the DVD is out next september!!!!!!!
http://dvd.ign.com/articles/772/772041p1.html
shareSee, it's like I've been telling you guys for years: Criterion never could have done this, it was Warner Bros. that needed to get off their asses and do it and that's how it's gonna happen.
It's nice to know that Linklater is aware of the fact that you can do Criterion-quality extras without Criterion. Don't get me wrong, Criterion is an amazing company but that doesn't mean that titles out of their legal/licensing reach can't be done properly.
In any case, I can't wait for my Linklater DVD collection to be complete!
Criterion can do anything, if the studios allow them. They did Brazil, The Rock, Armageddon, Chasing Amy, Dazed and Confused, and many other high-profile movies. Why do you say they "never could have done it"? Maybe Criterion influenced WB to release this title, which had no signs of being released.
Anyway, I can't wait for September. This is my favorite Linklater movie and it's impossible to even download it. Everything is incomplete, or it's that 1984 punk movie with the same name. Only the VHS tape is available.
What he meant was that Warner Bros has a policy of not licencing their movies to other distributors, meaning a WB movie gets released on DVD by WB or not at all. Otherwise, I'm sure this and a special edition of Before Sunrise would have been out on Criterion DVD a couple of years ago.
It annoys me to no end, but WB really does not treat its older movies or indie movies very well on DVD. Many of them are in crappy, bare-bones editions (imagine how great it would have been to have a Clockwork Orange Special Edition DVD with a commentary by Kubrick. They were content with that nearly-featureless version, though, and now Kubrick is dead, and it's too late) Also, many of them are full-screen, and look like VHS transfers, which is even more unacceptable from such a major studio.
Also, they occasionally will pull some crap like this- leave a movie out of print for years because they don't think the DVD would pull in enough money, and then not let any other company do the DVD either, despite the fact that the public clearly wants a DVD.
Finally, they're at least doing this right. Maybe now they'll come around and start treating their less-mainstream movies with the respect they deserve
Can you provide evidence that WB has this policy (not licensing their movies to other distributors)? It's all well and good to say that they do, but I'd rather have a link to where they say this. Otherwise, it's speculation.
I don't know how Criterion goes about getting movies. I doubt they send letters asking every studio about every unreleased film or every film that has not been given "good" DVD treatment. They probably have to meet half-way.
Stanley Kubrick wouldn't have done a commentary if they'd begged him. He didn't comment on any of his films on LD or DVD while alive. I'd rather have the movie NOW than wait for some commentary that 95% of people will ignore.
Look around the SubUrbia boards more, and you will find many more mentions of WB's policy. I'm pretty sure at least one of them had a quote from a WB exec or someone like that confirming that it is true. If you want a specific link, you can find it yourself.
As for Criterion, I would guess that much of the time, they decide on a title that they think fits their criteria of "important classic and contemporary films" and then contact the rights holders, although I'm sure that, as you say, they sometimes meet halfway and a studio or filmmaker will approach them with a title (otherwise I don't see how pieces of *beep* like Armageddon would have wound up on Criterion. I know, lots of people like Armageddon, and that's just as valid as me not liking it, but you must admit that it and The Rock stick out like sore thumbs in their catalogue). No, of course they wouldn't "send letters asking every studio about every unreleased film or every film that has not been given "good" DVD treatment," as you say, but I would be pretty sure that, given their mission statement, they select a good deal of their titles based on what they think qualifies, and then go about securing the rights.
The Kubrick thing was just an example- Clockwork Orange was the first movie that came to mind. The point is, as a film student and film lover, I would love to see more behind-the-scenes looks at some of my favorite movies that have, thus far, only been given bare-bones releases. And obviously I'm talking about special editions that would come out AFTER the initial, basic release. I'm not trying to will the previous edition of Clockwork Orange out of existence, or anything like that. Bare-bones DVDs are absolutely better than nothing, they just leave a lot to be desired.
But anyway, there's no point in arguing over trivialities or examples you don't like. I was just trying to illustrate a point- I don't like WB's poor quality DVD editions, and I wish they would come out with special editions. I wasn't attacking you, you don't need to attack me. If your name is Mature, act like it. Don't be argumentative just for the sake of being argumentative.
"Look around the SubUrbia boards more, and you will find many more mentions of WB's policy. I'm pretty sure at least one of them had a quote from a WB exec or someone like that confirming that it is true."
I've read the SubUrbia forums looking for news about a DVD release, and I never found proof of such a policy. Maybe somebody quoted a PR representative, but it seemed like a broad, sweeping claim, that hadn't been confirmed. Which is why I asked for details. Maybe the post was deleted. Maybe Warner didn't even own the film then. Amazon says the VHS is by Turner Home Entertainment.
"I would be pretty sure that, given their mission statement, they select a good deal of their titles based on what they think qualifies, and then go about securing the rights."
I'm sure they also respond to user requests. I requested "If..." and many other titles that were recently announced. But I think a lot of their titles are from studios or directors approaching them. Otherwise, why would they release things like Chasing Amy? What next, Mallrats and American Pie?
"I wasn't attacking you, you don't need to attack me."
I wasn't attacking you. I was asking for details of the policy you referred to.
"Don't be argumentative just for the sake of being argumentative."
I wasn't doing that, either. I agree with many of your knocks on Warner. One of the things that I hate is how they release movies in 1.78:1, when the originals were 1.66:1 or 1.85:1. It's a small issue, but I don't like them to arbitrarily crop things. They should preserve the original aspect ratio.
Yeah, I get what you're saying.
As for the Amazon thing, I own the VHS, and it's definitely a Warner Home Video release, so... I don't know what's up with that. Maybe Turner and WB are affilited, or WB is owned by Turner? I have no idea, but the VHS itsself is definitely Warner.
Criterion announced a release of If...? I hadn't heard that- has it been confirmed? If so, that would be great! I heard a few years ago that they were going to release Liquid Sky, too, but so far I haven't heard any other mention of that, sadly.
As for Chasing Amy, I think it's a great, very indie-style comedy, and I think it's right at home on Criterion. It's definitely Kevin Smith's most serious movie (tied with Clerks for my favorite of his), and is very intelligently written, with some serious things to say about relationships, sexual orientation, and the way prejudice, social stereotypes, and assumptions affect relationships. It's in a completely different league from Mallrats (which I suspect may have been Kevin Smith's "get some money so I can afford a less-mainstream, more personal project like Chasing Amy" movie) and American Pie. It fits in much better with fellow Criterion titles Rushmore and Dazed and Confused (and SubUrbia, for that matter) than the two you mention. I would hope that since you used it as an example, you have actually SEEN it. But hey, that's just personal preference. I see what you're saying, though. I mean, The Rock, Armageddon, and Robocop?! Come on!
"Criterion announced a release of If...? I hadn't heard that- has it been confirmed? If so, that would be great!"
It's definitely confirmed. It's in the "coming soon" section of their website. Just 5 days from today, in fact. Next Tuesday.
http://www.criterion.com/asp/coming_soon.asp
"I would hope that since you used it as an example, you have actually SEEN it. But hey, that's just personal preference. I see what you're saying, though. I mean, The Rock, Armageddon, and Robocop?! Come on!"
I have seen all of Kevin Smith's movies from Clerks to Clerks II. I didn't like Chasing Amy, Dogma, or Jersey Girl. Clerks, Mallrats, and Clerks 2 are his best movies, IMO. (In that order.) Jay & Silent Bob was so-so.
"Maybe Warner didn't even own the film then. Amazon says the VHS is by Turner Home Entertainment."
Turner Home Entertainment is a part of Warner Brothers now. The same goes for New Line (owned by Ted Turner). They have merged with both WB and AOL to become Time Warner.
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I cannot find any official release date. I assume it has been postponed.
shareStill no sign of this DVD bieng released. Looks like it wont be out in 2007.
shareIt's obviously not coming out in September by this point but Warner Bros. still hasn't made all their announcements through the end of the year so it could still make it out by the end of '07.
In any case, it is being worked on which is certainly progress. There was a time when Warner Bros. simply had no plans to release it on DVD at all.
There an update on this?
It been released? Amazon shows nothing but a Video...