For ages — after all of the “miracles” Shout! Factory has made happen with rights to movies that the owners (Sandy Frank) swore “Over my dead body” – I’ve thought of suggesting a weekend survey of “What movie/episode would you almost bet money Shout! Factory will never be able to get the rights to release?”
Between the movies that Rhino screwed up with (Amazing Colossal Man, Godzilla vs Megalon), the way things go in and out of copyright (the “Robot Rumpus” short) and the fact that some of the movies are owned by corporations who think the movies are decent or at least still money-makers (Space Travelers), you keep thinking there’s at least one that’s going to end up being impossible.
My guess was always Revenge of the Creature. Because even though it’s not one of the studio’s best efforts, Universal is notorious about protecting the image of their Monsters – even the minor ones. I thought there was no way we’d see that on home video…
Yes, another miracle.
So what episode do you think will never get released on home video?
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Well, I don’t want to say (or think, for that matter) that some material won’t make it.
But here goes:
Godzilla vs the Sea Monster (I think Godzilla vs Megalon may not be as hard seeing as its main distribution rights are held by a small group; however I won’t be buying it because I shelled out the $130 for a copy of Volume 10 a few years back).
The Susan Hart eps (seemingly no one knows why she’s holding out; some say she wants a lot of money, others say it’s ’cause she’s embarrassed by the contents of the 9 films that make up her late husband’s estate; still, maybe we’ll get lucky–I think it’d be funny to see 311 come out so soon after its short gets used as a bonus feature)
Episode 912–I’m a little confused, do the rights keep changing hands on that Gumby short (or its music) or what?
The Puma Man, but I’m really hoping this one’ll be the biggest surprise this next year (it’d surprise me more than Shout! acquiring stuff from other major studios as easily as they got Universal and MGM to license for one set).
Those are my guesses.
As far as Universal and MGM go, I’d say everything’s on the table now (take that, director of Squirm!).
Another one I’m hoping for is that VCI will let us have Gorgo. That was the last Season 9 episode I watched and I’m glad I saved it for last because it was pretty good.