Criterion and UHD

News on Criterion and Janus Films.
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DimitriL
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2014 6:07 pm

Re: Criterion and UHD

#401 Post by DimitriL » Tue Jul 13, 2021 2:16 pm

andyli wrote:
Tue Jul 13, 2021 12:37 am
About 12 years ago when Criterion started releasing Blu-Rays, they were at spine number 450 (Bottle Rocket), and since then we've more than doubled the spine numbers and still haven't filled all the upgrade gaps left in the first 449 with new Blu-Ray editions. Who knows how long it'll take for the entire back log of releases to get 4K-ized even though quite a lot of them are 4K ready? It's going to be a production nightmare. Their gameplan has to be a little different this time.
I mean, it’s always going to be inconsistent and have gaps. There will be tons of BDs we never see go to UHD for a myriad of reasons, just like there were a bunch of DVDs that will never make it to BD. Heck, I still pine for the massive number of LD titles that never came to DVD or BD. (Though I’m always amused by a title like The Graduate that was a big seller on LD and skipped the whole DVD-only era.)

I really don’t think UHD is going to change their release patterns all that much. My prediction is that we’ll have two tiers like now: a DVD-only release and a BD/UHD release.

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hearthesilence
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:22 am
Location: NYC

Re: Criterion and UHD

#402 Post by hearthesilence » Tue Jul 13, 2021 2:29 pm

dustybooks wrote:
Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:22 am
soundchaser wrote:
Tue Jul 13, 2021 5:50 am
swo17 wrote:
Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:50 am
I'm curious if anyone here still uses a library system that hasn't started acquiring Blu-rays
I work for one. (One of my many sources of frustration. But we serve a much older clientele than most urban systems.)
Same, we have not been able to get Blu-rays moving at any of our branches. DVDs still circulate in numbers only slightly lower than five or six years ago.
I haven't been to the NYPL in well over a year, but FWIW, the branches I've been to usually carry a large number of copies of multiple Criterion titles on DVD format, not Blu-ray. (I don't know if they carry Blu-ray, but I don't recall ever seeing any when I've browsed the shelves, and I think when I've searched for titles on their catalog, it usually lists DVD format.)

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swo17
Bloodthirsty Butcher
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Re: Criterion and UHD

#403 Post by swo17 » Tue Jul 13, 2021 2:48 pm

My library system still only acquires DVDs for Criterions, because that's an option, but if something is only available on dual-format or even BD-only, they will add that to their catalog instead. For instance, they've added every BD-only Arrow release I've ever requested. Perhaps I should consider myself especially fortunate

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Harmonov
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:26 am
Location: Bloomington, IN

Re: Criterion and UHD

#404 Post by Harmonov » Tue Jul 13, 2021 2:57 pm

swo17 wrote:
Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:50 am
I'm curious if anyone here still uses a library system that hasn't started acquiring Blu-rays
Mine definitely hasn't upgraded to Blus yet, which is sad.

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hearthesilence
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:22 am
Location: NYC

Re: Criterion and UHD

#405 Post by hearthesilence » Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:15 pm

EddieLarkin wrote:
Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:37 am
Obviously mileage is going to vary person to person, I think the important thing is knowing what you're looking at and understanding the limitations of the source, not just expecting an absolute mind searing upgrade for every single disc. I've viewed Toy Story 1 and 2 on UHD and was very impressed, and GeoffD has done thorough reviews of them here and here.
Geoff's caps are impressive, especially with the BD caps there for comparison. On their own, you can see they look like up-res'd images, but the extrapolation seems better and less "fuzzy" for lack of a better description than the results on the BD, and showing what the HDR preserves in the highlights is the most convincing element there.

danny77
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2019 11:10 am

Re: Criterion and UHD

#406 Post by danny77 » Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:46 pm

I’ve heard from a good source it’s Citizen Kane!

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dwk
Joined: Sat Jun 12, 2010 6:10 pm

Re: Criterion and UHD

#407 Post by dwk » Tue Jul 13, 2021 5:05 pm

CyRo3 wrote:
Tue Jul 13, 2021 9:28 am
Been thinking a lot about this 4K title, and I believe it is going to be True Romance. It is an American film made within the past thirty years (1993).

And, Janus just posted a screenshot from the film about a week ago. It also recently had a 4K restoration done, and it is getting a Region B 4K release by Arrow.

Plus, it’s a popular film that would have a broad reach with consumers.

Thoughts?
No, that tweet from Janus was in reference to Tarantino buying the Vista.

True Romance, like most of the Morgan Creek catalog, is now with Sony in the US.

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Blutarsky
Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2017 10:09 pm

Re: Criterion and UHD

#408 Post by Blutarsky » Tue Jul 13, 2021 8:08 pm

Has anyone yet to mention Basic Instinct? I know StudioCanal is releasing it in 4K in the U.K., but is it confirmed to be with Lionsgate or could we see Criterion possibly release this film. For a very popular film, and with a really great recent restoration, I feel like this would be a great introductory title!

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Ribs
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 1:14 pm

Re: Criterion and UHD

#409 Post by Ribs » Tue Jul 13, 2021 8:36 pm

I… cannot see Criterion taking on Basic Instinct knowing their approach to basically anything with any issues hanging over it. The Limey, also from Lionsgate, however…

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Finch
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:09 pm
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Re: Criterion and UHD

#410 Post by Finch » Tue Jul 13, 2021 8:43 pm

Hm, I don't know - this might be too controversial for their liking, given the then backlash over the negative portrayal of lesbians/bisexuals (but then the also contemporary backlash to Silence of the Lambs for having Buffalo Bill be a transgender person didn't stop Criterion from releasing the Demme) and Sharon Stone's ongoing accusation of Verhoeven duping her into uncrossing her legs with the camera capturing it all. I was also going to say it might be "too trashy" for them but then remembered they picked Armageddon etc back in the day.

It'd be cool if they went with The Piano - female director, Palme D'Or winner, arthouse classic - it'd tick a lot of boxes though I don't recall if it had a 4k restoration. But it's probably going to be Silence of the Lambs.

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The Fanciful Norwegian
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Re: Criterion and UHD

#411 Post by The Fanciful Norwegian » Tue Jul 13, 2021 9:05 pm

It's moot since Basic Instinct is still with Lionsgate in the U.S. (except for theatrical, which is with Rialto).

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Ribs
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 1:14 pm

Re: Criterion and UHD

#412 Post by Ribs » Tue Jul 13, 2021 9:12 pm

Criterion licenses from Lionsgate for the channel regularly and did in fact release Amores Perros through them (likely with a foot in the door from the film team, but still) so I do not think they are actually off the table.

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bainbridgezu
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 10:54 pm

Re: Criterion and UHD

#413 Post by bainbridgezu » Wed Jul 14, 2021 2:24 am

Ribs wrote:
Tue Jul 13, 2021 8:36 pm
I… cannot see Criterion taking on Basic Instinct knowing their approach to basically anything with any issues hanging over it.
Exactly. Much as I'd love to see Criterion release Basic Instinct, it'll never happen. The true sea change was when they dropped their years-in-the-making release of Sixteen Candles -- officially confirmed with a color grading screenshot, named by Lee Kline as the film he most wanted in the collection -- due to problematic content in the film itself that could have easily been contextualized and deconstructed in the supplements. It's been years since we heard anything about the Ferris Bueller release they were also preparing supplements for, so I've resigned myself that it's also been cancelled for... reasons?

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R0lf
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:25 am

Re: Criterion and UHD

#414 Post by R0lf » Wed Jul 14, 2021 3:54 am

Why did we discredit this being MULHOLLAND DR? The press release for the 4K restoration screening at Cannes this year states in several places the restoration was done with the participation of Criterion: https://m.festival-cannes.com/en/festiv ... eclatant-3

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A Tempted Christ
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2019 4:31 am

Re: Criterion and UHD

#415 Post by A Tempted Christ » Wed Jul 14, 2021 4:48 am

Geekgab, who yoloswegmaster previously mentioned as a reliable source, said on twitter that it's Citizen Kane. The tweet is now deleted and Geekgab claims it was at Warner's request. But then it would not match yoloswegmaster's description of the film saying it was from the last 30 years.

Calvin
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 11:12 am

Re: Criterion and UHD

#416 Post by Calvin » Wed Jul 14, 2021 4:51 am

R0lf wrote:Why did we discredit this being MULHOLLAND DR? The press release for the 4K restoration screening at Cannes this year states in several places the restoration was done with the participation of Criterion: https://m.festival-cannes.com/en/festiv ... eclatant-3
It's not a new restoration - it's the same one that Criterion have already released on Blu-Ray.

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EddieLarkin
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 10:25 am

Re: Criterion and UHD

#417 Post by EddieLarkin » Wed Jul 14, 2021 5:19 am

GeekGab is not a reliable source. The "announcements" he's made that have come to nothing far outweigh the couple of guesses he's got right.

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tenia
Ask Me About My Bassoon
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:13 am

Re: Criterion and UHD

#418 Post by tenia » Wed Jul 14, 2021 7:39 am

Calvin wrote:
R0lf wrote:Why did we discredit this being MULHOLLAND DR? The press release for the 4K restoration screening at Cannes this year states in several places the restoration was done with the participation of Criterion: https://m.festival-cannes.com/en/festiv ... eclatant-3
It's not a new restoration - it's the same one that Criterion have already released on Blu-Ray.
The article explains it actually looks like a new restoration, even a new scan. What they re-used is the grading, the setups for Criterion's project having been saved. Everything else is seemingly new : they deemed the 2015 4k scan too old because scanners have since evolved (wonder what that could be, I don't think Fotokem has bought a new scanner since so it would still have been scanned on their Scanity) and did a new one, plus Criterion seemingly hadn't output any 4k files (like Arrow with Donnie Darko back in 2016) so re-work needed to be done anyway.

Calvin
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 11:12 am

Re: Criterion and UHD

#419 Post by Calvin » Wed Jul 14, 2021 8:07 am

tenia wrote:
Wed Jul 14, 2021 7:39 am
Calvin wrote:
R0lf wrote:Why did we discredit this being MULHOLLAND DR? The press release for the 4K restoration screening at Cannes this year states in several places the restoration was done with the participation of Criterion: https://m.festival-cannes.com/en/festiv ... eclatant-3
It's not a new restoration - it's the same one that Criterion have already released on Blu-Ray.
The article explains it actually looks like a new restoration, even a new scan. What they re-used is the grading, the setups for Criterion's project having been saved. Everything else is seemingly new : they deemed the 2015 4k scan too old because scanners have since evolved (wonder what that could be, I don't think Fotokem has bought a new scanner since so it would still have been scanned on their Scanity) and did a new one, plus Criterion seemingly hadn't output any 4k files (like Arrow with Donnie Darko back in 2016) so re-work needed to be done anyway.
Interesting - apologies for not clicking on the article, I assumed it was the Cannes Classics announcement that I had already read.

However, having now read it, it doesn't actually say that Criterion was involved with the restoration this time around. While they get a credit, it could well be just for this part from 2015:
Criterion had a film calibration that had been approved by David Lynch, which was a nice surprise. When restoration work began in 2015, the filmmaker wanted to calibrate his film in cinema mode. Throughout the process, he kept telling us: "I make films for the big screen". He had approved the big-screen version, and so all the calibration configurations that had been decided upon had been saved. [...] We reapplied the existing cinema calibration to the new scan, which needed to be kept because David Lynch had spent so much time on it.


So, I suppose it could well be Mulholland Drive but I wouldn't say there's a stronger case for it than any other film being mentioned that already has a 4K HDR master available

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tenia
Ask Me About My Bassoon
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Re: Criterion and UHD

#420 Post by tenia » Wed Jul 14, 2021 8:25 am

No, it indeed doesn't. This looks like it was solely re-done by Studio Canal, with the only caveat that they re-used Criterion's grading because it was supervised seemingly very closely by Lynch and that the settings were still available (hence saving some time and I suppose money too).

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andyli
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:46 pm

Re: Criterion and UHD

#421 Post by andyli » Wed Jul 14, 2021 8:35 am

Hmm... Didn't expect this is a new scan. Some films get all the love (twice scanned in 4K) while others rot in storage hell.

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Ribs
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 1:14 pm

Re: Criterion and UHD

#422 Post by Ribs » Wed Jul 14, 2021 8:50 am

Once again, it cannot be Mulholland Drive as that movie is not licensed by Criterion, they own it. They could be releasing it but it would not make sense for the specific title being mentioned. You also wouldn’t say “the past thirty years” if you could say “this century” or “twenty years.”

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dwk
Joined: Sat Jun 12, 2010 6:10 pm

Re: Criterion and UHD

#423 Post by dwk » Wed Jul 14, 2021 10:32 am

How about Scorsese's Cape Fear remake. It has a 4K master suitable for release on UHD, it is licensed to some company and Arrow, Kino, & Shout all have said they do not have it.

Andrew_VB
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2008 1:07 am

Re: Criterion and UHD

#424 Post by Andrew_VB » Wed Jul 14, 2021 11:50 am

A Tempted Christ wrote:
Wed Jul 14, 2021 4:48 am
Geekgab, who yoloswegmaster previously mentioned as a reliable source, said on twitter that it's Citizen Kane. The tweet is now deleted and Geekgab claims it was at Warner's request. But then it would not match yoloswegmaster's description of the film saying it was from the last 30 years.
he actually said on instagram that citizen kane is 1 of 3 criterion uhd releases he knows about. presumably it is a different title than the one yoloswegmaster was hinting at.

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domino harvey
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Re: Criterion and UHD

#425 Post by domino harvey » Wed Jul 14, 2021 11:54 am

I think Lynch or Wes Anderson is a perfectly sane and likely guess for the modern film, given their strong ties with the label. Citizen Kane hardly feels like a guess, too— like, why wouldn’t that be their first UHD? Still not convinced this is a great move since we will now have to hear every month about how every title isn’t coming out on UHD, but oh well

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