This is a concern of ours and we're planning on offering the new supplements
separately for all those who already own the disc so as not to "double dip."
As the title hasn't been officially announced, we don't have specific
details but will make them available shortly. Just curious, how did you
find out about the new release?"
Jeez, that's a new one...a straightforward answer. I see unemployment in someone's future over at Criterion.
swimminghorses wrote:this from a question I sent Criterion:
"so we bought the one disc in good faith and now a two disc pops
up. it sounds like the double dipping of the major studios, what's up?"
and this is the reply from someone answering for an out of town JM:
"Thanks for your note which was forwarded to me.
This is a concern of ours and we're planning on offering the new supplements
separately for all those who already own the disc so as not to "double dip."
As the title hasn't been officially announced, we don't have specific
details but will make them available shortly. Just curious, how did you
find out about the new release?"
that made my day.
It's also interesting that they knew that you were talking about Grey Gardens and not "M" or "Wages of Fear" or did you mention Grey Gardens?
jasloat wrote:The question "how did you find out" suggests that they don't exactly breathlessly follow every word that gets posted on this forum.
I know for a fact they do and I've gotten into trouble for saying stuff.
If only we can trade secretive information. Or better yet, we can have riddles for upcoming releases that haven't been announced. And you can pm the person with guesses.
Image has confirmed that Harlan County USA and Elevator to the Gallows ARE in fact 2 disc sets and not overpriced "the transfer cost us a lot" single disc releases like the recent Virgin Spring and Metropolitan.
stroszeck wrote:To me, January THROUGH April has yielded nothing but disappointments
The Bad Sleep Well
Young Mr. Lincoln
The Virgin Spring
The Complete Mr. Arkadin Welles
The Children Are Watching Us
La bête humaine
Kind Hearts & Coronets
3 Films by Louis Malle Box Set
Viridiana
Fists in the Pocket
Elevator to the Gallows
Harlan County, U.S.A.
I couldn't agree more: More Welles, more Renoir, more Bunuel, more Bergman, more Kurosawa and the introduction of Ford and Malle to the collection. Not to mention, some lesser-known films to boot. No disappointment here, whatsoever.
The fact that I know Viridiana is coming is enough to make me content with the first four months of 2006, even though I'm not exactly salivating over the rest of the schedule. That said, I haven't even seen some of these things, and I'm looking forward to renting them.
I am also in the group that is pleased by the single disc release of the 400 Blows. After seeing Stolen Kisses, I didn't feel motivated to buy the Doinel box (especially after what I've heard about Love on the Run), but I've been mildly obsessed with getting my mits on the 400 Blows.
I doubt that they're going to start issuing all the box set discs individually. If that were the case, you'd think that they'd issue the other Doinel flicks. I suspect we're only going to see this to a very limited extent. I can see the marketing logic of the Monterey and 400 Blows releases. I'm not sure it would make sense in many other cases. For example, I'm willing to bet it won't happen with the BDR trilogy.
I'm also ready to bet that there won't be anything on the single 400 Blows that isn't in the box set. So those that already have it won't have a reason to double dip. And for those of us who couldn't get the first version before it went OOP & who didn't want to buy the Doinel set, this is a great release.
Perhaps not many folks who post here have seen it, but Harlan County USA is a masterpiece of the documentary, and while it portrays a point of view that I agree with wholeheartedly, the truth be said it's also a fascinating example of propaganda as film. Kopple portrays the miners and their families as they really are and it's fascinating that what the strikers are demanding are incredibly basic things and needs and dignity. At the same time, while the sympathies of the director lie with the miners, the film doesn't pull any punches with their union, which is in the midst of the Tony Boyle scandals.
All this accompanied by a great, great bluegrass soundtrack (and Merle Travis' paen to coal mining at the beginning of the film Dark as a Dungeon) and the magnificent high lonesome voice of Hazel Dickens! It holds up amazingly well after almost forty years.
I'm surprised there hasn't been more acclaim for this amongst the posters here. But then again, gimme militant unionism and bluegrass, with real life violence, and I'm like a pig in shit.
The Bad Sleep Well
Young Mr. Lincoln
The Virgin Spring
The Complete Mr. Arkadin Welles
The Children Are Watching Us
La bête humaine
Kind Hearts & Coronets
3 Films by Louis Malle Box Set
Viridiana
Fists in the Pocket
Elevator to the Gallows
Harlan County, U.S.A.
I can't understand what's disappointing about this line-up.
There is nothing wrong with the selection unless you compare it to what it could have been given what we know Criterion to possess (a boxed set of Ozu's, a boxed set of Mizoguchi's, Tristana combined with Viridiana, Elevator combined with other Malle's in a box, etc.). Having said that, I accept that each of us has a different perspective, and for some this may indeed be a good selection.
Well, quite frankly I'm disappointed over several things: A) Viridiana, the main title I was looking forward to gets kicked back. B) All the double dipping that Criterion is getting us into (Hope this isn't a sign for the future, I'd like to have newer titles than unnecessary re-releases).
Furthermore, I was expecting this year to give us major works by directors; maybe a SANSHO DAYU here or even a PLAYTIME (which in fact was mentioned as being available Spring of '06).
Some very positive points for me, and I'm sure, for everyone else on this forum:
LOVE the ARKADIN (came from outta nowhere, for me) and of course: VIRGIN SPRING.
Once again, May is Roberto Rossellini's 100th Birthday and June is Billy Wilder's 100th B-Day as well. Some possiblities:
Rossellini War Trilogy Rome, Open City Paisan Germany Year Zero
Rossellini/Bergman Trilogy Stromboli Europa '51 Voyage to Italy
Wilder Collection The Major and the Minor Five Graves to Cairo Double Indemnity 2 Disc Special Edition The Emperor Waltz A Foreign Affair
This is all just random speculation. Why do it here and not in the Random Speculation? Think of it as a morale booster to unhappy fans. Better times are ahead.
stroszeck wrote:Furthermore, I was expecting this year to give us major works by directors
I'd say Young Mr. Lincoln and La Bête Humaine count as major works by (presumably great) directors. Kind Hearts and Coronets, too, is possibly the masterpiece of Ealing Studios who possessed a style every bit as distinctive, refined and influential as that of Sturges or Lubitsch.
You know, as stupid as this may sound, I didn't realize until just reading your post that Kind Hearts and Coronets was Ealing (I haven't seen the film yet). I love just about anything Ealing, so now this is a definite purchase. If only Criterion Could get their hands on Whiskey Galore!
Yeah, KIND HEARTS is a fantastic pitch-black-as-hell comedy from Britain (of all places). But considering I already had the one-disc/barebones edition I failed to overlook that one. Then again, the price on the two-discer is fairly high, which makes me hope the second disc better have one helluva long, detailed documentary on the film as well as TONS of extras. (If they could do it for the Archers, I'm sure they can swing it for Ealing.)
By the way, anyone have any info on Bunuel, Ozu or Resnais in the collection? The major Resnais that I've been DYING to see is PROVIDENCE...can't seem to find that one anywhere, not even on VHS.
POST-POST-SCRIPT: Also any info on Berlin Alexanderplatz and possibly Jail Bait? Two Fassbinder films unseen by myself (the latter of which has never been available even on VHS).
Regarding Resnais, I wish someone would release Muriel. Saw it once on what may have been the crappiest transfer on VHS I've ever seen. Amazing film, but the presentation made it nearly unwatchable.
stroszeck wrote:POST-POST-SCRIPT: Also any info on Berlin Alexanderplatz and possibly Jail Bait? Two Fassbinder films unseen by myself (the latter of which has never been available even on VHS).
The latter is apparently held up by the objections of the writer of the original play, who hated Fassbinder's version and doesn't want it seen. A terrible shame, as it's a great sullen adolescent of a film. Berlin A will apparently be on its way in various territories once its restoration is complete and it's done the festival rounds (which might be this year - does anybody have new information?)
But we should really take this back to the Random Spec thread.
Image still doesn't have the full specs to any of these releases, but they now list both Elevator to the Gallows and Harlan County U.S.A. as two disc sets, and include critics' blurbs for both.
