Can you describe for us a typical day at the Criterion offices?
The only thing typical about a day at Criterion is its unpredictability. Like most New Yorkers, we're overflowing the limited space we occupy and don't have enough time in the day to do everything we need to. In the summer, we talk about softball; in the winter, we talk about our Christmas card. Any given day can find a consulting producer from Europe camped out in our conference room or one of the Criterion babies, spouses, or dogs roaming the halls. We're a close-knit company and we work hard and play hard, though the office mood is very casual. And while you're here, you're never more than seven feet from a TV screen.
How long, on average, does it take for a title to make if from the idea stage to the street date? What was the shortest window of time for a release (and which release was it) and what was the longest?
Once a master is made, it is usually about a four-month process for production, authoring, compression, and design. There is, however, quite a bit of variation. Naturally, production periods are shorter for those titles with less original content, or for studio releases where hard and fast release dates are imposed from the outside, such as with The Royal Tenenbaums. The releases that demand the most time are those that require extensive restoration and/or archival research, such as Grand Illusion or Rules of the Game. Or the Eisenstein silents, which we've been working on for quite a long time now.
Are there any plans to celebrate publicly the twentieth anniversary of Criterion? A special release, perhaps? Those hotly anticipated t-shirts? Might we suggest a DVD sampler similar to the old "Criterion Goes to the Movies" Voyager CD-ROM that would include trailers and clips from all of the available Criterion DVDs and perhaps a brief introduction by Peter Becker and video interviews with the staff? This could be made available as a mail-order item or as a premium with selected purchases.
Thanks for reminding us of the upcoming anniversary. You're right—it would make a good occasion for something. However, nothing is currently in the works. Making Criterion merchandise (t-shirts, hats etc.) has been on our minds for some time, but we still haven't committed to it. If and when we do make such merchandise available, you'll be the first to know.
What kind of backgrounds, educational or otherwise, do your producers have? What kind of preparation makes for a good producer?
The producers at Criterion come from a variety of backgrounds. Most have a background in film, be it a degree in film production or studies and/or experience in film production or distribution. Certain producers joined the company in entry-level positions and worked their way up through the ranks.
To be a good producer, one must capable of doing and being many things at once. One need not necessarily be an expert on a particular film or filmmaker, yet one must know how to surround oneself with the right resources and how to best exploit those resources. The producer must be canny, patient, and discerning when sifting through vast amounts of archival materials. They must simultaneously act as sleuth, diplomat, and wrangler in an effort to generate a coherent overall presentation of a particular film, one that is accessible and interesting to both the casual viewer and the expert. It is a difficult balancing act between purist idealism on the one hand and commercial realities on the other. A good producer is able to find the right spot between these two poles.
How does Criterion decide whom to approach for recording commentary tracks? Is it based on reputation, availability, interest, past working relationships, or what?
Often the choice of a commentarist is self-evident. A Terry Gilliam film needs a Terry Gilliam commentary. Similarly, certain scholars have such dominant reputations in their fields —Peter Cowie on Bergman, say, or Donald Richie on Ozu and Kurosawa, that we would be remiss not to turn to them on occasion. Other films seem to require experts from outside the film industry (e.g., serial-killer profiling pioneer John Douglas on Silence of the Lambs, former DEA intelligence chief Craig Chretien and Pulitzer-winning reporter Tim Golden on Traffic) to address the real-life underpinnings of the story. But for the most part, the choice of commentarist emerges from an internal discussion that takes into account many of the criteria you mention in your question. Suffice it to say that the process of developing a commentary itself, whether scripted or drawn from a number of interviews, is quite grueling, and sheer familiarity with the subject is never enough. It takes energy, clarity, and an ability to organize thoughts not based on their own linear logic, but based on the rhythm and structure of the film being annotated. Those who do it well are a rare breed and we consider ourselves lucky when we find them.
What are Criterion's plans for revisiting the earlier titles in the collection, specifically the non-anamorphic titles, titles that have been restored since their initial release, and titles lacking in special features that are still priced at $39.95 MSRP?
We do hope to re-release certain non-anamorphic titles in the future, but it will be a very gradual process. Because we have access to so many great films that have not received our attention at all, we are more inclined to work on new films than re-release existing titles. However, there is a strong likelihood that we'll be re-releasing a disc or two in 2004, though none of the titles we're considering are widescreen films (i.e. they are 1.33:1).
Thanks for asking about the early, 39.95 straight titles (Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and High and Low). The 39.95 price tag for these titles was an anomaly, and one that should be corrected. I've been discussing this issue with the senior staff and, if I have my way, you will see a price adjustment is in our future.
The November release of David Cronenberg's "Naked Lunch" gives credence to the rumor that Criterion is now able to license titles from Fox. Can you shed any light on this and possibly give us an idea of the kinds of Criterion titles we might expect to see as a result of this new relationship?
It is true—we plan to release a handful of Fox titles in 2004/5. But you guys know that I am not at liberty to divulge specifics! Suffice it to say that, if everything goes according to plan, you will be pleased. Several highly regarded directors and films from all periods of Fox studio history.
Celestial Pictures, a Hong Kong-based company, has been releasing beautifully restored and remastered titles from the classic Shaw Brothers film library. Miramax has licensed a few of these titles for US release, but many excellent films have not been picked up. Has Criterion considered licensing a couple of these titles as a way of expanding their coverage of Asian cinema?
We are very aware of the remarkable Celestial Pictures collection of Chinese Cinema. I am not a Hong Kong cinema expert, but it is my understanding that the Celestial/Shaw Brothers library consists of some 700 films. This is far too large a library for Criterion to handle. However, if there are certain Celestial titles that you think would be especially suited to a Criterion releases, please write in and inform us of them. We're eager to hear what you think.
TV on DVD has become a cash cow for the big studios. Criterion, as usual, was there first with "Fishing With John", but has Criterion considered revisiting TV as a source for titles? Errol Morris' "First Person" seems like it would be a great fit in the Collection.
We are currently exploring certain projects, but there are no television programs in our current schedule. That's about all I can say on this one. As always, we welcome any suggestions you might have.
The Brakhage release seems to have been phenomenally popular. Has this encouraged Criterion to look into releasing more avant-garde and experimental works, or was the experience so trying that once is more than enough?
The by Brakhage release was certainly a challenge, but we've been very heartened by the public response. We are very proud of this DVD and its reception. We are very hopeful that more avant-garde/non-narrative cinema (including more Brakhage, perhaps) will find its way into the collection. I wouldn't expect anything in the very near future, but the experience with Brakhage was nothing if not encouraging.
Are there any plans to release more silent films? An animated film? More genre films?
In addition to an exciting slate of classics, we are planning more silents and more genre fare in 2004. No animated films are on the schedule, but we encourage suggestions for high-quality animated films outside of major studio releases.
2003 was a very strong year for Criterion and fans expect 2004 to bring just as many great titles, including ones by Criterion stalwarts Bergman, Buñuel, Godard, Kurosawa, Ozu, Renoir, Truffaut, and Varda, new favorites Bresson and Melville, as well as rumored debut entries in the Collection from Franju, Russ Meyer, Rohmer, and Visconti. That's already quite a slate of big names, but can you give us any hints about some other exciting upcoming titles?
Hmmm... well, at the moment, 2004 looks terrific. Very eclectic. A number of tried-and-true favorites and quite a few new names. Some monstrous classics of world cinema and some more obscure gems. I would say a number of surprises, but the folks at the Criterion Forum are so resourceful that we can rarely catch you unawares.
What's in the works? One dog, one cat, one bird, two Sicilians, three women, four cops, five films never before on home video (at least), and six hours of suffering. Not to mention a couple of masks, a mamma, and a messiah. And The Lower Depths.
All the best to all of you at The Criterion Forum from all of us at The Criterion Collection!
Respectfully,
Jon Mulvaney