It is an underwhelming month (but I am glad to see Le Harve and that it gets a nice bundle of extra features, though the issue is how many of these were actually Criterion-produced) but I'm glad to get the Gremillons!
Jeff wrote:I'm wondering how many people here actually bought Letter Never Sent. Or what about stuff like Before the Rain or the Raffaello Matarazzo Eclipse set. If the answer isn't "a lot of us," it's probably not reasonable to expect them to go for deep cuts and untrod countries more frequently.
*raises hand* - although it would help if when Criterion did branch out into these areas that unexpected problems did not come up, such as the aspect ratio problems in Before The Rain, things which might push people curious about the film away from blind-buying.
MyNameCriterionForum wrote:Pfft, the only way any of you girls can get Criterion to do want you want is to graduate from Oberlin, hang out with David Mamet and Brian Williams's daughters, be a Mayflower descendent and act like you're the first person to discover sex. Otherwise, you're shit out of luck, "message-board-posters-of-a-generation". FACT.
I've already tried that. Here is my story:
I walk into Criterion's office, tossing my flowing blonde locks back for effect (though I am a little wobbly on the high heels still) and go directly to Criterion's desk, leaning across it in a sultry manner in the casual manner of a noir heroine, though as my pleas become more desperate I try to act more like Michelle Pfeiffer in The Fabulous Baker Boys (Criterion tries to politely ignore the ominous creaking and straining of the desk under the weight)
"Say", I say, "have you ever thought about releasing any (pause for dramatic effect) Chico Ejiro? Would you perhaps do it..(pouts slightly, looking at Criterion with saucer-shaped watery eyes)..for me?"
Unfortunately I then put out a hand to steady myself onto a pile of papers of Criterion's release schedule for balance, only for them to slip and fly everywhere whilst I tumble head over heels backwards behind the desk, taking a desk lamp with me in a tangle of wires and electric sparks and landing face-first in a graceful heap of tangled arms and legs with a crunch onto the just-polished hardwood floor.
I tried to clear up as best as I could but then unfortunately that fire occurred and Wim Wenders just happened to walk into the office as I was trying to set the extinguisher off, leading to his accidental (yet temporary, he'll be fine I'm sure) blinding. In all of the commotion I had to abandon being helpful, lock Mr Wenders into the Criterion closet (it is soundproofed so nobody will be troubled by his screaming in there) and escape from the office down a fire escape (which is darn-near impossible to do in a mini-skirt, let me tell you).
And that, my friends, is why Criterion's release schedule missed a month. I'm sure that when they clean up after the fire, reorder their paperwork and find Mr Wenders in order to flush his eyes out, that everything will be back to normal.
