Why Won't They Release Only What I Want?

[richast2]

bite your tongue.

[Cinesimilitude]

I don't need it... but that's not to say I wouldn't buy it...

[paulterranova2000]

WHY WOULD CRITERION RELEASE "THE FOUNTAIN" ON DVD WHEN THE FILM IS ALREADY AVAILABLE AND VERY GOOD QUALITY DVD AT THAT?

CRITERION SHOULD FOCUS ON THOSE FILMS THAT ARE STILL UNAVAILABLE WORLDWIDE (I.E. RELEASES SUCH AS W.R. ORGANISM). I WOULD SUGGEST "CEDDO" DIRECTED BY OUSMANE SEMBENE SINCE CRITERION DOES NOT HAVE ANY CONTINENTAL AFRICAN FILMS IN THEIR COLLECTION, WHICH IS HARD TO FATHOM WHY! #-o

[godardslave]

NO NEED FOR CAPS LOCKS.

but i do kind of agree actually with your point.

[patrick]

I must have missed the press release regarding The Fountain.

[Cinephrenic]

I TOTALLY AGREE!!!! BUT I PREFER REQUIEM OF A DREAM OR PI.

AND FORGET THE AFRICAN GUY, GO FOR MORE GODARD, BERGMAN, AND MIZOGUCHI. WE NEED MORE OBSCURE GUYS LIKE THESE. =P~

[Darth Lavender]

Actually, I would disagree about releasing the "obscure" films. With Criterion's often bountiful extras and always bountiful prices, it's a format which is really best suited for creating "definitive" editions of the acknowledged classics. Films like Seven Samurai, Olivier's Henry V, Fanny & Alexander, etc. which aren't likely to get a release from the major studios, but are films that art-house buffs generally know and love enough to pay top dollar for a (usually) first-rate release.

African cinema would be more appropriate for something like Image or Eclipse. Certainly, with Criterion DVDs, I'll only "take a risk" on an accepted classic that I know I'll love (excepting a couple of riskier titles I got for $22 Australian)

Also, why pick on The Fountain? It has *some* merit as a choice for Criterion, because it has an interesting back-story (abandoned project, etc.) that wasn't discussed in any of the extras on the Warner release.
However, I will say this, with Criterion's current refusal to release HD, no transfer of their's could ever eclipse the Warner HD. (Not the forum for this, but I think it's actually a much worse movie for Criterion to refrain from HD than it would have been for, say, Fox or Warner to stay out of the HD formats. The big studios sell primarily on the basis of content (since they tend to have copyright in all regions,) but the whole point of Criterion is that they're supposed to be "the best" version (of classics that are usually available in a few different editions & regions,) and that simply isn't possible when Criterion sells, for example, an SD "Fear & Loathing" while Universal sells a (gorgeous) HD "Fear & Loathing" at half the price.

[miless]

you (paulterranova2000), my friend, are ignoring South America... and Antarctica (the ultimate of the 'ignored continents'. Hell, they can't even get non-documentary films made there)

What about South America? I can only think of one film, Black Orpheus, from that continent in the collection... and similar to The Battle of Algiers, it was shot by a European director.

[justeleblanc]

I believe that Ousmane Sembene title is a New Yorker property, and they've been pretty good at putting out a new Sembene title every other year.

[HerrSchreck]

Check here papa... dedicated thread.

[Cold Bishop]

Actually, I would disagree about releasing the "obscure" films. With Criterion's often bountiful extras and always bountiful prices, it's a format which is really best suited for creating "definitive" editions of the acknowledged classics. Films like Seven Samurai, Olivier's Henry V, Fanny & Alexander, etc. which aren't likely to get a release from the major studios, but are films that art-house buffs generally know and love enough to pay top dollar for a (usually) first-rate release.

African cinema would be more appropriate for something like Image or Eclipse. Certainly, with Criterion DVDs, I'll only "take a risk" on an accepted classic that I know I'll love (excepting a couple of riskier titles I got for $22 Australian).

God forbid we go against the critical-consensus, with their attractive Europeans (and Japan, when it behaves and stays in costume) and all.

[Darth Lavender]

I thought I had been clear enough, but I'll clarify further...

I'm all in favour of genuinely obscure and overlooked films being made available. However, I would prefer to see them made available as affordable (even minimal) DVDs, rather than as expensive Criterion releases which I certainly wouldn't blind buy, and I doubt most people would, either.

[Poncho Punch]

Sembene was hardly an obscure filmmaker, African or not.

[patrick]

Sembene was hardly an obscure filmmaker, African or not.

He's certainly the best-known African filmmaker.

In all of this crap swirling around the Fountain it just strikes me that maybe Aronofsky is being a bit of a baby - he seems to be missing the fact that WB gave him the money to make a really personal and kind of crazy movie AND when it bombed they didn't drop him like a hot potato.

[Via_Chicago]

In all of this crap swirling around the Fountain it just strikes me that maybe Aronofsky is being a bit of a baby - he seems to be missing the fact that WB gave him the money to make a really personal and kind of crazy movie AND when it bombed they didn't drop him like a hot potato.

Aronofsky is a big baby. I've met fewer more undeservedly cocksure people in my whole life.

[stalker_ozu]

A terrible month, the only interesting title is LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD, I hope that the missing spine is the long awaited release of THE ONLY SON or a Mizoguchi film.

[Tom Hagen]

A terrible month, the only interesting title is LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD, I hope that the missing spine is the long awaited release of THE ONLY SON or a Mizoguchi film.

Yes, it has been like six whole months since we've gotten some Ozu.

[AfterTheRain]

I'm hoping that the missing spine title for this month is Senso, since its been seemingly ages since the collection had some Visconti.

[Thomas J.]

Yes, it has been like six whole months since we've gotten some Ozu.

This literally made me LOL. You guys are funny when you eat your own. And Criterion is clearly a shell of its former self. The Andre extras, the Marienbad cover, the Bergman Island stand-alone. It's gotten so bad that I've come around to the other side and am actually starting to feel sorry for them.

[Saturnome]

It always ends up like that, I guess the pheromones included inside the Criterion DVD packages only last a certain time.
Surely it's because I'm a newbie who's aware of Criterion for little more than a year (boo! shun the noobs! the pheromones still works with me!), but with so much past releases I'm slowly going through, I'm quite happy of buying a average of a new title a month.

[Jeff]

...Criterion is clearly a shell of its former self. The Andre extras, the Marienbad cover, the Bergman Island stand-alone. It's gotten so bad that I've come around to the other side and am actually starting to feel sorry for them.

I know! The series of tragedies that have befallen us today are certainly indicative of The End Days. In their 25-year history, this is the first time they've ever issued a cover that some people didn't like, or released a disc without hundreds of supplements. I LOL'ed for hours today at Criterion's uselessness, then I cried until I vomited. I fully expect that they will announce that they are going out of business by the end of the week. They will likely cite "shame regarding our pathetic releases" as the cause, not bankruptcy. If only they had released some Chico Ejiro, this could have all been avoided! Why, God? WHY?!?!?

[GringoTex]

Worst Criterion month ever. I hate Marienbad, am indifferent to Andre, and prefer the Bergman who could get it up while cursing God.

[Dr. Snaut]

I know Criterion could have done more with these titles, but I am still creaming over Marienbad and Seventh Seal re-issue. I feel like these were two of the most anticipated releases of the year, with My Dinner With Andre. I think that because expectations were running so high, no one is impressed with these releases. They could have been printed on gold sheets and people would still complain. I think I will feel the same way when Criterion re-releases Andrei Rublev.

On a side note, I am completely digging the Marienbad and Seventh Seal covers. Totally unexpected designs that I think people will start appreciating more in a month or so once they sink in.

[domino harvey]

...Criterion is clearly a shell of its former self. The Andre extras, the Marienbad cover, the Bergman Island stand-alone. It's gotten so bad that I've come around to the other side and am actually starting to feel sorry for them.

I know! The series of tragedies that have befallen us today are certainly indicative of The End Days. In their 25-year history, this is the first time they've ever issued a cover that some people didn't like, or released a disc without hundreds of supplements. I LOL'ed for hours today at Criterion's uselessness, then I cried until I vomited. I fully expect that they will announce that they are going out of business by the end of the week. They will likely cite "shame regarding our pathetic releases" as the cause, not bankruptcy. If only they had released some Chico Ejiro, this could have all been avoided! Why, God? WHY?!?!?

Though I admire your attempt to out-hyperbole Thomas J, I don't think he's wandered that far from the path many of us are taking with the label. It's an underwhelming month, for reasons I've already discussed elsewhere, and it feels worse than normal because these should have been slam-dunks. Criterion is slipping on fundamentals, and the question might be for some here, how much faith can one keep in them for future releases that come without the sorts of (untapped by Criterion) resources of these titles?

[Jeff]

It's an underwhelming month, for reasons I've already discussed elsewhere, and it feels worse than normal because these should have been slam-dunks. Criterion is slipping on fundamentals, and the question might be for some here, how much faith can one keep in them for future releases that come without the sorts of (untapped by Criterion) resources of these titles?

I understand some people being disappointed in the Marienbad cover or perplexed by the Bergman situation, but what specific things are missing from the Marienbad and André discs that would make them worthwhile (other than films Gringo likes)? Surely no one is disappointed in the quality of the Seventh Seal re-issue.