Criterion Random Speculation Vol.3

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#951 Post by **domino harvey** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 6:28 pm

the R4 picture quality is fantastic and has one of the best commentaries on a Godard film I've heard

LightBulbFilm · #952 Post by **LightBulbFilm** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 2:48 am

I e-mailed Turrell asking about Rian Johnson's Brick and Harold and Maude, this was the response.

Hi Thomas -

Not to say there isn't a lot of good stuff coming, but we don't have any plans for anything that you mention. Sorry....

Hope all else is well and thanks as always for your support.

Best,

Jonathan

But we do know there is a lot of good stuff coming.

ianungstad · #953 Post by **ianungstad** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 3:16 am

Are their email addresses publically available? Or does one have to go and ask "John Mulvaney" their questions.

dadaistnun · #954 Post by **dadaistnun** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 2:53 pm

TCM ran Peter Ustinov's Vice Versa Friday night and it was preceded by (a current) MGM and Rank logos. I don't know what the general opinion on the film is, but we thought it was absolutely hilarious, a very pleasant and unexpected surprise. Anthony Newley is fine but Roger Livesey is utterly delightful. James Robertson Justice gets the film's most quotable lines ("Out of my way, nincompoops!").

LightBulbFilm · #955 Post by **LightBulbFilm** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 4:04 pm

How about Our Daily Bread? Image owns the right to it. I think it's worthy of a Criterion edition.

And how about the two Image owned Kitano films?

tryavna · #956 Post by **tryavna** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 6:03 pm

dadaistnun wrote:TCM ran Peter Ustinov's Vice Versa Friday night and it was preceded by (a current) MGM and Rank logos. I don't know what the general opinion on the film is, but we thought it was absolutely hilarious, a very pleasant and unexpected surprise. Anthony Newley is fine but Roger Livesey is utterly delightful. James Robertson Justice gets the film's most quotable lines ("Out of my way, nincompoops!").

A brilliant film indeed! It caps the finest five-year period of Livesay's career (the rest of which was made up of the three P&P films). Though as you say, James Robertson Justice nearly steals the movie.

Network's R2 disc is actually a perfectly acceptable DVD. The print TCM showed is the same print (though obviously in NTSC rather than PAL), so the A/V quality is the same. Unfortunately, there are no extras to speak of, though Ustinov's directorial efforts deserve some sort of analysis as does the career of original author F. Anstey (who invented the body-switch comedy genre). The movie definitely rewards multiple viewings, so I highly recommend the UK release.

LightBulbFilm wrote:How about Our Daily Bread? Image owns the right to it. I think it's worthy of a Criterion edition.

Frankly, I don't think that the Image release needs much improvement. The print and transfer are superb, and there is a wealth of extra material in the form of Pare Lorentz's and other excellent Depression-era documentaries. There could, of course, be more material dedicated to Vidor himself, but I suspect we'll get that whenever Warner get up off their asses and give us The Big Parade and The Crowd.

It's a wonderful movie, but this is just another instance where a CC edition would be superfluous. (The Image is still in print, though it's sometimes difficult to track down.)

LightBulbFilm · #957 Post by **LightBulbFilm** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 9:22 pm

LightBulbFilm wrote:How about Our Daily Bread? Image owns the right to it. I think it's worthy of a Criterion edition.

And how about the two Image owned Kitano films?

I got a response from Turell on these. No for all of them.

Buttery Jeb · #958 Post by **Buttery Jeb** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 1:57 pm

justeleblanc wrote:
Bottle Rocket' To Get The Criterion DVD Treatment At Last
I did break this news a few months back

Knew it had been mentioned again recently. Just couldn't find the thread, so I started a new one.

More news from the Film Forum schedule for late '07: new 35mm restorations from Janus Films of Albert Lamorisse's "The Red Balloon" and "White Mane." The two films run as one double feature, opening November 16th.

There's also a Janus-backed retrospective of Pietro Germi from November 2nd thru 22nd. However, the only films with new 35mm prints are "Divorce Italian Style" and "Seduced and Abandoned."

-BJ

#959 Post by **domino harvey** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:34 pm

No plans for Un Flic according to Criterion, dag!

tryavna · #960 Post by **tryavna** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 5:59 pm

domino harvey wrote:No plans for Un Flic according to Criterion, dag!

Since Optimum released this in the UK, it will most likely be an eventual Lionsgate title. That seems to be what's been happening if CC don't already own the R1 rights.

LightBulbFilm · #961 Post by **LightBulbFilm** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 10:24 pm

Although we all know they are coming...

On October 23 and 24, starting at 8 p.m. TCM will be playing 10 films by Louis Malle. Zazie Dans Le Metro, The Fire Within and Black Moon will be playing, which obviously do not have releases.

I am willing to bet these three Malle films are January's new releases... Just a hunch.

If so I am VERY excited.

#962 Post by **Jeff** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 11:47 pm

LightBulbFilm wrote:I am willing to bet these three Malle films are January's new releases... Just a hunch.

I could see Zazie and The Fire Within boxed up with The Lovers for an "Early Malle" Eclipse set. This of course leaves Black Moon unaccounted for. I would be a little surprised at a stand-alone release of that one, but I can't imagine what sort of box you'd put it in.

The Elegant Dandy Fop · Sun Oct 07, 2007 11:54 pm

Uggg... to much Malle.

Are any of these actually good or stand out?

I think davidhare will agree with me on how awful Malle is.

Steven H · #964 Post by **Steven H** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:00 am

I just want The Fire Within and The Thief of Paris and they never have to put out another Malle film *ever*.

#965 Post by **domino harvey** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:07 am

Don't forget My Dinner With Andre, which sure to get a proper Criterion release.

LightBulbFilm · #966 Post by **LightBulbFilm** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:48 am

Ouch, what is with the hatred of Malle?

He's one fantastic director with an ALMOST flawless body of work.

I hope he's not too much in the shadows of Truffaut and Godard for some of you.

#967 Post by **Jeff** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:51 am

domino harvey wrote:Don't forget My Dinner With Andre, which sure to get a proper Criterion release.

Yes, I didn't count that one because I suspect it will get a stand-alone full Criterion disc.

LightBulbFilm wrote:Ouch, what is with the hatred of Malle?

No hatred from me. Zazie and Andre rank among some of my most desired Criterion properties.

#968 Post by **domino harvey** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 1:18 am

Jeff wrote:Zazie and Andre rank among some of my most desired Criterion properties.

Mine too. In fact, I believe my first post on this forum was made about My Dinner With Andre possibly being a Criterion release! However, Zazie dans le Metro is an incredibly popular film and I though I could see it in a Criterion boxed set, I just can't imagine them dropping it in an Eclipse set. I've predicted this sort of thing before, but I could easily see concurrent releases of Zazie and Andre as stand-alone discs and then the others Janus titles getting dropped in a boxed set down the line.

denti alligator · Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:36 am

I wonder if Criterion will be doing anything special in March '08 (announcement only 2 1/2 months away), since that month marks the tenth anniversary of their first DVD release.

GringoTex · #970 Post by **GringoTex** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:44 am

LightBulbFilm wrote:Ouch, what is with the hatred of Malle?

I'm surprised Criterion has completely ignored Chabrol, a contemporary of Malle's who I think is a far better filmmaker.

redbill · #971 Post by **redbill** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:49 am

GringoTex wrote:I'm surprised Criterion has completely ignored Chabrol, a contemporary of Malle's who I think is a far better filmmaker.

I'd say early Chabrol reeks of an eclipse set, or at least an early nouvelle vague set.

#972 Post by **domino harvey** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:59 am

We know for sure Criterion has the rights to at least one Chabrol film, Les Cousins, and it's certainly one of his best films. I'd love an Early Chabrol Eclipse set (With Le Beau Serge, Les Cousins, Les Godelureaux, and Ophelia) but given that they dumped La Ceremonie on HvE tells me that we might have a Rivette-type situation where Criterion just doesn't have much interest. Sadly I suspect we'll only get Les Cousins in the New Wave Eclipse set

justeleblanc · #973 Post by **justeleblanc** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 3:43 am

Janus owns the rights to Les Cousins and Le Beau Serge. I don't believe Criterion was ever in a situation where they passed on Le Ceremonie.

Janus also owns the rights to The Lovers, Zazie, Fire Within, Black Moon, May Fools. There's also a possibility of Damage from New Line and Pretty Baby from Paramount.

How about a MALLE'S LITTLE GIRLS box set with Zazie, Pretty Baby, and Black Moon?

#974 Post by **domino harvey** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 3:49 am

justeleblanc wrote:Janus owns the rights to Les Cousins and Le Beau Serge.

I didn't realize they had Le Beau Serge as well, that changes things a bit! In that case the two should really be a 2-disc set (if not included within a larger box), as though Les Cousins is superior in every way, the two are such sister films that they shouldn't be separated.

It's my understanding that Janus had Story of Women, Masques, and La Ceremonie and all three came out on HvE instead of Criterion.

jbeall · #975 Post by **jbeall** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 4:00 am

justeleblanc wrote:How about a MALLE'S LITTLE GIRLS box set with Zazie, Pretty Baby, and Black Moon?

As long as they're available individually (like the last Malle box). I'll eventually watch the others, but I'm buying Zazie.

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Criterion Random Speculation Vol.3