Criterion Random Speculation Vol.4

News on Criterion and Janus Films.
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Cronenfly
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:04 pm

#676 Post by Cronenfly » Fri May 16, 2008 11:59 am

ianungstad wrote:If we stick with Pasolini, the box for the other three could be his trilogy of life. MGM obviously had no plans to do anything with Salo...and that seems to apply to Canterbury Tales, Arabian Nights as well.

Maybe the reason they took so long with the rerelease of Salo is because they were working on all 4 Pasolini films at once....

Just an idea.
The Trilogy of Life makes the most sense to me (CC's interest in Paso, MGM's not caring about them, a natural 3-title box set)...but a surprise would be most welcome.

Can you tell us at least, Jameson, whether you think the three titles could have enough features put together for a main line release? And maybe decade(s, if not years) of release of the three titles? Something? Anything?

Jameson281
Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 1:53 am

#677 Post by Jameson281 » Fri May 16, 2008 12:20 pm

Cronenfly wrote:Can you tell us at least, Jameson, whether you think the three titles could have enough features put together for a main line release? And maybe decade(s, if not years) of release of the three titles? Something? Anything?
I don't anything about any extras Criterion may or may not be planning; I know the titles that were licensed and that's it.

They are all color films . . .

jaredsap
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:24 am
Location: Los Angeles

#678 Post by jaredsap » Fri May 16, 2008 12:41 pm

The color MGM title I would most like Criterion to release is LOVE STREAMS. But I can't think of two titles you'd team that with, especially two color titles (MGM also owns the b&w A CHILD IS WAITING).

Perkins Cobb
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:49 pm

#679 Post by Perkins Cobb » Fri May 16, 2008 12:52 pm

They have to be foreign titles and I think the Pasolinis sound like good guesses. Are there in fact enough Rohmers and Truffauts not already in print from MGM to make a three-movie set?

Unfortunately this rules out my favorite candidates from the earlier guesses, Night of the Hunter (six hours of outtakes lying unseen in the vaults), and Queimada! (only the shortened English-language version on the MGM disc), so my enthusiasm for the whole thing is kinda muted now.

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Tom Hagen
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2008 12:35 pm
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#680 Post by Tom Hagen » Fri May 16, 2008 12:55 pm

miless wrote:who owns the rights to Fellini's Casanova? or is that one an enigma?
According to this, Universal was the U.S. domestic theatrical distributor, and Fox was the international distributor. No idea about home video rights.

Entirely off topic, but does anyone know anything about the status of the Decalogue? Is Facets' liscence going to expire any time soon?

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miless
Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:45 pm

#681 Post by miless » Fri May 16, 2008 1:19 pm

MGM should be the current rights holder for Wajda's Man of Iron (and possibly others)... maybe it's a middle-period Wajda set?

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Harmonov
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:26 am
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#682 Post by Harmonov » Fri May 16, 2008 1:34 pm

jaredsap wrote:The color MGM title I would most like Criterion to release is LOVE STREAMS.
I have been begging them weekly to do this for the last two years (along with releasing Husbands). I'd give anything for those two releases to happen.

Perkins Cobb
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:49 pm

#683 Post by Perkins Cobb » Fri May 16, 2008 3:29 pm

Husbands was confirmed as in the works from Sony by one of their insiders (probably Mike Schlesinger) on Glenn Kenny's blog a few weeks ago, along with A Matter of Life and Death and Age of Consent, all within the 2008-09 window. I'll believe it when I have 'em in my hands, but we can quit speculating about them as Criterion licenses.

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Jeff
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 9:49 pm
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#684 Post by Jeff » Fri May 16, 2008 3:42 pm

Narshty wrote:the BFI disc has a prominent MGM logo on the back of the case.
You were right, Narshty. I've seen the Criterion sell-sheets for August now, and can confirm that Salo will indeed have an MGM logo on the case.
Narshty wrote:By the way, there go my hopes for Blow Out, Heaven's Gate and Hope and Glory.
I suppose Blow-Out could still show up in box with Dressed to Kill and Carrie, but those two already have good special editions. Criterion's laserdisc of Carrie had a commentary from DePalma and the mattes removed at his request though.

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Harmonov
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#685 Post by Harmonov » Fri May 16, 2008 4:57 pm

Perkins Cobb wrote:Husbands was confirmed as in the works from Sony by one of their insiders (probably Mike Schlesinger) on Glenn Kenny's blog a few weeks ago, along with A Matter of Life and Death and Age of Consent, all within the 2008-09 window. I'll believe it when I have 'em in my hands, but we can quit speculating about them as Criterion licenses.
This is fabulous news. Thanks for passing along.

Narshty
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:27 pm
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#686 Post by Narshty » Sat May 17, 2008 4:35 am

Jeff wrote:I suppose Blow-Out could still show up in box with Dressed to Kill and Carrie, but those two already have good special editions. Criterion's laserdisc of Carrie had a commentary from DePalma and the mattes removed at his request though.
While we're pipe-dreaming I'd love to see them licence The Fury from Fox as well, half because I love the film to pieces, half for the outraged reaction from this forum.

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Steven H
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#687 Post by Steven H » Sat May 17, 2008 8:12 am

Fantastic news about Husbands and the P&B! Age of Consent, however, I never understood the love for. I've watched it twice trying to find anything at all to like, except for Mason wearing his age so well.

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Tommaso
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#688 Post by Tommaso » Sat May 17, 2008 8:26 am

Steven H wrote:Fantastic news about Husbands and the P&B! Age of Consent, however, I never understood the love for. I've watched it twice trying to find anything at all to like, except for Mason wearing his age so well.
GREAT! I haven't seen "Age of Consent", but anything by Powell is definitely worth having (and people are raving about Helen Mirren in this film...). I only hope Sony gets the transfer right on this one (and AMOLAD, of course).

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colinr0380
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:30 pm
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#689 Post by colinr0380 » Sat May 17, 2008 9:48 am

Narshty wrote:
Jeff wrote:I suppose Blow-Out could still show up in box with Dressed to Kill and Carrie, but those two already have good special editions. Criterion's laserdisc of Carrie had a commentary from DePalma and the mattes removed at his request though.
While we're pipe-dreaming I'd love to see them licence The Fury from Fox as well, half because I love the film to pieces, half for the outraged reaction from this forum.
Not from me - Amy Irving running down a street in slow motion in her nightgown is only one of that film's many pleasures (though I'm always reduced to irrational hope and then blubbering tears in wanting Carrie Snodgress's Hester to make it through! On a sad note, I hadn't realised Snodgress had died in 2004 until now)

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tryavna
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#690 Post by tryavna » Sat May 17, 2008 12:01 pm

Steven H wrote:Age of Consent, however, I never understood the love for. I've watched it twice trying to find anything at all to like, except for Mason wearing his age so well.
Age of Consent left me a little cold, too, Steven. I've only seen it once, but I recorded it off of TCM and plan to revisit it before long. As with nearly all of Powell's films, it's hard to actively dislike it, and there are some nice touches here and there (like the opening shot that sends up Columbia's logo). But as you say, the main strength is Mason's performance. Well, that and Mirren's undeniable sexiness....

I think the main problem is that it doesn't fully embrace the whimsiness that's lurking there, in the same way that Weird Mob does. As of now, it's probably my least favorite post-quota-quickie Powell. (I haven't seen The Queen's Guards yet, though.)

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tojoed
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:47 am
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#691 Post by tojoed » Sun May 18, 2008 4:39 pm

colinr0380 wrote:
Narshty wrote:
Jeff wrote:I suppose Blow-Out could still show up in box with Dressed to Kill and Carrie, but those two already have good special editions. Criterion's laserdisc of Carrie had a commentary from DePalma and the mattes removed at his request though.
While we're pipe-dreaming I'd love to see them licence The Fury from Fox as well, half because I love the film to pieces, half for the outraged reaction from this forum.
Not from me - Amy Irving running down a street in slow motion in her nightgown is only one of that film's many pleasures (though I'm always reduced to irrational hope and then blubbering tears in wanting Carrie Snodgress's Hester to make it through! On a sad note, I hadn't realised Snodgress had died in 2004 until now)


I also love The Fury, it contains the best performance Carrie Snodgress ever gave, not forgetting the final parody of Zabriskie Point. What are the chances that this film is a hit with criterionforum.org?

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What A Disgrace
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#692 Post by What A Disgrace » Sun May 18, 2008 8:32 pm

Wow, great news about Husbands. I wish Criterion were able to put together a second Cassavetes' box, with the rest of his significant films and this included, but I'll take what I can get. I just hope Sony does the film right.

The film is playing at the Belcourt Theater in Nashville next weekend, as part of a series of films curated by Harmony Korine...I intend to catch it.

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Gigi M.
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#693 Post by Gigi M. » Mon May 19, 2008 8:50 am

I'm surprise no one hasn't even mention the three MGM Kubricks, which would make a killer set. To this guy who doesn't want to get in trouble, is not like they're going to know is you. The Internet is big place, so give us a hand.

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dadaistnun
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 8:31 am

#694 Post by dadaistnun » Mon May 19, 2008 9:25 am

Gigi M. wrote:I'm surprise no one hasn't even mention the three MGM Kubricks, which would make a killer set.
Jameson281 wrote:They are all color films . . .

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Person
Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 3:00 pm

#695 Post by Person » Mon May 19, 2008 10:11 am

Gigi M. wrote:To this guy who doesn't want to get in trouble, is not like they're going to know is you. The Internet is big place, so give us a hand.
Yes, but as soon as he informed us of the titles, at least one clown shoe (probably a new member) would blab it all over the net, IMDb, etc. Is practicing patience so hard these days? Also, has the concept of a 'wonderful surprise' also vanished from the minds of men? I love it when Criterion suddenly announce that they are releasing great films that I never thought they'd acquire the rights to, ie. The Naked Prey. Knowing eight to twelve months or more in advance from reliable sources can be cool, but if that was the norm, I'd get a bit fed up with it.

Jameson281 has been as generous as he has been careful and prudent. Don't badger the guy! :D

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justeleblanc
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:05 pm
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#696 Post by justeleblanc » Mon May 19, 2008 10:34 am

Jameson281 wrote:SALO is the second film (after HOUSE OF GAMES) licensed from MGM as part of the 5-picture deal the made in exchange for letting MGM have the RAGING BULL commentary. My hunch is the remaining three will come out as a box set from either Criterion or Eclipse.
I hope two of them are PAULINE AT THE BEACH and A TALE OF SPRINGTIME, I'd love to see Criterion release a Comedies and Proverbs and Tales of the Four Seasons box.

Maybe the third is Godard's KING LEAR?

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Awesome Welles
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#697 Post by Awesome Welles » Mon May 19, 2008 12:41 pm

justeleblanc wrote:I'd love to see Criterion release a Comedies and Proverbs ...box
That would be amazing!

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domino harvey
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#698 Post by domino harvey » Mon May 19, 2008 1:02 pm

justeleblanc wrote:Maybe the third is Godard's KING LEAR?
Criterion's never shown an interest in late-period Godard, I doubt they're gonna start anytime soon

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Cinephrenic
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:58 pm
Location: Paris, Texas

#699 Post by Cinephrenic » Mon May 19, 2008 2:57 pm

domino harvey wrote:
justeleblanc wrote:Maybe the third is Godard's KING LEAR?
Criterion's never shown an interest in late-period Godard, I doubt they're gonna start anytime soon
Well they did release Tout va bien, although not as late as you wish, but there is a chance we might see his later work on Eclipse, if not Criterion.

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Cronenfly
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#700 Post by Cronenfly » Mon May 19, 2008 3:04 pm

More Rohmer would be nice, but MGM owns only Pauline and Springtime to my knowledge, and even if there was a third title it would not make for three titles that could be boxed together naturally (as Jameson has indicated the three titles will). It would involve licensing titles from both Les Films de Losange and MGM (licensing titles for boxsets from multiple rights holders being something Criterion rarely seems to do), which is the only context in which the MGM Rohmers would fit in (one each in the Four Seasons and Comedies/Proverbs), and that still doesn't account for the non-existent third Rohmer.

And I don't believe MGM owns any other Godards, so that rules King Lear out.

My money remains on the Trilogy of Life.

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