Predictions on Big Catalogue releases for 2005? (1 Viewer)

[Alistair_M]

Excluding the new movies, and the obsure flicks on our wishlists (eg Little Dorrit, If.. ), what of the popular movies do you predict will be released/rereleased as special editions in 2005.

Using the imdb top 250 as a guide, here's my predictions/hopes for 2005:

Titanic SE - bound to be multiple set
Kill Bill - recut boxset?
James Bond SEs - predict them to be 2 disk se
The Fly SE
Errol Flynn box sets
Bette Davis box set
Greta Garbo box set
Fall of the Roman Empire
Quo Vardis
Magnificent Ambersons se ?
Jane Eyre (orson welles)
King Kong SE
The Sting SE
Jaws SE (perhaps for a 30th anniversary edn)
Gladiator - directors cut
Blade Runner SE - 2 disk se
Cool Hand luke SE?
African Queen SE?
The Searchers SE?
Wild Bunch SE?
Lock Stock and 2 smoking barrels 2 disk sE?
For a few dollars more 2 disk SE
Fistful of Dynamite 2 disk SE
Midnight Cowboy SE ?
Top Hat SE
Wuthering Heights
Stage Coach
Pride and Prejeduce
East of Eden - James Dean
Double imdemnity

 

[Damin J Toell]

We already have the Gladiator director's cut on DVD: the theatrical version.

DJ

 

[Patrick McCart]

Here's some titles based on anniversaries...

80th (1925):

The Big Parade (Warner, being worked on)

Battleship Potemkin (Criterion has been rumored to have this in the works and an 80th anniversary would be a good time)

Ben-Hur (Warner, but no rumor or hint. Only going on anniversary)

The Freshman (New Line has DVD rights to Harold Lloyd catalog, so I bet we'll see this in 2005 as one of the first releases)

75th (1930):

All Quiet on the Western Front (Universal. NOT hinted or even mentioned. However, their current disc stinks and a 75th anniversary release would make sense.)

Maybe a 2nd Lon Chaney collection since this would be the 75th anniversary of his death, as well as his last film (The Unholy Three).

Just Imagine (Never on legit video before, but I think Fox needs to license it to Criterion. After all, if Criterion can do Keanu Reeves films, why not El Brendel?)

70th (1935):

Top Hat (hinted at by Warners)

Captain Blood (Warners hinted at more Errol Flynn)

David Copperfield (Warners noted the rediscovery of the camera negative)

Mad Love (Highly requested, good Halloween title for Warners. NOT hinted at)

Becky Sharp (likely an Image release, but it should be on DVD by now!)

65th (1940):

Fantasia (OOP and a good opportunity for Disney to do an uncut Masterpiece edition. If they just fixed the 30 seconds of censorship, reintegrated the bulk of Deems Taylor's narration, and made the 2nd disc carry the Anthology Disc 3 extras and the disc 1 making-of, it would be great.)

Pinocchio (OOP and a good opportunity. Lowry Digital rumored to have fixed up the film, so I'd expect something wonderful)

Knute Rockne, All American (Warners. Since Ronald Reagan died earlier this year, there's enough time between they can release some of his movies without it looking like a death cash-in.)

60th (1945):

The Picture of Dorian Gray (Did Warners hint at this?)

State Fair (already scheduled by Fox)


55th (1950):

Cinderella (likely since Disney hasn't even released a bare-bones DVD yet).

50th (1955):

Oklahoma! (Fox already has it scheduled. I'm hoping for a 2-disc set like Warner's Strangers on a Train with both the Todd-AO and CinemaScope versions.)

East of Eden (Warner hinted, just rights to clear up)

Lady and the Tramp (OOP and Disney ought to do a 2-disc edition with both the Academy and CinemaScope versions)


45th (1960):

Psycho (Not hinted, but I predict a Franchise Collection with all four films, with the first 16x9 remastered. Would it be too much to ask for Universal to include the music-only track on the first film like on the laserdisc, as well as all the collector's edition DVD extras?)

The Alamo (A long shot, but I really hope Columbia will make this film a priority in terms of restoration, once MGM is totally their company. I doubt a restoration would be completed in time for a 2005 DVD, though.)

The Apartment (I'd hope that Columbia remasters and adds some extras. MGM's DVD looks awful.)

40th (1965):

What's New Pussycat? (I'm amazed that MGM never released a DVD. I'm hoping Columbia releases a 1.66:1 anamorphic DVD.)

Help! (Rumored to be in the works from Apple. The MPI disc has been out of print for a while and a remaster would be excellent.)

35th (1970):

Ryan's Daughter (Mainly because it's one of the last David Lean films not on DVD. Warner has made new 70mm prints, so I guess the 65mm negative is in great shape).

Let It Be (Hinted by Apple)

The Phantom Tollbooth (supposed to be in the works at Warners.)

30th (1975):

Jaws (I predict Universal will do an "ultimate" DVD containing a remaster, original mono, the full documentary, and other stuff.)

25th (1980):

The Blues Brothers (Despite the original DVD being excellent, it's out of print. I predict a new edition, but I bet it'll only be a repackaging with its sequel as a franchise collection)

"Hollywood" (Already mentioned to be in the works from Kevin Brownlow.)

15th (1990):

Home Alone (old DVD and Fox could do a good SE)

Others:

I predict a lot of Harold Lloyd films from New Line, Hitchcock's "Lifeboat" from Fox, Kevin Brownlow's "Unknown Chaplin" miniseries, and Rocky & Bullwinkle: Season 3.

And another excellent Looney Tunes box set with lots of B&W cartoons, some banned shorts, and a Bosko or two.

 

[Marc Colella]

il Conformista
A Restored, Full-length version played in 2004 in Toronto. I have to believe that Paramount will be releasing it in 2005.

À Bout de Souffle and Pierrot Le Fou.
I predict 2005 will be a banner year for Godard on Criterion.

Jean de Florette and Manon of the Spring.
I have a feeling we'll be seeing a much needed re-release of these discs.

 

[Arnie G]

Judy & Mickey Box Set

 

[DanR]

Here are two of my predictions:

1.)It is Braveheart's 10th Anniversary. A DVD re-issue is already rumored for next year. I got my fingers crossed we will see DTS and some deleted scenes.

2.)Blu-Ray. I will predict that 4Q2005 sees the Spiderman and Spiderman 2 movies released exclusively on Bluu-Ray. Additionally, we will see a re-issue of 1998's Mask of Zorro on Blu-Ray as well.

Regards,
Dan

 

[Andrew Budgell]

I hope you're right! This would be great!

Andy

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Dog Day Afternoon SE
The Phantom Tollbooth

...and my personal request to
Warner Bros. that they promised
to look into over a year ago....

Twilght's Last Gleaming

 

[Mark_TS]

I believe Ive read that MGM announced an SE of MIDNIGHT COWBOY in R2 (Europe) in the coming year.
As in the past, we in R1 have had to wait for MGMs SEs....but they eventually get released here.

 

[Alistair_M]

Excellent predictions - if we're correct 2005 should be an excellent year.


"We already have the Gladiator director's cut on DVD: the theatrical version. DJ"

I'm pretty sure there's going to be a re-release of this title with some of the deleted scenes put back into the movie. I'm a big fan of Gladiator so I'll be all over this.

 

[ChristopherBlig]

SIX WORDS:

Beyond The Valley of the Dolls

 

[Steve...O]

Randy Salas indicated on another forum that Warners is working on "Kings Row" ( ) so I predict we will see some long awaited Reagan films being released (Knute Rockne, Voice of the Turtle, and Desperate Journey being potential other candidates).

Who knows, enough people on HTF have brought up "Storm Warning" so maybe Warners has reconsidered their position on this title.

Steve

 

[Runar_R]

Hoping to see Hamlet by Kenneth Branagh.

 

[Scott Temple]

A Psycho Franchise Collection would be great. Psycho (1960), Psycho II (1983), and Psycho III (1986) all remastered in 16x9 1.85:1 widescreen, plus Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990) in its (TV) OAR of 1.33:1.

Jaws (1975) needs another release so that they can include the original mono track and the full two hour documentary.

I'd love to see a 30th Anniversary release of Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975). This film definitely deserves to be 16x9 enhanced and a SE.

 

[Roger Rollins]

Very reliable sources indicate that Universal is planning to remaster ALL their Hitchcocks next year for Christmas.

This is great news, as I have hoped for anamorphic versions of PSYCHO, VERTIGO and many others.

It would be wonderful to see Universal address the great pre-49 Paramount films they own, but I hold out little hope in this regard

We know Fox is going to make SOUND OF MUSIC 40th their big classic release next Xmas. I don't know if the rumors are true about their other Rodgers & Hammersteins, but proper versions of those would sell like hotcakes....

Speaking of which, Fox REALLY MISSED THE BALL by choosing not to release Charlie Chan movies. Mr. Staddon in the last Fox chat feared that the Chan films would not make money.
Tell that to MGM, who sold at least 30,000 units of their CHANTHOLOGY with titles far inferior to Fox's Chans. Let's hope Fox gets on the Chan bandwagon.

I also hear that Fox is re-colorizing the Shirley Temples, using that same system that Columbia used on their 3 Stooges release, that allows you to choose between B&W and Color.

We know Paramount is going to make big deal around their acquisition of THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY. I wonder what their plans are for the other Batjac titles they obtained. Paramount will certainly be in different mode in '06 when the Republic library reverts to them from Artisan/Lion's Gate. Maybe THEN we'll see a proper DVD of THE QUIET MAN

Where the big Catalogue hits are going to come, and come in droves this year is from, of course, Warner Bros. They left everyone else in the dust when it came to quantity AND quality of releases in 2004.

Just what they've already announced for the first three months of the year (The WB Gangster box, the classic comedies like BRINGING UP BABY, and the Ultra-Resolution musicals like BAND WAGON and EASTER PARADE) are mouth watering.

I can't wait for the next HTF chat with Warner to find out what else they have up their sleeve.

 

[Mark_vdH]

If.... should definitely be released at last.

Also, Bertolucci's 1900 is still MIA.

Greed and Napoleon are the silent classics that need to be released. The "semi-silent" Vampyr needs to be upgraded.

Last but not least, Von Trier's The Kingdom deserves a solid American dvd release.

 

[Paul_Scott]

so much great stuff in there.
Universal made some good sized baby steps this year in other areas of their catalog (the noirs, the monster legacys, assorted vintage franchise collections) it would be great to see them build on this by digging more into the early Paramount titles, but i'm with you in not seeing a whole lot of optimism here.

 

[ScottR]

Woodstock SE
Grease SE
The Exorcist SE
James Dean Collection with Rebel SE, previous Giant Se, and East of Eden SE

 

[Dave H]

I'm hoping for Batman (1989) at last --- especially since the new movie is being released this year.

The current DVD reminds me of watching a VHS tape.

 

[Sam E. Torres]

office space special edition.