Essential Fellini

[ellipsis7]

Monumental set, obviously several gaps due to rights issues, but substantially these are the painstaking state of the art restorations for Fellini 100, beautifully presented in this centenary box... I'll certainly be picking this up...

By my calculation the only Fellini feature to remain on DVD only release is now GINGER AND FRED...

[domino harvey]

Well, that is... underwhelming. So much for it even being close to complete-- how many films are even new to Criterion here, two?

[therewillbeblus]

Yeah wow, I count two.

[movielocke]

two new and seven blu-grades.

I hope they upgrade the individual spines as well, but like Varda, I doubt they'll do it.

[ellipsis7]

There were gaps surely even in the Bergman box?

To be fair only 5 films of the the 15 (one third) - LA DOLCE VITA, 8 1/2, SATYRICON, ROMA & AMARCORD - are already on Criterion Blu Ray... Guess stuff like the large booklet from AMARCORD will be jettisoned... But I'm anticipating something special from the centenary restorations, having already viewed the Studio Canal WHITE SHEIK & NIGHTS OF CABIRIA...

[FrauBlucher]

Aesthetically it looks quite lovely. Shame it’s not complete. Hopefully the restorations make it worth it

[Ribs]

The Bergman box was missing around five pretty inarguably "minor" works out of ~45, whereas this is missing around a dozen out of ~25. So the scale of what's missing is quite a bit larger.

This set is still extremely impressive, mind - and Criterion never said anything that should suggest it would be complete, that was just our assumption from the other sets. The people who have similar hopes for the WKW should expect it to be a more normal 5 (maybe 6) film box rather than a big fancy complete set also.

[swo17]

The Bergman was missing Prison, his first major work.

I did a pretty good job predicting what would be in this set and have already sold off most of my old versions. The only ones I had listed for sale that didn't make it here were I clowns and L'amore in citta but neither had sold yet. I'll presumably still need to keep the MoC Satyricon for the superior English dub

[therewillbeblus]

I hope they upgrade the individual spines as well, but like Varda, I doubt they'll do it.

I dunno, now that this set is the size that it is, it seems reasonable for them to release a few of the favorites as standalones. It can't be that much work in manufacturing replications of single issues for what will undoubtedly only make them more money. I don't think someone will be boycotting a Complete Varda box just because Cleo isn't standalone, but I bet that plenty of people who have all the already-blu Criterions would pay for Nights of Cabiria alone yet not justify the whole box. I'll be surprised if at least titles like that one aren't released separately, though I personally don't care much for it.

[Big Ben]

You're all missing the fact that this package includes an essay from kogonada!

[ellipsis7]

The Bergman was missing Prison, his first major work.

I did a pretty good job predicting what would be in this set and have already sold off most of my old versions. The only ones I had listed for sale that didn't make it here were I clowns and L'amore in citta but neither had sold yet. I'll presumably still need to keep the MoC Satyricon for the superior English dub

L'AMORE IN CITTA Fellini episodio Storia di Caterina only debuting now in new restoration @ 2020 Cinema Ritrovato, so too late for the box, I guess...

Also while the box is not entirely satisfactory for completists, it actually represents a straight run of Fellini's early to mid career from VARIETY LIGHTS to AMARCORD - minus it seems I CLOWNS & BOCACCIO 70 - so it's only his late period where it it gets creaky...

[knives]

You're all missing the fact that this package includes an essay from kogonada!

I think you mean :::ko:::::go::::::::::na:::::::::::::::d::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::a;

[Boosmahn]

I guess this is as good a time to ask as any: what's the deal with kogonada?

[CSM126]

I guess this is as good a time to ask as any: what's the deal with kogonada?

He’s a filmmaker. Makes weird video essays for Criterion. Only has one name.

[jwd5275]

By my calculation the only Fellini feature to remain on DVD only release is now GINGER AND FRED...

Doesn't WB have this? It's the only one I can't figure out the rights issue preventing inclusion.

[The Narrator Returns]

I guess this is as good a time to ask as any: what's the deal with kogonada?

He’s a filmmaker. Makes weird video essays for Criterion. Only has one name.

I've only seen one of his video essays and didn't love it, but I've heard nothing but good things about Columbus and his next movie has Colin Farrell mourning a robot child, so he's alright by me.

[ellipsis7]

By my calculation the only Fellini feature to remain on DVD only release is now GINGER AND FRED...

Doesn't WB have this? It's the only one I can't figure out the rights issue preventing inclusion.

Yes, they have the DVD, or did...

[Calvin]

By my calculation the only Fellini feature to remain on DVD only release is now GINGER AND FRED...

Doesn't WB have this? It's the only one I can't figure out the rights issue preventing inclusion.

They do. Their DVD appears OOP but it's available digitally. I'm surprised it's not included, presumably Warner wouldn't play ball with a mixed-studio box set but if Criterion ever release it as a standalone it'll have the distinction of being Criterion's one and only inessential Fellini.

EDIT: Come to think of it, they were fine with The Before Trilogy so who knows the reason for its absence

[movielocke]

I guess this is as good a time to ask as any: what's the deal with kogonada?

I dunno, the only thing of his I've watched is his essay for "Day for Night" which was pretty good about breaking down the repeating editing-&-composition motif structures in and out of the three dream sequences. No idea why he's an object of hate scorn and derision on this forum, but that's par for the course for me.

[kekid]

It would be great if Criterion were to throw in a couple of inserts with empty pockets, so that we could insert the missing discs from other labels and make the set more complete.

[TMDaines]

Actually just tempted to stick with the individual releases and hope the couple remaining get a decent Blu release at some point. If you already have most of Fellini on Blu, and the Criterions at that, this is a bit of a real disappointment. Basically have to eBay a load and then hope the boxset doesn’t get the shit kicked out of it in the mail to obtain a couple of titles.

[cdnchris]

By my calculation the only Fellini feature to remain on DVD only release is now GINGER AND FRED...

Doesn't WB have this? It's the only one I can't figure out the rights issue preventing inclusion.

They do. Their DVD appears OOP but it's available digitally. I'm surprised it's not included, presumably Warner wouldn't play ball with a mixed-studio box set but if Criterion ever release it as a standalone it'll have the distinction of being Criterion's one and only inessential Fellini.

EDIT: Come to think of it, they were fine with The Before Trilogy so who knows the reason for its absence

They were okay with the Del Toro and Bruce Lee sets as well...

[therewillbeblus]

I guess this is as good a time to ask as any: what's the deal with kogonada?

He’s a filmmaker. Makes weird video essays for Criterion. Only has one name.

I've only seen one of his video essays and didn't love it, but I've heard nothing but good things about Columbus and his next movie has Colin Farrell mourning a robot child, so he's alright by me.

Columbus is incredible. I wish he'd devote more of his time to a film career outside of these essays, but you gotta pay the bills somehow.

[tenia]

Aesthetically it looks quite lovely. Shame it’s not complete. Hopefully the restorations make it worth it

Hopefully, they'll have the Amarcord grading completely redone because it looks like the latest The Good The Bad The Ugly restoration.

Have to say I'm both interested and underwhelmed. With many of those already released on BD, with all the missing titles, and with the large-as-hell format (4 discs per page for a set with "only" 15 discs ? Why not having less discs per page, and a tighter more compact but thicker boxset ? I'm also curious as to why, in comparison, the book seems quite small), it's... not as impressive as I hoped. And if they release individually I Vitelloni, I'm sure to skip the boxset altogether.

[criterionoop]

Here is a breakdown (EDIT: Changed "Debut" to "Upgrade")

14 Films/1 Segment/1 TV Film in Box Set:
VARIETY LIGHTS (In Collection; Blu-Ray Upgrade)
THE WHITE SHEIK (In Collection; Blu-Ray Upgrade)
I VITELLONI (In Collection; Blu-Ray Upgrade)
LA STRADA (In Collection; Blu-Ray Upgrade)
IL BIDONE (Not In Collection; Blu-Ray Upgrade)
NIGHTS OF CABIRIA (In Collection; Blu-Ray Upgrade)
LA DOLCE VITA (In Collection; Blu-Ray Re-Release)
8 1⁄2 (In Collection; Blu-Ray Re-Release)
JULIET OF THE SPIRITS (In Collection; Blu-Ray Upgrade)
SPIRITS OF THE DEAD – Toby Dammit Segment (Not In Collection; Blu-Ray Upgrade)
FELLINI: A DIRECTOR'S NOTEBOOK (Supplement on 8 1⁄2; Blu-Ray Re-Release)
FELLINI SATYRICON (In Collection; Blu-Ray Re-Release)
ROMA (In Collection; Blu-Ray Re-Release)
AMARCORD (In Collection; Blu-Ray Re-Release)
AND THE SHIP SAILS ON (Blu-Ray Upgrade)
INTERVISTA (Not In Collection; Blu-Ray Upgrade)

6 Films/2 Segments Not in Box Set:
LOVE IN THE CITY – “Un'agenzia matrimoniale” Segment (Released on Blu-Ray by Raro Video)
BOCCACCIO '70 – “Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio” Segment (Released on Blu-Ray by Kino)
I CLOWNS (Released on Blu-Ray by Raro Video)
FELLINI'S CASANOVA (Future release on Blu-Ray by Kino)
ORCHESTRA REHEARSAL (Released on Blu-Ray by Arrow)
CITY OF WOMEN (Released on Blu-Ray by Cohen)
GINGER AND FRED (Only released on Warner DVD)
THE VOICE OF THE MOON (Released on Blu-Ray by Arrow)