The Jacques Rivette Collection

[Tommaso]

Hopefully this sells enough to convince Arrow to save Rivette's other long (and long-time MIA) epic, L'Amour fou

Yes, that's the one I was actually most hoping for when the speculation about this release started. And please, someone MUST do something about "Jeanne la Pucelle", too. Those AE discs are abysmal.

[Gaddis]

I just scared the crap out of my daughter with delighted shrieking. A dream release. No more shitty bootlegs for me.

[cinemartin]

The more I think about it, the more I am absolutely staggered by this release. Considering the information I have of the production and distribution process of Rivette's 70's films (which could be completely false considering it's Rivette!), the more important this release seems.

In the mid sixties, Rivette was known (if at all) as a critic and director of an unsuccessful film made at the height of the New Wave, as well as the most recent editor of Cahiers. Then came the The Nun, which was a hit due to the scandal concerning it. He was disappointed with parts of that film and changed modes completely after the Renoir TV documentary and made L'amour Fou just before May '68. The film was released amidst that turmoil and offered an interesting mode of cinema in line with some of the "Group Films" that were being produced at that time.

That leads Rivette to the most uncompromising project he had done to date, taking the improvisations he experimented with in L'amour Fou and blending that with his feelings on the failures of May '68, making that the jumping off point. A workprint was screened once over 2 days in September 1971 before Rivette worked for a year cutting a 4 hour feature out of it that premiered in 1972 and received a (limited?) theatrical release in March of 1974.

Later that year he released Celine and Julie, which seemed to have some success. He then embarked on the four film series Scenes of a Parallel Life. Due to scheduling, he began the films out of order. He shot the 2nd and 3rd film (Duelle and Noroit, respectively) and began the first of the series before reportedly having a nervous breakdown on set, leaving it unfinished. He finished Duelle in May of '76 and Noroit that September, the month Duelle was released. Noroit never received a theatrical release and became another of Rivette's phantom films.

Owing 2 more films for the series, he abandoned the idea completely and made 1 film, Merry-Go-Round, which he finished in 1978. It wasn't released until 1983, almost 2 years after his next film, Le Pont du Nord. Le Pont du Nord somewhat revitalized his career and his subsequent films (starting with L'amor par terre) adopted a narrative and production strategy that would remain remarkably consistent over the remainder of his career, employing (mostly) the same crew and same writers.

The 70's therefore is the time that made Rivette's reputation but really only had 3 films that were distributed theatrically - the very obscure Out 1: Spectre and Duelle, and the ore well known Celine and Julie Go Boating. I find it remarkable that the work he was doing was basically unseen at the time yet it was some of the most exciting cinema made during one of the most exciting decades for filmmaking. This box set showcases it all with only really missing Celine and Julie (when in God's name is that getting released?). I think taken as a whole, this box should blow the minds of anyone who hasn't seen the films in question and probably blow the minds of people who have as well - to see Noroit in a restored Blu will be a revelation to those who have seen it in its pink print that circulates the repertory theaters.

The only real question I have is will the original intermission be restored to Spectre? It is present in the archive (16mm?) prints but when I saw the restored 35mm print, it was in a different spot. It was missing completely I think from the German disc. Rosenbaum has lamented the misplacing of the intermission before, believing that it comes at a key moment in the film and pivots the second half around it.

In any event, I am ridiculously excited for this release. I really can't thank Arrow enough for making this package available.

[Perkins Cobb]

Yeah, as little as six months ago I was thinking "Arrow gets its own forum? Preposterous!" but this release really affirms that they now own the space in the home video landscape that MOC used to occupy.

[Gregory]

Gaddis nailed it: this is a dream release, a fully warranted description, no hyperbole. I regularly have dreams about unbelievable nonexistent releases, and I know I'm hardly alone in this, such as one of my dreams last night that involved a long "little free library" type of structure that offered many glorious large-format books that don't actually exist. This release from Arrow is flabbergasting in itself, and the price makes it seem too good to be true. A long, long-awaited set this large, with specs like that, for that price? I can't get over it.
I know that the fact that it's limited edition actually helps make it feasible. Criterion's most recent set that's in the same universe as this was probably WCP vol. 1, a set that by rights probably should have been limited to 3,000 at most to make it less risky for Criterion but which will presumably remain indefinitely thanks to Criterion's policy of keeping everything in print, rights allowing, which surely costs the company money that's difficult or impossible to recoup in the case of slow-selling releases, especially and expensive one like the WCP set, so that's to their credit.

[Calvin]

Hopefully this sells enough to convince Arrow to save Rivette's other long (and long-time MIA) epic, L'Amour fou

Arrow did confirm on Facebook that they'd looked into even more Rivette films to include - I'd be surprised if that wasn't on top of their list of others - and they weren't available to them.

[domino harvey]

Facebook comments from Arrow also reveal that this will not be receiving individual Blu-ray releases down the line. Glad to hear Arrow tried to pack this with what they could, as far as licensing more Rivette films

[nolanoe]

I cannot contain my happiness!!

\:D/ \:D/ \:D/ \:D/ \:D/ \:D/

That is, before I realize that Merry-Go-Round got the Blu-treatment before Celine et Julie!! :-s

Anyways: where can I preorder the limited edition????????

[domino harvey]

Here ya go

[rapta]

I did ask Arrow a few questions about this set...

Q: Will you be releasing any of these separately, as you did with Camera Obscura?
A: No, none will be available again on Blu-ray after this box. Whether or not they appear again on DVD only is still a question mark unfortunately.

Q: Any reason why some of Rivette's early films have been missed out, namely Paris nous Appartient, The Nun, L'amour fou, Celine and Julie Go Boating? I'm aware that Paris nous Appartient/Celine and Julie were released by the BFI before (on DVD though)
A: Yes, they were not available to us for licensing unfortunately! We did look into more...

Q: How do you expect us to afford this after the Yoshida set?! Couldn't you have ditched the DVD copies to keep the price down?
A: The overlap between these two sets was deemed to be small enough to issue them near together. Getting titles out before Christmas is also important and there will be plenty of time for both, neither are likely to sell out by release date. We're also going to extend the early bird pricing a little more too! DVD copies cost very little to produce so having them in here adds almost nothing to the production cost/RRP.

The early bird pricing has been extended to Sept. 8th.

Which in turn makes me a bit upset as I believe we're due for a sale the first week of September and that'd in turn result in double rewards points for those wait.

Yeah I soon realised that. I doubt I'm gonna be able to cough up £75 before September 8th, what with Eureka's upcoming titles and the Yoshida box set in October.

Hopefully this sells enough to convince Arrow to save Rivette's other long (and long-time MIA) epic, L'Amour fou

I was wondering if Eureka might release this, or at least another Rivette title. Then again, not sure how well Le Pond du Nord has sold...but seeing as Arrow just announced this, it might make sense for Eureka to have another go? Would also like to see Celine and Julie Go Boating if possible (unless BFI still have it).

Criterion who?

Seriously. How many years has it been since Criterion has announced anything as adventurous and necessary as this set? Or the Yoshida one? Or Borowczyk?

(Oh, that's right, I'd totally forgotten about Tootsie and The Big Chill.)

In related news, it's just occurred to me that I haven't bought an MoC release this year.

The opposite for me...I've bought almost every MoC release so far this year: Two For the Road, Ganja & Hess, Wild River, The Other, Man of the West, The Offence, Paper Moon, Forty Guns, Listen Up Philip, Stalag 17, and have Cruel Story of Youth, Pickup on South Street, Medium Cool, Dragon Inn, Seconds, and The Skull all pre-ordered. Most of the others I will be picking up in the coming months (most likely in the new year), and now they're implying we'll be getting even more great titles soon like Man With A Movie Camera, A Touch of Zen (restored, probably not 'til next year if they want to release it theatrically too) and it looks like Rocco and His Brothers too (4K restored, after BFI cancelled their release).

Yeah, as little as six months ago I was thinking "Arrow gets its own forum? Preposterous!" but this release really affirms that they now own the space in the home video landscape that MOC used to occupy.

Hold up, don't give up on MoC quite yet. After all, they themselves have said they have some exciting stuff coming up at the end of the year. As far as single titles go, I find MoC to be more consistently surprising in their choices. Arrow are still great, but the frequency of their high-priced limited edition box sets (much like the BFI) is starting to get on my nerves and I wish they would find ways of making these things more affordable. I'm not ungrateful, I just can't keep up.

[nolanoe]

Here ya go

Oh, thank you so so much!!

Two additional thoughts:

- no new Rivette-comments is pretty much sad proof that his illness - of whatever nature it really is - has worsened, which greatly saddened me (a friend reported he was at a Paris showing of SPECTRE where Rivette sat in the row in front of him; he was even introduced by the person in charge and chatted with attendees during a brief pause)

- I know it's not been restored yet (at least not officially), but LA BANDE DES QUATRE would make me cry with joy! That film deserves a HD-treatment!!

[George Drooly]

Can anyone detail Out just a bit more for me? I've read reviews and summaries all over the web, and seen excerpts, but can't get a handle on it. Is is along the lines of Symbiopsychotaxiplasm? For what it's worth, I mostly hated Celine & Julie (though it has stayed with me for years, and I find myself rewatching every so often) but absolutely loved Duelle.

[denti alligator]

Loved Celine and Julie. Haven't seen much else by Rivette. Worth jumping in with this?

[domino harvey]

Discussion of which label's dad can beat up your dad moved here. Please use this thread for discussion directly pertaining to what is by all accounts an exciting and important release

[feihong]

Loved Celine and Julie. Haven't seen much else by Rivette. Worth jumping in with this?

Definitely worth it. Duelle & Norwest are pretty but not especially great, but I think Merry-Go-Round is quite underrated and excellent, and Out 1 and Out 1: Spectre are unique and very exciting experiences.

[RossyG]

Loved Celine and Julie. Haven't seen much else by Rivette. Worth jumping in with this?

If you loved Celine and Julie then you should (if you haven't already) get the MoC BD of Le Pont du Nord. Then get the box set.

[dfzp]

Best news of the year!
But, just to nitpick, refering to Duelle as Duelle (une quarantine) while not using Noroît (une vengeance) is just weird.
It started with the french dvd release that billed them as "Duelle (une quarantine) + Noroît", and it sticked using the subtitle in the case of Duelle but not with Noroît.
The films are titled just Duelle and Noroît. If you want to use the subtitle then it should be Duelle (une quarantine) and Noroît (une vengeance).

[MichaelB]

That artwork is strictly temporary.

[dfzp]

Yeah, I know the artwork is temporary (and like I said it's just nitpicking) but the press release refers to Duelle as (une quarantine) throughout.

[EddieLarkin]

The actual restoration is being carried out by CNC in France, and Arrow and Carlotta are handling the UK and French releases, respectively.

Are CNC just handling Out 1/Spectre, or the three additional films as well? Or are they being carried out by Arrow/James White?

[Calvin]

The actual restoration is being carried out by CNC in France, and Arrow and Carlotta are handling the UK and French releases, respectively.

Are CNC just handling Out 1/Spectre, or the three additional films as well? Or are they being carried out by Arrow/James White?

The CNC funded those three restorations back in 2013 though that doesn't necessarily mean that they carried them out themselves

[tenia]

The CNC is the French national funding organism. The restoration itself has most likely been finalised at Eclair, but since the scan was done in 6K, I doubt the scan was done there. Probably Bologna, I guess.

[Michael Kerpan]

I would say that all the films are even more hardcore "weird" (each in its own way) than either Celine and Julie or Pont du Nord. I don't think I would recommend this set to anyone who did not already have a fair degree of exposure to Rivette already (unless they, alternatively,k knew and liked some of the weirder Ruiz films). That said, i'll pre-order (unless Carlotta promptly pre-advertioses a US release of comparable scope).

[swo17]

I would say that all the films are even more hardcore "weird" (each in its own way) than either Celine and Julie or Pont du Nord. I don't think I would recommend this set to anyone who did not already have a fair degree of exposure to Rivette already (unless they, alternatively,k knew and liked some of the weirder Ruiz films). That said, i'll pre-order (unless Carlotta promptly pre-advertioses a US release of comparable scope).

Edited for emphasis in case Arrow's acquisitions department is reading

[Calvin]

I would say that all the films are even more hardcore "weird" (each in its own way) than either Celine and Julie or Pont du Nord. I don't think I would recommend this set to anyone who did not already have a fair degree of exposure to Rivette already (unless they, alternatively,k knew and liked some of the weirder Ruiz films). That said, i'll pre-order (unless Carlotta promptly pre-advertioses a US release of comparable scope).

Edited for emphasis in case Arrow's acquisitions department is reading

Genealogies of a Crime, Three Lives and Only One Death, Time Regained, The Hypothesis of the Stolen Painting, Three Crowns of the Sailor and Dialogues of Exiles have all been recently restored in France. In case they're reading.