Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[FrauBlucher]

Put this in the take with a grain of salt category...
This came from the bluray.com forum...

Yes. Night of the Living Dead. In another thread, someone posted this quote:

I met Russell Streiner at Scare-A-Con (Springfield, MA) today. (John Russo was also scheduled to attend, but had to cancel.) Streiner told me that the 4K restoration would be released on Blu-ray 'probably' in October. I asked him if it would be released by Criterion, and he only smiled and said 'You're on the right track'. He also stated that they were considering additional theatrical dates, but weren't sure yet when, where, and in what format (he mentioned Fathom Events as one of the possibilities).

So it's definitely a possibility that Criterion would release it. If not Criterion, then Arrow Video for sure.

[Morbii]

I would love to see NotLD on Criterion.

I guess we find out in just under a month, eh?

[Yaanu]

The Wexner Center is showcasing a series of films from the New Hollywood Era, including a screening of Brian de Palma's Sisters, with selected frame captures "courtesy of Janus Films".

Just thought I'd bring it up.

[Cinephrenic]

I don't know if it was mentioned, but the other day, TCM aired Chungking Express with Janus logo preceding it. I don't know if this means that they got the rights again? Anyone?

[Werewolf by Night]

That's what seems to be indicated from this discussion several pages back.

[Minkin]

Yeah, we found out when it showed up on Filmstruck with Criterion branding and with a Janus logo (it never had a Janus logo on the old release).

They also picked up some other WKW films - and have Happy Together on Filmstruck. Fallen Angels and Ashes of Time are extremely likely as well at this point. I'd probably expect them to drip back/out over time.

[FrauBlucher]

Since the last word has been spoken on the Newsletter thread, I'm continuing a possible Hughes boxset convo here. I just looked at his filmography including his writer credits and it would be a doozy of 80's teen fare. Question is rights. His first three directorial films are all with Universal than the next couple are Paramount. Not sure what other studios would be involved. I guess Criterion could pull it off. But a boxset makes sense to me.

[kcota17]

I wonder then if they would be doing their own version of Universal's Hughes set (which also includes Weird Science), or if they'll also be including the Paramount titles such as Ferris Bueller, Pretty in Pink and Planes, Trains and Automobiles (which has a terrible release).

[movielocke]

Since the last word has been spoken on the Newsletter thread, I'm continuing a possible Hughes boxset convo here. I just looked at his filmography including his writer credits and it would be a doozy of 80's teen fare. Question is rights. His first three directorial films are all with Universal than the next couple are Paramount. Not sure what other studios would be involved. I guess Criterion could pull it off. But a boxset makes sense to me.

i have a fairly intense love for "the great outdoors" scripted by Hughes, starring john candy as my dad. With beloved interstitials by subtitled raccoons... possibly (along with the original Star Wars films) why I've never been averse to subtitles.

[comicfan1969]

If we could get a mashup of the Too Cool For School and Yearbook Collection box sets, Criterion can take all of my money.

[Apperson]

So I'm not sure were exactly to put this so I'll just put it here for now; a lot of pretty new titles (They Live by Night, Woman of the Year, Blow-Up) have price cuts below $20 on Amazon.

Is this a new trend? I can't recall this happening as they usually stuck around the mid-to-high 20's for a few months.

[Morbii]

So I'm not sure were exactly to put this so I'll just put it here for now; a lot of pretty new titles (They Live by Night, Woman of the Year, Blow-Up) have price cuts below $20 on Amazon.

Is this a new trend? I can't recall this happening as they usually stuck around the mid-to-high 20's for a few months.

Long-running discussion in this thread. Some of us got a pre-order of Othello for under $15, while others got WCP for a mere $40!

[dwk]

Victor Sjöström's Terje Vigen (A Man There Was) was on TCM on Sunday night and it opened with the Criterion Collection and Janus Films logos.

[theflirtydozen]

My Czech isn't very good but I believe according to this post from the Czech National Film Archive's facebook:

Amerika bude promítat českou filmovou klasiku!
Národní filmový archiv uzavřel významnou smlouvu s distribuční společností Janus Films, díky níž se seznámí s českou filmovou klasikou diváci v celé Severní Americe.
Spalovač mrtvol, Marketa Lazarová, Všichni dobří rodáci, Tři oříšky pro Popelku, Ikarie XB1 – i tyto tituly jsou mezi více než třiceti klasickými českými filmy, které uvidí diváci v kinech i na DVD v USA a Kanadě. Umožní to nová smlouva, kterou uzavřel ředitel Národního filmového archivu Michal Bregant s distribuční společností Janus Films.
Janus Films stojí i za The Criterion Collection, respektovaným vydavatelem DVD a Blu-ray disků. V této prestižní edici se budou postupně objevovat všechny filmy, na které NFA nyní podepsal smlouvu, a v jednání jsou už další tituly. Criterion je trvale garantem vysoké kvality a jeho disky jsou oblíbené po celém světě.

Janus is now the official North American partner for the NFA. From the titles they mention (in addition to the already in-print Marketa Lazarová) we could expect The Cremator, All My Good Countrymen, Three Wishes for Cinderella, and Ikarie XB1, among others. Of those mentioned, The Cremator is the only one whose restoration has not completed yet and it seems that we could expect most of the ongoing restorations from this list as they wrap up. Interesting that they don't mention The Firemen's Ball, Closely Watched Trains, or The Shop on Main Street then, maybe because these are non-Criterion titles in the UK? I think the way the announcement is put, this bodes well for mainline releases, especially since these are being painstakingly restored.

[FrauBlucher]

It would be great if Janus struck the same deal with the Hungarian Film Commission.

[knives]

Is there some Slovakian equivalent? That would be nice as well.

[Malickite]

Bulgaria is what I'm wishing for, as some Binka Zhelyazkova films in the collection would be most ideal for me. Especially her films We Were Young and The Tied Up Balloon. Though an Eclipse set of her Feature films would be good as well. Criterion likes to say that they're looking to inject more diversity into the collection, well, They haven't released any Bulgarian movies yet, and she was the first woman director of the country.

[knives]

Ow, Lithuania would be nice as well. Šarūnas Bartas would be a nice add to the collection. Though if we are going wacky with our dreams I'd love to see a Nollywood film.

[Ribs]

Surely Criterion already had some kind of deal for some of these titles? It may have expired as it's probably been several years but the selection of Czech titles on Hulu/Filmstruck includes some of those titles already. Certainly means I'll be a little more discerning as to future things I'll be getting imported from Second Run, though (it's clear at this point they're transitioning away from the Eclipse model, so it'll be interesting to see what kind of compromise format they end up taking for these (as I still don't have enough faith in Criterion to seriously commit to several Czech BDs each year)

[Big Ben]

More underseen films is a cause for celebration.

Ikarie XB1 sounds right up my alley. More films taken from the works of Stanislaw Lem sound encouraging! Although to my knowledge he was not pleased with Tarkovsky's Solaris. God knows what he thought of Soderbergh's version.

[Minkin]

I like how we get great news about 30+ films from an archive confirmed, and we complain that every other country's archive isn't part of a publicly announced deal!

We've known Criterion has had a deal for more Czech films from this post, but this looks like an expanded contract.

I wouldn't worry about Closely Watched Trains, etc - because it says the deal is for at least 30 films (with more planned), so surely all of their existent Czech holdings are part of the deal (which only mentions North America). In addition, we already know they have the following:

Courage for Every Day
The Cry
Diamonds of the Night
The Ear
Intimate Lighting (played on TCM with Janus logo)
Something Different
Transport from Paradise

Interestingly, the post I linked to indicated that they planned to release these in future Eclipse sets. Thankfully Valerie escaped that purgatory and I think they decided to re-think this release schedule (probably after we all complained about Daisies being relegated to Eclipse). There's also been the rumor that Daisies would be upgraded to blu (it looks like its still being restored? So perhaps once thats done).
=====================================

Victor Sjöström's Terje Vigen (A Man There Was) was on TCM on Sunday night and it opened with the Criterion Collection and Janus Films logos.

They also added Sjostrom's Outlaw and His Wife to Filmstruck. So I assume they've picked up the other former Kino title: Ingeborg Holm.

Did Kino have anything else licensed from Svensk Films?

[FrauBlucher]

I like how we get great news about 30+ films from an archive confirmed, and we complain that every other country's archive isn't part of a publicly announced deal!

I don't see it as complaining. I see it as folks hoping this opens the door to some of the other Eastern European countries' films. Nothing wrong with that. As for me, I selfishly said Hungary because I would love to see Bela Tarr get his works' right to be controlled by Janus.

[jwd5275]

Did Kino have anything else licensed from Svensk Films?

Lindberg's June Night and Stiller's Gosta Berling Saga and Sir Arne's Treasure all immediately jump to mind.

[Noiradelic]

In addition, we already know they have the following:

The Cremator as well.

Interestingly, the post I linked to indicated that they planned to release these in future Eclipse sets. Thankfully Valerie escaped that purgatory and I think they decided to re-think this release schedule (probably after we all complained about Daisies being relegated to Eclipse). There's also been the rumor that Daisies would be upgraded to blu (it looks like its still being restored?)

As you know, they have a tradition of anchoring Eclipse sets with one better-known title (Putney Swope for another example). I don't know if they've rethought this specific approach so much as just let the Eclipse line languish. Was there an actual rumor of Daises getting upgraded, or was it pure speculation that at some point they'd start upgrading some of those "anchor" titles to Blu? The bigger question is: what is the future of Eclipse? Will there be/is there a physical model to replace it -- like the Etaix set or the $29.95 SRP Blu line -- or will most of those not-yet released Czech titles just be relegated to beefing up Filmstruck? If they were to release another Eclipse set, I could see a second Czech New Wave set being it.

[SSF]

Hoping for some Svankmejer in this agreement.