Over The Edge: Who Owns The Rights? (1 Viewer)

[rockinricky]

The film 'Over The Edge' was released by Orion Pictures. AFAIK, Orion Pictures no longer exists, so who owns the rights to their movies? I would like to see 'Over The Edge' on DVD.

 

[Brian E]

MGM IIRC.

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

OVER THE EDGE was an Orion/Warner Bros. release and I believe that all of these titles, from early in Orion's existence, fall under Warner Home Video domain. Other similar titles are THE WANDERERS, A LITTLE ROMANCE, & WOLFEN. In fact, Warners has answered queries about OTE on a recent chat session. Would love to see it get great DVD treatment it deserves!

Jon

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

Over The Edge was released by Warner on video, so I'm guessing they still own the video rights.

 

[Donald W]

yep Over the Edge was out by WB when it first came to video...but was never a Orion production, they never had anything to do with it...New World Pictures made this film and was put out by WB...I know that all of New World Pictures stuff is over at Roger Corman's new company *they have been putting out all of their old cult films like Rock N Roll High School and Death Race 2000 on DVD...all of which were released by WB when they first came out til he got the rights back for them* so my bet is that he owns the rights still for this film and he'll put it out soon on DVD...btw if you havn't seen this film you need to, it's up there with Rebel without a Cause as one of the greatest teen angst films ever made

 

[rockinricky]

I figured it was Orion because, according to the back cover of the soundtrack LP I have, it is 'An Orion Pictures Release'. I guess Orion was the distributor at the time(1979). This movie came out in 1979? I thought it was from the 80s, at least that was when I saw it on HBO. It says '©1979 Warner Bros Records Inc' on the album cover.

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

OVER THE EDGE is most certainly an Orion film. In fact, it was Orion's first production although its theatrical release was delayed until 1981 (It did have some test screenings in 1979.) This was due to the fears of theater owners and the studio that the film would inspire violent incidents similar to those that occured during screenings of THE WARRIORS. The same fate befell other 'gang-themed' films such as WALK PROUD, BOULEVARD NIGHTS, and Orion's THE WANDERERS (where's the DVD Warner?!). 1979 was truly a watershed year for the gang film.

Ultimately, it received a limited release at Joseph Papp's prestigious Public Theater in New York. It garnered excellent reviews, but did not find its most intended audience (kids) until cable screenings and the initial video release later that year. Now, the DVD Warner?...

Jon

 

[Brian E]

DVD Warner?...

That's where I get confused. From what I remember when MGM signed away the rights to all thier stuff except for post-1986 titles that that didn't include stuff from Polygram, Orion, Cannon and United Artists. Which MGM retains the rights to.

 

[rockinricky]

Last night I found 'Over The Edge' available for $11.99 at amazon.com...on VHS:frowning:

 

[Donald W]

this is odd...the being of the version that I have from cable that I taped has A New World Picture Production on there...no Orion Pictures on there...I knew that WB had put out the video of it cause I saw it in a store..so I looked over at the Internet Movie Database...and yes it has Orion as the Distributor of the film...so why would New World be listed as the production company??? So if it's Orion then MGM has it...I don't know whats up with the New World Pictures deal on mine at all

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

To clarify:

OVER THE EDGE was a Orion/Warner Bros. production. When Orion was first set up, they were in a partnership with Warner Bros. All of these Orion/Warner Bros. titles are the property of Warner Home Video. Warner Bros. even answered queries regarding this title on their recent chat session. They justified their decision to not release it on DVD with the reasoning that the film had not been a big seller for them on VHS. Pretty lame excuse, but like it or not, we are stuck with Warner for OVER THE EDGE.

Jon

 

[Donald W]

thanks Jon...that pretty much sucks what they have done to this film...they play it a lot on Encore so there has to be a sizeable fanbase for this film

 

[Brian E]

They justified their decision to not release it on DVD with the reasoning that the film had not been a big seller for them on VHS.

They still don't get that VHS and DVD are totaly different as far as what will sell and what won't. Many people would not buy VHS period, because of it's non-lasting nature, etc.

 

[Donald W]

it is very sad about the VHS vs DVD and what can come out...it's just odd that they say that this film was never a big seller on VHS, but they play it a lot on Encore

 

[Brett_B]

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