This morning, Criterion announced they are losing the rights to a number of StudioCanal films. According to the email, at the end of March over 20 films will no longer be offered on DVD or Blu-ray (if available). The rights are going to Lionsgate, so they'll be on DVD in the future, just not on the Criterion label. Therefore, if you're a Criterion collector, or just someone that wants to own a great edition of these films, you might want to buy them ASAP or you'll have to pay a collector price.
But the best part of the email is Criterion saying, "we will be offering these titles at an additional $5 off on our website." Hit the jump for the list of movies and more info:
Here's what they sent me:
Dear Criterion collectors,
Our three least favorite initials: OOP. Since we launched the Criterion Collection more than twenty-five years ago, we've endeavored to keep everything we've published in print. But despite our efforts to renew rights, we are losing a large group of titles from StudioCanal at the end of March, and we wanted to give you advance notice that our editions will be going out of print. Until we're out of stock, we will be offering these titles at an additional $5 off on our website. The titles are going to Lionsgate, and we don't know when they may be rereleased. As ever, we will continue to try to relicense the films so that they can rejoin the collection sometime in the future.
Here are the titles that will soon be out of print:
Carlos Saura's Flamenco Trilogy (Eclipse Series 6)
Forbidden Games (Criterion and Essential Art House editions)
Gervaise (Essential Art House edition)
Grand Illusion (Criterion and Essential Art House editions)
Le jour se lève (Essential Art House edition)
Last Holiday (Essential Art House edition)
Mayerling (Essential Art House edition)
Pierrot le fou (DVD and Blu-ray editions)
The Tales of Hoffmann (Criterion and Essential Art House editions)
Variety Lights (Essential Art House edition)
Take note: this may be your last chance to pick up spine number 1 from the collection.
Happy viewing!
The Criterion Collection