Films that you fear may NEVER be released on DVD. (1 Viewer)

Gordon McMurphy · Apr 13, 2003

It amazes me how many great yet 'obscure' films have been released or are going to be released on DVD in the last few years, but there are some films that I fear may never be properly released on DVD...

TITICUT FOLLIES (1967, Frederick Wiseman)
Wiseman's landmark documentary on a prison for the criminally insane is still to this day, a shocking masterpiece of documentary filmmaking.

THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY (1954, William Wellman)
Legendary MIA John Wayne classic. Shot in 2.55:1 CinemaScope. Only ever been available on P&S VHS from a 16mm print, always on Ebay - avoid. Michael Wayne just refuses to let Warner restore and distribute the film. What a swell guy.

Any films that you're more than a little worried about?

Gordy

Dick · Apr 13, 2003

A HIGH WIND IN JAMAICA (Fox)
FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE (Paramount)
THE WINDOW (RKO/Warner)
SONG OF THE SOUTH (Obviously)
CONRACK (Paramount)
IN COLD BLOOD (Columbia - eventually, I think)
BILLY BUDD (Allied Artists/Warner?)
OUR MOTHER'S HOUSE (MGM/Warner)
THE FIXER (MGM/Warner)
THE ANIMAL WORLD (Warner - crumby movie but has early
legendary Harryhausen tabletop dinosaur animation...the
ten-minute sequence could be used as a supplement for,
say, a VALLEY OF GWANGI disc)
BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK (MGM/Warner)
GREEN MANSIONS (ditto)
CRIA! (Spanish, Home Vision/Criterion?)
SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE (ditto)
BURNT BY THE SUN (Russian, Columbia)
ALLEGRO NON TROPPO (Home Vision/Criterion?)
PATHFINDER (Lap, in widescreen. Studio???)
Oh, so many more...

James L White · Apr 13, 2003

Michael Wayne just refuses to let Warner restore and distribute the film.

I know this is a dumb question but why would Michale Wayne have any power to keep the movie from being distributed?

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-MikeRM · Apr 13, 2003

Big Time
Classic art/concert film by Tom Waits, about 1985 or 86. The burning umbrella at Ninth and Hennepin deserves to be recorded for posterity.

Regards

Gordon McMurphy · Apr 13, 2003

I know this is a dumb question but why would Michale Wayne have any power to keep the movie from being distributed?

Because he (head of Batjac Films) owns all rights to the film exclusively. I believe that a faded-to-salmon-red 35mm print was screened in Chicago or someplace last year though. Michael Wayne is said to be more of a badass than his old man!

It's a beautiful film - haunting Tiomkin score, which, incidentally, was played at Duke's funeral - I believe it was his favourite role/film.

Maybe one day...

Gordy

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Gordon McMurphy · Apr 13, 2003

In reply to Dick:

A HIGH WIND IN JAMAICA (Fox)
Yeah, it could be a long time before we see this one. One of Scorsese's favourites.

FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE (Paramount)
Great film. Never on video, I believe?

IN COLD BLOOD (Columbia - eventually, I think)
The first modern film to use black and white scope stylistically. Superb film. What is the status of the rights, Dick? Isn't it a Paramount title?

BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK (MGM/Warner)
Why do you have doubts about this one, Dick? I'd say there is a good chance that we may see it sooner rather than later. I've never seen it in it's original 2.55:1 CinemaScope ratio, so a restored DVD edition would be great.

I'd love to see Paul Newman's, SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION (Columbia?) and Aldrich's THE EMPEROR OF THE NORTH (POLE) (Fox?) on DVD soon, too. Lee Marvin is the ultimate movie hobo. I just got the Kino 2-Disc of THE ICEMAN COMETH and Marvin is awesome in that too.

Cheers, Dick.

Gordy

Jon Martin · Apr 13, 2003

Why won't CONRACK get a release?

I've never seen it, but just looking through the TV listings, it is ALWAYS on FXM. It's on a couple times next week in fact.

CaptDS9E · Apr 13, 2003

I saw In Cold blood in school after we had read the book for class. I would like to own the film on dvd as well

The one movie i know will never be on DVD is

Arena:Man vs Monster

not a classic by far but a cheesy sci-fi film about a fighting arena in space which had Claudia Christian(B5 as Susan), Mark Alaimo(DS9 as Dukat), Armin Shimerman(DS9 as quark) and pretty much a host of all other sci-fi actors who have shown up on Babylon 5, DS9 and some other recent shows. One morning at least 10 years ago i was up very early so i turned on Cinemax and it was on. Ive liked the movie ever since. I bought the VHS off ebay and then found a laserdisc copy on ebay. It probably will never ben on DVD as its not even probably a B status film

.

Jeff Kleist · Apr 13, 2003

Warning Sign, classic 80's cheese but ignored :frowning:

Jeff_HR · Apr 13, 2003

THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY (1954, William Wellman)
Legendary MIA John Wayne classic. Shot in 2.55:1 CinemaScope. Only ever been available on P&S VHS from a 16mm print, always on Ebay - avoid. Michael Wayne just refuses to let Warner restore and distribute the film. What a swell guy

Well with Michael Wayne dead now, perhaps the person who will now be in charge will have a change of heart about releasing "THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY".

I really believe that "Freaks" will never escape the WB vaults. I have a LD of the film, so I guess I'll be content with that.

The situation with "IN COLD BLOOD" could be interesting with Blake's legal situation. Does the rights holder release this to take advantage of the publicity surrounding Blake? Or will the rights holder have an attack of PC, & not release it because of Blake's legal situation?

Click to expand...

Bill J · Apr 13, 2003

Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (Paramount??)
It was released on laserdisc, and the VHS is OOP, I believe.

James L White · Apr 13, 2003

I really believe that "Freaks" will never escape the WB vaults. I have a LD of the film, so I guess I'll be content with that.

Link Removed

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Patrick McCart · Apr 13, 2003

I'm concerned about...

Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure (the animation is wonderful...and was shot in PANAVISION!) [Owned by either Paramount or Fox. Unclear if it was a CBS film or Fox]

The Thief and the Cobbler: Restored Director's Cut (Disney is supposed to be reconstructing the film, so who knows?)

Robert Youngson silent film compilations (The Golden Age of Comedy, When Comedy Was King, 4 Clowns, etc) [VidAmerica did the VHS versions of the first two, so maybe Anchor Bay would do DVD editions.]

Hollywood (silent film documentary) I've tried contacting Freemantle Media, but no reply yet. The rights are supposed to be severely messed up due to clip rights. It's a real pity, though... I'm hoping Warner, Fox, Paramount, MK2, Harold Lloyd's estate, Kino International, and other companies can settle the rights issues for the clips.

Jeff_HR · Apr 13, 2003

Yes, that "Freaks". Don't be fooled by Amazon having it listed. Did you notice the January 1, 2010 release date. IMHO that sort of a release date for unreleased DVDs is meant to say "we hope it might come out by then, but don't expect it any time soon". Pre-order it you like, but I think you'll be waiting for it longer that the 6+ years that this bogus release date indicates.

Robert Crawford · Apr 13, 2003

As stated with Michael Wayne's death last week perhaps the Wayne estate will now try to make a deal for it's release.

Crawdaddy

Jon Robertson · Apr 13, 2003

The Orchard End Murder

streeter · Apr 13, 2003

Regarding Hearts of Darkness A Filmmaker's Apocalypse - I once asked the director of this film about it and he said that he approached FFC about releasing it on DVD. FFC said that there are some scenes in the documentary that he isn't happy with. The director (George Hickenlooper) offered to make some cuts, but FFC wasn't interested. He told him that perhaps some years from now, somewhere down the line, but not in the foreseeable future.
This was right around the time that Redux came out.

StephenL · Apr 13, 2003

The original Star Wars trilogy.

Bill J · Apr 13, 2003

I have heard that Coppola doesn't want it released as well. I think he is unhappy with the scenes regarding the French plantation where he says, "forget we ever shot it." That line would obviously contradict the new cut of the film, which Coppola claims is the "definitive" version.

I e-mailed Zoetrope about a year ago and they said that they had no plans of releasing the film on DVD. :frowning:

Jordan_E · Apr 13, 2003

Glad I picked up a copy of HEARTS OF DARKNESS when a local video store went out of business. I may be VHS, but looks like the only way I'll be seeing it for awhile!

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