Mongrel's StudioCanal Releases

[Rhylliam]

I hate when stuff changes hands over and over. When Lionsgate in the US acquired the StudioCanal titles, so did their Canadian division: Maple Pictures. Alliance then took over Maple and its library not too long after. So all those Maple discs went into lovely bargain bins (and many still do) and Alliance didn't do too much with the StudioCanal library. They released French only discs for Belle de jour and Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and released La Grande Illusion a little bit before the US disc. Last year Entertainment One acquired Alliance and its already massive library. E1 didn't touch the StudioCanal stuff (contract with Maple/Alliance may have been over). So now Mongrel Media, another Canadian company now stepping up its game from merely documentaries and imports to release newer/independent films, have the rights to release StudioCanal titles on home video. Last January the announcement was made that they had these films in their possession. In June, they released (on DVD only...) the Rambo trilogy and Terminator 2. They were likely top sellers for previous studios, and I suppose they thought it was a good starting point. However, these discs are bare bones. Previous releases have been pretty loaded with extras. The cover art isn't so bad, but who the heck is looking for classic catalog films on DVD these days..? Ugh, just more stuff to take up space and clutter shelves. I'm hoping when they start releasing Blu-ray discs with the StudioCanal logo, they won't be the same 'ol crap but with emptier discs. Its a vast library of great and foreign films. Do something with it!

[zeze]

Thanks for this info as I did not know that Mongrel took over these titles.

I noticed that they are releasing the Rambo movies as a trilogy and as individual releases on blu-ray in late July/ early August so it will be interesting to see what they include on these discs. Judging from the prices on Amazon I would say they will be pretty bare bones. The cover art is nice for the trilogy though (may pick it up depending on how the discs turn out).

[aaron158]

ya I saw pre orders for blu rays of t2 the Rambo movies and total recall pop up on amazon from mongrel. so they will probly re release all the old stuff again.

[uther]

The few newer blu-ray releases I have bought were barebone and that was from the big studios. Barebones is getting to be the norm for catalog titles. Quite a few of the studiocanal older releases have dvd like pq anyway.

If E1 would release The Man in the White Suit which I think SC owns that would be sweet though.

[Rhylliam]

Mongrel's upcoming StudioCanal catalogue releases appear to include some extras that are new to Blu-ray. Those are all noted in bold below. We'll have to wait until their release days for confirmation.

Mongrel also has upcoming StudioCanal releases hitting blu:
-Rambo Trilogy (E1/Lionsgate has the rights to the 4th film)
EXTRAS: See below.

-First Blood
EXTRAS: Drawing First Blood, First Blood : A Look Back, Audio commentary by Sylvester Stallone, Audio commentary by David Morrell, Alternate ending, Humorous ending, 2 trailers, Deleted Scenes, Dream in Saïgon, The real Nam: Voices from Within, Forging Heroes: America’s Green Berets, Guts and Glory, and How to Become Rambo

-Rambo: First Blood Part II
EXTRAS: We get to win this time, Featurette: Action in the Jungle, Audio Commentary by George Pan Cosmatos, Trailer, TV Spots, and How to Become Rambo

-Rambo III
EXTRAS: Afghanistan: Land in Crisis, Audio Commentary by Peter Mac Donald, Making Of, Full Circle, Trailers, 8 TV Spots, An American Hero's Journey: The Rambo Trilogy, Suiting Up: Rambo's Survival Hardware, Rambonomics, Selling A Hero, Alternate Opening + Deleted Scenes, Sly vs Rambo and How to Become Rambo

-T2 & Total Recall
EXTRAS: See below.

-Terminator 2
EXTRAS: Theatrical Version - 2:16:26 (English 5.1 DD & French 2.0, T2: On The Set (English only), No Feat But What We Make (English only), The Making of T2, Audio Commentary with James Cameron and William Wisher) *Missing 2 cuts of film, some extras*

-Total Recall
EXTRAS: New Interview with Director Paul Verhoeven, Total Recall: The Special Effects, Making Of, "Imagining Total Recall" - Featurette, Photo Gallery, Restoration Comparison (English only), Trailer (English only), Audio Commentary w/ Arnold Schwarzenegger and Paul Verhoeven, Leçon d'effets spéciaux avec Kaméléon (16min 26s), Autour de la littérature de SF et de Philip K. Dick avec Stéphane Bourgoin (9min 09s) *Missing a couple of minimal extras from previous Alliance/Lionsgate disc*

-Evil Dead II
EXTRAS: Interview with Bruce Campbell, Making of “Swallowed Souls”, Cabin Fever, Road to Wadesboro, Making of "The Gore the Merrier" and Trailer) *Missing extras from previous Alliance/Lionsgate disc*

-Air America
EXTRAS: Audio Commentary by Co-Writer/Co-Producer John Eskow, “Pre-Flight: The Storyboards of Air America” Featurette, “Flight Log” Featurette, “Return Flight: Revisiting Air America” Retrospective Featurette) *Same extras as previous Maple/Lionsgate disc*

-Lock Up & Universal Soldier
EXTRAS: None listed. *Missing extras from previous editions*

[uther]

Yeah same titles as released before. Probably same transfer/encode too.

[DMRI2006]

Those look to be the remastered RAMBO Studio Canal releases from Europe -- with better transfers and extras. NOT just a repress of the old Lionsgate Blu-Rays.

[Rhylliam]

Evil Dead 2's back cover only lists as extras: Interview with Bruce Campbell and Trailer.

[IroquoisPliskin]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

Those look to be the remastered RAMBO Studio Canal releases from Europe -- with better transfers and extras. NOT just a repress of the old Lionsgate Blu-Rays.

only the trilogy is avaliable? i only want first blood.

[DMRI2006]

Originally Posted by IroquoisPliskin

only the trilogy is avaliable? i only want first blood.

On amazon.ca they have the individual releases for 10 and the trilogy for 20....assuming these are derived from the Studio Canal remasters which they very well may be

[Rhylliam]

Originally Posted by IroquoisPliskin

only the trilogy is avaliable? i only want first blood.

HMV has them individually for $10 and the trilogy for $20, just like amazon.ca

[murphywmm]

I wonder if they will release "The Silent Partner" on Blu-Ray? One of the best Canadian films ever and also a StudioCanal property.

[IroquoisPliskin]

does anybody have a pic of first blood's new release?

[Rhylliam]

Their Total Recall release has the same/new transfer as the last special edition disc thankfully. Confirmed that it duplicates all of the extras from that disc, plus two French only featurettes that aren't all that great. Still missing a few small extras from the Artisan tin/Mars release.

[nramaswaran]

Originally Posted by Rhylliam

Evil Dead 2's back cover only lists as extras: Interview with Bruce Campbell and Trailer.

True. Does anyone have this disc to confirm what special features are on it?

[originalHDphantom]

Originally Posted by nramaswaran

True. Does anyone have this disc to confirm what special features are on it?

I have this version and that interview was the only extra. Very disappointing. It's an older interview too (maybe from around 2003-ish?).

[ParamountChris]

What's holding Mongrel to reissue Basic Instinct and The Third Man on Blu Ray, the latter I found out is also in Mongrel's position, but what about The Grand Illusion. I also read some sources that in French Canada the StudioCanal rights are currently held by Radio-Canada/CBC through a 5-year deal, I don't see releases from RC/CBC at all, like many other French Canadian releases, (although they must be in iTunes like an ad says for Quebec) and many StudioCanal DVDs pre 2010s in France