Question about ‘Fortress (1985) starring Rachel Ward

[mfan1986]

Does anyone know if film elements are available for this one and what the legal situation is? Surprising that this hasn’t been released in HD yet, considering it was popular on cable TV in the 80’s and 90’s.

[k200]

I don't understand either why we are not entitled to an HD version in 2023. I love this film so much I would like to have it in my Bluray collection. please release Fortress 1985 on Bluray.

[mfan1986]

Yeah it’s very surprising, Umbrella need to invest in this Home Grown Aussie masterpiece classic and release a nice BluRay of it.

[fuzzymctiger]

Rights are with Crawford Productions, who have self released it on DVD a few times (most recently this year with HD scan and all the on set photos they held scanned for a gallery).

Sadly they feel producing a blu-ray is too costly for the market for it and that they'd take a loss if they did so, compared to how cheap it is to get DVDs replicated.

The materials are all there, they just don't feel the demand is.

[fuzzymctiger]

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.p...00031704562251

I don't know if FB links are allowed but this is the only source other than what I know direct from someone working at Crawford.

The listing on their website shows the 2019 DVD release but the product they have on hand is retransferred from the HD Master tape and has the extra.

[PT Ryan]

Originally Posted by fuzzymctiger

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.p...00031704562251

I don't know if FB links are allowed but this is the only source other than what I know direct from someone working at Crawford.

The listing on their website shows the 2019 DVD release but the product they have on hand is retransferred from the HD Master tape and has the extra.

I wish Crawfords would at make their catalogue available to purchase digitally. At least with something like Fortress there would be scope to sell it in HD that way. So much great television in their library, but it’s bloody expensive because they produce the DVDs exclusively for sale through their webstore.

[DawnShadow]

Originally Posted by fuzzymctiger

The listing on their website shows the 2019 DVD release but the product they have on hand is retransferred from the HD Master tape and has the extra.

Do you own the supposed new release?

[fuzzymctiger]

Originally Posted by DawnShadow

Do you own the supposed new release?

I don't, as I couldn't justify $30AUD for a DVD knowing full well a HD master does exist for it and is in their possession.

I have hope one day they'll take the dive, or license it out to someone who will.

[DawnShadow]

Originally Posted by fuzzymctiger

I don't, as I couldn't justify $30AUD for a DVD knowing full well a HD master does exist for it and is in their possession.

I have hope one day they'll take the dive, or license it out to someone who will.

Unless you have a more credible source than that dodgy comment, I don’t believe at all that it isn’t just a reprint of their original DVD and there’s no HD master.

[fuzzymctiger]

Originally Posted by DawnShadow

Unless you have a more credible source than that dodgy comment, I don’t believe at all that it isn’t just a reprint of their original DVD and there’s no HD master.

I no longer have the image of the HD Master Tape I was sent, but I do have the photo of the image slides they ended up transferring and the new reversible cover.

This is what I was told by someone who works at Crawford.

"Hey guys wanted to share with you some news, as some of you know I look after Crawford productions and we release all the shows on DVD. Here is new artwork for the re release of Fortress. This artwork will be on the reverse side. Now the good news the actual film will be uncut… the old oop DVD had violence towards the end trimmed, not sure why but this new release is the true uncut version. There will only be a limited number of this DVD produced under 250. We are working toward a Blu Ray release but that is still a work in progress, good news is we have a full HD master sadly no film negatives but the HD copy is excellent. Trying to convince management for a Blu ray. I’ll keep you all updated, if you haven’t seen this movie it’s very good."

"We have hundreds of slides that will be transferred and will produce a booklet and lobby cards for the Blu Ray release only. This is a work in progress… stay tuned."

"Hey guys here’s some news on the classic ozploitation flick Fortress. We are remastering the DVD from a full HD scan and it will be the full uncut version as the previous release had violence trimmed. The DVD will come with a reversible slick. No Blu Ray release at the moment I’m trying to convince the powers above. DVD going into production in the coming weeks. I’ll keep you all updated."

"Okay here’s the update on Fortress. At this stage only on DVD, this has been remastered and the movie is now complete and uncut. Violence and gore toward the end restored."

The photo slides and the HD tape were set to be junked but were thankfully saved.

[DawnShadow]

If that is indeed true then their marketing staff are stupid. Zero mention or indication anywhere that it’s any different to the original DVD. Who would go to all that effort to remaster a film, re-author it and then not bother to mention it?

[fuzzymctiger]

Originally Posted by DawnShadow

If that is indeed true then their marketing staff are stupid. Zero mention or indication anywhere that it’s any different to the original DVD. Who would go to all that effort to remaster a film, re-author it and then not bother to mention it?

I agree, especially when frustratingly it could be used as an indicator for the market for a blu-ray.

However the person I know is only on the production side of things and not the marketing side.

Their website is positively ancient and it appears their only substantive social media presence is Facebook, which they don't even link to from their store page.

[PT Ryan]

Originally Posted by fuzzymctiger

I agree, especially when frustratingly it could be used as an indicator for the market for a blu-ray.

However the person I know is only on the production side of things and not the marketing side.

Their website is positively ancient and it appears their only substantive social media presence is Facebook, which they don't even link to from their store page.

Their marketing is very much geared toward people who watched their shows back in the day. Their TV spots - which mostly seem to run on regional TV - feel very infomercial-like. They even have a phone number you can call to order from. I don’t think they’re putting a lot of emphasis on remastering in their marketing so as to keep it simple. They could really do with a better graphic designer for their covers, that’s for sure.

Blu-Rays are more expensive to produce and replicate than DVDs. If Crawfords are running on the smell of an oily rag, I can see why they wouldn’t want to take the financial risk. I’m sure if Umbrella or ViaVision (or even a foreign label) made them a good enough offer, they’d take it.

Worth noting that the NFSA has all the elements, including picture and sound negative.

http://http://colsearch.nfsa.gov.au/...=9;resCount=10

[mfan1986]

Originally Posted by PT Ryan

Their marketing is very much geared toward people who watched their shows back in the day. Their TV spots - which mostly seem to run on regional TV - feel very infomercial-like. They even have a phone number you can call to order from. I don’t think they’re putting a lot of emphasis on remastering in their marketing so as to keep it simple. They could really do with a better graphic designer for their covers, that’s for sure.

Blu-Rays are more expensive to produce and replicate than DVDs. If Crawfords are running on the smell of an oily rag, I can see why they wouldn’t want to take the financial risk. I’m sure if Umbrella or ViaVision (or even a foreign label) made them a good enough offer, they’d take it.

Worth noting that the NFSA has all the elements, including picture and sound negative.

http://http://colsearch.nfsa.gov.au/...=9;resCount=10

The DVD from 2007 used a HD master, widescreen, I’m guessing they’re referring to this. They could technically use the same master for a BluRay, which would look good, or they could re-scan the negative in 2K or 4K.

Can one of the Aussie TV stations pay to remaster this from the NSFA and broadcast it in TV? How does that side of things work in Australia? More support from Aussie TV stations should happen to remaster this movie. Or pass it on to ViaVision like someone said, especially if the original 35mm materials are available.

[DawnShadow]

Originally Posted by mfan1986

The DVD from 2007 used a HD master, widescreen, I’m guessing they’re referring to this. They could technically use the same master for a BluRay, which would look good, or they could re-scan the negative in 2K or 4K.

Can one of the Aussie TV stations pay to remaster this from the NSFA and broadcast it in TV? How does that side of things work in Australia? More support from Aussie TV stations should happen to remaster this movie. Or pass it on to ViaVision like someone said, especially if the original 35mm materials are available.

That’s what I thought - which is why I don’t believe the new DVD is any different to the last one.

Australian TV stations have no interest in such things. They rarely rerun any Australian content at all.

[SpaceBlackKnight]

Fortress was a co-production between Crawford Productions and HBO-Silver Screen Partners (who had US distribution rights but choose to release it only on HBO as a premiere movie). Universal (through United International Pictures) had theatrical rights in Australia and most distribution outside of NA and Australia.

Not sure if Universal still control overseas rights, but I'm pretty sure Warner still has it in the US through it's ownership of HBO. Depending on what they do with the catalog and if they have film elements, maybe a WA release or through someone like Shout?

[mfan1986]

Originally Posted by SpaceBlackKnight

Fortress was a co-production between Crawford Productions and HBO-Silver Screen Partners (who had US distribution rights but choose to release it only on HBO as a premiere movie). Universal (through United International Pictures) had theatrical rights in Australia and most distribution outside of NA and Australia.

Not sure if Universal still control overseas rights, but I'm pretty sure Warner still has it in the US through it's ownership of HBO. Depending on what they do with the catalog and if they have film elements, maybe a WA release or through someone like Shout?

That sounds good, maybe a US distributor could make it happen like you say. Shout Factory should be informed about this if they have the rights.

[mfan1986]

I got an email reply from Shout Factory; the said they checked their database and the film is not showing up.

Any other suggestions for the USA rights owner?

[DawnShadow]

Originally Posted by mfan1986

I got an email reply from Shout Factory; the said they checked their database and the film is not showing up.

Any other suggestions for the USA rights owner?

It's with Warner. You misunderstood the post. Shout could release it if they license it from Warner.

[Aunt Peg]

This would be one of the last films Warners would release through their Archive program.

Warners discs are almost aways Region Free because they own the worldwide rights. In this case they would have to region lock the disc.

Shout would be the best fit for this film in the US and they region lock most of their releases including the titles they have licensed from Warners.

I wonder if Umbrella could negotiate an Australian release.