Criterion Newsletter (Part 2)

[Borowczyk76]

I really hope they use the old SF film poster for the DVD/Blu-ray cover. Looks awesome!

[Tommaso]

Yea not a huge shock, but I wonder if will get the 1958 remake as a bonus on the disc.

Or the 1939 Duvivier version. The OOP Tartan 2-disc however had Bergman's "The Image Makers" as a bonus, and that one would indeed be an ideal supplement for this CC edition, too.

[PillowRock]

The OOP Tartan 2-disc however had Bergman's "The Image Makers" as a bonus, and that one would indeed be an ideal supplement for this CC edition, too.

I have that edition. While I haven't watched The Image Makers since shortly after getting it 2 or 3 years ago, I remember it being an interesting and worthwhile watch. It would indeed be a good extra on a loaded CC edition.

[Peacock]

I wonder how they'll deal with the the framerate however...

inevitably it will be wrong, deliberately wrong, just to make criterion forum members mad; it will be yet more evidence that criterion is stupid, hates cinema, loathes cineastes, and drowns puppies.

Anyway, I wonder if this'll be the first main feature in the collection to be 1080i, or if they'll employ the technique posted on the Battleship Potemkin thread here of replicating certain frames to achieve 24p?

[whaleallright]

This probably sounds kind of challopsy, but this isn't my favorite of Sjöström's films, even though it is a stunner. Aside from Ingeborg Holm and Berg-Ejvind (the latter desperately demands a better version on DVD) the most powerful Sjöströms are the little-known (outside of Sweden) Ingmarssönerna (the existing version is a condensation of a two-part film) and Mästerman (which fortunately survives intact). It's fair to say that folks--even those familiar with Sjöström and Stiller's canonical films--would be stunned by their understatement, their psychological nuance, and their willingness to call up complex, contradictory emotions. The SFI has good prints of both, I guess it's just for a venturesome company to take them on. Criterion, for all its merits, hasn't generally been very adventurous when it comes to silent film.

[zedz]

I'd agree with that opinion of Phantom Carriage - but nevertheless it's a great film and I'm thrilled to see it's finally coming out. I think it gets a disproportionate amount of attention because it's a special effects showcase, but that's hardly Sjostrom's strongest suit as a filmmaker.

Still, the Criterion imprimatur will help increase public awareness of one of the greatest of all silent filmmakers (arguably the greatest filmmaker in the world at one point) and make the release of his other films all the more likely.

[What A Disgrace]

With any luck, this release will be followed by (or itself follow) an Eclipse set of other Sjostrom films, the way W.R., Cria Cuervos, In the Realm of the Senses and Jeanne Dielman heralded near-future Eclipse sets for their respected directors.

And hopefully Ingmarssonerna will be among those, because man, do I ever want to see that film.

[Tribe]

With any luck, this release will be followed by (or itself follow) an Eclipse set of other Sjostrom films, the way W.R., Cria Cuervos, In the Realm of the Senses and Jeanne Dielman heralded near-future Eclipse sets for their respected directors.

Any reasonable conjecture about what Janus might have in this respect?

[whaleallright]

Still, the Criterion imprimatur will help increase public awareness of one of the greatest of all silent filmmakers (arguably the greatest filmmaker in the world at one point) and make the release of his other films all the more likely.

Truer words were never posted to a message board. Given his importance, it sometimes surprises me to remember how short Sjöström's career as a director was -- really just 1912 to 1931. All of the films between Ingeborg Holm (1913) and Havsgamar (1916) are lost (as much of a tragedy as all the missing Ozus and Mizoguchis), but from 1917 to 1920 he was, indeed, probably the best director in the world. And was recognized as such, not just by the Swedes but by the French (see Louis Delluc's rapturous reviews of the first Sjöström films to open in Paris), the Brits, and (belatedly) the Americans.

I'm not aware of any agreement Criterion has with SFI re. Sjöström films other than this one, but it's nice to dream! A package of Tösen från Stormyrtorpet, a watchable version of Berg-Ejvind, Ingmarssönerna, Mästerman, and Vem dömer (Tom Gunning says the latter, despite its reputation, is pretty impressive) would be a godsend. Or they could mix some other Swedish silent classics in there: Dunungen, Sången om den eldröda blomman, and the two Thomas Graal films. Why not?

[zedz]

It's a measure of just how far ahead of the curve the Swedes were in the late teens that it's just about the only period in which the idea of there being a 'greatest film director in the world' isn't patently ridiculous.

[swo17]

[cough]Bauer 1913-1917[/cough]

[zedz]

Ah, but what have you got for 17-19, buster?

[knives]

I thought we already agreed those years were covered by Sjostrom. What I'm curious about is who we're going to give to the pre-Bauer years. Maybe Feulliade?

[swo17]

Bauer was active when Feuillade was doing his best work, though if you slid Bauer over to just 1915-1917, you might could fit in Feuillade. Starting at the beginning, I guess the guy who first figured out how to capture light on film got to go home and say to his wife "I am currently the greatest director in the world!" After that, I wouldn't hesitate to give 1895 through 1900 to the Lumières. Between then and 1913 the figure that stands out most for me is G.W. Bitzer, even if he wasn't strictly a director.

Now see how we have so much better conversations here than on Facebook?

[Saturnome]

What's your vote for june 1992 - august 1997 ?

Anyway, isn't Phantom Carriage the unique Sjostrom that is a Janus propriety? I somehow doubt we'll get more Sjostrom [any time soon]. I'd love to see his early 1920s films other than this one though, of course. And blah blah Warner double feature The Wind/Scarlett Letter + what's left of his partially lost Warner films (The Divine Woman and Confessions of a Queen I think) would be lovely. Of course.
Very happy to see his work in the collection. If this get released this year along with Lonesome I'll go crazy.

[whaleallright]

The surviving reel of The Divine Woman is on the Garbo silents set, if I'm not mistaken.

[andyli]

[agnamaracs]

Please tell me this isn't just Kuroneko...

[Paupau]

Can't be, it's a wacky panther.

[NABOB OF NOWHERE]

Cat People. Love it to be Tourneur but more likely Schrader

[SpiderBaby]

If it's Cat People, which one?

[solaris72]

Finally! Pitof joins the collection.

[NABOB OF NOWHERE]

There again it could be the Eldridge Cleaver Cookery Show

[Tom Hagen]

It's Forrest Gump via apologizing for "ruining your Black Panther Party."

[agnamaracs]

Pa(n)ther Panchali?