Cosmos

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Calvin
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 11:12 am

Cosmos

#1 Post by Calvin » Wed Feb 17, 2016 5:37 pm

Image

When two young men arrive at a family-run guesthouse in rural France, their anticipation of a few days’ peace and quiet is undermined by a variety of sinister occurrences. A small bird is found murdered, its neck in a tiny noose, a strangely sexualized stain appears on a wall, and a slug crawls across the breakfast tray.

Are these all signs comprising a portent of truly cosmic significance, or merely bizarre coincidences? And is it any wonder that one of the visitors, Witold (piercing-eyed Jonathan Genet) has such difficulty writing his novel, or that his companion Fuchs (Johan Libéreau) prefers to find solace in earthier pleasures?

The final film by the late Andrzej Żuławski, director of the legendary Possession (the only Cannes-winning arthouse film to be officially classified as a video nasty), Cosmos adapts Witold Gombrowicz’s legendarily challenging novel into a beguilingly witty combination of (deceptively) lighthearted French farce and a complex, knowing reflection on the absurdities both of humanity itself and the way that we define our notion of the universe according to our individual hang-ups.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS:
  • High Definition digital transfer of the film supervised by Andrzej Żuławski
  • New subtitle translation approved by Żuławski
  • Hanging Sparrows: A retrospective making of interview featurette including cast (Jonathan Genet, Victoria Guerra, Jean-Francois Balmer, Clementine Pons), crew (cinematographer Andre Szankowski and others) and archive footage of director Andrzej Zulawski
  • A Brief History of Gombrowicz - An interview with Rita Gombrowicz and on the life and work of Witold Gombrowicz
  • Bleurgh - Daniel Bird on the films of Andrzej Zulawski and adapting Cosmos into English
  • Trailers
  • Reversible sleeve featuring two artwork options

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Adam X
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:04 am

Re: Cosmos

#2 Post by Adam X » Thu Feb 18, 2016 6:16 am

Calvin wrote:
Wed Feb 17, 2016 5:37 pm
The Arrow team are saddened to learn of the passing of Andrzej Zulawski. Zulawski has had a profound effect on the landscape of Polish and World cinema and will be greatly missed. We recently had the privilege of acquiring the rights his last film Cosmos and will ensure that our work on this serves as a fitting tribute to his legacy.
Kino have the rights in the US.
That's like a double-punch to the gut. Zulawski dying and Kino having the US rights. Thankfully Arrow should fix that nicely.

Having only discovered him through Anchor Bay's DVD of Possession, and then through Second Run, & Mondo Vision's great ongoing project, he's a stunning, if not sometimes bewildering artist who'll be sorely missed. I've found with most of his films, it took 2 or 3 viewings to fully appreciate (and sometimes comprehend) them, but I'll certainly never forget the experience.

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MichaelB
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Re: Cosmos

#3 Post by MichaelB » Thu Feb 18, 2016 2:57 pm

Adam Grikepelis wrote:That's like a double-punch to the gut. Zulawski dying and Kino having the US rights. Thankfully Arrow should fix that nicely.
I don't think it would be breaching any commercial confidences to reveal that Daniel Bird, David Mackenzie and I will be overseeing Arrow's BD, and we will of course be applying the same curatorial standards that we did to previous collaborations for Arrow (and in their case for Mondo Vision as well).

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Adam X
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Re: Cosmos

#4 Post by Adam X » Thu Feb 18, 2016 9:13 pm

Then it'll be in fine hands, thanks Michael.
Now seems like a good time to finally get around to watching MV's Possession.

Personally, I think it's great Zulawski had a small resurgance in interest, and was able to make one final film before his death. Thanks in part, no doubt, to the much appreciated efforts of Daniel Bird & Mondo Vision.

Calvin
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Re: Cosmos

#5 Post by Calvin » Fri Feb 19, 2016 6:06 am

MichaelB wrote:
Adam Grikepelis wrote:That's like a double-punch to the gut. Zulawski dying and Kino having the US rights. Thankfully Arrow should fix that nicely.
I don't think it would be breaching any commercial confidences to reveal that Daniel Bird, David Mackenzie and I will be overseeing Arrow's BD, and we will of course be applying the same curatorial standards that we did to previous collaborations for Arrow (and in their case for Mondo Vision as well).
I had no doubts, but thanks for confirming that this is the case Michael!

Zulawski would be a perfect candidate for the Arrow box set treatment so I have my fingers firmly crossed that Cosmos does well enough for them to acquire the rights to those that aren't with other parties in the UK (which I believe would only be Possession, The Important Thing Is to Love and Third Part of the Night?).

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R0lf
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Re: Cosmos

#6 Post by R0lf » Fri Feb 26, 2016 1:12 am

Calvin wrote:Zulawski would be a perfect candidate for the Arrow box set treatment so I have my fingers firmly crossed
As a perfect extra Arrow could include free suicide watch for anyone who marathons the set.

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MichaelB
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Re: Cosmos

#7 Post by MichaelB » Fri Feb 26, 2016 3:45 am

Arrow has no plans to do a Żuławski box set - they're just putting out Cosmos.

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rapta
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Re: Cosmos

#8 Post by rapta » Fri Feb 26, 2016 10:02 am

MichaelB wrote:Arrow has no plans to do a Żuławski box set - they're just putting out Cosmos.
Much like Hard to Be a God then, and what I was expecting to hear.

Though am I right in thinking that a potential Andrzej Żuławski set coming from Arrow would be a little more likely than an Aleksei German set?

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MichaelB
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Re: Cosmos

#9 Post by MichaelB » Fri Feb 26, 2016 10:11 am

rapta wrote:Though am I right in thinking that a potential Andrzej Żuławski set coming from Arrow would be a little more likely than an Aleksei German set?
To repeat: Arrow has no plans to do a Żuławski box set, so such a thing is neither more nor less likely.

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swo17
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Re: Cosmos

#10 Post by swo17 » Fri Feb 26, 2016 10:51 am

But is it perhaps at least blore likely?

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EddieLarkin
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 10:25 am

Re: Cosmos

#11 Post by EddieLarkin » Fri Feb 26, 2016 11:23 am

A box set may be coming from Mondo Vision after La note bleue; their site now lists Trzecia Czesc Nocy, Diabel and Na Srebrnym Globiee together as a "Polish Trilogy" currently in production, when before they were listed separately.

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L.A.
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Re: Cosmos

#12 Post by L.A. » Fri Feb 26, 2016 11:36 am

EddieLarkin wrote:A box set may be coming from Mondo Vision after La note bleue; their site now lists Trzecia Czesc Nocy, Diabel and Na Srebrnym Globiee together as a "Polish Trilogy" currently in production, when before they were listed separately.
:o

Release of the year if this "Trilogy" comes out.

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rapta
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Re: Cosmos

#13 Post by rapta » Fri Feb 26, 2016 4:47 pm

MichaelB wrote:
rapta wrote:Though am I right in thinking that a potential Andrzej Żuławski set coming from Arrow would be a little more likely than an Aleksei German set?
To repeat: Arrow has no plans to do a Żuławski box set, so such a thing is neither more nor less likely.
Okay, but hypothetically which would be more likely in your opinion? Assuming Cosmos (and Hard to Be a God) sold well, they had access to the materials, the rights were all clear, and there was enough demand and enthusiasm for such a concept.

I thought it was clear I wasn't contradicting your initial statement, but entertaining the idea that Arrows 'no plans' stance could change sometime in the future (and if so, what would have to happen for it to change).

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MichaelB
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Re: Cosmos

#14 Post by MichaelB » Fri Feb 26, 2016 5:00 pm

Well, obviously Żuławski, because he's much more "Arrow", but there's no point belabouring this issue as there really are absolutely no plans in that direction.

I genuinely don't know what you're expecting me to say here, unless you find vague and meaningless generalisations somehow soothing.

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GaryC
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Re: Cosmos

#15 Post by GaryC » Fri Feb 26, 2016 5:39 pm

This thread is as good as any to mention that Mubi's UK selection currently includes Fidelity as their tribute to Zulawski.

Calvin
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Re: Cosmos

#16 Post by Calvin » Thu Jun 23, 2016 6:30 am

Pre-order up on Amazon for October 3rd.

skeets kelly
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Re: Cosmos

#17 Post by skeets kelly » Thu Jun 23, 2016 10:50 am

If you live in the NYC area, you can catch it for another week at the Metrograph. Going this afternoon m'self to check it out.
http://metrograph.com/film/film/145/cosmos" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

MagicHour
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Re: Cosmos

#18 Post by MagicHour » Thu Jun 23, 2016 4:44 pm

If you can't wait for the ARROW, the BluRay and DVD is already available with English subs at FNAC in Portugal. I picked up the DVD whilst in Lisbon and it also features fine Q&As with Zulawski at the film's Festival premiere last year.

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MichaelB
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Re: Cosmos

#19 Post by MichaelB » Thu Jun 23, 2016 6:22 pm

I'd honestly wait. I know I'm biased, but the Arrow will be conspicuously more lavish.

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swo17
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Re: Cosmos

#20 Post by swo17 » Wed Jul 20, 2016 12:55 am

Very helpful of Amazon to combine reviews for this upcoming release with those for Carl Sagan's 1980 mini-series.

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What A Disgrace
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Re: Cosmos

#21 Post by What A Disgrace » Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:41 am

Scratch that. More specs to be announced! - Arrow on Facebook.

Hopefully adding the supplements available on the Kino.

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antnield
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Re: Cosmos

#22 Post by antnield » Sat Sep 24, 2016 12:08 pm

Final specs:

• High Definition digital transfer of the film supervised by Andrzej Żuławski
• New subtitle translation approved by Żuławski
• Hanging Sparrows (32 mins) - A retrospective making of interview featurette including cast (Jonathan Genet, Victoria Guerra, Jean-François Balmer, Clémentine Pons), cinematographer André Szankowski and archive footage of director Andrzej Żuławski
• A Brief History of Gombrowicz (11 mins) - An interview with Rita Gombrowicz and on the life and work of Witold Gombrowicz
• Bleurgh (5 mins) - Daniel Bird on Andrzej Żuławski and adapting Cosmos
• On-set footage of Żuławski at work (7 mins)
• Extensive footage from the 2015 Locarno Film Festival, including the complete press conference (31 mins) and Q&A session (45 mins), plus the Best Director prize-giving ceremony presented by Udo Kier (3 mins)
• Introduction to the screening of Cosmos at the 2015 Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival (8 mins)
• Trailers
• Reversible sleeve featuring two artwork options

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What A Disgrace
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Re: Cosmos

#23 Post by What A Disgrace » Sun Sep 25, 2016 12:36 pm

Better, but sticking with the Kino.

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rapta
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Re: Cosmos

#24 Post by rapta » Sun Sep 25, 2016 1:19 pm

No booklet for this one?

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antnield
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Re: Cosmos

#25 Post by antnield » Mon Sep 26, 2016 9:25 am

rapta wrote:No booklet for this one?
Booklet in both the Blu-ray and DVD editions: 40 pages containing two new essays by Samm Deighan and an interview with Zulawski.

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