692 It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World

[MongooseCmr]

Of course it must be It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, but it is indeed a strange surprise. Yes, there's already the nice looking Blu-ray of the general release version for around ten bucks. It also wasn't among the titles known to be acquired from MGM. It seems more likely to be a one-off, rather than a harbinger of an additional batch of titles, since Criterion still has nine of the originals to go.

November marks the 50th anniversary of the film. All I can figure is that MGM and Fox were working on their own deluxe anniversary (roadshow?) edition and enlisted Criterion as production and distribution partner to split costs and help bring a little extra cache and nudge it into another market besides the usual fanatics for this film.

Going by this I think its possible Criterion took this favor from MGM in exchange for maybe a deal on titles they want.

[Cinephrenic]

Maybe a Kramer box set is in the works.

[kingofthejungle]

I suppose the forthcoming Kramer is aesthetically important as an example of the "if you can't make it funny, just make it longer" school of comedy.

[Matt]

I suppose the forthcoming Kramer is aesthetically important as an example of the "if you can't make it funny, just make it longer" school of comedy.

They can put interviews with Judd Apatow and James L. Brooks on as supplements.

[Moe Dickstein]

People really don't find anything funny in Mad World? Must be hard work being so cool...

[Matt]

Yes, you've definitely hit the nail on the head there.

[Mathew2468]

Rather watch this:

[cdnchris]

I barely remember this film. I'm pretty sure I laughed more while watching Rat Race, and the only gag I remember from that one is the Barbie Museum joke.

[hearthesilence]

Jesus, I hate that f-ing movie. The fact that so many shitty comedians were praising it on the AFI's comedy special goes a long way in explaining the predominance of crappy, bloated "action comedies" during the '80s.

[Mathew2468]

All of this hate pleases me because I've always heard nothing but good things about it, and was ashamed of my own hatred.

[jsteffe]

Maybe a Kramer box set is in the works.

I can see the box set now: Seven Very Important! Films By Stanley Kramer.

But I wouldn't mind seeing a Blu-ray of the Kramer-produced The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.

[Moe Dickstein]

Sounds like we have the new Benjamin Button here.

I hope it's a two Blu set so the people that are complaining have to spend more to keep their spine numbers complete while I sit back and enjoy the discs lol

[kingofthejungle]

All of this hate pleases me because I've always heard nothing but good things about it, and was ashamed of my own hatred.

I completely agree. I don't think I've ever been angrier at myself than after watching *Mad World* for the first (and only) time. In it's whole, wretched duration it didn't even earn as much a wry smile or comprehending nod. I finished it, but frankly would have found it more edifying to simply sit around for 2 hours and 34 minutes mourning the waste of my time. Sweet merciful Christ, what an awful film.

Matt, good call on Apatow and Brooks. Thankfully we'll ever be subjected to 'roadshow edits' of their work.

[kingofthejungle]

Sounds like we have the new Benjamin Button here.

I hope it's a two Blu set so the people that are complaining have to spend more to keep their spine numbers complete while I sit back and enjoy the discs lol

More power to you, Moe. Personally, had I collected every single title since the founding of the label, this would be enough to make me say "You know what? Fuck it!".

[Jeff]

Sounds like we have the new Benjamin Button here.

I hope it's a two Blu set so the people that are complaining have to spend more to keep their spine numbers complete while I sit back and enjoy the discs lol

I think you'd be surprised at how few Criterion completists there are around here. I suspect I've got around 75% of them and have no interest in obtaining the others. The ones I've got are alphabetized in with the rest of my collection.

I'm pretty ambivalent about IAMMMMW. I don't think it's good movie by any metric, but it was kind of funny when I was nine and therefore I have some nostalgic attachment to it. I'm also curious to see what Criterion comes up with in terms of supplements.

I suspect a two-disc digipacked set (with Saul Bass art) is a near-certainty. They'll do it not only to accommodate the sheer volume of high-def video that such a release is sure to contain, but to differentiate from the cheap Blu-ray already on the market and create some perceived value.

[Mathew2468]

It'll probably be a fancy-ass package, I'd be interested in how it looks.

[Moe Dickstein]

I think you'd be surprised at how few Criterion completists there are around here. I suspect I've got around 75% of them and have no interest in obtaining the others. The ones I've got are alphabetized in with the rest of my collection.

I'm pretty ambivalent about IAMMMMW. I don't think it's good movie by any metric, but it was kind of funny when I was nine and therefore I have some nostalgic attachment to it. I'm also curious to see what Criterion comes up with in terms of supplements.

I suspect a two-disc digipacked set (with Saul Bass art) is a near-certainty. They'll do it not only to accommodate the sheer volume of high-def video that such a release is sure to contain, but to differentiate from the cheap Blu-ray already on the market and create some perceived value.

Well I am one of them lol, I'm at just under 90% of everything at the moment, and in their own area by spine number, but I realize not a whole lot get all of them.

The first two laserdiscs I ever got we're Criterion Ghostbusters and Mad World. I'd never seen the latter but the fact it was restored and had that great documentary interested me, and it was one i watched countless times. There is also a genuine reason to release this as there is a chunk of material from the original release that has not been shown in any home video release.

I bet the package will be something like On The Waterfront 2 Blu/3 DVD and a digipak.

I get its not a cineaste title but I don't come around and bitch about more obscure Japanese films so I feel like someone has to stick up for this thing. I'm glad to see them doing more mainstream films. Which is what the Criterion I first fell in love with did...

[Jeff]

I'm glad to see them doing more mainstream films. Which is what the Criterion I first fell in love with did...

No quibbles with you there. I've made the same argument myself many times. They've always released a mix of stuff, and the biggest complainers would have been appalled at some of their laserdiscs. It may not be one of my favorite "mainstream" films, but I'm not at all surprised that Criterion went for it (again), and I don't really have any problem with them choosing to release it.

[bamwc2]

I too am a completest, but at least I have mental illness to explain it. I started buying their DVDs about a year after they transitioned from LDs. At that time I was suffering from undiagnosed OCD: a diagnosis that was not made until early 2007. It took about another four years to get under control (and will occasionally flare up), but since then I still buy them all since...we'll I've come this far and it would feel strange to stop now. I actually have every release prior to Heaven's Gate, but stopped there due to financial worries. Now that I've got a regular job about to start, I'll probably begin indulging again. Any break in the spine number's sends a shiver down mine.

[Moe Dickstein]

Yeah, a complete set was a dream of mine since I was a teenager. My OCD has been loving all the lists involved in tracking what I still needed to buy over the last year. I'll probably be caught up by the November B&N sale

[Dylan]

I've never seen It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, but I've been aware of it for the better part of the my life and I've never encountered such a resounding negative response to it.

In regards to possible specs, I know that there was a great deal of material deleted from the film, and in particular the final sequence had some elaborate stop-motion animation by Jim Danforth that was cut (not having seen the film, I'm only going by what the animator told me once, many years ago). If any of that still exists it would be nice for Criterion to include it.

[bugsy_pal]

I would double dip on a Criterion IAMMMMW, having bought the currently available bluray. I am not super crazy about the film, but I think it's a fascinating historical document, and i would be curious to see a restored/enhanced version. And it just looks so damn great.

Re Stanley Kramer - can't say I've seen a lot of his films. Andrew Sarris, one of my most favourite critics, ranks Kramer fairly low to middling, from memory. But I have a soft spot for On the Beach, which I saw as a kid, after reading the book. The film has scenes that have stuck in my memory.

[Moe Dickstein]

I've never seen It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, but I've been aware of it for the better part of the my life and I've never encountered such a resounding negative response to it.

It's not hip enough for the kids at Criterion High

[matrixschmatrix]

Obviously, nobody here has any reason for disliking it beyond hipster contrarianism

[The Narrator Returns]

I've never seen It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, but I've been aware of it for the better part of the my life and I've never encountered such a resounding negative response to it.

It's not hip enough for the kids at Criterion High

Tonight, on a very special episode of Criterion High...

The forum gang learns the harsh truths of drug addiction, as Domino becomes addicted to diet pills.

And they learn the value of acceptance, after a blow-up about the cinematic merits of Stanley Kramer.

Tonight at 9/8 central, only on the CW.