Quick, eBay your Salo DVD now! Criterion re-release coming soon! (1 Viewer)

[PaulP]

http://www.criterionco.com/blog/

P.S.: You'll also note that there's a hint that Andrei Rublev and Shock Corridor may be coming as new re-releases soon too.

 

[Chris S]

This is one of those films that I've always heard about through its reputation alone. I don't know anyone who has actually seen the movie and there was no way I was going to pay those eBay prices for the film. Good to know I may actually get to watch it sometime next year.

 

[Mark_TS]

excellent news
and of Andrei Rublev.
And should we be so lucky as to see a Criterion 2 disc version of Tarkovsky's STALKER- the one in currently in circulation (with the correct mono soundtrack), and the "ruined" version-tinted green, accidently(?) by technicians at Mosfilm labs, which was shot on a more lavish budget-it would be a pleasure to view, compare and contrast the 2 versions, as he had to reshoot most of it on a much smaller budget.
Just seeing it, even if green (if what ive read is correct)would be worth while.
Mr Mulvaney, consider it, if you would, if it is within your power.

 

[bobraleigh]

be careful what you wish for chris, it may come true.

i've seen salo and wish i hadn't.

 

[CraigF]

^ LOL, I watched it twice the night before last. Two of the same disc (BFI), to see if one was "better" than the other. That should do me for a while...

Actually, the movie doesn't bother me. I consider it just weird, not literally disturbing, assume it is metaphorical if I take the high road, or trash assembled to intentionally disturb if I take the lower road.

HD transfer?? Ummmm....of what exactly? For Criterion, anamorphic would be an improvement, as would no cuts and reasonably proper color and burned-in subtitles (if mainly marketed for an English-speaking audience). I bet we'll see all that except maybe the subtitles.

 

[David_Blackwell]

I have a feeling that some company like the Weinstein Company will probably release new editions of Hard Boiled and The Killer.

 

[mike kaminski]

I saw the criterion dvd of this years ago--i was very dissapointed. Its a very poor film that only has its reputation as its merit, and even then it is weird but not that shocking. I Spit On Your Grave for example is much more extreme, and in my opinion, of much higher artistic value--Salo doesn't really have much of a purpose to it, other than to shock, which it only does moderately. Glad to see the ridiculous reputation this mediocre film has amassed will be toppled with this much-needed re-release.

 

[Jean-Michel]

It's been confirmed that Weinstein/Dragon Dynasty has the rights to The Killer and Hard Boiled. The odds of Criterion re-releases are pretty much zero.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

If you think Salo is shocking, you should try reading de Sade's original book on which it's loosely based. Even those who go in for nun porn and bestiality will have a hard go making it through that one.

 

[Jon Martin]

Seriously?

I've never seen SALO, but I've seen other Pasolini and he is a very important director. In college, there was an entire semester devoted to his films (I didn't take the class, but SALO was one of the films shown). On the exploitation level, the film may not work, but it wasn't intended to be viewed that way. It is more of a political statement. That is why Criterion deemed it worthy of treatment.

 

[Vincent_P]

Indeed. I sent a copy of De Sade's book to an actor friend of mine in LA several years ago as a gift (he has a taste for the macabre), and he told me he read and recorded excerpts from it as his answering machine message

He's a strange guy.

Vincent

 

[mike kaminski]

That is precisely why it fails. Theres nothing political about it. It hides behind the excuse that it is an examination of fascism--but its not. The characters are simply sadists, two-dimensional, and exist only as an excuse to shock, or attempt to shock, audiences. The period setting and historic placement of the story is distracting from the rather hollow content.

 

[Edward Schatz]

Not to get off topic, but I desperately want HD/anamorphic editions of The Killer and Hard Boiled. The French DVD of Hard Boiled is beautiful, albeit lacking english subs. The HK Legends of The Killer is a good disc, but is slightly cropped and lacks the original mono track. Blah. I've seen Saló and couldn't care less about its return to DVD. It lives on its lascivious reputation rather than actual film making merits. Criterion needs to get the priorities in order (though I am sure the black market for Saló made them want to get the rights back).

My apologies for thread crapping. Back to the topic.