900 100 Years of Olympic Films

[Never Cursed]

While we're asking other hypotheticals: other than Beales of Gray Gardens, is this the first time an earlier spine number has essentially been made void by being included on a later spine number?

The early Tati releases?

[swo17]

Nope, they retained their original spine numbers.

[Ribs]

Yeah, this is no different than any other Criterion release.

I might be misreading the cynicism, but if this is a reference to the recent comments regarding spine assignments, the general point was that in lieu of evidence, people shouldn't ascribe their own significance (or lack thereof) to the unannounced numbers, as we don't necessarily know what the Criterion staff is planning. As it turns out, spine #900 is not "The Grand Budapest Hotel," which had become a self-perpetuating meme to the extent that many seemed to believe it was going to be the case. Regrets if I sound overly serious. This is a spectacular #900. The Budapest people can hope all over again for #1000.

I look forward to about 20 months from now when we're all disappointed that spine #1000 is just a regular release of Citizen Kane instead of the exhaustive complete Godard or something

[criterionsnob]

I'm thinking of selling my OOP Tokyo Olympiad DVD to pay for this. Looks like we're losing the extras in this box though.

[ptatler]

6253 minutes

I pity the reviewers that get stuck with this one. Reminds me of the Best Show With Tom Scharpling gag from a few years ago about a DVD boxed set featuring every single Walter Cronkite appearance on the evening news.

[Never Cursed]

Nope, they retained their original spine numbers.

I guess the closest similar example would be Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe appearing as a supplement on two releases for two different reasons.

[knives]

While we're asking other hypotheticals: other than Beales of Gray Gardens, is this the first time an earlier spine number has essentially been made void by being included on a later spine number?

Brief Encounter and the Vardas.

[jindianajonz]

Nope, they retained their original spine numbers.

I guess the closest similar example would be Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe appearing as a supplement on two releases for two different reasons.

Or Bergman Island being released as a standalone spine and a supplement on Seventh Seal.

[knives]

Also, if I'm doing my math right this is about 20 minutes/$1. Is that within the norm of a Crit release?

[dx23]

I'm really excited about this release, but wish that they included the very good documentary NBA TV/ WB did on the 1992 Dream Team and Olympia 52. I would also recommend including One Day in September but I don't think it goes well with the more positive theme of this Olympic Box Set.

[tenia]

6253 minutes

I pity the reviewers that get stuck with this one.

Any joke aside, either only the highest profile discs will be reviewed, or it simply won't be reviewed at all.
Plus, it'd mean for Criterion sending tons of discs around to review.

[FrauBlucher]

This is quite impressive. But oh my, the time consumption index has just exploded. I may need two broken legs to be able to get through this.

[swo17]

While we're asking other hypotheticals: other than Beales of Gray Gardens, is this the first time an earlier spine number has essentially been made void by being included on a later spine number?

Brief Encounter and the Vardas.

No, those are the same as the Tatis--the box got a new spine number but the individual films retained their old ones. This entire package is spine 900, with none of the films assigned individual spines.

Also, I kind of doubt the big titles here will get standalone releases, given how Tokyo Olympiad's original release went.

[djproject]

While we're asking other hypotheticals: other than Beales of Gray Gardens, is this the first time an earlier spine number has essentially been made void by being included on a later spine number?

Brief Encounter and the Vardas.

No, those are the same as the Tatis--the box got a new spine number but the individual films retained their old ones. This entire package is spine 900, with none of the films assigned individual spines.

Also, I kind of doubt the big titles here will get standalone releases, given how Tokyo Olympiad's original release went.

As I commented elsewhere, it is very likely this was a licensing arrangement between Criterion and the International Olympic Committee as they own the films related to the modern Olympic games. There were probably conditions on how they are to be released and this may include exclusivity, meaning no standalone Blu upgrade and return of Tokyo Olympiad or even a standalone issue of Olympia with its own new DVD/Blu spine number.

[movielocke]

This is one of the all time great releases for me, I love the olympics, history, and now with criterion crossover of making available a century of relatively rare films... extremely exciting.

and only $7.54 per film! (if you pay retail, are pre-orders included in the criterion.com flash sale?), if you get it for 179.99 (plus tax) at the B&N sale it is only $3.40 per film.

This is quite impressive. But oh my, the time consumption index has just exploded. I may need two broken legs to be able to get through this.

If you watch one film from the set a week, you'll be (nearly) through it in a year!

(I got through the Zatoichi set by being determined to watch one disc (three films) a month), it was surprising how quickly that chewed through the films, and gave me enough space between films so that I actually remember most of them.

[domino harvey]

Why are they not including the commentary for Tokyo Olympiad?

[JAP]

Is it a given that this will be an US exclusive? Are there any known obstacles regarding a Criterion UK release? Wouldn't the IOC be very interested in making this extraordinary set available in other countries/regions? It's the Olympics after all! And how about selected standalone releases? Questions, questions...

[colinr0380]

Why are they not including the commentary for Tokyo Olympiad?

I can only imagine that Peter Cowie doesn't have time to update it! But it is one of the great Criterion commentaries.

[aox]

Why are they not including the commentary for Tokyo Olympiad?

Isn't there precedence for this? If I recall correctly, when they released the Kurosawa box, they scrubbed all of the special features from existing editions that were released previously.

[domino harvey]

Why are they not including the commentary for Tokyo Olympiad?

Isn't there precedence for this? If I recall correctly, when they released the Kurosawa box, they scrubbed all of the special features from existing editions that were released previously.

"Let's release something with a $400 MSRP and include no extras!"
"Tamara, we at Criterion congratulate you on your long-awaited revenge"

[djproject]

Olympic Gold will mark the fourth film I know of to be scanned at 8K (the others being Baraka, Samsara and Lawrence of Arabia).

[Bando]

Is it too wishful to think that there's a chance Tokyo Olympiad go come back in print since it's in this box? Or would they only have regained the rights for this package?

[Never Cursed]

Why are they not including the commentary for Tokyo Olympiad?

I haven't listened to it, but does it have anything critical of the IOC or the Olympics on it?

[movielocke]

are there no films (only newsreels I presume?) of the 1932 Los Angeles games? I would imagine that's part of why, but I wonder if there will be extras (such as newsreels) included, looking forward to the films getting individual pages.

Missed opportunity to include "The Olympic Champ" (Goofy).

[Ribs]

Is it too wishful to think that there's a chance Tokyo Olympiad go come back in print since it's in this box? Or would they only have regained the rights for this package?

I can very easily imagine it staying exclusive to the box until early 2020, when a standalone version is reissued for Tokyo 2020.