Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol. 5

[ianungstad]

We seem to pretty much know what they've licensed from MGM. Unless they acquired more titles, it doesn't look like they picked up Silkwood or his UA films.

Day of the Dolphin is a Canal title. The rights probably expired years ago.

Sony licensed Closer to Image Entertainment.

Several of the the phantom pages suggest future titles from FOX.

[triodelover]

Well, The Birdcage is Nichols and we did have a birdcage in the New Year's teaser. Double feature with La Cage?

[ianungstad]

Barton Fink - Fox didn't include this in their Coen box. The Coens have phantom pages on the Criterion website.

King of Comedy - Thelma Schoonmaker said a special edition was in the works back in the spring while promoting the dvd/blu of Hugo. She didn't specify if it was Criterion or something Fox were doing themselves.

Working Girl - Mike Nichols has a phantom page on the Criterion website. It seems that all the MGM titles got leaked years ago and none of his UA films were picked up by Criterion, so this seems like the most likely title. Somewhat forgotten in spite of being nominated for numerous Academy Awards.

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls - Russ Meyer has phantom page on Criterion website. Criterion produced all the extras for the FOX dvd.

Phantom of the Paradise - Scream Factory apparently has or is working on licensing some Fox titles. They asked for this and were told no. Some fan made his own 3 Reasons video for this film ("For Criterion Consideration"), which Criterion then posted on their official Twitter.

[knives]

I imagine if they have the Meyer than they also have The Seven Minutes which to my knowledge has never been released on disc and would be much bigger news.

[SpiderBaby]

Several of the the phantom pages suggest future titles from FOX.

I'm much more interested in the phantom pages for Djibril Diop Mambety, Ritwik Ghatak, and Mario Peixoto. Come on WCF releases.

[beamish13]

The possiblity of Nichols and/or Elaine May coming to Criterion in the near future is very exciting. I'd kill to see
Nichols' short film with Sandy Dennis, TEACH ME! (1968), as a supplement.

[Matt]

I guess I was grasping at straws because I just really don't see the appeal of Criterion releasing Working Girl. It's a fine Walmart DVD bargain-bin comedy, nothing more.

[knives]

They've released worse and certainly more bland.

[hearthesilence]

A sorely underrated masterpiece. "Get your bony ass out of my sight" is certainly worthy of Lubitsch.

[tarpilot]

They've released worse and certainly more bland.

Yeah, but I think it's more about objectively assessing the "value" of a particular release from a business-scholar's perspective, and not simply "hey, at least she's not Fat Girl"

[zedz]

A sorely underrated masterpiece. "Get your bony ass out of my sight" is certainly worthy of Lubitsch.

Yikes! I'm with Matt on this one, and with poor, spinning Ernst.

[hearthesilence]

Sarcasm doesn't transmit well without emoticons, does it?

[tarpilot]

I'm just glad I'm not one of those posters who doesn't change formatting for movie titles, or else I would have just made the forum's 8th-crassest Lena Dunham joke

[knives]

Sarcasm doesn't transmit well without emoticons, does it?

I never joke without them. By the way I should note I am largely with Matt, but I don't hold Criterion to any standard.

[ianungstad]

Has anyone seen Catch-22? It could be a possibility. Paramount discontinued it along with most of their other dvds in the last few weeks but the only Nichols Warner has scheduled to be reissued is Regarding Henry. It seems like a popular enough movie that you would think Warner would have solicited a new edition. I haven't seen this, so I have no idea if Catch-22 is Criterion worthy or not. Might be the "phantom" Nichols and one of the titles Criterion got from Paramount.

[Jeff]

Has anyone seen Catch-22? It could be a possibility. Paramount discontinued it along with most of their other dvds in the last few weeks but the only Nichols Warner has scheduled to be reissued is Regarding Henry. It seems like a popular enough movie that you would think Warner would have solicited a new edition. I haven't seen this, so I have no idea if Catch-22 is Criterion worthy or not. Might be the "phantom" Nichols and one of the titles Criterion got from Paramount.

Catch-22 would certainly be Criterion worthy. The Paramount disc has a wonderful Steven Soderbergh/Mike Nichols commentary that would have to be ported over.

[Roger Ryan]

CATCH-22 is certainly edgier (and, in my opinion, better) than WORKING GIRL but it was generally thought of as a failed adaptation. Still, almost any Hollywood film from 1970 is going to have more Criterion appeal than something from the 80s!*

*Okay, not AIRPORT.

[Rustle]

Are we expecting an Onibaba blu ray from Criterion, or will that be MoC only?

[Zot!]

A sorely underrated masterpiece. "Get your bony ass out of my sight" is certainly worthy of Lubitsch.

Yikes! I'm with Matt on this one, and with poor, spinning Ernst.

Criterion seems fond of "themed" releases, and Working Girl would not be out of place amongst Something Wild and Broadcast News for a survey of 80s 'greed is good' films in lieu of Wallstreet. It's not a masterpiece, but one could make the argument that it carried some of the zeitgeist of the era rather well.

Also, I'm ready for Criterion to tackle the 80s head on.

[triodelover]

Also, I'm ready for Criterion to tackle the 80s head on.

Me, too. It'll save me a boatload of money.

[britcom68]

Also, I'm ready for Criterion to tackle the 80s head on.

Me, too. It'll save me a boatload of money.

If Fox does not release Working Girl for 2013- it would be the 25th Anniversary year, a good time to finally give it a proper release/blu- it would make me actually wonder if Criterion (doubtful Olive, very doubtful) has gotten hold of it. I could well see Working Girl make a packed release considering how many of its cast/crew- and Carly Simon- are still with us.

If Criterion gets on the ball and gives spine numbers for "To be or Not to Be" and "I Married a Witch," and Blu of the Grey Garden duo, I think Working Girl would fit well amongst that female-driven rom/coms theme, especially as Criterion helped make 2012 the year of Lena Durham.

[Drucker]

Are we expecting an Onibaba blu ray from Criterion, or will that be MoC only?

As MichaelB pointed out in the MOC thread, the more companies a new transfer can be licensed out to, the better. Repo Man and Two-Lane Blacktop are just two examples of some recent overlap, so I'm sure it can be expected in the near future.

[Matt]

If Criterion gets on the ball and gives spine numbers for "To be or Not to Be" and "I Married a Witch," and Blu of the Grey Garden duo, I think Working Girl would fit well amongst that female-driven rom/coms theme, especially as Criterion helped make 2012 the year of Lena Durham.

What an achievement for women that would be. What a day to celebrate. I can see the marketing campaign now: "Hey ladies! You like movies? Well buy these totally unrelated movies that have women in them! Also, did I mention you smell pretty? Act now and we'll throw in a coupon for $10 off Spanx."

[Zot!]

Grey Gardens is a Rom-Com?

[Matt]

Don't you remember the tagline? "All she has to do is find that Libra man."