Cohen Film Collection

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DeprongMori
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 1:59 am
Location: San Francisco

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#551 Post by DeprongMori » Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:13 pm

I’ve picked up the Keaton shorts collection three times now, finalizing on the recent MOC set (which, unlike the Kino Lorber, contains the Arbuckle shorts). I’ve replaced my individual Keaton features with the Kino Lorber “Buster Keaton Collection” from 2012. While the MOC selected-features box was tempting, I’m curious to see how the individual Cohen releases compare to their KL counterparts, and I’ll probably do some ad hoc updates as a result. It’s hard keeping up with the restorations and releases.

In the meantime, I’ll be seeing the restored The Cameraman screened with live accompaniment on opening night of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival in a couple weeks. Glad to see that one finally getting some love.

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HitchcockLang
Joined: Tue May 28, 2013 1:43 pm

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#552 Post by HitchcockLang » Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:44 pm

DeprongMori wrote:
Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:13 pm
I’ve picked up the Keaton shorts collection three times now, finalizing on the recent MOC set (which, unlike the Kino Lorber, contains the Arbuckle shorts). I’ve replaced my individual Keaton features with the Kino Lorber “Buster Keaton Collection” from 2012.
Actually, the most recent Kino release of the Keaton shorts does contain the Arbuckle shorts. It was their earlier release which did not.

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andyli
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:46 pm

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#553 Post by andyli » Wed Apr 10, 2019 10:11 pm

So, the first volume of Buster Keaton Collection is up for pre-order. It's got The General and Steamboat Bill Jr. and a couple of extras.

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HitchcockLang
Joined: Tue May 28, 2013 1:43 pm

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#554 Post by HitchcockLang » Thu Apr 11, 2019 8:39 am

I'm surprised they're leading with a double-bill of arguably Keaton's two most popular features (with the potential competition of Sherlock Jr.) instead of splitting these two films and pairing less popular titles with each (that's what Kino did with their most recent releases).

Glowingwabbit
Joined: Wed May 01, 2013 1:27 pm

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#555 Post by Glowingwabbit » Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:22 am

HitchcockLang wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 8:39 am
I'm surprised they're leading with a double-bill of arguably Keaton's two most popular features (with the potential competition of Sherlock Jr.) instead of splitting these two films and pairing less popular titles with each (that's what Kino did with their most recent releases).
That would have made a lot more sense, but since I already have the MOC boxset I'm thankful so I can skip this release. And I don't mind getting another copy of Sherlock Jr (my personal favorite) if it's paired with something like Seven Chances (the dream would be a double bill with The Cameraman, but not sure if that's in the cards).

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dwk
Joined: Sat Jun 12, 2010 6:10 pm

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#556 Post by dwk » Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:17 am

Glowingwabbit wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:22 am
...(the dream would be a double bill with The Cameraman, but not sure if that's in the cards).
It isn't. If you didnt hear, Criterion is going to release The Cameraman

Glowingwabbit
Joined: Wed May 01, 2013 1:27 pm

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#557 Post by Glowingwabbit » Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:24 am

dwk wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:17 am
Glowingwabbit wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:22 am
...(the dream would be a double bill with The Cameraman, but not sure if that's in the cards).
It isn't. If you didnt hear, Criterion is going to release The Cameraman
Oh right I did know that. How could I have forgotten that?!!!

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schellenbergk
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2018 12:03 pm

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#558 Post by schellenbergk » Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:34 pm

andyli wrote:
Wed Apr 10, 2019 10:11 pm
So, the first volume of Buster Keaton Collection is up for pre-order. It's got The General and Steamboat Bill Jr. and a couple of extras.
Barnes & Noble also has it listed. No photo, but a lower pre-order price as of now.

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FrauBlucher
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:28 pm
Location: Greenwich Village

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#559 Post by FrauBlucher » Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:04 pm

Glowingwabbit wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:24 am
dwk wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:17 am
Glowingwabbit wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:22 am
...(the dream would be a double bill with The Cameraman, but not sure if that's in the cards).
It isn't. If you didnt hear, Criterion is going to release The Cameraman
Oh right I did know that. How could I have forgotten that?!!!
This from the San Franciso Silent Film Festival where The Cameraman will be screening...
4k digital restoration undertaken by The Criterion Collection, Warner Bros. and Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna
Which is terrific news. It should look as wonderful as the Cohen's Keaton restorations, which Cinetica di Bologna did as well.

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FigrinDan
The Immortal Dead
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Re: Cohen Film Collection

#560 Post by FigrinDan » Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:13 am

I've put off buying Keaton on Blu for.too long. The MOC box was tempting, but I knew that comparable Region A discs would eventually arrive stateside. It looks like this is it.
Any reason to wait for a more definitive version? Are there any plans for Cohen to release these as a box set? There are so many editions and versions, it's easy to vet confused. I figured I'd ask some experts. Thanks.

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FrauBlucher
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:28 pm
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Re: Cohen Film Collection

#561 Post by FrauBlucher » Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:30 am

IMHO, You should start buying whatever Cohen starts putting out, beginning with The General/Steamboat Bill Jr. blu. This is probably the best you’re going to get in the States. I don’t see them putting out a box.

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FrauBlucher
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Re: Cohen Film Collection

#562 Post by FrauBlucher » Tue Apr 23, 2019 6:38 pm

Someone on bluray.com has suggested that Hail Mary and Forever Mozart, plus Jamaica Inn are OOP. Not sure what that means. Do they maintain rights but are not pressing any longer or did they lose rights all together.

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dustybooks
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:52 am
Location: Wilmington, NC

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#563 Post by dustybooks » Tue Apr 23, 2019 7:00 pm

It’s been hard to find Jamaica Inn for a while now. I was kind of slow on getting to that particular upgrade for the Hitchcock collection and by the time I went for it, it seemed to be gone. Hopefully will be repressed at some point, unless another studio got it? (I don’t think it’s Criterion material, and it isn’t part of that huge Kino dump of Hitchcock stuff in August. Hey, while we’re at it, who’s got Secret Agent?)

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kcota17
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2014 9:05 pm

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#564 Post by kcota17 » Tue Apr 23, 2019 7:34 pm

I think Sabotage, Secret Agent and Young and Innocent have been with Criterion for years now?

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Shrew
The Untamed One
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:22 am

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#565 Post by Shrew » Tue Apr 23, 2019 7:44 pm

I expect they're just not reprinting. It seems to be pretty common with Cohen releases. As domino put it earlier in the thread, they all end up being de facto limited editions. (A caveat: the Keatons may have one of the bigger markets of anything they've put out, so I would assume they'd have a larger print run/more willingness to reprint if they sell out quickly). I expect Cohen will eventually let their rights expire, but who knows how long that will be.

Arrow UK put out Jamaica Inn if you're region free. I think Secret Agent would be with the same rightsholders as Young and Innocent and Sabotage (ITV Global?), so in the US it's probably Criterion's if they want it/can ever get to it. I expect the main issue is a lack of materials/restoration.

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dustybooks
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:52 am
Location: Wilmington, NC

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#566 Post by dustybooks » Tue Apr 23, 2019 7:53 pm

Shrew wrote:
Tue Apr 23, 2019 7:44 pm
Arrow UK put out Jamaica Inn if you're region free. I think Secret Agent would be with the same rightsholders as Young and Innocent and Sabotage (ITV Global?), so in the US it's probably Criterion's if they want it/can ever get to it. I expect the main issue is a lack of materials/restoration.
Probably true; I’d forgotten that all of the Gaumont films had the same rightsholder, just because that particular title never shows up in the streaming library like the other two you mentioned. Sorry for the derail!

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dustybooks
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:52 am
Location: Wilmington, NC

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#567 Post by dustybooks » Wed May 15, 2019 12:01 am

Anybody else pick up the new Keaton disc? (I missed the MOC collection so didn't have these on blu at all.) The films look great. The extras are all but nonexistent, adding up to barely ten minutes. But having had the old Kino DVD of The General for years, seeing it here was like watching an entirely new movie. I was newly enraptured by two things: first, how lovingly Keaton captures the idea of expertise: his character is very simply good at his job, and the entire film is a celebration of how well he knows his train and the railroad. Secondly, by any possible modernist standard of slickness and aesthetic beauty, it's such a strikingly well-photographed film full of such indelible imagery, and all the audacity and hard work that went into it is right there on the screen. I really do think you get a feeling of awe from this thing that is now impossible

I don't know Steamboat Bill Jr. quite as well, having only seen it once before in a lengthy fit of watching all the major Keaton titles in rapid succession -- which unfortunately made them run together a bit -- but the whole second half is such a thrilling spectacle, even though the narrative doesn't hang together nearly as well as The General. I broadly prefer Keaton's shorts (One Week is one of my favorite things ever put on celluloid, really) but I'm excited for future volumes, particularly whichever one incorporates what I think is his best feature of all, Seven Chances.

(Mods: if this is more appropriate for the general Keaton thread, i apologize...)

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HitchcockLang
Joined: Tue May 28, 2013 1:43 pm

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#568 Post by HitchcockLang » Wed May 15, 2019 8:34 am

dustybooks wrote:
Wed May 15, 2019 12:01 am
I'm excited for future volumes, particularly whichever one incorporates what I think is his best feature of all, Seven Chances.
I got the disc yesterday as well but haven't had the chance to watch it yet. Your comments make me even more excited to do so. I imagine I'll hang on to all my old Kino discs for the extras and in the case of The General, the alternate sepia-toned presentation.

Nice to hear you speak so fondly of Seven Chances. I also love that film and was a bit surprised when Bogdanovich wrote it off in his The Great Buster documentary as "not very good." It has some problematic racial gags and the premise is absurd but I agree it is one of his most entertaining and well crafted. It was only the second Keaton film I saw (the first was Sherlock Jr) and it (along with Sherlock) has remained one of my favorites and one of the reasons I became such a rabid Keaton fan.

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tenia
Ask Me About My Bassoon
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:13 am

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#569 Post by tenia » Wed May 15, 2019 8:52 am

The racial gags (but the female characters aren't technically much better) are extremely dated, indeed, but if you can put this aside, the movie flies by and I also found it to be technically fascinating (I preferred it to Sherlokck Jr). The French BD contains a visual essay about the more technical aspects of the movie, and it made it even more interesting.

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Roscoe
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2014 3:40 pm
Location: NYC

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#570 Post by Roscoe » Wed May 15, 2019 8:57 am

If you're interested in these, get them ASAP. Cohen has a way of letting things vanish. Their glorious release of Walsh/Fairbanks's THIEF OF BAGDAD just evaporated. Never rely on them keeping stuff in print.

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schellenbergk
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2018 12:03 pm

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#571 Post by schellenbergk » Wed May 15, 2019 9:34 am

Roscoe wrote:
Wed May 15, 2019 8:57 am
If you're interested in these, get them ASAP. Cohen has a way of letting things vanish. Their glorious release of Walsh/Fairbanks's THIEF OF BAGDAD just evaporated. Never rely on them keeping stuff in print.
Thanks for the tip - loved their TOB release, so I'm hopping on this!!

I'm one of those "anti-Amazonians" (HQ2 will wreak havoc on my beloved home town - so I don't even have an account) so that's not an option. Barnes & Nobles lists it as not available, but Best Buy has a great deal on both Vol 1 and Vol 2 (no clue what's actually *on* Vol 2 - but you can pre-order). I actually had a $30 coupon laying around at BB - so Vol 1 is free and Vol 2 is $16. Woo and a hoo.

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agnamaracs
Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2006 3:13 am

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#572 Post by agnamaracs » Wed May 15, 2019 9:56 am

If this page is any indication, Sherlock Jr. and The Navigator are next.

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schellenbergk
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2018 12:03 pm

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#573 Post by schellenbergk » Wed May 15, 2019 10:11 am

I would be happy with that double feature - "The Navigator" was the first Keaton I ever saw on a big screen. Virginia Film Society - at the VMA in Richmond - circa 1973.

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captveg
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 7:28 pm

Re: Cohen Film Collection

#574 Post by captveg » Thu May 16, 2019 3:20 pm

agnamaracs wrote:
Wed May 15, 2019 9:56 am
If this page is any indication, Sherlock Jr. and The Navigator are next.
Indeed they are, as Amazon has them listed for a 7/9/19 release


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