Forthcoming Lists Discussion & Random Speculation

[tryavna]

Yeah, KIND HEARTS is a fantastic pitch-black-as-hell comedy from Britain (of all places).

Actually, it's not so odd that Britain has produced such a dark comedy once you consider that The Ladykillers (also Ealing), if..., and The Ruling Class are all British films. In fact, there's a fairly strong tradition of black comedy in British literature and culture. Some of Evelyn Waugh's novels, like "A Handful of Dust" and "The Loved One," are probably the best examples.

[FilmFanSea]

Ron Epstein at HTF has posted the official Criterion press release for the April titles:


Monterey Pop (single-disc edition) - On a June weekend in 1967, at the height of the "Summer of Love," the Monterey International Pop Festival ushered in a new era of rock and roll and launched the careers of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Otis Redding, as well as showcasing veteran performers such as Simon & Garfunkel, The Mamas & the Papas, The Who, and the extraordinary Ravi Shankar. Filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker captured it all, immortalizing those moments that have become legend. Now available for the first time as a single-disc release.

Cat: CC1623D
Title: Monterey Pop
UPC: 7-15515-01732-9
SRP: $29.95
Prebook date: 3/7/06
Street date: 4/11/06


Jimi Plays Monterey/Shake! Otis at Monterey - Jimi Hendrix and Otis Redding arrived in California virtually unknown. Hendrix exploded at Monterey, flooring an unsuspecting audience with his maniacal six-string pyrotechnics. Redding, venerable star of Memphis¹ Stax record label, seduced the love crowd" in one of his best performances, which would be his last. Featuring the entire Monterey sets of these legendary musicians, and now available for the first time as a single-disc release.

Cat: CC1624D
Title: Jimi Plays Monterey/Shake! Otis at Monterey
UPC: 7-15515-01742-8
SRP: $29.95
Prebook date: 3/7/06
Street date: 4/11/06


The 400 Blows - François Truffaut¹s first and most personal feature film, told from the perspective of the director¹s lifelong cinematic counterpart, Antoine Doinel. Sensitively recreating the trials of Truffaut¹s own childhood, The 400 Blows unsentimentally portrays aloof parents, oppressive teachers, petty crime, and a friendship that would last a lifetime. Available after a long absence as a single-disc release.

Cat: CC1625D
Title: The 400 Blows
UPC: 7-15515-01752-7
SRP: $29.95
Prebook date: 3/7/06
Street date: 4/11/06


Elevator to the Gallows - In this, his debut feature film, director Louis Malle captures the hidden beauty of Jeanne Moreau, the brilliant camerawork of Henri Decaë, and the musical force of Miles Davis in a tightly constructed film noir experience that launched his and Moreau¹s careers.

Cat: CC1627D
Title: Elevator to the Gallows
UPC: 7-15515-01772-5
SRP: $39.95
Prebook date: 3/21/06
Street date: 4/25/06


Harlan County, U.S.A. - In 1973, when the Brookside coal miners voted to join the United Mine Workers union, The Duke Power Company refused to sign the union's contact. The struggle that broke out between the company and the workers was brilliantly documented by Barbara Kopple in this Academy Award­winning documentary. With a haunting country and bluegrass soundtrack, Harlan County, U.S.A. is a powerful, sometimes heartbreaking record of the thirteen-month struggle between a community fighting to survive and a corporation dedicated to the bottom line.

Cat: HAR120
Title: Harlan County, U.S.A.
UPC: 0-37429-20832-8
SRP: $39.95
Prebook date: 3/21/06
Street date: 4/25/06


Grey Gardens (two-disc edition) - Meet Big and Little Edie Beale--high society dropouts, mother and daughter, reclusive cousins of Jackie O.--thriving together amid the decay and disorder of their ramshackle East Hampton mansion. This intimate portrait has since become a cult classic and established Little Edie as a fashion icon and philosopher queen. Now available as a two-disc edition with newly available supplements.

Cat: CC1629D
Title: Grey Gardens
UPC: 7-15515-01792-3
SRP: $39.95
Prebook date: 3/21/06
Street date: 4/25/06


ATTN CANADA: The 400 Blows is available for all Canada. Monterey Pop, Jimi Plays Monterey/Shake! Otis at Monterey, Elevator to the Gallows, Harlan County, U.S.A., and Grey Gardens are available in English Canada only.

[AZAI]

For those collectors who just started of and don't have the money to order the Doinel boxset, such as myself, 400 blows is a fantastic 'new' release.
AND it has a SRP of $29,95, which is for a criterion dirt cheap, considering all the extras! (Do you think Antoine et Colette stays on the disc?)

[redbill]

For those collectors who just started of and don't have the money to order the Doinel boxset, such as myself, 400 blows is a fantastic 'new' release.
AND it has a SRP of $29,95, which is for a criterion dirt cheap, especially considering all the extras! (Do you think Antoine et Colette stays on the disc?)

I would guess not, only because the "official" name of the disk in the box is "The 400 Blows with Antoine and Collette" This press release only says "The 400 Blows"... just a thought

[AZAI]

That's true, but only in this case I hope the people at Criterion will be cheapskates: no re-authoring of the DVD, a remaster isn't necessary and they have my blessing to even keep the artwork intact....because the look of it (the entire box for that matter) is just great...

[Andre Jurieu]

I would guess not, only because the "official" name of the disk in the box is "The 400 Blows with Antoine and Collette" This press release only says "The 400 Blows"... just a thought

I don't know if that really settles things. Tout Va Bien is used as the "official" name of Criterion's DVD, but Letter to Jane is included in the complete DVD package. Just wait for the official announcement on the website, I guess.

[kappoka]

It will be interesting to see which cover design they'll use.

I will poke around and try to find out what supplements they'll include but I have a feeling I'm not gonna get much of an answer.

[Jeff]

"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?"

I'm assuming that you are talking about Grey Gardens here, please correct me if I'm wrong. I don't see how this qualifies as malicious "double-dipping" or any other unsavory tactic on Criterion's part. I can understand when people get upset when a special edition is announced a few weeks after the standard edition is released; I remember this happening with Buena Vista and Criterion's versions of Rushmore.

In this case though, it has been four and a half years since Criterion's single disc release of Grey Gardens. I don't really think that Peter Becker sat in his office in 2001 and said, "I know how we'll squeeze every last penny out of those fuckers. We'll release a single-disc now, and then in April of 2006, we'll hit 'em with a two-disc...just when they least expect it. Zing!" The disc that they released then was very nice, and comparable to other contemporaneous releases. Should they have not released it then, in the hope that several years later there would be renewed interest in the film, and new supplements would be made available? Or, should they sit on the newly acquired supplements, so as not to offend those who bought the old version? I'm pleasantly surprised to see that they will be offering the supplements separately, but I wouldn't have been remotely offended if they had not. Also, I don't see how this is any different than the previous reissues of M, Wages of Fear, or Beauty and the Beast. I happily upgraded those discs, and was glad to see Criterion re-visit them. I hope that they continue to look for opportunities to improve their existing releases.

[ellipsis7]

400 BLOWS single disc will have a full complement of extras...

Image site confirms these -

Two audio commentaries for The 400 Blows
Rare audition footage of Jean-Pierre Leaud, Patrick Auffay and Richard Kanayan
Newsreel footage of Jean-Pierre Leaud in Cannes for the showing of The 400 Blows
Excerpt from a French TV program with Truffaut discussing his youth
TV interview with Truffaut about the global reception of The 400 Blows
Theatrical trailer for The 400 Blows
New and improved English subtitle translations
New digital transfers of The 400 Blows and Antoine and Colette

[AZAI]

YES! that is great news!

[tryavna]

Sounds like it's exactly the same as the current release available in the Doinel boxset. If you've got that, I see absolutely no reason to pick this one up. Criterion/Image is obviously just making it available separately.

[Cinephrenic]

I really certainly hope they have a different cover or at least the original old cover on this. Or there will be (as someone put it) a Banana Republic sweater for a DVD image.

[Max von Mayerling]

This 400 blows news is fantastic. I wasn't expecting all the extras. I'm sure it will be a different cover. The sweater is part of an overall concept that goes with the suitcase slipcase. Outside of that it doesn't make any sense. I bet it will be a completely new cover design - different both from the first release & the boxset version.

[exte]

I'm glad I held out for this for so long. That box set was so tempting, but just not for me, especially at the price they're asking...

[AZAI]

Sounds like it's exactly the same as the current release available in the Doinel boxset. If you've got that, I see absolutely no reason to pick this one up. Criterion/Image is obviously just making it available separately.

Do you really think that is the case? really? I had no idea at all....thanks for pointing that out to us

[ByMarkClark.com]

Yes, all those extras are included on the 400 BLOWS disc in the Doinel boxed set. (Which, btw, I have and which was absolutely worth every penny, imho.)

[tryavna]

Sounds like it's exactly the same as the current release available in the Doinel boxset. If you've got that, I see absolutely no reason to pick this one up. Criterion/Image is obviously just making it available separately.

Do you really think that is the case? really? I had no idea at all....thanks for pointing that out to us

Well, since I have the boxset in hand, I thought I'd save people who didn't the trouble of looking up the info themselves. I guess any attempt to save people a few wasted seconds is only going to receive idiotic sarcasm.

Hope your unnecessary put-down made you feel better about your own existence for a few seconds....

[kekid]

The separate release of the 400 Blows DVD raises in my mind the following general question. If a label intends to issue individual films as well as a boxed set, how should it orchestrate the timing of releases? This question could be answered from the label's perspective, and also from the consumer perspective, with possibly different answers. The label might want to pursue a strategy that maximizes its revenues and profit. The consumer might have the dual objectives of avoiding multiple purchases and getting immediate gratification. So, what would the members of this forum prefer: (1) a simultaneous release of individual DVD's and the box, (2) the box released first, followed by the individual DVD's after a hiatus, or (3) some or all of individual DVD's released first, followed by the box? If consumers have a consensus on this issue, perhaps we can communicate it to producers (at least to Criterion). As we formulate this view, we should try to also think of what might be the preferred strategy of the producers. I have placed this question here, but if the editor feels it belongs elsewhere, please feel free to move it.

[skuhn8]

The separate release of the 400 Blows DVD raises in my mind the following general question. If a label intends to issue individual films as well as a boxed set, how should it orchestrate the timing of releases? This question could be answered from the label's perspective, and also from the consumer perspective, with possibly different answers. The label might want to pursue a strategy that maximizes its revenues and profit. The consumer might have the dual objectives of avoiding multiple purchases and getting immediate gratification. So, what would the members of this forum prefer: (1) a simultaneous release of individual DVD's and the box, (2) the box released first, followed by the individual DVD's after a hiatus, or (3) some or all of individual DVD's released first, followed by the box? If consumers have a consensus on this issue, perhaps we can communicate it to producers (at least to Criterion). As we formulate this view, we should try to also think of what might be the preferred strategy of the producers. I have placed this question here, but if the editor feels it belongs elsewhere, please feel free to move it.

Isnt' the first option (#1) kind of the obvious choice? Choice being the key word.

[viciousliar]

Oh, now I have to buy Grey Gardens twice. I do hope the "newly available" extra material is substantial. There were no details mentioned on Image's website.

[criterionradiohead]

The separate release of the 400 Blows DVD raises in my mind the following general question. If a label intends to issue individual films as well as a boxed set, how should it orchestrate the timing of releases? This question could be answered from the label's perspective, and also from the consumer perspective, with possibly different answers. The label might want to pursue a strategy that maximizes its revenues and profit. The consumer might have the dual objectives of avoiding multiple purchases and getting immediate gratification. So, what would the members of this forum prefer: (1) a simultaneous release of individual DVD's and the box, (2) the box released first, followed by the individual DVD's after a hiatus, or (3) some or all of individual DVD's released first, followed by the box? If consumers have a consensus on this issue, perhaps we can communicate it to producers (at least to Criterion). As we formulate this view, we should try to also think of what might be the preferred strategy of the producers. I have placed this question here, but if the editor feels it belongs elsewhere, please feel free to move it.

For me, the answer to this question depends on how Criterion intends to bring out new releases/improved re-releases alongside titles previously only available in a boxset. If it is anything like April 2006, and we receive only 2 new films and an improved re-release, I would prefer that Criterion go back to their previous strategy of only releasing select titles in boxsets. With that gripe set aside, the obvious choice for the fans would be #1, release boxsets and individual titles from those boxsets simultaneously. But I'm far from a business major, and have no idea if this is a profitable approach for a company like Criterion.

In a nut shell, I want whatever choice will provide the consumer with the most new quality releases, and most re-releases with improved sound and picture quality/added bonus materials every month.


Criterionradiohead

[kekid]

The separate release of the 400 Blows DVD raises in my mind the following general question. If a label intends to issue individual films as well as a boxed set, how should it orchestrate the timing of releases? This question could be answered from the label's perspective, and also from the consumer perspective, with possibly different answers. The label might want to pursue a strategy that maximizes its revenues and profit. The consumer might have the dual objectives of avoiding multiple purchases and getting immediate gratification. So, what would the members of this forum prefer: (1) a simultaneous release of individual DVD's and the box, (2) the box released first, followed by the individual DVD's after a hiatus, or (3) some or all of individual DVD's released first, followed by the box? If consumers have a consensus on this issue, perhaps we can communicate it to producers (at least to Criterion). As we formulate this view, we should try to also think of what might be the preferred strategy of the producers. I have placed this question here, but if the editor feels it belongs elsewhere, please feel free to move it.

Isnt' the first option (#1) kind of the obvious choice? Choice being the key word.

It would seem that way. But if you look at the track record of any label it is the least frequently used option.

[zedz]

So, what would the members of this forum prefer: (1) a simultaneous release of individual DVD's and the box, (2) the box released first, followed by the individual DVD's after a hiatus, or (3) some or all of individual DVD's released first, followed by the box?

I'd prefer (1), but (2) probably makes more commercial sense, as in most cases with box sets there are one or two titles that are the primary selling points (the Doinel is an extreme case in point; the Wajda is another obvious example). I don't have a problem with either approach, so long as the individual release doesn't include exclusive material requiring double-dipping.

(3), or the Shitting On Your Customers option, is way too common. Other than "Collector's Sets" Criterion has fortunately taken pains to avoid this.

[stroszeck]

Traffic, Dazed and Confused, Monterey Pop, even Kind Hearts and Coronets -- and some others this year -- why do we honestly need new DVD editions of these? How much money/time is spent searching for "improved transfers" for Traffic? Or for Dazed? And I'm a HUGE fan of both those films, matter of fact I owned ALL the different non-criterion editions.

This is the beef I have with Criterion this year. Sure it would be cool (and I believe UNPRECEDENTED) if they could release the extra disc for Grey Gardens on a SEPARATE DVD, but what bag of worms does this open up? Instead of spending manpower and funds from dvd sales, are they gonna put more energy into releasing M, Wages of Fear, Seven Samurai (eventually), and other re-issues' special features only discs?

I'm sure we all thought that by May we'd be seeing Ozu, Eistenstein and others in addition to the Malle, Welles and Ford. But the way the first half of '06 has been turning out, it doesn't seem that way. Hopefully the coming summer months will fix that...?

[Narshty]

Traffic, Dazed and Confused, Monterey Pop, even Kind Hearts and Coronets -- and some others this year -- why do we honestly need new DVD editions of these?

Well, Traffic and Monterey Pop are simply re-releases of existing discs. Ordering a new print run and updating their trade catalogue is about as much man power as those two will have taken up. As for the other two, a major part of Criterion's self-appointed role in the home video market, ever since the earliest days of laserdisc, was to give deluxe treatment to films they felt deserved it but were only then available in versions that didn't do them full justice. Criterion's doing special edition re-releases is hardly anything new. Were you pissed they "wasted" so much time and effort on their Eisenstein: The Sound Years boxset, especially since Image had already put out versions of all the movies a few years earlier?

How much money/time is spent searching for "improved transfers" for Traffic? Or for Dazed?

Well, Traffic is the same disc as before. As for Dazed and Confused, I bet you ten quid they use exactly the same transfer as appeared on Universal's most recent offering.

This is the beef I have with Criterion this year. Sure it would be cool (and I believe UNPRECEDENTED) if they could release the extra disc for Grey Gardens on a SEPARATE DVD, but what bag of worms does this open up? Instead of spending manpower and funds from dvd sales, are they gonna put more energy into releasing M, Wages of Fear, Seven Samurai (eventually), and other re-issues' special features only discs?

Well, they might. The major difference being that all of the others you quote have new transfers, subtitles, booklets and other come-ons apart from simply supplements. Grey Gardens is only getting a second DVD because Albert Maysles put it together apparently as a labour of love and they have a good relationship with him. He did basically fill out about three quarters of their Life Aquatic special edition, after all.

I'm sure we all thought that by May we'd be seeing Ozu, Eistenstein and others in addition to the Malle, Welles and Ford. But the way the first half of '06 has been turning out, it doesn't seem that way. Hopefully the coming summer months will fix that...?

A big part of Criterion's groove has always been focusing on smaller, neglected films they think deserve more recognition alongside the biggies. It's all still to play for.