"All That Jazz" - Any news on a DVD release?? (1 Viewer)

[Steve_Ch]

I don't know what the grand plan is (if there's any), but I would be really disappointed if any release of All That Jazz comes without commentary from both Ann Reinkin and Ben Vereen. Both were long time associates of Fosse (I think Vereen started his Broadway career with Fosse, in Pippin) and cover the dancers root of Fosse's career.

 

[Jeff_HR]

Scene specific audio commentary by Roy Scheider. Three Roy Scheider interview clips. Five clips of director Bob Fosse on the set. Theatrical Trailer. Scene Access. Interactive Menus

The above are the DVD features listed for the R2

version on the www.blackstar.co.uk web site.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Update
I received some information about the
R1 release of All That Jazz, although
I am not at liberty to discuss the details
of the DVD's delay since I was not given
permission to do so.
Let me just say that Fox had reason to
believe that they could do more with the
R1 release. Those plans did not pan out,
but it caused a delay on the title's release.
Fox is planning to get this title out.
I guess I can say that it probably will not
be till quarter one 2003, though that is only
tentative.
Fox is not purposely holding back this
release to piss off fans. It is my assumption
that since the studio lost their original
release window, they have to take the next
one available.
Sometimes, when you hear the reasons why
your favorite film has been delayed straight
from the source, you become less frustrated
and more understanding. I think all of us
should cut Fox a break and ride it out another
5 months or so.
When it comes to musicals, I don't want
to buy a Region 2 DVD with PAL speedup.
I think I can wait a few more months.

 

[gregstaten]

ALL THAT JAZZ is one of my favorite films. It has a very special place in my heart as I grew up in the world of dance and choreography (my mother was a choreographer). That said, I can wait.

Though I preorder nearly every DVD I have, I rarely watch them the week they come out. Heck, some I don't get around to watching for months. So, a delay of the release of ATJ doesn't really affect me. When it comes out I'll buy it. I'm patient.

In the meantime, I'll just watch one of the movies sitting on the shelves that I haven't looked at yet. There are plenty of movies there!

-greg

 

[Greg_M]

FOX has rumored the title over the last two years and frankly, I've given up on it. "All That Jazz" was never one of my must have titles, and now with the release of DVHS it will only be a few years before DVD is replaced by HD-DVD. I've waited this long so whats a few more years for a way better transfer. Until then, the "All That Jazz" laserdisc will do.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

FOX has rumored the title over the last two years and frankly, I've given up on it. "All That Jazz" was never one of my must have titles, and now with the release of DVHS it will only be a few years before DVD is replaced by HD-DVD. I've waited this long so whats a few more years for a way better transfer. Until then, the "All That Jazz" laserdisc will do.

Respectfully, this comment is pretty absurd.

Actually, Fox hasn't been rumoring the release

for the past two years. It has taken them nearly

that long to do a restoration on the film.

The release date was delayed from earlier this

year for the reason of hopefully getting some

extra material added on.

The laserdisc of ALL THAT JAZZ cannot compare

to what the DVD Will look like. The film just

went under a full restoration -- I have seen

parts of it -- and it looks far better than

anything previously released on any format.

In fact, the original master was in such bad

shape the film was nearly lost forever.

Finally, if you are hoping for Hi-Def DVD

to be here in five years, you may be disappointed.

The technology is pretty much here, but who

knows if all the studios will come to an agreement

on its specs, and when they do, who knows how

long it will take for the studios to release

specific titles in that format.

If this is truly one of your "must have" titles,

then I urge you to have a little faith and ride

the wait for a few more months. The title is

on its way.

 

[David Lambert]

...and ride the wait for a few more months. The title is on its way.

Say, around Presidents Day? :wink:

 

[Brian Kidd]

I think the thing that some people need to think about is that the movie is coming! The end is in sight. Now we need to focus our attention on getting other beloved catalog films released. For one, I want to say "Thank you!" to Peter Staddon and Fox. They've seen the demand for this film and are doing their durndest to make sure that what is eventually released is of exceptional quality.

 

[Jeff_HR]

It is my assumption
that since the studio lost their original
release window, they have to take the next
one available

I'm glad to see that there is some news. I confess though that this release window business is a bit confusing. Is it as though the film was in a ticket buying line, got out of the line & now has to go to the end of the line? Oh well, perhaps someone will give us a complete and accurate explanation about the delay once the film is released. I'm really looking forward to owning this DVD whenever it comes.

:b

 

[Greg_M]

I'm sorry Ron,

Fox never "announced" "All That Jazz" for DVD, but it was first mentioned for possible release in some of the reports from Dave's Studio Day - November 2000. Since then I've been hearing about it all over the net. Last year it looked like it would be released, then it was delayed to 2002, now 2003. I would have prefered the studio not mention it at all if they are going to keep rescheduling the release date - year by year.

I only mention this because there were a small number of other titles mentioned with this film, none of which have materialized in Region 1 either. "Cocoon, Hello, Dolly, The Rose..."

I would guess this is why the Studios are reluctent to speak of catalog titles.

I would rather buy a catalog title that has stood the test of time, then the lastest mindless Hollywood release. But I guess catalog titles don't sell well enough.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Greg,

Understood.

Let me explain my idea of how these windows

work and possibly this may help you understand

why the studios just don't release product at will.

Just as in theatrical releases, the studios

meticulously plan their releases against what

other competing studios are releasing.

A year's worth of release dates are usually

planned a year in advance.

I am sure that Fox already has the rest of

the year booked with releases, including promo

materials that were put together well in advance.

They missed their first window of opportunity

and are only awaiting the next slot that is

open to them.

"The Rose" was also to be released at the

same time and I bet that it will also be

released along with "All That Jazz" and

perhaps "Hello Dolly" in a music promotion

at the start of 2003.

These titles are no longer rumors. Some

are already completed. This is simply how

the industry works -- timing is everything.

Once again, this is my best assumption as how

the system works given the fact that this is

how the theatrical end usually works.

 

[Jeff_HR]

Thanks for the window explanation Ron.
I now have a better understanding, I DO NOT agree with it, but I understand.

I would rather buy a catalog title that has stood the test of time, than the latest mindless Hollywood release

Greg, I am also more interested in catalog titles. Unfortunately the studios seems to be a bit reluctant to release them in great numbers.(something that was not a problem with LDs)

I applaud Fox's plan to put out a line of "Classics" on DVD. I hope they sell like hotcakes & then perhaps other studios will see that there is a market for catalog DVD titles.

 

[Greg_M]

I'm just vending with this one title. I Know a great deal about Home Video marketing, which is why it irks me. My big complaint is that DVD saw a rush of catalog titles in the early days, when in the last 18 months we've seen very little in the form of classic catalog titles - except for old releases repackaged as Special Editions.

Warner Bros, Universal & FOX seem only to care about the latest releases and big action/science fiction films. MGM/UA is the only studio releasing numerous catalog titles - usually 30 titles per month. Pretty good compared to the 30 cataloge titles released so far this year by Warners, and Fox. Does Universal release catalog titles any more?

There are more DVD players than there were laserdisc players, but fewer catalog titles are sold. Fox's window excuse is for the birds.

Fox says next year we will see more catalog titles - big deal. Starve us for two years then expect us to buy a whole bunch of titles? That's the marketing plan - studios don't want to run out of product like they did in the early 90's. The bigest titles "Raiders" "Star Wars" will come out just before DVD goes under.

 

[Jeff_HR]

I agree that the releasing policy that the studios are following is slanted in the direction you mention Greg. As a HUGE buyer of LD catalog titles when they were being sold, I find it confusing as to why the studios don't try to sell these titles to what is an obviously larger base of Disc players than they had with LD players. I refuse to believe that there is no market for catalog titles. If it is a matter of where to divide up limited resources, then I'd rather see the studios put those resources into catalog film titles rather than into TV programs.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

You guys are killing me here.
I really can't comprehend your grievances.
More than ever, studios are churning out
catalog product. Why? That's really all
that is left of their library.
Fox has released a large amount of catalog
product this year from Marilyn Monroe to
Flint to requested titles like Say Anything.
Warner, MGM and Paramount have been releasing
a hefty amount of 70's and 80's catalog product.
Warner is even reaching farther back and releasing
many requested classic titles.
How can you say the studios are ignoring catalog
product?!
And here's something else to consider...
The reason MGM can release 30 (if that is the
number) catalog releases a month is because they
have more catalog product than most studios do.
Columbia is very near depleting their popular
catalog titles. Fox is a studio with a very
small catalog base. Warner and MGM lead the pack
with catalog titles and they can afford to be
more gung-ho on their releases.
Look, guys, I am the guy who put the wheels
in motion to get All That Jazz released
and I for one don't mind waiting a few more months.
You don't just take a title and say we will
release it next week. Jazz was scheduled
for earlier this year, but the studio opted
to hold it in hopes of doing something even
more special for fans.
Now the studio has the rest of the year all
planned out, including production schedules with
the replicating plants and promotion schedules
that require advance planning. You simply can't
turn around and say "okay, we can put this title
out next week".
I am not trying to come to the defense of a
studio for the sake of anything. But common
sense dictates that the studios plan their
releases around many variables.

 

[gregstaten]

There's a lot of logic in what you write, Ron. Perhaps that's why some on here aren't hearing you. Like you, ALL THAT JAZZ is one of my favorite films. But, I'm not going to rend my flesh or shout conspiracy just because the release was delayed.

The irony in all of this is that there are hundreds of other titles already out well worth watching and even owning. Instead of complaining about missing titles, why doesn't everyone look around them at the amazing bounty of DVDs already in release?

Are you guys saying that there aren't other titles you can watch in the interim?

-greg

 

[Robert Crawford]

I am very optimistic about 2003, and the catelogue films that will be released from both Warner and Fox during the upcoming year. In the past, I've been real impatient with certain studios in how they release their catelogue titles and though, I'm still a little antsy about it, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Furthermore, as stated by others, there are many wonderful films already out on dvd to tie me over until the flow of catelogue films increases over the next few years. The restoration process involved in preparing these titles for dvd is long and costly, thus people need to realized that like anything else in business, the studios have to prepare their marketing and production schedules to their available budgets.

Crawdaddy

 

[Coressel]

I'm a big All That Jazz fan too, and therefore have no problem at all waiting awhile for the DVD release of it.
I guess in this impatient age of "I need it NOW!" people forget that waiting is part of the fun. I'd rather wait for it than have them release two different DVDs, one that doesn't look or sound very good and has no extras followed by a loaded 2 or 3-disc set. Waiting and getting an ultimate edition of it is fine with me.
Wow, 1000 posts! I don't know if I'm proud of myself or embarassed... :b

 

[Jeff_HR]

thus people need to realized that like anything else in business, the studios have to prepare their marketing and production schedules to their available budgets

That being the case, I repeat my personal preference for the studios to put those resources behind catalog titles from the above mentioned years vs putting them behind TV programs on DVD. Is "All That Jazz" ready to go out the door, or does it still have to be pressed? If it still has to be pressed, I can understand fitting it in to a production schedule. If it has already been pressed and is just sitting in a warehouse somewhere, then I'm a bit less understanding about their willingness to get it to the retailers. In any case I cannot buy until they put it in the retailers' hands unless I get a copy with another region coding.

 

[Greg_M]

My whole point has been "pushing back of titles mentioned for release is frustrating." That's the bulk of it. To be fair to FOX, "All that Jazz" has never been announced for release. Delaying a film for restoration is fine.

It's just frustrating knowing Fox keeps pushing it back. If during one of their on-line chats FOX said they were looking to release "Star Wars" in 2000 the news would have spread like wild fire. If they came back in 2001 and said the release was being pushed to 2002 some may have complained, but if they came back a year later and said the release was most likely going to now be 2003 people would be pissed, especially if they missed their window and now aimed for 2004. I think many members of this forum would be up in arms. Seems many people were pissed over "Back to the Future" for the same reason. People already have a post up complaining that "Grease" is being delayed - seven, seven days.

FOX can release "ATJ" whenever they want. I'm just tired of hearing the release is being pushed back again to the next year. After all, it looked like we were going to see "All That Jazz" in the fall of 2001 (after a restoration) now it looks like maybe early 2003, that's quite a large time gap, not taking into consideration it was first mentioned during a 2000 FOX chat.

It's not that big a deal. But, honestly, there will always be something new which could be added to a DVD and push the release date back - to the point where by that time, they might just as well wait to release it on the next format.

I bet Ron buys the region 2 disc if Fox pushes the release date to 2004. What's $20 bucks. Come on Ron, you know you want to.