Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Outting CRY-terion Distribution

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 03-21-2005, 04:31 PM:

This so-called film distribution company should be outted for the crap they try to pass off as runable prints.

They just sent us three old Fox titles: GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDS, BUS STOP and NIAGRA and two weeks before that, THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH. All of them were nothing but pieces of film strung together by splicing tape. But they are also all faded to magenta, or RED prints as we call them. All the color gone and the EK edge code indicating that they are from either 1960 or 1980, which in either case would mean that they will be faded by now, no matter how good the storage conditions.

Point is, the venue asked for the best prints and they were told by one of only two people who seem be working there and who make up the entire company, when they finally responded after weeks of silence, that they would be sent the best "archive" prints. And all this, after Criterion was explicity told how important these these screenings were due to their tie-in with a major NY exhibition of Marilyn Monroe photographs.

So Criterion knew right from the get-go that the quality of the prints was of utmost importance, and the promised the "best" prints.

Running this crap was out of the question; instead we ran DVDs on EIKI's "theatre," three module LCD projector. At least the video had decent color. So the venue paid shipping both ways for three prints that were useless. Obviously they still have to pay for the exhibition license, but had the guy at Criterion been up front about the quality of the prints and said, "Look, all I've got are red prints," at least the venue would have enough information to decide to either forego the titles altogether, or if they simply had to show them (as was this case due to the tie in with a Marilyn Monroe exhibit), they could have at least saved the cost of shipping worthless prints.

I don't know what titles Criterion has for non-theatrical bookings other than the 20th Cen Fox titles, but I strongly suggest that if you need to book any title they carry, demand they give you a detailed account of the print condition before you ever book anything from them. I would suggest you insist that if the print is other than what they describe, that you will not pay for the booking and will return the print COD.

If it were MY theatre and I got ripped off with a print that I couldn't run, I would damn-well take the SOBs to court and sue them to recoup my losses which are the direct cause of their sending out an unacceptable print; to me that is the same as not supply a print at all, which I consider breach of contract.

Beware of this bogus company. I don't think they have ever had a new print struck of a 20th Cen Fox title, no matter how terrible the condition of the inventory of their existing prints. In my book, this it is culpable negligence bordering on outright fraud. They KNOW their prints are garbage yet they continue to book them and conveniently conceal that fact.

It would be different if their booker would have said, "look, I have to tell you that the only prints we have of these titles are totally faded. If you still want them, we will book them, but I am letting you know up front that the prints are in terrible condition and we have none better." At least then the venue can makes in informed decision on what they want to do, rather than going ahead with the booking only to find they have spent hundreds of dollars on shipping for nothing.

OUTTING CRY-TERION for giving non-theatrical distribution a bad name.

Posted by Jonathan M. Crist (Member # 413) on 03-21-2005, 06:20 PM:

I believe that Criterion is now handling the non theatrical distribution for Buena Vista (Disney).

Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 03-21-2005, 10:05 PM:

No.

--jhawk

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 03-22-2005, 12:17 AM:

Our experience with Criterion has been good. If you ask if the print is a piece of shit they have said so. If you request the best print available without asking about the condition they don't usually volunteer any info and you take your chances. You HAVE to ask. Often they will license the presentation without shipping a print. They also can sometimes supply a DVD for the occasional film that isn't otherwise available in stores.