Criterion Random Speculation Vol.3

[justeleblanc]

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.

Good point indeed. So basically, it all comes down to whether or not Sony licensed the rights or bought the title entirely.

[Scharphedin2]

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.

Don't forget the upcoming Max Ophuls set too.

And don't any of you forget Masaki Kobayashi "The Human Condition." Surely the box set release to kick off 2008.

[SamSanchez]

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

Half of those should see release this October

[Gigi M.]

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

Half of those should see release this October

Who are you, and what do you know that we don't know?

[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.

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.

Interesting. I still feel like they'll try to garner all the media attention they can for this release by getting it out before or after December, but you've made a compelling argument for them not factoring in the season.

[domino harvey]

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.

Don't forget the upcoming Max Ophuls set too.

And don't any of you forget Masaki Kobayashi "The Human Condition." Surely the box set release to kick off 2008.

and there's still the Gorin set forthcoming as well!

[justeleblanc]

The Gorin set! Is that a definite for 07?

[domino harvey]

The Gorin set! Is that a definite for 07?

I just remember Gorin talking about having finished working on it in like February-- who knows when it'll street. Part of me thinks it's the release that gets dumped in December. I know I'll be pre-ordering it day one, but I think the ironic title of the set, "Three Popular Films," speaks to the commercial doom of the release.

[Scharphedin2]

The Gorin set! Is that a definite for 07?

I just remember Gorin talking about having finished working on it in like February-- who knows when it'll street. Part of me thinks it's the release that gets dumped in December. I know I'll be pre-ordering it day one, but I think the ironic title of the set, "Three Popular Films," speaks to the commercial doom of the release.

Do you think the Gorin set is a possibility for an Eclipse release, rather than a Criterion?

[Cinesimilitude]

If Gorin "worked" on it, that implies special features, and thus far all eclipse set have been entirely bare bones, so I would expect them to get spine numbers.

[justeleblanc]

If Gorin "worked" on it, that implies special features, and thus far all eclipse set have been entirely bare bones, so I would expect them to get spine numbers.

Plus, I have a feeling that the Gorin set was part of a deal made with Tout va Bien, before Eclipse was an option.

[jbeall]

Gorin's done too much with/for the Criterion collection over the years to be relegated to an Eclipse set. His introductions to some of the Criterion films are terrific. I'm sure Criterion has every intention of releasing his stuff on the Criterion line.

[justeleblanc]

Gorin's done too much with/for the Criterion collection over the years to be relegated to an Eclipse set. His introductions to some of the Criterion films are terrific. I'm sure Criterion has every intention of releasing his stuff on the Criterion line.

I wonder if that's why KOKO got the special treatment.

[arsonfilms]

Gorin's done too much with/for the Criterion collection over the years to be relegated to an Eclipse set. His introductions to some of the Criterion films are terrific. I'm sure Criterion has every intention of releasing his stuff on the Criterion line.

I wonder if that's why KOKO got the special treatment.

I don't know that I'd call an interlaced transfer and a 10 minute interview with the director "special treatment." Still, had Koko come out as anything else, it would have been HVE, not Eclipse, just as any involvement from Gorin would force his titles to appear on the primary label. Eclipse is just for lesser-known works by Criterion directors without any restoration work or supplements.

[Derek Estes]

I would say light restoration work, not no restoration work.

[arsonfilms]

I would say light restoration work, not no restoration work.

You are right, of course. Most (if not all) of the Malles were restored, but they were licensed already-completed film restorations, not in-house digital restorations. What I meant to say was that Criterion won't be doing any work on them (my basis for drawing the parallel to Gorin's involvement), but that they've said that they will release the best available transfers. Odds are pretty good though that any major restoration occuring elsewhere (the Munich Film Museum, for instance) would appear on the main label.

[Narshty]

One boxset they should do (and could) without hesitation: "Alexander Korda Adventure Epics" featuring King Solomon's Mines, The Four Feathers and The Thief of Bagdad. I'm quivering just imagining the prospect.

[What A Disgrace]

I wonder if Criterion will be able to package Mark Rappaport's From the Journals of Jean Seberg with the upcoming release of Breathless.

[Tribe]

One boxset they should do (and could) without hesitation: "Alexander Korda Adventure Epics" featuring King Solomon's Mines, The Four Feathers and The Thief of Bagdad. I'm quivering just imagining the prospect.

That would be excellent. Didn't someone note previously that there had been a recent rights change in regard to these?

Tribe

[domino harvey]

I wonder if Criterion will be able to package Mark Rappaport's From the Journals of Jean Seberg with the upcoming release of Breathless.

that would be a fantasy! were this to happen I would shower gifts upon the Criterion staff

[souvenir]

To add to the Bottle Rocket speculation, someone at DVDTalk mentioned that the Wilson brothers said they thought the film would be released from Criterion. This occurred at a recent NYTimes' TimesTalk event and the audio is available online here a little ways down the page.

[arsonfilms]

Both on AND off the topic of Bottle Rocket, The Darjeeling Limited is being put out theatrically through Fox Searchlight, marking a departure from the longstanding arrangement with Buena Vista and Buena Vista's longstanding arrangment with Criterion. Now of course any given indie can be licensed any which way, but if Darjeeling Limited comes out on DVD through Fox as well...

...Do you think it would end speculation about Bottle Rocket once and for all?

[Narshty]

I don't see why. Fox and Sony aren't the same company.

[arsonfilms]

I don't see why. Fox and Sony aren't the same company.

I guess my thought was that the outlook would have to shift to accommodate for another Anderson film not represented by Criterion. The lack of Bottle Rocket in the collection is a sticking point for many because it goes against the notion of completism. The absence of another Anderson film would force these completists to come to terms with the idea that maybe lack of will isn't the reason Bottle Rocket hasn't come out under Criterion. Nobody complains when the new Linklater or Green or Gilliam or Soderbergh etc, doesn't get a spine number, because they don't have the precedence of consistency that Anderson does. Without a continuation of that precedence, maybe we won't have to keep hearing about the same film. Sure Fox and Sony are different companies, but what they have in common is that they aren't Disney, which means all bets are off.

[LightBulbFilm]

Anderson may have a say in the way the DVDs are distributed, no? I understand directors don't have all the power people like to think, but when the contract was being written couldn't Anderson have said "By the way, youll have to license my films ot Criterion if they wish to pick them up."?