Criterion and Warner Bros.

[onedimension]

Great news, but a shame they can't do more, especially since 'Curse of the Cat People' is a great follow-up.

[Noiradelic]

It's definitely possible they've licensed more Lewtons, but not sure if their relationship with Warner is at a point where they'd license nine films for one box set.

[knives]

I'd be more interested in the films not available in the boxset to be honest. Robson's Youth Runs Wild is a near masterpiece.

[DrChicken]

New here, just want let it out. I am incredibly ecstatic that Warner Home Video are finally giving up the movies they own the copyrights to, where it isn't copyright to independent producers like I would assume for "Badlands" and "Day For Night", to Criterion so we can finally see these films done justice by them. Not that WHV or WAC have really been bad, aside from some Blu Rays I wish Criterion or Warner Archive would handle (I hate that the Barry Lyndon Blu has NO bonus features, Wrong Warner Logo at the beginning, incorrect OAR, ATPM has the wrong Warner Logo at the head, awful color timing, etc.) Where they would include the correct Logos at the beginning and end of films, correct OAR, color timing, tons and tons of bonus material like Interviews, essays from Film Critics, Scholars, etc, aside from "1:85:1 OAR Films from Warners for Warner Archive would be cropped to 1:77:1" Yeah, I'm incredibly picky, just would love to see all the films the way everyone else saw them back in the day.
I would REALLY love to Criterion make a claim for the Home Video rights to these Warner Home Video owned titles, so they can release them as part of the collection:

Distributed by Warner Bros Pictures:
1. America, America (1963)
2. Performance (1970) I know Warner Archive released it on Blu Ray, prefer Criterion to get it right.
3. Death In Venice (1971)
4. The Candidate (1972) With that rumored Robert Redford Commentary for the unreleased Special Edition Widescreen DVD that WHV was supposed to release, unless WAC w/o the commentary, heck a new interview with the man would be welcomed.
5. Scarecrow (1973) Aware it was recently remastered, but would love the Warner Saul Bass Logo reinstated at the head, extras + DVD OOP, Used costs around $50 +
6. O Lucky Man! (1973)
7. Barry Lyndon (1975) Wish WHV would give this up so we can get a Special Edition Blu with more material. If Criterion can release their Blu of "Dr. Strangelove", then I'm sure WHV would give this film up.
8. The Goodbye Girl (1977) Curious to what bonus material they would include, seeing it's pretty likely Warner Archive would release it, but I *do* expect better (the original DVD has horrendous sound!)
9. Straight Time (1978) Reinstate the Warner Saul Bass Logo at head + More Extras
10. Local Hero (1983) Again for the extras, correct OAR, Warner Saul Bass Logo at the beginning and end (miss that old "Distributed by Warner Bros - Warner Communications Company" End Logo that was seen at the end of 70s TV Shows, Salem's Lot, films like "Mean Streets" and "The Road Warrior".)

From the Turner Entertainment Library of pre 1986 MGM Films and Brut Productions Films:
1. The Hill (1965)
2. Ryan's Daughter (1970)
3. Brewster McCloud (1970) Would love awesome Bonus Material to be included if WHV will give it up.
4. Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid (1973) Three cuts, Theatrical Cut, Restored Turner Preview Version with correct Color Timing, Turner Preview Version with the extra scene of Pat Garrett and his wife.
5. Year Of Living Dangerously (1982)
6. Year Of The Dragon (1985)
7. Ginger And Fred (1986)

From the pre early 1983 Orion Pictures / Warner Communications Films:
1. Prince Of The City (1981)

[flyonthewall2983]

I've got to wonder how well the relationship between Criterion and WB is now, and how much more harmonious it'll be if Filmstruck is the success most of us hope it will be.

[cdnchris]

The Player says it is licensed from Avenue Entertainment and it also interestingly carries the Janus Films logo.

[FrauBlucher]

Do we actually think there's a chance Criterion has licensed Mildred Pierce from WB? I've been one of the skeptics about CC getting this but I'm surprised that Warner Bros. has not put this out on blu ray and has even released Possessed before MP. Plus, the Curtiz phantom page could be an indication, although The Adventures of Robin Hood could be a possiblity considering Criterion has released this on laserdisc and we know how they feel about upgrading their LD catalogue.

[beamish13]

From the pre early 1983 Orion Pictures / Warner Communications Films:
1. Prince Of The City (1981)

Sidney Lumet stated in an interview while promoting Before the Devil Knows You're Dead that he'd recorded a commentary. Why it wasn't used on WB's disc is another matter.

Mike's Murder is another WB one I'd kill to see, as its radically different original cut (which, fortunately, still exists) deserves to be seen.

[domino harvey]

Criterion's licensing process: "Oh shit, we didn't think they'd say 'yes,' now we gotta put together extras? Uh, what was on the DVD? Oh, okay, cool. So, who saw Game of Thrones last night?"

[oh yeah]

From the pre early 1983 Orion Pictures / Warner Communications Films:
1. Prince Of The City (1981)

Sidney Lumet stated in an interview while promoting Before the Devil Knows You're Dead that he'd recorded a commentary. Why it wasn't used on WB's disc is another matter.

Mike's Murder is another WB one I'd kill to see, as its radically different original cut (which, fortunately, still exists) deserves to be seen.

Prince of the City would be a dream-come-true release, especially if it had decent extras (though just getting a nice Blu transfer to replace the old film-stretched-across-two-discs release would be nice). Mike's Murder is a seriously overlooked and fascinating little film, but I feel like it's almost too little-known to get the Criterion treatment? To cite another ignored-on-release California neo-noir from the period, it makes Cutter's Way seem like Chinatown in terms of fame and acclaim. I would love to see the original cut of that, though!

[criterion10]

Criterion's licensing process: "Oh shit, we didn't think they'd say 'yes,' now we gotta put together extras? Uh, what was on the DVD? Oh, okay, cool. So, who saw Game of Thrones last night?"

This is certainly true for The In-Laws and Cat People (albeit to a lesser extent), but I think they've made the most of their Warner licenses so far.

[Moe Dickstein]

Well to be fair with Cat People they had their Laserdisc supplements to draw from as well.

[Werewolf by Night]

Which they didn't use!

[Ashirg]

I wonder if I Walked with a Zombie will be next Lewton released by Criterion - Warner Archive just reissued Val Lewton Horror Double Features - except Cat People / The Curse of the Cat People (due to Cat People being released by Criterion) and I Walked with a Zombie / The Body Snatcher and the first title I think is better candidate for Criterion treatment.

[Noiradelic]

Some members are going to be pretty pissed if they release I Walked with a Zombie and not The Seventh Victim.

And consumers who never bought the pressed discs and want to purchase MOD copies of Curse of the Cat People and The Body Snatcher are going to be shit out of luck.

[DeprongMori]

Speaking of possible announcements, as it's the 13th isn't it time to unlock the Quarantined Monthly Guessing Thread?

[swo17]

Done

[felipe]

I wonder if I Walked with a Zombie will be next Lewton released by Criterion - Warner Archive just reissued Val Lewton Horror Double Features - except Cat People / The Curse of the Cat People (due to Cat People being released by Criterion) and I Walked with a Zombie / The Body Snatcher and the first title I think is better candidate for Criterion treatment.

Criterion has other Lewton films too? So why wasn't Curse of Cat People included as an extra? Are they saving it for a stand-alone release?

[Jonathan S]

And consumers who never bought the pressed discs and want to purchase MOD copies of Curse of the Cat People and The Body Snatcher are going to be shit out of luck.

They could purchase this - presumably pressed - set which contains the four "exceptions" mentioned by Ashrig. That explains Warner Archive's choices, even if Criterion do have further plans. (The Seventh Victim - paired with the "Shadows in the Dark" documentary, as in the Lewton set - has also been announced by WA.)

[Feego]

And consumers who never bought the pressed discs and want to purchase MOD copies of Curse of the Cat People and The Body Snatcher are going to be shit out of luck.

They could purchase this - presumably pressed - set which contains the four "exceptions" mentioned by Ashrig. That explains Warner Archive's choices, even if Criterion do have further plans. (The Seventh Victim - paired with the "Shadows in the Dark" documentary, as in the Lewton set - has also been announced by WA.)

That set is out of print too and only available through sellers.

[Cinephrenic]

Perhaps they don't have all of Val Lewton's films.

[Ashirg]

I don't think they have many of them since Warner Archives put most of them out, but missing I Walked with a Zombie / The Body Snatcher made me wonder..

[krnash]

And consumers who never bought the pressed discs and want to purchase MOD copies of Curse of the Cat People and The Body Snatcher are going to be shit out of luck.

They could purchase this - presumably pressed - set which contains the four "exceptions" mentioned by Ashrig. That explains Warner Archive's choices, even if Criterion do have further plans. (The Seventh Victim - paired with the "Shadows in the Dark" documentary, as in the Lewton set - has also been announced by WA.)

Or WB will do the logical thing and pair Curse of the Cat People and The Body Snatcher after this alleged I Walked With a Zombie Criterion (speculation only) release. I doubt they will let those films sit out of print while the others make money.

[domino harvey]

Criterion is going to wait to make sure there aren't too many extras to add to their version before releasing

[Jeff]

Ian's discovery of a group of suspiciously Criteriony Warner titles all going out of print at once two years ago looks especially prescient now with the announcement of The Asphalt Jungle. With seven of these 12 now released or announced, phantom pages for Curtiz and Pakula, and the remaining directors being well represented in The Collection already, I'm counting on the remaining five.

About a week ago Warner Brothers discontinued a number of Archive releases that generated some speculation that they may have been licensed to Criterion including:

Dreams (Akira Kurosawa)
Blow Up (Michelangelo Antonioni)
The Breaking Point (Michael Curtiz)
Barcelona (Whit Stillman)

The OOP list this week has a few more Warner titles that seem like they may go to Criterion:

Magnificent Ambersons (Orson Welles)
The Asphalt Jungle (John Huston)
A Face in the Crowd (Elia Kazan)
Klute (Alan Pakula)
Day for Night (Francois Truffaut)
Before Sunset (Richard Linklater)
Cat People (Jacques Tourneur) Both the individual Cat People and the Val Lewton box are officially discontinued this week.
Before Sunrise (Richard Linklater)