Godard’s Historie du Cinema
What a fantastic and eclectic selection by everyone. Interesting that it ranges from mainstream like Enchanted Cottage to esoteric like the above Godard. Indicates that distributors don’t simply have a blind spot for “arthouse” titles appealing to a percieved “minority” or “niche” audience but for really obvious mass audience pleasers too. I think in the realms of mass appeal titles Sony/Columbia are the firm I’d really like to shake up. Amongst other things they’re sat on all those great U.P.A. cartoons from the 50’s – Academy award winners like the original Gerald McBoing Boing – cartoons that literally (yes literally) changed the look of animation. If you wanna know what I mean check out their astounding version of Poe’s Tell Tale Heart narrated by James Mason on Youtube sometime. And don’t get cliffhanger serial buffs going about Sony owning the entire back catalogue of Columbia Sat. matinee serials and virtually releasing none. One of the biggest eBay markets is for dvd copies of tired old t.v. prints of these titles. They’d be a real little earner for the suits at Sony!
Hey and don’t get me going about Paramount or Universal…………..
Region free + Pal/Ntsc converter player and a credit card is essential for any die hard cinephiles… A lot of the films you mentionned are available somewhere in the world… The only film I want that I’m not able to get is sunday children, it exist in sweden but I think its OOP… I have a lot of difficulties to order movies from sweden… I haven’t found any swedish website who ship oversea…
I want Oshima’s Boy too but I think it is going to be released by Carlotta in 09
Mmmmmmmm to “Hand in Hand.” CBS used to run it all the time on its Children’s Film Festival (with Kukla, Fran and Ollie). I remember it fondly, along with another little gem called “Skinny and Fatty.” (At least I thought it was a gem at the time!)
There is no Region 1 / US DVD release of Antonioni’s Il Deserto Rosso (The Red Desert). Why the hell?
Wouldn’t it be great if the actual dvd distribution supremos read this stuff and took notice. (Yeah right! And the missing reels of Greed were found in the Thalberg’s garage!).
Y’know dvd’s are really cheap to produce and given that for old movies at least the problem of royalties must be a minor consideration it would seem likely that almost any “quality” title would at least make a modest profit. I mean why is there no region 1 of Red Desert?!
As a Preston Sturges fan I’m intrigued by Remember the Night mentioned earlier. Just checked it out on imdb and don’t ever remember seeing it. It’s Paramount! What did I tell yer “three hours ago”!?
Actually I’ve got to stop moaning! Maybe I’ll live long enough for all those elusive movies to be found, dusted off and made available.Maybe they really are simply in the Thalberg’s garage!
I’d like to see the Fred Zinnenman film The Search and the The Seventh Cross. Both great holocaust that are currently shown rarely on TCM.
ISLAND OF LOST SOULS
THE DEVILS
Jean Delannoy’s “The Eternal Return” (with Jean Marais written by Jean Cocteau)
Yuli Karasik’s “The Seagull” and Lumet’s version “The Sea Gull” both unavailable on dvd
I ONLY WANT “MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS”!
and, to those that mentioned them…
they have DVD versions of WINGS and GLENN GOULD…
they’re hard to find and consist of no extras.
Another vote for the Magnificent Ambersons and Johnny Guitar. I refuse to watch the worn old VHS copies I have access to. I noticed a few of you mentioned the African Queen, which I have found on DVD recently. My video store found Aparajito second hand on DVD, of course the Apu Trilogy seems to be discontinued now, so I don’t know if I’ll find the others.
So many films i wish would get a re-release, as their limited copies now sell for ludicrous amounts on Amazon. The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover and Last Year at Marienbad to name a few.
And just a few weeks ago I was thinking about how The Exterminating Angel needed a DVD release. Apparently Criterion was thinking the same thing…
i should point out that the African Queen DVD is rather dubious. It was released by something called Castaways Pictures, and has both english and asian text on the cover.
Island of Lost Souls would be great.
The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)
Kudos to Vlad on Island of Lost Souls. My pick is Noahs Ark (1928)
I think it has something to do with region rights—some distributor has to purchase the rights to use a certain region, which as I understand it is a hefty fee. So if they don’t feel like the demand for a film would be high enough, then maybe they just won’t bother.
It’s a shame though. I think the region system should burn in hell, along with everyone who invented it.
I don’t think KINGS OF THE ROAD is available on a region 1 dvd. I’ve never seen a copy of LET IT BE by The Beatles, which was almost impossible to find on VHS. And I doubt we’ll ever see a release of the Bob Dylan movie RENALDO AND CLARA.
Re. Island of Lost Souls. I got a really good “unofficial” version of “ioffer” (it’s kinda like ebay) last year. Nicely graded contrast and good sound. (It’s yet another Paramount title!). Worth checking “ioffer” site out but watch it – I’ve had a couple of less than good items. However if you check feedback from previous customers and ask right questions from actual dealers you can get some great items. I also got a couple of really great Mamoulian titles – City Lights and High Wide and Handsome more unreleased Paramount!).
While I’m into chastising Paramount what about Alias Nick Beal and the Uninvited?
4 films in particular that I have a really hard time finding anywhere (netflix, amazon, etc.)
there are a few options but nothing at reasonable prices ($40+ per)
the magnificent ambersons
greed
hotel at marienbad
chimes at midnight
Greed. Now of all the silent classics to ignore (along with Napoleon)! I said earlier what a deluxe 2 disc set this would make. Equally the 30’s version of Showboat directed by James Whale is a gift for distributors re. extras. It had already been filmed as a silent/part talkie (silent plot but songs as extra reel) so there’s one extra. Various t.v. /stage versions of songs/whole show that’s more extras. Not to mention the inferior 50’s remake – but that was by M.G.M. whereas original was by Universal – so probably no chance of those two getting together. Point is most of the classics that are ignored by distributors are prime contenders for prestigious multi disc presentations.
Ah Mr. Hodge, I’m glad someone agreed with me on Greed.
I second Rivette and like to add Luis García Berlangas Plácido to the list.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055310/
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I’m still (impatiently) waiting for The African Queen to come out for Region 1.
The Devils, Ken Russell, 1971
Now that Peter Watkins’ work is finally coming out on DVD (and if you haven’t seen his films, stop reading this now and rent/buy CULLODEN, THE WAR GAME, PUNISHMENT PARK, EDVARD MUNCH and/or PRIVILEGE), the tops on my list are DUSTY AND SWEETS MCGEE, THE TAMI SHOW and THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION. And I’m with you folks on the crying need for THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS, GREED and Nick Ray.
Attention Tom Wilson: THE BOYS IN THE BAND just came out on DVD (no pun intended), with a commentary track from Friedkin.
I would really like to see Sundays and Cybele with Patricia Gozzi on DVD. I haven’t seen it and I’ver heard so much about it.
Miracle in Milan is the only reason I still have a vhs tape player. Anyone know if this will ever be released on DVD or streaming online?
Miracle in Milan is available on dvd region 2 from Amazon.
Bob Stutsman
Enchanted Cottage with Dorothy McGuire & Robert Young. Yes, it is silly to the non-romantic, but I love it and get caught up in its magic anyway, sometimes cynic though I am. This is shown consistently on TCM, but I waited many years before TCM for it to come on television to record it on vhs – it is not out in any format.