Eclipse Series 9: The Delirious Fictions of William Klein

Discuss releases in the Janus Contemporaries, Eclipse, and Essential Art House lines and the films on them.
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GringoTex
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#26 Post by GringoTex » Sat Dec 15, 2007 9:32 am

evillights wrote: That said, I don't begrudge the release of these films at all, because sometimes we need to be able to be reminded what it means for a filmmaker to fail, or (spoiled as we are) to see what a "bad filmmaker" looks like once again, or, by exact contrast, what it means to say that "Renoir was great" -- for his greatness went far beyond head-scratching lighting effects, or 'hushed tonality'.
Speaking truth to Criterion Forum groupthink! While I think you've gone overboard in your judgement, you do have some good points. Part 2 of Les Miserables shows just how limited of a filmmaker Bernard was: he was excellent at placing objects in a grave stately repose, but his humans interact with each other like bumbling blocks of wood. The Bernard Set is dominating our Best Eclipse Set voting, but I personally prefer the films in the Ozu, Fuller, Malle, and Saura boxsets.

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Dylan
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#27 Post by Dylan » Sat Dec 15, 2007 12:43 pm

I knew about William Klein, but I had no idea he was also a filmmaker. I'm utterly sold on the descriptions (Who Are You, Polly Maggoo?, in particular, but all of these sound interesting and unique). Looking forward to this!

evillights
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#28 Post by evillights » Sat Dec 15, 2007 3:50 pm

GringoTex wrote:
evillights wrote: That said, I don't begrudge the release of these films at all, because sometimes we need to be able to be reminded what it means for a filmmaker to fail, or (spoiled as we are) to see what a "bad filmmaker" looks like once again, or, by exact contrast, what it means to say that "Renoir was great" -- for his greatness went far beyond head-scratching lighting effects, or 'hushed tonality'.
Speaking truth to Criterion Forum groupthink! While I think you've gone overboard in your judgement, you do have some good points. Part 2 of Les Miserables shows just how limited of a filmmaker Bernard was: he was excellent at placing objects in a grave stately repose, but his humans interact with each other like bumbling blocks of wood. The Bernard Set is dominating our Best Eclipse Set voting, but I personally prefer the films in the Ozu, Fuller, Malle, and Saura boxsets.
I'll pick up the Bernard discussion over at the Bernard thread here on the Eclipse board.

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Jean-Luc Garbo
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#29 Post by Jean-Luc Garbo » Sat Dec 15, 2007 4:53 pm

WOW :shock: - count me in for this one! I'm not so sure about Model Couple, but it sounds Tati-esque enough for me. I've heard about Polly before so now I'm glad to finally see it get a release.

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Barmy
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#30 Post by Barmy » Sat Dec 15, 2007 5:34 pm

Other than Model Couple, these occasionally show up in New York. They are less fun than they sound, but still enjoyable as period pieces--Mr. Freedom in particular. They are not remotely "ahead of their time", and that phrase, like the phrase "critique of consumer society" and the like, should be banned.

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toiletduck!
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#31 Post by toiletduck! » Sat Dec 15, 2007 5:36 pm

Sounds like this might sell better than expected after all -- at least as well as the other "who the fuck is this guy?" set. I'm there with bells on; my jaw literally dropped when I saw this announcement. The first release to truly bring my initial excitement for Eclipse's potential to fruition.

-Toilet Dcuk

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Gregory
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#32 Post by Gregory » Sat Dec 15, 2007 5:45 pm

I would necessarily have been able to predict a Klein set precisely, but this is exactly the kind of thing I've been expecting Eclipse to turn toward a little more once they did some housecleaning of second-tier-films-by-Criterion-logroller-auteurs (and I do NOT include the Ozu set in that category -- possibly not the Malle, either, but I haven't watched enough of that one yet). Depending on their tastes, I think there are a lot of pleasant surprises ahead for people who voiced premature fears that Eclipse was going to play it too safe.
Last edited by Gregory on Sat Dec 15, 2007 5:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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justeleblanc
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#33 Post by justeleblanc » Sat Dec 15, 2007 5:55 pm

The terms DELIRIOUS FICTIONS in the title will help the sales. Think if they said THE SADISTIC MUSICALS OF ERNST LUBITSCH or THE HAUNTING MELODRAMAS OF YASUJIRO OZU, it may not be something they can do every time, but would we be as excited about this upcoming release if it was: THREE FILMS BY WILLIAM KLEIN?

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domino harvey
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#34 Post by domino harvey » Sat Dec 15, 2007 6:00 pm

ImageImage

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fiddlesticks
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#35 Post by fiddlesticks » Sat Dec 15, 2007 6:16 pm

justeleblanc wrote:The terms DELIRIOUS FICTIONS in the title will help the sales. Think if they said THE SADISTIC MUSICALS OF ERNST LUBITSCH or THE HAUNTING MELODRAMAS OF YASUJIRO OZU, it may not be something they can do every time, but would we be as excited about this upcoming release if it was: THREE FILMS BY WILLIAM KLEIN?
THE HAUNTING MELODRAMAS OF YASUJIRO OZU would have been a boxset with at least 30 discs. :)

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Cinephrenic
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#36 Post by Cinephrenic » Sat Dec 15, 2007 6:31 pm

The Twisted Films of Shohei Imamura or The Obnoxious Short Films of Martin Scorsese. This is my idea of marketing. :lol:

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Barmy
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#37 Post by Barmy » Sat Dec 15, 2007 7:22 pm

I vote for THE TEDIOUS CHIKFLIX OF MICKEY NARUSE. A 50-film trunk.

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Mr Pixies
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#38 Post by Mr Pixies » Sat Dec 15, 2007 7:56 pm

Awesome, this (http://www.diabolikdvd.com/category/Art ... -DVD).html)
was on my to get list for awhile, but a lot of money and I guess I was waiting for something like this. That release has a short commentary, maybe this release will carry it too? I hope that where possible, that an Eclipse title would have supplements.

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domino harvey
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#39 Post by domino harvey » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:20 pm

Clip from Polly Maggoo, and the closing credits

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Jean-Luc Garbo
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#40 Post by Jean-Luc Garbo » Tue Dec 18, 2007 1:09 pm

Holy crap did I love those credits! It's like bits of Lewis Carroll, Angela Carter, and Edward Gorey mixed together. I'd certainly like to see more credits like that in my movies.

Rupert Pupkin
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#41 Post by Rupert Pupkin » Tue Dec 18, 2007 5:25 pm

this is a great set... this has been released by Arte (all movies + supplements) a couple of years ago (I highly recommend Mr Freedom which is uncut in the Arte release and Polly...) Delphine Seyrig is soooo sexy in this movie and there are plenty of stars... I've never seen Philippe Noiret fighting a pre-Spectreman X-Or creature... this movie is sooo crazy. some screenshots here.

too bad that Eclipse didn't keep the original artwork which is great.
By the way the Arte box set is NTSC (which I found a bit strange for a zone 2 DVD- It's probably zone ALL; I could check if you want)

Image

the box set features some great supplements including William Klein interview (there's a reference to Star Wars : Empire Strike Back story which is pretty funny)...

Was is really striking is that this movie has some real pop-art from the Pompidou pre-years (orange everywhere) which is graphically precursor to many movies including of course Orange Mecanique (and even Rollerball...)

you gotta be kidding me

#42 Post by you gotta be kidding me » Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:33 am

Finally: Serge Gainsbourg in the CC! Okay, in Eclipse, but close enough.

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Jean-Luc Garbo
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#43 Post by Jean-Luc Garbo » Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:24 pm

That's right! Gainsbourg in the CC indeed! Thanks for posting that photo - I love Serge.

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justeleblanc
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#44 Post by justeleblanc » Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:03 pm

Jean-Luc Garbo wrote:That's right! Gainsbourg in the CC indeed! Thanks for posting that photo - I love Serge.
Who doesn't?

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denti alligator
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#45 Post by denti alligator » Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:18 pm

justeleblanc wrote:
Jean-Luc Garbo wrote:That's right! Gainsbourg in the CC indeed! Thanks for posting that photo - I love Serge.
Who doesn't?
Nice to finally see that clip. I thought that she bluntly says "no" to his request for a quickie, and that he punches her, but I guess that's legend. YouTube preserves the truth.

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colinr0380
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#46 Post by colinr0380 » Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:43 pm

you gotta be kidding me wrote:Finally: Serge Gainsbourg in the CC! Okay, in Eclipse, but close enough.
He does make an extremely brief appearance in the Qui êtes-vous Anna Karina? extra on the Woman Is A Woman disc (less than a minute at the end!)

Whitney should have punched him out for the way he was pawing her in that clip! It reminds me a little of this!

SheriffAmbrose
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#47 Post by SheriffAmbrose » Wed Dec 19, 2007 8:09 pm

colinr0380 wrote:He does make an extremely brief appearance in the Qui êtes-vous Anna Karina? extra on the Woman Is A Woman disc (less than a minute at the end!)
He can also be glimpsed applauding Tati as he accepts an award in one of those Playtime docs. As excited as I am about Serge(have you seen this?), I am also thrilled that I will be able to see more of Seyrig.
Rupert Pupkin wrote:Delphine Seyrig is soooo sexy in this movie
I am absolutely fascinated by her. Sometimes she looks soooo sexy (Stolen Kisses) and sometimes she looks soooo old (Muriel, her actual age at the time of filming was thirty). I think I am in love with her actually. Her first film role was in that beat thing, Pull My Daisy. I read an interview with her where she said that she was present at the filming of Keaton's final scene in Film. How cool is that? And thanks for posting that poster.

Rupert Pupkin
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#48 Post by Rupert Pupkin » Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:56 pm

SheriffAmbrose wrote:
colinr0380 wrote:He does make an extremely brief appearance in the Qui êtes-vous Anna Karina? extra on the Woman Is A Woman disc (less than a minute at the end!)
He can also be glimpsed applauding Tati as he accepts an award in one of those Playtime docs. As excited as I am about Serge(have you seen this?), I am also thrilled that I will be able to see more of Seyrig.
Rupert Pupkin wrote:Delphine Seyrig is soooo sexy in this movie
I am absolutely fascinated by her. Sometimes she looks soooo sexy (Stolen Kisses) and sometimes she looks soooo old (Muriel, her actual age at the time of filming was thirty). I think I am in love with her actually. Her first film role was in that beat thing, Pull My Daisy. I read an interview with her where she said that she was present at the filming of Keaton's final scene in Film. How cool is that? And thanks for posting that poster.
yes for the Gainsbourg-Anna Karina bonus - I bought it also for it..

but in Mr Freedom, really Gainsbourg only makes a cameo.. He is in just one scene.. .But Mr Freedom as a lot of special guest stars... :D
you should buy the box set Gainsbourg DVD + B.B (which features Gainsbourg + B.B. Bonnie & Clyde famous clips which probably showed to Arthur Penn and Mrs Dunaway how to show her stocking legs... since the Gainsbourg clips was earlier)

Delphine Seyrig is dressed in Mr Freedom like Deneuve and Dorléac in Les Demoiselle de Rochefort, but it's just the start :oops:
if you like Delphine Seyring, Donkey Skin is definitely a must-have...

SheriffAmbrose
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#49 Post by SheriffAmbrose » Thu Dec 20, 2007 12:32 am

Rupert Pupkin wrote:... since the Gainsbourg clips was earlier
I know exactly the stocking bit you mean. That was first? I am suddenly more impressed than I ever thought I could be. That Bonnie and Clyde clip is great.

Donkey Skin. If netflix has it, it will be on top of my queue in a few minutes. Thanks.

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Jean-Luc Garbo
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#50 Post by Jean-Luc Garbo » Fri Dec 21, 2007 1:11 pm

Alas, Serge is best-known for that Whitney Houston incident. It's certainly a pity because his best years were behind him.
Seyrig in Daughters of Darkness was also weird to see because of her age. She did a good job, though.

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