Criterion Random Speculation Vol.3

[Narshty]

Since this is coming from an IMDB board (and a poster who urges people to keep emailing Criterion to tell them to release Bottle Rocket, which both annoys me and shows they have a limited understanding of Criterion and how they work) who knows if it's legit, but if it is I guess the rights might be expiring this year or next year.

Interesting! I very much doubt it's a case of rights expiring - more likely that Criterion and Sony have kissed and made up since the allegedly bad blood spilt between them over the Holy Grail commentary track licensing affair.

[souvenir]

If Bottle Rocket is on the horizon and The Darjeeling Limited gets a spine number too, I wonder if they'd release them together or milk it a little by spacing them out.

[patrick]

Ugh, I just took a look at the dot.com forums (I try to steer very clear) and some of the stuff on there just blew my mind - are people really stubborn enough to not buy something like the 2-disc WB Citizen Kane just because it wasn't released by Criterion? For a forum about a specific company, people over there seem to have as limited an understanding of how Criterion works as IMDB posters do - i.e., "Keep emailing Criterion to tell them that you want to see them release Pulp Fiction."

[Steven H]

Shame this thread is closed, huh?

[justeleblanc]

Ugh, I just took a look at the dot.com forums (I try to steer very clear) and some of the stuff on there just blew my mind - are people really stubborn enough to not buy something like the 2-disc WB Citizen Kane just because it wasn't released by Criterion? For a forum about a specific company, people over there seem to have as limited an understanding of how Criterion works - i.e., "Keep emailing Criterion to tell them that you want to see them release Pulp Fiction."

I work in political polling and our office gets the same irrational emails from people, only instead of asking for a Citizen Kane DVD, they think Ron Paul is really at 40%.

It's hard not to be a misanthrope sometimes.

[jaredsap]

Since this is coming from an IMDB board (and a poster who urges people to keep emailing Criterion to tell them to release Bottle Rocket, which both annoys me and shows they have a limited understanding of Criterion and how they work) who knows if it's legit, but if it is I guess the rights might be expiring this year or next year.

Interesting! I very much doubt it's a case of rights expiring - more likely that Criterion and Sony have kissed and made up since the allegedly bad blood spilt between them over the Holy Grail commentary track licensing affair.

Yes. I can't attest to the BOTTLE ROCKET rumor's validity, but if it does pan out I'd attribute the release to this.

[Awesome Welles]

my girlfriend is on it 24/7. I'll have to mention face stalk to her

How often are you on there François-xavier?

I don't know what you mean SonicDeathMonkey...

[Cinesimilitude]

my girlfriend is on it 24/7. I'll have to mention face stalk to her

How often are you on there François-xavier?

I don't know what you mean SonicDeathMonkey...

I searched facebook for F Simeoni, only one male with that first initial and that last name came up. and if you're dating a girl who is on face book "like 24/7", I assumed you'd have one too.

[Awesome Welles]

No, I'm not on face book. But should I ever succumb search for Francesco Simeoni, I'd be happy for you to add me.

[What A Disgrace]

With The Magician and Sawdust and Tinsel newly 'confirmed'...and Monika surely on the way, might Criterion release these three and Summer Interlude in a big old box dedicated to 50s Bergman?

[Cinesimilitude]

With The Magician and Sawdust and Tinsel newly 'confirmed'...and Monika surely on the way, might Criterion release these three and Summer Interlude in a big old box dedicated to 50s Bergman?

I could see it as being the boxset to kickoff 2008, we've already had 3 boxsets this year.

[Narshty]

Don't forget the upcoming Max Ophuls set too.

These all seem to be certainties before the year is through:

Breathless
Days of Heaven
Two-Lane Blacktop
Berlin Alexanderplatz
Under The Volcano
Salo

[justeleblanc]

I've been told Breathless is a December release.... and Pierrot le fou, a title once taken off the release schedule, has just been put back on.

[Cinesimilitude]

I sure hope the godard is out before the end of the year. I started a small film club and we are watching all the godard we can get our paws on.

[justeleblanc]

I sure hope the godard is out before the end of the year. I started a small film club and we are watching all the godard we can get our paws on.

I did that last year and it was quite awesome. Through ebay and other sources, we found pretty much all of his films up through Notre Music.

[domino harvey]

I can't imagine Breathless being a December release, December is dump month for retail, I'd bet good money a title this big will be out by November or put off til January.

[Jeff]

I can't imagine Breathless being a December release, December is dump month for retail, I'd bet good money a title this big will be out by November or put off til January.

It may be a "dump month" for many in the industry, but I don't think Criterion feels that way. These are a few of the "major films from major directors" that have been released in December. Granted there has been some filler in December as well.

12/00 - Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
12/01 - 8 1/2
12/02 - Contempt
12/04 - M
12/05 - Shoot the Piano Player

They had originally planned Yojimbo/Sanjuro for December last year, but it got delayed.

[patrick]

Not that I think Criterion really takes this into consideration, but it would be awfully considerate of them to release Berlin Alexanderplatz before Christmas/the Deepdiscount sale in December, considering how much that beast is probably going to cost.

[LightBulbFilm]

I don't know if anyone has read the short story Dragon: The Old Potters Tale by Ryunosuke Akutagawa but it tells the story of a man who posts a sign with a false message to trick all the villagers, but it ends up tricking the whole of Japan... In the end the false message seems to come true. Maybe people post messages about Criterion releasing Bottle Rocket, etc. in hopes that it will come true. I can see how an easily amused person could consider that.

Not that I think Criterion really takes this into consideration, but it would be awfully considerate of them to release Berlin Alexanderplatz before Christmas/the Deepdiscount sale in December, considering how much that beast is probably going to cost.

Meh, I don't think it will cost more than eighty dollars. If it does, it will surprise me. I think I remember somewhere it being said that it will be 4 or 5 discs, so I can't see them charging more than one-hundred dollars at most for it if it is indeed that many discs.

[patrick]

One hundred would be reasonable - I was expecting that would be the lowest possible price.

[TheGodfather]

These all seem to be certainties before the year is through:

Salo

Looking at the fact they`re re-releasing this, I was questioning my self: is there any chance that there`s a re-release coming up of Alphaville?

[justeleblanc]

It's bare bones, yes, but the film does not have the anamorphic issue that BRAZIL had. If they could get their hands on Germany 99 Zero, then I could see a re-issue.

I don't know if anyone has read the short story Dragon: The Old Potters Tale by Ryunosuke Akutagawa but it tells the story of a man who posts a sign with a false message to trick all the villagers, but it ends up tricking the whole of Japan... In the end the false message seems to come true. Maybe people post messages about Criterion releasing Bottle Rocket, etc. in hopes that it will come true. I can see how an easily amused person could consider that.

I would normally agree with you, but in this case I could really care less about a Bottle Rocket release. The version I have right now is fine, and I'm not a huge Wes Anderson fan, or at least not huge enough to OCD myself out over a Criterion release of Bottle Rocket.

Be that as it may, I thought it would be interesting enough to mention that Sony's rights for Bottle Rocket will eventually expire, and I can imagine that when they do, Criterion could very well release the Bottle Rocket DVD. If the rights expire in 2008 (ten years?) then this could happen sooner than later.

And to use your post-modern tale as an MO, I was actually hoping Criterion would release the full versions of Va Savoir and Joan the Maid, which I don't think can happen as long as Sony and Facets hold the rights for the shorter versions.

[patrick]

I agree, at this point I really could care less about a Criterion Bottle Rocket, and I'll get excited about it when I actually see it. It's odd though, at the video store more people ask about the rumored CC of Bottle Rocket than anything else having to do with Criterion (other than "what is Criterion and why do they get their own section?").

[TheGodfather]

These all seem to be certainties before the year is through:

Salo

Looking at the fact they`re re-releasing this, I was questioning my self: is there any chance that there`s a re-release coming up of Alphaville?

It's bare bones, yes, but the film does not have the anamorphic issue that BRAZIL had. If they could get their hands on Germany 99 Zero, then I could see a re-issue.

I sure hope it happens someday...

[Jeff]

I thought it would be interesting enough to mention that Sony's rights for Bottle Rocket will eventually expire, and I can imagine that when they do, Criterion could very well release the Bottle Rocket DVD.

What makes you think Sony's rights will ever expire? They have a deal with Jim Brooks' production company and provide financing for his films. As far as I know, they own the film outright.