criterionforum.org

Alternate option - xploitedcinema.com, 15% off coupon until eom (for the blu-ray).

God, I hope Bergman Island includes the FULL 3-part version and not just the 80-minute US release. It's a terrific set of docs.

Personally I hope Bergman Island paves the way for the complete 3 part Jean Renoir Le Patron by Rivette.

Magic Hate Ball wrote:The Seventh Seal

And the two-disc (non-Blu) version will be at a lower price point (with the Bergman Island doc included) -- that's fucking great for double dippers! =D>

mteller wrote:God, I hope Bergman Island includes the FULL 3-part version and not just the 80-minute US release. It's a terrific set of docs.

That looks like a no.

Also, what are they doing charging $10 more for the Blu of Seventh Seal? They said that wouldn't happen!

swo17 wrote:

mteller wrote:God, I hope Bergman Island includes the FULL 3-part version and not just the 80-minute US release. It's a terrific set of docs.

That looks like a no.

Yeah, that's unfortunate. But at least there's no need to buy this disc at all since all the content is on the upgraded Seventh Seal.

Given that the SD 2-Disc Seventh Seal will only cost $10 MSRP more than the doc alone, it's pretty silly for Criterion to be releasing this seperately at all, though I guess it should come as no surprise seeing as how many of their Bergman releases have been done with maximum profit potential in mind (i.e. the 5 and 2 disc Fanny and Alexander sets, the Four Masterworks gift box). I would probably not be so irked if the solo release of the doc was the non-truncuated version, but as it stands now it seems utterly superfluous to me to release it on its own given the circumstances.

Lame.

What a bizarre - indeed, "superfluous" release. Criterion have been doing amazingly well in the past year, too, with very few stand-out redundant releases. An 85-minute TV documentary on jolly old Ingmar from 2004? Odd.

A real missed opportunity, especially when a more complete package of the edited down film and longer TV series could have been produced.

colinr0380 wrote:A real missed opportunity

Turned out to be this month's theme instead of dinner movies!

Hmm...well Bergman Island has it's own spine number. I'm guessing the SD Seventh Seal will be a slipcover that contains both dvds (similar-ish to Yojimbo/Sanjuro). So this seperate release would seem silly...except the Blu Ray is only one disc. It could be quite possible that the Blu release will not come packaged with Bergman Island, which would explain this seperate release. Would not be the first time that Criterion has slimmed a dvd release down for Blu.

Is this Woody Allen's first contribution to a Criterion release?

Ah, just seen that Bergman's Island is also included in the Seventh Seal reissue, meaning this is just a stand alone disc and placates me a little bit. Still miffed at the missed opportunity for putting the longer series on there too though.

By the way there is a Film Forum podcast on a Q & A on Bergman Island with Marie Nyreröd from 6th December 2006.

I don't see any indication that The Seventh Seal SD set will not have Bergman Island. Are the Woody Allen and Von Sydow supplements and Cowie's old/new contributions really going to take up a second disc?

I am guessing that the new SD release will be a figure eight case with a second disc of supplements that includes Bergman Island but is not the same disc as the stand-alone release. If they are planning on keeping the Four Masterworks package around, that move would make the most sense.

All of which begs the question: who is this release intended for? What person who is interested enough in Bergman to invest in this documentary -- even at under $20 bucks -- wouldn't already be purchasing an upgraded Seventh Seal?

I think it's the other way around. The specs for Seventh Seal are for the SD edition, notice the "also available in blu-ray" at the bottom of the specs. With Bergman Island having it's own spine number and the Seventh Seal blu-ray being one disc, I'm going under the assumption that it's not included in the Blu set or there is some kind of error on the criterion site. It would be weird for them to take something that has it's own spine number and pile it on as an extra on the blu release of Seventh Seal, considering that Blu's do not have it's own numbering system. Not that I spine numbers should matter...

Cronenfly wrote:Given that the SD 2-Disc Seventh Seal will only cost $10 MSRP more than the doc alone,

Do we really believe that the new package of The Seventh Seal will drop down to the lower tier?

Or do we think that it is more likely that is a mistake in the new listng, and it will actually be an upper tier package like it has been?

Because if the price difference between the doc and the movie that comes with it is a factor of 2 ($40 vs. $20), instead of just being $20 vs. $30 ...... Then the separate release of doc disk alone might make a little more sense.

Tom Hagen wrote:I am guessing that the new SD release will be a figure eight case with a second disc of supplements that includes Bergman Island but is not the same disc as the stand-alone release. If they are planning on keeping the Four Masterworks package around, that move would make the most sense.

All of which begs the question: who is this release intended for? What person who is interested enough in Bergman to invest in this documentary -- even at under $20 bucks -- wouldn't already be purchasing an upgraded Seventh Seal?

I thought the same thing. Although maybe it was a last-minute addition to the schedule since they couldn't proceed with a new Bergman title given that lawsuit. It certainly would make more sense to release The Magician or Monika in conjunction with The Seventh Seal reissue.

Oh yay. Now I can finally listen to The Seventh Seal in english.

I can't begin to imagine how bad the dubbed track probably is.

It does suck that Criterion isn't releasing the three hour version. I'm assuming that they could only secure the rights to the U.S. release -- that's the only plausible explanation I can think of. Other than that though, I don't understand the hostility towards Criterion putting this out as a stand-alone disc. Nobody would be complaining if it were just being included as a supplement on the new Seventh Seal. That may have been the original plan, but for whatever reason they decided to offer it separately as well. There may indeed be very few people who would want the documentary, but not want to upgrade their Seventh Seal disc, but I see it as kind of nice of Criterion to offer it to those who do. It's similar to the situation with The Beales of Grey Gardens (though I realize they didn't upgrade the original film in that case).

It's not like Criterion is forcing people to buy this. The only people who could legitimately complain about this also being released on its own ("Criterion is greedy $$$$$" or whatever) are those people who buy every single Criterion spine number regardless of whether or not they like the film or already own it. Those people should probably be kicked in the nuts anyway.

Any objections to me merging this with the Seventh Seal thread?: 11, 477 The Seventh Seal & Bergman Island

Did anyone noticed that the Blu-ray is more expensive than the DVD? I thought Criterion was going to price both releases the same.

dx23 wrote:Did anyone noticed that the Blu-ray is more expensive than the DVD? I thought Criterion was going to price both releases the same.

The lower-tier price for such a packed set is strange in general. I wouldn't be surprised to see it bumped up tomorrow.

Jeff wrote:Those people should probably be kicked in the nuts anyway.

Didn't someone post an email exchange with Mulvaney circa the announcement of the Cassavetes stand alone releases asking if the wacky C would be added to the cover and indicating that if it in fact was, they were down for buying them a second time for that reason alone?

I think it's great that they're giving Bergman Island a spine number, but I am totally confused about pricing structure and the underlying rationale. Genuine bewilderment on this end.