criterionforum.org

Glowingwabbit wrote: Fri Oct 29, 2021 7:08 pm

rapta wrote: Fri Oct 29, 2021 6:38 pm

kindaikun wrote: Fri Oct 29, 2021 10:52 am Haven’t seen this mentioned elsewhere:


https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/ ... voluntaria

Very exciting! Just posted on BR.com to say perhaps they'll be releasing these as double-bills? For example The Weeping Woman/The Phantom of the Convent, Santo vs. the Evil Brain/Santo vs. the Infernal Men, The Panther Women/The Batwoman etc. Would make sense to do it that way!

Oh I like that they are doing double bills. If they did a box set I'd probably be happy to buy that as well but this is likely a better way to sell. Definitely will be grabbing the La llorona double.

That's just an assumption on my part, as from what I can tell those six are the films that have been restored so far (that I can see advertised anywhere, at least) and mentioned at the end of the article. And the fact that they fall nicely into pairs, as well as that quote in that Guardian article ("Permanencia Voluntaria (Double Feature)"). I'd be surprised if they went the box set route, in fact, especially as this could lead to more Mexican films being restored (e.g. more Santo titles).

Those Mexican films explains the del Toro quote in their press release for their US move, as he is certainly going to be involved in the extras.

Are those two Santo titles the ones that Kino announced and then cancelled?

The Phantom of the Convent is currently on the Criterion Channel under the title The Phantom of the Monastery.

Phantom of the Convent was restored by the World Cinema Project, so I'd be surprised if Indicator releases that particular title in the states (especially with Criterion streaming it), but the fact that Indicator is releasing it in the UK makes me wonder if they could release some of the other WCP films, now that they're branching out, or if they could have their eyes on other foreign genre titles, like some of those Argentine noir being restored.

You are right about Phantom of the Convent/Monastery, it does have the Janus logo.

To answer my own question, the two Santo films are the ones that Kino announced and cancelled.

beamish14 wrote:Has there been any updates on Badham's Dracula or Diary of a Mad Housewife? I'd much rather support Indicator than Shout Factory or especially Kino...

There’s a cover for Diary of a Mad Housewife in the 5th anniversary insert included with orders from the current sale.

As I said - and I'm working on this project, so you can absolutely trust me on this - it's still definitely coming.

Speaking of titles Kino released, wasn't Thunderbolt hinted at in a newsletter picture, or am I misremembering?

What A Disgrace wrote: Sun Oct 31, 2021 1:48 am Phantom of the Convent was restored by the World Cinema Project, so I'd be surprised if Indicator releases that particular title in the states (especially with Criterion streaming it), but the fact that Indicator is releasing it in the UK makes me wonder if they could release some of the other WCP films, now that they're branching out, or if they could have their eyes on other foreign genre titles, like some of those Argentine noir being restored.

Yes please to Indicator doing some WCP titles, such a box set. Was upset that MoC gave up on them after their confident announcement, and since then we've been lucky to get a few more (from BFI mainly). I really hope Indicator have taken the plunge as they're in a better position to make such a prospect work! And yes, those Argentine noirs would also be excellent (I assume those ones Flicker Alley have been releasing).

Glowingwabbit wrote: Sun Oct 31, 2021 10:04 am Speaking of titles Kino released, wasn't Thunderbolt hinted at in a newsletter picture, or am I misremembering?

Yes it was. I'd be surprised if they didn't get An American Tragedy as well, and some other films of the era (maybe even a set of Lubitsch stuff, if we're really lucky).

I suspect this is partly down to the collective tastes of this forum, but I’m always tickled by the way that people here keep trying to turn Indicator into a more arthouse label than its catalogue suggests that it actually is.

MichaelB wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 8:46 am I suspect this is partly down to the collective tastes of this forum, but I’m always tickled by the way that people here keep trying to turn Indicator into a more arthouse label than its catalogue suggests that it actually is.

that's how I see it too. indicator (and I mean this lovingly) comes off as a better version of KL Studio Classics, rescuing studio films that never would get the love otherwise, but with more love and attention than KLSC. they may veer off and do a boxset of amazing stuff (I own the sternberg one and have three others on the way) but overall they seem more like a studio rescue label rather than the label that will bring chabrol or rivette to the masses. but I get it, people would like to see indicator levels of attention to those titles, and it would surely be great. but I think they're kinda clear that's not their lane?

still doesn't explain irreversible though...

I suspect part of the issue is that the current Indicator team includes people with extensive track records at Arrow, the BFI, Eureka and Second Run, so the assumption is that because they did such-and-such a project in a previous job, therefore it's "likely" (a word that really should be used with far more caution) that they'll do the same thing at Indicator - but there's no real evidence for this.

For instance, aside from a smattering of extras across just two releases, Indicator has never released a silent film, despite their BFI/Eureka roots. And while it certainly helped to have two Czech specialists on the team courtesy of their Second Run background, 90° in the Shade was originally acquired from Screenbound as part of a package of unfairly neglected British titles.

Is it that far a leap from, say, Twentieth Century to any number of Lubitsch films, though?

soundchaser wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 1:39 pm Is it that far a leap from, say, Twentieth Century to any number of Lubitsch films, though?

Obviously not - but, equally obviously, I wasn't talking about that.

I wouldn't say you had obviously specified anything - particularly in a post that mentioned WCP titles (which the company is releasing), Josef von Sternberg films (which the company is releasing), and Argentine noirs (which is a genre, if not a language, the company has released). Lubitsch is the odd one out there.

I deliberately didn't specify anything: it was a general observation based on multiple posts over a fair period of time.

Ernst Lubitsch at Paramount 1929-1938 would be Release of the Decade

soundchaser wrote: Mon Nov 30, 2020 9:37 am According to the latest episode of Indicator Cast, California Split and Dracula are still coming; the former is currently held up (unsurprisingly) by clearance issues, and the latter by elements for the color version.

Almost a year later, and over three years after its forthcoming announcement, any updated word on California Split?

therewillbeblus wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 4:40 pm

soundchaser wrote: Mon Nov 30, 2020 9:37 am According to the latest episode of Indicator Cast, California Split and Dracula are still coming; the former is currently held up (unsurprisingly) by clearance issues, and the latter by elements for the color version.

Almost a year later, and over three years after its forthcoming announcement, any updated word on California Split?

I certainly hope it'll be announced soon, but I'll be damned if I pre-order California Split -- after what happened with Ishtar, I'll wait until it materializes.

Unlike Ishtar, California Split was never formally announced, so it's never been possible to pre-order it.

And believe me, if there's any change of status to this project, word of mouth will spread across forums and other social media like wildfire.

MichaelB wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 5:06 pm Unlike Ishtar, California Split was never formally announced, so it's never been possible to pre-order it.

And believe me, if there's any change of status to this project, word of mouth will spread across forums and other social media like wildfire.

"Indeed", that's why I said...

I certainly hope it'll be announced soon

Like Ishtar, various issues seem to have complicated California Split's release. However, Ishtar was announced, orders taken, and then pulled -- a bit more severe than "pre-release change of status." I hope the Altman film makes it through the vetting process... but I won't be placing any bets.

How was anyone that pre-ordered Ishtar put out? I actually benefited, in that my pre-order had helped me just barely reach the £200 free shipping threshold, and after cancellation the rest of my order still shipped for free

Yeah, I will pre-order California Split in a heartbeat- what do you have to lose by taking actionable movement towards possessing excitement vs. passively engaging in skepticism from afar? Also, since I'm going to buy 12 copies of it to gift to people for birthdays and holidays over that year, that'll give me free shipping with only one other title in my cart. So if it's canceled, at least we'll get an interesting experiment out of the whole thing in monitoring where the bar is for Indicator in honoring the original shipping charge.

To the earlier point, I’ve always operated under the equation that about 80% of Indicator’s releases are studio pictures with some kind of high British content or appeal and 20% random favorites of the label’s staff

Don't know if this has been mentioned elsewhere on the forum, but I finally listened to the Indicator Cast interview with the founders and they confirmed upcoming releases of Anthony Friedman's Bartleby and Frank Perry's The Swimmer (with the latter replacing Ishtar's spine number)

This was already mentioned back in September.