Criterion Random Speculation Vol.1

[Sai]

On the DVDBeaver FrontPage:

NEWS: Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz in coming in special edition to the Criterion Collection!

There's no indicated source, but I suspect Gary won't just make statements like this out of thin air.

[Andre Jurieu]

On the DVDBeaver FrontPage:

NEWS: Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz in coming in special edition to the Criterion Collection!

There's no indicated source, but I suspect Gary won't just make statements like this out of thin air.

http://www.criterionforum.org/forum/vie ... php?t=1797

[godardslave]

On the DVDBeaver FrontPage:

NEWS: Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz in coming in special edition to the Criterion Collection!

There's no indicated source, but I suspect Gary won't just make statements like this out of thin air.

http://www.criterionforum.org/forum/vie ... php?t=1797

just because we have a related thread on it, doesn't mean that is Gary's source.

Besides that thread merely says criterion is TRYING to get the rights, NOT that criterion definitely have them yet.

[kazantzakis]

The source is the same: the Fassbinder Foundation. Criterion is described as "keen to acquire the rights".

[Dr. Mabuse]

I'll bet that spine # 292 and 293 are the Powell & Pressburgers THE 49th PARALLEL and A CANTERBURY TALE. They usally come in pairs.

[Derek Estes]

I think the Doctor is correct. I'm sure those will be the Powell & Pressburger films.

[swingo]

Perhaps the rumored Box Set of Eisenstein could be 301-onwards?


Axel.

[justeleblanc]

I was actually kinda hoping 292 and 293 were Rohmer's.

[What A Disgrace]

Alot of Orion Classics titles have been released by Criterion and others (HVE released Swann in Love, Kino released Life and Nothing But..., and way back when, Anchor Bay released Colonel Redl). It wouldn't be a bad idea to speculate based on that.

* El Amor Brujo - Perhaps as a box with the rest of Saura's Dance Trilogy

* Jean de Florette I and II - Out of print from MGM. Ideally, paired with Pagnol's original version. Berri's The Two Of Us also seems Criterion bound.

* Women On The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Also seems OOP. Not a bad idea at all.

* Tarkovsky's The Sacrifice - Already on DVD from Kino, though it once was, also, an Orion Classics release. Not unlikely, considering Kino, and Criterion would want to get as much Tarkovsky as they could.

* A Woman's Tale - Just because.

* Rita, Sue and Bob Too - More likely an HVE release, but anything is possible. Hopefully, Blue Underground's Alan Clarke box has given enough interest in the director to make this and others' happen.

* Murmur Of The Heart - More Malle. No explanation needed.

* Where The Green Ants Dream - Herzog, of course. May also be a more suitable HVE release.

[justeleblanc]

* Where The Green Ants Dream - Herzog, of course. May also be a more suitable HVE release.

I would like to see some company, if not Criterion, release the rest of Herzog's catalogue, his shorts and documentaries. I'm assuming sales of the Anchor Bay DVDs have been pretty good. I'm sure though that Anchor Bay will just release the rest of them

[clutch44]

Sad news from Jon:

Dear Frank,

We hope to release Eisenstein silents in the future, but nothing certain at
the moment. It is doubtful that we'll get the opportunity this year.

Best,
JM

[zedz]

Sad news from Jon:

Dear Frank,

We hope to release Eisenstein silents in the future, but nothing certain at
the moment. It is doubtful that we'll get the opportunity this year.

Best,
JM

Sad indeed. I had this pegged for the next silent release, but with this (and, as I recall, Pandora's Box) sidelined for the moment, what could be filling that gap?

[swingo]

Sad news from Jon:

Dear Frank,

We hope to release Eisenstein silents in the future, but nothing certain at
the moment. It is doubtful that we'll get the opportunity this year.

Best,
JM

Sad indeed. I had this pegged for the next silent release, but with this (and, as I recall, Pandora's Box) sidelined for the moment, what could be filling that gap?

Add to this sad news the fact that no rumours has strengthen the possible release of Ozu's box set.

Axel.

[Keaton]

I just got back from seeing A Hen in the Wind by Ozu at the James River Film Festival here in Richmond and before the film started both the Janus logo and the Home Vison Entertainment logo came up on the screen. One would the hope that its status as a HVE holding would eventually lead to a Criterion release. After seeing it, I'm definitely cheerleading for them to do so.

Now, off to see I Drink Your Blood!

Or maybe it is a sign that, as I always suspected, a few lesser known Ozu's will be released by HVE. That would be fine with me.

[Gregory]

That's odd, when I saw Hen in the Wind about a year ago, I'm pretty sure it had the Criterion logo, not the HVE one. I suspect HVE will release some of the Ozu films mainly because they're in such bad condition that Criterion wouldn't be able to make them look as good as most of their customers would expect. However, from the print I saw Hen in the Wind has much less damage and deterioration than many of the 1930s films.

[Gordon]

Where The Green Ants Dream - Herzog, of course. May also be a more suitable HVE release.

There's an excellent German R2 DVD: http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/B ... 01-3393346

Herzog's commentary is in German, however. But the anamorphic transfer is very good.

I desperately want to see a third volume boxed set from Anchor Bay that includes all the documentaries and the early films.

Possible Herzog Boxed Set:

Disc 1
*Signs of Life (1968, 85 mins)
The Unprecedented Defence of the Fortress Deutschkreuz (1967, 14 mins)

Disc 2
*The Flying Doctors of East Africa (1969, 43 mins)
*The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner (1974, 45 mins)
How Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck? (1976, 22 mins)

Disc 3
*Land of Silence and Darkness (1971, 85 mins)
Handicapped Future (1971, 16 mins)
Nobody Wants to Play with Me (1976, 14 mins)

Disc 4
Huie's Sermon (1980, 40 mins)
*God's Angry Man (1980, 40 mins)
Faith and Currency (1980, 40 mins)

Disc 5
*Ballad of the Little Soldier (1984, 46 mins)
*The Dark Glow of the Mountains (1984, 45 mins)
Les Gauloises (1988, 12 mins)

Disc 6
*Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)

Disc 7
Echoes From a Somber Empire (1990, 91 mins)
Bells from the Deep: Faith and Superstition in Russia (1993, 60 mins)

* Must have a commentary by Herzog

I'd lay down $100 for such a set without batting an eyelid.

[Cinephrenic]

Well it is said that Criterion owns the rights to all 33 films. It is also said that 12 was acquired from Criterion to release (with some already out). This number might change, especially with the silents. So they will release some of his minor works (if any) under HVe. I'm perfectly cool with that. HVe films are Criterion quality, if not equal.

[Keaton]

HVe films are Criterion quality, if not equal.

Yeah, and I would say that HVE quality standards are nearly equal to criteion (not the supplements, of course), so we can expect even the lesser Ozu's from Hve as good as it gets, in terms of picture and sound quality.
Has anyone asked Hve about possible Ozu titles under their label? As far as I talked to them, they are much more willing to talk about upcoming titles as criterion is.

[solaris72]

*Signs of Life (1968, 85 mins)
*Land of Silence and Darkness (1971, 85 mins)

These are coming from New Yorker soon.

[Gordon]

Ah. New Yorker. Not my favourite label. I'll wait for Anchor Bay UK to release more Herzog before I take my chances on New Yorker.

[backstreetsbackalright]

As I recall (and someone correct me if I'm wrong), at the Seattle retrospective this year all of the films shown (which didn't include Hen in the Wind) all the films were preceded by Criterion, Janus, and/or HVE graphics.

[manicsounds]

SO after I move from Richmond, they start to play Ozu at the James River Festival?
Bah..... wish I were there now.....

[Cinephrenic]

Could everybody write here what Ozu films they've recently saw at various cinemas and their logos, either HVe or Criterion. This way we can make out which films are coming from the different labels. Personally, am curious, as some of you might as well.

[leo goldsmith]

All of the Ozu films that I saw at Lincoln Ctr and BAM last year (which were a great many) had HVE logos. I didn't see any Criterion logos. But then Criterion doesn't distribute films to theaters, so why would there be a Criterion logo at the beginning of the screening of an Ozu print?

[Gregory]

I was pretty sure I had seen the Criterion logo before each film at the retrospective I attended last year, but maybe I thought so just because the company was thanked as the main sponsor prior to each screening.