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Actually Don't Touch the Axe is quite like La Religieuse in many respects -- especially the climactic scene in which the heroine has become a nun.

David Ehrenstein wrote:Actually Don't Touch the Axe is quite like La Religieuse in many respects -- especially the climactic scene in which the heroine has become a nun.

No sightings of Don't Touch the Axe in boston yet.

Just where HAS this showed up in North America to date?

I'll be going up to NYC to see this at the IFC center in late Feb. I don't expect this to get a wide release.

I saw it at an AFI Film Festival screening in L.A. in December. Really overwhelming as I'd seen Out 1 a week or two before.

I'm not sure how well Berlin Alexanderplatz is doing, but its sales might encourage or discourage the possibility of releasing something like Out 1. It could be right for Eclipse, but including the Spectre version (which according to Rosenbaum is essential), it would be what? 8 discs?

How about a petition to Criterion to stop butchering Jean Renoir le patron and release an integral version?

justeleblanc wrote:I'll be going up to NYC to see this at the IFC center in late Feb. I don't expect this to get a wide release.

Yep, but note that it goes under The Duchess of Langeais.

nosy

chaddoli wrote:I'm not sure how well Berlin Alexanderplatz is doing, but its sales might encourage or discourage the possibility of releasing something like Out 1. It could be right for Eclipse, but including the Spectre version (which according to Rosenbaum is essential), it would be what? 8 discs?

"Berlin Alexanderplatz" is a little different, because that had been released at least in Germany before (and was definitely cheaper than the CC), whereas "Out1" would be a world first. And yes, 8 discs should be the least for "Out 1", and Eclipse is a perfect idea, with or without "Spectre".
BTW: there's already a French disc out ( from arte) of "Ne touchez pas la hache". Has anyone seen it? Probably no subs again....

Wait. Time out. You're all on crack.

Out 1 Eclipse? Why? 8 discs for one movie is just a big release. When you say Eclipse, do you mean to say "box set?" Because you aint gonna get Eclipse pricing for a film that will cost rockloads to buy, restore, and transfer.

And secondly, Spectre would be needed in the box. Otherwise Criterion wont release it. They'll just sit on it until Spectre is available. It's what they do. They sit on a film forever, and instead release really bad indy films from the 80s and 90s done by people who clearly have no concept of Rivette's contribution.

Someone said Kino was working on a DVD of Spectre. If that's true, then Criterion will never waste their time (their words, I'm sure) on Out 1.

Sorry, I'm pissed about something else. Just taking it out here.

nosy lena wrote:

justeleblanc wrote:I'll be going up to NYC to see this at the IFC center in late Feb. I don't expect this to get a wide release.

Yep, but note that it goes under The Duchess of Langeais.

nosy

Welcome to the forum nosy. And to the Rivette discussion of all places.

I assume others here will try to catch the Rivette then if they haven't already seen it, and if they can get to the theater. Speaking of which, has anyone noticed the BULLSHIT RULE at the IFC center where you get there early and wait in line and you're first in line and they see you there and then they let people at the bar in before you? Has anyone else noticed this practice?

They do that to Rivette fans from D.C.

justeleblanc wrote:Speaking of which, has anyone noticed the BULLSHIT RULE at the IFC center where you get there early and wait in line and you're first in line and they see you there and then they let people at the bar in before you? Has anyone else noticed this practice?

The last time I was there we were informed by the ushers that we could go wait down in the bathroom until it was time for the movie to start seating. One of several reasons why I go there only when it's something I'll have no shot of seeing elsewhere, like the Rivette . . .

I go to IFC frequently and have never had a problem. Maybe it's your attitude.

Barmy wrote:I go to IFC frequently and have never had a problem. Maybe it's your attitude.

That must be it!

justeleblanc wrote:Speaking of which, has anyone noticed the BULLSHIT RULE at the IFC center where you get there early and wait in line and you're first in line and they see you there and then they let people at the bar in before you? Has anyone else noticed this practice?

It's their stated policy. Go in... buy a soda... have your pick of seats. They make more money off of you if you buy something in the bar, so I can understand why they do it. I also see nothing particularly wrong with it.

I've even taken advantage of it a few times when I knew things were going to be especially crowded.

Someone said Kino was working on a DVD of Spectre. If that's true, then Criterion will never waste their time (their words, I'm sure) on Out 1.

At the risk of saying too much, it is my understanding that is the case (and I'm the one who said this earlier last year as well). I have no idea when the disc will be forthcoming, but they are only working on Spectre and consider the long-version not to be a financially reasonable proposition for a variety of legitimate reasons: low profile, cost of doing a new digital transfer, the amount they'd have to charge for a boxset vs. the low number of sales, etc.

I've said this before earlier in this thread, but I will be very surprised if we see the long version of Out 1 on DVD anytime in the foreseeable future. The film is a masterpiece and there are few films I want more on DVD, but it's a very long film, would need at least four discs, and there are currently no digital transfers available anywhere in the world making the costs of a release prohibitive for just about everyone. Criterion is one of the few exceptions, but I see no reason at all to believe that they're even remotely interested in committing to a project like this.

If only Warren Buffet was a Rivette fan.

Out 1 was devised for television. Why French TV turned it down is a total mystery.

Unless of course what it was saying about post-68 France was just too threatening back in 1971 for reasons I can't guess at today.

In any event it would be nice if it were shown on some cable outlet. After all it consists of 8 easily digestible self-contained portions and thus is no more daunting than Berlin Alexanderplatz.

justeleblanc wrote:If only Warren Buffet was a Rivette fan.

Serious question: Where are our modern patrons of the arts who are concerned with preservation and releasing older films rather than funding new ones?

I thought I remember reading that Rivette felt that Out 1 should only be viewed in a theater.

cinemartin wrote:I thought I remember reading that Rivette felt that Out 1 should only be viewed in a theater.

I seem to recall the opposite.

;~}

I recall that as well. In the first setting of a two-day event, Rivette commented that this was the best way to see the film.

I watched these episode by episode -- and am glad I did. I wouldn't have made it though an Out 1 marathon.

justeleblanc wrote:I recall that as well. In the first setting of a two-day event, Rivette commented that this was the best way to see the film.

The best way seems more likely than "should only be seen" as mentioned above.
The best way to see anything is projected. But since it is extremely unlikely that people will see OUT 1 projected, then it has to be on a monitor at home. When we projected it in LA we had, oh, 80 people. That was its LA premiere, and probably the last time that it will ever be projected in LA.
I think it very unlikely that any company will ever bring it out on DVD (in the USA) - there is no way to ever make any money on it.

That L.A. screeming was fantastic! An unforgettable experience. Our comings and goings between each episode mirrored the comings and goings of the two theater groups in the film (which we learn were once one).

Out 1 MUST have more life.