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I know there was a handjob sequence between Mr. Blume and Miss Cross that Wes Anderson took out of fear of alienating the audience.

I think that director's cut on Rushmore is a mistake (Dazed and Confused's transfer note said the same thing).

About the 2-disc note being taking off the specs before a blu-ray announcement, I remember Harakiri losing that note a month or two before its upgrade was announced, so it doesn't mean that it is happening that month (if it means anything at all. It could just be a coincidence.)

I was expecting The Game for November considering it might be a decent seller over the holidays, but if I recall correctly we last heard they were waiting on Fincher to approve the transfer or something similar to that, so I'm not sure if that would delay it.

I've just seen Fanny and Alexander with a blue sticker on the front web page...
hope that it's true and that's the series + the theatrical version (not only the theatrical...)

Guess I'm buying everything in November.

Also showing...
Three Colors
12 Angry Men
Sabu eclipse

Amazing month.

I still need to see Fanny and Alexander, but The Rules of the Game, Three Colors Trilogy and 12 Angry Men are definite buys.

Hopefully there's a Chaplin in December.

Thank goodness for the BN sale, let's hope it extends through the entire month of November.

Is it always July and November? (the BN sale)

It's tough to say with something that hasn't really been going on that long, but to this point, it always has been.

Has been for the last three Julys and two Novembers, as I recall.

Wow. What an incredible lineup, though I'm sure we'll see some whining on the FB about a lack of "surprises." Love the past two months of Eclipse announcements, even if a lot of it deserves "main" line treatment.

Fanny & Alexander was so obvious I can't believe we all forgot to guess it! Absolutely incredible line up that will put a serious dent in my budget for the holidays....here's hoping I get a decent bonus this year!

I'm a little disappointed that there wasn't more new titles since last year's mainline box-set rate has made me spoiled. But 12 Angry Men is such a wonderful surprise that I don't mind too much. And with The Colors Trilogy and Fanny and Alexander it will be an expensive time for me. I remember last December it was very light after the BBS set (only 2 titles). But it looks like they have a few things in store with Bitter Rice, Y tu Mamma Tambien and Wild Strawberries. Is there anything else to expect next month?

December's a poor retail month for new releases, so it's generally pretty light. There'll probably be one new release (probably big) and maybe one or two reissues. Y Tu Mama Tambien and Wild Strawberries aren't bad bets, but I don't think Bitter Rice has the necessary big market cache, so I expect it won't be out till 2012.

Wild Strawberries is such an excellent contrast with Fanny and Alexander; the early film about aging versus the late film about childhood. Really though, Ikiru and Wild Strawberries are a perfect double feature and would make excellent companion upgrades.

I would have liked some "surprises."*

(* Not involving Sabu.)

Normally a month completely filled with films I already own (Sabu excepted) would not be very exciting, but among these are some of my favorites of all time, stuff from the top echelon of the list that would be some of the last to go if I sold everything off. Hard not to get excited over The Rules of the Game, Fanny and Alexander, and Three Colors, and 12 Angry Men has always been one of my favorite American classics. Rushmore ain't bad, either.

GiovanniR wrote:I'm a little disappointed that there wasn't more new titles since last year's mainline box-set rate has made me spoiled. But 12 Angry Men is such a wonderful surprise that I don't mind too much. And with The Colors Trilogy and Fanny and Alexander it will be an expensive time for me. I remember last December it was very light after the BBS set (only 2 titles). But it looks like they have a few things in store with Bitter Rice, Y tu Mamma Tambien and Wild Strawberries. Is there anything else to expect next month?

Criterion only ever release 1 or 2 titles in December. In the early days they didn't release anything in December at all. Y Tu Mama Tambien and Wild Strawberries sound about right. Chances are good Bitter Rice is bumped to next year.

If there are any surprises, it will be Cave of Forgotten Dreams, IMO. I would bet that IFC are planning to go after the doc Oscar and if Criterion decided they want to release it; the home video release would be part of an awards push...so Dec or Jan? (if at all)

ianungstad wrote:Criterion only ever release 1 or 2 titles in December. In the early days they didn't release anything in December at all. Y Tu Mama Tambien and Wild Strawberries sound about right. Chances are good Bitter Rice is bumped to next year.

There's only two years where they had no releases in December, most Decembers are very light on the releases, but it can vary more in the last few years. The biggest year with no box set releases in december was 2008, with the delayed launch of half the initial bluray titles. That would probably be the most we can expect (six titles), while it's more likely that we'll get 2. If they're pushing to get product like Y Tu Mama and Bitter Rice out in addition to one or two more bluray upgrades we could maybe have 3-4 releases for this coming December. The last three years represent their three largest december years.

1998:
Flesh for Frankenstein
Blood for Dracula

1999: No december releases

2000:
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie

2001:
8 1/2

2002:
Contempt

2003: no December releases

2004:
M rerelease
Videodrome
The King of Kings

2005:
Shoot the Piano Player
Forbidden Games

2006:
Grey Gardens
Beales of Grey Gardens
Symbiopsychotaxiplasm

2007:
Two Lane Blacktop
Ingmar Bergman 4 masterworks

2008:
White Dog
Europa
The Third Man blu
The Man Who Fell To Earth blu
Bottle Rocket blu
Chungking Express blu

2009:
Gimme Shelter
A Christmas Tale
A Christmas Tale blu
AK100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

2010:
Videodrome blu
Cronos
Cronos blu
New Hollywood set (dvd)

I'd guess this is the best case scenario:
2011:
Wild Strawberries blu
Kurosawa blu (Rashomon or Ikiru)
Bitter Rice
Bitter Rice blu
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Y Tu Mama Tambien blu

I still say a Chaplin is probable for December, perhaps instead of Bitter Rice.

I'd much prefer City Lights to Bitter Rice myself. One Chaplin a year is too few.

I am surprised The Game didn't pop up.

The transfer is still awaiting the attention of David Fincher, who always seems to have 150 things going on at once

Is there any chatter for two of my most beloved Indian titles Dil Chahta Hai and Sholay to be released? The DVD releases have been lackluster and the Blu-Ray release for Dil Chahta Hai is laughable.