Smile (1975) coming from Fun City Editions

[JupiterMission]

Michael Ritchie's "Smile" is finally coming to blu-ray! It's coming from the new label Fun City Editions and is expected in early 2021.

Excellent movie with a great Bruce Dern performance. So happy this is finally getting a release.

Update:
Coming April 27th...


• Region A Blu-ray
• New 2K restoration from its 35mm interpositive
• “Dernsie’s Credo,” a newly filmed interview with actor Bruce Dern
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery
• Booklet with a new essay by film historian Mike McPadden
• Newly recorded audio commentary by actor-filmmaker Pat Healy and film curator Jim Healy
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

[jah13]

Thanks for giving SMILE its own thread.

[JupiterMission]

Originally Posted by jah13

Thanks for giving SMILE its own thread.

Thanks for putting it out!

[Gacivory]

This is exciting! Don’t know the label but been wanting to see this movie!

[sb5]

So excited this is finally getting a Blu release and I can hopefully retire my old cruddy non-anamorphic DVD.

Really love what FCE is doing. I Start Counting was one of my favorite blind buys of last year, and I just put in an order for Alphabet City a few days back.

[jah13]

Thank you for the support and for sharing your positive experience with us thus far. 👍

Originally Posted by sb5

So excited this is finally getting a Blu release and I can hopefully retire my old cruddy non-anamorphic DVD.

Really love what FCE is doing. I Start Counting was one of my favorite blind buys of last year, and I just put in an order for Alphabet City a few days back.

[houndfan]

One of my favourite films. A lesser-known 70s jewel. I’m in the UK and will pick this up like a shot as I’m region-free, but what will be the region code be on this disc? (“In your own words”)

[bergman864]

Can't wait.

[jah13]

Originally Posted by houndfan

One of my favourite films. A lesser-known 70s jewel. I’m in the UK and will pick this up like a shot as I’m region-free, but what will be the region code be on this disc? (“In your own words”)

Thanks, houndfan!

As with most or all studios at this point, MGM stipulates that third party labels must encode discs for their respective regions, in this case: Region A. There is no negotiating this.

[houndfan]

Originally Posted by jah13

Thanks, houndfan!

As with most or all studios at this point, MGM stipulates that third party labels must encode discs for their respective regions, in this case: Region A. There is no negotiating this.

I thought it would be. In any case, you’ll have my money as soon as it’s released. I’ve been waiting years for this one.,

[jah13]

Many thanks!

Whenever we can do region free, we will.

Originally Posted by houndfan

I thought it would be. In any case, you’ll have my money as soon as it’s released. I’ve been waiting years for this one.,

[indisposed]

I've been wanting to see this film for years, but the only thing that's been available to me for so long has been some COUGH! vhs-rip COUGH!

[Sternhalma Weinstein]

Great film.

Wonderful that we're getting two of Ritchie's best movies on Blu this year (this & Bad News Bears).

I always thought Ritchie was comparable to Ashby in terms of his satirical-but-not-condescending approach, and his wide variety of subjects. But frankly I find Ritchie much more to my liking.

Has anyone who has seen Semi-Tough and read the novel compare the two? I'm hesitant to watch the film because I think Dan Jenkins was one of the funniest writers this side of Hunter Thompson, and the film of Dead Solid Perfect was atrocious.

[jah13]

I've never read SEMI-TOUGH, but the film version is one of the weakest Ritchie films I've seen. A big comedown after the five-film run that began with DOWNHILL RACER and ended with THE BAD NEWS BEARS.

Never read DEAD SOLID PERFECT, either, but at least the film had that one scene with Corinne Bohrer.

Originally Posted by Sternhalma Weinstein

Great film.

Wonderful that we're getting two of Ritchie's best movies on Blu this year (this & Bad News Bears).

I always thought Ritchie was comparable to Ashby in terms of his satirical-but-not-condescending approach, and his wide variety of subjects. But frankly I find Ritchie much more to my liking.

Has anyone who has seen Semi-Tough and read the novel compare the two? I'm hesitant to watch the film because I think Dan Jenkins was one of the funniest writers this side of Hunter Thompson, and the film of Dead Solid Perfect was atrocious.

[Sternhalma Weinstein]

Originally Posted by jah13

Never read DEAD SOLID PERFECT, either, but at least the film had that one scene with Corinne Bohrer.

Oh my God, it's like every page is an outtake from Caddyshack, so so so funny. There's some very deep and disturbing stuff, too (including what amounts to an attempted gang-rape that lasts half a dozen increasingly unpleasant pages)... but for the most part, laugh-out-loud on literally every page.

[t_rav]

Originally Posted by JupiterMission

[Show spoiler]

Michael Ritchie's "Smile" is finally coming to blu-ray! It's coming from the new label Fun City Editions and is expected in early 2021.

Excellent movie with a great Bruce Dern performance. So happy this is finally getting a release.

Awesome news!!!! About time it’s getting released! Thank you, jah13 and Fun City Editions! Love this movie.

I had asked either Mr. Lime or Kino Lorber Insider a couple years ago if there was any chance for Kino to release this film and they stated there were quality issues with the current scan and/or film elements. Hopefully these issues were able to be corrected.

Either way, this is a definite day 1 for me.

[jah13]

Ours is a fresh scan from an IP of recent vintage. No notable issues with the element that I’ve heard of. I think it was just a title that other labels didn’t feel strongly enough about to do a new scan of. Fun City is not complaining about this.

Originally Posted by t_rav

Awesome news!!!! About time it’s getting released! Thank you, jah13 and Fun City Editions! Love this movie.

I had asked either Mr. Lime or Kino Lorber Insider a couple years ago if there was any chance for Kino to release this film and they stated there were quality issues with the current scan and/or film elements. Hopefully these issues were able to be corrected.

Either way, this is a definite day 1 for me.

[t_rav]

Originally Posted by jah13

Ours is a fresh scan from an IP of recent vintage. No notable issues with the element that I’ve heard of. I think it was just a title that other labels didn’t feel strongly enough about to do a new scan of. Fun City is not complaining about this.

Great news!! I am extremely grateful you guys are doing this. You definitely have a sale here.

[Aunt Peg]

I'm so looking forward to the release of Smile. Day One for me.

I've only ever seen the film on VHS with sub par sound and though I own the DVD I've never gotten around to watching it.

When I receive this release I'll be watching it ASAP.

[larrys]

Originally Posted by jah13

Ours is a fresh scan from an IP of recent vintage. No notable issues with the element that I’ve heard of. I think it was just a title that other labels didn’t feel strongly enough about to do a new scan of. Fun City is not complaining about this.

Is there any info you can provide regarding what month you plan/expect to release Smile? It is one of two of my most wanted 70s titles that I never thought would be released on BD. The other is LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR, which I gave up hope for years ago.

Totally off-topic: Would Fun City Editions be interested in talking to Bristol Myers Squibb about licensing SLUETH or THE STEPFORD WIVES?

I asked the Kino Lorber Insider about them a few months ago and the reply was that the reason no label has licensed them is that the asking price from BMS is just too high.