Dear Guetty, First, I apologize to Kim and the group about hijacking the Netflix question and it's an important one, so I've changed the subject line. Guetty, I should introduce myself -- my wife and I are the distributors of KILLER OF SHEEP, MY BROTHER'S WEDDING and many of his short films and we're always looking to work with Charles to distribute more of his films. We're big fans of his and I agree that we've never met anybody as generous in spirit and kindness as Charles. We do know who owns TO SLEEP WITH ANGER but the studio isn't as sure as Charles, the producers and we are. We'd love to see it restored and re-released.
As for your view of the studios, I would say that we agree. And of course, things have changed a little for the better since TO SLEEP WITH ANGER came out. However, when I tried to market KILLER OF SHEEP to the European distributors in 2007, we were repeatedly told by them that there's no business there for Black films. Our friends at Les Films du Paradoxe were brave enough to take it on, however, and hopefully, times are a changin'. Best, Dennis On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 3:30 PM, Guetty Felin-Cohen <[email protected]>wrote: > Hello, > Allow me to intervene slightly on your exchanges as a friend of Charles > Burnett, a fellow filmmaker "of color" who is currently working with Charles > on a feature length film project. He is one of the calmest people I have > ever known. He is also extremely funny, I have never seen him angry he is > too zen for that. As someone who lived in France for a few years I would > like to say that the film did fairly well there, in fact, that's where I saw > it, in a very full theater. In America, the film was killed before it was > released because of bad marketing. it is also the same story for *Talk to > Me* by Kasi Lemons. *To sleep with Ange*r would have done extremely well > in the black communities if they had marketed it properly to the black > audience and also perhaps if Oprah Winfrey had stood behind it, but I don't > think Oprah had so much clout when the film came out. Look what Oprah and > Tyler did for "Precious". I will not get into that debate. > Lastly, I would also like to rectify the point about the studios and black > community: the studios do very much take into consideration the black film > going community, they know that black folks are huge consumers, they just > have a hard time considering multi-dimensiotanal, textured black > characters. They have archetypes and a set idea of black identity and if you > shatter that ideal identity, or propose something else, it is extremely > hard for them to fathom. They may fund the making of it, but not the > marketing for theatrical release. > > Voila, > Guetty > P.S. for the person looking for Charles film I can send him an email.... > > On Mar 21, 2011, at 12:01 PM, Dennis Doros wrote: > > Jessica. You don't know Charles Burnett (appearing on the evenings of April > 6, 7 *and* 8 at MoMA. Be there!). He doesn't get angry. At all. And he's > not very sensitive -- in fact, he's a realist. He told an interviewer that > it's a shame and the Goldwyn Company got incensed because he was right and > they blew it out of proportion. > > We'll never know if it would have died in the black communities since they > didn't show it there. In fact, the studios never considered a black > film-going community until Tyler Perry and of course, it took and indie to > prove it. I do know KILLER OF SHEEP did well in some of these theaters and > ours was a 30-year-old B&W film that doesn't have Danny Glover in it. The > idea that Black art films don't do well in Black communities and they don't > do well overseas is based on pre-conceived, self-defeating notions! > Actually, DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST was the first to prove that. :-) > > DD > > On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 2:35 PM, Jessica Rosner > <[email protected]>wrote: > >> I guess we can argue this at some point, but this film would have died in >> regular theaters in the black community. I know how the director is >> sensitive about this, but I just don't agree and I do remember his anger at >> the time of release. >> >> >> On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 2:26 PM, Dennis Doros <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> Well, we do know where it is. It's just a case of somebody acting on it. >>> And yes and no. Goldwyn got great reviews but they put the film in the >>> arthouses and excluded the black neighborhoods. They could and should have >>> done both. >>> >>> Dennis >>> >>> >>> On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 1:40 PM, Jessica Rosner < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Good Luck on TO SLEEP WITH ANGER . Great film, though I do think Godwyn >>>> got a bum rap for allegedly not marketing it well. >>>> >>>> >>>> On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 1:32 PM, Dennis Doros <[email protected]>wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hey, Kim, >>>>> >>>>> TO SLEEP WITH ANGER was another example, but MGM actually didn't own >>>>> the rights they sold to Netflix so it was pulled shortly thereafter. My >>>>> fault, I'm afraid to admit, but I'm still hoping it will be restored and >>>>> properly released one day by the rightful owners. >>>>> >>>>> Studios and indies are indeed bypassing some films on DVD to go >>>>> straight to streaming. If they do stop in-between, they are creating >>>>> DVD-Rs >>>>> made to order. >>>>> >>>>> Studios are not really gauging interest in older films by streaming. >>>>> They're doing it because the money is there now and in the future. I'm >>>>> told >>>>> at least by one indie that they are buying as much as possible now because >>>>> they can stream for good money with little effort. Ugh, but it's a >>>>> reality. >>>>> >>>>> Netflix, on the other hand, is not buying *everything* on DVD anymore. >>>>> For smaller titles like ours, they wait until there's enough members >>>>> waiting >>>>> on the queue for it combined with a good tomato rating. If neither exists, >>>>> they won't buy it. So if a DVD is not available on Netflix, DVDs still >>>>> might >>>>> exist. >>>>> >>>>> There's a good article about the various streaming/download sites in >>>>> this week's Hollywood Reporter (with a photo of the wonderful Jodie Foster >>>>> on the cover) though I suspect some sites are GREATLY exaggerating their >>>>> numbers. I had a least six jokes to follow this, but I'll leave that to >>>>> y'all to do offline. >>>>> >>>>> AMIA in Austin this year! >>>>> >>>>> Best, >>>>> Dennis Doros >>>>> Milestone Film & Video/Milliarium Zero >>>>> PO Box 128 >>>>> Harrington Park, NJ 07640 >>>>> Phone: 201-767-3117 >>>>> Fax: 201-767-3035 >>>>> email: [email protected] >>>>> www.milestonefilms.com >>>>> www.ontheboweryfilm.com >>>>> www.arayafilm.com >>>>> www.exilesfilm.com >>>>> www.wordisoutmovie.com >>>>> www.killerofsheep.com >>>>> AMIA Austin 2011: www.amianet.org >>>>> Join "Milestone Film" on Facebook! >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 1:14 PM, Stanton, Kim <[email protected]>wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Over the last few months, I’ve had several faculty ask me to purchase >>>>>> something they watched on Netflix (either DVD or streaming) for the >>>>>> collection and I haven’t been able to locate a new or used copy for sale >>>>>> anywhere. I’ve also run into a few instances where a film has never been >>>>>> released on DVD, but you can watch instantly (usually for a limited time >>>>>> frame) on Netflix. Looking for Mr. Goodbar (’77) is the only example I >>>>>> can >>>>>> think of offhand. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Is Netflix streaming being used by studios to gauge interest in older >>>>>> film before releasing on DVD? Or are they already starting to bypass the >>>>>> physical copy for streaming? And I’ve noticed a few newish releases that >>>>>> are available streaming (Netflix or Amazon Instant) but not DVD – I >>>>>> thought >>>>>> this was a “watch exclusively here for the first month” thing, but now >>>>>> I’m >>>>>> wondering if these films will ever come out on DVD. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Is this another sign of an impending physical media apocalypse? >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Kim Stanton >>>>>> >>>>>> Head, Media Library >>>>>> >>>>>> University of North Texas >>>>>> >>>>>> [email protected] >>>>>> >>>>>> P: (940) 565-4832 >>>>>> >>>>>> F: (940) 369-7396 >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of >>>>>> issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic >>>>>> control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in >>>>>> libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve >>>>>> as >>>>>> an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of >>>>>> communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video >>>>>> producers and distributors. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of >>>>> issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic >>>>> control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in >>>>> libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve >>>>> as >>>>> an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of >>>>> communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video >>>>> producers and distributors. >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Jessica Rosner >>>> Media Consultant >>>> 224-545-3897 (cell) >>>> 212-627-1785 (land line) >>>> [email protected] >>>> >>>> >>>> VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of >>>> issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic >>>> control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in >>>> libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as >>>> an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of >>>> communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video >>>> producers and distributors. >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Best, >>> Dennis Doros >>> Milestone Film & Video/Milliarium Zero >>> PO Box 128 >>> Harrington Park, NJ 07640 >>> Phone: 201-767-3117 >>> Fax: 201-767-3035 >>> email: [email protected] >>> www.milestonefilms.com >>> www.ontheboweryfilm.com >>> www.arayafilm.com >>> www.exilesfilm.com >>> www.wordisoutmovie.com >>> www.killerofsheep.com >>> AMIA Austin 2011: www.amianet.org >>> Join "Milestone Film" on Facebook! >>> >>> >>> VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of >>> issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic >>> control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in >>> libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as >>> an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of >>> communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video >>> producers and distributors. >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> Jessica Rosner >> Media Consultant >> 224-545-3897 (cell) >> 212-627-1785 (land line) >> [email protected] >> >> >> VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of >> issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic >> control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in >> libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as >> an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of >> communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video >> producers and distributors. >> >> > > > -- > Best, > Dennis Doros > Milestone Film & Video/Milliarium Zero > PO Box 128 > Harrington Park, NJ 07640 > Phone: 201-767-3117 > Fax: 201-767-3035 > email: [email protected] > www.milestonefilms.com > www.ontheboweryfilm.com > www.arayafilm.com > www.exilesfilm.com > www.wordisoutmovie.com > www.killerofsheep.com > AMIA Austin 2011: www.amianet.org > Join "Milestone Film" on Facebook! > > VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of > issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic > control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in > libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as > an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of > communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video > producers and distributors. > > > Guetty Felin-Cohen > > > > > > > > > VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues > relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, > preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and > related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective > working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication > between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and > distributors. > >
VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
