"REBECCA" - Hitchcock classic why not at Warner? (1 Viewer)

Eric Huffstutler · Dec 8, 2005

It seems as though the Selznick and United Artists releases were taken over some time by MGM / Warner group. So why hasn't the Academy Award winning movie "REBECCA" been released by them? Same with "Spellbound"? Can't say that the Criterion release was it as they are now OOP and MGM released "Silence of the Lambs" after Criterion did it so...

Where are they?

Eric

Jason Seaver · Dec 8, 2005

Didn't Capital Cities end up with them somehow, meaning they'd be with Disney now?

Jeff Rosen · Dec 8, 2005

The Selznick library was bought by ABC in the early 1980's. ABC was bought by Disney about 6 years ago. Some of the ABC films have been licensed to MGM (Now part of Sony) for DVD release. Some of the ABC/Selznick titles out through MGM include Spiral Staircase, Garden of Allah, Take the Money and Run. Why some titles come out and others don't you would need to be in marketing.

Patrick McCart · Dec 8, 2005

Selznick went to ABC Films. ABC Films became part of Disney. Disney licensed some ABC Films titles to MGM, but most are MIA since the Columbia takeover.

FOR THE ONE MILLIONTH TIME:

Warner Bros. owns the pre-1986 METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER FILMS via Turner. I'm talking about the films produced by MGM. The current MGM, which is owned by Sony now, only consists of post-1986 MGM films, the United Artists library (for the most part), Orion (except for a few films), AIP, Embassy (via license), and a few other weird packages.

Note that WB has never owned a UA film unless they got it though special means (Saul Zaentz's films, for example).

Damin J Toell · Dec 8, 2005

Disney regularly licenses out films from the ABC library for DVD release (first mainly to Anchor Bay, then some to Criterion, and most recently to MGM), thereby adding to the confusion.

DJ

Eric Huffstutler · Dec 8, 2005

These Selznick movies were 1940s releases through United Artists so... who would have the rights to them... MGM/Sony (who has the post 1986 MGM and UA library) or Warner (who owns the pre 1986 library)? Still confusing to me especially when Gone With The Wind was a similar situation... Selznick but this time was a MGM release.

Will Ryan · Dec 8, 2005

Disney

Damin J Toell · Dec 8, 2005

They were distributed by UA, yes, but they were produced and owned by Selznick International Pictures. Once again, the Selznick library went to ABC, which is now in the hands of Disney.

DJ

Eric Huffstutler · Dec 8, 2005

Now with Disney being established as the holder of this film... any chance of them releasing it? Again, it is a Best Picture winner and studios are trying to get all of them on DVD so why hasn't Disney given this a first rate treatment?

Damin J Toell · Dec 8, 2005

Well, Disney did give it the first-rate treatment. Scott MacQueen did a beautiful restoration of it while at Disney, along with the other Hitchcock Selznick films. These restorations were represented on the Criterion discs. The question now will be when they decide to put them out again. It looked originally like MGM was going to do them, but MGM might be having issues with other (non-Disney) Hitchcock titles, and so have put them all on hold.

DJ

Eric Huffstutler · Dec 8, 2005

Thanks DJ! I wasn't aware that Disney did the restorations but guess I, like others, wonder when they will be released outside Criterion so people on budgets can also enjoy the films?

CameronMcC · Dec 8, 2005

no telling, tracking down the paradine case got obscene for a while when the disc was topping out at close to a hundred bucks. I hope someone releases these with all new commentaries. I have the criterion set, but would love to hear some more about the movies.

Criterion and Kino were both rumored to be working on early hitchcock titles. Some silents, and british films. I have never heard anything more about it. Would love to see either company take on some of the public domain films, and release quality prints with full on extras.

Eric Huffstutler · Dec 8, 2005

Cameron,

I think Carlton and Studio Canal owns the copyrights for most of the British Hitchcock movies hence no decent transfers (all unauthorized) of his early works in Region 1. Only Region 2 transfers are decent. Isn't Carlton the UK version/distributor of our 20th Century Fox?

Don't know if there are any true public domain Hitchcock movies other than the original 1934 "The Man Who Knew Too Much". I undestand a decent MPEG2 (3.9 GB) of the movie is available for download at the public domain archive Prelinger Archives under their Moving Image - Feature Films catagory.

Lord Dalek · Dec 8, 2005

What about 39 Steps?

Eric Huffstutler · Dec 8, 2005

Joel... you are comparing a Criterion release again. They made a deal to release about a half dozen of his movies including Rebecca, Notorious, Spellbound, The 39 Steps...

These would be the exception and usually reserved for die-hard DVD enthusiasts because of their high price tags and limited availability to the general public. All are now OOP which brings us back to square one.

Tom Rhea · Dec 9, 2005

The Criterion versions of 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes are not OOP. I just ordered both from DVD Planet.

Eric Huffstutler · Dec 9, 2005

Tom... I stand corrected. Just went to their web site and see that both are still in print at $40 each... too rich for my pocketbook which is why I am waiting for a $10 version

Mark B · Dec 9, 2005

Though the print quality is good, they are not good enough to merit a $40.00 investment. LADY VANISHES in particular is lacking. Criterion baffles me. Maybe I just choose the wrong titles, but I've yet to see an excellent transfer from them.

Patrick McCart · Dec 9, 2005

Most of their DVD's outside of those reused from older masters (like Seven Samurai and the 4x3 LBX's) are nearly perfect. I thought the 3 Selznicks looked wonderful. Yeah, $40 is expensive for a smaller package like TLV, but the price is justified on most of their other titles.

(By the way, www.dvdplanet.com has good deals on Criterions. The Lady Vanishes is $25 instead of $40).

Lars Vermundsberget · Dec 9, 2005

Some may disagree, but I don't trust dvdplanet and would rather recommend www.dvdpacific.com. The prices are just about as nice as those of dvdplanet.

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