KINO has terrible, amateurish cover art and shamefully cheap packaging. That has always bothered me about the company more than any of their other shortcomings – which there are many unfortunately.
I don’t want to hate the company, as they do shed light on many forgotten films… but why the hell can’t they get their act together? Why even try if they’re going to do such a consistently poor job?
Are they just trying to acquire as many films as possible before Criterion can get to them, only to turn a buck?
Please, Criterion, do what is necessary to get the rights to this film and do it the justice we all know you will do.
Btw I really prefer slip-case digipaks to amaray… just sayin…
It is more a personal gripe of mine, but in my experience I have found that most organizations either have an attitude to do everything to their best ability, or they are likely to be careless in most all areas. This is very often evidenced in the quality of branding design (if a company hired some real talent to create their identity than they likely are not the cheap, sell-shit-to-earn-a-profit types), but I’m a designer so I may be biased.
Now let me express my gratitude again to KINO for unearthing so many endangered films.
But…
That is still to say, if KINO offers such painfully bad packaging design, they are likely to be just as inept about transfers. And I’ve never been impressed with KINO’s final results in the transfer department. In a prestige market such as this, cutting corners immediately defeats your accountability.
Criterion is so successful and well reputed because their every effort is singular, fully realized, and uncompromising. Any less and they would not have their own labeled section in the aisles of dvd retailers. No other company can boast that.
Stalker is in my opinion the the perfect vehicle for a Criterion release. No other Tarkovsky film deserves the “treatment” as this one does, even more so than Solaris.
Ok, that should stir some controversy. Bring it on, opinionated film geeks!
I don’t want to contradict myself, but anyone could easily throw a wrench in my argument by pointing out the excellent design and packaging of KINO’s treatment of “Battleship Potemkin”. The printed materials were still a bit cheap, and I didn’t view the disc so I have no idea of the transfer. But I will say the packaging design is a standout.
Very honestly, what can I or any of you do about the case for Stalker? I like to fantasize about the idea of assembling some movement to convince Kino to sell the rights for the film to Criterion. Or, Criterion makes an offer that Kino can’t refuse, some astronomical, record setting number that will earn the release a kind of mythology. But I’m not sure if even Kino owns the rights anymore. And blu-ray is a different format with different licensing and regional rights and so forth.
New question then: Does anyone have any idea about who owns the Stalker property and where it resides? Are there enough complete, preserved prints in the world to assemble a high def master?
Wow, 12 months ago? Times flies. Just had a random chat about Tarkovsky with a professor of architecture and philosophy, no big surprise he’s a Tarkovsky fan. We’re al still on board for the Stalker treatment. Based on the Blu re-release of Solyaris with fresh cover art, CC might drop a bomb on us with the collective works of Tarkovsky in one box and just say “Ha! Take that and quitchercomplainin, film geeks”
If they do, I’ll fly a copy personally to his gravesite in France and bury in under leaves there, “another small battle for you, sir” I’ll say.
Avatar Depression? over 2 years ago
I’m depressed too.
I’m depressed to be reminded that people succumb to such a pathetic mindset on a regular basis in our society.
And I’m consequently depressed by the fact that this story gets such media attention from a juggernaut like CNN.
That makes me hate the mainstream media more.
And then I realize that CNN is slanted and neutered in order to entertain the lowest common denominator.
That lowest common denominator = fanboys and girls who are depressed because they don’t live on Pandora.
I’m depressed.
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Who wants "Stalker" to appear on Criterion? over 2 years ago
KINO has terrible, amateurish cover art and shamefully cheap packaging. That has always bothered me about the company more than any of their other shortcomings – which there are many unfortunately.
I don’t want to hate the company, as they do shed light on many forgotten films… but why the hell can’t they get their act together? Why even try if they’re going to do such a consistently poor job?
Are they just trying to acquire as many films as possible before Criterion can get to them, only to turn a buck?
Please, Criterion, do what is necessary to get the rights to this film and do it the justice we all know you will do.
Btw I really prefer slip-case digipaks to amaray… just sayin…
Go to Comment
Who wants "Stalker" to appear on Criterion? over 2 years ago
@LAW:
It is more a personal gripe of mine, but in my experience I have found that most organizations either have an attitude to do everything to their best ability, or they are likely to be careless in most all areas. This is very often evidenced in the quality of branding design (if a company hired some real talent to create their identity than they likely are not the cheap, sell-shit-to-earn-a-profit types), but I’m a designer so I may be biased.
Now let me express my gratitude again to KINO for unearthing so many endangered films.
But…
That is still to say, if KINO offers such painfully bad packaging design, they are likely to be just as inept about transfers. And I’ve never been impressed with KINO’s final results in the transfer department. In a prestige market such as this, cutting corners immediately defeats your accountability.
Criterion is so successful and well reputed because their every effort is singular, fully realized, and uncompromising. Any less and they would not have their own labeled section in the aisles of dvd retailers. No other company can boast that.
Stalker is in my opinion the the perfect vehicle for a Criterion release. No other Tarkovsky film deserves the “treatment” as this one does, even more so than Solaris.
Ok, that should stir some controversy. Bring it on, opinionated film geeks!
Go to Comment
Who wants "Stalker" to appear on Criterion? over 2 years ago
I don’t want to contradict myself, but anyone could easily throw a wrench in my argument by pointing out the excellent design and packaging of KINO’s treatment of “Battleship Potemkin”. The printed materials were still a bit cheap, and I didn’t view the disc so I have no idea of the transfer. But I will say the packaging design is a standout.
If only KINO did this well on every release….
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Who wants "Stalker" to appear on Criterion? over 2 years ago
Can anyone confirm Robley’s critique of the Kino disc from Netflix being a one-off defective or are they all uniformly messed up?
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Who wants "Stalker" to appear on Criterion? about 2 years ago
Very honestly, what can I or any of you do about the case for Stalker? I like to fantasize about the idea of assembling some movement to convince Kino to sell the rights for the film to Criterion. Or, Criterion makes an offer that Kino can’t refuse, some astronomical, record setting number that will earn the release a kind of mythology. But I’m not sure if even Kino owns the rights anymore. And blu-ray is a different format with different licensing and regional rights and so forth.
New question then: Does anyone have any idea about who owns the Stalker property and where it resides? Are there enough complete, preserved prints in the world to assemble a high def master?
Go to Comment
Who wants "Stalker" to appear on Criterion? about 2 years ago
@Ben S.
I’ve come across that issue before. I very much so agree with you.
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The Auteurs' Fake Criterion Covers almost 2 years ago
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Who wants "Stalker" to appear on Criterion? about 1 year ago
Wow, 12 months ago? Times flies. Just had a random chat about Tarkovsky with a professor of architecture and philosophy, no big surprise he’s a Tarkovsky fan. We’re al still on board for the Stalker treatment. Based on the Blu re-release of Solyaris with fresh cover art, CC might drop a bomb on us with the collective works of Tarkovsky in one box and just say “Ha! Take that and quitchercomplainin, film geeks”
If they do, I’ll fly a copy personally to his gravesite in France and bury in under leaves there, “another small battle for you, sir” I’ll say.
Go to Comment