Criterion Newsletter (Part 2)

[matrixschmatrix]

If they're looking specifcally for sound era Chaplin, it's about as well known as anything but The Great Dictator, seeing as how it's basically that, Limelight, and A King in New York.

[movielocke]

well that's tremendously disappointing. how many more years must we wait for City Lights?

[criterion10]

Not to nitpick, but is it just me or does it seem as if Criterion is really taking there time with the Chaplins? Considering the first one we got was Modern Times back in November 2010, I would've thought Big C would've made it through almost all of them by now. Is this just me, or am I underestimating the amount of restoration these films needed?

[Mr Sausage]

Like Jeff, this is my second favourite Chaplin, so I'm pretty excited. I haven't bought any of the other Chaplins, but I'll definitely go out of my way to double-dip this one.

[JonasEB]

Not to nitpick, but is it just me or does it seem as if Criterion is really taking there time with the Chaplins? Considering the first one we got was Modern Times back in November 2010, I would've thought Big C would've made it through almost all of them by now. Is this just me, or am I underestimating the amount of restoration these films needed?

Most of them are already available in Europe and many of them are fairly mediocre looking, not necessarily due to the condition of the films but the qualities of the decade old masters. Criterion released the two that were obviously stellar (Modern Times, Great Dictator) and have started rolling out the more problematic titles, like The Gold Rush - the Criterion is the only edition with the original 1925 film in HD (which looks better than the 1942.) Similarly, The Kid is only available in its re-edited form overseas; the Criterion will almost certainly have the reconstructed original version. The First National shorts that make up the outdated Chaplin Revue may get new restorations/transfers, they need them.

It's going to take a bit longer to get these out but, as The Gold Rush shows, it should be worth it.

[matrixschmatrix]

Yeah, I'm impatient too, but I'll happily take a three year wait if that's what it takes to get releases as good as The Gold Rush. Plus, hopefully they'll stick to the incredibly stacked sets of extras, too.

[Jeff]

The Kid is only available in its re-edited form overseas; the Criterion will almost certainly have the reconstructed original version.

Yeah, it was one of the restorations they were working on with Cineteca di Bologna and the Chaplin estate, as seen in this infamous photo of Fumiko Takagi fondling the negative.

[zedz]

Not to nitpick, but is it just me or does it seem as if Criterion is really taking there time with the Chaplins? Considering the first one we got was Modern Times back in November 2010, I would've thought Big C would've made it through almost all of them by now. Is this just me, or am I underestimating the amount of restoration these films needed?

Why on earth would Criterion shoot their load, create competition for themselves and minimise sales when dripfeeding the Chaplins will give them a steady revenue stream for years? Most of these films are a license to print money, and will be subsidising riskier titles. That's not a resource you squander.

[peerpee]

They also pretty much all needed doing again from scratch. Park Circus and other European labels just issued what MK2 gave them (which, in most cases, wasn't really good enough for Blu-ray). MoC really dodged multiple bullets on these.

Criterion are handling the Chaplins exactly as the Universal Hitchcocks needed dealing with = one by one, properly.

[eerik]

[Cold Bishop]

Medium Cool!

[med]

That Haskell Wexler/Henry Winkler pun is something else.

[rwaits]

Excellent news!!

[dx23]

The Complete Henry Winkler Collection!

[kneelzod]

I wonder if all of the original music will be restored.

[bamwc2]

Medium Cool!

I hope that's right. What a fantastic movie! I have to admit to not getting it since I was thrown off by the "Wacky-Ayyyy" name.

[ptatler]

Also exciting is the possibility of a CC edition of the restored TESS. It's another interesting mess along the lines of HEAVEN'S GATE but, in my view, much better.

[carax09]

For a second there, I convinced myself it was Les Bas-fonds, or "Fonz", as the case may be.

[ryannichols7]

very awesome to see two cinema vérité style movies in 2013 so far on the slate. Medium Cool is fantastic. hope they got Wexler (who's 90!) for some features.

also, more Paramount...maybe we really will get Nashville and Don't Look Now!

[Grand Wazoo]

Yes! One of the few newsletter clues I've guessed on my own. I've been hoping for this one for a long time having missed out on the dvd before it evaporated. Here's hoping for some kind of Frank Zappa related extra.

[HistoryProf]

Wow...I figured this was only a pipedream. I can quit regretting selling off my old Paramount disc for only $50. I imagine those will drop back to $7 a pop within weeks of this coming out. better list them now!

[oldsheperd]

I totally regret selling my copy of Medium Cool when it was still in print.
I believe it had a commentary by Wexler so they might just transfer it.

[kneelzod]

I totally regret selling my copy of Medium Cool when it was still in print.
I believe it had a commentary by Wexler so they might just transfer it.

I may wait to hear what is, or isn't, being ported over from the Paramount DVD before selling it.

[swo17]

I may wait to hear what is, or isn't, being ported over from the Paramount DVD before selling it.

Yeah, I'm waiting to see if one of Criterion's extras will be a crisp $100 bill.

[ianungstad]

This will probably be a 2 disc bluray. The making of documentary apparently clocks in at 4 hours:

http://www.thestickingplace.com/film/fi ... roduction/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

“Look out Haskell, it’s real!” details the production of Haskell Wexler‘s 1969 feature Medium Cool. It features interviews with members of the film’s cast and crew alongside critics and commentators, and includes never-before-seen outtakes of Medium Cool from the UCLA Film and Television Archive. A 55-minute version of the documentary premiered at the 2001 Edinburgh Film Festival alongside a new theatrical print of Medium Cool and with Wexler in attendance. It has been screened at many archives and festivals worldwide, and has been seen on the BBC, PBS and the Sundance Channel. The film was expanded and re-edited in 2013, and now runs four hours.

If this documentary is included on the Criterion release, they may end up pulling a Bergman Island and use the 55 minute cut to keep it down to one disc.