Bow down to Robert Altman...

FWIW, Indicator (the UK label owned by Powerhouse) was going to do a deluxe Blu-ray edition for it, but they had to cancel the project long after announcing it due to the music rights issues. Basically it came down to the cost of licensing all the music (yet again), and they didn't have the budget for it - it would've been far more expensive than any title they've done and they didn't want to compromise by using the re-cut version that was put on the DVD.

I’m never sure if it’s bad luck or bad planning (or just premature announcement) that Indicator has but it feels like between that and Ishtar they’ve had some of the highest profile titles that just fell apart after a lot of legwork had already been put in

Haven't watched it for a few years, but what music is there in California Split? All I can remember is "Kansas City," done by the singer in Vegas (in flash-forward, I think--and Gould starts singing along with her as he crosses the street).

Fwiw, I c'n'p-d those notes from DVD Beaver upthread here: Bow down to Robert Altman...

Basically the problem is with the publishers of some of the songs Phyllis Shotwell sings, and a to lesser extent the rights holders for Cheech & Chong's "Basketball Jones" song and promo film.

Oddly enough, the latter appears in every edition of Ashby's Being There.

Phyllis Shotwell, right. And I forgot about "Basketball Jones" (off a TV, I think).

Self-xp

The song <and> video in Being There

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok7Ainmmlvg

Of course, that animation is v.problematic.

From wiki:

"Basketball Jones" was originally seen in theaters in late 1973, before showings of Hal Ashby's The Last Detail at select screens. It can be seen during the 1974 film California Split, directed by Robert Altman, although its use in the film prevented California Split from being released on VHS or Laserdisc due to Columbia Pictures' refusal to pay royalties for the song. Altman later removed the song (but not the cartoon) from the film so it could be released on DVD.

Trying to find some record of whether Phyllis Shotwell is still alive. Highly doubtful, but can't find anything that says she isn't.

Detail from the wiki for A Perfect Couple:

The role of Sheila Shea was originally written for Sandy Dennis. Paul Dooley was seriously allergic to cats though, and when cat-lover Dennis would come to the script readings with up to five cats at a time, he was briefly hospitalized.

Dennis was phenomenal in both That Cold Day in the Park and Come Back to the Five and Dime…

She owned several dozen cats at the time of her death

And a joy in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

Im thinking The Player might be the best movie about Hollywood. Now that's got a perfect Hollywood ending! Up!