Fox has Distribution Deal for MGM Catalog!!!!!!!! (1 Viewer)

[Paul_Scott]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060531/...NlYwN5bmNhdA--


Wow.
don't know about anyone else, but to me this is great F'ing news!

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Wow... this is GREAT news!!!!

Fox is the next big thing in home video.


Can't wait to finally start seeing many of those back catalogue titles and classic library films that were either neglected or poorly handeled through the company's early release days begin to finally (re)surface.

This offers many great possibilities and Fox has been showing recently that they have a keen understanding of the market among classic releases. I'm very happy to hear this. Sony hadn't done a single thing with their library since aquiring it last year.

 

[PaulP]

Hey does this mean we actually have a realistic chance of a deserving edition of The Graduate?

 

[Walter Kittel]

Great news. Fox has done a splendid job on a lot of classic titles.

- Walter.

 

[Paul_Scott]

what I'm hoping, is that MGM follows Fox's lead and starts to license titles out to Criterion and Anchor Bay.
Things that would have festered and rotted under Sonys dominion.

Another hope is that this gives the MGM/UA titles a little more autonomy in the HD sweepstakes (i.e. releases on HD DVD as well as Blu-ray).

and finally, maybe decent editions of The Apartment, and jean DeFlorette and Manon Of The Spring...among a multitude of others.

 

[Marc Colella]

oh, I've got my hopes up now.
There are a lot of foreign films that have a chance for release now.

This is definitely good news... get the catalog titles as far away from Sony as possible.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

This is fantastic. When Fox's video distribution was handled by CBS/Fox, they used to distribute some UA titles, so this is a homecoming of sorts. Fox has done a great job with several titles this year, so this definitely raises my hopes.

 

[Citizen87645]

Why am I always the last to know?

I think this is good news too, given Fox's track record. Time will tell.

 

[Patrick McCart]

I hope this is good since Sony wasn't doing a very good job with the catalog. Fox does so much better with their back catalog (especially now).

 

[Dave Mack]

Too bad it's too late for a better Midnight Cowboy SE...

 

[richardWI]

I wish that was the case. Sony took the Midnite Movies line and quickly ran it into the ground by selecting inferior movies AND hiking up the price. Thankfully, their reign of terror is ending.. Go Fox, show them how it's done!

 

[Casey C.]

Just to clarify -- and someone correct me if I'm wrong -- this appears to be just a distribution deal, not Fox acquiring ownership of the titles themselves (like Warner owns the pre-1986 MGM titles).

So under such a deal, who controls which titles are revisited when, and which ones get the royal treatment and which ones are just barebones? Would it be MGM, and Fox just handles the distribution end?

Kind of odd that Sony lost the deal when they're part owner of MGM -- although Fox already was distributing MGM titles outside the U.S., so that way it makes some sense.

 

[PeterTHX]

No, it doesn't. Fox is firmly in the Blu-ray only camp.

 

[Greg_S_H]

I hope this means an OAR Remo.

 

[Jeff Swindoll]

Color me dense, but what does this really mean? If the back catalogue really does go to Fox (or is distributed by Fox) it will still be quite awhile till things are worked out and titles start coming out. Are we getting our hopes up for nothing, have final papers been signed????

Dont get me wrong, if this is what I interpret it as I'm thrilled. Fox has a better knowledge of how to market the classics. However, what shots does Sony still call, will they decide pricing, etc. or Fox??

Please dont tease me like this

 

[Roger Rollins]

It means nothing really.

It is a DISTRIBUTION deal. The people at what's left of MGM call the shots, and Fox receives a small fee for their efforts.

...and if you think Fox has marketing acumen when it comes to classics, they are clearly clueless. It took old MGM to market their mediocre Charlie Chans after a certain Fox Video executive said here on this forum that there was no money in the franchise. MGM made a mint with their 6 low-grade Chans at a very high price, and Fox had egg foo yung on face,,,,,,,,,,,

Lest we forget Fox is responsible for giving us the TODD AO "Oklahoma!" in a wretched transfer....or they actually thought that VALLEY OF THE DOLLS and BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS should be marketed together, when they are in fact, totally unconnected, and Jacqueline Susann successfully sued Fox and got a big payout for Fox's unauthorized use of her book's title in the Russ Meyer film.

So if you're expecting miracles...you're not gonna get any from Fox...

Film lovers should just be grateful that the REAL MGM library is in the capable hands of Warner HV, a company so ahead of the other studios in library marketing know-how, that they leave any potential competitors in the dust.

....and NO, this move of distribution of MGM product (read: UA/Orion/Filmways/AIP/Cannon/Epic/DEG/Embassy/Hemdale, etc.) means that you'll finally get your precious WITCHFINDER GENERAL on DVD because of Fox,
you'll be nothing but disappointed.

The guy in charge of 'shell company' MGM will still call the marketing shots, whether it had stayed at Sony or moved to Fox. So look forward to triple dips, and no creativity. SAD SAD SAD.

 

[Kyle McKnight]

So now Fox will be putting out the Midnite Movies?

 

[Casey C.]

That's how I read it as well. So the only difference we'll see is the tiny fine print on the back of the case that says "Distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment."

 

[Mark_TS]

So SONY can still be their ususal clueless selves, but instead of them doing distributiing, TCF will be distributing SONYs clueless products-at Sonys clueless schedule and clueless choices of titles.

Did I mention that SONY is clueless as a home video operation?
(actually, they seem kind of clueless as a theatrical release company too-10 bombs for every win.)

Kind of like a boat without a rudder in high seas.

So I dont see any benefit from this at all.

I am also willing to bet that they are holding THE GRADUATE SE, the last 2 LEONE/EASTWOOD Dollar films, and the James Bond films, among other things, to push blue-ray. G*damn them.
oh, well...Glad I went all region. I will soon have them all.

This threads title had my hopes up and is misleading...

 

[Jack Theakston]

I'm glad that this is just a distribution deal. Compared to Columbia, Fox's repertory (and to a lesser degree their restoration) division are sadly lacking. Criterion is worse than MGM ever was at sending out the WORST prints of titles (some look like they're from their original release!)

On the flip side, Grover Crisp has been overseeing some phenomenal work in restoration of Columbia's films, and Mike Schlesinger is one of the nicest bookers of all of the studios.