Eclipse Discussion and Random Speculation

[Scharphedin2]

Speaking of Swedish directors, one very worthy addition to the eclipse (or even main Criterion) line of releases would be a set dedicated to Jan Troell.

In the mid-'90s, Peter Cowie selected Här har du ditt liv (1966) as the basis of a discussion on Swedish cinema. It is quite possibly the most gorgeous Swedish film I have had the opportunity to see, and I really deserve a black eye for not remembering to include it in the recent '60s poll. Shot in B&W scope, it is set in the beginning of the 20th century amongst workers in the Swedish lumber production, and follows the coming of age of a boy. If I remember correctly, cinema itself plays a role in the film, not to mention a who's who of Sweden's best acting talent of the period.

A few years later, Troell went on to make the grand dip-tych of Swedish emigration to the United States in the 19th century -- The Emigrants and The New Land, both starring Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann. These films were both released theatrically and on television, and are still alive in people's conscious, which unfortunately is not the case with Här har du ditt liv.

Troell is still very much alive and working, and could contribute to a CC release of his films, but even an eclipse set dedicated to the above films would be fantastic.

Another worthy addition to the collection, would of course be Bo Widerberg, who also made a number of notable films up through the sixties and seventies.

[tryavna]

A few years later, Troell went on to make the grand dip-tych of Swedish emigration to the United States in the 19th century -- The Emigrants and The New Land, both starring Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann. These films were both released theatrically and on television, and are still alive in people's conscious, which unfortunately is not the case with Här har du ditt liv.

My understanding is that Warner owns the rights to Troell's two Moberg adaptations. Those titles have come up in HTF chats, but Warner seems relatively uninterested in them, which is why the lack of English subs came as a blow when they got released in R2.

What do you think of Troell's Hamsun, Scharph? The First Run disc is not particularly good, but it's a fascinating life-story. (I've done some research on Hamsun himself recently, and I'm rather disappointed that Koellen's two-volume bio hasn't been translated into English yet.)

[What A Disgrace]

I wonder what the chances would be of a Jiri Menzel box?

Capricious Summer is out there from Facets...I loved Closely Watche Trains, and I'm eager to see the film, but I'm afraid to even touch one of their discs.

[miless]

I'm still not sure what people see in Heath Ledger!

well, he was pretty great in Brokeback. That's all I can really say about him, though.

[jbeall]

Capricious Summer is out there from Facets...I loved Closely Watched Trains, and I'm eager to see the film, but I'm afraid to even touch one of their discs.

This is what I've been screaming for!

They could probably get My Sweet Little Village (which is one of my favorites) for starters. Even if they can't get an entire Menzel box together, a Czech New Wave set would be great.

[ogygia avenue]

Whoops, made that post in the wrong thread.

I'm working on an article about Joan Micklin Silver, a forgotten female director from the 1970s, and would love to see Eclipse put together a box of her 1970s features. Since she made her best-distributed film, Chilly Scenes of Winter, for UA (and since HVe recently put out Hester Street), I sense the licensing issues would be rather challenging. Still, Between the Lines needs to resurface on DVD, and the collection needs more women, so...

[NABOB OF NOWHERE]

I wonder what the chances would be of a Jiri Menzel box?

They could probably get My Sweet Little Village (which is one of my favorites) for starters. Even if they can't get an entire Menzel box together, a Czech New Wave set would be great.

Wasn't there a mention on a recent Criterionblog that telecines had been done by them in Prague. Could this be a pointer to some Czech releases??

[miless]

Wasn't there a mention on a recent Criterionblog that telecines had been done by them in Prague. Could this be a pointer to some Czech releases??

If this is the case, it seems more early Milos Forman films are likely.

[jbeall]

Wasn't there a mention on a recent Criterionblog that telecines had been done by them in Prague. Could this be a pointer to some Czech releases??

If this is the case, it seems more early Milos Forman films are likely.

Another four-title box, if that's the case. Black Peter is unfortunately already a Facets release. They could include Audition, however, as Second Run was only able to secure Region 2 rights to that film.

A Forman set would be okay, but I'd frankly prefer that they make it their first multiple-director set and just release a selection of Czech New Wave films. Given the quality of filmmaking that's come out of Czechoslovakia/Cz. Rep., it's disproportionately underrepresented in R1 release, even for such a small country.

[Cinephrenic]

Perhaps Herz's The Cremator or Passer's Intimate Lighting could be a contender?

[What A Disgrace]

How about a set of Matti Kassila's Inspector Palm series? Not that I'm familiar with the director's work, but he's on my list of directors to seek out if ever possible (since he seems to be Finland's greatest director), and these films seem to be amongst his great ones.

[jbeall]

Perhaps Herz's The Cremator or Passer's Intimate Lighting could be a contender?

Maybe, but econd Run has released those films, so I'm not sure why Criterion would pick them up if they only intend to release them on the Eclipse line.

Also, perhaps someone can clarify something for me. I had emailed Second Run awhile back (a year ago, maybe?) asking about the region encoding on their titles, and received a reply stating that their R2 releases were titles that they could only get the R2 rights for. Now, maybe I'm reading too much into it, but does that mean that their R0 releases are titles for which they received all-region rights? (If so, the films you've listed, Cinephrenic, might be off-limits to Criterion, at least for the time being. However, I'm totally ignorant on the subject, hence my question.)

It would be wonderful if Facets' rights to some of their Czech titles have lapsed... Their release of Daisies was okay, but they did such a piss-poor job on The Joke that I've sworn off ever watching one of their Czech releases again.

[ogygia avenue]

a Czech New Wave set would be great.

I'm going to refrain from getting in touch with my inner Barmy, and instead ask: What's with all the love for the Czech New Wave? The films I've seen that represent the movement have been fairly disappointing. (I'm going to withhold comments on why they've been disappointing until I hear about why others like them...)

[Steven H]

a Czech New Wave set would be great.

I'm going to refrain from getting in touch with my inner Barmy, and instead ask: What's with all the love for the Czech New Wave? The films I've seen that represent the movement have been fairly disappointing. (I'm going to withhold comments on why they've been disappointing until I hear about why others like them...)

I would say that since a good chun of us have already delved into why we like the Czech New Wave all over the forum, consider the torch passed. If you're looking for a few opinions to disagree with, you can check the threads for Criterion's releases (Cosely Watched Trains, Milos Formans, The Shop on Main Street, Closely Watched Trains), the Second Run subforum, Jan Svankmajer, Czech DVDs, the 1960s list suggestions, and of course, the Czech New Wave thread. There are also lots of great bits in the Kino, Facets, and BFI boutique labels subforum about it as well.

[eez28]

Would it be possible for them to ever do a Fassbinder set? I keep wanting to get some of the wellspring titles but always hesitate.

[thethirdman]

Would it be possible for them to ever do a Fassbinder set? I keep wanting to get some of the wellspring titles but always hesitate.

I keep wondering the same thing. I have most of the Wellspring titles, but I am missing three of the titles that went out of print. Bremen Freedom, Eight Hours Don't Make a Day, Despair, I Only Want You to Love Me, Jail Bait, Like a Bird on a Wire, Nora Helmer, The Coffee House, Theater in Trance, World on a Wire, and Women in New York do not seem to be available in any region. Many of those are television productions. I would love to see a Fassbinder TV Eclipse series. Eight Hours Don't Make a Day would probably require three discs.

[criterionsnob]

I would love to see a Fassbinder TV Eclipse series.

Yes, please.

[My Man Godfrey]

If anyone at Criterion or the Fassbinder Foundation pays attention to this forum: YES! PLEASE! Give us a Fassbinder Eclipse set! The Criterion Nation wants those movies! All of them! Don't make me start standing outside your offices wearing a sandwich board.

To the rest of you -- [taps nose, pulls ear, indicating that something mysterious is about to go down] -- Super Happy Fun sells a subtitled 2-disc set of the World of Wires miniseries. Image quality is terrible (taped from TV), but the subs are good, and the movie itself is just terrific. (I'm surprised, given the success of the first Matrix, that more hasn't been said about Fassbinder's movie, which is very similar, but of course much more cheaply made, and much better.)

[colinr0380]

(I'm surprised, given the success of the first Matrix, that more hasn't been said about Fassbinder's movie, which is very similar, but of course much more cheaply made, and much better.)

I would be very interested in getting the chance to see this (wasn't The Thirteenth Floor based on the same source material as World On A Wire?)

However any of the TV work would be great too!

(It is probably a coincidence but the premise also seems quite similar to Koji Suzuki's final novel in the Ring series, Loop)

[Le Samouraï]

Yes, both WELT AM DRAHT and THE THIRTEENTH FLOOR were based on SIMULACRON THREE by Daniel Galouye.

[Stefan Andersson]

L´Herbier´s L´INHUMAINE has been restored in France (info on Classic Horror Film Board) and would be a nice centerpiece of an Eclipse box:
MARCEL L´HERBIER MASTER OF FRENCH 1920´S CINEMA:
EL DORADO
L´INHUMAINE
FEU MATHIAS PASCAL
L´ARGENT - rumoured for DVD release in France (dvdclassik.com)
+ maybe that movie based on Tolstoy´s RESURRECTION

OK, silent movies were non-talking but had music. So they were not "silent". Why, then, not stop calling them "silent" and instead talk of 1900´s, 1910´s and 1920´s films?

[Shrew]

OK, silent movies were non-talking but had music. So they were not "silent". Why, then, not stop calling them "silent" and instead talk of 1900´s, 1910´s and 1920´s films?

Because they didn't actually have music? For most films there wasn't even a score, so the accompanist made stuff up. There isn't any music contained in the films themselves, at least not until the end of the era, so I'd say they're pretty silent.

[What A Disgrace]

Speaking of silent movies, how about an Eclipse box of W.C. Fields' surviving silent features?

Actually, the more I think of it...a boxed set devoted to Gloria Swanson would be exquisite; considering how little of her work is on DVD compared to, say, Mary Pickford. I can see a Swanson at Paramount box...with Zaza, Manhandled, Stagestruck, and Fine Manners.

And if only Warner would do a Marion Davies set.

[Skritek]

I was thinking a good release for Eclipse may be the "Handover Trilogy" by Fruit Chan.
The films being "Made in Hong Kong", "The Longest Summer" and "Little Cheung", all about how people cope with the handover, the first from a teenage perspective, the second from the adult and the last from the children's. They are by no means perfect masterpieces, being bogged down by typical HK problems like occasional confusing scriptwriting/editing, but they are important in different aspects. One of them being, that they are basically the first "independent" films from HK, the other that they are explicitly concerned with the handover, plus Fruit Chan is a at least good director and has a voice of his own.

Could there be any chance of a release of these? They've only been released in HK and are all OOP.

[sidehacker]

That would be fantastic!....but I'm not holding my breath. Criterion really needs to start looking into more modern Asian films.