Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol. 5

[swo17]

If you want these films given the due care that you'd expect from Criterion, BFI will presumably be releasing them all in the UK.

[jwd5275]

So based on the press release I just got, we now know that Herzog's new distributor is Shout Factory, not Criterion. Mildly surprising. I guess Peter Becker really DOES hate Herzog!

I can't imagine that Criterion did not go after these. It was likely Herzog's decision to go with a distributor who would release all the films on physical media over the span of a year or two rather than five or ten years.

[warren oates]

Bergman's Persona is now available (for pre-order, hits on September 17th) on the Criterion channel on iTunes

And we already know they have the Liv & Ingmar documentary and at least one of the Faro Document films on deck for likely supplements. Great news!

Is there any kind of precedent for debuting a film of this stature on iTunes? And yet, I may not be able to resist buying it twice from Criterion this time around, unless it's a December announcement.

[onedimension]

I wonder if Herzog (et al.?) insisted that the films be bought as a group- I could see Criterion balking at some of the minor titles. I trust Shout Factory with the transfers, but will they do much in terms of extras?

[Matt]

Bergman's Persona is now available (for pre-order, hits on September 17th) on the Criterion channel on iTunes

Is there any kind of precedent for debuting a film of this stature on iTunes? And yet, I may not be able to resist buying it twice from Criterion this time around, unless it's a December announcement.

Depending on how you define Persona's stature, there are a few major films that are currently iTunes exclusives: The Brood, Scanners, Foreign Correspondent, Young and Innocent.

[johnnysnatchclub7]

Bergman's Persona is now available (for pre-order, hits on September 17th) on the Criterion channel on iTunes

Is there any kind of precedent for debuting a film of this stature on iTunes? And yet, I may not be able to resist buying it twice from Criterion this time around, unless it's a December announcement.

Depending on how you define Persona's stature, there are a few major films that are currently iTunes exclusives: The Brood, Scanners, Foreign Correspondent, Young and Innocent.

I'd throw Eraserhead into this group as well.

[captveg]

That is quite disappointing and a real missed opportunity but Shout! does great work.

They do? The last time I heard about them is when they screwed up the big Bruce Lee blu-ray box with SD-upconverts.

The titles they get from Hong Kong are unfortunate exceptions, and the Bruce Lee set has been postponed to October, which suggests they are re-doing the transfers properly.

But otherwise Shout's work is quite good, and they often create new bonus content.

[beamish13]

Anyone know what company now owns Joseph Losey's very seldom screened FIGURES IN A LANDSCAPE with Robert Shaw and Malcolm McDowell? THE TROUT is already on Hulu, and I hope they get around to releasing more of his work.

[warren oates]

Buried at the end of the article:

Eclipse will remain a DVD-only line, in keeping with its original goals and identity.

Yeah, you beat me to it. That's the real and unfortunate lede.

[swo17]

That's the real and unfortunate lede.

But at least it means the Eclipse line isn't dead.

[Yaanu]

That's the real and unfortunate lede.

But at least it means the Eclipse line isn't dead.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if we hear later that the lack of Eclipse titles this year was a result of getting everything ready for Zatoichi's debut.

[Matt]

Buried at the end of [Peter Becker's dual-format explanation] article:

Eclipse will remain a DVD-only line, in keeping with its original goals and identity.

Yeah, you beat me to it. That's the real and unfortunate lede.

I don't think it's very surprising. Many Eclipse titles are films that no one has done a restoration on and/or made a new HD transfer for; it's either SD Eclipse and Hulu+ or nothing at all. Criterion can't be expected to lay out the money for new 2K/4K transfers of these titles and then turn around and release them in an affordable bare-bones set.

[warren oates]

That's the real and unfortunate lede.

But at least it means the Eclipse line isn't dead.

Especially at this current pace, that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if it resulted in more releases like the Etaix set. I guess I was just hoping to hear Eclipse would go dual or even jump to Blu only. They don't have the stats for that customer base, I suppose, but I'd be surprised if those 60% who buy exclusively Blu when offered the choice aren't also responsible for the vast majority of Eclipse purchases. At least part of the rationale for Eclipse when it started was the unavailability of HD ready elements for some titles. But that seems like less and less of a problem now, with so many of the Eclipse titles showing up in HD on Hulu.

[Yaanu]

I don't think it's very surprising. Many Eclipse titles are films that no one has done a restoration on and/or made a new HD transfer for; it's either SD Eclipse and Hulu+ or nothing at all. Criterion can't be expected to lay out the money for new 2K/4K transfers of these titles and then turn around and release them in an affordable bare-bones set.

Actually, I noticed some time ago that several clips from Eclipse titles were uploaded to YouTube in an HD format, including THE ASCENT (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ieu7_ReOS8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) and EQUINOX FLOWER (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1enjYso17g" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). So unless these are just SD upscalings, it would seem that they do at least make HD transfers for Eclipse films. But that's just my guess.

[zedz]

I hardly think that Eclipse remaining as a DVD line is "unfortunate" - it's always been based around getting films out there that aren't HD-ready / couldn't support standalone releases. The idea that the alternative to an Eclipse release is an extra-laden BluRay release in the main line is fallacious: the alternative to an Eclipse release is, in almost every case, no release at all.

[Matt]

Actually, I noticed some time ago that several clips from Eclipse titles were uploaded to YouTube in an HD format, including THE ASCENT (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ieu7_ReOS8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) and EQUINOX FLOWER (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1enjYso17g" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). So unless these are just SD upscalings, it would seem that they do at least make HD transfers for Eclipse films.

Note I said "many" and not "all." HD transfers certainly exist for some titles, but I doubt any are the 2K/4K standard that appears now to be the requirement for a Criterion Blu-ray.

[swo17]

I hardly think that Eclipse remaining as a DVD line is "unfortunate" - it's always been based around getting films out there that aren't HD-ready / couldn't support standalone releases. The idea that the alternative to an Eclipse release is an extra-laden BluRay release in the main line is fallacious: the alternative to an Eclipse release is, in almost every case, no release at all.

It would have been nice though if, say, the Czech New Wave Eclipse set could have been produced to include an additional Blu-ray disc that contained at least Daisies, which Janus toured, and which has a Blu-ray out in Germany.

[warren oates]

Not asking for extra-laden in most cases, just an HD transfer on Blu. One of the, uh, criteria for a mainline release nowadays is, of course, the availability of suitable HD elements. If Eclipse became a barebones Blu only line how many of the recent releases would be excluded entirely (by which I suppose I mean, lose a key title or more than one title)? Or what about the compromise standard swo and a few others have been espousing: Blu whenever possible, like Cinema Guild's Sokurov set.

[Matt]

I hardly think that Eclipse remaining as a DVD line is "unfortunate" - it's always been based around getting films out there that aren't HD-ready / couldn't support standalone releases. The idea that the alternative to an Eclipse release is an extra-laden BluRay release in the main line is fallacious: the alternative to an Eclipse release is, in almost every case, no release at all.

It would have been nice though if, say, the Czech New Wave Eclipse set could have been produced to include an additional Blu-ray disc that contained at least Daisies, which Janus toured, and which has a Blu-ray out in Germany.

I think that particular case was was missed a opportunity for a mainline title, as was Putney Swope (which already had a commentary, for Pete's sake). But zedz is correct in the main.

[albucat]

I'm happy with Eclipse for what it is, but it's still disappointing that years after every mainline release is on blu-ray, nothing from Eclipse has been converted, including films that are extremely viable for major releases. For instance, I still don't understand how Janus can think Daisies is worthy of a national campaign yet the film is relegated to the Eclipse line where, at this point, it seems destined to never get an HD release.

Conversely, I would guess that trying to figure out what to do about this situation is also part of the slowdown for Eclipse releases we've seen this year.

[zedz]

I hardly think that Eclipse remaining as a DVD line is "unfortunate" - it's always been based around getting films out there that aren't HD-ready / couldn't support standalone releases. The idea that the alternative to an Eclipse release is an extra-laden BluRay release in the main line is fallacious: the alternative to an Eclipse release is, in almost every case, no release at all.

It would have been nice though if, say, the Czech New Wave Eclipse set could have been produced to include an additional Blu-ray disc that contained at least Daisies, which Janus toured, and which has a Blu-ray out in Germany.

I think that particular case was was missed a opportunity for a mainline title, as was Putney Swope (which already had a commentary, for Pete's sake). But zedz is correct in the main.

Yeah, out of the entire Eclipse output there are definitely a handful of titles that could (and arguably should) have gone to the mainline, where all the ducks were in a row (HD-ready transfer; available extras; potential audience), but they're exceedingly rare.

My assumption about Putney Swope / Downey was that it was sort of an anti-Etaix - a mainline box set that was downgraded because the elements weren't up to it. Not only was that director commentary left on the shelf, but they also commissioned extras that they ended up having to post online.

[Shrew]

They have said a few times that a Eclipse release doesn't preclude a mainline release at some point in the future. Once was way back when Eclipse began, on the old On Five blog, where Phantom India was specifically noted as something that could possibly maybe get a mainline release, and I think there was another more general comment recently. Of course, that's far from a promise that it will happen, and I'm sure they've got plenty of other releases to devote time and money to.

[Matt]

If it hasn't happened once in six years...

[captveg]

I could see them eventually doing some Blu-ray "Eclipse Special Selections" a la Essential Art House for a few select titles some day (maybe when they get to Eclipse Set #50?), but it's probably far down on their to-do list.

[scotty2]

Can't find it now but I think Bernard's Les Miserables was part of that discussion since it has been restored. Kim Hendrickson interview perhaps?