Godard's "Weekend" on DVD, ever? (1 Viewer)

[Seth_S]

This is a long shot, but are there any plans to release Godard's Weekend (also spelled Week End) on DVD?
thanks

 

[Lew Crippen]

Would that there was.

 

[PatrickL]

One of my most-wanted too. It's possible that New Yorker has the rights (they released it on vhs) but I'm not sure.

 

[Brook K]

Pretty sure New Yorker has the rights so doubt we'll be seeing this anytime soon. They have a ton of unreleased classics in their vault. My guess is the materials that they have would make poor DVD's and they don't have the $$ to do their own video restorations.
Another Godard they have that I'd really like to see is Two or Three Things I Know About Her
A member here has had some recent contact with New Yorker and they've said they plan on stepping up their DVD production for next year.

 

[Lew Crippen]

What I’d really like to see is Histoires du cinema. Now this is one that we can be sure will never be available in the States. I suppose that we can hope for an edition in Europe.

My son saw all eight hours recently in Chicago. This is one that I’m sure won’t make Dallas.

 

[Brook K]

Lew, it is available on DVD. As I remember it's very expensive, like $200+, but I know someone through a movie listserv that has it. It also has no english subtitles, but I understand that an english text booklet is available with the CD set.

I'm thinking it's from Japan. I can find out if you're interested.

 

[Lew Crippen]

I'm thinking it's from Japan. I can find out if you're interested.

I’m pretty interested, Brook. Find out what you can.

The reason for my belief that we won’t see this here, is that Godard has altered many, many films for his purposes in ‘History’. As it turns out, this is not necessarily against the law in many European countries—can’t exactly remember, but it goes to another artist right to create a new work (even though using elements of others).

The interpretation here is much different. Of course its, still OK, so long as you get the original artist’s permission. But given Jean Luc’s ‘Marxist, grumpy old man’ attitude combined with his widely repeated statements that Americans have no culture, you can pretty well figure out the chances that he gained such permission in a few nanoseconds.

I’ll just have to suffer through the French. My wife speaks a little and my son a little more. Mine is limited to wine labels and menus, so I need help. But my French is fluent compared to my ability to read Japanese.

BTW, something not advertised in the screening my son attended, was that only the first five hours had English subtitles. The remainder was entirely in French.

 

[Jean-Michel]

The reason for my belief that we won’t see this here, is that Godard has altered many, many films for his purposes in ‘History’. As it turns out, this is not necessarily against the law in many European countries—can’t exactly remember, but it goes to another artist right to create a new work (even though using elements of others).

Actually Godard said in an interview that the reason it wasn't released in the U.S. is because Gaumont was able to clear the European rights to the film clips, but U.S. studios aren't that accomodating and no American distributor wants to deal with the hassle of trying. You still have to get permission no matter where you are, Europe or the U.S.

Also, just a minor nitpicky point, but Godard has claimed on several occasions that he's not a Marxist and that he's never even read Marx, even during the Dziga Vertov period (which is a bit unconvincing for anyone who's seen those films). I don't think there's anything explicitly Marxist in any of his films since, except maybe Comment ca va?

 

[Seth_S]

What do you consider "explicitly Marxist"? Most of his films are in some way a critique of capitalism and its bourgeois.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Actually Godard said in an interview that the reason it wasn't released in the U.S. is because Gaumont was able to clear the European rights to the film clips, but U.S. studios aren't that accomodating and no American distributor wants to deal with the hassle of trying. You still have to get permission no matter where you are, Europe or the U.S.

Not at all to disagree Jean-Michel, as I am just trying to understand, this must mean that European distribution companies hold the rights to these films in Europe. And these companies are obviously more cooperative than the American studios from whom they obtained these rights. Otherwise, Gaumont would have the same problems in obtaining releases for Europe, as they would for Stateside distribution. I just find this surprising, not impossible.
Just so you know, my comment about Jean-Luc being a Marxist, was semi-tongue-in-cheek, which is why I both put it in quotation marks and combined it with the phrase, ‘grumpy old man’. I forgot for the moment that I was writing to a larger audience than Brook, who is likely somewhat used to my off-center comments (notice that I did not write, ‘left of center’ )
Even so, I agree with Seth, in that much of what Godard has to say is political in nature. Which is not to say that his films are any the less brilliant—the point of the thread.
I too find it not credible that he has never even read Marx.
Apropos of nothing, I once, many years ago had a pint in a pub across the street from the British Museum, where Marx was reputed to have hoisted the odd glass himself. Cheers Jean-Michel—it’s all in fun.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Thanks very much Terrance. I really appreciate the information and link. I’ll have to think about this, as this is something I would like to see. My Japanese literacy is pretty much limited to being able to read ‘exit’.

 

[Jean-Michel]

What do you consider "explicitly Marxist"? Most of his films are in some way a critique of capitalism and its bourgeois.

Since Lew has clarified his original remarks as tongue-in-cheek there's probably not much reason to continue this line of discussion, but critiquing capitalism and the bourgeois does not necessarily equal "Marxism." Many divergent philosophies on all ends of the political spectrum engage in such critiques -- even Hitler claimed to be anti-capitalist. This is not to suggest that Godard could just as easily be a neo-Nazi as he could be a Marxist, or that there is no fundamental difference between the two, but social critique is hardly the exclusive province of Marxism. Furthermore "true" Marxism (I put it in quotes since there's not much consensus on who or what is truly "Marxist" these days) advances a revolutionary perspective that seems to be missing from most of Godard's post-Dziga Vertov films, many of which I frankly find pessimistic and even somewhat defeatist, which is quite the opposite.

 

[Jean-Michel]

Not at all to disagree Jean-Michel, as I am just trying to understand, this must mean that European distribution companies hold the rights to these films in Europe. And these companies are obviously more cooperative than the American studios from whom they obtained these rights. Otherwise, Gaumont would have the same problems in obtaining releases for Europe, as they would for Stateside distribution. I just find this surprising, not impossible.

Well, the way the original post was phrased I assumed you were referring to some kind of legal exemption that would allow artists to use such material without having to jump through the same kind of hoops that exist in the U.S. I have no doubt that European rights-holders are more accomodating than the U.S. studios so since you put it this way I totally agree. Just a misunderstanding.

 

[Brook K]

Lew, I'm certain that there is also a CD set of Histories and it comes with an English transcription but I can't remember where it came from. I know someone who has it so I'll try and track down the info.

Bunuel's latter career consisted almost entirely of critiquing capitalism and the bourgeosis. I don't think his films could be considered Marxist.

 

[Ted Todorov]

Actually Godard said in an interview that the reason it wasn't released in the U.S. is because Gaumont was able to clear the European rights to the film clips, but U.S. studios aren't that accomodating and no American distributor wants to deal with the hassle of trying. You still have to get permission no matter where you are, Europe or the U.S.

Aren't those clips there in the context of film criticism/history? That falls within the classic definition of fair use: the U.S. distributor would not need to get anyone's permission.

Anyway, hopefully this set will come out in Europe at a more reasonable price and with English subtitles...

Ted

 

[Lew Crippen]

Bunuel's latter career consisted almost entirely of critiquing capitalism and the bourgeosis. I don't think his films could be considered Marxist.

Very true, Brook. True believers of any kind, aren’t that funny.