Filmmaker

I've just placed an order for the cancelled MGM release of A FISH CALLED WANDA: Collector's Edition, which is supposed to be repackaged as a Fox release in October; somehow, someway, Amazon got a batch of this cancelled MGM version and are shipping it to eagle-eyed buyers. This reminds me of the incident with Steven Speilebrg's DUEL, wherein the release was cancelled for several months, but Amazon got some of the original batch and mailed them to lucky, early reserve fans (though AFCW's case is even more interesting because the cover will almost certainly be different from the final, offical Fox release, and may even have different extras and/or a different transfer). Have there been any other releases like this that have been cancelled before official release, but Amazon has shipped out anyway?

dx23

Ed Wood Special Edition and I belive that Boomerang could be part of the list.

dvd_luver

Off the top of my head I can't think of any right now, but this is great because I placed an order for it and won't have to wait to October to get it. It also may become a collectors item perhaps someday, still though I can't believe Amazon got a hold of these. Just yesterday I was thinking of how I would have to wait for it and wish it had been released. Still amazed I got this coming on such short notice.

lcnickell

a friend of mine got Clownhouse from them, on the first date it was supposed to be released.

whotony

wanda probaly wont be a rare item because it looks like it just has a new release date in october.

better sell it early to get good price.

L Chabert Lover

Yeah, it's amazing that it took Universal 3 times, over a span of 3 consecutive years (3 numerically, 2 in actual time) to release Duel on DVD.

First, it was supposed to be released on May 21, 2002 with a widescreen transfer of the 90 minute theatrical cut.

<----Originally, there was a widescreen banner at the bottom. Don't know why it's not in this pic.

I don't think any copies of this made it to the public. Maybe it was canceled before any copies were produced.

Then Universal says the new release date is August 12, 2003 and it will include a 1.33:1 transfer of the 90 minute cut and new cover art.



But this release gets canceled too. Amazingly, Amazon.com and others ship out pre-orders for a very limited time. This is when I got my copy.

Finally, on August 17, 2004, Duel got its official DVD release.

Clownhouse has a weird history on DVD. Originally scheduled for release on August 26, 2003, it was canceled about a month or two before release. Rumors were going around that some people actually received it. The following year, MGM rescheduled it for August 24, 2004. This date was eventually canceled too, but many copies began turning up real cheap on places like Amazon Marketplace, which is where I purchased my copy from. Luckily, I got an official MGM studio copy, brand new and still shrink-wrapped. I've heard there are a lot of bootleg copies going around. To this date, Clownhouse still hasn't received an official DVD release. I'd really like to know what happened.

EdTheRipper

I got my copy of Clownhouse from Amazon as well. Fully legit version, not a bootleg or anything.

dvd_luver

Wasn't Duel shot in a 1.33:1 ratio, could that explain the long delay. I own the recent release, great film.

Filmmaker

I disagree because the version Amazon is shipping out is the original, cancelled MGM version; the official release planned for October will be handled by Fox. Their DVD may have a different transfer and/or different bonus features and, even if not, it will almost certainly have different cover art, so that alone will make the MGM version quite valuable. Who would have ever thought that sucky cover art could so quickly be turned into a valuable collectible?

movieking

I think that I got La Femme Nikita S2 from them, but not positive. I definitely had it after it was delayed for a few months.

Peep

It's hard to say if the release will be substantially different. Although the cancelled release is an MGM title, it was supposed to be released by Sony. It still says MGM on the cover, but has mentions of Sony (probably on the spine and definately on the back). Obviously, these would say Fox instead. But all of the rest of the cover art (including the big MGM logo on the front) could easily remain the same.

Fox is not buying the MGM catalog, just distributing it. Kook at the minimal changes to the cover art on the first season of "South Park" when distribution changed from WB to Paramont. I'd be surprised if the Fox release has any different content AFCW and any changes other than logos on the box. I'm not sure if Sony's name appeared on any of the contents -- maybe just a "Sony Home Video" spot or some Sony-related trailers.

ThatGuamGuy

I was under the impression that both times they were going to release it, they backed out due to the expectations that people would protest the release of a movie during which the director molested the lead child actor. And that, since the movie was obscure, they didn't think it was worth the bad press.

But I had also heard it that, after they officially "cancelled" the release, they shipped the products that had been manufactured already to stores anyway, because I've seen it on shelves in any number of stores in NYC.

I should say, though, that I've never cared about 'Clownhouse' enough to dig into those rumors with any gusto. I'm mildly curious, but I can't imagine sitting and watching it and being able to ignore what Salva did.

dvd_luver

This looks to be the one that should have been released in March. This is clearly the MGM/SONY dvd.

Wanda scans:

PerryD

Little Shop of Horrors with the alternate ending was pulled quickly. One of the Powerpuff Girls DVDs was pulled after the original was found to have some MyDoom virus on the DVD-ROM portion.

Mountain Biker

Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park is another.

Alan Smithee

Re: Clownhouse- why then would they announce it a SECOND time and then pull it again?? Did someone forget why they pulled it the first time?
I've got it on laserdisc from RCA/Columbia Pictures Video, had to see it out of morbid curiousity.

Kiss Meets The Phantom Of The Park wasn't a licensed release to begin with. The company that put it out, Cheezy Flicks, basically puts out titles that are either public-domain or where they think the copyright holders won't go after them for it. This time they did. There was a legit release on laserdisc from Image that I'm still kicking myself for not picking up when I had the chance.

lcnickell

Re: Clownhouse- why then would they announce it a SECOND time and then pull it again?? Did someone forget why they pulled it the first time?
I've got it on laserdisc from RCA/Columbia Pictures Video, had to see it out of morbid curiousity.


there was some discussion of the audio track being off on one of the discs.

so maybe that was the reason for the initial delay, then the 2nd time, they just pulled to avoid any controversy.

i've seen the 2nd release version ( maybe it's just warehouse copies of the 2st release) but there was no audio problem with that disc. Though i read a few threads mentioning that there was one with one of the discs.

L Chabert Lover

Yes, the OAR of Duel is 1.33:1, but that's for the 74 minute TV cut. The 90 minute theatrical cut should probably be shown in 1.78:1 or 1.85:1. Universal should have released Duel as a 2-disc set. Disc 1 with the 74 minute TV cut in 1.33:1, Disc 2 with the 90 minute theatrical cut in 16x9 enhanced widescreen. The current DVD transfer is really a hybrid, the 90 minute theatrical cut in 1.33:1. As to why Duel was delayed the first time, it was speculated that the widescreen thing had something to do with it, but Universal never said what the reason was (typical) which is why a lot of people were pissed at them. When it was delayed the second time it was rumored that the death of Dennis Weaver's daughter-in-law (killed in the Farmers' Market car crash) was the reason. Very understandable, but the fact that Universal, again, said nothing is what angered people all over again.

Yes, the Salva/Winters controversy is the only obstacle I can think of that could possibly be holding this title back. My copy doesn't have any audio problems. What else could it be? But if it is the Salva/Winters thing, why did MGM even consider releasing it on DVD in the first place? Even though the crime happened way back in 1987, it is well documented and follows Salva wherever he goes. There's no way the execs in charge of the DVD releases at MGM couldn't have known about it. Maybe someone (perhaps Winters or Salva) heard about the DVD release and requested that MGM cancel it. But why did they try to release (and subsequently cancel) it twice?

I've heard the stories about stores in the New York area having it on their shelves. Obviously, instead of destroying the already produced stock, MGM slipped them under the radar so they could make something off of them. The seller that I bought my copy from on Amazon Marketplace was based in New York.

Having said all of that, I can't fault anyone for not wanting to watch Clownhouse because of what happened behind the scenes. It sickens me too. I feel really bad for Nathan Winters, who must be about 31 now. I wonder how he's dealt with the trauma and emotional scarring over the past 19 years. The reason I have Clownhouse in my DVD collection is because I saw it during the very early 90s on TV, long before I knew about the scandal, and it scared me good. It had been out of print for several years and never aired on television anymore so I wanted to get the DVD.

How's the transfer and what ratio is it presented in? The DVD has a nice 1.85:1 16x9 enhanced transfer.

Filmmaker

God God, no! All the footage for DUEL was filmed with the 1.33:1 aspect ratio in mind, including all reshoots to pad out the running time. It was jury-rigged into a 1.85:1 format for theatrical exhibition in Europe, but it was not designed with that ratio in mind.

And that's exactly as it should be--all the footage in the format in which it was designed.

Alan Smithee

The Clownhouse LD is 1.33, with analog-only audio (odd because digital audio for LD had been around a while when this was put out). Adequate overall, definitely not a great movie.