'Forthcoming' Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol.2

[Matt]

It's just a retweet from the Music Box Theatre. Means nothing.

[HistoryProf]

CSM brought up an interesting bit from the Ronald Neame obit that suggests that Criterion is rereleasing Tunes of Glory and will release The Card. I don't think I've seen this mentioned yet so here's the relevent info :

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of Tunes of Glory, and together with the Academy Film Archive, we are evaluating the original elements for a preservation effort. Although he was pleased with our DVDs, Ronnie always expressed a desire for beautiful new film prints. I promised him we would work toward this goal for his hundredth birthday. Although he would often say “I’ve still enough of my marbles to know that I’m very, very old,” he was so youthful that I was sure he would live to see that milestone. Sadly, also unrealized was his recent proposal to record a commentary for his 1952 film The Card with his lifelong friend Glynis Johns, with, as he said, their usual comic routine of “insulting each other” as the film ran by.

hmmm...Tunes is easily in my top 5 films in the collection, I truly adore it, so I would have to give serious consideration to upgrading that one. the key is to sell it before the official announcement. for instance, I sold Walkabout over a year and a half ago, but resented having to wait so damned long to get it back (though it really was worth the wait)....what kind of timetable would you think we're on if they are only re-evaluating the elements right now? how long does it take to remaster an old release that is already in decent shape? The existing disc looks great, but I can only imagine how wonderful it could look in HD. The mere thought has me very excited....

[Frances]

Any news about "Senso", by Luchino Visconti? I remember some rumours about Criterion releasing it.

[andyli]

Any news about "Senso", by Luchino Visconti? I remember some rumours about Criterion releasing it.

A Current post from last month confirmed a delayed Senso release.

[Frances]

Thank you

It's a shame, there isn't a single good release of this movie!

[colinr0380]

Agreed, I'd love to see Senso too! (I keep having to skip over that section on the Scorsese 'My Voyage To Italy' documentary to avoid having it spoiled, even though I keep getting dangerously captivated by Alida Valli into watching a little more of the sequence each time!)

On Tunes of Glory, there is that issue of the distracting line down the right hand side of the frame throughout eight minutes of the last section of the film on the Criterion disc. I wonder if that is something Criterion could somehow fix for a re-release, especially if a new print is struck?

[Frances]

The Scorsese documentary was where i discovered the movie and became obsessed to watch it!

[matrixschmatrix]

Agreed, I'd love to see Senso too! (I keep having to skip over that section on the Scorsese 'My Voyage To Italy' documentary to avoid having it spoiled, even though I keep getting dangerously captivated by Alida Valli into watching a little more of the sequence each time!)

Scorsese is really beguiling in his descriptions on there, isn't he?

Every time I watch that, I'm surprised Criterion hasn't done Rossellini's Voyage to Italy- does anyone know if there are rights issues on that? It sounds right up their alley.

[Feego]

Does anyone think David Lean's Summertime is a possibility for a Blu-ray re-issue? I know the film was restored a few years ago, and the old Criterion disc is pretty dreadful.

[Cinephrenic]

Does anyone think David Lean's Summertime is a possibility for a Blu-ray re-issue? I know the film was restored a few years ago, and the old Criterion disc is pretty dreadful.

It's a pretty good seller as far as in Amazon terms. Possibly. I think they may do a bunch of his films in the future.

[ianungstad]

All of the early films from David Lean have been beautifully restored by the David Lean foundation. I'm actually quite surprised they haven't revisited the discs of Summertime, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, etc. They are all problematic early spines that have no special features and beautiful prints available. They should be pretty easy titles to rerelease. I wonder if David Lean just doesn't sell that well for Criterion. They released Hobson's Choice last year...but have just been sitting on the other unreleased titles for years on end. I don't mind if they trickle the releases out, since they have a full plate but it doesn't seem like they have much interest in these films at all.

[Brian C]

No joke about the Lean restorations - I had the chance to see a bunch of 'em last year. This Happy Breed, The Passionate Friends, the Dickenses, Madeleine ... all beautiful prints, one after the other. Just gorgeous. I can't believe Criterion has been sitting on these. The two Dickens titles especially would pull their weight, one would expect.

[Cinephrenic]

There have been rumours of some kind of box in the works.

[domino harvey]

I have no idea how transfer of release rights works, but since the Leans are barebones, I wouldn't be surprised if Criterion just let someone else release the Blu-rays

[zitherstrings]

Posted this 2x before, seems to be deleted each time. If someone could tell me why before deleting this time would really make it a more pleasant forum.

Is there any word on a possible Brazil blu upgrade?

[zedz]

Posted this 2x before, seems to be deleted each time. If someone could tell me why before deleting this time would really make it a more pleasant forum.

Is there any word on a possible Brazil blu upgrade?

This has just been discussed in the 'Fox / Universal Licences' thread, which is probably why it's been deleted here. The answer seems to be 'no.'

[zitherstrings]

Thanks for the reply, greatly appreciated but sad to hear. So many threads can be hard to know where to go sometimes!

[MoonlitKnight]

I remember MGM was going to release a Lean box set of his first 8 films ("In Which We Serve," "This Happy Breed," "Blithe Spirit," "Brief Encounter," "Great Expectations," "Oliver Twist," "The Passionate Friends," and "Madeleine") way back, but seemingly got lost in the shuffle and abandoned once Sony purchased (and then Fox) their catalogue. Fox finally released the also-planned Hitchcock box (albeit with a few titles altered), but the Lean films (the ones not already released by Criterion, anyway) have still not surfaced. :-k

[ianungstad]

The MGM discs were pulled because MGM thought they had both home video and theatrical rights but it turned out they had theatrical only and the home video rights were with Janus.

[knives]

Since To Be or Not to Be is a Castle Hill/ London Films title and Warner has been dropping licenses like flies what are the chances of it coming here?

[Matt]

<shakeshakeshake>Outlook good.

[jwd5275]

David Lean's "The Sound Barrier" is showing up on the Rialto Pictures Catalogue page. This should bode well for it's Criterion release (likely in the box set).

[Norbie]

I'm tempted to get "The Battle Of Algiers" but what about a re-release? Is there any whispers in the hall about a re-release planned within the next two years or so?

[Mr. Ned]

I'm tempted to get "The Battle Of Algiers" but what about a re-release? Is there any whispers in the hall about a re-release planned within the next two years or so?

Going on gut instinct and personal opinion, the current three-disc set is one of the best and most complete sets Criterion has ever released. I would be very surprised if they ever returned to it for a re-release; what could they possibly add? I'd say pick it up now and enjoy the hell out of it!

[aox]

I'm tempted to get "The Battle Of Algiers" but what about a re-release? Is there any whispers in the hall about a re-release planned within the next two years or so?

Going on gut instinct and personal opinion, the current three-disc set is one of the best and most complete sets Criterion has ever released. I would be very surprised if they ever returned to it for a re-release; what could they possibly add? I'd say pick it up now and enjoy the hell out of it!

I assume he is talking about a Blu-Ray release.