Question concerning Hitchcock Criterion going OOP
 

I need one more title to buy, but I'm stuck between Lady Vanishes and 39 Steps. Any idea which of these titles are set to be going OOP first?

I would bet neither. Both are public domain titles and will probably never go out of print for Criterion.

I loved both films. 39 Steps is classic Hitch wrong man accused of a crime suspense and the Lady Vanishes is an excellent dark comedy/ suspense film. Can't go wrong with either one though 39 Steps has more extras.

I noticed Rebecca and Notorious have gone OOP. Not sure why these other 2 wouldn't.

Thanks

Because it doesn't go by director. There's no indication that either of those titles will go out of print.

Those were American films made for Selznick International Pictures. Anchor Bay had the rights to those (Criterion went through them to get the rights for their releases) but lost the rights to them last year. With Anchor Bay losing the rights to them Criterion could no longer sell their version.

39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes are British films made by Hitchcock before coming to the US for Selznick. Hitchcock has quite a large catalog of his pre 1940 films he made in England and I believe all are public domain. Criterion should not lose the rights to their versions.

So, any chance that Anchor Bay will re-release Spellbound, Paradine Case, Notorious and Rebecca?

Only if Disney lets them as they have the rights.

Also looking at some early information posted it seems the British films are not really in the public domain. Criterion's versions are licensed from the British studio though (which is why they used much better elements than the cheap versions) and there is no indication that those rights will lapse anytime soon.

Not sure what will happen on the former Criterion/Anchor Bay releases. Don't know if Disney plans to do their own versions or license them to MGM/Sony.

MGM had announced a box set re-releasing all of the anchor bay titles as special editions. I believe some commentaries were even recorderd. They were rumored to have come out about the same time as the warner set. However they never set a date, and then the whole MGM/Sony thing went down, and It was stated (as above) that disney turned out to be the rights holder (though i never figured that one out.) SO its all up in the air at this point. Criterion put out a wonderful set, and I hope someone re-releases with different commentaries and Special features.

while it's doubtful that either of these will be going OOP anytime soon, if you are looking for recommendations as to which one to get first, I vote for The 39 Steps as it is my favorite Hitchcock film from his British period.

Yeah, neither one will be going OOP anytime soon.

But, if you want one now, I'm gonna go in the opposite direction from garmonbozia... ;) I dig The Lady Vanishes a little more than The 39 Steps, but both are solid Hitch films.

Cameron has the scoop on the OOP titles. They were scheduled to be released by MGM but who knows now...

I bought the cheap Laserlight versions of The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes. I thought The Lady Vanishes was a better film.

Sorry to change the subject, but I saw a trailer for a new Jodie Foster movie called Flightplan. Is this a remake of The Lady Vanishes? It looked very similar.

Not an official remake, I think, but certainly directly influenced by The Lady Vanishes. I don't think enough people know of The Lady Vanishes to make it worthwhile to tout it as any sort of remake.

http://ia.imdb.com/media/imdb/01/I/69/40/12m.jpg

... But I know what you're saying. ;)

I wonder why the Criterion REBECCA seems to sell for almost double the cost of Criterion's NOTORIOUS and SPELLBOUND. Did it have a lower print run than the other DVDs? Is it scarcer?

Rebecca is a two disc set and a best picture winner. That is probably why it is more in demand.

You're prolly right, although NOTORIOUS is the better film. Not that REBECCA isn't good in its own right, just not as good as NOTORIOUS.

Silver Streak was too.

If you only need one more title to buy, why list both?

I think the OP was trying to decide on which one of titles to buy. I would go with 39 STEPS.

Neither. They are both public domain films from the British days. The 3 that did go out of print Criterion had to buy the rights to.

They are not public domain. And there's nothing wrong with Hitchcock's British pictures.

My personal preference between the two of them is The Lady Vanishes.

agreed...hitch did some great stuff while across the pond