Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

User avatar
Precious Doll
Emeritus
Posts: 4453
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by Precious Doll »

Greg wrote:I'm pretty sure I saw The Devils on TCM, or some movie TV channel, years ago.
Probably the much censored US version. The complete version which wasn't shown anywhere in the world on it's first release and has only gotten a couple of screenings about 10 years ago in the UK that include the 'rape of christ' scene, it what needs to be shown.

Warners have restored the film but won't release it properly. Only the first release 'international' version of the film is on DVD in the UK from the BFI. Their licence is due to expire soon.

I was reading something about music rights and screenings a couple of months ago which stated that the music rights would have for the most part been negotiated at the same time as the cinema rights. However, as DVD/Blu Ray are newer media formats, that is preventing a number of films from being released though some of them screen regularly on TV networks.
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
mlrg
Associate
Posts: 1746
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 11:19 am
Location: Lisbon, Portugal

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by mlrg »

Although I didn't have the time to see them yet, I have digital copies (file format) of The Last Summer and Tribute and also Diary of a Mad Housewife, which I have seen. The Last Summer copy is not amazing (image quality wise) but it's very much watchable.

These are part of my challenge to have the 1150+ films nominated for best picture and acting categories since the first ceremony.

I have around 1050 of them in file format. All of them since 1956 and from the 50's I'm only missing The Bold and the Brave, Trial and Come Fill the Cup.
Mister Tee
Tenured Laureate
Posts: 8636
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 2:57 pm
Location: NYC
Contact:

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by Mister Tee »

TCM has shown Last Summer twice in the past few years, so a print exists, but I can't say it was a very good looking one. And it may have had edits to the climactic sequence -- it felt more abrupt than I remembered, but 1) I was basing this on a 40-year-old memory and 2) the scene had been cut somewhat originally, as it bargained its way down from an X to R rating.

Looking for Mr. Goodbar was also shown on TCM sometime in the past six months.

I saw Porgy and Bess on network TV sometime around 1966/67. I know it's been impossible to find subsequently.

Some of the films on your list, Precious, are ones I regret not having seen on their original pass-through and have been seeking for eons. I thought I was the only one who'd ever even heard of Unman, Wittering and Zigo. It always sounded interesting to me, but I wasn't living n NYC at the time it played, and, when I did make the hour-and-a-half train ride into the city that summer, it was to see something more top-tier (or so I thought), like Carnal Knowledge or The Panic in Needle Park.
Greg
Tenured
Posts: 3281
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 1:12 pm
Location: Greg
Contact:

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by Greg »

I'm pretty sure I saw The Devils on TCM, or some movie TV channel, years ago.
User avatar
Precious Doll
Emeritus
Posts: 4453
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by Precious Doll »

Big Magilla wrote:
Precious Doll wrote:I think the print film they have was located in Australia, of all places, and is in very bad shape. My understanding is that the original negative may no longer exist. It's pretty scary to think that a film made by a major studio that isn't yet 50 years old may be missing the original negative.
Last Summer?
Yes.
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
Big Magilla
Site Admin
Posts: 19312
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 3:22 pm
Location: Jersey Shore

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by Big Magilla »

Precious Doll wrote:I think the print film they have was located in Australia, of all places, and is in very bad shape. My understanding is that the original negative may no longer exist. It's pretty scary to think that a film made by a major studio that isn't yet 50 years old may be missing the original negative.
Last Summer?
User avatar
Precious Doll
Emeritus
Posts: 4453
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by Precious Doll »

I think the print film they have was located in Australia, of all places, and is in very bad shape. My understanding is that the original negative may no longer exist. It's pretty scary to think that a film made by a major studio that isn't yet 50 years old may be missing the original negative.

With Warners now releasing far more back catalogue titles on blu-ray on a monthly basis with any luck Last Summer might show up in their Blu-Ray series. Wouldn't that be something. I have only ever seen the film on late night television decades ago.

I remember reading years ago that Paramount was having a clean-out of duplicate prints back in the 1990's and somebody accidentally throw out the original negative of Days of Heaven with a whole lot of copies of Days of Thunder!
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
Big Magilla
Site Admin
Posts: 19312
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 3:22 pm
Location: Jersey Shore

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by Big Magilla »

Warner Archive promised to restore Last Summer 8 years ago, what's the holdup?

Also still missing:

The Blue Veil - rights issues
The Dark at the Top of the Stairs - Inge estate reportedly wants too much money
Where's Charley? - music rights, in bad need of restoration - Canadian bootleg copy (in green) is unwatchable
Porgy and Bess - Gershwin estate hates it, but bootleg copies exist
The Sleeping Car Murder - now available on YouTube
User avatar
Precious Doll
Emeritus
Posts: 4453
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by Precious Doll »

An interesting group of films that remain missing in action on DVD/Blu Ray are mainly studio products that are being held up due to music rights issues.

Some of the films that I am aware of include:

Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977)
Little Darlings (1980) - avoid the German DVD, it's a very bad bootleg
American Hot Wax (1978)
Red Sky in the Morning (1971)
Handle with Care (aka Citizen's Band) (1977)
Remember My Name (1978)
When You Coming' Back, Red Ryder (1978)

I am wondering if the same applies to:

The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart (1970)
Times Square (1980) - though this was released on DVD I think
Health (1979)

Then there are other notable films which remain in limbo for other reasons:

The Keep (1983) Michael Mann apparently was none too happy with Paramounts recut of his film and isn't particularly interested in revisiting it;
Last Summer (1969) I understand major restoration is needed for this and finding a complete print of the original film has been somewhat difficult;
The Last Movie (1971) The rights are now with Dennis Hopper's estate, so we will just have to wait and see what happens;
Let It Be (1970) Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr are loathed to allow a release of the film because of some of the content with John Lennon & George Harrison. I don't get this as everything in the film is public knowledge and on the public record but it sounds like we will be in for a long wait for this one;
The Devils (1971) Mountains of information on the web why this, in it's original version, remains locked in the vaults at Warners;

Then there are the others for which I don't have a clue:

Gaby - A True Story (1987)
Diary of a Mad Housewife (1970)
A Dangerous Woman (1993)
Meet the Applegates (1990)
Reckless (1995)
Unman, Wittering and Zigo (1971)
Moment by Moment (1979) - though there is a very good DVD available of this in Germany
The Haunting of Julia (aka Full Circle) (1977) - rumours are about that it is coming
Stevie (1978)
Tribute (1980)

I only just discovered that Only When I Laugh (1981) was released by Song MOD last November.
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
User avatar
Precious Doll
Emeritus
Posts: 4453
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by Precious Doll »

I've only just seen your post dws1982, so sorry for the late response.

I have the Taviani Brothers Arrow box set and purchased it for The Night of the Shooting Stars & Padre Padrone. Don't much care for Kaos. I actually had the Cohen box office on pre-order and then cancelled it once Arrow made the announcement of releasing the same films.

There is a very good Blu Ray of Man of Marble from Poland. I purchased it via a third party seller on the Amazon UK site. Haven't had a chance to watch that one yet either. Hopefully more Wajda will find it's way to Blu Ray. I'm eager to see a release of The Conductor & Rough Treatment. I would certainly purchase The Young Girls of Wilko which I saw back in the 1980's on a less than pristine presentation due to the television broadcast. I've never had an opportunity to revisit it.
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
dws1982
Emeritus
Posts: 3789
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 9:28 pm
Location: AL
Contact:

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by dws1982 »

If the choice is between a Twilight Time version and UK version (from Indicator, Masters of Cinema, Arrow), you might be better off with the UK version. Those Twilight Time releases are so expensive that they aren't worth it unless you catch a sale. The Indicator releases seem to have better special features too. Definitely will order some of them--Housekeeping, especially, which has been unattainable for years. (I always resisted the MOD DVD companies.)

Speaking of Twilight Time, all of their MGM titles are on sale currently. They're calling it a "March Madness" sale. For whatever reason, it's only the MGM titles. They don't seem to be losing rights to the MGM titles--the next few months show several MGM titles on the schedule.

Things To Come is getting a DVD/Blu-Ray release from MPI in the States in a couple of months. It was an IFC release, and Criterion gets first bite at any of those. Lately the pattern has been that the ones that Criterion takes will either get a release from Paramount first (45 Years, Boyhood), or no release at all (Dheepan). So this means that Criterion has apparently passed on it. With the acclaim for the film itself, as well as the general hype around Huppert, I'm surprised.

Does anyone have the Taviani Brothers collection from Arrow? Cohen Media put out a similar collection in the States, with all of the same films, but the Arrow edition is comparable in price and has a lot more in terms of extras. I'm not the guy who pays a lot more for extra features on a DVD, but if the prices are around the same anyway, it would probably be worth it.

Is there a decent Blu-Ray of Andrzej Wajda's Man of Marble anywhere? It's one of my favorite Wajda films, the only DVD release in the US was a really poor-quality PAL conversion, not too far above VHS in quality. I have several of his films, but that one has been tough to find in decent quality. (Was disappointed it wasn't included in the "Masterpieces of Polish Cinema" box sets.) Also wish someone would put out a good release of his greatest film, and one of the ten or twenty greatest films of all time, in my opinion--The Young Girls of Wilko.
User avatar
Precious Doll
Emeritus
Posts: 4453
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by Precious Doll »

There is a UK distributor that stared up late last year called Indicator. They have been releasing films from Sony's back catalogue. Some have been already released in the US, other have not been.

They have just announced Bill Forsyth's wonderful 1987 film Housekeeping with a career best performance from Christine Lahti for a May release. It has only ever been released on DVD in the U.S. via Sony's MOD program.

Some of their other upcoming films that have not been released in the U.S. on Blu Ray to date include Birdy, Eyes of Laura Mars & Wolf (release dates to be annoucned). A lot of there releases to date have been released by Twilight Time in the U.S. and like Twilight Time almost all of them are region free.
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
Big Magilla
Site Admin
Posts: 19312
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 3:22 pm
Location: Jersey Shore

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by Big Magilla »

DaaVeeDee for sure, esp. for Australian and non-UK European releases as well as old UK releases, but Amazon.UK for new British releases as they often arrive sooner than they show up on DaaVeeDee's site.
User avatar
Precious Doll
Emeritus
Posts: 4453
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by Precious Doll »

I am referring to the Isabelle Huppert film. The UK Blu-Ray is a must have if the US distributor fails to release it on Blu Ray.

I've just checked the two Sirk on the Australian distributors website. A Time to Love is not even showing there now and The Tarnished Angels is out-of-stock - doubt they will restock it. I don't get why these two Douglas Sirk haven't gotten better 'treatment' in the U.S. They were only ever released on DVD 'down under'.

Interesting to see if the Malle's turn up on Blu-Ray in the U.S. It will no doubt depend on who owns the rights to which prints.

I occasionally go through third party sellers on Amazon but the postage cost is so inflated. It's always worth checking DaaVeeDee as they have a very good range of English friendly DVDs & Blu-Rays from all over the world. I have been ordering from them for about 10 years now and have never had any problems.

Aside from the U.S. and U.K Amazon sites I also have purchased from their French, German, Italian, Spanish, Canadian & Japanese sites.

Another two films that haven't yet been released in the U.S. are Taking Off (Milos Forman) & Deep End (Jerzy Skolomowski). Both were released in the U.K. on Blu-Ray in 2011 and are still missing in action in the U.S. Though Taking Off is now only available on DVD. I watched Taking Off recently as my partner had never seen and it's such a hoot. It's also such a time capsule of a long gone era. Deep End remains as dark and disturbing was when I first saw it back in the early 1980s. It could be music rights issues that have prevented them being released in the U.S. as one would think that Criterion would surely snatch them up.
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
Big Magilla
Site Admin
Posts: 19312
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 3:22 pm
Location: Jersey Shore

Re: Missing in Action - Films still not released on DVD/Blu Ray

Post by Big Magilla »

A Time to Love and a Time to Die is one of the reasons I went to a region-free player years ago. It's never been available in the U.S. on any home video format.

Both the Eureka-Masters of Cinema Blu-ray and DVD are out of print. The Blu-ray sells through 3rd party sellers at Amazon.UK for 60 pounds (currently $75 (U.S.). The DVD sells for $95 at Amazon.US, which is even more ridiculous. On the other hand, the Eureka-Masters of Cinema Blu-ray of The Tarnished Angels sells for $20 at Amazon.US, the same price as the Universal Vault DVD.

Things to Come - you must mean the Isabelle Huppert film. The Blu-ray of the 1936 H.G. Wells film was put out by Criterion in 2013.

The Lion in Winter restoration looks and sounds terrific. The Anthony Harvey commentary is illuminating, which is not always the case with directors reminiscing about their past glories.

Au Revoir les Enfants was put out by Criterion in 2011, but they have not transferred any of his other titles to Blu-ray. I have Lacombe, Lucien on the French Blu-ray.

There are quite a number of British films that are only available in Blu-ray from the U.K. including The Importance of Being Earnest, Kind Hearts and Coronets and the rest of the Ealing comedies, This Sporting Life, The Man Between and The Captive Hart.

Both Amazon. Us and Amazon.UK occasionally sell German, French and other imports through third party sellers, but many of them in the U.K. do not ship to the U.S.
Post Reply

Return to “DVD Discussions”