The Mystery of the Phantom Web Pages

[ianungstad]

They also put up cast and crew pages for another Janus title. Green Grow the Rushes. (also available on Hulu)

[ianungstad]

Exactly. If you really think that they are going to release this, I have a couple bridges out here to sell you.

I'll throw this out there. Whoever is doing the data entry is obviously copying/pasting the info from imdb. I wonder if maybe they entered the wrong title by accident for The Legend of Valentino. The info on the Criterion site is for the 1975 tv movie but Janus films founder Saul Turell actually directed a 1983 documentary with the same name: http://www.amazon.com/Legend-Valentino- ... +valentino" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

oops?

[bainbridgezu]

I wonder if their entries for The Beggar's Opera are a similar mistake. The 1953 version with Laurence Olivier was released by Warner Archives, but it appears that Jiri Menzel directed the only other film adaptation in 1991 (with Jeremy Irons in a bit part, apparently). Has anyone seen the Menzel film?

[Saturnome]

[Jeff]

Excellent, Saturnome! I'd like to think that's exactly what goes on inside Criterionland.

[Cinephrenic]

Exactly. If you really think that they are going to release this, I have a couple bridges out here to sell you.

An extra for a Valentino film?

[Brian C]

I think the most plausible explanation for this is that it's prep work for some new yet-to-be-announced website feature. It's fun (I guess) to think that Criterion's wasting a bunch of time just to fuck with us, but in reality I'd be surprised if it's not to some productive end or another.

[jwd5275]

A Saul Turell documentary set is a strong contender for an eclipse set. Two are only available on the Janus 50th box set. So the Valentino error theory may have some validity. However it still doesn't explain all the other odd things there ranging from unlikely (Woody Allen) and highly improbable (GBU) to nigh of impossible (Diva, if it is a StudioCanal / Lionsgate title)

[johnnysnatchclub7]

It just seems unlikely that a business, any business, would want to (pardon me) fuck with their customers. It's one thing to have fun with April Fool's Day but a "ruse" does them no favors.

[TMDaines]

People are starting to take all this far too seriously now. If they are "fucking" with you then they're just flirting with you, in the same way as they always have done when it comes to hinting at titles with drawings etc.

[Drucker]

I think the most plausible explanation for this is that it's prep work for some new yet-to-be-announced website feature. It's fun (I guess) to think that Criterion's wasting a bunch of time just to fuck with us, but in reality I'd be surprised if it's not to some productive end or another.

This has been my thought the whole time. A database of film information...expand on the "my criterion" to actually allow people to look up films outside of the collection and discuss them. Couldn't be more far-fetched than the thought that every phantom page points to a Criterion release.

[Roger Ryan]

If these phantom pages encourage Google and other search engines to give the Criterion site more prominence in search results, then that's reason enough for them to exist.

[johnnysnatchclub7]

People are starting to take all this far too seriously now. If they are "fucking" with you then they're just flirting with you, in the same way as they always have done when it comes to hinting at titles with drawings etc.

Serious or not, I'll be fine either way. These "flirts" you describe always end up being actual releases though. That's the difference and the point of what I was getting at.

A searchable database like others have said makes sense. I was just highly doubting they would create phantom titles just to mess with their core market.

[Zot!]

What would be the use of duplicating the IMDB, however?

[Ashirg]

Diva was on laserdisc, so it may explain its addition if they are cataloging all their releases.

[Lowry_Sam]

Back to phantom-page speculation, I wonder what Criterion's 1st Joseph Losey title will be:

Accident
The Servant
The Go-Between
are out in Region B on blu-ray &
Mr. Klein is an OOP HVE title.

[knives]

La Truite which is up on Hulu. Most of the later Loosey titles are with Zeitgeist and Kino.

[jwd5275]

Time Without Pity is also on Hulu..

[Derek Estes]

Is there a list somewhere of all of the directors found with phantom pages? I know Joel Coen and Paul Thomas Anderson have them, but I was wondering who else might.

[Lowry_Sam]

I know Joel Coen and Paul Thomas Anderson have them, but I was wondering who else might.

Well I just searched & couldn't find one for either Cohen brother, but if there was a listing for Joel & not Ethan, I wish they would release The Man Who Wasn't There soon, I've held off on importing the French blu-ray for a while now & I have a feeling it'll likely be on my next Amazon.fr order.

[johnnysnatchclub7]

Your spelling might have hindered your search.

[Brian C]

But at least we can ease up on our collective anxiety about Garfield being forthcoming.

[Lowry_Sam]

Your spelling might have hindered your search.

Actually it seems to be my browser. It looks like Safari can't do most phantom searches on criterion.com (it returns blank results). I have to do an advanced google search of Criterion's site to get a result.

I did mistype though as I was doing a search to find out what was happening to Francois Ozon's films in the US (would like to see 8 femmes or Water Falling On Burning Rocks on blu) & discovered the Cohen Media Group (who is releasing his latest US title) just prior to posting here.

So the question is does a Joel Coen phantom page, but no Ethan Coen page = The Man Who Wasn't There? (The film is only credited to Joel.) Looks like it was distributed by USA Films, who also distributed In The Mood For Love, Being John Malkovich, Ride With The Devil, Rosetta, Monsoon Wedding, Traffic, & Topsy Turvy.

Other USA Films releases: 8 femmes, Black Cat, White Cat, The Idiots, Alice and Martin, Wonderland, Gosford Park, The Kid Stays In The Picture, Pandaemonium, Waking The Dead, Pitch Black, Joe Gould's Secret, Series 7, A Room For Romeo Brass, & Blood Simple (The Director's Cut) re-release. Would love to see Criterion blus for the Ozon, Kusturica & von Trier + The Coens.

[jwd5275]

So the question is does a Joel Coen phantom page, but no Ethan Coen page = The Man Who Wasn't There? (The film is only credited to Joel.)

There is an Ethan Coen page....

[Lowry_Sam]

So the question is does a Joel Coen phantom page, but no Ethan Coen page = The Man Who Wasn't There? (The film is only credited to Joel.)

There is an Ethan Coen page....

Really? I just tried again using both Safari & Chrome both on Criterion's website & Google's advanced search, but couldn't find one for Ethan, only for Joel.