Criterion Newsletter (Part 2)

[Tribe]

Someone on Facebook made the observation that there are five cows configured in the shape of the number 4. In case that helps anyone figure this out.

Did you guys know Paul is dead?

[Forrest Taft]

Someone on Facebook made the observation that there are five cows configured in the shape of the number 4. In case that helps anyone figure this out.

Cow 54, where are you?

[Tom Hagen]

Clip from 'My Way Home'

Ovader is probably right with the number of titles being the same as the number of cows.

They're skinny enough to convince me.

[Doctor Sunshine]

I think the pun would be "thinning the herd". There's a short film by that name by Rie Rasmussen but I doubt that's the one.

[Dr.Mabuse]

The famous opening shot of Bela Tarr's "Satantango" is done in a single take lasting seven minutes. It is of a herd of cows walking across an empty landscape as the camera pans from right to left. although i've never seen this film i hope its this. i doubt that it'll be for an eclipse title, has there ever been a clue for one.

[Cinemaniac25]

I don't think it's Satantango. If I'm wrong I'll surely be happy about Tarr finally getting into the collection. I think the 5 cows inclusion could mean an Eclipse set. But what is clear is that Criterion is getting trickier with their wacky animal clues.

[Cinephrenic]

Vacas?

[swo17]

If it is a Jancsó set, especially of his most well known films, I hope it's not just an Eclipse set with transfers already available from the likes of Second Run. Jancsó on DVD would be old news but on Blu-ray would be a pretty big deal.

[Feego]

i doubt that it'll be for an eclipse title, has there ever been a clue for one.

[Kirkinson]

The first thing I thought of when I saw the clue was the biblical story of Joseph, who interprets Pharaoh's dream about lean cows eating fat cows. But there are seven lean cows in that dream, and the number is significant; and even if that did have something to do with anything I can't imagine what film it would relate to.

[bestes]

How about David LEAN/ Noel COWARD (Cow Herd)? "This Happy Breed" maybe?

[Cronenfly]

Four Cow, Poor Cow.

[Perkins Cobb]

Someone on Facebook made the observation that there are five cows configured in the shape of the number 4. In case that helps anyone figure this out.

Sex and the City?

[bamwc2]

i doubt that it'll be for an eclipse title, has there ever been a clue for one.

I can remember hints for the Lubitsch and Bergman sets as well. Also, I just heard back from a former coworker who also works for Facets. She said that she's pretty sure that they still hold the North American rights to Satantango.

[Cinephrenic]

Food, Inc. Lol

[bamwc2]

Food, Inc. Lol

I'm not sure why you need the "lol" in there, as Food, Inc. is a fine film that raises many important questions about contemporary agribusiness. Indeed, as someone who is interested in environmental ethics, I would deeply appreciate whatever added attention that a Criterion release could bring to these issues. Regardless, if it were a film that dealt with contemporary agribusiness the cartoon cows would be obese from force feeding them meat and corn, selective breeding, genetic manipulation, and the constant use of steroids and antibiotics. An emaciated cow simply isn't good for business.

[htshell]

I haven't seen any of Frampton's work, so I have no idea. The dairy cows and math seem to fit; the skinny aspect, not so much. zedz?

Honestly, I think that's a pretty minor short by Hollis Frampton. In the conversation and excitement around the Frampton box (which I definitely share!), there's been no discussion of what particular works it could include. Most likely would be the Hapax Legomena series and Zorn's Lemma, which have been preserved by Anthology Film Archives. This would already be about 4.5 hours long and though there would undoubtedly be at least a few more works, I think there's no way the set could be exhaustive. So something like the short you mentioned could or could not be on it, but I don't think it would be significant enough to warrant a clue of this nature.

[Brian C]

How about David LEAN/ Noel COWARD (Cow Herd)?
"This Happy Breed" maybe?

This sounds plausible.

[jwd5275]

How about David LEAN/ Noel COWARD (Cow Herd)? "This Happy Breed" maybe?

A four film Lean / Coward box with In Which we Serve, This Happy Breed, Blithe Spirit and an upgrade reissue of Brief Encounter!

[Perkins Cobb]

A four film Lean / Coward box with In Which we Serve, This Happy Breed, Blithe Spirit and an upgrade reissue of Brief Encounter!

Ah, but why then are there five cows?

[Feego]

Now we're talking. The Lean/Coward connection seems the most plausible of all suggestions so far. The four films/five cows discrepancy does bring some doubt, but maybe another Lean film will be included, like Summertime perhaps?

[Ashirg]

Maybe 4 films on 5 discs? Perhaps re-make of Brief Encounter is included

[Adam]

I haven't seen any of Frampton's work, so I have no idea. The dairy cows and math seem to fit; the skinny aspect, not so much. zedz?

Honestly, I think that's a pretty minor short by Hollis Frampton. In the conversation and excitement around the Frampton box (which I definitely share!), there's been no discussion of what particular works it could include. Most likely would be the Hapax Legomena series and Zorn's Lemma, which have been preserved by Anthology Film Archives. This would already be about 4.5 hours long and though there would undoubtedly be at least a few more works, I think there's no way the set could be exhaustive. So something like the short you mentioned could or could not be on it, but I don't think it would be significant enough to warrant a clue of this nature.

I've heard that the set will be just Hapax Legomena, which might be old news or revised by now.
Hapax Legomena (Complete) (See Separate Prints) (1972) 16mm, black and white, 202.00 min
Nostalgia (Hapax Legomena I) (1973) 16mm, black and white, 36 min
Poetic Justice (Hapax Legomena II) (1972) 16mm, black and white, 31.00 min
Critical Mass (Hapax Legomena III) (1971) 16mm, black and white, 25.5 min
Traveling Matte (Hapax Legomena IV) (1971) 16mm, black and white, 33.5 min
Ordinary Matter (Hapax Legomena V) (1972) 16mm, black and white, 36.00 min
Remote Control (Hapax Legomena VI) (1972) 16mm, black and white, 29.00 min
Special Effects (Hapax Legomena VII) (1972) 16mm, black and white, 10.5 min

If one adds Zorns Lemma, then that really takes care of all the Frampton films that might lead people to buy the set. So either you include Zorns Lemma, maybe others, and never have another Frampton DVD, or you save Zorns Lemma and others for a second set if the first one does well. There are lots of other great films, but I think Nostalgia & Zorns Lemma are the ones that would lead broader numbers to buy.

[ianungstad]

I hope that's the answer. David Lean/ Noel Coward aka(Cow Herd) makes a cute pun. The Lean box was tipped off by a private source two years ago and kind of fell off the radar. It's been on cinephrenic's Forthcoming List for a long time. As for the 4/5 thing, it could be referencing a 5th disc with the television versions of Brief Encounter, Blithe Spirit and This Happy Breed that Noel Coward directed for the "Ford Star Jubilee" program. (Maybe they are strong enough they warrant their own disc?) Their are four Lean/Coward collaborations.

The Jancsó Eclipse set sounds like a reasonable possibility as well. Though I didn't think the cows in that clip looked particularly skinny.

[ellipsis7]

I VITELLONI (Fellini) literally means 'The bullocks' (i.e. young male cows) but is not the answer...