Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
#1
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
The AVClub just published an article about long delayed movies:
Not coming soon: 16 movies released after long stays on the shelf
http://www.avclub.com/articles/not-c...ng-stay,52080/
That got me thinking, what other movies have had long delays (2 years or more)? What film sat on the shelf the longest before release? What films are still sitting on the shelf?
I think, in terms of films that have yet to be released, 1972's The Day the Clown Cried may hold the record for being on the shelf the longest:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_the_Clown_Cried
Of course, most films that sat for a long time on the shelf turn out to be terrible, or at least exceedingly mediocre. What's the best film that sat on the shelf for a while?
Not coming soon: 16 movies released after long stays on the shelf
http://www.avclub.com/articles/not-c...ng-stay,52080/
That got me thinking, what other movies have had long delays (2 years or more)? What film sat on the shelf the longest before release? What films are still sitting on the shelf?
I think, in terms of films that have yet to be released, 1972's The Day the Clown Cried may hold the record for being on the shelf the longest:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_the_Clown_Cried
Of course, most films that sat for a long time on the shelf turn out to be terrible, or at least exceedingly mediocre. What's the best film that sat on the shelf for a while?
#2
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
I've never seen it, but Jessica Lange won an Oscar for Blue Sky, and it sat around for four years.
#3
Moderator
#5
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
The Plot Against Harry
Made in 1969 but sat on the shelf for 20 years before it was released in the theaters...and it turned out to be a critical hit.
Made in 1969 but sat on the shelf for 20 years before it was released in the theaters...and it turned out to be a critical hit.
#6
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
Pluto Nash. I forget the exact time it sat on the shelf in development hell, but it was a long time, and time did not help it when it finally came out.
#7
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
Trick 'R Treat sat around on the shelf for 2 or 3 years and now many (myself included) think it is one of the best horror movies of recent years.
#8
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
Perhaps released far in the future when post-48 Hours Eddie Murphy is believed to be funny.
#9
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
For 23 years:
And I do perfer the Kidnapped cut over the Rabid Dogs cut.
As for the article, I had wondered why Take me home tonight was being released now instead of a few years earlier (When 80's nostalgia was at it's peak)
And I do perfer the Kidnapped cut over the Rabid Dogs cut.
As for the article, I had wondered why Take me home tonight was being released now instead of a few years earlier (When 80's nostalgia was at it's peak)
#11
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Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
'11:14'. Shelved, and then unceremoniously dumped to video IIRC.
Which sucks as it's actually a fun film. It's still 100% on RT, but with only a few reviews as most don't even know it exists.
Which sucks as it's actually a fun film. It's still 100% on RT, but with only a few reviews as most don't even know it exists.
#12
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adv...on_and_history
BTW, I view "development hell" and "on the shelf" as two distinctly different states. Development hell typically refers to a film that is in development for a very long time before finally getting green-lit and goes into production. Once it's being produced, it's not in development hell anymore. On the other side, once a film has completely production (and typically post production too), it then "sits on the shelf" until release. Almost all films sit for a short period between completion and a scheduled release date, but when it's been sitting for two years or more, that's an abnormally long time, and there's typically a reason for it (although not necessarily because the film is bad),
#13
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
Because of fights with the censors, Howard Hughes shelved The Outlaw for a couple years. Hughes hyped it as too sexy for the public. When he released it, too record breaking crowds, he hyped it as what the censors wouldn't let you see.
#14
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation and Return to Sleepaway Camp are up there.
I wonder if Carnivore holds the record? Wasn't it filmed in 1990 or 1991, and released in 2000?
I wonder if Carnivore holds the record? Wasn't it filmed in 1990 or 1991, and released in 2000?
#15
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
#17
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_C...elease_history
Return to Sleepaway Camp spent about 5 years in post-production:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_to_Sleepaway_Camp
I wonder if Carnivore holds the record? Wasn't it filmed in 1990 or 1991, and released in 2000?
#18
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
Return to Sleepaway Camp spent about 5 years in post-production:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_to_Sleepaway_Camp
#19
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
Brooke Shields' Brenda Starr sat for at least 3 years before it came out in 1989. I remember her talking being on talk shows saying, "I'm working on a movie version of the comic strip Brenda Starr" for many years, so there may have been some development hell before the production actually started. IMDB says it was filmed in 1986 and released in 1989. I'm not sure it ever got a theatrical release.
Also, the release date of Winona Ryder's Lost Souls got pushed back a couple of times. IMDB says from 1999 to 2000 but I seem to recall people saying it had been filmed in 97 or 98.
Also, the release date of Winona Ryder's Lost Souls got pushed back a couple of times. IMDB says from 1999 to 2000 but I seem to recall people saying it had been filmed in 97 or 98.
#21
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Thread Starter
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
Brooke Shields' Brenda Starr sat for at least 3 years before it came out in 1989. I remember her talking being on talk shows saying, "I'm working on a movie version of the comic strip Brenda Starr" for many years, so there may have been some development hell before the production actually started. IMDB says it was filmed in 1986 and released in 1989. I'm not sure it ever got a theatrical release.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenda_...on_.26_release
Also, the release date of Winona Ryder's Lost Souls got pushed back a couple of times. IMDB says from 1999 to 2000 but I seem to recall people saying it had been filmed in 97 or 98.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Souls_%28film%29
This article mentions that the script pitch was accepted in 1997, and the project went through some development where Meg Ryan dropped out of the lead role to do City of Angels, and Winona Ryder signed on.
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,85627,00.html
#22
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
Death Bed: The Bed that Eats was completed in 1977 but wasn't officially released until 2003
#23
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Re: Movies that sat on the shelf a long time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01l1WIC9mBo
#24
DVD Talk Gold Edition