Eclipse (was Criterion Cult Film Sub Company)

Message

Napoleon · #251 Post by **Napoleon** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:27 am

I've heard that the new line is the Blue Ray criterion collection.

I've also heard that they are not producing any new DVD spine numbers and discontinuing production on all existing DVDs.

Napoleon · #252 Post by **Napoleon** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:27 am

My last post was a facetious lie.

Lino · #253 Post by **Lino** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:34 am

One would never guess...

Napoleon · #254 Post by **Napoleon** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:53 am

justeleblanc wrote:I forgot who the person was, but there was definitely someone claiming to be an inside man on the eclipse line who would post in this forum. And I think that person also claimed that equinox was gonna be an eclipse title.

This chap/chapette?

justeleblanc · #255 Post by **justeleblanc** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:11 am

n. w. wrote:
justeleblanc wrote:I forgot who the person was, but there was definitely someone claiming to be an inside man on the eclipse line who would post in this forum. And I think that person also claimed that equinox was gonna be an eclipse title.
This chap/chapette?

I think it was aslphalt jungle, but I might be wrong. I thought we all got mad at him because he couldn't talk about the new Eclipse info.

Did he dissappear and become someone else?

lull · #256 Post by **lull** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:49 am

Derek Estes wrote:I think the logo looks more like an incomplete lower case E than a wacky C.

agreed. although i do believe there is still see a C in it. Eclipse and Criterion in the same logo.
dunno about the minimalist black and white for cult films. colors might be more appropriate. but will see what the design for the label before jumping on it.
i have faith :)

Buttery Jeb · #257 Post by **Buttery Jeb** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:20 am

With the talk of why or why not "Equinox" isn't going to be one of the flagship Eclipse titles, I'm thinking Criterion could use its release as a promotion for the new cult line. It's coming out in late June, around the time the September releases are being announced. As September was also being bandied around for a launch date for Eclipse, the timing would work out well.

I figure it's like those weekends when a cable network preempts its normal programming, to give a preview of shows from a sister network (like when USA Network had blocks of shows from Bravo or Trio; or when MTV has a weekend of all one style of music from its satellite channels). "Equinox" would be a perfect film to package with the first Eclipse catalog, alongside a standard Criterion catalog.

Just a hunch, but it sorta makes sense.

-BJ

Narshty · #258 Post by **Narshty** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:06 pm

lull wrote:agreed. although i do believe there is still see a C in it. Eclipse and Criterion in the same logo.

That's an interesting idea. Using the same 'C' design for eClipse and Criterion Collection. It would certainly make sense of the "New look, new line" comment.

Buttery Jeb wrote:With the talk of why or why not "Equinox" isn't going to be one of the flagship Eclipse titles, I'm thinking Criterion could use its release as a promotion for the new cult line..."Equinox" would be a perfect film to package with the first Eclipse catalog, alongside a standard Criterion catalog.

Again, more good solid sense. What's happening around here today?

Gregory · #259 Post by **Gregory** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:32 pm

One possible reason Equinox is not going to be released on the new line could be that they only secured the rights for a limited time and didn't want to put it on hold while they finish preparations for Eclipse. I'm not trying to start a rumor that Equinox is going out of print (not that that would be a very harmful rumor) but it is one possible explanation.

Dear Catastrophe Totoro · #260 Post by **Dear Catastrophe Totoro** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 6:55 pm

lull wrote:Eclipse and Criterion in the same logo.

This thought crossed my mind as well. What if both lines are part of Criterion as we know it today? Criterion has plenty of B-films already in the library, so maybe they figured they might as well keep giving these films spine numbers (Equinox), but give this part of Criterion a surname. This way, they can release films they are famous for as well as the quirky titles that they love to release, all without taking away from each other.

Narshty · #261 Post by **Narshty** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:19 pm

Gregory wrote:One possible reason Equinox is not going to be released on the new line could be that they only secured the rights for a limited time and didn't want to put it on hold while they finish preparations for Eclipse. I'm not trying to start a rumor that Equinox is going out of print (not that that would be a very harmful rumor) but it is one possible explanation.

It doesn't make sense that they'd sit on it for a good five years if they only had limited rights to it.

Gregory · #262 Post by **Gregory** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:39 pm

They said they hoped to release it way back then but I didn't know that they actually held the rights all this time. But yes you're probably right.

kekid · #263 Post by **kekid** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:13 pm

I am unclear about how Criterion intends to segment films between the two brand-names. I am not sure what is the definition of a "Cult" film. Can "Salo" be considered a "cult" film? If so, given two separate recent teasers from Criterion, I would think "Salo" could be the inaugural DVD under the new rubric. If it is not considered a "cult" film, why not? I would suggest that for Criterion to create a separate brand and unmistakably link it to their existing image (as the logo design suggests), they have to have some rigorous criteria (!) for inclusion. Cult items by definition polarize the audience, however for inclusion under a Criterion line extension they have to also have a kind of "classic" status. "Salo" and "El Topo" in my view meet these dual criteria. The danger is that they start issuing polarizing films that have not achieved (for the lack of a better word) a "classic" status. That could dilute their brand image. The history of consumer marketing is full of powerful brand names diluted through poorly conceived line extensions. Those who do not learn from history re-live it.

GringoTex · #264 Post by **GringoTex** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:41 pm

kekid wrote:Cult items by definition polarize the audience, however for inclusion under a Criterion line extension they have to also have a kind of "classic" status. "Salo" and "El Topo" in my view meet these dual criteria.

Neither Salo or El Topo meet these criteria. Both are undisputed classics. If anything, Dazed & Confused meets it, as it was so misunderstood upon its release. Today, D&C is a staple of every single trailerpark rental agency in Texas. All our kids see it, and it's making us better people.

Anonymous · #265 Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:56 pm

Narshty wrote: It doesn't make sense that they'd sit on it for a good five years if they only had limited rights to it.

<tangent alert> ouch! Lee was really stickin' it to Fox Lorber back in 2000! Was it because Fox Lorber took the Woo rights away? Or was there something else? </tangent alert>

Gigi M. · #266 Post by **Gigi M.** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:53 pm

kekid wrote:I am unclear about how Criterion intends to segment films between the two brand-names. I am not sure what is the definition of a "Cult" film. Can "Salo" be considered a "cult" film? If so, given two separate recent teasers from Criterion, I would think "Salo" could be the inaugural DVD under the new rubric. If it is not considered a "cult" film, why not? I would suggest that for Criterion to create a separate brand and unmistakably link it to their existing image (as the logo design suggests), they have to have some rigorous criteria (!) for inclusion. Cult items by definition polarize the audience, however for inclusion under a Criterion line extension they have to also have a kind of "classic" status. "Salo" and "El Topo" in my view meet these dual criteria. The danger is that they start issuing polarizing films that have not achieved (for the lack of a better word) a "classic" status. That could dilute their brand image. The history of consumer marketing is full of powerful brand names diluted through poorly conceived line extensions. Those who do not learn from history re-live it.

Remember, Salo already has a spine #.

Antoine Doinel · #267 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 12:08 am

Langlois68 wrote:
kekid wrote:Cult items by definition polarize the audience, however for inclusion under a Criterion line extension they have to also have a kind of "classic" status. "Salo" and "El Topo" in my view meet these dual criteria.
Neither Salo or El Topo meet these criteria. Both are undisputed classics. If anything, Dazed & Confused meets it, as it was so misunderstood upon its release. Today, D&C is a staple of every single trailerpark rental agency in Texas. All our kids see it, and it's making us better people.

Dazed & Confused and El Topo/Salo - the former is stacked with beautiful, young Hollywood actors and wasn't "misunderstood" as much as it didn't find its audience until it hit home video and cable. The definition of "cult" isn't the ability to polarize an audience so much as court a very marginal one - El Topo/Salo fits that criteria to a T.

Wasn't there a rumor floating around earlier this year that Criterion and Abkco had come to an agreement to bring Jodorowsky to DVD? But then again Allen Klein is a maniac and I wouldn't be surprised if he scuttled any deal that may have been even close to being in place.

Antoine Doinel · #268 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 12:08 am

Langlois68 wrote:
kekid wrote:Cult items by definition polarize the audience, however for inclusion under a Criterion line extension they have to also have a kind of "classic" status. "Salo" and "El Topo" in my view meet these dual criteria.
Neither Salo or El Topo meet these criteria. Both are undisputed classics. If anything, Dazed & Confused meets it, as it was so misunderstood upon its release. Today, D&C is a staple of every single trailerpark rental agency in Texas. All our kids see it, and it's making us better people.

Dazed & Confused and El Topo/Salo aren't comporable at all - the former is stacked with beautiful, young Hollywood actors and wasn't "misunderstood" as much as it didn't find its audience until it hit home video and cable. The definition of "cult" isn't the ability to polarize an audience so much as court a very marginal one - El Topo/Salo fits that criteria to a T.

Wasn't there a rumor floating around earlier this year that Criterion and Abkco had come to an agreement to bring Jodorowsky to DVD? But then again knowing Allen Klein's reputation, I wouldn't be surprised if he scuttled any deal that may have been even close to being in place.

Lino · #269 Post by **Lino** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 10:46 am

Absolutely hilarious thread over at Twitch - and you'd think we're mental over here...

http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/005691.html#comments

skuhn8 · #270 Post by **skuhn8** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 11:22 am

Annie Mall wrote:Absolutely hilarious thread over at Twitch - and you'd think we're mental over here...

http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/005691.html#comments

amateurs over there...but I love the whole spin on "Criterion must hate the Chinese" tangent. That was fun. Cool to watch the snowball grow and grow. Particularly worth reading are the 'glenn' posts: Ooooh oooh...just bought my first malata...you guys suck.

The Fanciful Norwegian · #271 Post by **The Fanciful Norwegian** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 5:14 pm

I'm faux-bourgeois :(

Jean-Luc Garbo · #272 Post by **Jean-Luc Garbo** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 1:26 pm

The Twitchfilm thread was insane!

Hilarious yeah, but how can they go on all day about Criterion? Do they have more members or are they just obsessed? Mental was just about the right word used to describe the thread

#273 Post by **cdnchris** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 3:57 pm

The Fanciful Norwegian wrote:I'm faux-bourgeois

I know it stings, we've all felt that (I remember the first time I was called faux-bourgeois and how I cried for weeks in my room). But in the end, you'll be alright, eh

Gordon · #274 Post by **Gordon** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:05 pm

I am just faux. An inauthentic non-entity. With shoes and a bad, Â£5.75 haircut.

LightBulbFilm · #275 Post by **LightBulbFilm** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:26 pm

Back on the subject of the logo... It kind of looks like a capital E could fit in the open spot on the C... Maybe that is the logo for Eclipse... Cause it's like the E is Eclipsing the C... Just a thought.