Fun City Editions

[jah13]

Many thanks for the positive feedback, iamnoone. JEREMY is a labor of love for FCE and it does seem to be a film that its partisans feel similarly about.

Originally Posted by iamnoone

"JEREMY" is a terrific film. Great news!

I sort of see a trend with coming of age titles, another good one that MGM owns is "OUR WINNING SEASON" (1978) with Scott Jacoby (Bad Ronald) and a young Dennis Quaid. I'm sure there are other excellent ones out there that deserve finding a new audience. I'd love to hear of other possibilities, especially for now with MGM, as they obviously have a leg in there.

I think a lot of labels wouldn't know what to do with titles like these, so I'm glad Fun City is cornering the market for now. I'm in for all of them! It's a refreshing alternative to all the horror/sleaze/exploitation/action/westerns all the other labels focus on. I love those, too, but it's more than covered.

Give us some excellent underappreciated (or lesser known) dramas, coming of age stories, quirky flicks, and other oddities that can't be easily pigeonholed. Alphabet City was a start, I Start Counting a giant leap, and now Jeremy is a homerun.

[jah13]

Yes, JEREMY was shot largely with handheld 16mm cameras and blown up to 35, so there will be a limit on how sharp it can get. But, we expect the new scan to be a good leg up on the DVD and VHS editions of the film.

Originally Posted by Mose Harper

Jeremy is a lovely film and another fine choice to bring to wider attention.

I had the original MGM DVD. The image looked grungy and low budget (which I'm sure it was). Enjoyed the film, but sold off the disc.

Years later I ran across it in a Big Lots for $3 and couldn't resist picking it up. Still haven't cracked the shrinkwrap on it yet, though I'd been meaning to for a while now.

It's a quality film that's worth upgrading on general principle alone- though I won't be surprised if the PQ isn't improved much, based on the limitations of the source.

[Jobla]

JEREMY is excellent. I was a college film programmer in the early-mid 1970's. I screened JEREMY on campus one weekend. Most of the college kids had never heard of it, but it drew very well, and the audiences loved the film.

I would definitely buy a copy on Blu-ray.

[Yami]

Jeremy is terrific. It's a favourite of Mark Kermode, probably the UK's most famous film critic. There's a section of his book The Hatchet Job that's dedicated to the film.

It's great to hear that Fun City are releasing it; I've never seen any of Arthur Barron's other films - it seems like his career didn't really take off - but I see on IMDB that he directed a number of short films and I'd be interested in seeing one as an extra. Death of a Gandy Dancer sounds particularly interesting.

[whatsgood]

I Start Counting was such a cool mix of atmosphere, suspense, and taboo. I was unexpectedly moved by the attachment to the house Agutter's character grew up in, as I had to let go of mine and still haunts me that I can't go back.

[bergman864]

Jeremy sounds fantastic. I hadn't heard of it until I checked this and the VS thread. It's the type of film I like. I will be looking forward to its release.

[gimmeshelter]

Both ALPHABET CITY and I START COUNTING are great releases and I'm definitely interested in JEREMY and RANCHO DELUXE. What sort of release schedule is FCE on? Is the goal to put out 10-12 movies a year or will it just be releases pending if there's an acquisition? How many movies are in the pipeline already? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Zarak]

Originally Posted by gimmeshelter

Both ALPHABET CITY and I START COUNTING are great releases and I'm definitely interested in JEREMY and RANCHO DELUXE.

Is Rancho Deluxe confirmed?

I have the DVD. It's a pretty cool movie. The excellent Richard Brautigan biography Jubilee Hitchhiker talks about the making of this film, because writer Thomas McGuane and a young Jimmy Buffett were part of the artists' collective in Montana that this movie grew out of, and a bunch of literary types were living in and hanging around the area while the movie was being made.

[jah13]

Thanks for supporting, gimmeshelter. There are other films in the pipeline, but we're starting modestly by necessity...it's a one-man band after all. Trying to be thoughtful with the curation, but it's also contingent on availability and cost, of course.

Originally Posted by gimmeshelter

Both ALPHABET CITY and I START COUNTING are great releases and I'm definitely interested in JEREMY and RANCHO DELUXE. What sort of release schedule is FCE on? Is the goal to put out 10-12 movies a year or will it just be releases pending if there's an acquisition? How many movies are in the pipeline already? Inquiring minds want to know.

[jah13]

Thanks, Yami. Yes, have heard and read some of Kermode's pieces describing his love for the film. He's certainly turned a lot of people onto the film, mostly in the U.K., of course.

Originally Posted by Yami

Jeremy is terrific. It's a favourite of Mark Kermode, probably the UK's most famous film critic. There's a section of his book The Hatchet Job that's dedicated to the film.

It's great to hear that Fun City are releasing it; I've never seen any of Arthur Barron's other films - it seems like his career didn't really take off - but I see on IMDB that he directed a number of short films and I'd be interested in seeing one as an extra. Death of a Gandy Dancer sounds particularly interesting.

[Yami]

Originally Posted by jah13

Thanks, Yami. Yes, have heard and read some of Kermode's pieces describing his love for the film. He's certainly turned a lot of people onto the film, mostly in the U.K., of course.

He has also recorded this podcast episode about the film...which I was pleased to pre-order today!

I'm not sure who has done the new artwork for yourselves, but it is excellent and the style perfectly captures the film

• Region A Blu-ray
• New 2K restoration from its 35mm color reversal internegative
• “Susan and Jeremy”: A Conversation with Robby Benson and Glynnis O’Connor (new video interview)
• Video introduction by Glynnis O’Connor
• “A Phantom of Delight,” a new video essay by filmmaker Chris O’Neill
• Theatrical trailer
• Trailers from Hell trailer commentary by Larry Karaszewski
• Image gallery
• Booklet with a new essay by film critic Bill Ackerman
• Newly recorded audio commentary by film writers Kat Ellinger and Mike McPadden
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

Looks like a fabulous set of extras.

I mentioned Arthur Barron's short films above and I've found a couple on the Internet Archive that people might be interested in. It Must Be Love Cause I Feel So Dumb was his follow up to Jeremy and features a very Robbie Benson-like Alfred Lutter III (who played the younger version of Woody Allen's character in Love and Death) as a kid trying to impress the cheerleader he has a crush on. Death of a Gandy Dancer is a more sombre affair about a young boy coming to terms with the impending death of his grandfather.

[jah13]

Thank you so much, Yami, for the pre-order and kind words. I think I've heard that Kermode podcast. We'd hoped to have him involved in this, but it didn't pan out...things obviously became complicated by the pandemic.

Need to check out those Barron shorts. The one with Lutter has been on my list. I remember Lutter as Ellen Burstyn's son in ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE.

The artwork is by Jess Rotter / Rotter and Friends. She specializes in '70s pop culture, especially music-specific apparel, record covers, book covers, etc.

Originally Posted by Yami

He has also recorded this podcast episode about the film...which I was pleased to pre-order today!

I'm not sure who has done the new artwork for yourselves, but it is excellent and the style perfectly captures the film






Looks like a fabulous set of extras.

I mentioned Arthur Barron's short films above and I've found a couple on the Internet Archive that people might be interested in. It Must Be Love Cause I Feel So Dumb was his follow up to Jeremy and features a very Robbie Benson-like Alfred Lutter III (who played the younger version of Woody Allen's character in Love and Death) as a kid trying to impress the cheerleader he has a crush on. Death of a Gandy Dancer is a more sombre affair about a young boy coming to terms with the impending death of his grandfather.

[Jobla]

I've preordered JEREMY at the Vinegar Syndrome site. The extras sound great!

[Yami]

Originally Posted by jah13

Thank you so much, Yami, for the pre-order and kind words. I think I've heard that Kermode podcast. We'd hoped to have him involved in this, but it didn't pan out...things obviously became complicated by the pandemic.

Need to check out those Barron shorts. The one with Lutter has been on my list. I remember Lutter as Ellen Burstyn's son in ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE.

Yes, of course! One of Scorsese's most underrated films; I haven't seen it in years.

I don't know what the rights are like but I've been wanting to see Frank Perry's final film, On the Bridge, a documentary self-portrait following his diagnosis of cancer. Jonathan Rosenbaum gave it a good review at the time. I've mentioned it to Indicator too as it would be great to see as an extra on a release of one of his films and I know you have Rancho Deluxe in the pipeline.

[jah13]

Would be curious to see Frank's doc. It's one I read about many years ago, but I think it's been scarce (even when it was new).

Originally Posted by Yami

Yes, of course! One of Scorsese's most underrated films; I haven't seen it in years.

I don't know what the rights are like but I've been wanting to see Frank Perry's final film, On the Bridge, a documentary self-portrait following his diagnosis of cancer. Jonathan Rosenbaum gave it a good review at the time. I've mentioned it to Indicator too as it would be great to see as an extra on a release of one of his films and I know you have Rancho Deluxe in the pipeline.

[bergman864]

I can't wait to see more from you guys. While I haven't yet preordered my copy of Jeremy (lot of great releases from VS to buy) I'll definitely be picking it up. Really love that slipcover and I hope to see more great work from you guys.

Your association with Vinegar Syndrome has put you on my radar and I like that both of you are looking to restore and preserve important films from the past I haven't had the chance to view.

[jah13]

Mucho thanks, bergman864. Good to be affiliated with VS.

Originally Posted by bergman864

I can't wait to see more from you guys. While I haven't yet preordered my copy of Jeremy (lot of great releases from VS to buy) I'll definitely be picking it up. Really love that slipcover and I hope to see more great work from you guys.

Your association with Vinegar Syndrome has put you on my radar and I like that both of you are looking to restore and preserve important films from the past I haven't had the chance to view.

[Bradsdadg]

Loving that slipcover for Jeremy. That and others from VinSyn would make great posters

[jah13]

Grazie, Bradsdadg. Agreed!

Originally Posted by Bradsdadg

Loving that slipcover for Jeremy. That and others from VinSyn would make great posters

[Yami]

Originally Posted by jah13

Would be curious to see Frank's doc. It's one I read about many years ago, but I think it's been scarce (even when it was new).

It seems like the original distributor is still selling it on VHS to educational venues, but I think I last had the ability to play VHS tapes back in around 2004! Hopefully it becomes available in a digital format one of these days, ideally as an extra on another Perry feature as it doesn't seem like something that would really sell itself but I'd probably pay a few bucks to stream it if that was an option.