Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[FrauBlucher]

I just saw the 4k resto last week and it looks marvelous.

[Ribs]

Well, I'm glad to see Criterion is at least willing to do some upgrades with anything resembling urgency, though I'm surprised at the turnaround here (considering it's only just begun its Janus tour). Makes me curious if we'll see Marseilles as soon as this month or in July too.

[DRW.mov]

SpoilerShow

Look for a potential upgrade of Ugetsu to be announced later today. Ugetsu has been added to the 'coming soon' page on Criterion, but without any additional details.

Unless they're just pairing down the digibook/72 page booklet like they did to Battle of Algiers, Slacker, Vampyr, etc. Repackages always end up quietly in there as well.

[diamonds]

The page for Le Samouraï now displays "Buy at Amazon," hinting at an imminent upgrade?

[FrauBlucher]

SpoilerShow

Criterion just tweeted this.... it's a reference to The Lodger.

[jazzo]

Ugetsu's at the top of the "coming soon" page as of a few minutes ago, but the link is only to the DVD. I assume that's just an error for the upgrade.

[Fiery Angel]

What's with the spoiler tags in this thread?

[swo17]

Some people don't like to know the announcements until they're official.

[domino harvey]

What's with the spoiler tags in this thread?

You accidentally logged into the Blu-ray.com forums. Gee Bill, you're the greatest! Mister Lime, you can take me anytime! Hi Twilight Time, your covers are almost as beautiful as my latent homosexual obsession with Charles Bronson! Here's a picture of all eight of my Doctor Strange variant slipcovers-- I had to visit four different Best Buys to find a slip untouched by human hands

[jazzo]

Ugetsu's at the top of the "coming soon" page as of a few minutes ago, but the link is only to the DVD. I assume that's just an error for the upgrade.

And now it's gone.

[Ribs]

Glad to see Criterion's getting over their fear of box sets a little bit more - that's three in the first half of 2017, only one of which seems like it'd be an especially strong seller. Too much to hope they'd try and do the same in the back half?

[Finch]

Lovely line-up. In all for those, except perhaps Straw Dogs.

[movielocke]

Glad to see Criterion's getting over their fear of box sets a little bit more - that's three in the first half of 2017, only one of which seems like it'd be an especially strong seller. Too much to hope they'd try and do the same in the back half?

I don't think there is a fear of box sets, I think rather that its just coincidental good (or bad) luck that the sets fall when they do.

Sometimes box sets take months or years extra (I imagine the sudden release of the WCP set has to do with Scorsese's schedule having an opening for the first time in years and years). If a single film can suffer delays that kick it back months, a set with 3 films has the possibility of three times as many delays.

And criterion released three box sets in 2016, Dekalog, Lone Wolf and Wenders, so it was hardly a barren year. Sure there is occasionally a 2008, or 2011 or 2015 where there is only one set in a year, but that's more the exception than the rule, and likely a result of just bad luck more than any deliberate corporate FEAR of releasing box sets.

This is a truly incredible month, it tops May for me. Between May and June, 2017 went from 'eh' to amazing. and I thought I would have little to buy in July! and at 40 new spines in just December to June (846 to 885), they're releasing at a truly blistering pace!

[zedz]

And criterion released three box sets in 2016, Dekalog, Lone Wolf and Wenders, so it was hardly a barren year. Sure there is occasionally a 2008, or 2011 or 2015 where there is only one set in a year, but that's more the exception than the rule, and likely a result of just bad luck more than any deliberate corporate FEAR of releasing box sets.

And there were reasonably strong indications that the Wenders box set was on the brink of release much earlier and was held up for mysterious reasons that we've never actually discovered, so it would have been a contender for 2015.

[Graphist]

I just saw the 4k resto last week and it looks marvelous.

Yes, it was indeed! They also had a QnA about the restoration process after the screening. If I remember correctly it cost close to a million to do the restoration.

[movielocke]

So with the Fanny trilogy released, I presume that the three Hitchcock's licensed with Straw Dogs have got to be the big November set piece for 2017, right?

But will they reissue the Wrong Men and Notorious Women box set? or just put out singles of Rebecca, Notorious and Spellbound?

Edit: Are there any rumored box sets left on the docket, other than the Berlanga eclipse set?

[dwk]

This is a truly incredible month, it tops May for me. Between May and June, 2017 went from 'eh' to amazing. and I thought I would have little to buy in July! and at 40 new spines in just December to June (846 to 885), they're releasing at a truly blistering pace!

Got to get everything released before 2020, when all boutique home video labels will be shutting down.

[Omensetter]

Edit: Are there any rumored box sets left on the docket, other than the Berlanga eclipse set?

Mungiu's three Cannes features is there's if they want it.

Maybe this is a mistaken memory or me making one up to fulfill a desire, but I thought the Koker trilogy was in the hopper?

Yet another fantastic month, although I do wish that Bonello photo hadn't made the rounds so as to have a surprise.

I don't see any reason to bundle the three Hitchcock films from a financial standpoint. Trickle them out ala Chaplin.

[Minkin]

Here's your speculation round-up:

Ugetsu - Upgrade, Janus tour

They Live by Night - New Years clue

The Marseille Trilogy - Janus tour, New Years clue

The Lodger - Filmstruck + Twitter confirmation about the soundtrack

Straw Dogs - Cover art leak + upgrade (long OOP)
============================================================
No surprises this month. Glad we finally get another OOP film returned. Also the upgrades are starting to come back (276 left, by my count).

As to Movielocke's question - probably either the Lloyd talkies set or the Chaplin shorts set are the most overdo boxsets that have been confirmed. Any other set of a director's titles would be speculation at this point (although they have no shortage of possibilities).

I'm most excited for the Hitchcock double bill - although I still find it odd they'd bury any Hitchcock title (Downhill) - but its money saved in the long run!

[Graphist]

I'm most excited for the Hitchcock double bill - although I still find it odd they'd bury any Hitchcock title (Downhill) - but its money saved in the long run!

Maybe because they are both silent films. Not many go for them (which is crazy!).

Chaplin and/or Lloyd sets would be incredible!

[movielocke]

Minkin, are you keeping a list of all the oop titles recently rumored to imminently return? I think with straw dogs in the last few weeks we have had Chungking Express, silence of the lambs, Rebeca, notorious, spellbound all rumored, and I suppose that Spinal tap was a possible New Years clue. Any others?

[movielocke]

Amarcord was added to the new releases page today, and if you click on the title it says DVD release on 02/28/17

Did it just get a DVD keepcase edition put out?

The page says this at the bottom, but I don't know if the bluray always had a different booklet:

PLUS: An essay by scholar Sam Rohdie, author of Fellini Lexicon, and Fellini’s 1967 essay “My Rimini” (Blu-ray only)

[Minkin]

Minkin, are you keeping a list of all the oop titles recently rumored to imminently return? I think with straw dogs in the last few weeks we have had Chungking Express, silence of the lambs, Rebeca, notorious, spellbound all rumored, and I suppose that Spinal tap was a possible New Years clue. Any others?

I keep track of everything at the Criterion OOP thread. I keep meaning to add This is Spinal Tap to that list as a possibly confirmed title (but who knows at this point, like 2 years later).

There shouldn't be anything stopping Criterion from the titles you mentioned + The Bank Dick (Universal), Unbearable Lightness of Being (WB), Sid & Nancy + Robocop (MGM).

I'd rather like to know what's going on with Blood for Dracula + Flesh for Frankenstein. Image put them out, then they were on the Westchester website, but some of those have gone to Shout and some have stayed with Criterion, so I have no idea.

Also no idea about Tokyo Olympiad - as I'm not sure wtf the Olympics' problem is and why they have such a beef with Toho over that movie.
--------------------

As for Hitchcock films, we already know they have the rights to Sabotage + Young and Innocent. Notorious/Spellbound / Rebecca are a near certain at this point (given Straw Dogs was re-released). Criterion should have also picked up The Pleasure Garden and Easy Virtue (from same licensor as Lodger/Downhill/etc). They should also still have the rights to Secret Agent + Number 17. So they should have a good chunk of Hitchcock to last them a few years.

Good catch on Amarcord. I'm sure its just getting relegated to a plastic case.

[onedimension]

So with the Fanny trilogy released, I presume that the three Hitchcock's licensed with Straw Dogs have got to be the big November set piece for 2017, right?

But will they reissue the Wrong Men and Notorious Women box set? or just put out singles of Rebecca, Notorious and Spellbound?

Edit: Are there any rumored box sets left on the docket, other than the Berlanga eclipse set?

Hasn't Kiarostami's Koker Trilogy been in rumor limbo for a couple of years? Assume it's still coming - the Wenders trilogy went through the same thing.

[andyli]

And Oshima's supposed to receive a box-set treatment...