MovieChat Forums > The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989) Discussion > Hope for a Criterion DVD Release

Hope for a Criterion DVD Release

posted 20 years ago by Soma-7
39 replies | jump to latest

I saw this movie in the theater when I was ten years old and multiple times in the summer of 1990 on Showtime. It introduced me to the genius of Terry Gilliam. The first two films in the "Dreams Trilogy" are available in DVD form through Criterion. "Time Bandits" and "Brazil" are great additions to the Criterion DVD catalog, but I really think they need to go out of their way to put out Baron Munchausen.

It was released in 1992 on Laserdisc through Criterion and it came with a slew of great bonus features. 4 Deleted Scenes, Storyboards, Making-of-Documentary, and commentary from Terry himself.

As far as those people who don't like this film, I can understand. It is truly an acquired taste. But I think I can watch it almost anytime anyday and never be bored. Go figure. If anyone knows of a petition that exists online or where I can start one up, please respond and let me know. Thanks for reading!

"Don't think you are....Know you are"-Morpheus

[–] ParadigmIdentity 20 years ago

Here here! I wanted to cry when I finally found a listing of the special features on the criterion laserdisc of this that I can't access as it's out of my price range and I don't have a laserdisc player anyway... It's DISGRACEFUL that the bastards who have the rights to this movie did it the unforgivable disservice of giving it a "bare bones" DVD edition while Criterion had given it the "Brazil" treatment on laserdisc and is now, for ownership legality reasons, forbidden from reprinting this film they loved enough to put so much work into. Who's up for petitioning the greedy, lame-brained execs squatting on the rights to this film to relinquish those rights to a company that actually gives a damn about the film itself and not just the quick buck that was made off of its mockery of a current edition?

What further baffles me is that criterion is forbidden to publish this title while it only has one edition out there from one publisher... while TIME BANDITS, which criterion has, is simultaneously published by 2 other manufacturers and MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRIAN is also done by another publisher as well while the Criterion edition remains in print. This doesn't make sense to me...

Lastly; we need THE FISHER KING, too; that was another Gilliam film Criterion did on laserdisc with commentary by Gilliam that has only recieved a sad, sad featureless DVD treatment

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] AND77 20 years ago

I guess i'm in the minority, but i actually prefer Baron Munchausen to Brazil. I agree completely with you guys about the DVD that is currently on shelves; I'm not buying it until a better edition comes out - especially considering that the current DVD is so expensive (I haven't been able to find it new anywhere, including ebay, for less than $22.00). If the current DVD were to be marked down to say, $14.00, it might be worth it, but otherwise, I'm being patient and waiting.
So few people i talk to even know that this film exists - I didn't even find out about it until i was in high school, looking for other projects that the Pythons worked on.
Supposedly, Terry Gilliam wrote a book about his horrible ordeal receiving funding to make this movie.
I would settle for a better edition of the film on DVD; it wouldn't even have to be Criterion, as long as it contained commentary.

[–] sneakypete 19 years ago

I'm in New Zealand, I picked up the region 4 edition of Baron Munchausen from a major NZ retailer yesterday for NZ$13 (US$9). Pretty low on features, though.

[–] casualgoth 19 years ago

I just picked up a copy on Amazon for around US$11

[–] favfallenidol 19 years ago

Criterion OWNs THE RIGHTS to all of their SPECIAL FEATURES.
So when you See a movie like this one for example released as Barebones .
Well that just means the studio didnt want to pay Criterion for the extras .
So I would petition Criterion more than anything .

[–] Soodinum 10 years ago

It's *hear hear.

[–] Blueghost 20 years ago

The film has a sordid history. A lot of money was spent on a film that never recouped its losses in its initial release. It may have by now, but I don't know for certain. Terry Gillian himself actuall has a website with an entire section dedicated to the effort that went into this film, as well as his own personal reflections.

The film cost lots of money, even for a "fantasy" film, and nearly bankrupt the backers, or so I recall. So dumping more money into promoting this film's sale in the DVD market is probably the last thing on anyone's mind, especially given the fact that Gillian (and other parties involved) have pretty much spilt their guts on the project.

In short it's a project that a lot of people (people involved with the production) would just as soon forget. When the film was in the theatres it did OK. When I saw it the house was packed. But again the film was so expensive to make that I'm not sure it recouped its losses.

What does this have to do with a special edition DVD? Well, you have to pay to put all those extra features on the disk(s), which means more money dumped into the film.

Myself, I liked the movie. I wasn't a huge fan of it, but I could appreciate it, and wouldn't mind a special edition DVD of it in my library, but at the same time I'm not going to hold my breath. Still, you never know what may happen.

If I come across Terry Gillian's website again I'll post the URL... someone may have it posted on this BBS already.

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] darkel101 19 years ago

if we keep sending requests at www.criterionco.com
maybe they will!

ever seen a man bite his own head off?

[–] Soma-7 19 years ago

Wow! This is my first time checking back on this board since I posted this last summer! Great response! In regards to my original post...it seems highly unlikely that anytime soon we will see this film given it's proper treatment by the good folks at Criterion on DVD.

I have since sat and watched all of the features at a friends house on the original Criterion Laserdisc and they were well worth five hours of my time on Saturday. It was neat to hear Gilliam's original idea's throughout the film on the commentary track. Had there been more money and a better marketing strategy, this film could have been like Brazil.

When originally released, Brazil made just enough money to cover expenses at the box office. (20 million to make and 20 million or so in gross). Munchausen would eventually go on to be nominated for five Acamdemy Awards. It did not win any, but the nominations were a good sign that those in Hollywood appreciated the film in some aspect.

If the studio was smart about it, they would have released the film at the height of Kill Bill. Why you ask? Remember Gladiator? When that film hit DVD, the studio that owns the rights to "Romper Stomper" had a big sticker on the front stating "Starring Russell Crowe from Gladiator". Romper Stomper already had a big following, but the initial pressing of 150,000 units on DVD sold out over time and are now highly collectible in the 2DVD format. Check Ebay to see what I mean.

Had Columbia Pictures (which I think is now owned by Sony) done a similar thing with Munchausen, the film might have had a better chance of breaking through in the mainstream and gotten people talking. Again, this is my way of looking at the marketing machine. Please don't bash me if you do not agree. I respect the opinion of others as well.

Munchausen is one of many films that Criterion fans are still waiting for. I myself would also like to see the Fisher King and even Twelve Monkey's. Hey Criterion, how about Blade Runner? I'm not holding my breath on that one...

In the meantime, I would suggest to anyone to go to Ebay, and slap down $50.00 or so dollars and purchase a decent Laserdisc Player. Pretty much any Pioneer player is worth it so long as it is a later model. Then keep checking Ebay for the Criterion laserdisc of Munchausen. I have been looking weekly for the past two years and have seen them sell for as much as $40.00 and as little as $16.00. Not bad.

Go to your nearest Circuit City and or Good Guys and get some decent cables and take a day for yourself and enjoy this film the way it was meant to be. Then when you are finished, put everything back up on Ebay and get your money back. You should at least break even.

I am looking into getting a petiton put together. As soon as I have a URL I will post it up on this board. Thanks again to those who have responded thus far. Looking forward to reading more posts.

"Don't think you are....Know you are"-Morpheus

[–] freaked 19 years ago

hey I understand everyone would like the criterion version. That would be awesome.

Well there is a new edition on DVD coming out on Region1 on March 15, 2005. It is still somewhat barebones- w/ no real specials-just production notes, bios, filmography and trailer. No commentary :(

But mebbe if the sales are good with this edition, there will be a criterion eventually. Tho this also means that a criterion edition probly won't be in the works for a long while.

At least there is a DVD version to watch.

DVDPlanet.com has a posting for this DVD at $11 w/ retail price of $14.

[–] Wulfstan10 19 years ago

I generally agree with what you say and I wholeheartedly agree that we need a Criterion Collection version of this DVD. It's simply a fantastic film and it is terrible how it has been so ignored. I don't want to shell out money (or make room) for a laserdisc player just to watch the special features, etc. I also tend to agree with a poster up there who loved this more than Brazil. Brazil is a great, brilliant movie and I love it, but I tend to think that this is an even greater movie. It certainly is more fun. It is one that I can watch over and over, and have in fact done so. I never, ever tire of it. Unfortunately, most people I know think it is just too "weird," and many of them are intelligent, thinking, rather different people who appreciate art and don't follow the maintream masses in liking only mindless action and base crudity. That doesn't bode too well for the film from a financial point of view.

[–] ditnis 19 years ago

"That doesn't bode too well for the film from a financial point of view."

Is Criterion in it for the money? Yes, but look at some of the other stuff the company is putting out. Are they raking in the cash with The Passion Of Joan Of Arc? And how's The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp working out for them? I've got nothing on those films, but how good can their sales stats be? I think the company would be happy to release Munchausen, particularly in view of the fact that it has a pretty good pre-existing relationship with Gilliam, but that the rights to the film are locked up at the moment.

Someone above suggested that if everyone bought the currently-available version of the DVD, the increase in sales would motivate Sony or whoever to put out a better version. I think that the opposite is the case. What really needs to happen is that if Gilliam fans could get their act together, a boycott of the crap edition of the DVD could be organized. This would encourage whoever owns the rights at the moment to try to dump them. Then Criterion would be waiting.

[–] Allardyce99 19 years ago

I, too, have been praying for the Criterion release on DVD, but alas, it shall not be so. I contacted the folks at Criterion Collection directly. They indicated that a number of the films to which they owned laserdisc rights...well...they haven't been able to acquire the DVD rights to many of them, such as David Fincher's "The Game". Unfortunately, I was told that they do not have the DVD rights to "Baron Munchausen" and will not be able to obtain them. This is highly depressing news, but I thought you would like to know.

DSS

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] lilmattiespencer 19 years ago

am i right that this opened on 42 screens in america? saw it friday night saw it saturday morning. bloomfield hills mi. took my parents to see it. paid $125 for a serious l.d. isn't gilliam commantary among the best? shots of uma smoking playing with sarah polly...priceless

-there's a bottle besides him
-hope he hasn't been at it
-so do i

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] candy_liz2003 19 years ago

I currently work a couple of hours a week at a family-owned video rental shop and have found myself bringing my collection in to share with the staff. I am so surprised at the number of "off the wall", "quirky", "left of center" films that are unavailable to the masses who are not even aware of the richly imaginatve works that exist.
So - where's the petition??? I'm ready to commit my pen or my e-mail address to getting films like "Baron", "Fisher King", "Brazil" and other "must haves" available with all the frosting and sprinkles added.
TTFN - Candy

[–] clockwork_orange2001 19 years ago

What all you guys need to do is request this film to Criterion. I constantly request films. Unfortunately, it's not so much that Criterion would be opposed to releasing this film, but it's all legal stuff, they don't have the rights to distribute the film. This has to do with Columbia Tri-Star; they'd have to work out a deal with them. While they're at it, maybe they can also get Dr. Strangelove.

I think that silent films got a lot more things right than talkies. --Stanley Kubrick

[–] RebHarkness 19 years ago

Oh heavens, YES!!! The fan in me sez shda been already. The Mr Sober in me understands that there's a maze of legal-eagle hoops to jump thru, and jump just so. But I've a strong feeling the Criterion folks are seriously considering it.

[–] sonicinmobius-1 19 years ago

A Criterion edition with those features and some of the other Baron movies would be awesome, especially if it didn't cost as much as the Brazil DVD.