut because of copyrights etc. I would almost guess they may lose the Harris commentary track and possibly some of the extras. 

I noticed many stores locally had it pulled. Suncoast said specifically they had a recall issued on the release and Barnes and Noble has it wiped out of their stock. 

Amazon.com still seems to have copies. I found one locally cause if they ever get a BD release for it I don't want to lose any extras. 
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post #8 of 20
7/3/09 at 8:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Guido Bibra View Post

My Fair Lady doesn't need to be "restored" - it IS restored! All that needs to be done is a new high-definition transfer of the Harris-Katz-Restoration, since the old one is so old that it wouldn't hold up on HD media. I'm pretty sure that the rights are still in the hands of Warner and a new transfer hasn't been made yet because it's bound to be really expensive - has any studio done a large-format transfer directly from 65mm for a HD target medium yet?

Wrong use of words as I should of said remastered for Blu-ray.  Also Warner lost the rights to this film at the end of June and the film now belongs to CBS/Paramount or in other words Viacom. 

CBS actually put up the money for the original Broadway production in order to get the rights for the cast album (Columbia Records) and the agreement with Warner Brothers for the rights to revert back to CBS seven years (1972) after the film's release.  CBS over the years has released the film to the home video format in conjunction with MGM (VHS) and Fox (several VHS & Laser-disc versions).  Warners acquired the rights for DVD home release which ended last month.  Viacom (CBS/Paramount) retained all television broadcast rights.
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post #9 of 20
7/3/09 at 9:30pm
And IIRC, most of the features on the previous Warner DVDs initially appeared in the Fox laserdisc box set, produced by CBS.  So I suspect those would get turned over to Paramount if and when they decide to reissue it.

I would bet that Paramount are likely to put this out as a "Sapphire" Blu-Ray (provided some new HD cleanup is done), but are waiting to see how well the upcoming Centennial Edition of THE AFRICAN QUEEN does.
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post #10 of 20
7/3/09 at 10:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ahollis View Post



Wrong use of words as I should of said remastered for Blu-ray.  Also Warner lost the rights to this film at the end of June and the film now belongs to CBS/Paramount or in other words Viacom. 

CBS actually put up the money for the original Broadway production in order to get the rights for the cast album (Columbia Records) and the agreement with Warner Brothers for the rights to revert back to CBS seven years (1972) after the film's release.  CBS over the years has released the film to the home video format in conjunction with MGM (VHS) and Fox (several VHS & Laser-disc versions).  Warners acquired the rights for DVD home release which ended last month.  Viacom (CBS/Paramount) retained all television broadcast rights.
 


Intersting, thanks for the clarification.
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post #11 of 20
7/4/09 at 12:14pm
I had no idea that Warner held the rights only for a limited time. Strange that they didn't pursue My Fair Lady further, since this is the quintessential Warner movie of the 60s, produced by Jack L. Warner himself. 

And since we're in the SD-DVD forum: if Paramount releases My Fair Lady, I hope it's not on Blu-Ray only, but also on DVD! The Harris-Katz-restoration is now fifteen years old, and the old DVD transfer about ten, so some work would be necessary - but by no means a full restoration from scratch. But Paramount should really involve Robert Harris and James Katz when they're going to do a new transfer. Hopefully they're going to use the correct 2.21:1 ratio and not squash the picture to 2.40:1 like they did on the old dvd...
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post #12 of 20
7/4/09 at 2:30pm
I wish we would finally get some good sound on Fair Lady as the Restoration sounds terrible.  Taken from a print master, (which lessens the highend) instead of working to put back the high end, we get pumped up fake bass, and revedrb on all the songs, making this track sound even worse.   Awful !!!
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post #13 of 20
7/4/09 at 9:30pm
 I think if Paramount and CBS released My Fair Lady on BD I think it stands a better chance of using a higher bot rate for the transfer on their release then WB's. I just hope it is released as wonderfully as possible. 
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post #14 of 20
7/5/09 at 8:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Guido Bibra View Post

 Hopefully they're going to use the correct 2.21:1 ratio and not squash the picture to 2.40:1 like they did on the old dvd...

The "old dvd" is not "squashed."  The x/y parameters of the laserdisc were incorrect as they were horizontally squeezed to create a false 2.21:1 aspect ratio.  65mm originated productions can be taken to video (data) anywhere between 2.21:1 and 2.39:1 and be perfectly acceptable as long as nothing problematic is exposed on the sides.  The difference between the two ratios is the capture of image normally covered by the inboard (balance) magnetic stripes for pre-DTS 70mm printing and projection.

RAH
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post #15 of 20
7/14/09 at 8:49pm
DVD Empire added this title for pre-order from Paramount to be released on October 6. No blu-ray pre-orders added yet.
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post #16 of 20
7/15/09 at 7:34am
Thanks for letting us know. It's only going to be one disc...although I'm sure they'll milk this title for all they can just like they did with Audrey's other films.
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post #17 of 20
7/15/09 at 1:52pm
Thread Starter 
One Disc: includes Widescreen; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; audio commentary; featurettes; Hepburn vocal performances. Oct 6th release

The cover is pretty Ugly!

Really Hope Warner Bros gets the Blu-Ray rights, they would release it in a box set or digipack.   After all it is a Warner Bros. Picture in every sense (except they are no longer leasing the rights)
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post #18 of 20
7/16/09 at 5:21am
 So it's basically losing the second disc from the 2-disc set?
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post #19 of 20
7/16/09 at 5:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg_M View Post


The cover is pretty Ugly!

 

Yes that case is VERY ugly and what is with the FONT? It is as if Paramount and CBS thought damn, we got the rights back to this thing.. hey can you get someone in marketing to do up a 10 second redo on the re-release poster art.. maybe have em change the font. haha. Really bad.

I am glad I hunted down the now OOP Two Disc Special Edition. Paramount can keep that.
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post #20 of 20
7/16/09 at 6:57am
With Paramount now in control, we will start seeing this released every six to twelve months.  First as this one disc version then a two disc version then another two-disc version with one extra added and maybe in four or five years a Blu-ray version.  As quick as they are getting this out, I suppose they are using the same transfer as Warner's did.  I too am glad I have the Warner's two disc version on my shelf and will not re-buy until I see the reviews of a Blu-ray.
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