Fun City Editions

[beamish13]

Originally Posted by exzachary

Would you guys consider looking into Liebestraum? It’s such an underrated neo-noir with MGM.

GREAT title. I hate how the MGM DVD keeps a critical scene that was cut for North America as a bonus instead of integrating it back

[Bradsdadg]

Originally Posted by bruce holecheck

Based on social media hints, Fun City Editions have both Frank Perry's RANCHO DELUXE (1975) and Michael Ritchie's SMILE (1975) on tap for 2021!

I'm in!

[bergman864]

I'm ready for whatever else Fun City decides to bring us.

[jah13]

🙏

Have you seen either or both of these?

Originally Posted by bergman864

I'm ready for whatever else Fun City decides to bring us.

[bergman864]

Originally Posted by jah13

🙏

Have you seen either or both of these?

No. But I'm always interested in checking out new movies. And I want to support the great work you do.

[jah13]

Many thanks, I think if you like one you’ll like the other.

Originally Posted by bergman864

No. But I'm always interested in checking out new movies. And I want to support the great work you do.

[jah13]

Haven’t seen it, I’m afraid.

Originally Posted by exzachary

Would you guys consider looking into Liebestraum? It’s such an underrated neo-noir with MGM.

[beamish13]

Originally Posted by jah13

Haven’t seen it, I’m afraid.

You’re in for a treat. Mike Figgis was at the top of his game with this and Stormy Monday (1988)

[jah13]

Originally Posted by beamish13

GREAT title. I hate how the MGM DVD keeps a critical scene that was cut for North America as a bonus instead of integrating it back

If MGM deems that the "correct" version omits that scene it may be difficult to have it re-inserted into the film proper, alas.

[jah13]

Originally Posted by brainofj72

Oh man, I love Smile. That movie is a gem. At this rate I’m gonna wind up buying every single release from this line!

Much appreciated. Glad there are actually still some of these gems unspoken for.

[jah13]

Originally Posted by silverlakephil

Me too. Thanks Fun City for bringing to attention these 60s and 70s obscurities, at least for me.

Will certainly keep at it. Plenty more out there.

[jah13]

Originally Posted by beamish13

Last Sunmer is still goddamn WB, which needs to restore it. I saw that 16mm Australian print that has screened a few times in North America-even that is likely not the full film. Very frustrating how an Oscar-nominated, widely acclaimed film can be so screwed over

I have seen that 16mm print. Don't recall the differences between that, whatever version TCM has aired and whatever is on the Key VHS I still own after all these years.

[jah13]

Originally Posted by beamish13

Smile is a brilliant work. Along with Prime Cut and The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom, Michael Ritchie showed a rare gift for dark comedy

An underrated filmmaker, to be sure. It was shocking to me that SMILE had not been restored for Blu after all these years.

[jah13]

Originally Posted by dvdmrp

Fun city,
Love your choices so far. About how many films did you guys manage to get from
Mgm? With the titles hinted today, it seems 5 so far.
Do you have a bunch more from MGM, or do you have any films from other libraries as well?

Thank you, dvdmrp. There may be more from MGM, we'll see. There are more films coming from other sources. Everything or mostly everything has never been on Blu-ray before. Once in awhile, as with I START COUNTING, never before released on disc or on home video.

[Sternhalma Weinstein]

Please release all Chris Makepeace films, thanks

[iamnoone]

Originally Posted by jah13

I have seen that 16mm print. Don't recall the differences between that, whatever version TCM has aired and whatever is on the Key VHS I still own after all these years.

Yes, LAST SUMMER is a mess as far as materials go. There appears to be many variations of the film, and apparently no good sources for all of it. I saw the 16mm Australian print at the Cinematheque, and it's missing several scenes from the Key Video, but also includes uncut parts and even completely new scenes not in any other version, including one scene with Richard Thomas' drunken father, played by The Waltons Ralph Waite, which I had never seen before. But the Australian print is missing a bunch as well. I don't know what has aired on TCM, but I do know for a fact that George Feltenstein at Warner has wanted to get this out for years now, as he is a big fan of the film. I'm guessing it's got to still be an element issue.

At this point, I would accept a hybrid cut using whatever they have, the Australian edited print with extra stuff, whatever Warner may have themselves, and even VHS inserts from Key if that's all there is. I know Warner are perfectionists, but at this point, none of us are getting any younger, and this film has a limited audience to begin with, so WB could give us all they can get. And if something turns up better later, we can double dip. I think I bought "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" three times from them because of improvements. It's no big deal.

Back to Fun City, definitely in for Rancho Deluxe and Smile, wow, both great! "Drying Up the Streets" - now that's another obscurity that I'd snatch up in an instant. Keep up the great work, and selections! Fun City could also be labeled Forgotten Gems, and I mean that in the best possible way.

[jah13]

Thanks for the breakdown on LAST SUMMER. Love the book and the film and I’ve seen all of these versions, but I didn’t realize there were that many disparities between them. At this point, I’d concur that the time for perfectionism has passed, just get it out there already.

As to RANCHO, I’m glad there was some other Perry left for us to get to. And it blows me away that SMILE has been left alone while seemingly every other Ritchie film was released.

Originally Posted by iamnoone

Yes, LAST SUMMER is a mess as far as materials go. There appears to be many variations of the film, and apparently no good sources for all of it. I saw the 16mm Australian print at the Cinematheque, and it's missing several scenes from the Key Video, but also includes uncut parts and even completely new scenes not in any other version, including one scene with Richard Thomas' drunken father, played by The Waltons Ralph Waite, which I had never seen before. But the Australian print is missing a bunch as well. I don't know what has aired on TCM, but I do know for a fact that George Feltenstein at Warner has wanted to get this out for years now, as he is a big fan of the film. I'm guessing it's got to still be an element issue.

At this point, I would accept a hybrid cut using whatever they have, the Australian edited print with extra stuff, whatever Warner may have themselves, and even VHS inserts from Key if that's all there is. I know Warner are perfectionists, but at this point, none of us are getting any younger, and this film has a limited audience to begin with, so WB could give us all they can get. And if something turns up better later, we can double dip. I think I bought "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" three times from them because of improvements. It's no big deal.

Back to Fun City, definitely in for Rancho Deluxe and Smile, wow, both great! "Drying Up the Streets" - now that's another obscurity that I'd snatch up in an instant. Keep up the great work, and selections! Fun City could also be labeled Forgotten Gems, and I mean that in the best possible way.

[jah13]

What’s left?

Originally Posted by Sternhalma Weinstein

Please release all Chris Makepeace films, thanks

[Mose Harper]

January 1 and you've already started the year off with a bang announcing a title that was previously rumored to be held by Criterion.

I had an inkling when Jeremy was announced and Rancho Deluxe was being talked up.
Now, with the announcement of Smile I'm pretty much certain- Fun City is the label I've been dreaming for ever since this format finally got up to speed about twelve years ago.

It combines everything I loved about Vinegar-Syndrome's production and product presentation quality, with the kind of catalog titles I actually give a squirt about.

I wish nothing but strong, steady success for this label and will do my part towards that as often, or as soon, as finances allow.

Can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings!

[jah13]

Thank you, Mose Harper. Will try to live up to that dream.

Originally Posted by Mose Harper

January 1 and you've already started the year off with a bang announcing a title that was previously rumored to be held by Criterion.

I had an inkling when Jeremy was announced and Rancho Deluxe was being talked up.
Now, with the announcement of Smile I'm pretty much certain- Fun City is the label I've been dreaming for ever since this format finally got up to speed about twelve years ago.

It combines everything I loved about Vinegar-Syndrome's production and product presentation quality, with the kind of catalog titles I actually give a squirt about.

I wish nothing but strong, steady success for this label and will do my part towards that as often, or as soon, as finances allow.

Can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings!