Well, every wacky animal relates back to a film in, or soon to be in, the collection, thus seven seals for Bergman, twelve monkeys for Marker, locusts for Days of Heaven. Unless you can point to a hippo already in the CC, then it seems to be a lock for Augustine.Just because they needed to pick an animal for the cartoon and a hippo was the obvious choice for that period of Rossellini
More Rossellini?
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Re: Augustine and hippos
Has anyone noted the obvious concerning Augustine in the Rossellini set - that Augustine was the bishop of Hippo?
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Practically speaking, there's no reason *not* to include the Augustine film (and I'm definitely in the camp that thinks the hippo is a dead give-away) since a perfectly-fine DVD transfer already exists in Italy and all they have to do is port it over and add subtitles. I certainly hope it is included because it's the one that's been the hardest to see in the US for a long time.
My guess, purely speculative but based on what's already available elsewhere, is that we'll get a large, more or less comprehensive box along the lines of the Louis Malle documentaries one, although Louis XIV and The Messiah might get their own releases. The Age of the Medici certainly deserves a proper release, but the sound is a big problem and for people who aren't willing to meet Rossellini halfway, it's a major stumbling block. It's still a masterpiece, of course, but not one that's particularly accessible to people unfamiliar with Rossellini's late style.
My guess, purely speculative but based on what's already available elsewhere, is that we'll get a large, more or less comprehensive box along the lines of the Louis Malle documentaries one, although Louis XIV and The Messiah might get their own releases. The Age of the Medici certainly deserves a proper release, but the sound is a big problem and for people who aren't willing to meet Rossellini halfway, it's a major stumbling block. It's still a masterpiece, of course, but not one that's particularly accessible to people unfamiliar with Rossellini's late style.
- Ovader
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Re: More Rossellini?
The latest update from Criterion's FB page:
I know the war trilogy is coming, but what of Europa 51?? Criterion do you have any plans to release this?
If the War Trilogy doesn't kill us, we'll get to the Bergman set next...
- Cinephrenic
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Re: More Rossellini?
They been holding on these for years, but I think it's worth the wait. Too bad it's probably not going to be a Blu-ray set.
- Ovader
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Re: More Rossellini?
From their brief comment it seems the War Trilogy has been a very demanding project of which is understandable from what I have read of the questionable elements they must have researched through which explains the long wait. Actually I don't know if the Bergman films have similar issues with their elements so who knows how long of a wait for that set after the eventual release of the War Trilogy set.
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Re: More Rossellini?
Judging by the BFI's edition of Voyage in Italy, and TCM's presentations of both Stromboli and Europa '51 from a few years ago - all in nice prints - I would assume the elements exist to release these films without much restoration needed (not sure about the other Bergman films he directed).Ovader wrote:From their brief comment it seems the War Trilogy has been a very demanding project of which is understandable from what I have read of the questionable elements they must have researched through which explains the long wait. Actually I don't know if the Bergman films have similar issues with their elements so who knows how long of a wait for that set after the eventual release of the War Trilogy set.
An eventual Rossellini-Bergman set would be one of the highlights of the Criterion library, especially if the set contained loads of extras examining the context in which these films were made.
I would love to see Mr. Scorsese get involved in this release.
- ellipsis7
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Re: More Rossellini?
They'll also have to live with the poor synch of the dubbing on EUROPA '51 etc, but that's Rossellini that we love and cherish....
- GringoTex
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 5:57 am
Re: More Rossellini?
???- The BFI Voyage to Italy is horrible.Wittsdream wrote: Judging by the BFI's edition of Voyage in Italy, and TCM's presentations of both Stromboli and Europa '51 from a few years ago - all in nice prints
- Cinephrenic
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Re: More Rossellini?
Do you think they would include Joan at the Stake ? More Eclipse area imo.
- zedz
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Re: More Rossellini?
If Criterion is going to do a Bergman set, it only makes sense to include Joan at the Stake and Fear, even though they've traditionally been seen as secondary (actually a rather hard line to maintain re. Fear). Plus, as an extra, her segment of Siamo donne (the only Rossellini / Bergman I haven't seen).
I was lucky enough to catch all these at the NFT season a couple of years back, and although it was a bumpy ride (in terms of variable print quality, language versions and my response to the individual films) it's a fascinating body of work that really deserves to be considered in total. And with Isabella R and Martin Scorsese on tap, not to mention Tag Gallagher, who I hope they strap in for visual essays an any and all Rossellini they release, there's a wealth of valuable extras available.
For all that the War Trilogy is an arthouse icon, I imagine the Bergman set done right would have major crossover potential.
I was lucky enough to catch all these at the NFT season a couple of years back, and although it was a bumpy ride (in terms of variable print quality, language versions and my response to the individual films) it's a fascinating body of work that really deserves to be considered in total. And with Isabella R and Martin Scorsese on tap, not to mention Tag Gallagher, who I hope they strap in for visual essays an any and all Rossellini they release, there's a wealth of valuable extras available.
For all that the War Trilogy is an arthouse icon, I imagine the Bergman set done right would have major crossover potential.
- zedz
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm
Re: More Rossellini?
I'm not dissing Joan, it's just that it's clearly the odd one out among the collaborations, whereas Fear is much of a muchness with the other features. Actually, Joan is a bit of an odd one out among 50s cinema in general, which is one of the things that makes it so interesting.david hare wrote:Zedz I think Joan is just as important as Fear - if only for the Honegger score and the whole staging and perfromance aspect. I think it relates very interestingly forward to some of the later History pictures. And backwards to the Voce Humana half of L'Amore (which also always gets ignored.)
And it's getting off topic, but what the hell: I watched Era notte a Roma last night and it's an interesting 'missing piece' in my gradually progressing Rossellini jigsaw. You can see why he was getting frustrated with filmmaking at this time if he was ending up with projects like this. In many respects it's a trad late 50s war drama, and in others it revisits / retreads his early work (specifically Roma citta aperta and Paisan). However, you can also see some early explorations of the potential of the zoom lens and there's an absolutely masterful shot towards the end of the film where the camera, in a single long shot, pans and zooms to follow a number of people in turn within a church. The technique here evokes a restlessness and paranoia that's absolutely in keeping with the mood of the scene (there's a spy among them who Rossellini carefully preserves at the edges of the frame, in the background) and it's an early glimpse of what Rossellini would later bring to this problematic technology.
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Re: More Rossellini?
I haven't posted too much on these boards in recent months, so I'm not sure if it's already been addressed, but I finally got around to viewing last month's TCM showing of Europa '51 on my DVR last night and, lo and behold, it's got the Janus touch.
- justeleblanc
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Re: More Rossellini?
This is not surprising. Criterion hinted a while back that a Rossellini/Bergman box was a a possibility.
- Matt
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Re: More Rossellini?
That made my morning. Thanks.mikeohhh wrote:the Janus touch.