EXCLUSIVE: British classics include On The Fiddle starring Sean Connery [pictured].

UK-based Network Distributing has acquired home entertainment rights to 450 British titles from StudioCanal’s library.

These titles include significant works from studios including Associated Talking Pictures, Ealing, London Films, British Lion, Associated British Picture Corporation and EMI.

The deal covers home entertainment rights including DVD, Blu-ray, DTO and iTunes. 

Network will offer new transfers for all the titles (in original aspect ratios), and the releases will start from April 2013.

Directors included include Carol Reed, Lewis Gilbert, Cy Endfield, Charles Crichton and Michael Winner.

Titles set for release in 2013 include:

  • The Ealing Rarities Collections, including Penny Paradise, Midshipman Easy, Escape, The Impassive Footman
  • The Man Who Haunted Himself
  • Edgar Wallace’s The Four Just Men and Flying 55
  • Horrors of the Black Museum
  • Spanish Fly
  • Some People
  • On the Fiddle

Tim Beddows, Network Distributing Managing Director said, “We are delighted to have concluded this deal with StudioCanal. We are already a home to a large part of UK TV history and our deal with StudioCanal means that we can now start saying the same about our cinema library, which brings our range of British feature films to 1000 titles.”

John Rodden, General Manager for Home Entertainment at StudioCanal, added, “The Studiocanal Films British Collection is one of the great treasures of Cinema. We’re very happy to extend our partnership with Network to make the rest of this hugely important collection available to the Great British Public in Home Entertainment. This deal will also enable us to accelerate its availability for international distribution.”