Luis Buñuel's "Los Olvidados," any news at all?

[NatrlBornThrllr]

I've heard rumors of everything from a Koch Lorber release to Criterion with their recent wave of Buñuel films...but I've yet to hear anything from a reliable source. Any news on whether or not this film will be getting an R1 DVD release anytime soon (or anytime, period)?

-JP

[RevKarl]

There was a release in Mexico by Films Sans Frontières that is supposed to be pretty good (Be careful if you order it, as I've seen both NTSC and PAL versions of the disc listed on eBay...and no, I don't have it myself.) Hopefully, FilmFanSea sees this thread and replies, as I believe he's pretty knowledgeable about this title (I think it was discussed in his Sight and Sound’s 2002 poll thread.)

[Daniel Windsor]

I bought this (http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/Reviews/Bunuel/Ol/lo.htm#l) over 5 years ago.

Still very cheap in France.


Why wait and wait and wait?

[Ambassador]

To answer your question, NatrlBornThllr, Koch Lorber have already confirmed that Los Olvidados will be released in the second half of 2005 as part of their "Gold Label" editions (for which La Dolce Vita was a trial run). A recent theatrical re-release of the film is still playing in some theaters in the Northwest, so we probably won't see a release from Koch Lorber until that theatrical run is over. But it's still likely that we'll see it before the end of the year. (And like you, I'm anticipating this release eagerly.)

People who have seen the theatrical release tell me that it's only marginally better than the Films Sans Frontieres that RevKarl mentioned. But it should be better than the print recently run on TCM. Hopefully, Koch Lorber will sweeten the deal with a couple of nice extras. At any rate, it should be more cost-effective for you.

[dx23]

I just came back from a trip to Monterrey, Mexico and while I was there I bought the Alter's Collection release of "Los Olvidados" . This release has a very good transfer, alternate ending and spanish and english subtitles. The releases is also very affordable (under $10) and is region 0.

I became interested in the other mexican Bunuel films and found out most of them are owned by Televisa, one of the biggest TV networks on Mexico and Latin America and they have a bad reputation when dealiing with the rights issues of their film and TV properties. A member in the criterionforum.org even told me that Televisa owns 70% of the mexican films. I believe this is one of the reasons we haven't seen the mexican Bunuel films released properly in the states. Hopefully Criterion can get their hands on the film rights in the US and give them the "criterion" treatment.

[dx23]

Koch Lorber have already confirmed that Los Olvidados will be released in the second half of 2005 as part of their "Gold Label" editions (for which La Dolce Vita was a trial run).

Can you tell your source for this information?

[Ambassador]

Can you tell your source for this information?

Yep, the following was contained in an e-mail from Video Business Mag (though it sounds like a news release from Koch Lorber themselves):

Koch Lorber gives Gold treatment to classics

Koch Lorber Films will christen a new Gold Series line of DVDs with the May 10 release of Jacques Demy's take on the dark Charles Perrault fairy tale Donkey Skin.

The Gold Series designation will be reserved for "classic films by renowned directors that really became events" when they were released, said Koch Lorber general manager Dan Gurlitz. The high-end titles will receive state-of-the-art restoration and remastering, significant bonus features and, in most cases, a limited theatrical rerelease to generate consumer awareness.

Koch Lorber's release of La Dolce Vita last year did not carry the Gold Series label but was essentially a test for the line, Gurlitz said.

The Gold Series titles will be priced higher than most Koch Lorber titles--at $34.98, Donkey Skin is about $5 higher than the norm. "There's a big fan base and they're not price-sensitive," Gurlitz said. "They would rather pay a few dollars more and get the best that they can get. There's an upside for Koch and for retailers because these titles don't need to be discounted."

Titles slated to get the Gold Series treatment include Lena Wertmuller's Seven Beauties and Swept Away, Luis Bunuel's Los Olvidados and Alain Corneau's All the Mornings of the World (Tous les Matins du Monde) starring Gerrard Depardieu.

The e-mail was also posted here (http://www.criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=217&start=25) on Criterionforum.org.

EDIT: I realize that this e-mail doesn't mention the second half of 2005 specifically. I believe that info came from a separate interview that I can't locate at the moment, but the Lina Wertmuller collection has been slated for release on 8/9. I suspect that Los Olvidados won't be far behind.

[slop101]

If I can get Bunuel's Simon of the Desert on dvd, I will die a happy man.

[Richard Malloy]

Viridiana!

[slop101]

Viridiana!

Ditto! - but since Viridiana is one of his Spanish films and not a Mexican production, it's not under control by Televisa. There's actually a decent dvd of Viridiana, but alas, no English subs...

[dx23]

Thanks Ambassador. I have mixed feelings about Koch Lorber releasing Los Olvidados. They did a good job with the extras on La Dolce Vita but the transfer, although decent, had some problems.

[Ambassador]

Thanks Ambassador. I have mixed feelings about Koch Lorber releasing Los Olvidados. They did a good job with the extras on La Dolce Vita but the transfer, although decent, had some problems.

I know what you mean. But one thing to remember is that La Dolce Vita was a PAL-to-NTSC transfer -- a good one, I'll admit, but no PAL-to-NTSC transfer is ever going to look 100% perfect. With Los Olvidados, however, Koch Lorber won't have to go to a PAL source, since it was a Mexican production (and Mexico uses NTSC just like the U.S. does). So although I agree that Koch Lorber isn't as good a choice as Criterion, they should do OK.

[Richard Malloy]

The country of origin has nothing to do with whether a PAL or NTSC master will be made/used. Bunuel didn't "shoot NTSC" or "shoot PAL"; he shot on film whereever he shot, be that in Mexico, France, Spain.

(Not to belabor the obvious point, but just note that we have NTSC masters for a variety of his films shot in France, a "PAL country", including "Diary of A Chambermaid", "The Discreet Charm", "The Phantom of Liberty", and "That Obscure Object".)

[Ambassador]

The country of origin has nothing to do with whether a PAL or NTSC master will be made/used. Bunuel didn't "shoot NTSC" or "shoot PAL"; he shot on film whereever he shot, be that in Mexico, France, Spain.

(Not to belabor the obvious point, but just note that we have NTSC masters for a variety of his films shot in France, a "PAL country", including "Diary of A Chambermaid", "The Discreet Charm", "The Phantom of Liberty", and "That Obscure Object".)

I guess what I meant to say is that, unlike La Dolce Vita, Los Olvidados doesn't already have a PAL master from which Koch Lorber might be tempted to copy. Either they'll have to make a new transfer from scratch or they'll have to port over one of the preexisting trasnfers, which are NTSC. (At least, I think the current two existing releases -- Films Sans Frontieres and Alter -- are NTSC.)

So yeah, I didn't mean to say that film itself is shot in either PAL or NTSC. Which is what it sounded like.

[Sex Fiend]

Viridiana!

I'm certainly looking forward to Koch Lorber's Los Olvidados, and would also love to see Viridiana and Simon of the Desert, from... well, just about any label, if they were given a decent transfer. The Milky Way is also supposed to be coming from Criterion sometime this year (I'm guessing fourth quarter 2005), but I haven't heard any updates on that lately.

I believe the above mentioned titles, plus Tristana and The Exterminating Angel are the only vital Bunuel films not yet released in R1. So we're getting pretty close to finally having access to all of the best films of the most underrepresented great foreign director in R1.

[NatrlBornThrllr]

Hooray.

[unclehulot]

I would say we ARE possibly closer to seeing Viridiana and Simon of the Desert from Criterion sometime in the near future. New transfers were aired on Turner Classic Movies recently sporting Janus Films logos. No announcements have been made, but they certainly should have the rights to issue them.