Criterion Random Speculation Vol.1

Message

#76 Post by **Jeff** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:32 pm

Might this be what delayed the Eisenstein silents box?

'Battleship Potemkin' To Be Relaunched at Berlinale
The Berlin Film Festival plans to screen a digitally restored version of Sergei Eisenstein's 1925 classic The Battleship Potemkin, including scenes ordered removed from the original theatrical version by the Soviet government following the premiere, the festival said in a statement on Wednesday. Calling it a "reconstruction" of the original, the festival said that it will include an opening quotation by Stalin rival Leon Trotsky that was cut from the film before it was released in what the festival called "one of the most spectacular cases of censorship in the 1920s." (Trotsky was expelled from the Politburo within months following the release of the film.) On Feb. 12 and 13, the silent movie will be accompanied live by the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg playing a revised version of the original score by Edmund Meisel.

Michael Kerpan · #77 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:41 pm

Jeff wrote:Might this be what delayed the Eisenstein silents box?
'Battleship Potemkin' To Be Relaunched at Berlinale
The Berlin Film Festival plans to screen a digitally restored version of Sergei Eisenstein's 1925 classic The Battleship Potemkin, including scenes ordered removed from the original theatrical version by the Soviet government following the premiere, the festival said in a statement on Wednesday. ......l.

I hope this version will appear on DVD -- from Criterion (or from any other quality-conscious operation) -- soon.

MEK

milkcan · #78 Post by **milkcan** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 5:26 pm

How about from Criterion-

Godard: Five Films:
- Breathless
- Les Carabiniers
- My Life to Live
- Pierrot le Fou
- La Chinoise

What A Disgrace · #79 Post by **What A Disgrace** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 11:23 pm

I'd like to see Bernhard Wicki's The Bridge (1959).

jorencain · #80 Post by **jorencain** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 11:56 pm

Is there any info on "Berlin Alexanderplatz"-who holds the rights? Is there any speculation of CC or anyone else releasing this?

criterionsnob · #81 Post by **criterionsnob** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 1:55 am

Last I heard, the Rainer Werner Fassbinder Foundation planned to start raising money for a restoration of Berlin Alexanderplatz. Considering the length of the film, it'll take a considerable amount of time and money.

We can only hope that Criterion will be the ones to release it on DVD. I'm sure it must be one of their most requested titles. They have worked with the Fassbinder Foundation in the past, so hopefully that's a good sign.

CSM126 · #82 Post by **CSM126** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 6:16 pm

I don't believe this one has been mentioned, so, with Criterion promising to add more women directors, what about Lizzie Borden's Born in Flames? I've never seen it myself, but I hear good things about it and it sounds like something up Criterion's alley.

Sai · #83 Post by **Sai** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 3:47 pm

Following in the Lack of Silents-topic: how about a Criterion of Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler? A nice extra would be the re-edited version by Eisenstein.

mteller · #84 Post by **mteller** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 4:28 pm

Interesting read. Hmmm, still would like to see a Criterion release of Persona. The box doesn't seem to be all that.

What? The MGM box is superb. I mean, it doesn't have a spine number or anything, but if you like Bergman it's a no-brainer.

solaris72 · #85 Post by **solaris72** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 6:02 pm

mteller wrote:The MGM box is superb. I mean, it doesn't have a spine number or anything, but if you like Bergman it's a no-brainer.

I agree. Say what you will, but MGM could have done a lot worse by Bergman.

Gordon · #86 Post by **Gordon** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 10:52 am

The SVE 2002 introductions aren't what I'd call 'introductions' in the traditional sense, they don't have a directness to them, the style of them is closer to an evaluation. When I think of video introductions to films, I think of Bogdanovich on The Third Man, or to go back further, Renoir on La Grande Illusion. The SVE 2002 introductions, played continuously, back-to-back, play like a chronological retrospective.

I think that the reason that all 11 'intros' were included on Fanny & Alexander was for posterity and as a taster for future Criterion releases of those films; many people out there love Fanny & Alexander, but are coy about other Bergman films, so the intros may serve as an intriguing window into the wonderful world of Bergman.

I reckon we'll see The Magician and Virgin Spring this year. I have the R2UK editions from Tartan which have gorgeous transfers, but I'd buy Criterions if they had illuminating extras.

Lemdog · #87 Post by **Lemdog** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:43 am

I would like to randomly speculate that Matt or Martha will have a nervous breakdown by July.

Morbii · #88 Post by **Morbii** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 2:34 am

Since we were talking about the 300th spine in another thread, I personally hope it goes to another Dassin or a Clouzot

Martha · #89 Post by **Martha** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 6:23 am

mymangodfrey wrote:since you rarely see anything from warner, mgm (at least not anymore), columbia and paramount, you can guess that future releases will either be foreign, from universal, or maybe fox, or some other small distibutor.

I can't guess accurately on what's to come, but something tells me there's gonna be more bertolucci, like the conformist and last tango in paris, and hopefully even the last emperor. everyone keeps saying hoop dreams, and I don't know why.

here's some I wish they would get the rights to and publish: breathless, la dolce vita and the swindle (just to get the almost complete fellini collection), hard boiled and the killer (they need to get the rights again), double indemnity, bottle rocket, and some more short film compilations and such. [/u]

Martha · #90 Post by **Martha** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 6:25 am

Lemdog wrote:I would like to randomly speculate that Matt or Martha will have a nervous breakdown by July.

This is the only source of stress that I have-- Matt's real job is actually hard. It's totally gonna be him.

chaddoli · #91 Post by **chaddoli** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 3:45 pm

I just saw David O. Russell's SPANKING THE MONKEY, which is possibly the most awkward film ever, but also a great one. Since it is an "unprofitable" Fine Line title, do you think there is any chance of a Criterion release?

filmghost · #92 Post by **filmghost** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 8:37 pm

Does anyone know which company holds the rights for Philip Ridley's "Reflecting Skin"? Are there any plans for a dvd release? Criterion or not...

milkcan · #93 Post by **milkcan** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 8:39 pm

Never mind- "California Split" is already out on DVD!!

Narshty · #94 Post by **Narshty** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 7:36 pm

pzman84 wrote:Is it possible Criterion could release a SE of "The Third Man" with the TCM documentary "Shadowing the Third Man?" I thought it was great and it would be a great addition to the masterpiece that is the "The Third Man." However, I am realistic and since Warners doesn't licence out to third parties, I doubt TCM does either. However, Warners and Criterion could make a deal, where Criterion gets the documentary and Warners gets the commentaries from "King Kong" and "The Magnificent Ambersons " from the old Criterion laserdiscs. But since this is unlikely to happen (and "The Third Man" is a great DVD already), it will probably only remain a dream.

#95 Post by **zedz** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:30 pm

Does anybody know whether the Chabrol interview snippet included on the second M disc was a Criterion original? If it was, it seems unlikely that they'd go to that amount of trouble simply for the 10-minute "M le maudit," so maybe this indicates forthcoming Chabrol title(s) (just as the Bertolucci interview on Mamma Roma prefigured La commare secca).

Dr. Mabuse · #96 Post by **Dr. Mabuse** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 11:49 am

Could this be another gift set in the making?

"Clouzot Hits the Big Screen in Brooklyn

Seven classic films by French master of suspense Henri-Georges Clouzot will screen this February at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The series, Murder and Malice: Henri-Georges Clouzot, begins on February 18 and features such unforgettable works as Le Corbeau, Wages of Fear, Diabolique, and Quai des Orfèvres."

Cinephrenic · #97 Post by **Cinephrenic** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 1:05 pm

Well I don't mind seeing La Vérité with Bardot get a spine. It also has a new print. That can usually be a good thing.

The Elegant Dandy Fop · #98 Post by **The Elegant Dandy Fop** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 11:01 pm

I would like to see Criterion to release more mainstream films, not because I like them, but because I want them to introduce people to Criterion. I wouldn't have been exposed to Criterion if it wasn't for Rushmore.

ctyankee7 wrote:
Morbii wrote:Since we were talking about the 300th spine in another thread, I personally hope it goes to another Dassin or a Clouzot
With the Beastie Boys on #100 and Honeymoon Killers on #200 it would appear that Criterion cares little for the significance so ... why should we?

Hey, I like the Beastie Boys DVD, a lot. Has the third best special features, number one being 8 1/2 and number 2 being Straw Dogs.

exte · #99 Post by **exte** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 4:43 am

criterionsnob wrote:Last I heard, the Rainer Werner Fassbinder Foundation planned to start raising money for a restoration of Berlin Alexanderplatz. Considering the length of the film, it'll take a considerable amount of time and money.

We can only hope that Criterion will be the ones to release it on DVD. I'm sure it must be one of their most requested titles. They have worked with the Fassbinder Foundation in the past, so hopefully that's a good sign.

Would they finally use slim cases with this release, if they did get the rights?

#100 Post by **Jeff** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 5:20 pm

Roger Ebert's just-published volume of criticism The Great Movies II has a list of his commentary tracks alongside his ouvre of books. Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is among the tracks listed, so I'm assuming that all rights issues have indeed been resolved.