Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Double Indemnity?????????????

This is topic Double Indemnity????????????? in forum The Afterlife at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 04-08-2003, 09:24 AM:

Having been outbid on every ebay auction for a 16mm print of this wonderful noir title, I recently set out to upgrade my VHS copy to a DVD only to find that the indie company that released the DVD shows it as out of print. In fact, there's an active market on ebay and Amazon selling used DVD's at fairly fancy prices. Anybody know if Paramount intends to release it themselves?

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 04-08-2003, 10:56 AM:

If Paramount have pulled it, could there either be a rights issue or plans for a remake? Alternatively, maybe some footage has been found of the cut final scene (Fred MacMurray in the gas chamber) and there are plans for a restoration.

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 04-08-2003, 11:47 AM:

Leo
Sorry wrong answer.

Jeff

The DVD issue of "Double Indemnity" was released by
Image Entertainment. Paramount no longer owns the rights to this
film. Any Paramount film before I think the date is 1949,
were sold to MCA/Universal. This happened in the 60's. The
same thing happened over at Warner, when Jack Warner sold
all pre-48 titles to United Artists for 23 Million Dollars.
Only to have Warner buy Turner to get back all those Warner
titles
and pre-85 MGM titles too. MCA licensed select titles
to Image about 5 years ago. Those titles are now out-of-print.
MCA is letting old licensing agreements expire and releasing
their own versions. So look for that title as a MCA release.
MCA is also licensing to Criterion some titles for Special Editions.
This one may turn up as a Criterion Edition. [Big Grin]

[ 04-08-2003, 05:16 PM: Message edited by: Bill Gabel ]

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 04-09-2003, 03:45 PM:

quote:
MCA is also licensing to Criterion some titles for Special Editions. This one may turn up as a Criterion Edition

Given that Double Indemnity has attracted so much critical attention and is taught widely in university film studies courses and the like, I'd have thought that it would be a very strong candidate for a Criterion release.

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 04-09-2003, 04:11 PM:

MCA has licensed to Criterion on DVD these former Paramount film
releases.

"Trouble in Paradise" 1932
"The Lady Eve" 1941
"Sullivan's Travels" 1942

MCA licensed to Criterion the Universal film "Charade". The
Criterion edition is now out-of-print, but MCA just released
it as a double feature with the film "The Truth About Charlie".
They should have released as "Charade" with the bonus of the
remake. [Big Grin]

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 04-09-2003, 04:52 PM:

I think Phil showed me a house across the street from his own in Hollywood and said that it was used in this film.

Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 04-10-2003, 09:15 AM:

Bill: You're right, I'm wrong. I did know that the pre-48 Paramounts were sold to MCA, in fact I've got numerous prints with the MCA logo. I picked up a cheap Oriental import DVD on ebay, so we'll see what shows up. Incidentally, I admire Universal for licensing out Charade--it's PD! Well, can't blame them for trying to make a buck.