Criterion Bottle Rocket?

Take this for what it's worth ...

Spoke recently with a friend of mine who has no reason to make things up. Anyway, he was in first class from Austin to LAX a few weeks ago sitting behind Luke Wilson and Wes Anderson. He asked what they were up to, and they said they were going to work on the Criterion version of Bottle Rocket.

I seem to recall there were some hurdles standing between this DVD getting finished, but maybe it will happen after all. I surely hope so.

Excellent news.

I'd love to believe it, but I'm not at all hopeful. Firstly, whoever it was a few weeks ago who ran into some Criterion employees on the train said that Criterion's official line was that it wasn't going to happen because of rights issues.

Second of all, Wes Anderson is meant to be in Rome right now starting pre-production on his new movie The Life Aquatic, to begin shooting in September - More details

That doesn't mean it won't ever happen, but I'd guess not until his current project (and subsequent DVD) is completed.

did they say they the reason for the trip was they were going to work on the dvd, or they are just going to work on it in general, and the trip had nothing to do with it? i ask, because criterion is based niether in austin or LA, but in nyc. maybe they have other offices, or they are recording commentary elsewhere. if done right, this dvd will be worth waiting for, i sure hope this is true.

CJ

The film is owned by Coumbia, right? I think that it's more likely that Columbia would create and issue a SE rather than license the rights to Criterion for them to make all the money of the popular profiles of Anderson and Wilson. In that Columbia said "NO!".

Hey, I'd love to see a lovingly-produced Criterion edition of Bottle Rocket, but it doesn't seem likely.

And I doubt there will be a Criterio of The Life Aquatic... but I'd love one!


Gordy

Actually, I'm pretty sure The Life Aquatic will be a Criterion, if Anderson wants it to happen. Seeing as he's making another movie for Touchstone, and his last two Disney productions have ended up as Criterions, he's probably gotten it written into his contract that they get to handle the DVD release.

I'd imagine that's what happened with The Royal Tenenbaums too - there's an easter egg with Ben Stiller on the disc that was filmed during shooting where he specifically welcomes you to the Criterion DVD. It's also pretty amazing that Criterion got to handle the one and only release of such a major studio picture right off the bat, ie. not simply follow up a barebones disc with a much better special edition later on, like with Armageddon, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Traffic, etc.

You could be right about Criterion handling the DVD being written into his contract. I hope so.

I love Anderson's films. They are hilarious, warm, highly inventive and honest and each new viewing is extremely rewarding.

Can't wait to see The Life Aquatic.


Gordy

The bits mentioned in the rumor mill today that Life Aquatic will be announced in a few weeks, and they dropped a mention of another title that has them excited in the same sentance.

I know that Life Aquatic will be a criterion release and I'm willing to bet that the other title is a criterion version of Bottle Rocket, and I wouldn't be surprised if Criterion compiled all four Anderson titles together in a box set as well.

I'm afraid that the wording of the Bits is probably at fault here.


"There" is referring to The Life Aquatic, I think.

Please correct me if I'm wrong; I'd absolutely love a Criterion SE of Bottle Rocket.

I think they are referring to The Life Aquatic as the title that they are excited about.

I'd still love to see Criterion do Bottle Rocket though.

EDIT: Apparently me and Philip are on the same page. He's just a faster typer than me.

The 'another title that has them excited' was referred to Life Aquatic, not Bottle Rocket.

Unless Wes Anderson becomes such a success he can afford to buy off the rights of Bottle Rocket from Sony and personally give it to Criterion for an SE treatment, Criterion Bottle Rocket will be nothing more than a fanboy's wet dream.

Ahh why must people revive old threads merely to get one's hopes up! I was reading the first post and got too excited, only to then realize it was from 2003. There is absolutely not a single thing I want more than a Criterion treatment of Bottle Rocket, a lot of people 'like' it, but it's my favorite movie, and the current release is just so plain. I don't get why Sony wouldn't want to try and sell it? They can't be making much of a profit by keeping it...

I agree Matt, Wes Anderson is my favorite director currently making movies at this time and I would absolutely love to see a Criterion Collection of "Bottle Rocket" lined up on my shelf with his other, soon to be 3 releases. I don't see why Sony wouldn't take advantage of this, I can't imagine them making much of this title...

Bottle Rocket is a film that I often point to when I talk with friends about movies deserving a better edition (while other films from CTHV, like xXx, have 4 versions available).

The title of this thread is very misleading. Perhaps it should be re-titled to reflect the speculatory nature of the piece.

(Admin note - question mark added to thread title)

I emailed Criterion's Jon Mulvaney. Here's his answer.

Dear Tom,

Criterion does not hold the DVD rights to BOTTLE ROCKET at this time.
Therefore, we have no plans for release.

Thanks for your mail and please feel free to contact me with any
future questions or concerns.

Best,
JM

If Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson did tell some stranger on a plane that they were flying to work on The Criterion Collection Bottle Rocket -Quite a bit of information to casually discuss with a random person on a plane- I'm sure they were playing a prank. But I think that right now, unless Wes Anderson has been able to flex some power on the situation -and I'm sure if he could he would- it is only a pipe dream.

Criterion has had the opportunity to tie "Bottle Rocket" in with all three of their other Wes Anderson releases, yet they haven't. Sony doesn't deal with Criterion. Criterion constantly denies that a "Bottle Rocket" CC is in the works. I think we all just need to give it up.

I honestly don't see Bottle Rocket as "Criterion worthy". I think The Life Aquatic is on the fence (after 1 viewing - a second could push it over either side for me). Rushmore and Royal Tenenbaums seem at home in the Collection, but Bottle Rocket is the weakest of the bunch imo, and would not look right alongside Tokyo Story, 8 1/2 and the likes. I think it is more worthy than Armageddon, The Rock and Chasing Amy, but those are old titles in the collection, and the decision making process has changed since then.

I disagree Daniel, Bottle Rocket is script writing at it's absolute best. If there's one thing that makes Wes Anderson such a brilliant director, it's his story telling abilities. This is most evident in a film like Bottle Rocket. It takes such a simple and unlikely premise and delves right in by adding layers of subtle complexeties and refinement to the script adding so much depth to each character and making it interesting and a unique enjoyable experience. Much like the classic films directed by the great talents of Hollywood's golden age, an artist like Hitchcock for example could take the most insipid ideas and create movie magic. Wes Anderson is brilliant in this sense, and the fact that Bottle Rocket was really his student film and produced on a very stringent budget when compared to his other recent Studio productions, it makes the film all the more inspiring. I would definitely say that this movie deserves to be catalogued alongside Criterion's library of films. It works on so many levels.

The genius of Wes Anderson is making me love movies that I would probably hate given virtually any other director.

Whether Criterion handles it or not, Bottle Rocket deserves special edition treatment.

Honestly, I'd put BOTTLE ROCKET and LIFE AQUATIC ahead of those two films.

And as for the Criterion Collection, not everything they release is a classic film. They've put out quite a few B titles. Heck, remember THE ROCK and ARMAGEDDON? Those aren't even good enough to be B titles.

I tell people all the time that Bottle Rocket is my favorite movie of all time. This is just such an enjoyable movie, the characters are so fun, likeable and quirky. The script flows seemlessly, you almost have no choice but to feel like the characters are your buddies. Every time I watch it I pick up on another little line I may have missed, there's just so much going on in such a seemingly simple movie. I've had this in hopes for CC since Rushmore came out on the Collection, but if it hasn't happened yet, like someone said there was the opportunity to tie it into 3 different releases...I doubt it ever will.

I think Bottle Rocket is definitely deserving of the title. I think it's stronger than both TRT and TLA. And since Criterion has no problem releasing films like Armageddon, I see no problem with releasing this cult classic. That's what Criterion is there for.

Shame Columbia and Criterion can't work it out. I would love to see a SE of Bottle Rocket.

Hell, Columbia could get off its ass and make one.

I agree with you MarcoBiscotti. Bottle Rocket is quite possibly Anderson's strongest film. It is considerably more simple, and does not rely on as much of the visual details that the other films depend on. I am not saying that the films he has made since Bottle Rocket are necessarily weak. I think it is a natural progression of Anderson's style, I would compare the films to Fellini's career I Vitelloni to 8 1/2. But Bottle Rocket deserves credit, particularly if compared to most of the films made at the same time during the indie wave of the 90's, many of which are already dated and have shown not to be all they were hyped to be. Bottle Rocket holds it's own.

What part of Criterion doesn't have the rights are you guys having trouble with? Sony will NEVER give them to Criterion or anyone else -- they want to have as large a library as possible for their Blu-ray vs. HD DVD battle. They won't license. Period.

The studios that DO license to Criterion are Fox, Universal and New Line. WB, Sony, MGM and Paramount don't.

Ted

Did you even read my post? That was the obvious point I was making. If you read further, you would see I wrote "Sony doesn't deal with Criterion." I was trying to explain that if Criterion has had THREE good opportunities to release "Bottle Rocket" if there was any way they could work it out. The fact that they haven't shows that it's never gonna happen.

You know what? At this point I don't even care anymore if Criterion doesn't have the rights to do the DVD. I just want a special edition -- period! Unlike the days of laserdisc, Criterion isn't the only ones that can put out quality special editions with loads of extras now. I think we could get a real nice SE from another producer if they'd just put forth the effort. I'm just tired of having nothing but a barebones DVD compared to Anderson's other films.

This is very true -- look at some of the excellent SE re-releases that Sony's given us lately -- Karate Kid, Silverado, The Professionals, among others. It's not out of the realm of possibility.