Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol.3

[swo17]

Also

Spoiler

The Burmese Harp

[mteller]

Also

Spoiler

The Burmese Harp

No, there were talking about discussing

Spoiler

The Letter Never Sent

on the

Spoiler

Burmese Harp

episode.

[swo17]

In my defense, some tweets are far too long to read all the way through.

[ccfixx]

The cover for the Lean/Coward set is showing up on the right side of the Brief Encounter page now.

[SpiderBaby]

Spoiler

The Letter Never Sent

Yes! I have been waiting for this announcement.

[captveg]

The cover for the Lean/Coward set is showing up on the right side of the Brief Encounter page now.

Pretty cool. That box is 1 upgrade and 3 new titles alone.

[Saturnome]

"leaked" announcements are spoilers now? I think the Kalatozov title is amazing news.

[captveg]

So with another of the first 50 titles getting an updated re-issue, I took a look at the remaining in print titles from the early-DVD era that have yet to get the re-issue treatment.

14-16 - Samurai Trilogy - Prime candidate down the road
22, 31, 32 - Summertime, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist - With the recent Lean/Coward box these may be later rather than sooner
29 - Picnic at Hanging Rock - Extremely overdue at this point
33 - Nanook of the North - IIRC, an upgrade was confirmed to be in the works
34 - Andrei Rublev - Another extremely overdue title
40 - Armageddon - Disney already released it on Blu. I just don't see Criterion bothering
41 - Henry V - I could see them eventually upgrading this at the same time as Hamlet (82) and Richard III (213), but no rush
42 - Fishing with John - LOL. No.
43 - Lord of the Flies - I just don't see the urgency
45 - Taste of Cherry - Probably not high on their list
46 - The Most Dangerous Game - Probably missed the best commercial window with Island of Lost Soul's release. Long run perhaps.
47 - Insomnia - I don't see too much clamoring for this one
50 - And the Ship Sails On - Just can't see them upgrading this one before Juliet of the Spirits (149) or La strada (219)

So, all in all, they've mostly taken care of the one's that truly needed an upgrade. There's a couple box set opportunities left, and of course the long awaited Andrei Rublev and Picnic at Hanging Rock re-issues, but generally speaking, they've done a good job tackling the first 50 that really needed the re-issues, all while getting out great new releases at the same time.

From a purely numbers perspective:

DVD/BD upgraded: 19
DVD only/in print: 17
DVD only/out of print: 14

[swo17]

Taste of Cherry and Ship Sails On are both non-anamorphic widescreen and so I'd consider them very much in need of upgrades.

[captveg]

Taste of Cherry and Ship Sails On are both non-anamorphic widescreen and so I'd consider them very much in need of upgrades.

Need from A/V standpoint, yes. Commercially, though, they likely have better options. (Then again, they upgraded Fat Girl...)

[onedimension]

Some months you just know Criterion's giving us the weak sh*t because they know we'll take it anyway. If I could commandeer their release schedule, I would be able to retire from Criterion watching/accumulating within 4 months. As would we all?

[htshell]

29 - Picnic at Hanging Rock - Extremely overdue at this point

Saw Janus's 35mm print of this in November and it sorely needs an upgrade. Definitely in pretty poor condition.

[The Narrator Returns]

42 - Fishing with John - LOL. No.

Am I the only one who believes Fishing with John to be one of the greatest things in the collection?

May I have a bite of your sandwich?

[knives]

I agree that it is, but it was shot SD so there's no real reason to release it on Blu.

[Doctor Sunshine]

Well, John still has to do a commentary on his commentary on that interview.

[Drucker]

I'd like to believe a film like Andrei Rubelev, L'Avventura and films like the Apu Trilogy are going to be big waits because of all the extras/bonus stuff that would hopefully come with a reissue

[aox]

Am I the only one who believes Fishing with John to be one of the greatest things in the collection?

No, you are not. But, there is no reason to release it on BD since it was shot in 480p.

[Cinephrenic]

Because with Fishing with John, the Criterion Collection has been a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films, has been dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements.

[Gregory]

Fishing with John on blu:

1. Audio quality on the "Big Heart" music video is terrible on the DVD. (It really is.)
2. The case was 1/2" taller than it needed to be.
3. Criterion could use the revenue this logroller would bring in on the new format.

[ianungstad]

You also have to consider some of the illogical reasons for upgrading films like Fishing with John. There seems to be a fairly significant number of people who will only buy blu-ray titles. If it's on dvd; no sale. You can argue that a blu of Hoop Dreams or Fishing With John isn't going to result in a significant improvement in technicals but it won't matter. It would take Criterion releasing those films on blu for people to say "Oh now I can finally buy Hoop Dreams".

[TMDaines]

You also have to consider some of the illogical reasons for upgrading films like Fishing with John. There seems to be a fairly significant number of people who will only buy blu-ray titles. If it's on dvd; no sale. You can argue that a blu of Hoop Dreams or Fishing With John isn't going to result in a significant improvement in technicals but it won't matter. It would take Criterion releasing those films on blu for people to say "Oh now I can finally buy Hoop Dreams".

Yeah, focussing on a minority of a minority is a great way to run your business, even more so when that minority is just cutting off their nose to spite their face... and especially when you still have literally hundreds of titles in your back catalogue to upgrade.

[Hail_Cesar]

You also have to consider some of the illogical reasons for upgrading films like Fishing with John. There seems to be a fairly significant number of people who will only buy blu-ray titles. If it's on dvd; no sale. You can argue that a blu of Hoop Dreams or Fishing With John isn't going to result in a significant improvement in technicals but it won't matter. It would take Criterion releasing those films on blu for people to say "Oh now I can finally buy Hoop Dreams".

Yeah, focussing on a minority of a minority is a great way to run your business, even more so when that minority is just cutting off their nose to spite their face... and especially when you still have literally hundreds of titles in your back catalogue to upgrade.

...Like some Ozu and Wild Strwberries... And when you haven't even released Sommaren med Monika yet even if you probably had the rights for 10 years!

[Dona Santa]

I gotta give Letter Never Sent another watch. When I first watched it I remember oddly being torn from the great cinematography and just the dullness of the actual interactions going on screen. This forthcoming release re-piqued my interest.

I would kill for some Glauber Rocha in the collection

[MrGregoryArkadin]

Fishing with John

[vsski]

While I of course would prefer to have every film on Blu-Ray in the best possible A/V quality (even those I don't care for, since someone else will), we all know it's not going to happen. So when given a choice of having a film I really want in my collection on DVD or not at all, I will of course go for DVD. But when I read the last messages on this thread I have to wonder. Criterion while having a built-in fan base doesn't have unlimited funds and until this year when it came to Blu Ray upgrades of its older spine numbers focused on those that they had already reissued in upgraded editions on DVD. While I'm not sure what 2012 will bring in terms of upgrades, I wouldn't be surprised if it's less.

At the same time I for one have to say I'd prefer them to use their funds for new titles rather than upgrading old ones (and I'm saying this even though like most here I have a few of the older ones I would personally love to have on Blu Ray).