Eclipse Discussion and Random Speculation

[Awesome Welles]

Cinema Nova
Antonio das Mortes (Rocha, 1969)
Anguished Land (Rocha, 1967)
Black God, White Devil (Rocha, 1964)
Vidas Secas (Nelson Pereira dos Santos, 1963)
Macunaíma (Joaquim Pedro de Andrade, 1969)

Even just a Rocha set would be great and they could continue with Cinema Novo further down the line and touching on Cuban cinema would be great. Though it would be a shame to lose the supplements on a lot of these films. Adding to Rocha I would love to see The Lion Has Seven Heads which is supposedly great.

[justeleblanc]

Kaurismaki's "Worker's Trilogy" on Eclipse.

I had mentioned that Criterion would release Kaurismaki in the future so this is just a follow up. If anyone knows of other 3 color films from Kaurismaki from the 80s that would likely be packaged together do let me know.

[Michael Kerpan]

Kaurismaki's "Worker's Trilogy" on Eclipse.

I had mentioned that Criterion would release Kaurismaki in the future so this is just a follow up. If anyone knows of other 3 color films from Kaurismaki from the 80s that would likely be packaged together do let me know.

I'd guess Crime and Punishment instead of Match Factory Girl (which came out in 1990). This is a very fine (very free) adaptation of Dostoevsky's story.

[justeleblanc]

I too love Crime and Punishment.

I thought MFG was 89. Was there a delay in terms of when it was released in the states?

[Michael Kerpan]

IMDB shows no release earlier than early 1990 -- first in Finland and then at the Berlin Film Festival

[justeleblanc]

Looks like you're right. Though maybe my source was also misinformed about the dates as well.

[oldsheperd]

Any solid speculation on what will be in that Imamura set?

[justeleblanc]

Any solid speculation on what will be in that Imamura set?

The Profound Desire of the Gods is the only title I know of.

[Cold Bishop]

Really?... I always imagined Profound Desire would be a shoo-in for a Criterion Release.

[pauling]

That's great about the Kaurismaki box since I've been bugging them to release his stuff for years. But I was hoping to see 'Rocky VI' and maybe an interview or two so hopefully we'll see something from the Criterion label in the future. I Hired a Contract Killer perhaps?

[Cinephrenic]

Any solid speculation on what will be in that Imamura set?

What we know so far:

Future Criterion
Intentions of Murder
Pigs and Battleships

Janus titles
Eijanaika
Profound Desire of the Gods
The Insect Woman

Possible Eclipses
Endless Desire
My Second Brother
Stolen Desire
A Man Vanishes
History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess
Zegen

I want Black Rain in a special edition Criterion.

[Michael Kerpan]

There's also Imamura's "Karayuki-san" (which I would expect to be matched with "Bar Hostess").

[Doctor Sunshine]

Re: Kaurismaki, they tend to start with a director's biggest stuff so Leningrad Cowboys Go America is a possibility.

While we're on Japanese film speculation, I've been reading Mark Schilling's No Borders, No Limits--for which the accompanying retrospective is still making the rounds--and I could really go for a Nikkatsu Action Cinema set. The retro hasn't made it up my way but the films listed in the book are:

Black Tight Killers (Yasuharu Hasebe, 1966)
A Colt Is My Passport (Takashi Nomura, 1967)
Crimson Pistol (Yoichi Ushihara, 1961)
Dirty Work (Buichi Saito, 1961)
Fast-Draw Guy (Takashi Nomura, 1961)
Gangster VIP (Toshio Masuda, 1968)
Glass Johnny: Look Like a Beast (Koreyoshi Kurahara, 1962)
Plains Wanderer (Buichi Saito, 1962)
Red Handkerchief (Toshio Masuda, 1964)
Red Quay (Toshio Masuda, 1958)
Roughneck (Yasuharu Hasebe, 1969)
Rusty Knife (Toshio Masuda, 1958)
Seasons of Heat (aka Warped Ones) (Koreyoshi Kurahara, 1960)
Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter (Yasuharu Hasebe, 1970)
Tales of a Gunman: Quick-Draw Ryu (Hiroshi Noguchi, 1960)
Velvet Hustler (Toshio Masuda, 1967)

Image released Black Tight Killers and HVe released Sex Hunter on DVD and Velvet Hustler on VHS--Criterion shouldn't have any trouble getting a hold of any of the above. They're definitely overshadowed and forgotten but with the convenient retro tie-in. Sounds like the strongest set would be A Colt Is My Passport, Gangster VIP, Red Handkerchief, Velvet Hustler and maybe Glass Johnny which is apparently a La Strada rip-off. Though I'd substitute Slaughter Gun for Gangster VIP to make it less Masuda heavy. Here's a link to some posters, articles and a Red Handkerchief trailer.

[portnoy]

I saw nearly all the films in the series when it played at Japan Society. I recognized a lot of Criterion employees there - indeed, some of the prints are Janus-owned. The best films in the series were the Toshio Masuda films and the stunning masterpiece THE WARPED ONES by Koreyoshi Kurahara. The three Masuda films that played in the series would make for a great Eclipse set, and The Warped Ones is dying to be rediscovered as a major film, a Japanese Breathless, almost, and belongs in the Criterion Collection.

Plains Wanderer is a diverting novelty; Glass Johnny Looks Like a Beast does not live up to the awesomeness of its title.

[mteller]

I was hoping Kaurismaki would get the full "Criterion treatment", but an Eclipse release will do. If it's really three color films from the 80's, though, that kinda sucks. It rules out some of my favorites like Match Factory Girl, Hamlet Goes Business, Calamari Union and La Vie de Boheme. It also indicates that Crime & Punishment is likely to be one of the titles, and that's probably my least favorite Kaurismaki.

Oh well, I'll take whatever I can get.

[mteller]

That's great about the Kaurismaki box since I've been bugging them to release his stuff for years. But I was hoping to see 'Rocky VI' and maybe an interview or two so hopefully we'll see something from the Criterion label in the future. I Hired a Contract Killer perhaps?

Just FYI, "Rocky VI" is a bonus feature on the Leningrad Cowboys "Total Balalaika Show" DVD (great show, dreadful image quality).

[justeleblanc]

I was hoping Kaurismaki would get the full "Criterion treatment", but an Eclipse release will do. If it's really three color films from the 80's, though, that kinda sucks. It rules out some of my favorites like Match Factory Girl, Hamlet Goes Business, Calamari Union and La Vie de Boheme. It also indicates that Crime & Punishment is likely to be one of the titles, and that's probably my least favorite Kaurismaki.

Oh well, I'll take whatever I can get.

I still haven't heard back from my source, but my feeling is that he was mistaken about Match Factory Girl. I really think that is one of the included titles. The quote came about by my asking if Contract Killer was one on their slate, and he/she said something like "No, these are earlier. From the 80s."

I could also see C & P, Hamlet and Boheme getting packaged together at some point as three modern adaptations.

You may have to explain what it is that I missed about Calamari. I saw it once and it didn't do much, so I watched it while drunk and it still didn't do much.

[Doctor Sunshine]

I saw nearly all the films in the series when it played at Japan Society. I recognized a lot of Criterion employees there - indeed, some of the prints are Janus-owned. The best films in the series were the Toshio Masuda films and the stunning masterpiece THE WARPED ONES by Koreyoshi Kurahara. The three Masuda films that played in the series would make for a great Eclipse set, and The Warped Ones is dying to be rediscovered as a major film, a Japanese Breathless, almost, and belongs in the Criterion Collection.

Plains Wanderer is a diverting novelty; Glass Johnny Looks Like a Beast does not live up to the awesomeness of its title.

That sounds promising. A Masuda set does seem more likely than a studio-themed set and he gets nothing but praise for him from non-cannon fans like Schilling, Midnight Eye, et al. Criterion have a lot of Japanese sets already on the horizon but they do like to mix it up with the hidden gems.

I was also thinking of a Joe Shishido set. His career high points seem to be Branded to Kill, A Colt Is My Passport and Slaughter Gun--all from 1967--so, the latter two would be naturals. Maybe throw in an early Suzuki collaboration like Voice Without a Shadow. I'd kill to see Colt with all the comparisons made to Branded. In terms of actor themed sets, it's a large leap from Robeson and Martha Graham to Shishido but no more so than Bergman to the Beastie Boys.

[mteller]

You may have to explain what it is that I missed about Calamari. I saw it once and it didn't do much, so I watched it while drunk and it still didn't do much.

I think it's really funny. Some of the monologues are a drag, and having 14 guys named Frank is kinda gimmicky, but I love the absurdism of it. It reminds me of Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, an epic struggle to complete a simple task.

[justeleblanc]

All right. With Bunuel in mind I'll give it another shot.

[Michael Kerpan]

Calamari Union is "goofier" than Bunuel -- sort of a cross between Bunuel and a very extended Monty Python skit. Silly or not, it is a visually gorgeous film, worth watching just for this.

[backstreetsbackalright]

My order for the first Artificial Eye Kaurismaki set was inexplicably cancelled last week. Perhaps fate stepped in...

[pauling]

Calamari Union is like Discreet Charm? That's fantastic since it's my favorite Bunuel and I love pretty much all of his films. I'm now hoping that this set isn't limited to three films because my appetite has been whet. Thanks for the heads up, mteller. I've just been looking for a version that wasn't youtube quality.

[MuzikJunky]

Is Criterion purposely avoiding the inclusion of scope-ratio films in its Eclipse boxes? Peace.

[Magic Hate Ball]

Yo,

Why would they do that?

All yours,

-Magic Hate Ball