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The individual Bergman releases are probably aimed at:
a) institutions and libraries that can't/don't want to bother with a big box set
b) revitalizing the back catalog so places like BN are more likely to stock them (I can't imagine sales for the ancient Magic Flute DVD have been particularly high of late)
c) casual consumers who might be drawn by the algorithm after picking up Seventh Seal or Persona
d) people who are only interested in individual titles

The Magic Flute actually makes a lot of sense with that last group, as I imagine there's a decent secondary audience among opera lovers. I expect we'll also eventually get Passion and Hour the Wolf (maybe in October), but the big question mark is the Trilogy. I'm not sure if an upgraded box set is an easy sell to the above markets; I wonder if they'll pull a Teshigahara and only upgrade Winter Light.

They said in a press release that the Faith Trilogy would get a stand alone. I can’t imagine no latter than July, but hopefully that doesn’t take away from Criterion’s usual July boxset release of the year.

Which I’m hoping to be either a Godzilla, Wong Kar Wai or an Apichatpong Weerasethakul set.

Morbii wrote: Sat Dec 15, 2018 1:54 pm

FrauBlucher wrote: Sat Dec 15, 2018 1:40 pm Minkin, Love your rodeo. The clue from the New Year drawing that is still unaccounted for is the worm like Knight, right?

I enjoy his rodeo as well.

*her.

and also thanks!

In other news - a 4k restoration of Ozu's Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice is making the rounds from Janus (not yet listed on their front page). So, I'd expect it to be announced sometime this year.

Minkin wrote: Sun Dec 16, 2018 2:09 pmIn other news - a 4k restoration of Ozu's Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice is making the rounds from Janus (not yet listed on their front page). So, I'd expect it to be announced sometime this year.

Hoping, hoping, hoping for a significant improvement over what's been available up until now....

Minkin wrote:

Morbii wrote: Sat Dec 15, 2018 1:54 pm

FrauBlucher wrote: Sat Dec 15, 2018 1:40 pm Minkin, Love your rodeo. The clue from the New Year drawing that is still unaccounted for is the worm like Knight, right?

I enjoy his rodeo as well.

*her.

and also thanks!

In other news - a 4k restoration of Ozu's Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice is making the rounds from Janus (not yet listed on their front page). So, I'd expect it to be announced sometime this year.

Probably my most hoped for 2019 release, it’s been nine years since a new main line ozu was released

I also love seeing the round up at the end of every announcement day.

The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice is currently screening at the Film Forum. I noticed that films (especially if they are Janus) usually, but not always, get announced the month after playing at the FF. So, I could see a Jan or Feb announcement.

Minkin wrote: Sun Dec 16, 2018 2:09 pm

Morbii wrote: Sat Dec 15, 2018 1:54 pm I enjoy his rodeo as well.

*her.

Apologies.

Paramount's Blu-ray of the Man Who Shot Liberty Valence appears to be out of print and is unavailable from any online retailer. Especially considering the Blu carried over none of the special features from the DVD editions, this would be a natural fit for an upgrade either internally or from Criteiron, so fingers crossed

There is speculation on the HTF that Kino could have a deal with Paramount, which is the worst studio right now for upgrading and licensing. The KLinsider is quick to tout any deals they have, which he hasn't about Paramount.

A late Ford would be a great addition to Criterion.

FrauBlucher wrote: Sun Dec 16, 2018 8:02 pm There is speculation on the HTF that Kino could have a deal with Paramount, which is the worst studio right now for upgrading and licensing. The KLinsider is quick to tout any deals they have, which he hasn't about Paramount.

A late Ford would be a great addition to Criterion.

Of course the first post and start of the rumor is already incorrect. KLInsider confirmed they got Huston's Phobia as a replacement in an old deal for another film with bad materials.

FrauBlucher wrote: ↑
Sun Dec 16, 2018 4:02 pm
There is speculation on the HTF that Kino could have a deal with Paramount, which is the worst studio right now for upgrading and licensing. The KLinsider is quick to tout any deals they have, which he hasn't about Paramount.

A late Ford would be a great addition to Criterion.

Still waiting for new editions of Roman Holiday, Face to Face and The Tenant as well!

As far as I know, Face to Face is still with Olive. Maybe they'll rerelease it via one of their fancy Blu-ray editions, since the previous release didn't even merit more than a DVD of the shorter theatrical version

With The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice coming at some point soon, it got me thinking. What are the chances that some of the films in the Late Ozu Eclipse can get upgraded, which was released 2007. I would love to see that for Early Spring.

FrauBlucher wrote: Thu Dec 20, 2018 9:50 pm With The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice coming at some point soon, it got me thinking. What are the chances that some of the films in the Late Ozu Eclipse can get upgraded, which was released 2007. I would love to see that for Early Spring.

I was under the impression that some might? Perhaps I was mistaken but wasn't Tokyo Twilight restored? I could have sworn one or more of the films in that wonderful set had gotten a restoration I just can't be certain at the moment. mfunk's patented brain worms have gotten to me it seems!

I think Ozu is the director I would most like next to see get the Bergman box treatment

^ I hear you, but I have a feeling it will be Charles Chaplin.

Big Ben wrote: Thu Dec 20, 2018 11:09 pm

FrauBlucher wrote: Thu Dec 20, 2018 9:50 pm With The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice coming at some point soon, it got me thinking. What are the chances that some of the films in the Late Ozu Eclipse can get upgraded, which was released 2007. I would love to see that for Early Spring.

I was under the impression that some might? Perhaps I was mistaken but wasn't Tokyo Twilight restored? I could have sworn one or more of the films in that wonderful set had gotten a restoration I just can't be certain at the moment. mfunk's patented brain worms have gotten to me it seems!

Green Tea and all the titles in the Eclipse set except The End of Summer got restored and released in Japan on Blu-ray with English subtitles.

artfilmfan wrote: Thu Dec 20, 2018 11:59 pm Green Tea and all the titles in the Eclipse set except The End of Summer got restored and released in Japan on Blu-ray with English subtitles.

Thank you for the clarification. My favorite of the bunch is Tokyo Twilight and I'd love to see a more lavish edition of his darkest film but I guess we'll just have to wait and see I guess? I'm with swo on the box set thing. I can't imagine a director more worthy of it.

With such a huge profit made from selling his Bergman box set, swo can probably afford to start importing the Japanese Blu-rays to assemble his own Ozu box set right now.

Per my record the 4K restorations of Ozu films that have yet to receive a Criterion upgrade are: Tokyo Twilight, The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice, Early Spring, Early Summer, Late Spring, Equinox Flower, Late Autumn, Floating Weeds. That's a rather long list.

Early Summer and Tokyo Twilight would be my nominations personally but we've all conveniently forgotten what is probably a far bigger cash cow, Kurosawa. I love Ozu but I imagine a market would be far thirstier/hungrier for one of those box sets seeing as there is already precedent.

Janus has bluray listed as a screening option for the 1959 version of Floating Weeds. So, maybe this will be coming sooner than later.

FrauBlucher wrote: Fri Dec 21, 2018 3:21 am Janus has bluray listed as a screening option for the 1959 version of Floating Weeds. So, maybe this will be coming sooner than later.

Janus offers blu-rays for lots of films that have never received blu-Ray releases on home video. It’s not a reliable indicator of a Criterion blu release at all.

I often scroll through the Janus site with the bluray filter on. This is the first time I've seen this film being offered on bluray. Which tells me Janus has received a restoration of some kind that allows them to create a bluray for screenings. With an eye to maybe someday a Criterion bluray will happen.

This is nitpicky, but it seems like we should distinguish between a new HD transfer and a "restoration". I guess these days given that any new transfer is typically accompanied by some algorithmic digital cleanup, the difference has maybe been collapsed. But I still have some inclination to guard the distinction.