Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

Message

therewillbeblus · #3426 Post by **therewillbeblus** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 4:07 pm

I could see a Desperate Living release, which is probably the last one I'd really want. Hairspray would be the obvious choice to sell well.

dda1996a · #3427 Post by **dda1996a** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 5:00 pm

Please no Desperate Living. One of the worst movies I've ever seen. Which fits almost all the other Waters films ive seen

#3428 Post by **swo17** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 5:06 pm

If you wanted to hurt his feelings, you'd have called it one of the best movies you've ever seen

therewillbeblus · #3429 Post by **therewillbeblus** » Mon Dec 09, 2019 5:19 pm

If you don't like Waters, you don't like Waters, and that's hardly something anybody can hold against you! I'm mixed on his work and any pleasures I find in them are because they hit an Achilles' heal of ridiculous humor and a satirical embrace of the moral model against marginalized populations, made by those populations, that is so cheeky and self-aware in its absurdity I can't help but be amused. Multiple Maniacs is far and away by favorite, which is not an opinion I hear often, and while Desperate Living is hardly going to win you over if you haven't liked Waters' other work, the opening 5-10 minutes are so insane in their social inappropriate commentary, that this chunk is on the shortlist of his directorial highlights.

I had the pleasure of seeing the new restoration of Multiple Maniacs at the Coolidge Corner theatre a few years ago and watch at least half the theatre walk out at various intervals. This was the restoration shown just a month or so after Chimes at Midnight so the regular Janus/Criterion typically elderly crowd probably saw the company and went in blind, which is likely something they never did again.

senseabove · #3430 Post by **senseabove** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 2:30 pm

Looks like Criterion picked up rights to Jane B. par Agnes V. after the Cinelicious disc went OoP: https://www.sfmoma.org/event/jane-b-par-agnes-v/

Presumably they also picked up Kung-Fu Master, though it is (not very surprisingly) absent from both institutions participating in that retrospective.

kcota17 · #3431 Post by **kcota17** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 2:31 pm

At long last, Come and See has been added to Janus’s website.

http://www.janusfilms.com/films/1968

TwoTecs · #3432 Post by **TwoTecs** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 5:36 pm

Confirmation of the Fellini retrospective from Janus Twitter. New 4K restorations!

therewillbeblus · #3433 Post by **therewillbeblus** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 5:38 pm

kcota17 wrote: ↑
Wed Dec 11, 2019 2:31 pm
At long last, Come and See has been added to Janus’s website.

http://www.janusfilms.com/films/1968

Those stills look absolutely stunning

black&huge · #3434 Post by **black&huge** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 5:43 pm

Come and See, Great Escape and hopeful for After Hours, Chungking Express and Pierrot le Fou reissues, Eyes Wide Shut and a Fellini box.... Criterion 2020 could be absolutely insane

TwoTecs · #3435 Post by **TwoTecs** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 5:46 pm

Hopefully Warner does Eyes Wide Shut. They did the 4K restoration for it.

#3436 Post by **swo17** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 6:10 pm

black&huge wrote: ↑
Wed Dec 11, 2019 5:43 pm
Come and See, Great Escape and hopeful for After Hours, Chungking Express and Pierrot le Fou reissues, Eyes Wide Shut and a Fellini box.... Criterion 2020 could be absolutely insane

Frankly I'm a lot more excited for Indicator to release a bunch of films I've never heard of before

FrauBlucher · #3437 Post by **FrauBlucher** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 6:39 pm

Now folks can start guessing Come and See each month

I can’t wait to see all the Fellini 4k restorations. Juliet of the Spirits should look magnificent

Luke M · #3438 Post by **Luke M** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:01 pm

TwoTecs wrote:Hopefully Warner does Eyes Wide Shut. They did the 4K restoration for it.

Being able to get $10 4K releases on Black Friday hasn't quite made me a converter but I think I'd prefer a Warner 4K to a Criterion blu-ray.

jedgeco · #3439 Post by **jedgeco** » Fri Dec 13, 2019 11:17 am

Luke M wrote: ↑
Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:01 pm

TwoTecs wrote:Hopefully Warner does Eyes Wide Shut. They did the 4K restoration for it.
Being able to get $10 4K releases on Black Friday hasn't quite made me a converter but I think I'd prefer a Warner 4K to a Criterion blu-ray.

At last count I'd purchased Eyes Wide Shut in 5 different releases, so, sure, a 4K disc, why not?

barryconvex · #3440 Post by **barryconvex** » Sat Dec 14, 2019 3:54 am

senseabove wrote: ↑
Wed Dec 11, 2019 2:30 pm
Looks like Criterion picked up rights to Jane B. par Agnes V. after the Cinelicious disc went OoP: https://www.sfmoma.org/event/jane-b-par-agnes-v/

Presumably they also picked up Kung-Fu Master, though it is (not very surprisingly) absent from both institutions participating in that retrospective.

Great news! Even though I own the Cinelicious blu I'm always happy when Criterion adds more Varda. Hopefully they obtained the rights to Kung-Fu Master, one of her best films and maybe the best film ever about an adult woman smitten with a teenage boy.

FrauBlucher · #3441 Post by **FrauBlucher** » Sat Dec 14, 2019 4:11 pm

This was Eddie Muller's reply to someone on twitter when they were tweeting about Disney holding back the Fox catalog from theaters.

eddie muller wrote:It gives Disney a huge catalog from which to pull remakes while burying the original films. Not kidding. I know writers and directors who have been approached to “pick a project from the catalog.” For a new generation, the original will not be available for comparison.

Makes me think that Fox, before Disney deal was finalized, may have licensed titles out to Criterion that they may not have been licensed out before. Such as All About Eve. Hoping there are other significant titles otherwise once the Fox discs disappear so will the films, unless Criterion has them.

#3442 Post by **domino harvey** » Sat Dec 14, 2019 4:15 pm

This is how Hollywood worked ~80 years ago: release the remake, bury the original (keep in mind the 1932 Jekyll & Hyde was once thought lost because MGM destroyed every copy when they released the 1940s version). Absolutely horrifying prospect, especially given the vastness and richness of the Fox studio era catalog

FrauBlucher · #3443 Post by **FrauBlucher** » Sat Dec 14, 2019 4:53 pm

Oh yeah, that's true, never thought about that. Scary

soundchaser · #3444 Post by **soundchaser** » Mon Dec 16, 2019 3:25 pm

Looks like the Salesman page has been updated with some HD pictures and a new clip.

agnamaracs · #3445 Post by **agnamaracs** » Mon Dec 16, 2019 4:29 pm

domino harvey wrote: ↑
Sat Dec 14, 2019 4:15 pm
This is how Hollywood worked ~80 years ago: release the remake, bury the original (keep in mind the 1932 Jekyll & Hyde was once thought lost because MGM destroyed every copy when they released the 1940s version).

Ditto Gaslight, and RKO tried to erase Le jour se leve in favor of The Long Night. It's an absolutely frightening prospect that a major corporation can, and may, hold our cultural heritage hostage. But hey, Disney's gotta make that money somehow, right?

Maybe they can remake Star Wars and end the version debate once and for all...

phoenix474 · #3446 Post by **phoenix474** » Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:34 pm

soundchaser wrote: ↑
Mon Dec 16, 2019 3:25 pm
Looks like the Salesman page has been updated with some HD pictures and a new clip.

Also mentions of a new transfer, new extras and a new cover

Never Cursed · #3447 Post by **Never Cursed** » Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:38 pm

The Cranes Are Flying

FrauBlucher · #3448 Post by **FrauBlucher** » Mon Dec 16, 2019 6:01 pm

Wow. What a month! And Leave Her to Heaven out of the blue. This confirms the Fox vaults have opened wide to Criterion. The only question is who do we have to thank, Fox before the sale or Disney after.

movielocke · #3449 Post by **movielocke** » Mon Dec 16, 2019 6:06 pm

missed opportunity on Leave Her to Heaven to maybe talk about the restoration / history of Fox junking their color negatives.

On the other hand, this license may predate the Disney acquisition, and Disney no longer issues approvals on bonus content, of titles licensed out before their takeover, so it was this or nothin. Maybe they'll drop the price to 29.95 and 19.95 since it's basically a bare bones release?

or the license is gonna expire quick and they had to get it out now, with no time for bonus content creation?

Unrelated, this is the first month I can remember where I have already seen all the new releases.

Minkin · #3450 Post by **Minkin** » Mon Dec 16, 2019 6:27 pm

Settle on in, cause the Speculation Rodeo is showing up early this time! (March 2020 edition)

Bamboozled - 2019 New Years clue (bamboo sled beats Kane sled this time)

The Prince of Tides - May 2019 newsletter clue + also a laserdisc title

Show Boat - Speculated as a potential WB grab, former laserdisc title + I noticed the Criterion commentary was included with the TCM broadcast awhile ago

Leave Her to Heaven - A complete surprise!

The Cranes are Flying - Janus tour of the new restoration (at least it was touring briefly)

Salesman - Janus tour of the new restoration (at least it was touring briefly)
======================================================
-232 potential upgrades remain

-Citizen Kane might have lost the New Years clue race, but its still forthcoming!

-This finishes the 2019 New Years clues. Bringing Up Baby / Children of Men / the clock clue have had their year+ to be announced. Perhaps they might still be coming, but I don't think the 2019 New Years clue foretold their arrival.
======================
And this month's All-Around Cowpoke winner is.....

soundchaser!

Deprong Mori had the same line-up, but Domino had it first. Due to outrage at this year's decision and a declined award, Domino Harvey is no longer the Cowpoke this month. Instead the award goes to Soundchaser - who managed to get 3 correct guesses as well. You can pick up your golden lariat at the concession stand.

Until next month, when the world is below where I stand.