Image Partners With Sony Pictures Home Entertainment - Will release Classic Titles on Blu ray (1 Viewer)

[Bradley-E]

From: Bill Hunt's column in today's The Digital Bits from Home Media Magazine

 

 

Erik Gruenwedel | Posted: 30 Aug 2010

 

 

In a major coup, resurgent Image Entertainment Aug. 30 said it has inked a multiyear deal with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment to allow the studio to manufacture and distribute all of its Blu-ray Disc and DVD releases.

 

Separately, Sony agreed to license an undisclosed number of titles to Image for distribution. Classic titles in the agreement include Sydney Pollack’s Absence of Malice (with Paul Newman and Sally Field), And Justice for All (directed by Norman Jewison and starring Al Pacino), and Adaptation (directed by Spike Jonze, with Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper).

 

Sony Corp. subsidiary Sony DADC is a major Blu-ray Disc/DVD replication company. In addition, the deal affords Chatsworth, Calif.-based Image, which has slowly re-emerged from near bankruptcy to near profitability under new ownership and management, access to SPHE’s traditional accounts and non-traditional distribution channels. “This agreement allows us to take advantage of their state-of-the-art retail systems while retaining control of sales and marketing,” said Image CEO Ted Green. “It also gives us additional quality product to distribute.”

 

[felipenor]

Are there any other titles confirmed?

 

[Bradley-E]

I have not seen any other titles being mentioned. Looking at the 3 titles mentioned, I would guess they would be an assortment of some of the better Columbia / Tri Star catalog titles.

 

[Bradley-E]

The first Sony/Image Blu ray titles are being released March 22. They are Against All Odds, Random Hearts and Awakenings.

On another page someone posted Sony/Image titles being released on DVD; they include The Fisher King, California Suite, the Collector, See No Evil Hear No Evil, Butterflies are Free, Stir Crazy, Blind Date, A Soldier's Story, American Pop, Hollywood Knights, Jagged Edge and I found The Age of Innocence, People vs. Larry Flynt, Red Rock West, and To Die For.


Are these what is to come on Blu ray?

 

[GMpasqua]

also "Bob and Carol & Ted & Alice" these are all SONY/Columbia "B" catalog titles, and they'll most likely all come to blu-ray through Image Entertainment (Though Image didn't do too good a job with "Time Bandits") The "A" titles will still come from SONY

 

[dana martin]

Earlier this year, Image Entertainment and SPHE entered into a multi-year agreement in which SPHE would handle all manufacturing and distribution services for Image's Blu-ray and DVD releases, while SPHE licensed a number of titles to Image for distribution.

that statement alone makes me hopeful that this will turn out better than some think