Why Won't They Release Only What I Want?

[Jeff]

Is number 351 Tati's Traffic?

351 is, oddly enough, the single-disc Brazil.

[Cinesimilitude]

thats not surprising. its not like they'd rerelease just 51.1, it's funny that its exactly 300 spines later.

btw, Jigoku and Beehive pages are up on the official site.

[Narshty]

So we've got re-releases for Brazil, Seven Samurai, Amarcord and Playtime all on the same date of September 5? There's a pleasing symmetry there, but also an undercurrent of "now shut up and leave us alone".

[Theodore R. Stockton]

She's gotta have It! is still MGM property so you'll have to wait until Fox takes over the MGM distribution then negotiates the deal with Criterion before they can release it.

[LightBulbFilm]

She's gotta have It! is still MGM property so you'll have to wait until Fox takes over the MGM distribution then negotiates the deal with Criterion before they can release it.

I thought She's Gotta Have It was an Island film, and if I am correct Island is now owned by Universal...? I know MGM released this on R2 in the UK... But I just figured the rights holders were different over there.

[Napoleon]

So we've got re-releases for Brazil, Seven Samurai, Amarcord and Playtime all on the same date of September 5? There's a pleasing symmetry there, but also an undercurrent of "now shut up and leave us alone".

The chances of more than 2 hitting the shelves on that date are slim.

[Narshty]

Perhaps, but it's the thought that counts.

[ByMarkClark.com]

Is anybody else disappointed that Criterion seems be focusing as much on re-releasing or repackaging old titles as on releasing new ones?

[Napoleon]

Is anybody else disappointed that Criterion seems be focusing as much on re-releasing or repackaging old titles as on releasing new ones?

Is my sarcasmatron broken and not detecting that you are sending up the whingers?

If not:

Brazil. A $60 flagship entry in the collection with a/v that isn't the best on the market is not ideal.

Surely a re-mastered Seven Samurai, a re-available Playtime and a proper release SE of Amacord are reasons for celebration?

They have focused on re-releases over new releases for 1 month so far.

So no.

[richast2]

no.

[arsonfilms]

Keep in mind that we've been getting 2-3 new releases a month, and September is no exception. On top of the 2 new releases, we've got no less than 4 re-issues of films that were in desperate need of updating. Anyone upset that a 3 disc Seven Samurai or 2 disc Amarcord with Fellini's memoir's should feel free to ignore them and strictly focus on the two new films.
For the life of me though, I don't know why you would.

[Andre Jurieu]

It was only a matter of time really.

What's up now, bitches?!?

Don't be naïve. They'll just find something new to bitch about now. My guess:
“Why is Criterion wasting their time with all these stooopid re-issues when they should be doin' more fuckin' Ozu?!!?â€

[ByMarkClark.com]

I'm not complaining about the September releases in and of themselves. I'm happy as a clam about the SEVEN SAMURAI and PLAYTIME reissues, in particular.

But it seems to me we've seen a ton of duplication lately, of one sort or another. We have 2 versions of BRAZIL coming (3-disc or 1-disc). We recently has single-disc reissues of MONTEREY POP, JIMI PLAYS MONTEREY and THE 400 BLOWS. There are gift sets like the Oliver Shakespeare box. Etc., etc. And of course we've had the remasters (granted, some of which were badly needed).

I can't help wondering if we might be seeing more new titles if so much effort wasn't being expended repackaging, recycling, redoing the old titles. Which is a concern, simply because there are so many great films that have never been released on DVD at all, or only in editions far below the quality of any release that's ever worn the Criterion imprint.

[BrightEyes23]

Me thinks that these things were in the pipeline for quite some time, and with the addition of Eclipse in the fall, the change over to Image, the new design being put into the covers and website, what better time to rerelease titles that people have been asking for rereleases? You don't have to focus as much time and energy as you would to say, restore and clean up a print of some Ozu, Naruse, or whatever else they have in the pipeline. You manage to put out titles that folks have been asking for anyway, and that way, when you ARE done with the transition period, all you have on your plate are titles that will require some TLC and you can devote all your time to them and get them out...makes perfect sense to me

[Andre Jurieu]

I'm not complaining about the September releases in and of themselves... But it seems to me we've seen a ton of duplication lately, of one sort or another... I can't help wondering if we might be seeing more new titles if so much effort wasn't being expended repackaging, recycling, redoing the old titles...

All very good points Mark. I wasn't actually dismissing your concerns since it seems obvious that these re-releases have tied up a significant portion of Criterion's resources (whether we believe that's warranted or not is another question). I was just amused that some of our members were being scolded for making sarcastic complaints regarding Criterion's release strategy, when it was almost inevitable that someone amongst our devoted membership would have concerns. I mean, it's an internet forum, so it not all that difficult to figure out the reactions of members.

[Michael Kerpan]

I didn't _scold_.

I thought it was funny -- very much like the White (?) Queen (in "Through the Looking Glass") shrieking about her pricked finger _before_ she even hurt herself.

[Jeff]

Me thinks that these things were in the pipeline for quite some time, and with the addition of Eclipse in the fall, the change over to Image, the new design being put into the covers and website, what better time to rerelease titles that people have been asking for rereleases?

I suspect that at least a couple of the re-releases -- Brazil and Playtime -- have actually be finished for some time. From a marketing standpoint, it makes sense to hold onto these until the new logo has been unveiled. It distinguishes these products from their predacessors, and makes them seem more "new" in the eyes of the consumer. That is especially true for these two titles, where the cover art is substantially similar to the old version. Seven Samurai and Amarcord may have been done for a while too. Hopefully the Samurai transfer was completed before Criterion started windowboxing 1.37 films.

Anyway, there are only two (okay, maybe two and a half) months left in the Criterion Releasing Year, and I suspect that about a third of the eight to ten titles that will be announced for October, November, and December(?) will be additional re-releases. All signs point to The Third Man, Yojimbo, and Sanjuro being re-released before the year is out. The notion that Criterion has been holding on to seven re-releases that they normally would have released as they finished them throughout the year would explain their reduced output earlier in 2006. Now that they're about to have all of these unloaded, I expect that 2007 will see a return to a more normal release pattern of four to five new films per month, with a couple of additional re-releases (Picnic at Hanging Rock?, High and Low?) scattered throughout the year.

[pzman84]

So, last year the big theme was samurai movies. This year, it was independent films of the 90s. What do you think next year's big theme will be?

[backstreetsbackalright]

So, last year the big theme was samurai movies. This year, it was independent films of the 90s. What do you think next year's big theme will be?

NASCAR Dads.

[toiletduck!]

Midgets?

-Toilet Dcuk

[What A Disgrace]

Next year's theme will be films that should be released under the Eclipse label, but aren't.

[Cinephrenic]

So, last year the big theme was samurai movies. This year, it was independent films of the 90s. What do you think next year's big theme will be?

We still have Border Radio and Clean, Shaven before the year is out. Yippee!!!

[godardslave]

there aren't "themes", thats a strange suggestion, which is why you got all those silly answers.

[pzman84]

there aren't "themes", thats a strange suggestion, which is why you got all those silly answers.

This is a silly board. Silly answers, fine by me.

BTW, I made Cinephrenic so happy. Godardslave, do you want to take away his happiness?

[Cinesimilitude]

all I can say is, where is my damn anamorphic Armageddon!?