Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol. 5

[Moe Dickstein]

I think Eclipse is getting to the point where they will have to start doing BD versions as well, since many things that are planned to go that route end up getting mainline to facilitate a Blu release and most anything getting a new scan these days is going to be done in a Blu-worthy manner. I think that's part of the reason we've seen such a slowdown of Eclipse sets.

[jindianajonz]

I'm going to guess no eclipse this month on the theory the AK100 esque December Zatoichi project has been absorbing most of the eclipse personnel for the entire year.

I hope you're wrong (but then I have zero interest in the Zatoichi thing). Plus, the Eclipse line put out five sets in 2009 (when AK100 was released).

Didn't the AK100 set draw from already released discs? If so, then it would require far fewer resources than a box of yet-to-be-released films.

[dwk]

If the Postwar Kurosawa Eclipse was released before AK100, then 20 of the 25 films in the AK100 had already been released on DVD by Criterion.

[onedimension]

Huh, I wonder how much more it would cost them to do blu/dvd eclipses, or just switch eclipse to blu-ray.. I think part of the rationale for DVD was that it would be cheaper to produce, and obviously if the scans/transfers are quick and dirty, you don't need blu ray as badly (although I know that's debatable)

[onedimension]

There's probably some Hulu/eclipse overlap or tension, too..

[movielocke]

the master tapes for the AK set may have been fine for 20 of the 25 films, but they're still generating all new discs, not repackaging old ones. the level of work that may or may not have entailed is debatable since we don't have much information.

[Moe Dickstein]

If they are just doing new discs you just have to make a new author and disc encode if your transfer is otherwise set, so it's not a big process. The AK box is all bare bones right?

[swo17]

In the DVD Beaver review of the AK100 set, Gary indicated that "quite a few" of the films that existed in previous Criterion editions showed up in the set with different transfers.

[Yaanu]

Huh, I wonder how much more it would cost them to do blu/dvd eclipses, or just switch eclipse to blu-ray.. I think part of the rationale for DVD was that it would be cheaper to produce, and obviously if the scans/transfers are quick and dirty, you don't need blu ray as badly (although I know that's debatable)

Also, they haven't figured out how to make slim 7mm BD cases. Once they find out how to make those, then they'll start putting Eclipse on Blu-ray Disc.

[Moe Dickstein]

Gee if that was the only hold up they could just use DVD cases and make sure everything was marked Blu.

With the increased capacity and no extras, some eclipse sets wouldn't even be more than one or two discs.

[matrixschmatrix]

The Buster Keaton Short Films blu set Kino put out has slimline BD cases.

[jwd5275]

If these recently posted hulu images mean anything, it looks like the WCF films are getting a separate branding like Eclipse (or maybe a huge box set)...

[MongooseCmr]

Not sure how I feel about that. Some of these definetly deserve the "prestige" of a mainline release. Wouldn't making a second brand to release these on just continue their reputation as secondary films?

[Moe Dickstein]

Perhaps it's a co-branding and they will go mainline. They still have the full "The Criterion Collection" branding as well, this new "world C" might just be an additional thing rather than completely separate like Merchant Ivory

[zedz]

I hadn't thought that hard about it, but I'd always assumed that - whatever form those releases eventually took - they would carry clear WCF / Scorsese branding alongside the traditional wacky C. These films need all the help they can get, and both brands confer prestige and will translate into blind-buy sales.

My bet is a series of branded grab-bag mainline box sets. A lot of these films have little or no existing profile, and some have practically none, so safety in numbers seems the safest bet, commercially. After all the work that's been put into them, there's no way they will be relegated to SD Eclipse sets, and I'm sure there will be modest extras for every film. We already know there's at least one for The Night of Counting the Years.

[eerik]

Spine #4001: The Tale of Zatoitchi is linked at bottom of the La notte page.

[domino harvey]

I can already hear the Collectors screaming, "But now there'll be a GAP between the spines!!!!"

[ptatler]

I can already hear the Collectors screaming, "But now there'll be a GAP between the spines!!!!"

I wonder if all 3000 discs will be branded with a Wacky Z on the spine.

[mfunk9786]

Well, it's spine #404 right now.

[Moe Dickstein]

I can already hear the Collectors screaming, "But now there'll be a GAP between the spines!!!!"

Yeah it's painful enough with all the gaps in the Laserdisc spine numbers, one of the best moves they ever made was never leaving gaps in the DVD/Blus

[domino harvey]

You have to admire their optimism in not settling for 3001

[Moe Dickstein]

and I guess 2001 is reserved for Kubrick.

[domino harvey]

Because that's how many takes any five minutes of the Shining took?

[Moe Dickstein]

close, it's how many pages of "All work and no play make Jack a dull boy" there were

[HistoryProf]

so no early info on what they're announcing today?