...we knew AMITYVILLE HORROR would be the last MGM theatrical release, and now the plug has been pulled on every MGM DVD (up until the middle of July).

I've received in the last few days a group of PR announcements for various MGM DVDs (including my eagerly-awaited PINK PANTHER CARTOON COLLECTION), all stating they had been "post-poned" with an announcement due in the future from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

This is sad, depressing news, not just because I have always had good relationships with the MGM folks, but also because they cranked out so many DVDs each month -- many catalog titles in particular which the other studios wouldn't touch -- that I can't imagine this is going to be a good thing for movie buffs.

As far as the PINK PANTHER goes, I've read it was pushed back until Winter 2006 -- which I can understand judging by how utterly godawful the trailers looked. I'm guessing maybe the Sony folks saw it and want to re-shoot parts of it...or something.

I just hope that PANTHER CARTOON set and the other Panther films (Curse, Son) will materialize at that time from Sony.

Sigh...

I guess we won't be getting the special editions of A Fistful Of Dollars and For A Few Dollars More anytime soon.

Wow.

As far as the PINK PANTHER goes, I've read it was pushed back until Winter 2006 -- which I can understand judging by how utterly godawful the trailers looked. I'm guessing maybe the Sony folks saw it and want to re-shoot parts of it...or something.

I just hope that PANTHER CARTOON set and the other Panther films (Curse, Son) will materialize at that time from Sony.

Sigh...[/quote]

I am not sold at all on Steve Martin playing Clouseau- I saw one trailer back in January and wanted to puke. I'm sorry, but Sellers made that character; his performance is ingrained in anyone's memory who has seen a PINK PANTHER film- why are they remaking this????? GEEZ! This is annoying. This isn't like replacing Bond.

I am not sold at all on Steve Martin playing Clouseau- I saw one trailer back in January and wanted to puke. I'm sorry, but Sellers made that character; his performance is ingrained in anyone's memory who has seen a PINK PANTHER film- why are they remaking this????? GEEZ! This is annoying. This isn't like replacing Bond.

I can understand remaking it -- but I'm with you Michael, Martin seems pretty poorly cast here. Kevin Kline would have been a better choice for Closeau!

And it does seem bizarre having Jean Reno in the cast and wasting him in a gorified version of the old Andre Marane role (you know, the sideick whose face you recognise but can never put a name to). I had hoped that now Blake Edwards had finally given up trying to prove that he was the reason the films were successful they'd just let it lie, but despite the fact tha every non-Sellars film has tanked (and there are a lot of them) they just keep going back to the well...

Last I heard, the release is now Spring 2006. Well, that's a good sign.

And of course, al those DVDs you mentioned are not only currently available in the UK but they've already been marked down (the two Dollars movies are £7.99 at play.com at the moment).