Criterion and IFC

[domino harvey]

Criterion Facebook revealed that Chabrol's A Girl Cut in Two is not one of their IFC titles

[Matt]

Criterion Facebook revealed that Chabrol's A Girl Cut in Two is not one of their IFC titles

It would be inauspicious to have one of Chabrol's more recent films be his CC debut, but it would be nice if they'd deign to release at least one of his films. When the hell does Pathfinder Home Entertainment's license on some of his better films expire, anyway?

[Perkins Cobb]

Seriously: Out of the major directors, Chabrol must have the worst ratio of films available on DVD vs. number of those DVDs that are actually watchable, by a wide margin.

[domino harvey]

Not to slip into my standard Chabroloholic ranting, but he's one of the more profitable modern foreign filmmakers for American audiences, so it's pretty beguiling why Criterion won't even release the Chabrol titles we know they already own (Les Cousins, Le Beau Serge). I mean, when they passed over a chance to release his greatest film, Le Ceremonie, I guess the writing was on the wall, but still.

[MoonlitKnight]

As long as both German episodes are included, I really don't care who releases it.

Everything A&E released should be included: the 2 German episodes, the 'lost' May Day special, "Live at the Hollywood Bowl," the 30th Anniversary special, and the Aspen reunion special ("Parrot Sketch Not Included" is not necessary, however...even if it does contain the last seen footage of all 6 of them together very briefly at the end). And, of course, all the fixings of individual episodes that A&E did NOT do.

[Tom Hagen]

Not to slip into my standard Chabroloholic ranting, but he's one of the more profitable modern foreign filmmakers for American audiences, so it's pretty beguiling why Criterion won't even release the Chabrol titles we know they already own (Les Cousins, Le Beau Serge). I mean, when they passed over a chance to release his greatest film, Le Ceremonie, I guess the writing was on the wall, but still.

Why would we want Chabrol when there's the potential to get every last piece of Monty Python minutiae?

[Deoxsys]

Out of curiosity, what is the chance that Criterion will release Antichrist? Or other Trier work that's owned by IFC?

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

It hasn't even come out in theaters yet.

[swo17]

This is all we know at this point:

Mulvaney didn't get into the details of the IFC deal but what it does mean is that Criterion already has twelve titles agreed upon with IFC to release, Antichrist currently not being one of them. As the article makes clear, IFC is the deciding factor in what goes to Criterion and what goes to MPI, so (for whatever bizarro reason) they may have already determined MPI is the best route for that film.

[brendanjc]

A pretty reliable online source posted today that In The Loop is coming out on Blu-ray on Janurary 12th. It doesn't mention Criterion, and neither does the placeholder Amazon page which says the distributor for the Blu-ray is IFC Films, so it looks like this might not be one of the titles in the Criterion deal.

[PfR73]

A pretty reliable online source posted today that In The Loop is coming out on Blu-ray on Janurary 12th. It doesn't mention Criterion, and neither does the placeholder Amazon page which says the distributor for the Blu-ray is IFC Films, so it looks like this might not be one of the titles in the Criterion deal.

I was just about to post about this. The Blu-Ray was added today to DVDEmpire's preorder information. They have a cover, which is very obviously not a Criterion edition, & they list the distributor as MPI, who are handling non-Criterion IFC releases:

http://www.dvdempire.com/Exec/v4_item.a ... id=1500444" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[James]

That should probably belong in the worst covers thread.

[kaujot]

Only because of the face-filled arrows.

[ianungstad]

Some Errol Morris in Criterion's future?

The library will also feature documentaries by filmmaker Errol Morris, including “The Thin Blue Line” and “Gates of Heaven”. Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s award-winning “Brother’s Keeper,” and Jim Stern and Adam Del Deo’s political documentary “So Goes The Nation” are also featured.

[Flike]

The library will also feature documentaries by filmmaker Errol Morris, including “The Thin Blue Line”.

How long has the MGM disc been out-of-print? I'd think it insane that Criterion would pass over this, if they had access.

[Tom Hagen]

I am not going to have any heartburn picking up a wacky C-less In the Loop with stupid cover art instead of getting a substantially similar product with a wacky C and slightly less horrible cover art for twice the price.

[ianungstad]

Not sure when they went out of print but it must have been semi-recently. It seems most retailers still have stock.

Thin Blue Line (oop) : http://dvdlist.kazart.com/queryDVDList2.php3?id=63150" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Errol Morris collection (oop) : http://dvdlist.kazart.com/queryDVDList2.php3?id=63212" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mike's Movie Mayhem is still showing Gates of Heaven as being in print but I'm sure that will change in the very near future. As you said, with them being with IFC now, I doubt Criterion will "pass" them on to MPI. Would be nice to see a Criterion version of the Errol Morris box.

EDIT: Amazon has Gates of Heaven, Thin Blue Line and Vernon; Florida in their on demand section credited to IFC films.

[Jeff]

The MGM versions were IFC property too; you'll find the IFC logo featured prominently on the MGM cases. The films are owned by Morris, who has signed a long-term agreement IFC. MGM only released them because they had a contract to distribute IFC product (Y Tu Mama Tambien, for example) on video. That deal has recently expired. The whole box is ideal Criterion fodder.

[domino harvey]

But do they need to be Criterion fodder? I mean, it seems like lately the label is turning into a realization of every first post: "Wouldn't it be great if Criterion released my favorite film that is already out in a fine edition on DVD just so it can be out on Criterion?!?!"

[Jeff]

I guess I'm more into supplements than the average bear. The MGM releases of the Errol Morris films are serviceable, and nothing more. A little contextualization is a good thing. I'm always thrilled when Criterion releases something otherwise unavailable, but I know that can't form the bulk of their business.

IFC owns the rights to the films, and MGM's license to distribute them is up. Somebody is going to keep those films in print. It's either going to be MPI or Criterion. I can't think of a reason why I wouldn't root for the latter.

[swo17]

But do they need to be Criterion fodder? I mean, it seems like lately the label is turning into a realization of every first post: "Wouldn't it be great if Criterion released my favorite film that is already out in a fine edition on DVD just so it can be out on Criterion?!?!"

Hmmm...

P.S. Jeff, as long as you have that new avatar, I would love it if you would incorporate the phrase "more than the average bear" into all future posts.

[domino harvey]

I guess I'm more into supplements than the average Adams

[Ben Cheshire]

Criterion/The Devil

[Jeff]

Jeff, as long as you have that new avatar, I would love it if you would incorporate the phrase "more than the average bear" into all future posts.

That's not a bear in my avatar, it's just a silly man who needs a shave and wears a fur coat.

When I was a kid, my dad was always applying the "more than the average bear" Yogism in bizarre contexts, it has apparently rubbed off on me.

[manicsounds]

Jeff, as long as you have that new avatar, I would love it if you would incorporate the phrase "more than the average bear" into all future posts.

That's not a bear in my avatar, it's just a silly man who needs a shave and wears a fur coat.

Great Chuck Jones short by the way.
I wonder how Criterion/IFC are really chosing which to Criterion-ize and which not to. As with MPI, I know they did a great job on "Baraka", although it took a few tries at it. How are their other discs?