'Forthcoming' Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol.1

[Cronenfly]

I meant I doubt I'll double dip, but yeah, it's pretty much a no brainer they'll go hi-def with those releases.

I hadn't considered the possibility of those two on Blu-Ray before (silly me); now Criterion acquiring them (similarly to Chungking) makes sense, even if the extras aren't out of this world (which they still very well may be).

And I've already sold 5 copies of the MGM Wings for $40-50 apiece, so I'm a happy man regardless.

[domino harvey]

Other than the Melville commentaries I can't think of another instance of Criterion licensing a commentary that didn't originate with them, so if nothing else, there's going to be new commentary tracks on the discs

[Jeff]

Other than the Melville commentaries I can't think of another instance of Criterion licensing a commentary that didn't originate with them, so if nothing else, there's going to be new commentary tracks on the discs

I think Stephen Prince's Ran commentary was originally recorded for the Wellspring disc, but yeah it's pretty rare. I'm sure Criterion's got something up their sleeve.

[Narshty]

Other than the Melville commentaries I can't think of another instance of Criterion licensing a commentary that didn't originate with them, so if nothing else, there's going to be new commentary tracks on the discs

Oh, there's tons - the Jeanne Moreau track on Jules and Jim and the Robert Lachenay track on The 400 Blows re-release from MK2, the BFI disc commentaries on Les Enfants Terribles, Army of Shadows, Playtime, George Washington and Beauty and the Beast, Marvin Wald's laserdisc commentary for The Naked City, the upcoming von Trier commentary on Europa from the Electric Park "Europe Trilogy" boxset, the Schlondorff commentary from The Tin Drum from the Kino laserdisc/DVD, the commentary from the UK Optimum disc of The Last Emperor (though slightly reworked for the Criterion), Tony Rayns' Vampyr commentary from MoC and the Yi Yi commentary from the UK ICA disc.

[domino harvey]

Other than the Melville commentaries I can't think of another instance of Criterion licensing a commentary that didn't originate with them, so if nothing else, there's going to be new commentary tracks on the discs

Oh, there's tons - the Jeanne Moreau track on Jules and Jim and the Robert Lachenay track on The 400 Blows re-release from MK2, the BFI disc commentaries on Les Enfants Terribles, Army of Shadows, Playtime, George Washington and Beauty and the Beast, Marvin Wald's laserdisc commentary for The Naked City, the upcoming von Trier commentary on Europa from the Electric Park "Europe Trilogy" boxset, the Schlondorff commentary from The Tin Drum from the Kino laserdisc/DVD, the commentary from the UK Optimum disc of The Last Emperor (though slightly reworked for the Criterion), Tony Rayns' Vampyr commentary from MoC and the Yi Yi commentary from the UK ICA disc.

Well, in fairness, you named two of the Melville films. Criterion's Vampyr was announced before MOC's, and Criterion's George Washington came out before the BFI.

[HerrSchreck]

Narsh you have Vampyr reversed. That was a CC/Lee Kline transfer that Moc used, not the other way around. So it's more like MoC piggybacked on the CC.

[Narshty]

I was only talking about the Vampyr commentary, not the transfer.

Just to clear up any confusion, several of George Washington's supplements (I think the commentary, deleted scene and Green's student films) were commissioned by the BFI and prepared by Three-Legged Cat (former Criterion producer Mark Rance's company), which Criterion then licensed for their edition, adding a few items. (The BFI did come out later, due to internal scheduling issues.)

[magicmarker]

Other than the Melville commentaries I can't think of another instance of Criterion licensing a commentary that didn't originate with them, so if nothing else, there's going to be new commentary tracks on the discs

I think Stephen Prince's Ran commentary was originally recorded for the Wellspring disc, but yeah it's pretty rare. I'm sure Criterion's got something up their sleeve.

By the by, the Criterion commentary on Ran is in fact updated, with Prince providing additional comments that did not appear on the Wellspring disc.

[HerrSchreck]

I was only talking about the Vampyr commentary, not the transfer.

No, I knew that (re commentary).

What I'm getting at is the proof that there would be no MoC edition if it weren't for the CC-- i e that the predicate edition was from CC. I'm sure Nick could clear this up, but I can't see how it would have worked under your scenario, which would have went like

1) CC runs transfer, prepares edition w extras

2) MoC licenses CC materials & prepares own commentary

3) CC stops presses to license MoC commentary then goes to print.

If anything, the only feasable scenario I could see was that it was jointly invested in all the way from the start, with CC handling production.

[Narshty]

I'd assume it was an exchange - Tybjerg's video essay (Criterion) for Rayns' commentary (MoC), with the rest of each disc prepared separately (aside from the initial high-def transfer). The MoC booklet says that Nick was responsible for recording both of the commentaries in London, and the MoC disc fully credits Criterion for the Tybjerg video piece. What does the Criterion booklet say about who recorded the commentary?

[domino harvey]

If anything, the only feasable scenario I could see was that it was jointly invested in all the way from the start, with CC handling production.

Though it's pure speculation on my part, I'd always assumed both labels joined forces and split the costs, and then both turned around and added their own exclusive material to one up each other

[Tribe]

I'd assume it was an exchange - Tybjerg's video essay (Criterion) for Rayns' commentary (MoC), with the rest of each disc prepared separately (aside from the initial high-def transfer). The MoC booklet says that Nick was responsible for recording both of the commentaries in London, and the MoC disc fully credits Criterion for the Tybjerg video piece. What does the Criterion booklet say about who recorded the commentary?

The commentary is credited to Nick.

[HerrSchreck]

I'd assume it was an exchange - Tybjerg's video essay (Criterion) for Rayns' commentary (MoC), with the rest of each disc prepared separately (aside from the initial high-def transfer). The MoC booklet says that Nick was responsible for recording both of the commentaries in London, and the MoC disc fully credits Criterion for the Tybjerg video piece. What does the Criterion booklet say about who recorded the commentary?

Sorry I'm not home & don't have the CC to hand right now to see what it says (I'm sure someone does though).

Unique release then. They should do that more often to deflect costs.

But it is a bit different from them licensing a pre-existing commentary for a disc that's been out there prior to theirs. A collaborative swap or something. (But you did post what I'd been thinking which was that CC indeed licensed commentaries before, so we're in general agreement.)

[colinr0380]

By the by, the Criterion commentary on Ran is in fact updated, with Prince providing additional comments that did not appear on the Wellspring disc.

Yes, I've got both editions and while I've not done an in depth check I think the main additions Prince made to the Criterion edition of Ran were the comments about homosexuality, which were likely an addition that developed similar comments made during his Kagemusha commentary done in the interim between the two editions of Ran.

[ozukarodzi]

Hi guys, just wanted to share this email I got from Jon Mulvaney. I asked "if there is a possibility of releasing any of Yimaz Guney’s film or any films from Iran or India, perhaps some Abbas Kiarostami, Bahamn Ghobadi, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, or the great Satyajit Ray?" and I got this answer:

To the best of my knowledge, we have no plans for any of Yimaz Guney's films at this time. We do plan to release another Kiarostami film in the future, but a release date has not yet been scheduled. Feel free to check back, and thanks for your email!
Sincerely,
Jon Mulvaney

[kaujot]

What Kiarostami films does Janus personally hold? And which could they have licensed?

[Narshty]

I'd presume this is something from Miramax - Through the Olive Trees, perhaps?

[ellipsis7]

Or WHERE IS THE FRIEND'S HOUSE? (not Miramax I know), but with THROUGH THE OLIVE TREES you do really need a senses of the previous 2 films in the Koker Trilogy to get the most from the film and FRIEND'S HOUSE is also quite a classic too... But then OLIVE TREES materials are probably in better condition...

Published last month in France and received here today, 2 books by Kiarostami - 'Pluie et Vent' remarkable photographs taken on a stormy day in Iran last year, urban and rural settings, through the rain smeared distortion of a car windscreen... And 'Un Loup aux Aguets' a second volume of Haiku like poems, perhaps more forthright than the previous, 'Walking with the Wind'...

[foggy eyes]

Published last month in France and received here today, 2 books by Kiarostami - 'Pluie et Vent' remarkable photographs taken on a stormy day in Iran last year, urban and rural settings, through the rain smeared distortion of a car windscreen...

Sounds great - where did you order it from? Seems to be rather pricey (although undoubtedly worth it) on Amazon.fr...

[Cinephrenic]

Question was on Gray's Anatomy, Le Petit Soldat and Les Carabiniers

Answer:

As far as I know, we have no plans for "Le Petit Soldat." We do plan to release "Gray's Anatomy" at some point, but it's not on the current schedule. Feel free to check back, and thanks for your e-mail!

Les Carabiniers was omitted.

[zedz]

We do plan to release another Kiarostami film in the future

Better than nothing, but not quite what I wanted to hear (viz. a Koker Trilogy Criterion box set - any one of those films on their own would just make me feel the lack of the other two - or an 'Early Works' Eclipse set).

My vote for a free-standing Kiarostami goes to Traveller, which is out without English subs in France and thus a possibility, but is there a market for it?

[kaujot]

Perhaps a re-release of Taste of Cherry?

[denti alligator]

Perhaps a re-release of Taste of Cherry?

Presumably "another" means in addition to that title.

"Another" also suggests a single title, which is a real shame. My wish would be for Homework, but why that title and not every one of his earlier films?

Through the Olive Trees is the one film from the Koker Trilogy I have only seen once (the other two I've seen three or four times each), so it would be my first choice, if those three films had to be split up. Who holds the rights to the other two?

[ellipsis7]

Published last month in France and received here today, 2 books by Kiarostami - 'Pluie et Vent' remarkable photographs taken on a stormy day in Iran last year, urban and rural settings, through the rain smeared distortion of a car windscreen...

Sounds great - where did you order it from? Seems to be rather pricey (although undoubtedly worth it) on Amazon.fr...

Amazon.fr - I think prices will be pretty consistent across the board, as there's some sort of restriction in France on how much new books can be discounted etc...

[swimminghorses]

Tried searching for Max Ophüls info both at this site and at IMDB. It looks to me as if CC has had or will have availability to "Letter From an Unknown Woman" (they did the LD?) and Rialto has just re-released "Lola Montez" with a poster that looks just like the three CC just release so that is pretty much a given, non?

Why didn't they wait and put all of these into a boxed set. I grew more curious when all the Ophül's came out in paper cases (is this a first for regular editions). It made me think that "Lola" could easily be added later. However that would present quite a few issues. The spine numbers wouldn't be consecutive, the likelihood that "Lola" would be presented in Blu-Ray would present a boxing issue (whether or not it was Blu-Ray because then how would one get the box after the fact?)

It also makes more since stylistically to issue "The Letter From An Unknown Woman" with the already released titles but again boxing and number problems.

Then I tried to figure out who owns "Caught", "The Restless Moment" and "The Exile". It sounds like an Eclipse series waiting to happen ("Three B's By Ophüls) but possibly fraught with legal problems.

Anybody know if this could work through CC and Eclipse (or a way to get out the titles by whoever has the rights to them?)

note: I will say I bought "The Letter From An Unknown Woman" (Korean/NTSC/Region 0) and as far as I have watched it is very well produced and appears to be the same issue as the UK version.